YouTube -- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 22, 2025)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, June 22, 2025.  Rev. em. Gregory Gibbons served as the preacher.

YouTube -- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 2, 2024)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, June 2, 2024.  It joins the service in progress at the Prayer of the Day.

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 2, 2024)

MARK 2:23 – 3:6

GOD’S WORD IS ALWAYS FOR YOUR GOOD.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Why did God give us his Law?  What is the point of the Ten Commandments?  The answer will depend upon who is giving it.

     For unbelievers, God’s Law is a list of unfair rules which restricts us from having fun and doing what we want.  Unbelievers reject God’s commands, resent his standards, and despise the threat of punishment that comes with it.  Some even go so far as to say that a God who would make such demands and threats is the most cruel being to exist.  That is why some argue that God does not exist.  Unbelievers want to do what they want and to be accountable to no one.

     Christians view God’s Commandments differently.  We believe that God is good.  God showed his goodness in loving his creation, in entering his creation as a man, and in redeeming us from our sins by his sacrificial death on the cross.  If God loves us that way, then we are right to believe that every word from God is good.  The Ten Commandments show us what a godly life is to look like.  They are given to guide us in a good life, not to rob us of fun or entertainment.  Is God’s Law restrictive?  Sure, like a guardrail on a mountain road is restrictive.  It keeps you from driving off the mountain and plunging to your death.  That is a good thing.  So, when God’s Law restricts us, it is restricting us from evil.  When God’s Law guides us, it is directing us to what is good.  God’s word is always for your good.

     Jesus and the Pharisees clashed over these different views of God’s Law.  To be fair to the Pharisees, their original intent was for God’s Old Testament people to keep faithful to God’s covenant.  Unfortunately, they developed a bunch of new rules and traditions which piled on top of God’s Commandments.  Those traditions were supposed to be a safeguard.  If you followed the traditions in little things, you would not overstep God’s Law in big things.  It was like Eve’s comment about the fruit in the Garden.  When the devil asked her why she was not allowed to eat from any tree in the Garden, Eve replied, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die’” (Genesis 3:2-3).  Touching the fruit was not the problem.  Adam and Eve could have juggled the fruit and kept God’s command.  But you can’t eat the fruit if you don’t touch it.  “Neither shall you touch it” was an addition to God’s word.  These are the kinds of rules the Pharisees added to God’s Law. 

     Consider God’s Commandment regarding the Sabbath: “Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.  On it you shall not do any work” (Deuteronomy 5:12-14).  The Pharisees heard this commandment and debated, “What constitutes ‘work’ on the Sabbath?”  This resulted in all kinds of tedious rules that no one could keep track of or keep.  This brings us to the conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees. 

     Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, as was his custom.  Why did Jesus go to the synagogue?  To hear the word of the Lord.  He delighted in that word.  He was eager to hear the promises, knowing that he had been sent by his Father to fulfill them.  Jesus was not in the synagogue to obey strict rules, but to be refreshed by his Father’s blessings.  God’s word is always good, even for Jesus.

     There was another man in the synagogue that day.  We heard that he had a withered hand.  Maybe it was a birth defect, maybe a broken arm that had not healed well.  In any case, he had a limb that was pretty much useless.  Do you know why he was in the synagogue that day?  To hear the word of the Lord.  It is the same reason you go to church.  You get to hear God’s promises which reveal God’s love and mercy.  You get to hear how the Lord has been gracious to sinners, how the Lord remained faithful to his covenant even when many had turned from it, and how God worked salvation for people who were dead in sin and burdened by their guilt, their flaws, and their failures.  You delight in all of this because you have a God who delights in you, who forgives your sins, and who assures you of eternal life.  God’s word is always for your good.

     In that same synagogue were the Pharisees.  You would expect them to be there.  Since they were so engrossed in upholding God’s Commandments, you would think they would care about nothing else but hearing the word of the Lord.  But listen to what held their attention when they went to God’s house.  “They watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him” (Mark 3:2).  Do you believe that?  They were not there to hear God’s word.  They were there to keep watch on Jesus.  Like spies, they carefully observed what Jesus might do.  If Jesus healed this man, that would be work on the Sabbath—so they said.  That would be reason to bring charges against Jesus as a lawbreaker.  You almost wonder if they were hoping Jesus would heal this man so they could accuse and condemn him.

     It does not take much for us to look for faults in other people and cast judgment against them.  It even happens in church.  You hear a child get loud and you can only think of the parenting advice you want to give to someone else.  You hear someone sing off key and have thoughts about it.  Your stomach growls and you check your cell phone, wondering how much longer this service is going to run because you are ready for lunch.  The devil distracts us from hearing God’s word and refocuses us on other things.  But we usually get out of church what we are looking for.  If you come to church looking for things to criticize, that’s what you will get.  If you come to church eager to hear God’s word and delight in his mercy, that is what you will get regardless of the distractions. 

     The Pharisees were not focused on God’s word, but on Jesus’ behavior.  According to Mark’s Gospel, Jesus forced the issue.  “He said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Come here’” (Mark 3:3).  Suddenly, this man was the center of attention, and I am sure it was awkward.  That certainly is not why he went to church that day.  “(Jesus) said to (the Pharisees), ‘Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?’” (Mark 3:4).  Jesus’ choice of words is significant.  “Is it lawful?”  That’s all that mattered to the Pharisees.  Not “Is it beneficial?”  Not “Does it demonstrate love and compassion?”  Not, “Does it serve my neighbor according to his needs?”  Rather, “Is it lawful?”  To the Pharisees, that’s why God gave the Sabbath.  It was to be an act of obedience that man was to do for God, not a blessing that God had intended for man.  I wonder if the Pharisees considered it lawful to leave church and to plot someone’s destruction.  St. Mark wrote, “The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him” (Mark 3:6).  Perhaps that passed their definition of “work,” and therefore their scheming for revenge and retribution was “lawful.”

     God’s word is always for your good.  It is not given to make life miserable, but to guide us into godly living.  Jesus had given the example of King David and the soldiers under his charge when they were hungry.  The only food available to them was the Bread of the Presence.  Every week, twelve large fresh loaves were presented before the Lord.  The old bread was to be eaten by the priests.  That is what God’s Law stated.  But when David and his soldiers arrived hungry, love for his fellow man directed the priest to feed the hungry.  In the same way, Jesus’ love for the man with the withered hand directed him to heal him.  Could Jesus have told him to come back the next day for healing?  Sure, but why put off loving one’s fellow man or addressing his needs?

     All week long, you serve your neighbor in his need.  That is done in your various vocations—as a parent, a spouse, a friend, a student, or a worker.  Opportunities for good works are presented to you in your daily routines.  You don’t have to go out and invent good works.  They are in front of you every day. 

     Sometimes opportunities spring up on you.  Say you encounter someone who needs your help.  You could ignore him and say, “That’s not my job”—as if showing mercy is something you don’t have to do because you are off the clock.  God’s word is always good, and it is always in effect.  The Commandments guide you into giving up your time, your schedule, and perhaps your money to help.  You don’t do good works to make God happy.  Rather, you do it because you are children of a gracious God, and he leads you to be gracious like he is.  You follow God’s word because it is good, because it is beneficial, because it demonstrates love and compassion, and because your neighbor is in need. 

     God’s word is always for your good.  God’s directions regarding the Sabbath day were always for the people’s good.  Yes, it was a day off, allowing the body to rest.  That was beneficial for all.  But the Sabbath was especially a day when God’s people rested so that the Lord would serve them.  God’s people would meet to hear God’s promises, receive God’s blessing, and share in God’s mercy.

     Our Lord invites us to partake in the Sabbath rest, which is always for our good, too.  This is what our Divine Service is.  This is your Sabbath rest.  Jesus provides rest for our souls.  Do you know what you have to do to make God happy with you, to gain his favor, and to enter the heavenly kingdom?  Nothing.  Jesus did all the work—the holy, obedient life and the sacrificial death for you.  You simply receive the benefits of Jesus’ work.  Thanks to Jesus, God is happy with you.  God’s favor does rest upon you.  You are children of God and, therefore, heirs of the heavenly kingdom.

     This is why God gave his word, and this is why you gather in God’s house.  Here, you rest, and God serves you.  He speaks tenderly.  He pardons all your offenses.  He encourages you to remain faithful in a wicked world.  He feeds you the heavenly meal to sustain you on your way heavenward.  God does the work; you receive the gifts.  This is always for your good.  And therefore, God’s people rejoice in it.

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

YouTube -- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 11, 2023)

Here is the service from Sunday, June 11, 2023.

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 11, 2023)

1 TIMOTHY 1:12-17

CHRIST JESUS CAME TO SAVE EVEN THE WORST OF SINNERS.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Do you think he ever forgot?  St. Paul remarked, “Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent” (1 Timothy 1:13) of Jesus.  We hold the apostle Paul in high regard, and for good reason.  He traveled throughout Asia Minor and Europe, preaching the good news of Jesus to those who had never heard it.  Through Paul, many Christian churches were established.  Because of his preaching, many hated Paul and his message.  Paul was despised, slandered, and persecuted.  He was imprisoned several times, beaten often, and finally put to death for preaching about Jesus.  He remained faithful to Jesus despite how much he suffered for the sake of Jesus’ name.

     But do you think Paul ever forgot his past?  Paul had been enraged by the preaching about Jesus.  Convinced he was doing God’s work, he breathed out violent threats against Christians, imprisoned some, and was instrumental in the killing of others.  It may have been in the past, but I can’t imagine it ever escaped Paul’s mind.

     Can you ever forget your sins?  We know the words “Forgive and forget,” but do we ever forget?  Can we?  We confess with Psalm 51, “I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me” (Psalm 51:3).  Some sins are much more haunting than others, and even if you hope to forget them, the devil is a master at reminding you of them. 

     People have employed many tactics for trying to forget the past.  Some turn to alcohol or drugs.  Perhaps an intoxicated mind would forget.  Some bury themselves in work.  Perhaps an occupied mind would forget.  Some glue themselves to a computer or TV screen.  Perhaps an entertained mind would forget.  Some withdraw from everyone.  Perhaps an escape from people would mean an escape from the past.  None of these distractions can take away guilt; none of them takes away the past.  Can you ever forget the harsh words, the heartless acts, or the consequences from your sins?  Paul did not; neither will you.

     The apostle Paul did not attempt to rewrite the past.  Even though Paul claimed, “I had acted ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:13), he did not even use ignorance as an excuse: “I didn’t know any better, so it’s not my fault.”  Paul acknowledged his sin for what it was.  How could he speak so freely about such painful memories and deep regret?  For one reason: “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 to save even the worst of sinners.

     There are times we wonder why God does not strike with a thunderbolt to wipe out people who commit such great sins.  I am sure people in the early church thought that a well-placed lightning bolt at Paul would make the world would be a safer, happier place.  We also think the world would be better if God struck down violent and vile people.  Ironically, because God did exactly that in the Old Testament, people accuse God of needless cruelty.  They fault God for being merciless.  But now when God, in his mercy, lets people go about their business, which often includes violence, greed, assault, and hateful words, we want God to act violently and swiftly.  This goes to show how flawed our judgment is; for we judge God inconsistently and ignorantly.  We want God to align himself with our own judgment.  Shouldn’t God strike us for that?

     It also demonstrates a flaw in how we judge ourselves.  We want God to smite the wicked.  We pray that God would destroy the wicked.  We are convinced that we would survive God’s judgment because we are good.  Basil the Great (329 – January 1, 379), bishop of Caesarea from the 4^th century, observed: “In truth the most difficult of sciences is to know one’s self.  Not only our eye, from which nothing outside us escapes, cannot see itself; but our mind, so piercing to discover the sins of others, is slow to recognise (sic) its own faults” (p 92, Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers, Christopher A. Hall. InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, IL. © 1998).  This is what the Lord says: “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20).  God would also have us ponder this: “Who can say, ‘I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin’” (Proverbs 20:9)?  So, if God did smite all the wicked to make the world a better place, who would be left?

     Yes, the world is an evil place and it is filled with wicked people.  We have made our own contributions to that.  But the day is coming when God will judge the living and the dead.  The day is coming when the Lord will put an end to all evil.  Psalm 21 declares: “Your hand will find out all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you.  You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear.  The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them” (Psalm 21:8-9).  So, do not get the idea that the Lord is ignorant of the evils in this world.  Do not conclude that God doesn’t care.  And certainly do not blame God for the wicked deeds that people do.  All the evils you see are the reason that judgment will come upon the earth.  Since we have contributed to it, we are right to fear that judgment.  After all, can you forget your own sins?

     Perhaps you will never escape your past.  Perhaps your sins will always haunt you.  But then do not forget what St. Paul tells you: “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 to save even the worst of sinners.

     Jesus’ death was orchestrated by the wicked schemes of jealous men—this, despite Jesus’ goodness.  Jesus’ mercy benefited many who were blind, lame, deaf, diseased, and demon-possessed.  Jesus’ preaching brought great relief to people who were haunted by their sins or burdened by the pressure to be better people.  But Jesus’ preaching also made others despise him, slander him, and persecute him.  For his preaching, Jesus was arrested, beaten, and finally put to death.  But this was all according to God’s plan.  He used the wicked schemes of wicked men to carry out the death which pays for the sins of the world.  God still held the wicked men accountable.  Their intentions and actions were evil, but God used their wickedness for your highest good. 

     Thanks be to Jesus, the Lord does not treat us as our sins deserve.  Instead, Jesus came to be treated as our sins deserve.  Jesus did not forget you when he went to the cross.  He bore your sins and the curse that comes because of them.  Jesus died the death we deserve.  He was consumed in God’s fiery wrath.  You and I, in turn, have received a full pardon for every sin.  Jesus forgives the sins that you can never forget and for the sins you don’t even remember.  Christ Jesus came to save even the worst of sinners—blasphemers, persecutors, abusers, idolaters, adulterers, drunkards, gossips, and even self-centered, self-glorifying Christians.  Do not waste your time wondering if you are a better or a worse person than anyone else.  In Christ, you are found to be holy and blameless.  This is how you are delivered from God’s judgment and wrath.  This is how you are delivered from the world which is wicked.  This is the only promise that saves you: Christ Jesus came to save even the worst of sinners.

     Meanwhile, you still live in a world that is wicked.  You will be grieved by reports of violence, corruption, and cover-ups.  You will be a victim of harsh words and wicked schemes.  You will be devastated by bad choices made by loved ones.  You will be ashamed of your own heathen moments.  And the Lord could put a stop to all of it, but he lets it go on.  Why?  St. Paul wrote, “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 1:16).  Do not confuse God’s patience with the idea that God does not know or does not care about the wickedness of mankind.  God tells you why he is so patient.  “The Lord is … not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).  The day of judgment will come soon enough.  But now is the day of grace.  Now is the time to hear God’s word, to repent of sins, to call on the name of Jesus, and to be saved.  The Lord is pleased to grant more time so that more people might repent and believe the good news. 

     Christ Jesus came to save even the worst of sinners.  There is no one who is so good that he will not die.  There is no one who is so bad that God’s mercy cannot help.  Everyone bears guilt.  Everyone is going to die.  Everyone will face God’s judgment.  Everyone needs the Savior.  So listen: Christ Jesus came to save sinners.  Everyone qualifies, even the likes of the apostle Paul.

     And—marvel upon marvels!—God calls sinners to proclaim his mercies to others.  God did not merely convert Paul to his side; he even called him to be an apostle who devoted his life to preaching about Jesus.  Even if you are not a pastor, you still have God’s word to confess.  And you will encounter sinners who need God’s mercy.  You get to be merciful to sinners because you know what it is to be shown mercy.  You get to display compassion on those who are ensnared in sin because God’s compassion continues to be bestowed upon you in your weaknesses.  Rather than seeking the death of the wicked, we pray that all would repent.  For, Christ Jesus came to save even the worst of sinners.  How can any sinner be saved without knowing the one who saves them?  How will any sinner repent unless they know Jesus welcomes sinners?  And how can they know that unless we tell them that Christ Jesus came to save sinners?

     Chances are, you will not forget the shameful moments of your past.  But the good news of Jesus always overrules the charges of guilt against you.  The light of the Gospel will always deliver you from your past no matter how dark it was.  St. Paul wrote the words that should be etched in your memory: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).  The saying is trustworthy.  It deserves to be remembered; for the Lord has not forgotten to be merciful to you.

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

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 6, 2021)

MARK 2:23-28

THE SABBATH GRANTS NEEDED REST.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Ava, today you are observing the Rite of Confirmation.  While it marks the end of formal study of the Catechism with your pastor, the Rite of Confirmation may give the impression that you are done with your study of Scripture.  You are not.  In fact, the challenges you are going to face in regard to the Christian faith are only going to get more intense and more frequent.  Your studies have prepared you for these attacks.  But just as an army needs a supply line, so you will need to be continually supplied so that you remain faithful to the Lord.  That is one reason you will continually need the church; for we are all fighting together in the Church Militant.  No one is ever done with the challenges and temptations until we die.  Only then will we get eternal rest in the Church Triumphant.  You do, however, get times of rest before entering heavenly glory.  That is what the Sabbath is all about.  The Sabbath grants needed rest.

     Jesus and his disciples were well acquainted with the Sabbath day.  For six days, everyone carried out their various occupations.  Each person did what was necessary to care for his family and to serve his neighbor.  But the seventh day was the Sabbath.  It was not merely a divinely ordained day off.  Rather, it was a day set apart for a sacred purpose.  On the Sabbath, the Lord served them.  They rested to hear God’s word and receive his blessings.  The Sabbath granted needed rest.

     On one particular Sabbath, Jesus and his disciples were walking among grain fields.  As they walked, the disciples helped themselves to some of the heads of grain—rolling them in their hands to release the kernels to eat.  God’s Law had instructed farmers not to harvest the ends of their fields so that the poor and the traveler could eat from them.  There was no problem with that, but the Pharisees found a problem anyway.

     In their obsession for purity in observing the Sabbath, the Pharisees had debated what constitutes work to ensure that no work would be done on the Sabbath.  In doing so, they went beyond what God had said.  It would be like this.  Your parents do not want you to track mud in the house, so they tell you, “You are never allowed to go outside.”  If you don’t go outside, you can’t track mud into the house.  The Pharisees invented such restrictions.  Over time, the tradition became the commandment.  So, the Pharisees found fault with Jesus’ disciples for harvesting—not taking a scythe to gather bales, but rubbing heads of grain in their hands.  Harvesting.

     The Pharisees judged everything by laws and traditions.  But living a life that focuses on endless obedience to laws can get very burdensome.  Somehow, the Pharisees had convinced themselves that they could do it.  And they did have the appearance of being very pious and obedient.  But there is no one who can keep God’s Law perfectly.  The Bible rightly tells us: “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). 

     Still, God’s Law is God’s word.  Ava, you memorized the Commandments and Luther’s explanation of them.  Each Commandment directs us, “We should fear and love God that we do not” do something wicked, but we should do what is good.  God sets the standard, and he holds us to it.  We did not spend Catechism Class debating whether it was worth following God’s instruction.  God has filled us with a desire to live according to his Law.  We strive to do God’s will.  We might credit ourselves that we tried or that we meant to do these things, but no one gets to credit himself with perfect obedience.  The Commandments always demand continual obedience, and they always accuse us that we don’t.

     As you continue to grow in God’s word, you make take up the practice of highlighting passages in your Bible.  I know of a man who marked the verses which told him what he was supposed to do for Jesus.  He knew this is what he was supposed to do, and he did want to do it.  He would review his marked verses only to see that he was never living up to the way he was supposed to live.  The Law always accuses, and it was a soul-crushing practice.  He found no rest for his soul.

     But the Sabbath grants needed rest.  Jesus, who is Lord even of the Sabbath, summons us: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  Eventually, this man started to pay attention to what Jesus has done for him rather than what he was supposed to do for Jesus.  Finally, the fear and the pressure were replaced by peace and rest.  The Sabbath gives needed rest.

     Sabbath rest does not mean we get to ignore God’s Law.  God’s Law is still God’s word which endures forever.  Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, but he did fulfill it.  He did not do it as your example, but as your substitute.  The very righteousness God demands you to have, Jesus Christ has supplied.  It was put upon you in your baptism.  Now, you are covered in Jesus’ innocence.  No longer do you live under the pressure of being perfect—even though you will still strive for it.  Rather, you have been granted a Sabbath rest.  The work has been done for you.  The Commandments have been fulfilled.  God’s demands have been satisfied by Christ.  And God’s favor rests on you because you are Christ’s.  The Sabbath grants this needed rest.

     The Pharisees, however, measured everything by laws.  As a result, they found fault with everyone.  That is not hard to do.  Everyone has faults.  Some are more obvious than others.  They even tried to pin fault on Jesus.  If his disciples were breaking the Sabbath and if Jesus were not putting a stop to it, then surely Jesus was not good.  The Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”  And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him” (Mark 2:24-26)?    

     Jesus first had the Pharisees reflect on the purpose of God’s Law.  It is not a club to bludgeon people into obedience.  The Law of God begins with the word “Love.”  Love the Lord your God.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  While God had commanded that the holy loaves were to be consumed by the priests, the high priest had compassion on the needs of David and his army.  Was it lawful?  By the letter of the Law, No.  Was it loving?  The high priest determined that it was not loving to send away starving the army who fought God’s battles.

     Now the incident with David was certainly an exception, and exceptions do not make good laws.  We have a defibrillator on the wall in the church hallway.  If we should ever have to use it (may God spare us!), we would have to rip open the shirt or blouse of the person in order to properly apply the paddles to one’s chest.  That’s the only way to restart someone’s heart.  In this case, modesty takes a back seat to saving one’s life.  But immodest dress would not become the new rule.  Exceptions do not make good laws.  The high priest did not make it a new practice to hand out the expired loaves to just anyone.  But he did it for David and his men because they had need.

     But there was something more.  David was the Lord’s anointed.  He had been commissioned by God to fight for his people and to deliver them from their enemies.  Just as the Bread of the Presence had been set apart for God’s sacred purpose, so was David.  The holy things were given to the holy one.  This is all the more true in regard to Jesus Christ.  Jesus was not merely set apart for God’s sacred purpose.  He is God who came for his own holy purpose.  Jesus’s purpose is to set you free from the condemnation of the Law.  His holy purpose is to lift off of you the burden of guilt.  To do that, Jesus picked up the burden of your guilt and made it his own.  He delivered you from condemnation by taking your judgment for you.  No matter how much you tried or how often you meant to better, you and I have not measured up to the standard the Law demands.  The Bible uses the word “iniquity” for that.  But listen: “The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).  This is what the Lord has done for you to alleviate you of the burden of perfection.  Now you live under the grace of being pardoned.  This is the rest Jesus gives.  The Sabbath grants needed rest.

     The Sabbath is for rest and for receiving God’s gifts.  This is done mainly in our services.  We do not come to do something for God, as if he needs our service.  We come because God does things for us.  He serves us.  He consoles us with words of mercy.  He strengthens us with words of encouragement.  He gives us his Law to provide direction.  He feeds us with the bread from heaven—holy loaves for the holy ones.  He puts his blessing upon us and sends us home in peace.  Then, just as gladly as we sang his praises here, we gladly serve him in the world as his word directs us—not under the threat of punishment, but under the loving care of a forgiving God.  And then, to find relief in a world that mocks God’s word and his people, we come back again to God’s house.  The Sabbath again grants us needed rest.  This is the life of God’s people.

     There is still a word of warning for us here.  We see the Pharisees as villains, but we are in constant danger of becoming like them.  The Pharisees judged everyone by the Law.  The Law always accuses, and so that is what the Pharisees did.  Now, you could argue that the Pharisees were usually right.  The people they condemned were sinners.  You and I could do the same and insist the Law backs us up.  You know people ought to behave better because you have been taught by God.  Can you really expect better of people who have not?  We know better and we still sin!  Even if the Law always accuses, it does not command us to do that.  

     The Law tells us to love.  Our job is to love and to show mercy.  We don’t know what burdens other people are carrying.  God’s Law will only make those burdens weigh more.  But the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ give hope.  The Law shows us how love is practiced, but it does not produce love; only the grace of Jesus Christ does that.  Only the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ can remove burdens, melt icy hearts, change stubborn minds, and redirect steps to a godly path.  And the only way others can see and hear and know the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ is from you and me who bear his name and confess his word.  All people need the Sabbath rest we have, and the Sabbath grants the rest we all need. 

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

YouTube -- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 14, 2020)

Here is the service from June 14, 2020.

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 14, 2020)

MATTHEW 7:15-29

JESUS ALONE IS THE SOLID FOUNDATION.

Portions of this sermon are credited to Dr. Kenneth Bailey's book, “Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes”; InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, IL; (c) 2008.

In the name + of Jesus.

      After a lengthy sermon about what following Jesus actually means, Jesus concluded with a parable about two men who built a house.  We usually pay attention to the fact that one house remained standing and the other fell with a great crash.  What we probably don't recognize is that both men built a house.  If you had looked at each house during its construction, and if you had inspected each house after its completion, you would not have noticed a difference.  Both had walls which were made of field stones, straight and sturdy.  Both had roofs that did not leak.  Each was provided a sufficient dwelling place for their families.  Everything appeared to be in good order at each house.
     But we are not to be deceived by what we see.  We see people whose lives appear to be in good order.  They are healthy, successful, and happy.  And don't pretend they are not.  It does no good to try to convince people that they are not happy.  Their kid's travel team wins tournaments.  When they aren't doing that, they enjoy their lake house.  They may have had to work from home, but they did not lose their job to COVID-19 problems.  What's not to love?  Many unbelievers are plenty happy with their lives.  They don't need Jesus to make them happy.  This is fine; because the goal of the Jesus is not to make people happy. 
     From the outside, there does not seem to be much difference between a Christian and an unbeliever, any more than there seemed to be a difference in the two houses that were built.  The problem with the foolish builder is not that he built a bad house; it is that he built it with no foundation.  Now, to understand how that could be possible, we must understand what it was like to build a house in Jesus' day.  You did not build a house in the rainy season; you waited until summer when you had week after week of hot, dry days to build.  But with the hot, dry days came hard, dry ground.  The ground itself was like bronze (Leviticus 26:19).  If the ground is as hard as bronze, that should serve nicely as a foundation.  So the house was built, and it was solid.  The other man, however, toiled and sweated and ached as he chiseled down through the rock-ground in the oppressive heat.  Because he labored longer and harder to have the same house, he was the one who appeared to be the fool.
     But the rainy season returns every fall.  When the rains hit the ground, the ground softens up.  What had been hard as bronze suddenly has the consistency of chocolate pudding.  What appeared to be a sturdy foundation gets washed away by torrential storms and flash floods.  As the ground gets eaten away, the stones in the wall began to bulge out.  Finally the walls collapsed and the house was in ruins. 
     As long as your world does not have any problems, your life will appear to be just fine.  Many people who are healthy, successful, and happy are convinced that this is how life is supposed to be.  Even Christians are convinced life should be that easy.  When life is easy and people are happy, there does not appear to be any advantage to being a disciple of Jesus.  But then the storms come.  It did not matter who the builders were, neither could avoid storms.  As I had said before, Jesus does not promise that being a Christian will make you happy.  Being a Christian does not make you immune to problems and tragedies.  Just as the storms and winds and floods pounded both houses, so every life will see its share of beatings, too.  You may suffer physical loss of property and wealth.  You may suffer mental anguish of slander or hatred from others.  You may suffer personal loss of loved ones.  You may suffer spiritually with guilt or doubt.  All of these will destroy happiness, whether you are a Christian or not.
     But Jesus alone is your solid foundation.  If your life is founded on Christ, even if you lose a lot, you do not lose the goodness and mercy of God.  Even if you should die as a result of life's challenges and tragedies, you will not lose your place in the kingdom of God.  The Savior who conquered death in his resurrection will raise you up at the Last Day to live in glory forevermore.  So, having this rock-solid foundation matters.  Jesus alone is the solid foundation; and nothing matters more than that. 
     But how do you know you have built your life on it?  Remember, the houses of both builders looked fine until the storms came.  So, how can you be sure that you are not deceived?  Jesus answers: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24)  Did you catch that?  Jesus did not merely say, “Pay attention to God's word,” which is what we heard in the lesson from Deuteronomy.  Jesus commands you to heed “these words of mine.” (Matthew 7:24)  Every once in a while, you may hear someone assert that Jesus never claimed to be God.  But he surely does.  Jesus says that his words alone are the words that save.  Jesus alone provides a foundation that will never be destroyed or even moved.  Jesus alone is the solid foundation for you.
     Jesus answers: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24)  Now, if you strive to do all that Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, you will find it impossible to do.  God may have filled you with a desire to do it—and you should because it is God's will—but you can't.  You and I are sinners, and we still fail to hear and do all that Jesus tells us.  But Jesus' words are not just commandments.  Jesus' words are also words of grace.  Jesus alone is the solid foundation for you.  You will not be destroyed on this foundation; for Jesus alone saves you.
     If Jesus is the solid foundation, that means everything rests on Jesus.  Jesus does not tell us God's commands no longer apply.  Jesus does not change God's will.  God's will is unchanging and unending.  Rather, Jesus fulfills God's will.  The obedience that God commands Jesus has done for us.  And the judgment we deserve Jesus has endured on our behalf.  By this exchange—Jesus' holiness in exchange for our guilt, and Jesus' condemnation in exchange for our pardon—we are redeemed.  We are delivered into God's kingdom.  The Lord himself establishes us on a foundation which remains in all circumstances.  The storms of life may pound on you hard, and they may sweep away many things that seem important and precious, but they cannot drive away the love, mercy, and salvation of Jesus.  Loss of wealth does not eliminate the riches of heaven.  Loss of reputation does not change your status as God's saint.  Not even death can rob you of the resurrection to eternal life.  On the Last Day when all will be raised from the dead to stand in judgment before the Lord, you will stand in confidence.  For you will not be judged on your merits, but on Christ's.  You do not stand on your own foundation; Jesus alone is the solid foundation for you.  This will never be taken from you.
     Jesus alone is the solid foundation.  He urges us not to be deceived by what seems right, what looks right, or what sounds right.  When Satan seeks to deceive us, he is going to make his lies sound right and sensible.  For example, he will tell you that Jesus just wants you to be happy.  It sounds appealing; I want to be happy too!  But sadly, my sinful nature especially wants to be happy and leads me to crave things that will perish—sports, entertainment, food and drink, leisure, and so on.  While those things are not wicked, and while such things will make me happy until my dying day, none of them save me on my dying day or any day before then.  But Satan will convince me that God wants me to have them because he wants me to be happy.  “Beware of false prophets.” (Matthew 7:15)  They are seductive and will help you build a lovely house but it will all collapse in the end.
     Jesus alone is the solid foundation for you.  Here is the hard truth: God does not want you to be happy; God wants you to be saved.  God wants you to know that his favor rests upon you, even when storms come, destroy your happiness, and make you miserable.  God wants you to know that, when you are struggling with guilt and regret, that the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies you of all sin.  God wants you to know that when the storms of life separate you from wealth, health, and even loved ones, nothing will separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  And God wants you to talk about these things regularly with your family and loved ones so that they are not seduced by momentary pleasures.  If your goal is to make your family happy, you will give them worldly gifts which will make them excited for a while.  If your goal is to see your family in heaven, then you will teach them Jesus' words and bring them to receive Jesus' gifts.  That will give them a foundation which will enable them to stand in the worst of storms and at the final judgment.
     Jesus alone is the solid foundation which guarantees forgiveness, peace, and life everlasting.  All other things will pass away.  But Jesus lives and reigns forever, and only those who trust in him will live and reign with him.

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

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 23, 2019)

1 KINGS 8:22-23,41-43

THE LORD'S COVENANT IS 

EXTENDED TO ALL PEOPLE.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Under King Solomon, the nation of Israel built a temple for the worship of the Lord.  It was one of the most ornate and expensive buildings ever constructed, with panels of cedar, the interior overlaid with gold, and intricate designs cast into it.  Solomon offered the prayer of dedication.  The temple was dedicated to the Lord.  It was the place where the Lord put his name and would dwell among his people.  It was a place where only the priests of Israel could enter.  It was a place where only the people of Israel could offer their sacrifices.  It was Israel's temple for Israel's God.
     The Lord had chosen the nation of Israel to be his own.  This was not an act of favoritism—as if the Lord was disinterested in the rest of the world.  Israel was God's chosen people.  And chosen for what?  God chose them to be the people through whom the Savior would come into the world.  Therefore, the Lord had made a covenant with Israel to set them apart.  It was designed to preserve them as a nation of God-fearing people through whom the Savior would be born.  It is an undeniable truth, and even Jesus says it: “Salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22); but that has never meant that salvation is exclusively for the Jews.
     When Solomon offered his prayer of dedication for the Lord's temple, he recognized that the Lord would gather in people from outside the nation of Israel.  Solomon's prayer was not that God would treat them with less interest or mercy.  Solomon recognized God's will is that God our Savior desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3,4)  Therefore, Solomon prayed, “When a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name's sake (for they shall hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you...” (1 Kings 8:41-43)  The Lord's covenant is extended to all people.
     I don't know how shocking this petition was to the Israelites who heard Solomon's prayer.  It was easy for Israel to think that this temple was exclusively theirs, and that even God's mercy and salvation were exclusively theirs.  They had a hard time believing God was serious about this: The Lord's covenant is extended to all people.
     It is also very easy for us to think that the kingdom of God is exclusively ours.  It is especially true if you have grown up in the Christian church and have known nothing else.  You might feel that you are in God's kingdom because you have proven yourself.  You have put in the time, the money, the effort, and the prayers.  Therefore, you conclude, God made a good choice when he chose you—as if you were an investment that God made which paid off.  But this is wholly untrue.
     Your place in this world and particularly in God's kingdom is purely an act of God's grace.  Where you born in a Christian home?  Thank God for it!  For, God did not owe you life, much less a life in a Christian home where your parents brought you to church and taught you the promises of God.  You cannot say you proved yourself because these things happened to you.  Rather, these prove God's goodness to you.  While you have benefited from God's grace, God's good and gracious will remains constant: God our Savior desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3,4)  You are among those who are saved and have the knowledge of the truth.  But understand this, too: The Lord desires this to be extended to all people.
     King Solomon recognized that in his prayer.  He understood that people would “hear of your great name and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm.” (1 Kings 8:42)  Whenever the Scriptures speak about the Lord's mighty hand and outstretched arm, the image is not merely that God is powerful.  The image is that we have a God who saves.  God's mighty hand and outstretched arm in the Old Testament were most visible when God delivered his people out of Egypt.  God's people were oppressed and enslaved by the most powerful nation on earth.  But God rescued the Israelites from their enemies.  While Israel feasted with their Passover meal, the Egyptians were mourning the death of their firstborn.  While the Egyptians were burying their dead, the nation of Israel—men, women, children, flocks, and herds—walked out of Egypt unhindered.  When the Egyptian army chased down the Israelites and pinned them down at the shore of the Red Sea, the Lord drove back the waters.  The Israelites walked on dry ground to the opposite shore.  When the Egyptian army pursued them, the Lord returned the waters of the Red Sea and wiped the army out.  Israel had won a great victory in which they had done nothing.  The Lord won the victory with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and God's people benefited from God's work.
     God's arm has been revealed even more powerfully in conquering your enemies for you.  Jesus has come—the Savior of the Nations; for, God so loves the world.  And Jesus has taken on your enemies.  Jesus battled sin, death, and the devil for you.  Jesus carried your sins to the cross and with an outstretched arm has paid for them all.  Jesus went into death for you, but has risen from the grave with a mighty hand.  Jesus has overcome and released you from all your enemies.  Sin no longer condemns you; you are forgiven.  Death cannot keep you; Jesus has destroyed the power of death.  The devil cannot claim you; for God has put his name on you.  The devil cannot even accuse you; for Jesus has made you blameless in the sight of the heavenly Father.  You are now the chosen people of God.  Chosen for what?  You are chosen to be set apart from a cursed and corrupt world, set apart to honor God with godly lives, and set apart to receive God's salvation.  God has made known to us  “(his) great name and (his) mighty hand, and (his) outstretched arm.” (1 Kings 8:42)  He did not limit his salvation to a few; he won salvation for all.  The Lord's covenant is extended to all people.
     This salvation is found nowhere else.  That is why Solomon acknowledged: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart.” (1 Kings 8:22-23)  There is no other forgiveness, no other way to eternal life, and no other Savior; for, there is no other God.  He has shown you his mercy so that you delight in his word.  He comforts you by his promises, and he conforms you so that you are eager to live according to his will.
     The Lord's covenant is extended to all people.  We are among the foreigners whom Solomon prayed for.  And there are many more who need this salvation.  God desires them to have it, and so do we.  Like Solomon, we do well to pray that this house which bears our God's name would be a beacon to which many more will come to pray to God and to receive good things from him.  They will only receive it, however, if God's name, God's mighty hand, and God's outstretched arm are made known to those around us. 
     The Lord's covenant is to be extended to all people.  This house bears God's name because God comes to us here through the good news which reveals his mercy, through the sacraments which bestow his blessings, and through the praises of his people who rejoice in his salvation.  You bear God's name because you are his chosen people.  And you and I get to declare the goodness of God whose mighty hand and outstretched arm have worked a great salvation for all.  Through our proclamation and praises, the Holy Spirit extends his kingdom to others. 
     The Lord's covenant has been extended to include us.  Let us commit ourselves to the labor of extending it to others.  For, God so loves the world.  Jesus is the Savior of the Nations.  Our Lord desires his salvation to be delivered to all people.  As this was the prayer of Solomon, as this was the mission of the temple, as this is the will of God, let it be our prayer, our mission, and our will, too. 

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

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 3, 2018)

DEUTERONOMY 5:12-15

THE SABBATH IS FOR SALVATION.

In the name + of Jesus.

     We have all been taught that the definition for “holy” is to be without sin.  That is true to a point, but it is not entirely right.  When we speak of the Holy Bible, we do not mean to say the-Bible-without-sin.  When we speak of Holy Communion, we do not mean “Communion-without-sin.”  Even when we speak of God's holy people, we do not mean to say that we are without sin.  After all, we confess our sin in every Divine Service.  To be holy means to be set apart by God for his special purpose.  Therefore, the Bible is the book set apart for God's special purpose.  Communion is bread and wine consecrated for God's special purpose—in fact, the means by which Jesus comes to us in his very presence, giving to us the very body and blood which were sacrificed at the cross and which are risen from the dead.  And you are, indeed, God's holy people.  You have been set apart by the Holy Spirit as Christ's redeemed—saved by grace through faith created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)  
     The Lord had set apart the Israelites to be an entire nation holy to the Lord—chosen for his special purpose as the people through whom the Savior would come.  The Lord also commanded them to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.  That is, they were to set apart that day for God's special purpose.  It was a day on which they were to refrain from all work.  This was more than a command to take a day off so that they would not run themselves into the ground because of too heavy a work schedule.  While there is wisdom in that, the Lord's purpose was greater.
     When the Lord first gave the commandment, he linked it with creation.  He spoke at Mt. Sinai: “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day.  Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:11)  God's people were to follow the pattern set by the Lord.  For six days, they were to labor and care for their needs—shepherding their flocks,   tilling their fields, building their homes, buying, selling, and carrying on business.  All of these were beneficial and necessary for them to live.  But the seventh day was to be a day of rest.
     Why?  The Sabbath is for salvation.  It was to be holy—a day set apart for the Lord.  For six days, the Israelites would labor and serve their neighbor.  But on the seventh day, they were to rest.  The Lord would serve them.  And so it is for you.  You are God's holy people, set apart for God's purpose.  All week long, you labor.  You go to work.  You care for your family.  You tend to your business.  All these are beneficial and necessary to live.  But you need the Sabbath far more—not for a break from work, but for salvation and life everlasting.  This time is holy, that is, set apart for God's purpose.  We do not come to God's house to do something for God.  After all, what do we bring to the service that God needs?  Nothing.  We are beggars.  We come indebted to God because we have not given him the love, the obedience, and the dedication that we owe him.  We may be God's holy people, but our lives do not reflect the title.  We all come as guilty sinners.
     But the Sabbath is for salvation.  Here, it does not matter what your income is, if your work is recognized or ignored, or if your labors are fulfilling or drudgery.  Here, you rest, and God serves you.  Here, the Lord provides all that you need for your salvation.  When you invoke God's name, God reminds you that you are baptized into Christ and are clothed in his perfect obedience.  You confess your sins, but the Lord abolves you of all guilt.  When you confess your faith, you repeat the promises which reveal God's mercy and assure your eternal life.  You come to the altar where Jesus gives you the body and blood which were given into death for your sins and which have overcome death to give you new life.  Here, God proclaims his word, gives direction for your lives, comforts heavy hearts, soothes fearful minds, relieves guilty souls, and grants everlasting life.  The Sabbath is for salvation.
     When the Lord first commanded the Sabbath at Mt. Sinai, he connected it to the week of creation.  When Moses repeated the commandments about four decades later, he made a different connection.  He declared, “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.  Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” (Deuteronomy 5:14-15)  Moses connected the Sabbath to Israel's deliverance from Egypt.  When the Lord delivered Israel from the land of Egypt, the Lord did all the work.  Israel did not need to draw up battle lines, polish their shields, or sharpen swords and spears.  In fact, Israel did not have weapons at all.  The Lord acted on their behalf.  The Lord put the Egyptian army to death.  Israel celebrated their salvation even though they did nothing but benefit from the Lord's work on their behalf. 
     That is also how we are to remember the blessings of our Divine Services as well.  The Sabbath is connected to Jesus' deliverace.  Jesus Christ has delivered you from sin, death, and the devil by his works.  Jesus bore your guilt when he went to the cross.  He endured the curse sinners deserve.  You did not suffer God's wrath, and you won't.  Jesus has delivered you from your sins so that you will not be condemned for them.  Jesus has also delivered you from death.  Jesus died for you, but then Jesus overcame the grave at his resurrection.  And this is what he promises to you, too.  The grave may hold you for a moment, but Jesus will raise you up; for you do not belong to death, but to Jesus who is victorious over death.  And Jesus also delivers you from the devil.  The devil will continue to hound you all your life about your sins.  He will accuse you and try to convince you that you are not good enough to be saved.  But the devil is a liar.  Jesus Christ has rendered his verdict upon you: You are forgiven.  And Jesus has delivered you from the devil's grasp.  The devil does not rage because he has you, but because he doesn't.  You are Christ's.  Therefore, you are saved.
     The Sabbath is for salvation because this salvation is delivered to you when we gather to hear his words and to receive his sacraments.  Salvation is not delivered to you because you are busy and obedient all week long.  While your good works are pleasing service to the Lord and beneficial to your fellow man, they do not save you.  After all, most people are busy all week long.  Many are diligent in taking care of their families and good at their jobs.  They may even be more generous, more cheerful, and more polite than you.  But diligence does not erase disobedience, and being polite does not purify anyone from their guilt.  Only Jesus Christ does that.  Jesus does not give salvation to people who work hard; Jesus gives salvation to people who rest. 
     That is why the Church continues to observe the Sabbath.  The Sabbath is for salvation.  Salvation is not given at the office, in the mountains, in the coffee shop, or at the gym.  Salvation is not given because you are successful, because you are well-liked, or because you are busy.  The Sabbath is holy, set apart for God's purpose of saving sinners.  Whenever we gather in the name of Jesus, Jesus is present with his gifts of forgiveness, new life, and salvation.  It is in the preached word that God's grace is bestowed.  It is in the sacraments that God's mercy is given.  It is through the Church that our Lord brings people into his kingdom.  He does the work; we rest from our labors and from all effort to try to make God happy.  When we rest, we get to hear that our Lord is pleased with us for Jesus' sake.  And when our last day comes, our Lord will be at work again to deliver us from this sinful world to the eternal rest of heaven.  And then, we will have our eternal Sabbath.

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

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 18, 2017)

DEUTERONOMY 11:18-21,26-28

BIND YOURSELF TO 

GOD'S WORD AND BLESSING.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The words which Moses proclaimed in our lesson were written in the book of Deuteronomy.  Deuteronomy means “second law”, or second giving of the Law.  When the Law was first given at Mt. Sinai, these Israelites were little children or had not even been born.  Forty years later, Moses repeated the covenant to this next generation of Israelites as they were poised to enter the Promised Land.  Moses spoke in very plain terms.  “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today, to go after other gods that you have not known.” (Deuteronomy 11:26-28)  
     Moses' plea was not a call to conversion.  These Israelites were already God's chosen people under the covenant.  Moses' encouraged them to remain faithful to that covenant.  He urged Israel: Bind yourself to God's Word and blessing.
     When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they were to exterminate the Canaanite nations who lived there.  The Canaanites had devoted themselves to perverse religious practices for centuries, and the Lord's patience for their repentance had worn out.  Israel was to be the agent of God's judgment against them.  But another reason God gave for exterminating them was so that Israel would not listen to the Canaanites and follow their ways.  Israel was to bind themselves to the word of the Lord alone and, by binding themselves to the Lord, to continue to receive his blessings.
     Unfortunately, the Israelites did not listen to God's word.  They spared many of the Canaanites and listened to them.  Israel adopted their practices and blended them in with the worship of the Lord.  So, although the Israelites perverted their worship, they would still insist that they were faithful to the Lord.  But if they had listened to God's word, they would not have adopted practices God condemned.  They did not listen to God's word or follow it; therefore they forfeited God's blessing and fell under his curse.
     Like these Israelites of old, you too are God's chosen people.  You have been chosen by God and redeemed by Jesus.  You have been cleansed of your sin in baptism and have been clothed in garments of salvation.  Through his minister, Jesus' voice absolves you of all your sins and his word directs you in godly living.  The Holy Spirit has set you apart from sin, death, and Satan, and the Holy Spirit has set you apart for lives of purity and compassion and serving your fellow man.
     Like these Israelites of old, you too are in need of the encouragement Moses gave.  Bind yourself to God's word so that you remain under his blessing and favor; for, Satan will not leave you alone.  Now, Satan cannot abduct you from the kingdom of God or wrestle you away from Jesus.  Jesus declares, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” (John 10:27-29)  Since Satan cannot snatch you from Jesus or steal your faith from you, he tries to lure you away from Jesus.
     Satan speaks to you with a seductive voice.  His lies sound appealing, true, and reasonable.  He tells you that God's word is contradictory because he wants you to view God's word with suspicion.  Satan wants you to take pride in yourself, your opinions, and your preferences because he wants you to be the judge over God.  He wants you to assess God's word by asking, “Does this fit my life?  Do I really want to live like I believe this?”   The world also has many voices which bombard you with its own version of truth.  For example, the world condemns almost no one.  The world is highly offended when we call someone a sinnner.  Therefore, when God forbids sins and condemns the guilty, the world challenges, “What kind of God is so vindictive and hateful?  Why can't he love the way we love?  Our love is so much bigger and better!”  Since you know that God is love, you are inclined to accept the world's definition of love and reshape your view of God, turning him into a god who has no problem with sins, and who is neither holy nor a threat.  Suddenly, you believe in a god who is no god at all.
     Be warned!  The world is not interested in having a debate with God's word.  It has already passed judgment and has decreed itself true.  God's word has been declared hypocritical and hateful.  If you confess it, guess what sentence the world will pass on you!  The world has no love or tolerance for God's word or for people who confess it with their words and actions.  You can't avoid all these voices.  They speak constantly, even convincingly.  So, while the devil cannot snatch you out of the kingdom of God, he can certainly talk you out of it.  He would do with us what he did to Israel: He teaches us to blend worldly attitudes with Christian faith so that we adopt what is evil by still believe that we are honoring the Lord—as if God is content with us being intoxicated or obscene, with our lying or fornicating.  This brought God's curse on Israel; we earn God's curse by this too.  Repent.
     Since you are continually being bombarded by the voices from the devil and this world, you will need to hear the voice of your Savior all the more.  Bind yourself to God's word and blessing.  Listen to your Good Shepherd's voice.  This is the voice that reminds you that all have sinned, but it is also the voice that reminds you that Jesus Christ has come for sinners.  If you refuse to be a sinner, then Jesus has nothing for you.  But for sinners, Jesus has removed your curse.  The curse we have earned for our sins Jesus has taken from us and carried it to the cross.  There, Jesus endured what sinners have earned.  There, Jesus died under God's wrath so that you, in turn, would receive God's forgiveness and blessing.  Then Jesus rose from the dead to show you that his payment for your sins is sufficient.  Jesus' resurrection guarantees your own resurrection to eternal life.  You aren't saved because you are better; you are saved because Jesus has taken your sins from you.  There is no other salvation because there is no other Savior.
     Listen to what Moses tells you: “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 11:18-19)  The voices from the devil and the world never stop.  Therefore, do not limit the voice of our Lord to Sunday mornings, and do not give the impression that the Christian faith is restricted to these four walls.  God's word is always needed to correct, to guide, to encourage and to console—whenever you get up or go to bed, whenever you are on the road or at home.  God's word is needed to direct your steps no matter what you put your hand to or open your eyes to.  You have been set apart by Jesus for godly living at all times; that's because you have been set apart for his blessing and salvation at all times.
     Bind yourself to God's word and blessing.  Teach these things to your children.  If you want your children to be Christians and to see them in heaven with you, then see to it that you are talking about God's word when you are on the road or at home, when you lie down and when you get up.  Show them that God's word is not merely story time, but it is salvation.  It matters, and it is the only thing that saves for all eternity.  No one else will do this work for you.  Your children will hear many voices throughout their lifetime.  But you get to see to it that they hear their Savior's voice so that it takes root them.  You know that they need it, because you need it, too.
     Bind yourself to God's word and blessing.  It is this word alone which will sustain you in the saving faith and which will comfort you in life and in death.  It is the one thing which you truly need for God's blessing.  And it is the only thing which saves.

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

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday after Pentecost (June 7, 2015)

LUKE 7:1-10 

GREAT FAITH TAKES THE LORD AT HIS WORD. 

  

In the name + of Jesus. 

     Anyone who has raised children has uttered the words, “Because I said so.”  These words are not a cop out.  Parents use these words because they are the God-ordained authority of the household.  Parents are responsible for the well-being of the house and the people in it.  They have to make and enforce the rules.  Children may buck the rules and challenge the parents.  They will demand to know why curfew is at 11 PM, why they have to dress up nice for a meal, or why they have to clean their rooms.  Parents reply, “Because I said so.”  It is a valid response.  It reinforces the rules.  And for what it is worth, it is still a valid response even when your children crack 20 years old.
     If children chafe under their parents' authority, it is because the children are sinners.  This is the very same reason we chafe under God's word.  God sets the standard of what is good and evil, what is right and wrong.  God tells us to embrace the good and to do it.  God tells us to abhor the evil and shun it.  Our sinful nature, however, likes what is evil.  And since we don't want to be judged or condemned for doing what is evil or failing to live up to what is good, we choose to redefine what is good and evil.  Basically, our standard comes down to this: If we like it or want to do it, it is good.  Our gratification trumps God's word.  And so, we defend our family, our friends, and ourselves when we cheat, fornicate, lie, or neglect God's word and sacraments.  To further soothe our consciences, we assume that God has adopted our new standards of good and evil.  We reject God's, “Because I said so,” for our own preferences.  This is unbelief.  It is rejection of God's word.  And there is no hope for any who reject God's word.  Repent.
     A Roman centurion understood the power of an authoritative word.  He had a highly-esteemed servant who was at the point of death.  He had heard about Jesus, and he sent elders from the Jews to Jesus so that Jesus might come, lay his hands on his servant, and heal him.  But the Roman officer had a change of heart.  He did not pull rank on Jesus, explaining that he was a Roman and an officer.  He said, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.  Therefore I did not presume to come to you.  But say the word, and let my servant be healed.  For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Luke 7:6-8)
     The Roman centurion understood the power of an authoritative word.  He was answerable to officers in command of him, and he himself had 100 men in his charge.  When orders were given, they would be followed.  As an officer, the centurion did not have to back up his commands with, “Because I say so.”  His rank and position gave his word its authority.  This Roman centurion recognized that Jesus is the Lord.  He is the Creator of heaven and earth.  Just as Jesus brought all things into being by his say so, so also he could simply give the word and heal the centurion's servant.  Since Jesus is the Lord, his word has all authority.  If Jesus would merely give his, “Because I say so,” the servant would be healed.  Great faith takes the Lord at his word.
     For the only time in the Gospels (in a positive sense, anyway), we hear these words: Jesus ... marveled at him. (Luke 7:9)  Jesus was amazed that this Roman did not seek a performance from Jesus, just a word.  Jesus' authoritative word would be enough.  It would accomplish what Jesus said it would.  Turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” (Luke 7:9)  Great faith takes the Lord at his word.  The centurion believed that when God speaks, everything he says is true.  When God gives the word, it is so.
     The reason that we must cling to all that God says is for our own salvation.  We do not have the right to dismiss parts of God's word because they are difficult, restrictive, or damning.  If we do not believe God's judgment and wrath are real, why should we believe that God's mercy and love are real?  If we don't believe the part that exposes our sins is true, how can we believe the part that forgives our sins is true?  Great faith takes the Lord at his word.  When God exposes us to be sinners, God is right.  When God calls us to repent, it is right to confess our sins and flee from them.
     The Roman centurion approached Jesus with great faith, but also with great humility.  Even though his friends insisted, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue” (Luke 7:4,5), the centurion did not share their assessment.  He confessed, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy....” (Luke 7:6)  The centurion did not make demands of Jesus.  He sought nothing but mercy—and not even for himself!  He eagerly yearned for a word that would save, and he was not disappointed.  Great faith takes the Lord at his word.
     You also have such an authoritative word which saves you.  The Lord Jesus has delivered you from your sins.  He paid the price for sinners who chafe under God's commands and who have turned against God's word.  Jesus did not chafe under God's judgment, however; he willingly submitted to it.  Even though it was not just, Jesus endured the damning punishment for sins he did not commit.  It was not just, but it was grace.  Jesus took up your sins so that he could deliver forgiveness to you.  Jesus suffered your hell so that he could deliver salvation to you.  Jesus died your death and conquered it so that he could promise to you your own resurrection from the dead to everlasting glory.
     Jesus Christ has delivered this salvation to you through his word.  He has attached that word to water where he has washed you clean of all sin and clothed you in garments of salvation.  How can water do such great things?  It is certainly not the water which does such things, but God's word which is in and with the water and faith which trust this word used with the water. (Luther's Small Catechism; 3rd part of Holy Baptism)  He attaches that word to bread and wine where he summons you, “Take.  Eat and drink for the forgiveness of your sins.”  How can eating and drinking do such great things?  It is certainly not the eating and drinking that does such things, but the words “Given” and “poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins.” (Luther's Small Catechism; 3rd part of Holy Communion)  It is as he said: “for the forgiveness of sins.”  The Lord speaks through the mouth of his minister to the penitent who grieve over their sins.  And through his minister, Jesus declares, “I forgive you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  In this way, the Lord brings forgiveness to you.  This is as valid and certain in heaven also, as if Christ, our dear Lord, dealt with us himself.  For Jesus says, “Whatever you loose on earth will be loosed—that is, forgiven—in heaven.” (Luther's Small Catechism; Ministry of the Keys, part 2)  Forgiveness, salvation, and God's love are yours because God has decreed them.
     Great faith takes the Lord at his word.  You have his “Because I said so,” and therefore it is so.  His word is greater than your feelings.  His word dispels your doubts.  His word puts an end to your fears.  His word even overrules the devil who tries to convince you that your sins are too great or your faith is not strong enough.  To that, Jesus says, “Nonsense!  I forgive you.  I have saved you.  I have marked you as children of the resurrection and heirs of the heavenly kingdom.  It is so, because I said so!”  And great faith takes the Lord at his word.
     

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