YouTube -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (October 5, 2025)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, October 5, 2025.

Sermon -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (October 5, 2025)

LUKE 17:1-10

LORD, INCREASE OUR FAITH.

In the name + of Jesus.

    In his letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul addressed the congregation in regard to their reception of the Lord’s Supper.  He wrote, “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the Lord’s body and blood.  Instead, let a person examine himself and after doing so, let him eat of the bread and drink from the cup.  For if anyone eats and drinks in an unworthy way because he does not recognize the Lord’s body, he eats and drinks judgment on himself” (1 Corinthians 11:27-29).  Our Lord does not want us to treat the holy things lightly.  We have nothing more sacred in our services than the body and blood of Jesus Christ.  That is why we are careful about who receives it.  We do not want anyone to receive it to his detriment, particularly those who insist that it is not, but merely represents, the body of Christ.  This is the historic Christian practice, and it is followed by almost every church that confesses Jesus’ body and blood are truly present in the sacrament.

     Taking care of the holy things also refers to ourselves.  You are the Lord’s holy ones.  You have been purified by the blood of Jesus in your baptism and declared to be the saints of God.  As his holy ones, you and I are to examine ourselves.  We are to assess our thoughts, words, and actions to ensure that they align with God’s holy word. 

     Our Catechism has taught us to do this.  “Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments.  Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, employer, or employee?  Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy?  Have you hurt anyone by word or deed?  Have you been dishonest, careless, wasteful, or done other wrong?” (Luther’s Small Catechism: Confession).  We should recognize our sins, repent of them, and confess them.  After we are absolved for them, we strive to amend our lives so that we do not continue in them.  Such assessment is done so that sin does not fester in our hearts and destroy faith. 

     Our Gospel reading, however, may lead you to assess yourself wrongly. Jesus said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you could tell this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you” (Luke 17:6).  Who of us, when we hear this, does not try to figure out just how big our faith is?  Is it the size of a mustard seed?  Is it as big as a pear?  Perhaps a watermelon?  Since we are not uprooting trees, we might wonder if we have faith at all. 

     Trying to determine the size of one’s faith is a useless exercise.  It will result in one of two things.  You will either despair, thinking that you have no faith at all, or you will become proud and boast about how great your faith is.  People who focus on the size of their faith end up saying things like, “I don’t know if my faith is strong enough for me to be saved.”  Your salvation does not rest on how great or big or strong your faith is.  Your faith does not rest in yourself.  Jesus taught us, “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on bedrock.  The rain came down, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house.  But it did not fall, because it was founded on bedrock” (Matthew 7:24-25).  Jesus did not talk about the size of the house, because the point was not how big the house was.  The point is that it rested on the rock.  Faith rests on Jesus Christ. 

     The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5).  What prompted that request?  It is what Jesus had just told them.  “Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!  It would be better for that person if a millstone would be hung around his neck and he would be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.  Watch yourselves” (Luke 17:1-3).  More literally, Jesus said it is impossible that temptations not come.  And it is actually stronger than “temptations.”  The word is skandalon (you can hear the word scandal in there), which usually means something that either would prevent a person from coming to faith in Jesus or would drive a person from the Christian faith.  There will always be people or teachings or temptations to lure us away from Jesus Christ and his Church.  In order to stand firm, in order to not be deceived, we pray, “Lord, increase our faith!”

     The Lord goes on to say, “If your brother sins, rebuke him.  If he repents, forgive him.  Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him” (Luke 17:3-4).  Forgiveness is hard, especially when it is a repeat offender.  If someone sins against you three times in a day, you’ve probably had it with him.  You might respond with threats, not mercy. 

     Therefore, we pray, “Lord, increase our faith!”  If we are disciples of Jesus, we want to be like Jesus.  Our Lord Jesus Christ continues to forgive us, day after day.  We come to God’s house week after week and confess our sins.  Forgiveness has never been withheld.  If you came to Private Confession, and time after time ended up confessing, “It’s me, Lord.  Again.  For the same thing,” the Lord does not say, “You’ve reached your quota.  You’re done for a while.”  Even if you came before the Lord seven times in one day in repentance, he forgives your sins.  The Lord is eager to forgive the penitent, as the Psalms remind us, “A broken and crushed heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).  This is the kind of mercy we strive to demonstrate.  “If your brother … sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him” (Luke 17:3-4).  This is hard to live up to.  So, we continue to pray, “Lord, increase our faith!”

     Our prayer intensifies as Jesus continues to instruct his apostles what discipleship means.  We are servants of the Lord, which means that we submit our will to God’s will and do what he has given us to do.  Nowhere has the Lord commanded you to invoke his name to uproot trees and to cast them into the sea, so don’t worry about that.  But the Lord has given you the Ten Commandments to follow.  That is enough to keep all of us busy. 

     Now, you are a disciple of Jesus; he calls you to a higher place.  He calls on you to follow him and his word—to exercise patience, to love your neighbor and even your enemies, to be compassionate to the needy and the suffering, to be merciful, and to bless even when you are cursed.  But who is up to the task?  It is enough for a servant to be like his master, but who is?  We all struggle with godly living.  We get tired.  We get distracted.  We fear being taken advantage of, and maybe we are.  Some people make it very hard to love them.  It is all the more reason to pray, “Lord, increase our faith!”

     On the other hand, maybe you feel like you are doing pretty well.  Maybe you even feel this is worthy of recognition or reward.  Jesus would have you ponder this: “[The master] does not thank the servant because he did what he was commanded to do, does he?  So also you, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants.  We have only done what we were supposed to do’” (Luke 17:9-10).  Even if we could be holy, we have not gone above and beyond the call.  We have only done what was expected of us. 

     Maybe you think that you are getting short-changed if you are not getting any special reward for faithfulness to the Lord.  Perhaps there should be a bonus of some sort for being godly in a godless world.  If you are seeking this reward, then understand that you would rather be saved by your merits than by faith.  And even if your good deeds manage to be more prominent than your sins (which is unlikely), your sins still stand against you.  Just consider what your initial reaction to Jesus’ words were.  Even if someone “sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him” (Luke 17:4)?!  Did you think, “Gladly!” or, “Unlikely!”?  When Jesus said that keeping all of God’s commands should be followed with, “We are unworthy servants.  We have only done what we were supposed to do’” (Luke 17:10), did you think, “That sounds right”?  Our obedience is less than willing, which merits God’s judgment.

     Jesus Christ was sent into the world by his Father to do what no one else has ever been asked to do.  Jesus Christ was sent to pay for sins he never committed.  He was sent to rescue us from a fiery future that we had brought upon ourselves and from endless torment that we have earned.  The Bible states, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the law” (Galatians 3:10)?  We have earned the curse.  So, what did the Father send his Son to do?  “Christ Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13).  This is something Jesus should never have had to do.  But the Father sent Jesus to do it in order to serve and to save sinners.  Jesus willingly submitted to it, doing what he was supposed to do.  This is what saves you.  This is what faith rests upon. 

     What’s more, Jesus still serves you!  Having risen and ascended to his Father, Jesus prepares a place for you in the heavenly kingdom.  Jesus lives and reigns over all things for the good of his Church.  Jesus lives and reigns to forgive you of all your sins—seven times in a day if he must.  Jesus feeds you with the sacred meal of his body and blood to strengthen you in your weakness and to encourage you in a life of service.  Jesus speaks to you in his word because he knows that it is impossible that temptations, deceptions, and enticements will not come.  He exposes the lies so that you will not be deceived.  He directs you to godly living so you do not become entangled in sin and lose the salvation he gives you.  He strengthens you to do what is good, and he comforts you when you suffer what is bad.

     We pray, “Lord, increase our faith!  Help us to do what you have called us to do with joy.  Help us to commit ourselves to faithful service, not for the sake of fanfare, but for the honor of your name and for the good of our neighbor.  Teach us to be merciful, to be eager to forgive, and to be dedicated to your word.  Lord, increase our faith!”  This is a prayer to which our Lord will always say, “Yes.”  But he will not have you focus on how big or how strong or how sincere your faith is.  He will show you the fullness of his mercy.  He will declare the depth of his compassion.  He will apply the benefits of Jesus’ sacrifice to you.  For, it is not the size of one’s faith that saves; it is the immeasurable love and mercy of our Lord.  “Lord, increase our faith in that.”

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

YouTube -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (September 15, 2024)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, September 15.  The preacher is Pastor Gregory Gibbons who is retired and had previous served at Lola Park Lutheran Church in Redford, Michigan.  He was filling in for Pastor Schroeder who was recovering from a chemo treatment.

YouTube -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (September 24, 2023)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, September 24, 2023.

Sermon -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (September 24, 2023)

MATTHEW 20:1-16

BE GRATEFUL THAT GOD IS NOT FAIR.

In the name + of Jesus.

     We often measure God by earthly standards.  When we do, we find all kinds of reasons to criticize God about the way he acts.  Why are some people born with birth defects when most people are born with bodies that are whole?  That does not seem fair.  Why are some people born in poverty, squalor, or war when others are not?  That does not seem fair. 

     God receives similar criticism because he does not run his kingdom the way we would run a business.  We are very calculating about our expenses and income.  We make our decisions based on cost analysis.  And while everyone has a different idea about what is the fair treatment of employees, we expect that employees would be treated fairly.  We also expect that the longer you work somewhere, the better you would be compensated.

     Now consider the parable that Jesus told.  The master of the vineyard went out to hire day-laborers.  “(He) went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.  After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard” (Matthew 20:1-2).  So far, so good.  A day’s wage for a day’s work.  That is fair.  Then “going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’” (Matthew 20:3-4).  We don’t know what the master had in mind here for a wage.  He did not promise any specific amount, just “whatever is right.”  So, we assume that they will get a reduced wage.  If they did not work a full day, it would not be fair to give them a full day’s wage.  Then the master went out again, at the sixth hour and again at the ninth hour.  He even went with only an hour left in the day and found other laborers who had not been hired.  He sent them to his vineyard, making no promises about the wage.  Nothing seems out of line here.  Workers were hired.  Each put in their time, though different time for different laborers.

     At the end of the day, the day-laborers were lined up to receive their day’s pay.  “The owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’  And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.  Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius” (Matthew 20:8-10).  You can see the problem.  How is someone who only worked for one hour paid the same as someone who worked for twelve hours?  This is patently unfair, and the workers said so: “They grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat’” (Matthew 20:11-12).   

     Remember, however, that this is not a parable about business practices.  This is about the kingdom of heaven.  The vineyard is not a business; the vineyard is the Church.  The laborers are the people who have been brought into the Church.  None of them were in the vineyard when the day began.  The master had to go out, find them, and bring them in.  The master gave them opportunity to be productive and to have purpose.  Without the master, they had none of that.  Without the master taking the initiative, the people would have no association with the vineyard.  And everyone who was brought in was given the same promise from the master.  The master would give them all what was right.

     But it does not always seem right.  The first laborers lodged a complaint which seems to be valid.  “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat” (Matthew 20:12).  Even in the Church, we get the idea that those who have been around longer should get greater reward and receive better treatment.  You might feel that it is not fair that God makes everyone equal.  Some complain and even demand that God would be fair with them.  But be grateful that God is not fair; for we all have a flawed view of what is fair. 

     So, what’s fair?  Fair is that God would give us what we deserve.  Not what we think we deserve, but what we have actually earned from God.  Remember in the parable how none of the workers were in the vineyard.  This is the reality for all people who come into the world.  No one begins in the kingdom of God.  Psalm 51 reminds us, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5).  We all begin in sin.  We prove our sinful nature as soon as we are old enough to do it.  No one had to teach you how to be selfish; you just are.  No one had to teach you to be jealous, to be angry, or to seek revenge; it just comes out of you.  We do not have an inherent right be in the vineyard or to receive the master’s goods.  If the master were to be fair, he would leave us to self-destruction.  Then he would convict us and condemn us.  Fair is that everyone goes to hell because everyone is a sinner.  Be grateful that God is not fair.

     In bringing people into the Church, the Lord is not fair.  To secure our place in the kingdom of God, the Lord became a man to be the way for mankind to enter in.  The Lord Jesus is the one man who was born into this world apart from sin.  Having been conceived by the Holy Spirit, he did not inherit a sinful nature.  His nature is pure and innocent.  He is the very image of God in the flesh.  For this reason, Jesus is also the one man who has kept every commandment of God.  Every thought, word, action, and motive of Jesus is in perfect harmony with God’s will.  So, the only person who can claim to have earned God’s favor and a place in eternal glory is Jesus.  But that is not what he got.

     St. Peter wrote, “Christ…suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).  It is not fair that the righteous one should suffer and die.  He deserved better.  And it is not fair that the unrighteous should be set free and be praised by God.  The unrighteous deserve death and judgment.  Be grateful that God is not fair.

     Jesus Christ willingly gave up his life to rescue you.  The innocent one was condemned so that the guilty would be pardoned.  He who has the words of eternal life was put to death so that we, who deserve death, will receive eternal life.  Jesus died under the curse of his Father so that we now receive the Father’s blessing and good will.  None of this is fair.  Jesus was cast out of the Holy City so that we could be brought in.  Be grateful that God is not fair.

     You and I have been sought by the Lord and brought into the vineyard, the Church.  We have been set apart for good works so that our lives honor God and benefit our neighbor.  And our prayer is that more and more be brought into God’s vineyard to have the same blessings and benefits we have. 

     Still, we struggle with wicked jealousy.  Beware that you do not fall into the same temptation as the one laborer who rebuked the master.  “On receiving (the denarius) they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’  But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong.  Did you not agree with me for a denarius’” (Matthew 20:11-13).  Then he spoke these chilling words: “Take what belongs to you and go.” (Matthew 20:14).  The man did not want to benefit from the grace of his master; he wanted what was fair.  And the master answered his prayer.  He was expelled from the vineyard.

     Be grateful that the Lord is not fair, and do not become jealous when he is not.  Many Christians have been in the Church their whole life long—born in Christian homes and baptized as infants, attending services on Sundays and striving for godly living all week.  But others have been brought into the Church later in life—at the third hour, the sixth hour, the ninth hour, or even the eleventh hour, perhaps on one’s death bed or on death row.  Those, by the way, are rare.  Why would Christians be upset that laborers were brought into the vineyard later? 

     And what is there to envy about those who are outside the kingdom?  For many, life is all about wine, women, and song.  The worst that they think can happen to them is to lose the whole world.  Eventually, they will.  This world will pass away.  How could we resent anyone who is delivered from such a dismal future and whose life now is empty?  Would you envy people who go through life without comfort, peace, and hope?  Would you envy people who face death with no assurance?  But for you, the worst that can happen is to lose your soul.  In Christ, we can’t.  Not even death can take us away from Jesus.  Therefore, we long to be with Jesus. 

     Be grateful that God is not fair.  Everyone brought into the kingdom of God did not deserve to be brought in.  Everyone in the kingdom of God receives the same denarius—forgiveness of sins, new life, and salvation.  Everyone in the kingdom of God is a child of God and an heir of eternal glory.  Whether you have been a Christian your whole life long or your conversion occurred since the beginning of this sermon, you are all equally loved and redeemed.  There is no Christian with an asterisk.  There is no child of God on probation.  We are all clothed in the same garments of salvation—not because it is fair, but because we all have the same gracious God.  Be grateful that God is not fair.

     The blessings that we receive in life are often not distributed evenly.  You may look at the way God blesses various people and conclude that God has not been fair.  It may not look fair to you, but God blesses us according to his wisdom, knowing what is best for us.  If God has you bearing the burden of pain or sorrow, he still comforts you with the promise that all your pains and sorrows will have an end.  If you have to endure the scorching heat of persecution, the Lord Jesus is still with you.  God never forsakes his beloved redeemed.  And if your labor in the vineyard gets difficult, your fellow workers in the vineyard are here to encourage you. 

     “The kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard” (Matthew 20:1).  We are the laborers in his vineyard, the Church.  In his grace, God has brought us in.  In his grace, God has promised us great reward.  In his grace, God desires us to be with him and he with us.  The gracious master gives us all we need for this life and the next.  Be grateful that God is not fair, and rejoice that God is so gracious.

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

YouTube -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (October 2, 2022)

Here is the service from Sunday, October 2, 2022.

Sermon -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (October 2, 2022)

LUKE 15:1-10

JESUS SINNERS DOES RECEIVE.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Imagine the headline: Local pastor seen in prostitute’s house.  What would your reaction be?  And what if, as you were reading the article, you discovered it was your pastor who was seen at the prostitute’s house?  At the least, you would be embarrassed.  What would you say to a neighbor who said, “Hey, isn’t he from the church you go to?”  What would you say to your pastor when you saw him again?  Could you look him in the eye?  Would you demand he resign?  Some might not talk about it, pretending that it didn’t happen.  Others would do nothing but talk about it, draw conclusions, and make condemning judgments.  In short, the whole thing would be a scandal. 

     Now I think you might understand the Pharisees’ reaction when they saw Jesus eating with sinners.  Shared meals in Jesus’ culture were shared friendships.  You feasted with family and close friends.  You expressed a fellowship, a unity.  The closest we get to that today is the church’s practice of closed communion in which only those who have confessed agreement with confessional Lutheran teachings are invited to the Lord’s altar here and those who haven’t made such a confession refrain from coming.  We long to be united and to share the Lord’s Supper with all, but we first must have unity confessed before it is practiced.  When Jesus dined with tax collectors, prostitutes, and other morally repugnant people, it was not holy communion, but it was Jesus showing sinners that they had a place in his life. 

     For this, the Pharisees were disgusted.  The Pharisees snarled, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2).  They were right about that.  The people Jesus feasted with were morally reprehensible.  They knowingly and visibly violated God’s Commandments.  On the other hand, they knew it.  They knew that thieving, whoring, lying, and such were wicked things.  They carried plenty of guilt and shame because of their choices.  And who knows why they made those choices?  Desperation?  Loneliness?  Did they think their sins would actually make them happy, only to discover just how hollow it left them?  In any case, the Pharisees would not let them forget their sins.  These sinners felt bad enough, and then they had to hear the Pharisees stand in judgment over them and to pile on judgments against them. 

     But, “the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear (Jesus)” (Luke 15:1).  Why?  Because they knew that Jesus was not there to rub their faces in their sins.  He did not make the burden of their guilt worse.  He did not treat them according to their shame, but according to their need for mercy.  He did not condone their sins; sins are always wicked.  But Jesus provided relief for sinners—no matter how public or how perverted their sins were.  Jesus sinners does receive.

     Jesus not only had compassion for the people whose sins were obvious, Jesus also had compassion for the Pharisees whose sins were concealed by haughty judgment.  He wanted them to recognize that the kingdom of God is known by its mercy.  In order to show the Pharisees their sin, Jesus told them a parable.  “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’  Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:4-7). 

     If a sheep wanders off, it is usually because it is focused on the tufts of grass in front of its snout.  It has stopped listening to the shepherd, but just grazes and moves farther away as it continues to graze.  Suddenly, the sheep sees that it is alone.  He has lost the protection of the shepherd.  When a sheep is lost, it just lies down.  It does not try to find its way back.  But as it lies there, it becomes easy prey.

     You have probably heard the question Christians sometimes ask others: “Have you found Jesus?”  That is absolutely backwards.  We don’t find Jesus.  We can’t.  We are lost.  Jesus has to find us.  The Good Shepherd departs from the 99 sheep to find the one which has been lost.  And when he finds it, he cannot just whistle and expect it to come.  The lost, frightened sheep will not move.  The shepherd must pick it up and carry it.  The Shepherd bears the burden of the lost sheep.

     Jesus asked the Pharisees, “Would you really ignore one of your sheep if it were lost?”  I suppose the excuses to do that might make sense.  The sheep was stupid.  It should have been paying attention to the shepherd’s voice.  It will get what it deserves.  Who wants to bother with ones that go astray?  Even if it was back, it would probably wander off again anyway.  It’s not worth it.  But not so with Jesus.  He considers every sheep precious, even if they are lost.  Every soul is one whom Jesus has created.  Every soul is someone Jesus loves.  They are all worth it to Jesus.  He is not willing to concede any to the devil.

     So, Jesus bears the burden of every person.  Rather than be repulsed by the sins of anyone, Jesus bears the sins of all.  And he provides healing, consolation, and nourishment for every lost sheep.  If you have been cut deep by sins, Jesus supplies the balm that soothes the pain and brings healing to the wounds.  The waters of baptism wash out the filth of sin, and Jesus continues to mend broken hearts and broken lives with words of compassion and forgiveness.  If you are ever fearful and apprehensive about what God really thinks of you—“Does he really want me?”—Jesus assures you that God is sincere as he welcomes sinners back into the fold.  And for anyone whose sins have left them feeling empty, Jesus supplies the Bread of Life to satisfy the longings to be loved, to be wanted, and to be assured that you matter. 

     Jesus sinners does receive.  In fact, he rejoices to receive sinners.  Jesus said that when the shepherd finds the lost sheep, “he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost’” (Luke 15:5-6).  It brings Jesus great joy to find one who has been lost and to restore him to his Father.  He even invites others to rejoice with him that he saves sinners.

     Jesus sinners does receive.  He puts the burden on his shoulders and carries it all to the cross.  There, Jesus does everything that needs to be done to deliver sinners into the company of saints.  Jesus suffered what sinners deserve so that no sinner should ever have to suffer in the fires of hell.  Jesus was crucified in shame so that you will receive heavenly glory.  Jesus took away your guilt so that you would be declared innocent.  Jesus was not merely lost but rejected and forsaken by God the Father in order to reconcile and restore you to God the Father. 

     Jesus sinners does receive.  But he does not leave us as sinners.  He leads us to repent of our sins.  The prostitutes, tax collectors, and sinners were filled with shame because they knew that this is not what God created us for.  God did not make us to use others or to abuse ourselves.  God has a higher purpose for us both in this life and for the life to come.  He shows you that there is honor in purity, in modesty, in honesty, in humility, in hard work, and in sacrificial service to our neighbor.  Not only do these things give you purpose, they also spare you many griefs which sins bring you.  He reveals this in his word, and by that word he corrects you, admonishes you, and guides you.  Most importantly, by that word he saves you.  He shows you that the Lord is a loving God in all he does and says.  When God tells you what is good and right, it truly is good and right even if it is hard or inconvenient.  Jesus may receive us as sinners, but he restores us to be his saints.

     Jesus sinners does receive.  Sadly, the scribes and the Pharisees did not.  The scribes and the Pharisees were the pastors of the synagogues.  They had little compassion for sinners.  If the tax collectors and prostitutes had worked up the nerve to walk into a synagogue, what kind of reception do you think they would have gotten?  What hope for mercy would they have had?  What a horrible thing if the reputation of the church should be, “You won’t find a welcome here.  Clean yourself up, and then we might let you in.”  Some people expect that this is the reception they would get.  We do well to check ourselves: Is that what the transperson would find here?  Would the drifter get a smile and a “Hello” from anyone?  Or would they get sideways glances and sneers?  Would they be avoided?  Would they be convinced that love comes with strings attached?  It is easy to become the Pharisee, and we ought to repent of it, too.

     Jesus sinners does receive.  It is not only Jesus who rejoices in this.  He says, “I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).  What a marvel this is!  The angels have been confirmed in holiness.  They have no sin.  They do not benefit from Jesus’ sufferings and death.  And yet, they rejoice when you benefit.  They are amazed at the mercy God has upon sinners.  They celebrate when the Lord proves himself to be gracious and forgiving once again.  Right after you are absolved of your sins, it is their song you sing: “Glory be to God on high, and peace on earth, good will toward men!”  If the angels rejoice in this way when they do not benefit, how much more do you and I have reason to rejoice because we do!  And how much you and I can rejoice when others benefit from God’s grace, when he brings back one of his lost sheep!  If Jesus sinners does receive, let us also be eager to receive them.

     What a marvel that Jesus would even use you to restore his lost sheep!  You know the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ because you have received it.  You may have family members who, like a lost sheep, have just dropped down and refused to move because they are scared, anxious, and hopeless.  You know people whose minds are filled with regret and whose spirits hunger for something substantial.  The Good Shepherd’s voice can be heard through you, declaring that Jesus provides mercy, hope, and healing.  You know it, because you have received it.

     Jesus sinners does receive.  Jesus sinners does redeem.  Jesus sinners does restore.  Let heaven and earth rejoice.

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

YouTube -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (September 19, 2021)

Here is the service from Sunday, September 19, 2021.

Sermon -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (September 19, 2021)

JAMES 2:14-18

FAITH IS REVEALED BY WORDS AND ACTIONS.

In the name + of Jesus.

     How do you know that you have God’s favor upon you and that you are in his kingdom?  This question is THE question which religion is supposed to answer.  The answer will either fill you with immense comfort and confidence, or it will leave you full of doubt and fear.  So, the question is of utmost importance for your eternal salvation and for your peace right now.

     How do you know that you have God’s favor upon you and that you are in his kingdom?  You will end up putting your focus on one of two places—yourself or something outside of you.  If you look to yourself, you are trusting in your obedience, your sincerity, some decision you made, some experience you had, or the strength of your faith.  It sounds appealing because it leads you to believe that you are in control.  We always like to be in control.  When we are not, we are annoyed—such as having to wait our turn at the Secretary of State, or we are afraid—such as when we wait for the results of a medical test.  If you are in control of your salvation, it is up to you to win God’s favor. 

     You might think you can win God’s favor.  Perhaps you think you have.  If you are pleased with yourself, you’d think God would be, too, right?  But God tells you what is pleasing to him.  He demands perfect obedience to his Commandments.  For, this is what the Lord says, “Whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it” (James 2:10).  You only have to poke a balloon once to ruin it.  You only have to violate God’s Law once to break all of it. 

     Many religions will tell you what you must do to make God happy.  Some people are very devoted to doing what is demanded of them.  Even if their zeal is impressive, it cannot save them.  The Bible states the truth: “There is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20).  You and I are fools if we trust ourselves in any way to win God’s favor.  We have failed to keep God’s Law in more than one point.  We are guilty.  We have earned wrath, not favor. 

     So, let’s go back to our question: How do you know that you have God’s favor upon you and that you are in his kingdom?  If you would have comfort for your conscience and confidence to stand in God’s judgment, you have to look outside of yourself.  This is the point of faith.  St. Paul wrote, “We hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Romans 3:28).  It’s not that the Law can be ignored.  The works have to be done for God’s favor to be given.  But the works have been done.  Jesus Christ has done the works for you.  By putting our trust in Jesus and his promises, you and I are credited with what Jesus has done.  Salvation comes through Jesus by faith alone. 

     Having laid all that groundwork, we get to the letter to St. James who seems to say the exact opposite.  St. James wrote, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:13).  James seems to be saying that we have to add our works to Jesus’ work if we are to be saved.  If that previous verse did not confuse it enough, James goes on to write it even more forcefully: “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24). 

     If the epistle of St. James is the word of God (it is), and if God does not lie (he does not), then there is no contradiction.  On the surface, it looks like James and Paul disagree.  But they do not.  St. Paul declares that we are saved by faith alone.  St. James declares that a living faith is never alone.  Faith is living and active, eager to do good works.  If those works are not there, faith is not living.  Or, as St. James says it, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:13).  Faith reveals itself in words and actions.

     Words and actions should never be pitted against one another.  Faith is not a two-faced thing.  What the heart believes, the mouth confesses.  What the mouth confesses, the body does.  If words and actions differ, something is wrong.  It does not automatically mean that faith is dead.  It might mean that we are deceived or misdirected.  But if we remain deceived or misdirected, faith will eventually die.  Beware.

     Faith is revealed by words and actions.  Words confess the faith.  We repeat what God says and give our assent to it.  God tells us, “I am Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”  We confess, “I believe in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”  The Bible teaches that Jesus is God in the flesh who is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.  We confess, “I believe in Jesus … who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven … and was made man.  He suffered, … was buried, and rose again” (Nicene Creed).  The Bible tells us, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).  So we gather together to call on the name of the Lord for the forgiveness of sins and salvation.  Faith reveals itself by such words.

     But faith is not mere talk.  St. James highlights this.  “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?  Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?  So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:14-17). 

     Yes, we believe and we confess God’s word.  We are saved by faith alone, but faith is never alone.  Faith is living and active.  God created in us a clean heart and renewed in us a right spirit.  That right spirit wants to do the right things.  Our Lord has not only set us apart from sin and death, he also set us apart for good works.  He who will not do good works might say all the right words, but he betrays that he does not really believe them if he does not do them.

      “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?” (James 2:14).  What good is it if a man boasts that he does not cheat on his wife but neglects her?  He may have avoided the evil, but he does not do the good.  What good is it if we say that we are sorry for our sins but have no intention of giving them up?  What good is it if we confess that God has set us apart from a world which boasts of its immorality and debauchery, but we still engage in immorality and debauchery?  Who would ever believe that we are any different from the world if we embrace worldly ways and ideas?  Even the godless mock such a faith.  Faith which is only words is useless.  A living, saving faith is revealed by words and actions.  The words are God’s word, and the actions follow God’s word.

     This is the part where the word “hypocrite” begins to enter the scene.  If you are a Christian and you sin, some will accuse you of being a hypocrite.  The devil himself may try to convince you that you are one.  A hypocrite is one who says all the right words, but whose actions are contrary to those words.  Granted, we do this whenever we sin.  But there is one key factor that would prove you to be a hypocrite—that is if you deny your guilt.  If you say that God’s word does not apply to you the same as it does to others, that would make you a hypocrite.  If you confess your sins with no intent to forsake them, that would make you a hypocrite.  God is not fooled by fine words from lying hearts.  Repentance is not just words.  When Jesus told people to repent, he told them to put away their sins.  This is faith in action.  Faith is revealed in words—which is confession of your sins, and in actions—which is repentance of them.  That is why James says, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). 

     You are not a hypocrite because you are a sinner.  Christians confess what God says.  His word shows us that we are sinners.  We confess, “I have sinned against you in my thoughts, words, and actions.”  If our works are not what God commands, we acknowledge it.  We repent, which means we cast off our sin and amend our lives.  Faith is revealed in words and actions. 

     If sins had become a habit, you will have to fight hard so that you do not return to them.  If you have strong desires to live and act against God’s word, you will need to pray fervently so that you can deny yourself.  Jesus said that this is not optional.  “If anyone would come after me,” he said, “let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34).  The cross that you bear may be the temptations which plague you.  The cross is for putting things to death, including the sins that entice you.  But the cross also drives you to Jesus.  If temptations highlight your weakness, they show you just how badly you need Jesus.  And Jesus does not despise you if you are weak, if you struggle, or even if you fall.  Jesus will not excuse you or embolden you to continue in your sins, but he will forgive them.  Those who are grieved by their sins will find a Savior who is constantly merciful and endlessly compassionate.  He forgives the penitent; for he has taken up your sins and has paid for them. 

     Since your sins are paid for, Jesus is pleased to declare peace and pardon to you.  It is not your battle against sin which saves you; it is Jesus’ sufferings and death which saves you.  God’s favor and your place in his kingdom come from outside of you—from Jesus to you.  They are delivered from outside of you—through words preached to you and sacraments given to you.  By these, God has created in you a clean heart and renewed in you a right spirit.  That right spirit is what compels you to do the right thing and to order your life according to the word of God.  By sustaining and strengthening your right spirit, God works in you the very good works he desires.  The Holy Spirit does not just sit there.  The Lord and Giver of Life dwells in you so that faith is not limited to your lips but is put to work in your life.  That is a living faith.

     How do you know that you have God’s favor upon you and that you are in his kingdom?  The Lord Jesus Christ tells you so.  God’s gifts come from outside of you—by word and sacrament—but they are richly given to you.  Faith lives through these gifts.  You are saved by faith alone, but faith is never alone.  It is a living and active thing which not only confess God’s word but also puts it into practice.  Faith is revealed in words and actions, just as Jesus acted to save you and gives you the words of eternal life.

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

YouTube -- 16th Sunday after Pentecost (September 12, 2021)

Here is the service from September 12, 2021.

YouTube -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (September 27, 2020)

 Here is the service from Sunday, September 27, 2020.

Sermon -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (September 27, 2020)

MATTHEW 18:21-35

MERCY DOES NOT KEEP AN ACCOUNT.

In the name + of Jesus.

     In his parable, Jesus tells about a man who had loaned to his fellow servant 100 denarii.  This was no small debt.  This was 100 days' wages.  In other words, if your annual income was $60,000, your fellow servant was indebted to you by almost $20,000.  At first glance, you might have thought of the angry servant, “Get over it.  You should just let this debt go.”  But once you see the debt in current monetary terms, you might understand how this servant would “seize him, choke him, and say, ‘Pay what you owe!’” (Matthew 18:28, paraphrase)  

     The debt was real, and it was not trivial.  100 denarii is a substantial sum.  If there had been no effort to repay, the first servant was wronged and justifiably angry.  He was in the right to demand justice of his fellow servant.  That is what the Law is for.  We appeal to it when we are wronged.  It is a legal form of vengeance.  And yet, for some reason, the other servants were appalled.  We don't hear anyone saying, “You know, I don't blame him.  I would be livid if someone owed me that much and did not repay.”  Instead, “when his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.” (Matthew 18:31)  

     Our Lord, in his wisdom, used money to get us to appreciate his mercy.  We understand money.  We carefully guard it and track it.  If someone owes us, we will not forget it.  We will demand repayment; if not repayment, then revenge.  And everyone will tell us that we are justified to appeal to the legal system.  But the parable is not about money.  It is about mercy.  It is about someone who sins against you.  Jesus tells the parable in answer to Peter's question: “'Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  As many as seven times?'  Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.'” (Matthew 18:21-22)  Jesus explains that mercy does not keep an account.

     Jesus' reply to Peter's question is outrageous.  Can you image forgiving the same person seventy-seven times?  Would you really allow yourself to get to a point where the same person sins against you seventy-seven times?  It makes Peter's suggestion of seven times generous.  

     St. Paul wrote to the Romans, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other.” (Romans 13:8)  Christians are called to love one another.  But if I sin against you, I have failed to render it.  More than that, I am indebted to you.  I need to replace what I have stolen, restore what I have broken, or rectify wherever I have wronged you.  Sometimes, that is impossible.  How could I make it right if things cannot be replaced or restored?  I remain in your debt.  According to the Law, you have the right to demand justice.  This all makes sense to the world which teaches you, “Don't get mad; get even.”  The Law measures and tracks and keeps score, but mercy does not keep an account.

     If you have been sinned against by a fellow Christian, the debt is real.  The sin is painful.  The breach among brothers and sisters is not trivial.  It cannot be brushed aside by, “Get over it!” any more than a $20,000 debt can be dismissed.  But if you are motivated by vengeance or stubbornly demand justice on the one who has sinned against you—as if making someone grovel improves anything other than your ego—then you have failed to remember what it is to be indebted yourself.  A debt of 100 denarii is significant.  And sins are not trivial, ever.  But Jesus does not tell Peter about forgiving someone seventy-seven times so that he can keep score.  Quite the opposite: Mercy does not keep an account.

     “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.  When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.  And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.” (Matthew 18:23-25)  The king had extended a loan to a servant for ten thousand talents.  If we say the smaller loan was worth $20,000, then this loan is worth billions.  You might wonder about the sanity of a king who would give that much to his servants.

     But what has the Lord given you?  Has he not given you the world?  You get sunrises and seasons.  For you, the birds sing and the flowers grow.  For you, artists make music, movies, and comic books.  You get daily food—and if you are like me, too much of it.  You get sturdy shelter and a multi-colored, multi-textured wardrobe.   You get to walk and drive.  You get to see and hear and dream.  You get to reason, to imagine, to employ your skills and interests, and to communicate with loved ones.  Oh, and you get money.  God has granted innumerable blessings to you.  You have been entrusted with gifts galore with which you get to honor God and love your neighbor.  You and I are indebted to God to serve him in grateful and willing obedience.  But oh, how we have complained and squandered and hoarded and hated.  We have convinced ourselves that we are the reason we have so much and that God should really treat us better.

     Do not be deceived.  “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.” (Matthew 18:23)  The Lord does, indeed, hold us accountable for what we have done.  We owe him obedience, and we have given him bitterness.  We owe our fellowman love, and we only consider how our fellowman has not respected us enough.  According to God's Law, we ought to be cast into the prison until we can pay back to God what we owe him.  

     In the parable, “the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’” (Matthew 18:26)  This is laughable.  No one can restore, replace, or rectify this debt.  No one could deliver the first penny, let alone return the billions.  But “out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.” (Matthew 18:27)  Mercy does not keep an account.

     And so, the Lord does not treat us as our sin deserves.  He does not carry out revenge on us, which justice would demand.  But that does not mean he just lets everything go.  If the king has entrusted so much and it cannot be repaid, someone has to absorb the cost.  It is like the political campaign to just cancel all college loans.  Now, if you want to debate that college costs are too high, that is another topic.  But loans were given, and return payments are expected.  Those who took the loans agreed to that when they took them.  If our government should decree that all loans are forgiven, that does not mean the money magically went away.  Someone is taking a loss.  Someone else is covering the cost.

     The king who canceled the ten thousand talents never got his loan back.  He absorbed the cost for his servant and let him go free.  This is precisely what our Lord has done regarding your debt to him.  Jesus did not magically waive your sins away.  Justice demands that a payment must be made for sins.  That is the Law, and God never ignores his Law.  The debt is truly and really owed.  Therefore, Jesus paid the price and absorbed the debt for you.  He rendered the perfect life demanded.  He gave to his Father all the love and obedience which was owed, but then he accepted the charges for all debts we incurred.  Jesus, the perfect Son of God, took on our guilt.  The immortal Son of God suffered our death.  The sinless Son of God accepted our hell.  He has bestowed the benefits to you when you were baptized.  There, he wiped the ledger clean.

     And he did more than wipe the ledger clean.  The blood of Jesus continues to keep the ledger clean.  For, mercy does not keep an account.  You and I, even though we have been forgiven of all our sins, continue to commit them.  But our Lord does not put checks in his ledger for our offenses.  He summons the penitent to the altar where the blood of Jesus, his Son, continues to cleanse us of every sin.  Jesus keeps you reconciled to the Father; for Jesus has covered your debts.  You do not stand condemned, but beloved and redeemed, innocent and blameless.  For mercy does not keep an account.

     If you know and appreciate what it means to be shown such mercy, how can you refuse mercy to your fellow servants?  If you insist that they must endure the justice of the Law for you, then understand that this same Law will be used against you.  The Law always concerns itself with what is deserved.  The Law measures and tracks and keeps score, but mercy does not keep an account.  The Lord is merciful, not treating you as your sins deserve.  His mercy endures forever and continually exonerates you of your guilt.  Therefore, you who bask in mercy get to show the same mercy to others.  If you must forgive your fellow servant seven times or seventy-seven times, mercy endures forever.  Mercy does not keep an account.  

     Faith does not focus on the faults of man, but on the goodness and promises of God.  Since our gracious King gives us so much and so freely, we also get to give freely and gladly.  For our debts have been covered.  The blood of Jesus is real, and his mercies are not trivial.  Therefore, we look upon our fellow servants not according to the faults they display, but according to the mercies they need.  We get to be lavish with mercy.  We find joy in extending forgiveness and being reconciled to our fellow servants.

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

Sermon -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (October 6, 2019)

1 TIMOTHY 1:12-17

CHRIST JESUS CAME TO SAVE SINNERS.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The apostle Paul never forgot his history.  You and I always think of Paul in fond terms—knowing him to be an apostle and the author of about half of the New Testament.  We remember him as a bold preacher.  He established churches in various cities by preaching the Gospel, and he was accused and accosted in most of those cities for preaching the Gospel.  But Paul did not boast of his accomplishments.  Rather, he was continually haunted by his past.  In writing to Timothy, Paul did not forget it or deny it: “Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent.” (1 Timothy 1:13)  
     To try to appreciate this, imagine a Muslim professor who faithfully observes his times of prayer and attends his mosque.  He is a smart, moral, decent man who does everything to honor his god.  He is a devout religious man who reads the Quran faithfully and notes that his god does not tolerate those who are rebels.  He takes it upon himself to observe his own jihad, certain he is doing this to honor his god.  He rails against Christians whom he is convinced preach a false god.  He brings accusations against Christians and gets them imprisoned.  He even manages to oversee the assassination of a few pastors.  Now, imagine that you receive a phone call saying that this man wants to speak to you about the Christian faith.  What would you do?
     This pretty much parallels what happened with Paul.  He was a devout son of the covenant, adhering strictly to the Law of Moses.  He was smart, moral, and decent.  Everything Paul did, he was doing for God.  When his fellow Jews began to confess the name of Jesus instead of the Law of Moses, Paul went on the rampage.  He was convinced he was fighting against a lie and wanted to defend God's honor.  He sought to arrest and imprison Christians.  He even oversaw the stoning of Stephen.  But after the Paul got to Damascus, the Lord appeared to Ananias and told him to visit Paul, to preach to him, and to baptize him.  What would you have done?
     If you insist you would have gone, you are only saying it because you know the rest of the story.  And if you still insist you would have gone, are you interested in witnessing to Muslims or Hindus?  How about just your neighbor?  Oh, how we are driven more by fear than by faith!  We are willing to let missionaries preach to people of false religious, but we don't want to take any risks.  We may not even want morally questionable people to sully our place for fear of what they might take from us.  Beware lest it be said, “Jesus Christ may love sinners, but you don't.”
     Thanks be to God, he does not treat us as our sins deserve!  And though the world might have viewed Paul as a lost cause, Jesus did not.  Paul wrote, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:15-16) 
    Christ Jesus came for sinners.  He came to save sinners.  Unfortunately, when we think of sinners, we are probably thinking of other people.  No doubt, we have all seen and heard about people who have proven themselves to be sinners in spectacular and shameful ways.  The world has always seen its share of violent, crooked, wicked people.  But if you only think of others when you think of sinners, then you have forgotten what God's word says.  St. Paul wrote, “There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:22-23)  All are sinners.  Some fail in openly wicked fashion.  Others hide their guilt and shame.  All have failed.  All are sinners.  Repent.
     But “the saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15)  If you are a sinner, good.  Jesus Christ came for you.  He came to save you.  If you will not come to Jesus as a sinner, he has nothing for you.  If you think that you are not that bad, Jesus will mean little to you.  You will eventually dismiss him as irrelevant.  If you think you are too far gone or that you are too bad of a sinner, it is not Jesus who has told you that.  Satan would convince you that your guilt is too great for Jesus to take and that your shame is too gross for God to touch.  But that is not true.  Jesus has did not merely have a brush with our sins.  St. Paul wrote: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” (Galatians 3:13)  Jesus became our sin in order that we become his righteousness.
     Christ Jesus came to save sinners.  He does not take surveys to figure our who is the chief of sinners or who is not that bad.  He comes to take up the sins of all people—from blatant transgressions to secret shame, even to the likes of blasphemers, persecutors, and insolent opponents.  Maybe you know someone who feels so overwhelmed by guilt that they think there is no hope for them.  Who knows?  Maybe you are still one who struggles badly with some shameful past that you would like to forget.  Either way, this is a saying that is trustworthy, so you can trust it.  It deserves full acceptance, so you don't have to question if it applies to you.  Christ Jesus came to save sinners.  So the question is not whether your sins are too great.  The question is whether you have any.  Then Jesus is for you.  Jesus is for your friend who pretends that everything is okay when his conscience tells him it is not.  Jesus is even for those who are crooked, wicked, and violent.  For, the saying is trustworthy and true.  It is worthy to be accepted and proclaimed: Christ Jesus came to save sinners.
     We will always be filled with grief and concern when we see the wicked acts of violent men.  All sins do damage.  Some sins produce greater destruction and devastation than others.  We wonder why God does not intervene and put a stop to the wickedness of the world.  Why doesn't Jesus appear from heaven as he did to Paul, confront those who do violence, and either convert them or kill them on the spot?  This kind of pondering shows that we are not merciful as our Father in heaven is merciful.  We think that what is best is that we be spared of any threat against us, and we want our Lord to remove the threat—even by striking down the wicked if necessary.  But this is what the Lord says: “Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?” (Ezekiel 18:23)  Therefore, the Lord delays judgment—not because he doesn't care or doesn't know, but because he is patient even with the wicked.  “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.  But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:15-16)  The Lord does not desire to damn anyone, not when Jesus has come for everyone.  Christ Jesus came to save sinners.
     If the Lord Jesus saved the likes of a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent opponent of the church, what might he do among us?  May God grant us the courage to make his salvation known, regardless of the audience!  For “the saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15)  If the saying is faithful, then we need to say it.  For no one will be saved if they do not know who their Savior is.  People will be burdened by their sins and petrified of God if they are not told that we have a Redeemer God whose mercy moved him to save sinners.  Some may lash out.  Some may persecute, blaspheme, or become insolent opponents—thinking that they don't have to deal with their sins if they are not made to think of them.  But Jesus has come only for sinners.  If the saying is to be accepted, it must be proclaimed.  And even if you do not proclaim the faith to those who are engaged in jihad, you can proclaim the faith to a friend over coffee.
     The apostle Paul never forgot his past.  Though he could never deny what he once did, he did find endless comfort in what Jesus did for him.  “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” (1 Timothy 1:15)—which means he came to save you.  He came to save all.  Whatever horrible past you may bring with you to Jesus, Jesus will bring you to a glorious future with him.  For Jesus loves sinners, and he saves them.  You can trust in that. 

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

Sermon -- 17th Sunday after Pentecost (September 16, 2018)

o wn is the Greek for, "He who is."
o xristos is the Greek for "The Christ."

MARK 8:27-35

THE ONLY GOOD CONFESSION SPEAKS THE THINGS OF GOD.

In the name + of Jesus.

     It has become quite popular among Christians in America to say that one church is the same as the next, which is to say that one confession is as good as another.  Now, this sounds open-minded and big-hearted, but it is based on a lie.  The lie is that confessions don't matter, or that doctrine doesn't matter. 
     If you ask people what they believe, you may get confessions such as, “I believe the Bible.”  It sounds right.  After all, the Bible is the word of God and the source of our faith and teaching.  Nevertheless, Christians do not all agree on what the Bible teaches.  That Christians can be so conflicted in doctrine gets quite confusing and frustrating for many people.  Rather than devote yourself to doing the work of studying the Bible and seeking what is truth and what distorts truth, it is easier just to brush it all off and say, “Eh, they're all the same.”  Which is to say, doctrine does not matter.
     Briefly consider this.  We Lutherans believe, teach, and confess that “baptism works the forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this.” (Luther's Small Catechism.  Holy Baptism, Part 2)  Most Protestant churches teach that baptism only symbolizes these things, but does not actually give them.  Can you really say that this is all the same?  The difference is being confident that you have God's promise of salvation given to you in baptism versus having to look somewhere else to find God's salvation applied to you.  If forgiveness of sins, the resurrection, and confidence of salvation matter to you, then this doctrine matters.  The only good confession speaks the things of God.
     Even a confession which sounds true may miss the mark.  Case in point: Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”  And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” (Mark 8:27-28)  The confession of the people was complimentary; but it was not close enough.  It was wrong.  Then Jesus directed his question to his disciples.  He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?”  Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” (Mark 8:29)  Peter's answer was correct.  He had rightly identified and confessed that Jesus is the Lord's anointed.
     Once the disciples had made this confession, Jesus began to teach them what that meant.  Too many people expected that the Christ would be a king who would restore power, prominence, and prosperity to the nation of Israel.  If the people believed that Jesus was the Christ, they may well have started up a revolution against the Romans, expecting that Jesus would lead the charge and win the victory.  Even the disciples were influenced by this belief.  Therefore, Jesus had to teach them what it really meant that he is the Christ.  So, he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.  And he said this plainly.  And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.  But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan!  For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Mark 8:31-33)
     In one breath, Peter made a good confession: “You are the Christ.”  In the next breath, Peter showed that his confession was horribly wrong.  Peter rebuked Jesus because Jesus' teaching did not match Peter's expectations.  Peter's ideas of who the Christ is and what he does were a far cry from what God had said in his word.  If Jesus were to be rejected, suffer, and be killed, what would his kingdom be?  And if they did this to Jesus, his disciples would be next, wouldn't they?  Peter saw no glory to be gained and no benefit to be had in Jesus' suffering and death.  Even though Peter had used the right words, “You are the Christ,” his confession was wrong.  Peter sought the things of men—worldly popularity and glory.  The only good confession, however, speaks the things of God.
     Jesus, of course, had his mind firmly set on the things of God.  That meant he would suffer and die.  Jesus did not present the cross as optional.  He stated plainly, “It is necessary (Greek: dei) that the Son of Man endure these things.”  If Jesus wanted to win the approval of mankind and establish earthly glory, he could have done it.  He was already being praised for miraculous healing.  But the things of men are temporary at best.  Worldly glory and popularity do not last.  It has to be earned constantly.  If Jesus had in mind the things of men, we would not have a Savior and would die in our sins.    The things of God, however, bring eternal blessing.
     Therefore, Jesus demonstrated God's faithful love by redeeming sinners.  To bestow on you God's mercy, Jesus did not hide his face from disgrace and spitting.  To win you God's blessing, Jesus set his face like flint to go to the cross to bear your curse.  To give you deliverance from death, Jesus went to his grave.  To open heaven to you, Jesus rose from the dead.  He lives to tell you that your sins are forgiven.  Your eternal benefits come from Jesus' sufferings, death, and resurrection.  Jesus was anointed for this very purpose.  This is what it means that he is the Christ.  This alone is what takes away sins, delivers from death, and opens heaven to you.  Salvation comes only through the cross.  Life comes only through the blood of Christ.  These are the things of God, and the only good confession speaks the things of God. 
     Jesus not only had to teach the disciples what it means that he is the Christ, he also teaches what it means that we belong to Christ.  And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34)  Peter had visions of glory for himself going through his head.  Jesus told him that he needed to deny himself what seemed to him to be so good.  It is the same for us.
     We are always convinced that we know what is best for us.  But our desires are always influenced by our sinful nature.  Peter's idea of what the Christ would be was the popular opinion, but it was wrong.  Peter sought worldly popularity and glory.  It seemed so obvious to him that these are good things.  It seems that way to us, too.  How do you know it is best for you?  Simple, because you like it.  That same kind of thinking leads us to sin.  Why do people get intoxicated?  Why do people gossip about others?  Because we like it.  We actually believe it is good to do these things because we believe we benefit from doing them.  And why do people twist God's word so that the world finds it more agreeable, more satisfying, and more open-minded?  Because we want the world to like us.  We change our confession to accommodate the world.  But when we change our confession, we speak with the devil's accent.  The Lord does not ask us to negotiate with the world; he calls us to confess his word and to deny our lust for worldly popularity and acceptance.
     The only good confession speaks the things of God.  To do this, we must deny ourselves.  We do not get to choose what we think is right.  We do not get to suggest that every confession is close enough or sweep them away by saying, “It's all the same thing.”  And we have no permission to dabble in sinful practices.  We are to deny ourselves these things because we know that they invoke God's wrath and bring deadly consequences. 
     We don't like to do these things because it is hard.  It is hard to deny our desires and our pleasures.  It is hard not to give our sinful flesh what it wants, because it makes us feel happy—at least for the moment.  This is the cross we have to bear—that we put our sinful desires to death, that we subject our will to God's will, and that we do the hard work of learning from the Scriptures what God says so that we will not be deceived by what sounds close enough or what sounds good to us.  For not every confession is the same, and only one confession leads to heaven—and that is through the cross.
     By keeping his mind focused on the things of God, Jesus has gained glory for you.  We confess these things to be true not because we want them to be, but because God has declared them to be so.  The only good confession speaks the things of God.  Therefore, we follow Jesus and commit all things to him.  It is his word that guides us in godly living.  It is his word that drives away doubts.  It is his word which is true.  And it is his word which guarantees that our sins are pardoned and Paradise is secure.  These are the things of God.  By faith in Jesus, they are now also yours.

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