Sermon -- 1st Sunday after Epiphany (January 11, 2026)

JESUS WAS ANOINTED TO DO GOOD.

ACTS 10:34-38

In the name + of Jesus.

    The consecration of the Lord’s Supper begins with the words, “Our Lord Jesus Christ…”  We know that his name is not “Lord.”  Lord is a title.  By it, we confess that Jesus is the second person of the Trinity.  He is God in the flesh.  All authority in heaven and on earth belong to him, and he lives and reigns for the good of his Church.  But people often get the impression that Jesus’ last name is “Christ.”  You and I are accustomed to last names, so we expect the same from the ancient world.  But the Jews did not have last names.  Just as “Lord” is a title, so is “Christ.”  It is the same word as “Messiah”—Christ being from the Greek; Messiah being from the Hebrew.  The name given to our Savior is Jesus, and if more information was needed, he would be known as Jesus of Nazareth.

     When St. Peter spoke about Jesus of Nazareth, he made a distinction between the name Jesus and the title Christ.  He said, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power” (Acts 10:38).  This sounds rather bizarre to us.  We think of Jesus only as the Messiah, that is, as the Lord’s anointed.  One reason is that when Jesus was born, the angel told the shepherds, “Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you.  He is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).  But Peter says there was a time when Jesus was not anointed.  He said that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 10:38). 

     Prior to his baptism, Jesus performed no miracles.  He grew up in the home of Joseph and Mary in Nazareth.  There was nothing extraordinary to note about him, at least nothing that the Bible notes.  With one exception, the only details we have about Jesus from his infancy until he was thirty is this: “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people” (Luke 2:52). 

     At age thirty, Jesus came to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.  “After Jesus was baptized, he immediately went up out of the water.  Suddenly, the heavens were opened for him!  (John) saw the Spirit of God, descending like a dove and landing on him” (Matthew 3:17).  Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit at his baptism.  Anointing is like an inauguration or an ordination.  It is how someone was installed into his particular office.  Aaron, Moses’ brother, was anointed to be the high priest of Israel.  Prior to his anointing, he did not hold that office or carry out its functions.  At his baptism, Jesus took up the office of the Christ.  He began to perform miraculous signs.  He publicly preached and taught the people about the kingdom of God.  And, as St. Peter described it, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.  He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil” (Acts 10:38).  Jesus was anointed to do good.

     I suppose anyone could argue that you do not need to be anointed with the Holy Spirit to do good.  Most people know how to behave and to be decent.  At the same time, no one is perfect.  Some embrace sin.  They are “full of envy, murder, quarreling, deceit, and malice.  They are gossipers, slanderers, God-haters, insolent mockers, arrogant boasters, and loudmouths” (Romans 1:29-30).  They revel in it, and they find people who join them in it and who encourage it.  As God’s people, you don’t embrace sins.  You want to flee from them.  Nevertheless, your sinful nature gets the better of you.  We all do things we need to apologize for.  We all say things we wish we could take back.  Jesus, on the other hand, was pure in heart, kind in words, and merciful in deeds.  Jesus was morally and ethically perfect.

     The prophet Isaiah described Jesus’ goodness.  Isaiah wrote, “A bent reed he will not break, and a dimly burning wick he will not snuff out” (Isaiah 42:3).  In other words, Jesus did not treat anyone like he or she was a lost cause.  Jesus’ enemies noted that Jesus ate with prostitutes and sinners; and they were right.  No little girl aspires to be a prostitute.  There must have been extreme desperation which would have led a woman to believe that this was her best option.  Jesus did not excuse their fornication, but he did have compassion on them.  A bruised reed would not be found useful by anyone, but Jesus considered it worth binding up instead of snapping off.  So, he sought to bind up those who were broken by life rather than snap them off and cast them away.

     While some people are desperate enough to turn to illegal activity, many face desperation differently.  People are so desperate to fit in that they will abandon their morals to belong.  They will do wicked things to be liked.  A young girl might give herself up to her boyfriend, thinking it is better to be used by him than to lose him.  Maybe you’ve been in a conversation where people slander a woman.  They share stories to alienate others from her.  If you defend her, you might find yourself the next target.  You might think it is better to alienate her than to be alienated with her.  Peer pressure is enough for people to cave in and get drunk, shoplift, gossip, play with a Ouija board, or drive recklessly.  All for the sake of fitting in, we will give into wickedness.  Repent.

     Day after day, we encounter sinful people.  It would be easy to say, “They made a mess of their lives.  I must cut them off.  They’re not worth the grief or the patience.”  If you do this, you will have to cut yourself off from the whole world.  Everyone is broken.  And yet, Jesus would not break off a bruised reed.  Jesus would not snuff out those whose faith was down to smoldering embers.  Jesus did not regard anyone as a lost cause.  Jesus was anointed to do good to all people.

     At Jesus’ baptism, “the Spirit of God (descended) like a dove and (landed) on him” (Matthew 3:16).  Here, Jesus was marked as the Christ.  He took up the work as God’s anointed.  That meant he united himself to us in his baptism.  Jesus did not need to be baptized for any sins of his own.  Rather, he took up ours. 

     For Jesus, baptism had the opposite effect that it has upon us.  Jesus’ baptism made him filthy.  He soaked up all our sin and guilt, marking him as the guilty one.  Nevertheless, the Father still declared, “This is my Son, whom I love.  I am well pleased with him” (Matthew 3:17).  The Father was well-pleased with his Son when he covered himself in our sin because that is what he sent his Son to do. 

     Jesus was anointed as the Christ to make a sin offering for all people.  As our great high priest, Jesus makes this sacrifice for us.  And he IS the sacrifice.  He is the spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  Bearing our guilt, Jesus went to the cross.  There, he was cast away by the Father in heaven.  Jesus was forsaken and cursed and cut off; for this is what sins deserve.  Jesus was a snuffed out wick.  His life was extinguished; for the wages of sin is death.  Jesus endured this for your good because the Father is not content for any of his creatures to be lost.  None are a lost cause to him. 

     Jesus was anointed to do good.  Just as Jesus united himself to us in his baptism, so he has united you to himself through yours.  Jesus’ baptism has taken up all your sin so that your baptism washes you clean of all your sin.  Jesus took up all your guilt in your baptism so that he could clothe you in his righteousness in your baptism.  Jesus was anointed as the one who would be the sin offering for you in his baptism so that his blood would purify you of all unrighteousness in your baptism.  Jesus was anointed to do good.

     Therefore, you do not need to be desperate for other people to like you or to include you in their inner circle.  If your friends would cast you off because you do not fall in line with warped opinions and wicked behavior, how good of friends are they really?  But Jesus’ love for you is steadfast, and his commitment to you is sure.  Even when you come back to God’s house with sins to confess—And who doesn’t have sins to confess?—he will not snuff you out like a smoldering wick.  Rather, he continues to pour out his forgiveness upon you.  He will fan your faith into flame so that you can serve him joyfully.  He speaks tenderly to those who are bruised.  He binds up the broken-hearted.  He supplies hope to the desperate.

     The Lord Jesus Christ has brought you into the family of God.  Rather than snapping you off like a broken reed, Jesus has grafted you in.  He bestows his blessings upon you.  He sees to it that his blood courses through you so that you desire and do what is God-pleasing.  He sends his Holy Spirit to dwell in you to make you God’s temple.  Therefore, your identity is not tied to how other people think of you or talk about you or treat you.  Your identity is found in your baptism.  You have been made a child of the Most High God.  He has opened heaven to you, and he declares, “This is my beloved child, whom I love.  With you I am well pleased.”

     “You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached.  God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.  He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the Devil, because God was with him” (Acts 10:37-38).  The devil will still try to oppress you.  He will tempt you to abandon the Lord to find your happiness from someone else.  He will dig up the past to rub your nose in it.  But the devil lies to you, because Jesus absolves you of what you’ve been and reminds you of who you are—a redeemed and beloved saint in his kingdom. 

     If you ever find yourself wondering if you can be forgiven by God or if you are desperate to know that God really loves you, then remember this statement: “I am baptized.”  For, that is where God has marked you as his own.  That is where God has washed away your sins.  That is where you have been clothed with Christ.  That is where Jesus has done good to you.  For he is good, and his mercy endures forever.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen. 

Something from ... Martin Chemnitz on Church Discipline

Young Martin Chemnitz
with bad haircut.

Martin Chemnitz (November 5, 1522 - April 8, 1586) was a Lutheran pastor who was involved in settling numerous controversies affecting the Lutheran Church in the generation that followed Martin Luther.  In settling these matters with sound biblical theology, he also eased tensions and resolved problems in various congregations who were in danger of schism.

When Chemnitz was called to serve as the superintendent over churches in the city of Braunschweig, he sent a proposal to ensure that he would be able to serve as pastor there without the city council interfering with church-related matters, particularly in the area of church discipline.

The concerns about church discipline were well-founded.  People still had vivid memories of the Roman Catholic practice of church discipline which were tantamount to imposing threats over individuals, congregations, or even entire territories so that the people would do as the Pope declared.  Chemnitz' concern, however, was for godly living among God's people.  Sinners were to be called to repent.  Negligence in word and sacrament were to be addressed so that people would not be lost to the kingdom of God.  Discipline was not to be a bully tactic, but an exercise of the faith.

Older Martin Chemnitz
with better haircut.

Nevertheless, Americans would be shocked to read what would result in the pastoral discipline of God's people.  Apparently, it was concluded that people who allowed themselves to be ensnared in the areas listed below were not to be considered God's people.  After all, God's people should not have to be begged to come to church or to flee from sin.

Here is something from Chemnitz on church discipline:

"But this discipline takes place when a person does not attend the preaching of the Word, does not partake of the Sacrament, or lives in open sin, so that the pastor admonishes him to take hold of himself, and he speaks and warns him earnestly on the basis of God's Word to live a better life.  Likewise, such a person must not be allowed to stand at a Baptism or help serve at Communion, and if such a person has not attended Communion in the last two years, it must be solemnly stated that there be no singing or music at his grave side."  (page 136, The Second Martin: The Life and Theology of Martin Chemnitz.  J. A. O. Preus.  Concordia Publishing House: St. Louis, MO.  (c) 1994.)

Update from Good Shepherd (January 8, 2026)

Greetings!

REGULAR SCHEDULE
Divine Service is Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School is Sundays at 9:00 AM.
Adult Bible Class is Sundays at 9:00 AM.

Bible Matters will resume on Wednesday, January 7 at 6:30 PM. 

CALENDAR: For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.

BIBLE MATTERS

          Bible Matters is a discussion group. We meet on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM. Each week, we will read through a chapter of, “Your Life Has Meaning: Discovering Your Role in an Epic Story,” and discuss how God’s word applies to our lives. The weekly topics are listed here.  Even if you feel you have a good handle on our topic, perhaps you can think of how you would speak to others who struggle with it. Or, perhaps you could invite those people to come to our class with you. All are welcome.

BIBLE INFORMATION CLASS

          Our next Bible Information Class will begin on February 2. We will meet on Monday evenings (7:00 – 8:30 PM). This class is a review for long-time Christians and an opportunity for anyone to come, ask questions about God and the Bible, and to grow in faith and knowledge. Consider whom you might bring to this class. Many people have spiritual questions. This class will address many of them.  The tentative schedule can be found here.

ADULT BIBLE CLASS
          Sometimes we have a hard time understanding parts of the Bible. Some of those words come from Jesus himself. We are considering the Hard Sayings of Jesus. The weekly schedule can be found here.  Adult Bible Class meets at 9:00 AM. All from grade 7 on up are welcome to attend.  

MURDER MYSTERY – OH, HORRORS! IT’S MURDER!
           Good Shepherd will be hosting an interactive theater experience on Saturday, February 7 (time TBA). “Oh, Horrors! It’s Murder!” will be presented by a local theater group which will feature congregational members Diane Wozniak and Tom Mattison. We will watch the first act which will depict the murder (it’s not going to be gruesome; it’s church outing!). Then, we will interact with the characters during an intermission. In the second act, we will vote on who we think the murderer is, and the actors will respond based on our vote. As of this writing, tickets will be $25 (we may adjust it, but not by much). Refreshments will be served before the play and during the intermission. You are encouraged to invite friends to this event.

GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE

           Services are uploaded to YouTube each week. Feel free to share the videos. Here is the Divine Service from January 4, 2026: Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service, January 4, 2026

CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (December)

>  We are still planning to have a dry run for our texting service.  The date for that is still to be determined. 

>  As a follow-up to our congregational meeting, we will form a committee to study and make recommendations for larger capital improvement projects and long-term plans which may need to be done in the next ten years or so.  Some projects are necessary; others would be nice.  If you have interest in working with this committee, speak with Dan LeFevre.

BAD WEATHER POLICY FOR SERVICES AT GOOD SHEPHERD
          We will always have services as scheduled at Good Shepherd. Since I live across the parking lot, I can get to the church no matter how bad the weather gets. Even if the service is just me and my family, we will be here. For everyone else, please use your God-given common sense to determine whether or not you will get on the road to attend any service when the weather is bad. We don't want anyone to risk his or her life to be here. But if you do venture out, the scheduled service will take place. It may be only a handful with a cappella singing and/or spoken liturgy, but we will be here.
          Bible Classes and meetings may be canceled due to weather. Check your email regarding announcements to see if any of those scheduled events are canceled. If there is no email about it, it is not canceled. But again, use common sense to determine if you can make it, and call the pastor to let him know if you will not be coming.

REGULAR OFFICE HOURS

          For the most part, the pastor will be observing formal office hours (Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – Noon). Occasionally, duties will take him away from the office during these scheduled times, so you will still want to call or text to confirm any meetings with the pastor (248-719-5218).

INTRODUCTION VIDEO FOR GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH
          Here is a video to introduce people to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Novi. Share it as much as you can.

DO YOU LIKE US?

          Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook. Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings. Be sure to share posts with friends.

SHARE THIS POST!
          We desire as many as possible to rejoice in the Gospel which we proclaim and confess. Share the information from our weekly email blast, links to our web page, and even to the pastor's blog to let others know that we have a space in our congregation for them!

In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder

==================

REGULAR SCHEDULE

Sunday School -- Sundays at 9:00 AM 

Adult Bible Class -- Sundays at 9:00 AM 

DIVINE SERVICES -- Sundays at 10:00 AM.

Bible Matters -- Wednesdays at 6:30 PM.

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG

www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com  

YouTube -- 2nd Sunday after Christmas (January 4, 2026)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, January 4, 2026.

Bible Information Class begins Monday, February 2

 EVER WONDERED????

What does the Bible teach?

What do Christians believe?

How can I know what God wants from me, or what God thinks of me?

Can I be sure of life after death?

Can I be sure it will be good?

So many questions. We have answers!

Bible Information Class begins February 2.

Classes will be Mondays, 7:00 – 8:30 PM.

The tentative schedule is:

          02/02    –  God's Plan of Salvation

          02/09    –  God Created a Beautiful Universe.

          02/16    –  Why is the World So Crazy?

          02/23    –  How did Jesus Save the World?

          03/02    –  The End is Coming!

          03/09    –  Why do We Need the Bible?

          03/16    –  God Works through Holy Baptism.

          03/23      –  God Works through Holy Communion.

          03/30    –  God Gathers His Church.

          04/13      –  A Conversation with God

          04/20    –  Our Spiritual Heartbeat

          04/27    –  Love the Lord your God

          05/04    –  Love your Neighbor – Part 1

          05/11    –  Love your Neighbor – Part 2

          05/18    –  Take Good Care

There is no cost.  All materials are provided.  Come with questions.  Come with friends.  Come and learn what God wants you to know.

Call or text (248-719-5218) or e-mail (welsnovi@aol.com) to register for this class.

Bible Bits -- Genesis 24:59-60

From my Bible reading a few days ago, I encountered the arrangement of the marriage between Isaac (secured by Abraham's servant, Eliezer) and Rebekah.  To American sensibilities, this arrangement is insane.  She goes with a man she has barely met to marry a man she has never met.  She is aware of some family ties, and she can see that her husband is a pretty rich man.  But that seems to be too little information to agree to a life-long union.  Nevertheless, she goes.

Perhaps even more grating on the ears of Americans is the blessing she receives from her family.  They do not say, "May you prosper greatly in your career.  May you be recognized with promotions and awards.  May you do great things and advance far in the company you work for."  They do not say, "You have won the lottery!  You are going to the house of wealth and luxury.  May you be pampered and increase in vast wealth!"

Here is the blessing they give: So they sent all of them on their way—their sister Rebekah with her nurse, Abraham’s servant, and his men. They blessed Rebekah and said to her, “May you, our sister, be the mother of thousands of ten thousands, and let your offspring take possession of the gates of those who hate them" (Genesis 24:59-60).

This goes far beyond, "I hope you have a nice family."  They bless her to be "the mother of thousands of ten thousands."  It would be Rebekah's greatest blessing to be a mother of many children.  (As it turns out, she struggled with infertility for twenty years and was blessed only with a set of twins.)

Americans have forsaken the idea that children are a blessing from the Lord--certainly many children.  We focus on ourselves, our careers, our goals, and our pleasures.  We have been trained to believe that children stand in the way of fulfilling these things.  They demand time.  They are expensive.  They are a source of stress.

While some of that is true, it presents children as a curse to be endured instead of a blessing to be celebrated.  If something is worthwhile, don't we invest time and money and energy into it?  Even if something produces stress, isn't it because we actually care about what we are doing?

A career demands time.  A career saps your energy.  A career is a source of stress.  And yet, it is deemed a higher good and of greater value than having a large family.

This is demonic.  The devil hates marriage, family, and babies.  He has taught our society to adopt his ideas.  Even if we have not swallowed the devil's lies whole, we are influenced by them to some degree.  How many parents would bless their children as Rebekah was blessed?  If you did, how would that be received by your son or daughter?  And if other people saw a family which God blessed so richly, you can be sure that someone would make snide remarks about the large family, rebuking the parents for being irresponsible.  (True stories from the past.)

While there are many great things that can be achieved in a career, no man or woman will ever do anything more important than to raise their children in the love and discipline of the Lord.  And if you can love one or two, you will find that loving five or six is a wonderful blessing for you and for the children God gives you.

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday after Christmas (January 4, 2026)

THROUGH JESUS, WE HAVE RECEIVED GRACE UPON GRACE.

JOHN 1:14-18

In the name + of Jesus.

     John the Baptist was a fiery preacher, preparing people for the Messiah.  Although John’s message was strong and shook the conscience of his listeners, John was not a loose cannon.  As a faithful prophet, John preached what God had given him to preach.  What John preached was God’s Law.  That Law exposed people for being the sinners that they were.  Some recognized that John’s message, although uncomfortable to hear, was true.  These people repented and were baptized as John directed them.  Others also found John’s message uncomfortable.  But rather than draw near with a true heart to confess their sins, they were defensive.  For them, John’s preaching did not produce repentance, it provoked anger. 

     “The law was given through Moses” (John 1:17), but the Law came from God. God’s Law may have been written by Moses over 3,000 years ago, but it still applies to every era of history, to every age of life, to every nation on earth, and to every culture in the human spectrum.  The fact that our calendar now reads 2026 changes nothing.  God does not change; neither does his word.  What has always been good is still good now.  What has always been evil is still evil now.  The world’s judgment changes constantly.  God’s word does not.

     God’s Law exposes sin.  One time when Jesus was talking to a Samaritan woman at a well, he revealed that he knew she was a five-time divorcee and that she currently shared a bed with a man who was not her husband.  You can imagine her alarm that he would know this.  But God sees all.  She ran back into town and said to the people there, “Come, see the man who told me everything I ever did” (John 4:29)!  That’s what God’s Law does.  It tells you everything you have ever done, said, and thought.  Even if your sin is not known to the public, God’s Law makes it known to you.  It shows if the thoughts of your heart are bitter, perverse, and self-centered.  It convicts you of being controlled by greed, lust, jealousy, revenge, and so on.  Some acknowledge that God’s word is true, resulting in contrite and penitent hearts.  For others, God’s Law provokes anger, and they call God’s Law evil.

     There is always a part of us which calls God’s Law evil.  That’s because God’s Law can make us feel bad.  Today, that is how people define hatred.  If you make someone feel bad—whether stating an opinion or a fact—people will scowl and demand to know, “Why do you hate that person?”  It is a tactic of manipulation.  They expect you to retract your statement.  They want you to change your opinion or to deny the facts.  But God’s Law is not based on opinion.  It is a divine command.  God gave it because he loves us, not because he hates us.  Since it is from God, it is good.  If it shows that people are evil, God’s Law is still good.  If it is despised and rejected, God’s Law is still good.  If God’s people cannot live up to it, God’s Law is still good.

     John the Baptist preached that Law to prepare hearts to receive the Messiah.  John the Apostle testified about the Messiah who has come: “Out of his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:16-17). 

     We usually do not connect God’s Law with grace, because “no one is declared righteous before God by the law” (Galatians 3:11).  But that does not mean God’s Law has no benefits.  Our Catechism teaches us that God promises “grace and every blessing to those who keep these Commandment” (Luther’s Small Catechism; Conclusion to the Commandments).  The Psalms teach us, “By (God’s laws) your servant is warned.  In keeping them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:11).  And again, “How blessed are those who are blameless in their way, who walk in the law of the Lord.  …How can a young man keep his path pure?  By guarding it with your words” (Psalm 119:1,9). 

     Do you realize the blessing that is given to people who follow God’s commandments?  Do you recognize how many problems you do not bring upon yourself by listening to the word of the Lord and following his ways?  God did not give his law to you to suck all the fun out of your life.  It is more like the rules of the road.  They are not there to make driving boring, but safe.  If you’ve ever driven on a mountain road, you probably saw very little scenery.  You stared at that yellow line on the road to make sure you didn’t veer off the side.  If you saw a speed limit sign warning you to slow down for a sharp curve, you probably didn’t glance at your passenger to say, “Let’s just see how fast we can whip around this.”  You obey the rules of the road for your safety and for everyone else’s safety.  As much fun as it would be to crack 100 mph, it is not safe.

     There is great blessing in keeping God’s Law.  How much happier the house is when husband and wife love and honor each other, and when the children honor and obey their parents.  How much better society is when people help and befriend their neighbor in every bodily need.  How much better the workplace is when people do not lie, cheat, gossip, or steal.  This does not mean your life will suddenly be easy or that you will gain riches.  But it does mean that your life will be good and good for others.  This is how God blesses those who follow his commandments.

     But through Jesus, we have received grace upon grace.  “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).  God’s Law is good.  It is good to know it and to live according to it.  But what Jesus gives us is better.  That is not to say that Jesus replaces God’s Law with something different.  Once again, God’s Law does not change.  So, Jesus did not come to change it.  Not even one word of it.  Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy them but to fulfill them.  Amen I tell you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not even the smallest letter, or even part of a letter, will in any way pass away from the Law until everything is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18). 

     And true to his word, Jesus continued to uphold God’s Law in his teaching.  In speaking with priests and peasants, to rabbis and Roman soldiers, to friends and to foes, Jesus spoke truthfully and kindly as God’s Law demands.  In living among people who were diseased, disillusioned, deceptive, and defiant, Jesus demonstrated patience and mercy, but still did not make concessions which excused evil.  Jesus received divine favor because he proved to be a faithful servant who followed the orders of God.  Jesus followed God’s Law because it is good and because Jesus himself is good. 

     Now, if Jesus was just a teacher of morals, he would still be worth listening to and following.  To this day, there are professors and pundits who will give instruction about virtue and morality and ethics.  Occasionally, it happens that one of those figures is guilty of some scandal.  Many will take great delight in someone’s moral failings.  They will cry, “Ha ha!  You hypocrite!  Your words are useless, you liar!”  While we should be saddened that anyone would ruin himself by a scandal, that does not mean that lessons on virtue, morality, and ethics are bad.  The Law came through Moses, and Moses did not keep it.  That doesn’t make the Law bad.  It only proves that people are sinners.  Anyone who finds vindication in someone else’s sins is a petty sinner himself.  There is nothing gracious about mockery.

     But through Jesus, we have received grace upon grace.  As the only man who kept all of God’s Commandments, Jesus could have looked down on all of us.  Instead, he picked us all up from our dreadful, sinful condition.  While Moses commands, “Thou shalt do this!” and “Thou shalt not do that!”—and Moses is not wrong—Jesus tells us, “I will do this for you.  I will fulfill all that God demands of you so that it is all done.  And I will submit to the curse that God puts upon all who fail to live up to the good God demands.  I will give my life in every way for you.  I will live the perfect life under the Law; this will satisfy God’s demands.  And I will die under the Law to pay the price for sins; this will appease God’s wrath.”  This is grace upon grace—God’s love given in the words that direct our lives and God’s love given in the words which proclaim eternal life. 

     “Grace and truth come through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).  The grace of God is proclaimed by the Savior whose sacrificial death removes the curse and the penalty for sins.  He is not only merciful in not treating us as our sins deserve, he is gracious in pouring out blessings that we did not deserve.  The grace of God is poured out upon you in your baptism.  The Lord has marked you as his own dear child.  Your identity is now as a saint in a world of sin and a child of the Most High God awaiting a place in the heavenly kingdom.  And the grace of God is delivered to you in the body and blood which have overcome death.  This is the medicine of immortality, sustaining you on your journey to endless glory and eternal life.  Through Jesus Christ, we have received grace upon grace—God’s gifts delivered by sound and sight and taste and touch.

     “Grace and truth come through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).  Grace and truth are both found in Jesus Christ.  While our Lord is gracious to sinners, he is also truthful to sinners.  He had no problem acknowledging that the people he commiserated with were people with sinful baggage.  When the Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught in the act of adultery, he demonstrated astounding grace to her.  He did not add to her public humiliation.  The Pharisees had done enough of that.  He invited anyone without sin to stone her to death.  After the dejected Pharisees walked away, Jesus asked, “‘Has no one condemned you?’  ‘No one, Lord,’ she answered.  Then Jesus said, ‘Neither do I condemn you’” (John 8:10-11).  This was astounding grace.  But Jesus continued with truth.  He told her, “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore” (John 8:11).  Jesus did not deny that she had sinned.  First, he forgave her for it; then he called her to flee from it.  To receive God’s grace then also means to live according to God’s truth.

     The Lord teaches you to be honest with yourself about your sins.  Do not present yourself before the Lord as anything other than you are.  You are a sinner.  But then rejoice in what the Lord tells you that you are: You are his redeemed.  Through Jesus, we have received grace upon grace.  It never runs out.  It always forgives.  It always relieves burdened hearts and minds. 

     Through Jesus, we have received grace upon grace.  In his grace, the Father sent his Son to ransom you from sin and death so that you will be his very own.  In his grace, Jesus sent his Holy Spirit to dwell in you so that you remain a child of God.  In his grace, the Holy Spirit will preserve you in the faith and raise you up to heavenly glory.  

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.