A Pity-full God

Many of us are familiar with Luke 6:36, which reads: "Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."  That's the standard word that we use in translation - "merciful".  It has been since the days of Wycliffe.

But it's a fascinating word in Greek.  It's not "elaison" or any of it's variants - it's οἰκτίρμων - oiktirmon, which is the classic word for pitiful or miserable.  Be someone takes pity on others, just as your Father takes pity on people.

It's an interesting way to think about it.  Sometimes we can treat the idea of "mercy" as a matter of us "being the bigger person" - where we approach the mercy that we show as a sign of how great we are, how mature we are.  We're going to be the better person here, and hence we will show mercy instead of giving them the smack down that they need.

That undersells the point.  When God sees you trapped in sin, it's not just that He spares you, or that He holds back and doesn't crush you - it's that He actually feels bad for you.  He pities you. 

Sin makes us pathetic.  It does. Sin makes us stupid and hurt and just all messed up - and God sees how just messed up we are.  And so He has compassion.  He goes "you poor thing" towards us even as we rage against Him in our sin.

We forget how terrible sin is, how it traps people, how they get caught in sin's web.  We so often think of sin as "bad choices" so that person who sins gets what they "deserve".  God doesn't view your sin as your bad choices - it's a trap that you are stuck in, that you cannot get out of.  Or as Luther would have us sing, "Fast bound in Satan's chains I lay; Death brooded darkly o'er me."

Maybe we should remember to pity those trapped in sin, even sins that hurt and threaten us.

Trinity 3 Sermon

Trinity 3 – Luke 15:11-32 – July 6^th and 7^th, 2019

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

Oh, you missed it – you picked the wrong day to be out of town on business. So, you know Ben, right? Oh, what a Maroon, what an imbecile. Yeah, Ben who lives on the south side of town, has that big farm just south. Yeah, loaded Ben. Two kids – older one seems alright, hard working. The younger one - meh. Yeah, that Ben – yeah, that was his kid last year, you remember that – walking on up to his dad - “Give me the share of the property that is coming to me.” Oh no, I couldn't believe either – I mean, the gall. I can't wait for you to die to inherit my share of stuff, so why don't you just either hurry up and die or give it to me now! Oh, if that were one of my kids, I'd have given it to him alright – I'd have given him the back of my hand and told him that was all he ever was going to get from me. I tell you what, you can't tolerate that sort of behavior.

Well, Ben, that sap, did. Last summer, gave the kid a fortune and off he went down the road – and Ben actually seemed sad about it. I think his life was better for the brat being gone – I mean, I would just kicked him out with nothing, but hey, oh well. Well, yesterday, I'm just minding my own business, sitting in the gate, chatting – and Ben goes streaking by. Yes, I mean streaking – tunic hiked up over the hips, barreling down the road for all the world to see. Oh, it was a sight – so I look on down the road, and what do I see? Way on down there, there's that no good brat come crawling back home – and let me tell you, he looked all the worse for the wear. I mean, not just some hard living worse for the wear – I'm guessing there was some of that – but down in the gutter, just crawled out of the pig sty hard living. Oh, gross – I wouldn't have touched him with a ten foot pole, I'd not want to catch anything from the boy.

But not Ben – oh no, he runs on up, big giant bear hug, kissing the brat. You would have thought a war hero came home or something. And at least the kid had the decency to look embarrassed, but Ben is just whooping and hollering – it was really embarassing. Has servants running around, has them bring robes, big old ring – then Ben parades his son through town – “We are going to celebrate, my son was dead and now he is alive. Come and celebrate with me.” Well, frankly I'm surprised he didn't die, but yep, the brat is back home.

Well, yeah, of course I went to the party – Ben might be a bit crazy, but he knows how to set up a table. And yeah, let me tell you, he knows how to fatten a calf. That was some good eating. Oh, but I'm not done. Ben wasn't done yet acting the fool. I don't know how many people saw it, because, with the music and the wine and the meat, it was a good party, and people were enjoying themselves, but I'd been sort of hanging out by Ben – I wanted to hear how he was going introduce this lout back to his neighbors – and Ben is just laughing, celebrating – when a servant comes up, whispers something in his ear. And Ben gets all concerned. Yeah, yeah – that look, you know it, that deep, pensive look – I can't even do it. So he excuses himself and slips on out. Yeah, from his own party. Up and left. Didn't even take a glass of wine with him. And of course, the servants start chit chattering – must have be something serious.

You know what it was? The old boy, yeah, him, good worker. Well, apparently he's out in the back 40 pitching an utter fit. So I move on down to the edge of the pavilion, and out there in the field is the older boy, just pacing around, arms crossed... and there goes Ben just walking on out to him Yeah, I know – I certainly wouldn't be doing that – when I need to have a talking with one of my boys I say, “Come here,” and they had better come. Oh, but it doesn't stop there – I couldn't hear it, but when Ben gets out there, his older boy starts yelling and screaming, full on pitching a fit and cussin' him out. And you know what Ben does? He stretches out his hand, and puts it gently on that boy's shoulder and leans on in and starts placating him. I would have put two hands on any of my boys who talked to me that way, and probably around their neck. I just shook my head and went back on in. Don't remember much after that – like I said, it was a GOOD party. But that Ben, making a fool of himself over his kids. Well, at least he knows how to throw a party.

Of course, there's another way to tell the same story.

So, uh, you've heard about what's gone on, right? Yeah, it literally all has gone to hell in a handbasket. Everything in the LORD's good creation is messed up now. Why? Those numbnutzes Adam and Eve. Here the LORD puts them as the pinnacle of His creation, and they blow it. How? They ate it. Yeah, the one thing the LORD told them not to do, and they did it. And you know what's worse? Creation is falling apart, Death is unleashed, that blow hard Satan is cackling, and what does the LORD do? He goes to check up on Adam and Eve. Oh, no, He didn't just blot them out and call a do over. It was ridiculous – they were hiding behind the bushes – oh, brilliant job there caretaker of the planet, go hide behind some bushes, surely the Almighty God will get fooled by that. No, He doesn't even yell – the LORD is patient with them. Talks them through it, and the kicker? He promises to defeat Satan for them, promises that He Himself will become man and do it Himself. Yeah, you heard that right, LORD, the Creator, would become man. Yeah, talk about humiliating.

You'd have thought that they would have minded their Ps & Qs after that, wouldn't you have? They don't. It just gets worse and worse. Cain kills his brother Abel, and instead of smiting Cain, the LORD puts a mark on him warning everyone away from killing Cain. It gets worse and worse – sends a flood but rescues Noah and his family, and you know what the first thing Noah does? Plants a vineyard and gets utter toasted. I know, these humans have no a lick of decency or common sense. On and on – The LORD will visit these people, bless them, make promises to them – and they just keep on being some sort of pieces of work. And still the LORD keeps being patient with them, still keeps His promises to them.

Until you get the Big One. He actually becomes man. And He doesn't just snap His fingers and show up as a mighty king. No, He's born. And to a poor family. Born in a barn – and there He is – the LORD, the Creator of all things, just laying there, waiting on His mom to change Him after He messed Himself. Yeah, that's what He meant when He said He'd be one of them and fix the problem. And He grows up, and He is fantastic. Teaches wisdom, love, mercy, starts healing people, fulfilling every promise – it should be clear as day that this is the LORD – and you know what they do? They complain. They grumble. They yell at Him. Oh, no He didn't smack them down – He lets it go on and on. And they arrest Him, and mock Him, and beat Him, and they kill Him. And He rises, and He blesses them again, says, “Peace” - says that He Himself destroyed death and bore the weight of sin for them. Utterly astonishing.

Of course, there's yet another way to tell the story.

So there you were. Conceived in iniquity as the Scriptures say. Born sinful, at emnity, at war with God. Hell bent, literally, hell bent on trashing creation and as many of the people around you as you could until you die. And yet, even before you were born, while you were still along way off, indeed, before the creation of the world, God planned out your salvation. The LORD would become man, and suffer, and die – and though it was all before you were born, it was done for you. For you good.

And then, He came to you with His Word and Spirit, and He washed you clean in Holy Baptism, declared you not merely a servant, not merely a laborer or slave, but His child. Once again an heir of all of His House, one who is to be a master of all of His good gifts, who will be a lord and master of the new creation, set above even the angels. And what happens? You still sin. Over and over and over. And sometimes it's brazen and bold and ends up with you in a gutter, and sometimes it ends up with you grouchy and pouty and condescending towards your neighbor. Either way, it's embarrassing. Our sin always is, even though we so often try to justify it. We so often try to work our way out of it – oh, I'll make it up to you God, treat me like a servant. We so often blame God - Oh, you lousy God, see all that I've done for you, why don't I have a pony, blah blah blah blah blah.

And yet, what does the LORD do? He keeps on coming to you, over and over again. Here – receive a Word of forgiveness. Here, take and eat, take and drink – be strengthened against that sin and temptation. And over and over He comes, He offers Himself to you and for you. And He keeps on doing this – no matter now long you were off blowing the gifts He gave you or pouting in wretched jerkitude. I'm sure somewhere there's a Church today where someone has walked back on in after 20, 30, 50 years of being away – and there's the Word and Spirit, doing their thing, bringing forgiveness and life and salvation.

Because that's who your God is. That's who Jesus is – pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression, showing steadfast love even at cost to Himself. And sometimes we take this for granted, we forget just how utterly insane this love looks to the world, how utterly astonishing it actually it. Doesn't bother God at all. For you, his child, were dead in sin and tresspasses, and now you are alive in Christ. And indeed, because Christ died and rose, you will rise to new and everlasting life, life once again sinless as God intended you to be. His party will go on for all eternity, and it will be for you. Amen. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

Trinity 1 Sermon

Trinity 1 – June 22^nd and 23^rd, 2019 – Luke 16:19-31

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

“No, father Abraham.” You may not realize it, but those are some of the most shocking words in the Bible right there. Jesus is telling a story, the tale of Lazarus and the wicked Rich Man, and from torment in Hades, the Rich Man gives Abraham some sass. That would be unthinkable – I can't think of something as shocking today. We're Americans, we're used to complaining and backtalking to anyone – but this was just not done. It would be like me trying to teach Michael Jordan how to really dunk a basket ball, but that's not even close. If you didn't backtalk your grandma, you certainly didn't backtalk Father Abraham!

So, how we did get here? What was the idea that was so offensive to this Rich Man in hell that he figured he needed to run his mouth? Abraham had just said, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.” The question of salvation has been raised, the question of how one avoids hell, how one is saved. And Abraham's answer is simple – listen to the Word of God. It's actually a profound answer on Abraham's part – the Bible was written after Abraham's day – Moses lived over 5 Centuries later. Abraham sees what a fantastic gift the Scriptures are – one he would have given his eye teeth for. But the Rich Man, he couldn't care less about the Bible. “No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” Eh - the bible is worthless – who cares about that? Send them something flashy. Lazarus back from the dead, that will grab attention, right? To which Abraham gives the answer: “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” And it's true. Jesus did plenty of Miracles, and the crowds went wild... but most of them soon fell away. Miracles are like fads – always need something new to keep your interest. And even when Jesus was raised from the dead Himself, and appeared to folks over and over – so many just went “meh.” Why? Father Abraham would suggest that it is because they didn't hear the Word of God in the Scriptures.

As Jesus had told the story, it was pretty clear that the Rich Man hadn't paid much attention to the Scriptures, just from the set up. “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table.” Dude is rich and doesn't even give the beggar at his door his table scraps. He's a grade A jerk, right? Well not just that. Let's think about what this means from what the Scriptures teach. The Old Testament was filled with things instructing the rich to care for the poor. First of all, that whole idea of “love your neighbor” is all throughout the Old Testament. Or think on the 2^nd table of the Ten Commandments, or the meanings from the Catechism. 5^th Commandment – help your neighbor in his body and life - 7^th Commandment – help your neighbor protect and improve his possessions and income. But more than that – the scraps language. The scraps always were to go to the poor. When you harvested a field, you were forbidden from picking up the grain that fell on the ground – that was for the poor. That's what Ruth is doing in the book of Ruth – she's gleaning. Or the Passover meal – if you had too much, you would invite your poorer neighbors. The Rich Man is utterly ignoring the Word. And why? Well – that Word of God would tell him that He is wrong. It would show him his sin. And he doesn't want that.

My friends, we are tempted to not want that either. We're tempted to avoid the Word of God because it shows us our sin. And we fight against that – we have developed this nasty habit in modern religious culture where we read the Bible to show other people their sins while nicely skating past our own. “Well, see here – this fella is being a jerk.” “That's nice, and the bible says to love your enemies, so how are you loving him?” “The bible says that homosexuality is a sin.” “You're right, it does – and you're straight and it says looking at someone of the opposite sex with lust is a sin too – how's that working out for you?” God's law isn't meant to be a hammer to bash your neighbor over the head with and justify your ill treatment of them – it's a hammer God uses to crush our own pride and arrogance, to drive us to repentance. And we don't like that. So we try to apply the Scriptures to others instead of us.

As an example of this – how many of you heard of this rich man and thought, “You know, I'm awfully rich”? Because you are. How many of you are wearing decent clothes? A rich man in Jesus' day would have had maybe 10-20 changes of clothes. How many of you have more than that in your closet? Or feasting sumptuously – how many of you have plans for a tasty meal after service? Americans on average eat 220 pounds of meat a year – that's more than the typical person in Jesus' day would eat in 20 or 30 years. And that's just comparing with the past – Currently, if you pull in more than $32K a year, you are in the top 1% of earners in the world. So, hearing about the Rich Man in the text, did you hear about some jerk over there, or did you hear a warning about temptations you yourself face? “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.”

Of course, even Lazarus shows us another reason why we fear to hear the Word of God. He's the “good guy” in the text. The believer – ends up in heaven. Yea! But... what's his life like? “Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.” It seems as though the Christian faith isn't a magic bullet to get out of pain and suffering. Being a Christian doesn't mean that suddenly everything will go great in terms of health. We've had a lot of names on our prayer list who have been there for quite some time. But more than that, the scriptures actually teach that as a Christian you will suffer more. What do you think loving your neighbor actually entails – it means hardship to you for their benefit. And being a Christian means people will reject you. Being a Christian means you'll be given crosses to bear, to bear for the sake of your family and friends and neighbors. And again, this is something in the Scriptures that we don't like to hear.

And thus the Rich Man looks at Abraham and says, “No, Father Abraham!” The Scriptures show us the harsh and brutal realities of our lives as sinners in a sinful world – that there are things that we fail to do, that we are stuck in a world that will always be rife with suffering. That we will eat bread by the sweat of our brow and die, that the poor we will always have with us, that death will always hound us here. And these are things that our old sinful flesh cannot stand, cannot bear. But, my friends, you are no longer just a sinner – oh, a sinner you are with faults, grievous faults even – but you are also a saint, a holy one of God, redeemed by Christ Jesus. Because while the Scriptures do show you your sin, the most wondrous thing is that the Scriptures are also the story of Christ Jesus, the Messiah. They are the story of the One who was promised to Adam and Eve even while they were still naked and ashamed in the garden having just fallen. They are the story of the One who was promised to Father Abraham as His descendant in whom all nations would be blessed. They are the story of the One who would sit on David's throne, they are the story of the Job's Redeemer, they are the story of Emmanuel – God with Us.

And then Jesus comes. And what happens? Well, He fulfills the law. He does what we can't. He actually loves His neighbor, over and over and over again. He takes all that He has and gives and gives. And as for sin, well, He who knew no sin became sin for us – He takes our sin upon Himself and He goes to the Cross. And does the Christian life mean you'll face suffering for the good of your neighbor, even to the point of death? Well, it did for Jesus – and He does it. For you. That's what's in the Scriptures, that is what Moses and the Prophets teach – that is what the Gospels and the Epistles teach, over and over again – that while our sin is great, actually and truly great no matter how we like to dance around it – Christ Jesus our Savior is actually greater.

And then the comfort. And then the consolation. Because Christ Jesus does not and will not ever fail you; He never fails to be merciful and gracious to you, to forgive you, to strengthen you to see you through the trials of your life until He delivers you from them – that is why He taught us to pray “But deliver us from evil.” He redeems you, forgives you, and uses you for His good. And that is where we live by faith.

And that is why He brings us together here. So that we all hear the Word of God from each other, so that we don't stop up our ears and wander off, but so that we hear His Word and are brought to repentance and forgiveness again. So that we are gathered here as the Baptized around His table and get not scraps but His own Body and Blood to forgive us, to strengthen us both in faith towards God and love toward our neighbor. This is a Word place, a hearing the Word place. And it's not always pretty. Of course its not – the Scriptures speak about us, and we are not always pretty. In fact, sometimes our lives are just down right messy. That's no surprise to Jesus – He took that all in hand even before the Creation of the world and planned out your salvation. And His Spirit calls you here to keep you and preserve you in His Word. He has given us Moses and the Prophets, the Gospels and the Epistles – let us hear them and thus always see Jesus our Savior. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

To Pull, Not Push

In the 12 years or so that I've been doing this blog, I've noticed people swing all over the place.  Some folks who were staunchly in one camp are now over in another.  Some who were mild are not hot.  This isn't just a religious observation - politically, we are going more and more to the extremes.

Theologically, this is a bad thing, especially for Lutherans.  We are the lonely way, threading the theological needle between often opposing, lousy ideas.  We are neither Calvinist nor Decision theologians - we are neither Roman nor Protestant.  Reformed, but not Radically so.  Keeps traditions but not worshiping them.

This all requires balance.

The problem is this - we all shuffled off away from that nice balanced center of Christ on occasion.  We all end up tossing out our own ideas rather than the clear words of Scripture.  So what is needed then?  We need to be pulled back - a friend, a colleague reaches that hand out and pulls us back into the middle.

That's gentle.  Quiet.  Simple.

We do not live in gentle, quiet times.  Our simple goal today to is show how we are right and they are WRONG.  And so, we push.

Consider the past decade or so.  Think about the discussions you've seen.  See if this theory doesn't play out.  How often has someone been slightly messed up on something - and then they get hammered - get "pushed".  They are declared wretched... and then there's no where for them to go but more and more extreme.

I think it happens quite often.

"But what about doctrinal purity?  What about the truth?"  Yes, the truth is important - but the point is to center people upon Christ Jesus the Truth, not see how quickly we can kick them off the island to prove how right we are.  I've done it too.

I think for us amongst the relatively conservative Christian crowd, some of this is because toleration became such a dirty word.  The left kept clamoring for tolerance, and that "tolerance" became more and more demanding and now tyrannical.  Therefore, we determined we would tolerate less and less.

But in so doing I think we may have jettisoned patience.  Long-suffering.  Bearing with one another.  Tolerance and acceptance are not our ideals, but patience and kindness are fruits of the Spirit.  Pulling fruits.  Restoring fruits.

Go be kind to someone.  Especially if they are wrong.  That is what Christ Jesus did for you.  He did not seek to push you away - He did not come to condemn the world.  Rather, He pulled all its sin upon itself and crucified it.  He saved us.

Pull, don't push.

Trinity Sunday Sermon

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

In the Gospels, there are two phrases, two introductions that Jesus uses that let us know that something very important is coming up. One of those is “Behold” - and that was just a common technique of the day. If you hear behold, you better start beholding because something important is going to happy. Jesus uses another phrase today, three times in fact, a phrase that says you need to be quiet with your jibber-jabber and listen - “Truly, truly, I say to you.” Amen, amen, lego humin! Whenever you hear Jesus say, “Truly, truly, I say to you,” this means He is going to speak a profound, deep truth – one that you'll never understand on your own, one that can only be revealed by Him. So, let's listen to Jesus.

Here's the setting. Nicodemus, a Pharisee big wig, had come to Jesus at night, when no one was around, and Nicodemus starts blowing smoke up Jesus' skirt. It's all an ancient political feeling out flattery thing – the beginnings of a dance to see if they could be allies. And Jesus just cuts him off: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Understand how blunt this statement is. Nicodemus is feeling out an alliance, he's wanting to make his own power plays – and Jesus flat out tells him that what is going on is above his pay grade – that Nicodemus can't even begin to see the kingdom of God at work right now. This is as brutal a shoot down as has ever been seen. “Mind if I buy you a” - “I don't date short people.” You're out of your league, Nicodemus.

So, what is going on? Why the bluntness. Lesson 1 – unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. In the world, we are used to wheedling, whining, begging, and seducing people in order to get our way. From the time we are infants crying for milk or a change to the time we are the old folks putting a guilt trip on the youngins, that's just how we do things. We think in terms of manipulation – and that's not always bad. I mean, if you are a month old, how else are you going to get out of a wet diaper? But it is built into us – we manipulate, we build power bases, we build up support for our ideas and then try to get everyone on board – by hook or by crook we try to convince people to jump to our side and do what we want.

That is not how the Kingdom of God works. Period. That's not how you relate to God. The Church isn't just a political party where we've convinced people to see things our way. The plan of salvation wasn't thought up in some committee somewhere. We don't twist God's arm to make Him do things our way. No – the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – He is in charge. He has created us, He has redeemed us, He is the One who is going to do everything required for your life and salvation. And unless He Himself gives you faith – unless He gives you eyes to see, unless He gives you the new birth, you will not understand. You won't be able to see it. The Christian faith is utterly incomprehensible apart from the Holy Spirit, my friends. I mean, an unbeliever can say what we believe, but they won't see it, they wouldn't get it. Faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit. It is a work of the Spirit.

This is third article of the creed stuff from the Small Catechism – I believe I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to Him, but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. Or – Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. And this means that you will never be able to nag, or arm twist, or bat your eyes at someone to faith. It has to be the Holy Spirit doing the job – not our machinations.

And we don't like that. We want to be in control of things, and we hear that we aren't in control, and we get mad and say, “What, so I'm useless here – utterly uninvolved?” Not quite. Nicodemus is flummoxed by Jesus' answer, and so Jesus speaks again. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus starts talking about baptism. While the Spirit alone grants faith, the Spirit doesn't just wander along and randomly zap people out of the blue. He works through means – He uses tools to accomplish His tasks. Not because He has to, but for our good. The Holy Spirit can do what He wants – but in His wisdom and love, He has tied Himself to things, physical things, so that we can see and know what is going on. Such as Baptism. I don't control other people's faith – I don't control the Holy Spirit. But, I, we together, have the gift of Holy Baptism. We've been instructed by God to baptize people – Make disciples of all nations [by] baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Baptize people, and the Holy Spirit will work upon them. I can't make the people I love believe, but I can bring them to the font where the Holy Spirit has promised to work. And there God has promised to bring people into His Kingdom. And the baptized are – even if they don't see things yet and don't understand yet – at the font the Triune God claims them as His own – claimed you as His own. God is not uninterested in you – He is fully vested in you as His baptized child. He has a stake in you – you are part of His Kingdom and it is His job to care for you and redeem you – and that's His Job, and He'll be the one to do it.

Do you see how this works – it's not a matter of our control, but rather the control that we in our sin so desperately want to exercise is shown to belong to God. That's what Baptism is – it is the public declaration that this person is part of God's family, God's kingdom, under God's authority and control – and that God will work salvation for them, not they themselves. Baptism is the promise of God to be God for you, for your benefit – and the Holy Spirit is there assuredly working for your good.

One other place of focus – because Nicodemus balks at this (and let's be honest – we do too a bit). Jesus makes an analogy to the wind and weather – you don't control the wind. You can see it and know that it's at work – but you don't get to control it. Same way with the Spirit. You don't get to control the Spirit, but you know where He is working for your good. And in exasperation Nicodemus says, “how can these things be?” How, how can all this be? So Jesus responds – Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Dude, have you not read the Old Testament – this is precisely how I worked throughout all of Moses and the Prophets! “Truly, truly, I say to you, We speak of what We know, and bear witness to what We have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things.” Now, this sounds very odd to our modern ears – we don't talk this way anymore. The point is this – the Triune God is revealed in the Scriptures, in the Word. It is in the Bible that God reveals Himself – where that “We speak of what We know” happens. The Scriptures are God giving Himself to us in a way that we can understand. But that doesn't mean that God is suddenly an object to study – no, God is utterly above and beyond us and there are things we cannot fathom nor wrap our heads around. The Trinity for example – we have named our congregation Trinity, but not a one of us can figure out how that works – We get that there is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and yet these Three are One – because that's what the Scriptures say and teach, but how in the world that works – that's beyond me. That's beyond any of us.

When it comes to this church, when it comes to the Christian faith – we don't get to be in charge. We don't get to throw around our own ideas or what we would like – we must remain with what God has said in His Word – and we believe and go with that by the power of His Spirit, even if it is beyond us, even if it is something we cannot explain. Even if it is a mystery. The Scriptures teach that Jesus is both at the same time true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin Mary. How that gets pulled off – beyond any of us. But that is what God reveals and has said, and so we believe, teach, and confess it. And that this Jesus dies – God Himself dies and rises – and because of this our sins are forgiven and atoned for and we are rescued from Satan – theologians have spent 2 millennia trying to sort that out, and we can scratch the surface of what happened, but it's still too wondrous for us to comprehend. In a few minutes, we will celebrate the Lord's Supper – It is the true Body and Blood of our LORD Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink. I can't tell you “how” that works, other than “Jesus says so,” and so we believe, teach, and confess it to be true. It's a mystery far above my pay grade.

And that's okay. You see, part of our sinful arrogance and pride is the idea that we need to know and understand everything – because if you know and understand something then you can manipulate it and make it the way you want it to be. That is part and parcel of the fall – that is our sinful, selfish pride wanting to be “like God”. And so there we are, sinful folks, just messing around and hurting each other and being utterly selfish jerks to everyone – and then God decides to act. He Himself sees that you are dead in your sin, and He gives you a new birth – a new life – makes you to be born again by His Spirit. He washes you in Holy Baptism and brings you back away from Satan's rebellion unto His own Kingdom. He gives you His Word and Spirit so that you can see and believe these wondrous things that are so far above you that you cannot understand them. That's okay – we see Jesus at work for us. And that's all we need.

This summer, as we move through the Trinity season, we will hear Jesus' teaching, we will get glimpses of great and wondrous mysteries. But through all of them, remember that you have been baptized, called into His kingdom, and that they are all for your good. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

Ascension Observed

Ascension Observed – June 1^st and 2^nd, 2019 – Luke 24

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

In the Creed, we confess that Christ has not only risen, but that He has ascended, and is at this moment seated at the right hand of the Father, that He is exercising His divine power on our behalf. This past Thursday was ascension day, 40 days after Easter. This morning, we will look at our Lord’s Ascension, and in particular what Words He speaks to the Disciples in the Gospel of Luke just before He ascends, and we will see how He shapes His Church on earth until He returns again on the last day in Glory. Let us dive in.

Then He said to them, “These are My Words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. So, here we are today, almost 2000 years after the Ascension, and I want you to notice, dear friends, that what we end up doing here is exactly the same as what Christ Jesus our Lord and the disciples were doing right in our text. Our eyes are focused upon the Scriptures, and by the Holy Spirit, the Helper, God opens our eyes to understand them, to see Christ Jesus and His Gospel. We don’t simply look to the Scriptures for rules or advice; in the Scriptures we behold Christ Jesus our Lord. We are focused upon and shown Christ in God’s Word – be it the Word of the Old Testament which points forward to Christ, which declares what the Christ would do – or be it the Word of the New Testament, which declares what Christ has done. Whether the text is pointing to what the coming Messiah would do or whether it declares what Christ Jesus has done, what our Lord says is true – Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. There it is – the point, the entirety of Scripture summed up. What is the point of God’s Word? What is the point of our time spent together in that Word, be it here in worship, or be it in study, be it at home in private devotions? That Christ Jesus suffered, died, and was buried, and on the third day rose again from the dead – and because of this, we have forgiveness.

This is what Christ gives the Apostles – this is what He tells them to preach and write as He sends them out into all the world. So, isn’t this what we proclaim even unto this day? You see dear friends, the Apostles went out and preached, they did come down off the mountain, they stopped staring at the sky, and Christ and Him Crucified was preached throughout the world. Indeed, because Christ and Him Crucified was preached, this congregation came into being, formed by people who wanted to see that Christ and Him Crucified would be rightly preached in Herscher. And this is and shall remain our focus here in this place.

But how to keep that focus? We live in a day and age of great distractions, of continual promises of the new and improved. And the temptation is even for folks in the Christian community to go off and find new and novel spiritual quests or programs or the like. Here we need to listen to Jesus, for He tells us how He is to be preached and proclaimed. And that repentance and forgiveness should be proclaimed in My Name to all nations. Repentance and Forgiveness. So, let us do that again today. Is repentance a part of your life, dear friends? For you, as an individual, is repentance a part of your life? Do you pause, do you think where you have erred, where you have sinned, and do you strive to turn away from that sin, to repent of that sin? Is repentance a part of your life?

Repentance isn’t popular. Well, actually, it is if we think the preacher is telling other people to repent. It’s quite popular if the preacher rails on the person next to us, or the people out there. But the message that each one of us needs to take a good hard look at our own lives, needs to see where we sin and beat that down. Daily. Continually. None of us really likes that. We don’t want to deal with sin – don’t tell me I have to struggle against sin – rather just give me a few easy, simple things to do that prove that I’m a good person. Thing is – scripture says that we are sinful, sinners through and through, sinners in need of forgiveness. Scripture says that we are to turn away from our sin. Luther says that Baptism is to lead to daily contrition and repentance – more thought should be given to your struggle against the sins and temptations that hound you other than just breezing through the general confession at the beginning of service. Our lives are to be ones of repentance.

And there is a reason for this. God isn’t just some meanie, He doesn’t like to brow beat you over the head – rather He wants to give you forgiveness, He wants you to cherish your forgiveness. Repentance and forgiveness are to be preached in the Name of Christ. We are people who need forgiveness, forgiveness is the cause and the source and the content of faith. But what happens if we ignore repentance? We stop wanting forgiveness, and if we stop wanting forgiveness – faith dies. Think about it – in your own life, think on the times when you have been the most smug, the most confident in how good you were and in your own works – the times when your own sin was something that you never thought about. Did you look to Christ Jesus? Did you ponder the wonders of the Cross, that God Almighty would die to give you life? The old Lutheran hymn proclaims “faith clings to Jesus Christ alone” – and when you were so sure that you were a good person, were you clinging to Christ, or were your hands busy patting yourself on the back?

This is why there is the need for repentance – for when we do not see our sin we see no need for a Savior. When we do not see our sin, we see no need for the Cross. Give us other things, God – just make things easy here – after all, I’m a good person, don’t I deserve it? We lie to ourselves and lie to God. Our focus is shifted away from Christ, and we forget who we are. We see no need for Church. But think on what we teach here. Although you are a sinful being, God gives you forgiveness and life and salvation here in His Word. He gives you His Body and Blood for the remission of your sin. God is active for you here. Could there be anything that we would see as more important? And yet, what is the temptation that arises? To push Christ and His forgiveness to the side, to treat it as something that we don’t need.

That is why Christ and Him Crucified is preached. We see our need for a Savior, and then our Savior is proclaimed to us. This is the pattern, this is what we have done as the Holy Christian and Apostolic Church. And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God. Why? Why the continual blessing? Why the continual thanksgiving? Because their eyes were focused on Christ and not only what He had done in the past, but what He continues to do, what He continued to give to them each day in His Word and Sacraments.

We must not think, as some Churches teach, that with the Ascension our Lord leaves us behind. He has said that He is with us until the end of the age. And He is. He is present in His Word. He is present in His Supper. He has bound Himself to you at your Baptism. The reality of the Christian faith is that God Himself is present. He wants this truth preached – but we are to remember another thing – and this is the particular joy of the Ascension. Christ desires that He be preached so that we know that He is with us – that He gives us forgiveness and salvation – that He is indeed Emmanuel – God with us. That is true. That is the truest thing in your life. Christ is with you – and you are with Christ. As Christ has ascended, as Christ has risen to heaven – where will you be, O Christian, you who are forgiven and attached to Him? You will be where He is. The fact that God is here for you now on earth in His Word and Sacraments is the proof that God desires you to be with Him for all eternity. And God desires that nothing distract you from this truth. Throughout our days on earth our eyes are pulled away from the earthly, the mundane, the nice worldly advice, and rather placed upon Christ Jesus who has died, risen, and ascended – so that we might be sure of our salvation, that we might be sure of our eternal home.

This is what we see Christ Jesus doing in our Gospel. He anchors the Church, He ties the Church to His Word, so that we might always know His forgiveness and be tied to Him – so that for eternity we might be with Him as well. This is why the disciples departed in joy, this is the same joy which we proclaim to this day as well. Christ has ascended to the Father, and so too shall you, for Christ has claimed you as His own and given you His forgiveness. Cling to Him, rejoice in His forgiveness, and know that as He is in Heaven so shall you be as well. Amen. Christ is Risen, He is Risen indeed – Alleluia.

Easter 5 Sermon

Easter 5 – May 18^th and 19^th, 2019 -

Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed, alleluia!
We do not know what is good for us. Or if we do know, we tend to fight against it. I, as a person, know what a good and healthy and proper diet would be – but from my simple appearance you can tell such a healthy diet is beyond my current desire or self-discipline. And every one of us in here can think of times where we fight against bad habits that we know are off, yet still do them. And even more to the point, everyone of us in here have things that we think are “good” for us, but actually are not. That is part and parcel of being a sinful human being. The first temptation was “you will be like God, knowing good and evil” - and ever since the fall we have failed utterly in our attempts to know what is good for us. Instead of listening to our own thoughts, or our hearts, or our stomachs, when push comes to shove we must listen to what God in His Word says. He knows what is good, we of ourselves so often do not.

With this in mind, we are ready to hear what Jesus says: “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is to your advantage that I go away.” Here again we are in the upper room on Maundy Thursday evening, and Jesus is preparing the disciples for the transition to the New Testament Church which will exist after the Ascension and until the Second Coming – the Church we ourselves are in. And the Church as we see it wasn't what the disciples wanted. They had wanted an earthly kingdom of power and might, where they would rule along side Jesus and share in His glory and have palaces and riches and respect. They wanted a kingdom like David had, or Solomon. And Jesus is telling them that this isn't going to happen – and they don't really believe Him yet. They even ask before Jesus ascends, “Lord, will You at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel?” The disciples didn't want the Church.

And let's be honest – often we don't like, don't want the Church that we have. We can have hopes and dreams for this congregation that don't pan out. I wish we were so full that people had to sit up front. I wish there were more LCMS Lutherans in the US, where we weren't a relatively obscure group making up less than 1 percent of the population. I wish there were more Christians at all in the US, instead of this rising tide of disdain that I see all around us. Wouldn't that be “good”? Possibly – but it is also selfish. Full pews and fuller offering plates would certainly let me have bragging rights at this week's pastor's conference – but bragging rights aren't the point, are they? Or being safely in the open majority is comfortable, and you get to enjoy positions of social power and prestige – but garnering earthly respect isn't the point of the Christian faith. You see, with all our wishes and dreams, we are tempted to over look the unimaginably wondrous good that God gives to us here and now. A good that surpasses anything we could have dreamed or coveted.

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away the Helper will not come to you. The Helper, the Comforter, the Paraclete. The Holy Spirit. Jesus here speaks to Pentecost, the pouring out of the Spirit which starts in Jerusalem and spreads throughout the world. The very pouring out of the Spirit that we ourselves live in and fully experience here, as the Holy Spirit is with us, having called us by the Gospel, enlightened us with His gifts of Word and Sacrament, sanctified and kept us in the true faith. Consider – that Maundy Thursday, if you wanted to be part of this “Jesus” thing, you had to follow Him around, fit in one particular crowd – or wait for Him to come around again. Fifty days later, you have Pentecost, and 3000 believe and are baptized, and they all head back to all their homes where they speak in all their various languages, and more and more people are brought by the Spirit to faith, and so on and so forth until here we are, separated by thousands of years and thousands of miles from where Jesus spoke these words in the upper room – and yet by the power of the Spirit they are spoken to us and applied to us and brought to us today.

The Holy Spirit spreads the Church throughout the world. And in that Church our LORD Jesus comes to us in His Word, in Baptism, in His Supper, to forgive us our sins. We don't have to go to Him. He comes to us. How fantastic is that! We don't have to go to Jerusalem where the Kingdom is (although a trip there would be sort of cool – but it's not necessary). We don't have to do a pilgrimage to any place and wait in long lines. No, because of the Spirit and His Church, Christ Jesus comes to us easily and conveniently and in our own language. He comes to us as often as we are gathered in His Name, as often as we eat His Supper. And if for some reason this place got too crowded – just plant another congregation – easy peasy, lemon squeezy. And if we end up having to share with others someday – alright, where the Word is proclaimed, there Christ will be present for us. And it really is to our advantage.

Because we are people of the Word, and the Help that the Helper gives, the Comfort from the Comforter is the Word of God proclaimed. Jesus says, “And when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.” The Spirit will see to it that the Word of God is proclaimed throughout the whole world – that's what that “convict” means. We think of a convicting primarily as assigning a punishment, but here it really means to speak with conviction and with authority. Over and against all the thoughts and ideas that vie for power in the world, the Word of God goes forth and the Spirit proclaims the truth. And that is the truth that we are to listen to and listen for. This is the truth you are to expect from me whenever I preach, and if I do not preach it, you ought to be all over me like white on rice. Jesus here lays out the standard for what is to be preached in His Church.

The Spirit will convict “concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me.” Part of the job of the Spirit in His Church will be to proclaim God's law, showing forth our sin. Sin, at it's root, is disbelieving God. It is ignoring what He has said, what He has called good, and instead substituting our own desires in its place. And the Holy Spirit will always call that out. You will hear your own sin, and even sins you happen to like and enjoy, called out in this place. That's what the Spirit does. And we live in a day and age where we don't like calling sin sin. It's not “nice”. Oh well. We listen to the Word of God and what God says is right, and that's where we stand, even against ourselves. It's not a matter of “we're good and they are bad” as so many want to take it – it's we all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God. The law is given to stop every mouth, stop every excuse – and when you are trying to justify your own sin, whatever shape that sin takes, whether it is something bizarre or something trendy or just something petty, the Spirit will use the Word to tell you to stop with your jibber-jabbery defense and instead admit that you are wrong. And we need that – not just those bad people out there – we do, because we don't know what is good apart from God.

But, the Church is not merely a place where God tells us off. In fact, it's primary purpose is this. The Spirit will speak concerning “righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will see Me no longer.” Well, what in tarnation that does that mean? When Jesus speaks of “righteousness” He is referring to the fact that He is righteous and good, and that His righteousness is shown by going to the Cross and taking up your sin – including all that stuff that the Spirit just called you on – and destroying it, and in its place giving you all His righteousness and holiness and love and mercy. He has done it all – it is finished. He has gone to the Father, ascended victorious with nothing left to be done for your salvation. And thus the job of the Church is to proclaim that Christ Jesus has accomplished salvation, that all righteousness is found in Him. That sins are forgiven in Him and by Him. These first two are what we Lutherans like to call “Law and Gospel” for short – the Law which shows to us our sin, the Gospel which gives us our Savior and His forgiveness. And these two things must be constantly preached and proclaimed – the Law to silence our own plans, the Gospel to give and include us in the plan of salvation.

But what of the third? Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. We don't know what is good. We don't know what good results look like. We hear this preaching of Law and Gospel – and then, well... we don't have power and might on the earth. We don't have riches. In fact, we don't even get to defeat all our enemies, and there are still wicked people out there and oh no, what are we going to do? The Spirit's answer – nothing. You don't have to judge or defeat or destroy anyone in this life. God will take care of it. In fact, He has – Jesus's death and resurrection defeated Satan, and Satan is judged already. We are just waiting it out until the second coming, and in the mean time the Spirit goes forth in the Word calling sinners to repentance and giving them Christ's forgiveness. If someone should believe – wonderful. If not – well, we just keep preaching and singing and praying and receiving Christ's body and blood – we just keep on living as the baptized and leave any comeuppances to come in God's hands. We don't even need to fret about how many do or don't believe, or how wicked the world is, or any of the things we so often fear. In Christ, we have the victory now. This world's prince may still scowl fierce as he will – but the Spirit will remind us over and over that in Christ our victory has been won and that the true Kingdom, the eternal Kingdom of Christ and the life everlasting, is ours.

And that's what the Spirit does. He makes us see that Jesus has actually won our victory over sin and death and the world, and even over our own selfishness and misplaced dreams. He will use the Word and pull us away from these things, and give us Jesus - “for He will take what is mine and declare it to you.” The Spirit gives you the things of Jesus that you need – or as we learned it in the Small Catechism – In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. And because the Spirit has come, this Christian Church is spread throughout the world, and yet even we here in this place receive all the fullness thereof and lack nothing – for God is good, and Jesus has died and risen, and His Spirit gives us all things. This is what is truly good for us. Amen. Christ is Risen – He is risen indeed, alleluia!

Underestimating the Need for "Myth"

Human beings need "Myth".

Ew, that sounds bad, doesn't it?  I'm sure my religious friends bristle at that word, as it implies that our cherished beliefs are outmoded, and my more modern friends bristle because that's something we have moved beyond.  But I will contend again - humans need myth.

Myth comes from mythos - the Greek word for story.  We have denigrated the idea of "myth" as something false or archaic, but a myth is simply a story that explains how and why things are the way they are.  A Myth is the story that lets people in general know and understand what is going on and why it is going on - and any Myth that is told is fundamentally "true".  Otherwise it doesn't actually explain things, it doesn't hold up anymore.  The story no longer holds water.

What if I said we need "story" - we need a narrative that provides context for where we are, where we've been, and what direction we are going?  Would that be better?  Because that's a myth.

And if there is no established myth, we will create one.

Consider the linked article comparing Climate Change Alarmism to ancient priesthoods.  This article details an example of how a myth is created.  Er, a story, a narrative.  That's how you get people to understand the reality that you are presenting.  The story gets one to act in response to the facts. 



And try as we might to be utterly objective and scientific, we NEED to have a myth to give our insights importance.  Evolutionary theory is not content to speak to current and observable changes; it must extrapolate backwards and speak to origins.  That's because it needed a myth (sorry - story) to frame it.  And so the story of why species needed to have originated this way is put forth - regardless of the utter inability to test for it objectively.

We need a good narrative to give us context and meaning.

And the biggest myth of the old modern era was that we didn't need such things - that we were sophisticated and knowledgeable and advanced.

Nope.  We were created (see, I'm showing my cards on what myth, um, narrative I hold to) to be people of story and context.  And when the collectively understood story of the West (that of Christianity) is jettisoned or compartmentalized away, there will still need to be new myths to arise.

People may not believe in God, but they believe in a story.  A militant atheist will fight tooth and nail to defend his story of how things are.  That's what we do - that's how we justify our positions and our attitudes and our actions.  Myths give meaning and make us right and heroic.

So - what's your story?

Easter 4 Sermon

Easter 4 – John 16:16-22 – May 11^th and 12^th, 2019

Christ is Arisen (He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia)

With this week in the Easter season, we reach a transition. For the next few weeks, our Gospel lessons will be from John 15 and 16, they will be parts of the discussion that Jesus had with His disciples on the night when He was betrayed, on Maundy Thursday evening. So, why these Gospel lessons now? Why things that address sorrow and pain - it’s the Easter Season – that’s what it says on the cover of the bulletin! Shouldn’t everything be happy? Why do we have such blunt and dour Gospel lessons here in the middle of the Easter season? Because Christ Jesus is going to be teaching us what life will be like for us, for us who know Christ’s resurrection and yet for a while remain in a sinful, hard world.

A little while, and you will see me no longer, and again a little while, and you will see me. Christ speaks these words on Maundy Thursday evening, after the foot washing, after the Last Supper, just before He goes to the garden of Gethsemane. And right here He is laying out the Crucifixion. Guys, you aren’t going to see me – I’m going to buried in the ground, I will be dead. And this will be rough and harsh on you, you will flee in terror and dread. But don’t worry, in a little while, on the Third Day, you will see me again. But Jesus doesn’t even pretend to think that this won’t be painful, that this won’t be difficult. Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. Isn’t that something that is great about Jesus? How well He knows us, how well He understands? Jesus doesn’t feed the disciples a line – he doesn’t simply say, “Life will be a bowlful of cherries.” I think sometimes we get this idea that if we are a Christian that everything in life will be wonderful. I’m a Christian, I’ll be happy all the time, always a smile on my face. You will weep, and you will lament. Jesus understands. We are sinners in a sinful world. Bad things happen. There is no constant bliss here on Earth. And no, this isn’t a sign of a weak faith. You guys should all know the shortest verse of the bible – Jesus wept. At the death of Lazarus, His friend, Christ Jesus Himself weeps. It’s a simple fact, there are things that will come that will bring us sorrow, it’s part and parcel of this fallen world.

But Jesus understands that, and even as He is getting ready to go to the Cross, even as He is preparing to engage in His epic struggle against Sin and Death and the Devil, He looks at His Disciples, and He sees what will happen to them. You guys are going to be so scared, so upset, so frightened. And note, Jesus doesn’t give any of the empty words we do. Jesus doesn’t say “buck up.” Jesus doesn’t say “be strong.” Jesus doesn’t say, “Oh, it’s not that bad.” Note what He does say. You will see me again. Jesus points to the Resurrection. Jesus takes the Disciples, and in preparing them to handle their grief, points their eyes towards the Resurrection, points them towards something they have no way of comprehending. And why? Because the resurrection is where it all happens. The Resurrection is where the World is set right again. Behold, Christ Jesus lives, having risen triumphantly from the grave. This is where we flee from our sorrow. This world isn’t right, it’s filled with sin and anger and hatred and death – we cannot deny this, we can't pretend it isn’t this way, we can't expect it to be otherwise. Yet you know another more wondrous truth. Christ lives to die no more. Your sin, done away with, gone, forgiven. You have been made right with God. No matter what comes here in this life, no matter what people say or do, no matter what victories they win over you, Christ has won the final victory. You know the end of the story, whatever pain comes in the mean time. Christ is teaching you to look to Him whenever there is sorrow in your life. That’s what He does here, that’s what He’s telling the disciples that evening, that’s what He telling us this day/morning. You will face sorrow, but look to my Resurrection for strength and joy.

But Jesus isn’t simply preparing the Disciples for His death and Resurrection. He is also pointing the Disciples towards His Ascension. Hear again the Gospel. So some of His Disciples said to one another, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and ‘because I am going to the Father’?” Because I am going to the Father. You see what that is saying, right? Think on the Creed. And He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father, from thence He Shall Come to Judge the living and the dead. Jesus is also preparing the Disciples for the life after the Ascension. Yes, indeed, Christ is with us always, but think of the situation which the Disciples will be placed in. After the Ascension, if they have a question, they don’t get to just ask Jesus for the answer anymore – rather they have His teachings, they have prayer. The time is coming when the Disciples will have to take up responsibility, take up their own crosses, and serve in the Church. And it will be hard work for the Disciples. Jesus compares what they will go through to a woman giving birth (happy Mother's Day). It will be painful and full of toil (happy Mother's Day) – but through these people Jesus will serve His Church. That is the joy they are to focus on and see – to ignore the pain of persecution, to ignore the pain of the mockers and their own torture and death – and rather to focus on the joy of sharing the Gospel, of bringing the joy of the resurrection to people who need it.

But really, this is the same situation we are in. We toil in this world awaiting the joy of Christ’s return, the final giving of joy ever lasting. Again, our faith, our love of God doesn’t mean that there won’t be pain in our lives. Coming to Church doesn’t mean the kids suddenly will stop arguing, reading your Bible in the morning doesn’t mean everything will go smoothly at work. Even really praying hard doesn’t mean that your relationships will be peaceful and joyful all the time. Why? Because we are all still sinners in a sinful world – and sinners we will remain as long as we draw breath. Jesus knows that when He speaks these words. He says this to Peter knowing that in a few moments Peter will draw his sword in anger and cut off the servant’s ear, that in just a few hours Peter in fear will deny Him 3 times. Jesus speaks these words knowing us, knowing that we will sin. But He calls us to the struggle, He calls us to the fight – to battle temptation, to confess our sin – and to look towards the joy that only His forgiveness can give. While we wait for Christ’s return – this is what our lives will consist of – our struggle to follow His Word, to actually love God and our Neighbor in thought, word, and deed. And make no mistake, it is a struggle. If you think that you’ve got this being a Christian thing down, you are fooling yourself. Our lives are ones where we constantly seek to grow and improve – and that is painful, because if we strive to do better we will always see how we fail, how we could have done better; we will always see our sin in front of us. And in response to this we are to confess our sin to God, and to receive His forgiveness given out to us by His Absolution and by His Supper. This is where we receive again His joy, which gives us the strength to endure in this life.

One more point: Jesus does here also describe how we are to deal with mourning the loss of our loved ones who have died in the faith. There is indeed a time for mourning, for weeping, for sorrow. We must never delude ourselves by thinking that death is just a part of life – just a phase of life. Death is a tragedy, our great foe, it’s wrong, it shouldn’t be this way. But this is why we give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord – because He takes on death. That’s what His crucifixion is – Christ entering into the struggle against death, Christ taking its pain – and Christ defeating death resoundingly on Easter. That is how we view death, dear friends, by looking at the Resurrection. We see in Christ’s resurrection the defeat of death, we see our own future resurrection which Christ has promised to us. We look at the death of our loved ones through the Ascension – we see and remember that Christ our Lord now rules from Heaven, that He is there with all the saints who have gone on before us. In spite of our sorrow, we see the joy that they have right now this moment, and know that they await the resurrection on the last day, their’s and ours.

Again, this is what we celebrate whenever we have the Lord’s Supper here. With angels and archangels and all the company of Heaven. When we have the Supper here, we confess that our Lord is here, His Body and Blood in Bread and Wine. We confess that He is here for our forgiveness. But we also confess that we with all of God’s Saints participate in Christ’s Body, that we share in His life that He has given us. The Lord’s Supper is not simply a matter of individuality – it’s not a time for just me to hang out with God. At His Supper God brings to us a taste of heaven, we join in the Heavenly Feast with all of His Saints – the Communion of Saints. In this Supper we celebrate the Truth that Christ Jesus lives – today we partake of His Body. Death cannot hold Him, Christ has not decayed away, but now, in His Body He reigns in heaven in the Presence of all the Saints – and through His Supper we rejoice in His presence here on Earth. We know that our Lord lives, we know that we too have Eternal life, right now, it is ours. Right now, God has blessed His saints, and we all simply wait for the last day when we shall see our Lord in our own flesh. We are joined to our Lord and all of His Saints. This is the joy and peace that we see here on Earth.

Dear friends – your life will have struggles – there will be trials and pains and sorrow. But let us fix our eyes upon Jesus, for the grave could not hold Him, for He reigns from Heaven this moment, for He gives us His gifts of life and forgiveness here in His Church. Because of this, we endure the sorrows of the moment, we endure them by looking to the eternal joy which He has won for us with His death and resurrection, which He has promised us. This is the peace we ha ve as Christians, this is the joy we have as Christians, one that no one can take away. Amen. Christ is Risen – He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia.

Easter 3 Sermon

Easter 3 – May 4^th and 5^th, 2019 – John 10:11-16

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia +

Who do you listen to? That's actual a very important question, one that can tell you a lot about a person. What music do you like, who do you listen to? Rock or Country? Real country or this modern junk that sounds like 80s boy bands with a twang country? See, what you listen you and what you don't listen to can say quite a bit about you. And we can come up with other things we listen to. What stories, what movies do you like? Action adventure or romantic comedy? That can be interesting. Or what channel do you listen to for your news, CNN or Fox? Ew, that can get a bit contentious. What politicians do you listen to? And suddenly the differences in who we listen to get a bit more tense, especially today. But really, here in this place, none of those really matter. I mean, we might mock each other's music, or get into political debates, but that's all small potatoes. There is, though, one case, one situation where the question of “Who do you listen to” becomes vitally important.

I am the Good Shepherd. I know My own and My own know me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this folds. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Who do you listen to? Do you listen to Jesus? Now, here, in this place – that's the vital question. Do you hear His voice? And where do you go to hear His voice, and what are you expecting that voice to say? You all do realize that these are the questions that we ask of our confirmations tomorrow/today – the questions that were asked of you at your confirmation. Your Savior's voice – what does it sound like? To whom do you listen?

There are a lot of voices out there vying for our attention, vying for our devotion. A lot of voices calling out for us to fear them, or love them, or trust them. In some ways the babble of those voices is as loud as it's ever been, at least in living memory. There are so many places where one go searching for truth – Siri, hey google, whatever. The wolves seeking to scatter the flock have megaphones and book deals and podcasts these days. Entertainers and athletes have become idols to worship and devote your life to. People offer to welcome us and accept us, just as long as we go along with whatever they want, and peer pressure is ratcheted to insanely high levels. So many voices, all speaking, all enticing, all demanding that we follow them. Over and above all this din, this confusing tumult, Christ Jesus your Lord is still speaking. And do you want to know the difference in how Jesus speaks, the difference between the voice of your Shepherd and all those wolves out there?

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, does things for you and gives gifts to you, demanding nothing in return. His focus is upon making sure that you receive His life and salvation. Everyone else out there wants something from you. Bands want you to buy their albums, and the Lord knows that with Star Wars George Lucas has gotten plenty of my money. Politicians want your vote, and TV channels want you to boost their ratings. But Jesus – did you hear the difference? He's not demanding that you do and give things to Him, He is doing things for you. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. The Good Shepherd gathers the sheep, brings them in to take care of them. The Good Shepherd cares for the sheep at cost to Himself.

The first question in the rite of Confirmation highlights this reality – Do you this day and in the presence of this congregation acknowledge the gifts that God gave you in your Baptism? Do you see the direction there? God has given us here gifts – He's active – He's the one doing. We are passive, we receive. We have been given forgiveness and life and salvation, we have been gathered into the fold, made part of the family of God and heirs of His Kingdom. Do you see, do you acknowledge, do you hear the gifts you have been given? And that's the question that is asked of us all. Do we hear the voice of our shepherd giving us His gifts? Yes, we do.

But here is the point to ponder this day. There are many, many voices trying to get your attention, but there is only one place where you can be sure that you will hear the voice of Jesus. Do you hold all the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures to be the inspired Word of God? The Word of God. Do you listen to the Word and what the Word says? Not merely someone's thoughts on God, or merely someone's feelings (oh, the feels), or whatever junk someone's heart tells them – those can be all over the place and often lousy. We confess that we sin in thought, words, and deed, and our feelings are often wrong, and our hearts often go astray. So the question is this - do you pay attention to the Word, to the Scriptures, to the Old and New Testament? Because that is where Jesus continues to speak to you today, over and above all the rigmarole in the world.

And what does Jesus sound like in the Word – Do you confess the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, drawn from the Scriptures, as you have learned to know it from the Small Catechism, to be faithful and true? Not just do people quote the Bible – Satan can do that. But what do they say it's about, what's the point? Is their point Christ Jesus for you? Because that's what the Scriptures and the Catechism actually teach. Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the Devil. Christ for you. In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. For you. These words, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins show us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. For you. So be wary of anyone who doesn't preach or teach Christ for you. The truth is this: the Shepherd is seeking you out and giving you His gifts so that you are forgiven and live and grow at peace in Him – that is the point, that is the voice of your Shepherd.

And that is why at Confirmation we are asked, Do you intend to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord's Supper faithfully? And that is a question we answer, not just once on a specific day, but we answer it week in and week out whenever we come to this place, and we hear again and again the voice of Christ Jesus, giving us mercy and life. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. That is what goes on here – the voice of Christ Jesus. In the Word, in our worship, in our liturgy and hymns, all sung back and forth. From the beginning of service – In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit – the very name and gift you were given in your baptism, all the way unto the end of service and the benediction – the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace – all of it the voice of Jesus, bringing us together.

That was the point of all this Easter stuff, after all. That was the reason that Christ Jesus went to the Cross, that was why He suffered and died, that was why He took bread on the night when He was betrayed. All that Good Friday and Easter stuff – all that took place simply and solely so that right now, this day, this moment, we here gathered together around His Word and His Supper would hear His voice again and receive His gifts again, and delight in them again. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep and rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. When Christ Jesus was there upon the Cross, clouds and thick darkness covered the land, and there Jesus, True God and True Man, drew us all unto Him. This is what Jesus said in John 12: And I, when I am lifted up from the Earth, will draw all people to Myself. This is what Christ has done for you and will continue to do in His Church, in and for His flock.

Because make no bones about it, life gets hard and messy. And every one of us here in this room will mess up, and sometimes mess up royally. There will be times when we give too much ear to other voices that would lead us into places we don't need to go. And there will be times when those voices will break us down and batter us. There will be times when we will be exhausted by the burdens and duties we face in life. In all those times, especially in all those times, Christ Jesus still is the Good Shepherd, who seeks the lost and the scattered by the power of His Word, His Baptism, His Supper. He says, “I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak.” Again and again, God doing good for His people. Again and again God doing good for you. And the world will do its best to drown that out, our flesh will try to distract us and drive us away. But Christ Jesus is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness – and His Church is the place where that forgiveness is given.

So, who do you listen to? You listen to Jesus who will over and over forgive you your sins (because sins you do have, and anyone who says otherwise is just trying to fleece you). Forgiveness is the point of this place, that's the point of this day, every day we are gathered here at Church – so that refreshed by Christ Jesus we are filled with faith towards Him and love toward one another – made ready to go out those doors and love our neighbor and be not just a voice of love and reason, but also a voice of Christ's peace and Christ's mercy and Christ's forgiveness out in a world where that is seemingly in short supply. That is the truth we confess together here, that is the gift we receive here together. Christ Jesus has done it all, and He has done it all for you. Amen. Christ is Risen – He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia!