A "Very Important" Issue

So, you want to be a mover and shaker?  You want to get attention, help shape the direction of things?  Then there is one thing you need.  You need a "very important" issue.

So, what does this mean - that you must carefully wait and bide your time for the next earth shattering issue - like Arianism, or the denial of the Real Presence?  By no means!  That would require patience - ain't nobody got time for that!

The key is to create for yourself a "very important" issue, and here is how.  What you do is you look for something small and relatively unnoticed that might be slightly off - the sort of thing that most people would just instinctively as Christians who have been trained to bear with one another just sort of shrug off and ignore.  Where they would by second nature just cover it, or bear with it.

And then, YOU HAMMER IT!

Then you take one of two approaches - either the approach of offense or the approach of indignation.  If you take the approach of offense, you focus on how whatever happen has offended you, upset you, hurt you.  Now, this can be a strong approach because it makes you the victim, and it's hard for people to gainsay you without being a villain.  However, you need something that actually is semi-legitimate here, lest that whole "Little Boy Who Cried Wolf" story come back to bite you.

If you take the approach of indignation, you jump in and complain about what someone did to someone else.  The beautiful thing with this approach is that your blowing things all out of proportion is "merely a sign of your zeal" - see how great and wonderfully you love this poor person who was being oppressed (and didn't even seem to notice or care).  Here you take on the role not of the victim, but rather the hero.  The problem is, people will want to fight heroes... so you have to be prepared to be a bit more aggressive in response.  Keep the issue in focus - that is, keep pointing to the poor people who clearly were victimized by these mean people over here.

Now, in either case, someone might try and resolve the issue - smooth over the issue.  YOU CANNOT ALLOW THIS.  Discord and strife are the waves that you will surf to power upon.  Things need to be unforgivable!  You need to paint them as earth shattering events that establish a terrible, dire precedent that must be stamped out.  Never forget!  Keep the agitation going - that way people will be happy that you are fighting the desperately important fight for them.

Because, that's what is important.  You need to be doing it *for*... for the people, for the Church, for Jesus.  You are the lynchpin, and they need to see it and know it... that's how you energize your base.  Keep the focus on what you are doing for Jesus (and whatever you do don't bring up Jesus "for you" - that's the sort of thing that leads to forgiveness and peace... Jesus has a tendency to want calm waves, and with no waves, no surfing for you!).

Well... that's what you can do.  And perhaps you will do it poorly... and that way you can be the occasion for ME to turn you into a "Very Important" Issue - that way I can be indispensable.

Why Stop at 8?

Why does it seem like in the LCMS discussions on the commandments sort of stop at the 8th commandment?  I mean, we get the poor 8th commandment tossed around all the time for about near anything, and with our other discussions you'll get 4th through 7th, and then on theological things you get the first table tossed around... but why do we stop at 8?

You shall not covet your neighbor's house - We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get our neighbor's inheritance or house, or get it in a way which only appears right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it.

.... hmmm.  So, the commandment whose meaning reminds us that we aren't to be scheming against each other, that we aren't merely to be keeping up appearances while we plot and plan in the background.  The Commandment that points out that we ought to respect our neighbor's house - his place - his position... rather than try to mess with that.

You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor - We should fear and love God so that we do not entice or force away our neighbor's wife, workers, or animals, or turn them against him, but urge them to say and do their duty.

.... hmmmm.  Stay?  Not try to turn people against someone so that they will come to me instead?  Encourage people to...stay... do their duty?  You mean my job isn't to make sure that my cult of personality (and hence my political power, the troops that I can rally) isn't the biggest and most awesome... but rather I ought to encourage people to work with where they are at?

Let's think about these for a bit.

You mean I'm not supposed to delight when people leave that "bad" LCMS congregation and come to mine, because I'm TEH AWESOME?

You mean my goal isn't supposed to be to try to run people out of their position, their pulpit, but rather my focus should be upon dealing with them, helping them to do better in the position they have.  Why, it's almost like we'd believe that God had actually CALLED that fruit-loop to actually be in that position for some reason (when clearly it's not the case, because God surely wouldn't have put him there... because I know *I* wouldn't have... and surely God wouldn't go against my will).

You mean that I ought to seek to help even those who I deem my enemies, that I am to serve and love even them?

Why, these commandments are insane!  With the other 8 I can hold myself out and pious and righteous and good - see how much better I am than my neighbor in terms of my worship (be it's piety or its outreach potential), or how I respect the by-laws and other authorities, or my defense of this social issue, or what have you.  But... how can I possibly point to myself with these - how can I demonstrate publicly that *I* am good and better than the other people with these commandments?  Preposterous!

....

....

Yep.  The forgotten commandments.

I covet what my neighbor has.  His position.  His paycheck.  His respect.  His political power. 

And if left merely to myself, I will turn anything into a dog eat dog free for all, even the Church.

Thanks be to God, in reality it's not my neighbor's position and power, nor is it *my* position in power.  All authority in heaven or on earth is Christ's and Christ's alone... and He uses that authority not to smite me for my covetousness, but to forgive and forgive richly, for I and my neighbor are both His - He has paid for us, He has bought us with His own blood, He has washed us and declared us without stain or blot.

And that, in that truth, there is peace and joy.  Take heart, He has overcome the world, even when the *world* creeps into how we approach the stewardship of the Church with which we have been entrusted for a brief time.

An Open Letter

Dear President Harrison (and also whoever might get elected next),

I am writing this open letter because I am mad, angry, and annoyed.  As I am mad, I want changes.  As I am angry, I want other people to suffer (both humiliation and possibly fiscally).  As I am annoyed, I plan to annoy you until you are willing to use your power to bend to my will, regardless of the validity of my complaint.

Speaking of said complaint - the people who are on the opposite side of the political spectrum were stupid.  Rather than just letting them be stupid, and pointing out the stupidity so as to help convince people to not be stupid, I am seeking to use their stupidity as an occasion whereby drum them out of their position, prestige, and possibly even the synod (if I can get enough other people to sign this letter).  They are "the bad people" and I am the "good" people, so listen to me.

Of course, I've talked to these charlatans about this - granted it was several years ago and I wasn't paying attention to them because, well, duh, they are stupid and evil and shouldn't even have been at that convention because they shouldn't even be in our church body anymore.  How am I supposed to pay attention to someone who isn't even supposed to be there.

However, they keep writing letters.  Big, pompous letters.  Letters that they expect you to listen to (when we know that you really only listen to my letters).  Therefore, I demand that you expel anyone who has signed any letter calling for any action, because we just have too many of these letters.

If you do not remove all people who have signed a letter in the past 2 years, I will be very upset.  My feelings will be hurt.  I may very well cancel my subscription to Portals of Prayer.  We should not be forced to listen to the constant harpings of the 14% in this Synod who just aren't happy with each other because they are forced to be around each other in the same room.

Please fix this soon.

Signed - well, I'm not going to sign it, because then I would be all mad that you didn't kick me out too!

Easter 3 Sermon

Easter 3 – May 4^th, 2014 – John 10:11-16

Christ is Risen (He is Risen indeed, Alleluia) + Amen.

          I Am the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  How unlike the way of the world is the way of Christ Jesus our Lord.  How unsearchible are His ways beyond the way of human knowing, how far He is beyond sinful thoughts.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep.  A Shepherd exchanging His life for that of a sheep?  That doesn’t seem like a wise trade, a fair trade at all.  Can you see it; a pastor consoling a grieving wife – I am sorry about your husband, but at least he died saving that sheep.

I Am the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  Why would you do that?  Why, oh Shepherd!  The sheep are not worth it.  Dear friends, is there anything in you, that makes you worth being saved?  Yes, I’m sure you who have cattle would protect them against dangers, but not knowingly at the cost of your own life.  Better to let those cattle go – you can always get new ones.  So why doesn’t God think this way?  Do you not think that God has the ability to just start all over with Creation, that He couldn’t have just blotted out Adam and Eve and all their children and started again?  Tossed this creation away into the trash bin like a discarded rough draft.  There is no worth in you that would call for God to lay down His life – nothing in you that makes Jesus say, “Oh, I must save Him.”  Why would you do that, oh Shepherd, why give Your life for mine?

I Am the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  Why?  Because I AM.  I AM the Good Shepherd.  I AM Good.  Dear friends, this text is about Christ.  He is Good.  He is the One by whom all things were made – who made all things Good.  Who made man in His own image, made him male and female, and made them both good.  You were made to be like, to look like God.  When you saw Adam, when you saw Eve in the garden, simply by looking at them you would be pointed to God their Creator, God who made them good.  They were the very image of God – if you wanted to understand the Goodness and Holiness of God – you needed simply look at His image – His Adam, His Eve, and you would see and understand and know how Good God was.  Man reflected His image, His glory – just like a mirror reflects your image.  And it was Good… because God was Good and what He does is Good.

He who does not own the sheep sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.  The wolf of all wolves came – entered the garden dressed as a snake.  He whispered lying words and half truths to our first parents, spoke seductively, promised something more.  Do not be content to be in God’s image, you could be so much more.  And as they disobeyed, the image of God that was Adam and Eve was shattered.  Satan snatched Adam and Eve, and He dashed that mirror that reflected God to the ground.  And since then, what have you seen when you look man?  What do you see now when you take a long, hard look in the mirror?  Do you see someone who looks more like Christ, or who looks more like the Devil?  How often are your words used to lead another astray?  How often do you bring death with you – how often do you kill a friendship, how often do you kill someone’s reputation, how often do you kill them by “getting the better of them”, and how often, when this is done, do you slither away satisfied in your wickedness.  Hear what Christ Jesus says of your broken, fallen nature.  You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and he has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him.  We heard that a few weeks ago – it was the charge leveled against the Pharisees, the “good, religious people” of Christ’s day.  How often does that describe you?  And be honest –does not Satan’s way often seem more appealing?  Doesn’t it seem better, easier to hate your enemy rather than love?  Doesn’t it seem better elevate and glorify yourself rather than show respect?  When you think, when thoughts creep into your head, how often are they wicked thoughts worthy of Satan?

The wolf snatches and scatters them.  That is what befell formerly fair Eden at the fall.  Adam and Eve were scattered, sent of Eden, banished and condemned.  With no power of their own could they be freed.  With no power of their own could their children be freed.  Sons after fathers and daughters after mothers, all bearing this tainted nature, looking like broken mirrors, like pale shadows of what they were created to be.  What was made good had become wicked, and to be honest, quite often enjoyed it.  And, if left to our own devices, that’s all we would see – a world where wickedness grows more and more and people call it good – call it “choice” or “freedom” or “profit” when it really is murder and lust and greed.

I AM the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  Christ Jesus your Lord, the very Word of God that called you into being, that gave you life – He saw your fall.  God beheld your wretched state, even before the world’s foundation.  As He made Adam and Eve, He knew what Satan would do.  He even knew that His Adam would fall.  Before He even called Adam into being, before He had even breathed into Him the breath of life, He saw you.  He saw and knew, knew you better than you know yourself right now.  Now, if you were God, you might not bother – you might rethink this whole creation thing, if you know where it was going to go.  But you, you don’t own the sheep, and by your sinful nature you think like a simple hireling – “I best look out for myself.”  But God, mindful of His mercies great plans for man’s salvation even before creation.  He is the Good Shepherd.  The Sheep belong Him and He will not let Satan have them.  So the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

Adam had the image of God, and Adam threw it down.  Cast it aside.  Christ Jesus came into the world, came into flesh, was born of human mother.  And what happened?  Christ takes up your image – man’s image.  The image of God in man was restored.  Once again, when you looked at Man you saw God.  Hear St. Paul from Colossians – He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  When you see Christ, you see and understand God.  For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of the cross.  And what does Christ do with that image?  I AM the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.  Jesus says, “Look what I do!  You suffer and die according to your sin.  Therefore, I will suffer and die – and behold, you look like God again.”  Christ Jesus joins you, comes down from heaven and bears the consequences of your sin – He sheds His blood, sheds it upon you, covers you with it – even covers your lips and your tongue with His blood.  In Christ’s death Christ established forgiveness – picked up the pieces of your shattered image, and drenched the shards of that shattered mirror in His blood, took those pieces into the tomb with Him for three days.  And what happens on the third?  Christ Rises, restored.  Likewise, you are restored.  When Christ raises from the dead, the image of God is restored.  The New Man strides forth from the tomb, and Christ Jesus, the Living God says, “Once again I will make you live.”

I AM the Good Shepherd.  I know my own and my own know Me. . . they will listen to my voice.  So there will be one flock, there will be one Shepherd.  Christ speaks, He sends forth His Word, and what does that Word do?  It joins you to Christ – that Word makes you who looked only like the Old fallen Adam to look like Christ the New Adam.  His Word restores you, forgives you your sin.  It daily drowns the Old Adam, so that the New might emerge and shine forth.  You are free to look like God again, to be His image.  This is what St. Peter tells us – For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His footsteps.  The sheep follow the Shepherd’s footsteps, they look like Him now.  He Himself bore our sins in His Body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.  For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer [bishop] of your souls.  Christ calls you unto Himself and He declares you righteous, proclaims you forgiven and holy.  He declares your sin dead, and He declares you Good once again.

Now, in this life, when you look at yourself, you will only see this dimly.  You will strive to do good, you will strive and fight to do God’s will, you will beat down the desires of your sinful flesh – but while your flesh is still sinful, until that day when you have completely followed the Shepherd’s footsteps through the grave and onto your own resurrection – your life will be struggle.  But in this struggle, know this.  Christ Jesus, Your Good Shepherd, has indeed lain down His life for you, He has won pardon and peace for all your wrong.  The claims that Satan had upon you are done away with, and you now belong to Christ – He won you upon the Cross, and He claimed you in the waters of baptism, sealed His Name upon you, marked you with His sign, the sign of the holy cross upon your forehead and upon your heart.  His resurrection is the proof of purchase, the sign that you do indeed belong to Him, that you are His sheep, and nothing can snatch you out of His hand.  Thus, live your life, struggle against sin, and all this do without fear, for the Good Shepherd has gathered you into His kingdom, and He continually gives you forgiveness to keep you here.  Christ is Risen – He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia.  Amen.

A Struggle or a Triumph?

How do you view your "relationship" with sin, O Christian?  Because, well, you do have a "relationship" with sin - of sorts.  It relates to you, it impacts.  How do you view your relationship to sin?

Are you a forgiven sinner who continually struggles against sin - where sin is like the crazy stalker ex-girlfriend... or maybe on the bad days you are actually sin's crazy stalker-ex, where you keep ending up walking down sin's street and by her house, even though you know you shouldn't be over there.  (Perhaps those are the times when you feel like a sucker with no self-esteem)

Or, do you view your relationship with sin as a triumph - you have Jesus, and now you don't have to worry about sin.  Sin, oh, that was just that grade school crush you had... or maybe if you were really, really bad, well, that sin was just somebody that you used to know.  In fact, you are so beyond and over sin that you get sort of annoyed if anyone even mentions sin - you are that OVER sin. 




So, which view of sin do you normally take?  I'd argue one of these views is the view of a believer - and that is the first.  Sin is always a struggle, never something we triumph over completely in this life.  You think I am wrong?  Let's consider some folks from the Scriptures.

Well, there's David: For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

"But wait," you cry out!  "That was only after David sinned with Bathsheba."  Yeah... when he knew his sin, he had faith.  When he was all triumphant, he stole peoples wives and murdered them.  That's where triumph gets you.

Or then there's Paul.  You know what he was doing when he thought he was triumphant over sin?  Holding cloaks and coats so they could go stone Stephen.  Rather, when Paul believes he confesses, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost."  I am.  Present tense.  Sound like a man who knows some struggles.

If you would be faithful, if you would know God's peace, know your sin.  See it, fight against it.  Don't deny it away, don't pretend that it isn't there.  You are a sinner - but thanks be to God, He is merciful to sinners.  Christ Jesus has died and risen for you, and you are forgiven.

Late at night, I knock on her door...

Easter 2 Sermon

Easter 2 – John 20:19-31 – April 27^th, 2014

Christ is Risen (He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia) + Amen

          The bunnies and the chocolate are all eaten.  The new dresses, the nice suits, for the most part they’ve gone back into the closet.  The eggs, the family dinners are done, the pictures have been posted to the internet – and as far as the world is concerned, Easter is done – now, when’s Memorial Day and the start of summer?  Not so in the Church.  We’ve only just begun Easter – the altar will be wearing its Easter white 5 more weeks, and in this time we will be studying the Gospel of John, hearing from our Lord and pondering what His resurrection means for us, how it shapes our lives.  And now that the hoopla is past, consider for a moment that forgotten theme of all the Easter stories – fear.

          You see, the Gospels don’t deal with Easter the way Walmart or Hallmark does.  In the Scriptures, it’s not all sunshine and daisies and spring.  Every Gospel has in its account of the resurrection fear.  Matthew – you’ve got the guards fearing, you’ve got the women afraid.  In Mark, everyone’s afraid.  Same with Luke – except in Luke you hear about the bewildered disciples on the road to Emmaus, the two who figure it’s best to high tail it out of Jerusalem – that’s how fearful they are.  And then, there’s John – and last week we heard of Mary Magdalene’s utter fear and confusion.  And what do we hear this week?  “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for FEAR of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them.”   Fear.  Disciples, have you heard?  Jesus has risen!  That’s nice, now, let’s lock the doors.  Ain’t no sunshine and daisies there.  And here’s the great kicker on this – Jesus shows up, talks with them – and then what do we hear?  “Eight days later, His disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.  Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them.”  All of them except Thomas have seen Jesus risen from the dead, and yet, what’s going on?  Still locked doors.  Still hiding.  Still fear.

          Too many people in the Church do a grave disservice to the Gospel, to the preaching of Christ, when they pretend that if you only are a Christian then life is so much easier and everything is laughter and bouncy-bouncy happiness and money and wealth and fabulous prizes.  It’s not, not yet at least.  Until Christ comes again, we are in the fallen world.  And you know what life in the fallen world is?  Quite often, lousy.  Terrifying.  Disappointing.  Aching.  Sad.  This world is doing its best to turn us all into dry bones, to suck the life out of us.  And it does a pretty good job of it, doesn’t it?  And the temptation for us sinful men, especially us in America, with all our wealth and luxuries and technology and cosmetics and the like is to try to pretend that we can make the world less… fallenish.  Less harsh.  We think of the Church like some sort of spiritual gated community – we come here, we do the right stuff, and all those bad things will be kept far, far away and God will give us Money, wealth, and prosperity.

          If you want to think about it this way, our Gospel text tells us of the first two Sunday worship services in the History of the New Testament Church.  What is Church but where God’s disciples have been gathered together – have been made into a congregation – and Christ is present there and His Word proclaimed?  It’s what we see.  And yet, what’s the context?  Not that if we make it to the upper Room Jesus will make all of our wildest dreams come true.  Not that if we make it there we will get a raise at work and our spouse won’t be so mean and our kids will do better in school.  The context for the disciples was fear.  No blinders about life.  There are evil people out there that want to do us harm.  Our livelihoods are messed up – the next chapter when Peter tries to start up the old fishing business it doesn’t start off so well.  And let us be honest, who among us doesn’t have fear, plenty of fear?  Every one of us has them – and there’s no magic bullet to make those fears go away – not money, not booze, not even showing up to Church with the biggest smile.

          So, why even be here?  What then is the point, pastor?  If things are so dour and always will be, why not just sleep in?  Listen to Christ Jesus.  “Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side.”  Peace.  Yes, disciples, I know there are people out there who want to do you harm – look at My hands, look at My side, boy howdy do I know.  Yet I say, peace be with you.  As scary, as terrifying, as real and as persistent as those problems in the world are, peace be with you.  See, I have risen – the world did its worst, and in the end, I live.  So shall you.  Peace be with you.  You see, dear friends, Jesus doesn’t show up and tell the disciples that their lives will now be caviar and champagne.  Far from it – He had told them that they would end up taking up their crosses and following Him – that being a disciple would mean not hiding from the world, not pretending it isn’t lousy, but rather going out into the world – As My Father sent Me, so I am sending you – that the disciples would be in the world, working there, in the middle of that pain and sorrow.  All that pain and fear and hurt and suffering is real – Jesus doesn’t pretend otherwise.  Instead He proclaims another truth, a greater truth, a truth which supersedes the world.  Peace be with you.  You are forgiven, disciples – and forgiveness reigns supreme.  You tell folks that they are forgiven, and guess what, they are.  There is peace – the rebellion of man against God – it’s over, I, Christ Jesus have finished it, and now there is peace.  Peace be with you.  Even as the world rages around you – Peace.  There is the forgiveness of sins, so look forward to the resurrection of the body and the life of the world to come.  Peace be with you.

          Likewise, dear friends, the Church isn’t going to suddenly make the world turn up roses.  Oh, we do help each other out, maybe we can give each other good advice, a helping hand – and that’s all good.  But the world is still going to be the world, and there will still be problems.  When our Lord said, “sufficient for the day is its own troubles” He wasn’t whistling Dixie.  But what you will get here is Peace – and not some hippie “peace out, man” sort of thing.  God’s Peace – that is, the forgiveness of sins.  In the Scriptures, peace is a forgiveness word – and whenever you come to this place, you will get the forgiveness of sins.  That’s what a Church is – a forgiveness place, and I don’t care what the sign on the door says, if they aren’t proclaiming Peace be with you, it ain’t a church, because that’s what Christ’s Church is about.  You are forgiven.  Yes, the world is scary – but you are forgiven.  Yes, your sins are vile, the guilt of them is heavy – Christ has borne that guilt and you are forgiven.  Be at peace.  Go in peace.  Even Rest in Peace.  You realize that term – rest in peace – it isn’t talking about how nicely the grass is mown in the cemetery – it means you are forgiven.  It means even though you die, yet because of Christ, you shall live.  Forgiveness has been won – this is the great truth – greater than all the junk in the world.  This is what the Apostles are to go out and proclaim, this is what the Church has proclaimed ever since, this is what we proclaim even to this day.  Because Christ Jesus has died and risen, you are forgiven.

          But, what of life out there?  It’s nice that I’m forgiven and all – but life out there has its fears, and I have to face them.  Did you notice one other thing, and this really is wondrous.  The disciples are hiding in fear – fear has basically paralyzed them.  It doesn’t stop Jesus.  He’s risen – He is God and Man, raised, glorified – like a locked door is going to do anything to stop Him.  Fear is there, the doors are locked, but still Christ Jesus comes there.  Yes, Disciples, you have fear.  But I am with you – peace be with you.  The world, it’s troubles, they don’t drive Christ from you – indeed, He is with you not just for this brief time on Sunday morning, but every moment.  You are baptized – He has made you His temple.  Matthew’s Gospel ends on this very truth – So often we will say Matthew’s Gospel ends with the Great Commission, now get to work people.  Bah.  First off, the great commission isn’t “work hard” – it’s about forgiveness – about Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  But over and above that, how does Matthew end?  Jesus says, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  Peace.  Why?  Because Christ is with you – because nothing can separate you from Christ Jesus, neither heights nor depths or powers nor anything.  Not even your suffering – He suffered too.  There is nothing you can face in this world that will drive Christ away – He is risen, and He always says Peace.  He is always eager and quick to forgive you your sin, for that is why He came in the first place!  He is your Lord and your God – and you do have life in His name.  He has washed you clean of your sin, poured His Holy Spirit upon you, gives Himself to you and is with you always.  Yes, the world is a scary place, yes, my sin is great – but Christ Jesus is Risen, and He says Peace be with you, and that trumps all.  We need never pretend otherwise.  Amen.  Christ is Risen – He is Risen indeed, Alleluia.  Amen

A Little Bit o' Luther

We may see this in an everyday example. When a husband and wife really love one another, have pleasure in each other, and thoroughly believe in their love, who teaches them how they are to behave one to another, what they are to do or not to do, say or not to say, what they are to think? Confidence alone teaches them all this, and even more than is necessary. For such a man there is no distinction in works. He does the great and the important as gladly as the small and the unimportant, and vice versa. Moreover, he does them all in a glad, peaceful, and confident heart, and is an absolutely willing companion to the woman. But where there is any doubt, he searches within himself for the best thing to do; then a distinction of works arises by which he imagines he may win favor. And yet he goes about it with a heavy heart and great disinclination. He is like a prisoner, more than half in despair, and often makes a fool of himself.

Thus a Christian man who lives in this confidence toward God knows all things, can do all things, ventures everything that needs to be done, and does everything gladly and willingly, not that he may gather merits and good works, but because it is a pleasure for him to please God in doing these things. He simply serves God with no thought of reward, content that his service pleases God. On the other hand, he who is not at one with God, or is in a state of doubt, worries and starts looking about for ways and means to do enough and to influence God with his many good works. He runs off to St. James,⁷ to Rome, to Jerusalem, hither and thither; he prays St. Bridget’s prayer,⁸ this prayer and that prayer; he fasts on this day and that day; he makes confession here and makes confession there; he questions this man and that man, and yet finds no peace. He does all this with great effort and with a doubting and unwilling heart, so that the Scriptures rightly call such works in Hebrew aven amal, that is, labor and sorrow.⁹ And even then they are not good works and are in vain. Many people have gone quite crazy with them and their anxiety has brought them into all kinds of misery. Of these it is written in Wisdom [of Solomon] 5[:6], “We have wearied ourselves in the wrong way and have followed a hard and bitter road; but God’s way we have not acknowledged and the sun of righteousness has not risen upon us.”

⁷ Cf. p. 12, n. 9.

⁸ St. Bridget of Ireland (d. 523), called “the Mary of the Irish,” was second only to the Virgin Mary in popular esteem and devotion. Perhaps she is confused here with the Scottish Bridget (d. 1373), who wrote prayers which were circulated all over Europe.

⁹ Cf. Ps. 90:10.

 

This is from a Treatise on Good Works, written in 1520.  Works flow from forgiveness, from peace.  Christ said, "I am the vine, you are the branches".  In Him, there is much fruit.

Easter Sermon

Christ is Risen (He is Risen indeed, Alleluia) – Amen

          It was early – before dawn.  It was still dark outside when Mary Magdalene left her home.  She headed to the tomb, to the hole in the middle of some rocky wall, where just few hours before they had laid the body, the remains of Jesus.  And what a state they had laid that body in.  He had been beaten, He had been whipped, He had been flayed – and then He had been crucified.  Even when dead, the indignities to His body continued – a spear thrust into His side – just to make sure He was good and dead.

There had been no time for Mary to do what was right for Jesus’ Body.  On Friday, the light was fading, it was becoming dark.  At sunset the Sabbath would begin – the time of rest when no work was to be done – no work, not even tending to Jesus’ body.  Joseph and Nicodemus had gotten the body from Pilate, and they had hurriedly wrapped it in cloth, some spice – but it wasn’t done with the pains-taking care that Mary wanted.  And so there Mary was – wanting to do things right – to show the body the respect and care it deserved.  To clean the gore, to take care with the linens, to take care with the spices.  After the abuse Jesus’ Body had taken Friday, Mary at least wanted to do right by it for its stay in the tomb.  The Sabbath rest must have been hard for her – the fretting and anxiety too much to bear.  All that time to fixate on what yet needed to be done.

          And so Mary, in her anxious eagerness comes to where the tomb is.  She’s not thinking clearly – for the stone should still be there.  It is beyond her ability to move – even with all her might she could not reach her Lord’s Body – but then, something happens.  The stone is already moved.  The grave is open.  And so Mary runs.  She doesn’t walk, she doesn’t turn calmly, but in the wee hours of the morning, over ground still covered with shadow and gloom Mary runs to Peter and John.  The tomb is open.  He’s not there.  The Body is gone!  Peter and John both run, again, sprinting in the pre-dawn dimness to the tomb.  John, he was younger, faster. He gets there first – but he can’t bear to go in.  He stands at the mouth staring.  The burial linens are lying there.  Those temporary, stopgap linens that would have been carefully removed by women who love Him, those linens that would have been so lovingly replaced by well spiced and scented cloths – just lying there.  Empty.  John didn’t understand.

          Neither did Peter when he arrived.  Peter, ever bold Peter barges into the tomb – wants to see up close and personal what has happened to the Body of the Lord he so recently and carelessly denied in the gloomy pre-dawn dark of the day on which Jesus was put to death.  And it’s gone.  Not even a body to mourn over – not even any remains to weep over with the women.  And dumbfounded Peter and John return home.  Jesus had been placed in the tomb on Friday – they had seen it.  Yet where was He now?

          I would submit, dear friends in Christ – that Jesus entered the tomb long before Good Friday.  Do you wish to know when Jesus first entered the tomb?  It was when the Angel Gabriel said to Mary “And behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bear a Son.”  There, when Christ Jesus, when God Almighty took on flesh, when He became Man – that is when He entered the tomb.  Holy and perfect God became Man – took on one of our bodies.  And what by nature are our bodies but walking tombs.  St. Paul says that we were dead in trespasses – dead.  Walking tombs?  Since the fall in the garden our flesh was flesh doomed to die – God had taken the dirt of the ground and breathed into it life – and by sin we rejected that life, tossed it aside – and condemned our bodies once again to be mere ash, mere dust.  Walking tombs, fit only for the grave.  Ashes on their way to being simple ashes once again – dust waiting to return to dust after a few brief years.  This is the lot we humans had won by sin.

          And then God intervenes.  God Himself – the God who made Adam to be perfect – the very one by Whom all things were made – comes down from heaven and was made Man.  Have you pondered that – that God becomes Man.  What that means?  What’s it like being a man in this fallen world?  How many of you ache with pain in your joints right now – how many of you feel your body calling out to return to dust once more this very instant!  God becomes Man and takes up that same pain – we just witnessed this past week how intensely He took it up.  How many of you have seen relationships fall apart, people abandon you, their love and friendship which seemed so promising fall apart, taste like ash in your mouth.  God becomes Man and takes that up.  Hear what Jesus says in John 6.  He has just preached – and pretty much everyone leaves, wants nothing more to do with Him.  He even asks the disciples – Do you want to go away as well?  Pain, suffering, abandonment by friends,  Judas – friend, do what you must! – God becomes Man, He enters the tomb of our flesh, the slow, walking death that our lives are – He enters it – and He takes it all, He follows it all the way through to it’s bitter end – Dying on a cross with nothing but sour, bitter wine on a dirty sponge to refresh Him.  Christ has entered the tomb of our bodies by becoming Man and suffering and dying.

          And there sits Mary before that hole in some rocky wall – tears in her eyes.  Even Jesus’ body is gone.  And she looks in again – maybe just to check again, maybe to hope against hope that the body is there – maybe it fell off and we just hadn’t seen it – and still, no body there.  But this time two angels who ask her why she weeps.  She says that she is looking for a body.  And then, a voice from outside the tomb asks again, “Woman, why are you weeping?  Whom are you seeking?”  I’m seeking a dead body, I’m seeking a lump of lifeless clay.  If you’ve taken it, I want it back.  I’ll drag it away myself – what a sad sight that would be – a weeping woman dragging a corpse through a garden – but at that moment that is the most that Mary thinks she can hope for.

          Jesus said to her, “Mary.”  And it clicks – the Lord Jesus, now risen from the dead speaks to her, calls her by her name – and it clicks.  No Mary, you will not get to see a dead body, you will never see Christ lying dead again for He has risen.  You will never see Him in the tomb again for He has left it, never to be consigned there again.  He is risen, He has life, He is life – and that tomb, that hole in the wall is empty and shall always remain so.

          Do you see what this means for you, dear friends?  Christ lives – that walking tomb of flesh that He entered – it’s no longer a tomb.  It is life itself.  Christ took up our body, took up our own flesh so that He could justify it – make it righteous and perfect again.  He took up our body so that He could sanctify it, make it holy again.  He took up our flesh and died so that He could remove death from our body by His own life.  Right now, this instant Jesus is a living Man, is the Living Man – right now this instant He breathes, He draws breath, He is alive in His Body – and death is done away with.  And so, your Body is a mere tomb no longer – for Jesus by His death and resurrection has won life again for His creation – He has done away with Sin, He has destroyed death.  This is the great wonder, the great mystery of the faith – that even though we should die here we will live – Christ will raise us – that just as He died and now lives again, we too will live again – for He has swallowed death.

          And here is the beauty of our Gospel lesson this morning – the wonderful twist.  There it is, all in front of Mary.  The tomb is empty, the angels are there – and she doesn’t understand, she doesn’t understand until Christ calls her by Name.  Mary – and then she gets it, she understands.  You too, dear friends, understand this because God has called you by name.  How is this child to be named?  That is what we ask at Baptism.  And then, by name, you were called by God, you were baptized.  36 years ago Pastor Brunner said “Eric James Brown, I baptize you in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” and I saw.  Called by name, adopted as a son and granted the gift of faith.  This is what happened at your baptism, God called you by Name and by the power of Water and the Word He opened your eyes and established faith within you – so that even now you see Christ – you see the Living Lord and see in Him your own life.

          And moreso – Just as Mary looked and saw the Lord’s Body, alive – what does God present to us here in His Church?  Take and eat, this is My Body.  Take and drink, this is My Blood. That’s not mere coincidence. Christ lives – He still has His Body.  He has not decayed but He lives – and He still shows us, still gives us His own Body.  I live – and here is the proof.  Take and eat.  I live, and so you shall too.  Here is the proof – take and drink, for this is My Blood which was shed for the forgiveness of your sin – see, you are forgiven.  This is done for you.  He gives His own Body to us – so that He might save and redeem us – make these fallen bodies like to be His own.  By His Supper we receive His own resurrected Body so that we might be ready and prepared for the day when He raises us and all the dead to new life.  He gives us His Body so that we might have holy bodies like his. 

          This is what Christ Jesus has done.  This is what His resurrection means.  It means that He lives and gives us His life.  It means that He calls out to us in the midst of this world of sin, calls to us by name and says, “I give you life, life eternal.  It is mine to give and I give it to you.  Death need no longer alarm you, for I have defeated death.  As I live, so shall you.  You will not be abandoned to the grave, but you will stride forth from you tomb just as I have – for you are mine, I have won you – I have gone to the Father and secured your place at my side, with me for all eternity.”  But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For as by a man came death, by a Man has come also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.  This is our hope, this is our joy, this is our salvation.  This is what Christ has done for you.  Amen.  Christ is risen, He is risen indeed, alleluia.

Loving the Lectionary

I love this time of year in Church - and I'm sure I'm not alone.  Holy Week, although tiring, has such a wonderful slew of services - you could have services every day!

So.  Why do I love them?  What is it about these services that is so great and astonishing?  Is it the pomp and circumstance?  The finery and the color changes.  The fact that this is the time when one can get his high Church on?

Well - I'm in Oklahoma.  We dimmed some candles last night - and Maundy Thursday we used the service of Corporate Confession.  It wasn't overly fancy -- and I'd still love the services if they were more fancy or less fancy.  The amount of gravy isn't what makes this a great time - it's the meat... the READINGS.

Think about it.  Palm Sunday - eh, let's have two Gospel readings, and one of them, eh, let's have it be two chapters long.  4 Passions - let's read them all over the course of the week.  The Suffering Servant, let's read that.  Psalm 22 - bring it on!

And tonight, there is the Easter Vigil.  New fire - that's neat... but the readings, that's where it's at.  The Word of God proclaiming the triumph of Christ against sin and death - over and over and over.  Seeing that the fulfillment of the ages is Christ the Crucified Rising triumphantly. 

If you have the chance, go swing by a vigil - hear the Word.  It's a great thing.

Good Friday Sermon

Good Friday, 2014 – The Passion according to John, the 7^th Petition

In the Name of Christ the Crucified +
          But deliver us from evil.  This you have just heard your Lord do when you heard His passion.  When we talk about “evil”, we aren’t speaking about anything abstract, we aren’t speaking against just some vague idea in some sort of mamby-pamby way.  No, we have the Scriptures, we been given by the Spirit the ability to see things as they are, we will call a thing what it is.  There is evil.  Sin is evil.  This fallen world is full of evil.  Death is evil.  None of it is right, none of it is good anymore.  The good that I want to do I do not do, the wickedness that I do not want to do I do – who will save me from the body of death, who will save me as all of creation groans as in travail, with earthquakes and tempests and lightnings - literally the world is tearing itself apart – that evil, who will save, who will deliver us from that evil?

          Christ Jesus rises from prayer, and evil comes to seek Him.  Betrayed by His friend, set to be handed over to wicked kings and spineless judges who will heed not the law but their own ambitions and an angry mob.  Evil comes for Christ Jesus, and so that we would be delivered from it, He faces it.  Whom do you seek, Evil, do you seek Jesus of Nazareth?  Well, I AM He… and evil recoils.  He must tell them again – I am He, I am Jesus of Nazareth, I have come to be handed over to evil, “so if you seek Me, let these men go.”  Let these men be delivered from evil – for I, Christ Jesus will give Evil more than it can handle.  No Peter, put down your sword – I am not going to consign you to a life of violent evil – I will drink this cup of woe and wickedness down to the dregs, and you will be delivered from evil.

          And Christ goes.  He is taken away, bound by the tyranny of evil men.  And even before His sacrifice for His friends begins in earnest – His friends deny Him.  Peter, in the courtyard, I swear that I don’t know the man.  John hanging silent in the shadows, watching but saying nothing – the others have run for the hills, run for their lives.  They didn’t quite think that Jesus really would get them out of this.  So much doubt and fear around Him, and yet onward He presses.  The fears and failures of the disciples don’t dissuade Him – indeed, your failings don’t cause Him a moment’s pause. That is why He is there.  He knows you are weak, He knows that you cannot fend off evil, and so He will be strong for you.  And His strength is shown as He goes unto His passion.

          Various muckety-mucks of the Jews examine Him – not to seek the truth, but to assert their own power and control.  Again, thus is evil in the world.  Adam was created to tend and serve, Eve to be a helper – yet since the fall we have been striving more and more to show who is boss, who is in charge, our lives are endless shows of dominance and control.  The soldier smacks Christ – is that how you answer the High Priest?  Yet, the irony is this – Christ Jesus is the Great High Priest, the One who will offer up the true sacrifice to thoroughly deliver people from Evil.  And He lets it be.  He will deliver you from evil, and so He is slapped.

          Then it is on to Pilate.  Pilate is so concerned about making friends and influencing people – what does the mob think, what will Caesar think (if you let Him go, you are no friend of Caesar).  Maybe this Christ will give Pilate influence – so you are a King?  Oh, Your kingdom is not of this world… then I guess you can’t help me and I really can’t help you.  There is a mob out there, and they want blood – better Your blood than mine, Jesus.  And the wonder – Jesus agrees.  Yes, I will be crucified, I will be delivered unto Evil so that even you, Pontius Pilate, you who quips “what is truth” may be delivered from evil by the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life Himself!

          There also is the flogging, the mocking, the crown of thorns.  The cross laid upon His shoulder as His already wrecked Body is paraded towards His execution.  His people reject Him – We have no king but Caesar – nothing more blasphemous or evil could be spoken by a Jew, for God is their King.  Jesus is delivered to that evil; He takes up even their blasphemy.  All evil, it all comes swirling upon Him.

          And He is crucified.  Adam and Eve, when they sinned knew that they were naked, and they were ashamed, and they hid.  There is Christ, not hiding behind bushes or trees, but hung naked and exposed upon a tree, nailed to it – behold His shame, see Him, mock Him, wag your head at Him – let all the evil come at Him, let His clothes be gambled away.  So be it – He is there to deliver people from evil – and even in the midst of His suffering, He pauses to deliver His mother. John, behold your mother.  Care for her – do not let the evil of poverty or starvation take hold of her when I have died.  Even as evil is heaped upon Him, He delivers others.  As the other Gospel writers note, even as woe and wrath is piled upon Him, He delivers from evil.  You, O repentant Criminal, today you will be with Me in paradise, for I deliver you from evil.  Father, forgive these who are mocking Me, for I deliver them from evil. 

And one other little blip of evil.  I thirst – and what do they give Him?  Sour wine.  The very One who turned water into wine at Cana so that there would be joy and celebration and life now meets His death with vinegar.  Let even wine which was given to gladden the hearts of men be rather sour and bitter and joyless– let all the evil of the world of all times and of all places come flowing upon Him there upon that Cross.  And it comes, all the evil, and it is laid upon Him, and He cries out “It is finished”.  All evil, all of it, there upon Christ.  And He dies.

He dies, and Evil is finished.  It is spent upon Christ.  There is no wickedness, no vice, no shame that can ever happen that is not tied to Christ upon the cross.  The sin you did today – Christ has tied that sin unto Himself upon the Cross.  The shame you feel from something long ago – Christ has tied that shame unto Himself the Cross.  The wickedness that you suffer from, that people do unto you – that has been tied to Christ upon the Cross.  Even your own death – tied to Christ upon the Cross.  And all of it – it is Finished.  You are delivered from Evil.

“It is finished.  And He bowed His Head and gave up His Spirit…But One of the Soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.”  Christ Jesus takes up all the evil in the world… and then what does He do?  He gives out His Spirit, He pours out blood and water.  Your evil is taken away, you are delivered from Evil – but you are not left empty.  Christ Jesus’ Word and Spirit come to you, giving you faith, forgiveness, life, and salvation.  The water which poured from Christ’s side has washed you clean, been placed upon you to mark you One delivered from evil, redeemed by the Crucified.  This is true, this is reality.  And should evil still sniff around you, should your sins mock you and threaten you with punishment, should you suffer rejection, indeed, even if death itself should hound you – take and eat, take and drink, this is My blood, shed for you for the remission of sin.  Evil is finished and you are delivered.  Even death is destroyed – this we shall see on the third day. 

But deliver us from evil.  We pray in this petition, in summary, that our Father in Heaven would rescue us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation, and finally, when our last hour comes, give us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven.  Christ Jesus has walked through the valley of sorrow, the valley of the shadow of death, and you are indeed delivered by Him from evil.  It is finished, now and forever more.  Amen.  In the name of Christ the Crucified +