YouTube -- 3rd Sunday after Epiphany (January 21, 2024)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, January 21, 2024.

Sermon -- 3rd Sunday after Epiphany (January 21, 2024)

MARK 1:14-20

JESUS COMES WITH A STRANGE GRACE.

In the name + of Jesus.

     This is what the Lord says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8).  Page after page of the Scriptures shows us that God does not act like we think he should.  Day after day in life shows us that God does not act like we think he should. 

     The Bible tells us why.  Sin clouds our minds and our judgment.  We are convinced that we know what is right and good and just.  We would like to step into the role of God and correct the wrongs that we see.  We are convinced that we can do it better than God can because, somehow, we know better.  Even though we feel this way, we prove ourselves to be double-minded.  On the one hand, we complain that God does not strike down the wicked so that they will cause no more harm.  Well, God did just that when he sent the Flood in Noah’s day.  Through that flood, God destroyed the entire population of the world expect for those who were saved in the ark.  But then we complain, “Why did God treat people so brutally?  Where’s the compassion?”  So, which is it?  God should strike down the wicked or God should let the wicked go?  We tend to answer both ways.  Let us confess that we have limited knowledge and biased judgment and be content to accept what the Lord has told us: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8). 

     We see this again when Jesus began to call his disciples.  He does not do it the way it makes sense to us.  He comes with strange grace.  St. Mark wrote, “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God” (Mark 1:14).  John was arrested in Galilee.  Wouldn’t it have been safer for Jesus to stay away for a while?  Jesus did not think so.  Jesus came to Galilee to call disciples to himself.  But that is strange, too.  If you wanted to be rich in knowledge and theology, then Jerusalem was the place to be.  If you wanted to get rich in agriculture or fishing, then Galilee was the place to be.  So, where is the obvious place Jesus should go to find people to follow him and to preach the word of God for him?  Jerusalem!  That’s where the rabbinic schools were.  That is where the priests were.  But no, Jesus went to Galilee.  Jesus comes with a strange grace.

     And it gets stranger.  Jesus did not recruit his disciples from the synagogues.  That would make sense.  Instead, “passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.  And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’  And immediately they left their nets and followed him” (Mark 1:16-18).  He did the same with James and John.  Jesus did not seek the company of scholars and rabbis.  He found fishermen.  It would be like saying, “Our church needs a new pastor.  I know!  Let’s go down to the wharf to find one!”  That’s a rougher crowd than you would expect Jesus to recruit. 

     Jesus comes with a strange grace.  Just knowing the character of his disciples shows you that.  We do not know too much about Andrew; the Bible doesn’t give us much information on him.  But we do know a lot about his brother, Simon Peter.  Peter was a man of action, bold and brash.  He often said things and did things before thinking them through.  One examples comes in the Garden of Gethsemane when Peter took it upon himself to fight in defense of Jesus.  Judas Iscariot came with a band of soldiers to arrest Jesus.  One of the Gospel writers used the word “centurion” which is the commander of 100.  So, there was a large company of professionally trained soldiers.  What did Simon Peter do?  He took out his dagger and started to swing away to defend Jesus.  Brave?  Perhaps.  I think foolhardy would be the better term.  If Jesus had not rebuked Peter, he would have been a pincushion for Roman swords.

     As for James and John, they were given the nickname “sons of thunder.”  They were a bit rowdy, and their blood could run hot.  For example, when Jesus began to travel to Jerusalem, he intended to stay in a Samaritan village.  When the Samaritans refused to let Jesus stay in their village, James and John suggested calling down fire from heaven to destroy the place.  A bit of an overreaction, wouldn’t you say?  To liken this village to Sodom and Gomorrah?  These are some of the men Jesus called to be his disciples.  We might have concluded that they were not the right men for the job.  But Jesus comes with a strange grace.

     We tend to put these disciples on a pedestal because they became apostles of Jesus.  But the Bible shows us that Jesus called flawed men to follow him.  But that is all of us, isn’t it?  Our story will not be recorded in the best-selling, most-read book in the history of the world.  But we all have stories that we would just assume would never be told.  We don’t want to be reminded of our sin and shame.  Nevertheless, we are haunted by those stories.  Even if others never hear them, we know them because we lived them.  We have turned our backs on friends, used people, and let others take the blame for our sins.  Like the disciples Jesus called, we have shot off our mouths, acted without thinking, and prayed for the death of people who have disrespected us.  The Bible reminds us, “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4).  The shame we feel is appropriate.  Our death is deserved, and our judgment has been earned.  Repent.

     But Jesus comes with a strange grace.  He knows our hearts and minds.  There are no secrets with him.  Yet, he does not turn away from us in disgust.  He calls us to himself.  He is eager to have us follow him, be with him, and converse with him.  That does not mean Jesus doesn’t care about our sins or that he overlooks them.  Instead, he comes to pay for them.  He takes up a debt that he did not incur and makes the payment he did not owe.

     Jesus comes with a strange grace.  He declared, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).  To repent, in part, means to turn away from sins and flee from them.  But it also means to give up trying to make our own case with God—that our sins are not that bad, that we are better than most, that we have good qualities that should be rewarded, that God should relax his Commandments, that God should be soft in his judgment, and so on.  If we repent of everything about ourselves, then we must rely completely on Jesus to take away everything in us that is corrupt.  If we repent of everything about ourselves, then we must rely on Jesus to credit us with everything that would make us innocent. 

     Jesus comes with a strange grace, because Jesus comes to do exactly these things for us.  Rather than breathe out words of cursing and vengeance, Jesus suffered in silence for us.  Rather than strike back at others, Jesus endured the punches and being spit upon for us.  Rather than slaughter those who plotted his demise, Jesus endured the death that sinners deserve.  Jesus lived and died in pure innocence, loving even his most vicious enemies.  He bore the curse for everyone.  In doing so, Jesus has taken away your sins, the punishment you’ve earned, and the curse you deserve.  In turn, Jesus has washed you clean through holy baptism.  Your shame has been covered with his righteousness.  He bestows upon you the very innocence you need to dwell in the kingdom of God.  None of this is earned or deserved by us, but Jesus gives it freely. 

     “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).  This gospel is this: God loves sinners and wants us to dwell with him forever.  The kingdom of God is a kingdom of grace.  This grace is strange and marvelous to us, but it is the very nature of God.  While it is strange, it need not be surprise.  Remember the word of the Lord: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8). 

     Jesus called Andrew and Simon, James and John to follow him, but it was more than that.  Jesus told them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17).  Just as Jesus plucked up these men from the murky depths of sin and death, so they would snatch others up for the Lord.  Why these men?  For the same reason you get to do it.  You and I know what it is to be shown mercy.  You and I know what it is to live with secret shame, and we know what it is for the Lord to relieve our guilt and to cleanse us in the blood of Jesus.  We know what it is to have stories that we never want told, and we know what it is that our story now is that we are forgiven and beloved by God.  So, who better than you to proclaim this mercy to other sinners?  Who better than you to be merciful to those who are ashamed or afraid?  Who better than you to demonstrate the patience, kindness, and faithfulness of God?  It will seem like a strange grace to people who know that you don’t owe them anything.  And they will marvel that so much would be invested in them for their good.

     Jesus comes with a strange grace.  Does it seem like God knows what he is doing in calling you, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17)?  Perhaps not, because you know your past, and you know what you still are—still weak, still flawed, still sinful.  For this reason, others might challenge what right you have to speak about sin and grace.  If you are only trying to promote yourself, their scorn is valid.  But we don’t preach ourselves.  We are not the good news.  We preach Jesus Christ who comes with strange grace.  He brings relief to the guilty and hope to the dying.

     Even if you feel that you are not up to speaking for Jesus, fear not.  Jesus said that he would make you become fishers of men.  As you follow Jesus, he trains you.  You not only hear his word, but you take it to heart.  Jesus works in your heart so that you learn to think, to speak, and to act like Jesus.  Then, it is Jesus who at work in you.  As you confess his word, Jesus plucks up people from the murky depths of sin and death.  It is Jesus who makes his call powerful and effective, even if it comes through the mouth of sinners. 

     This grace comes through the strangest of places—through the mouths of Andrew and Simon, through the testimony of James and John, and through the confession made by you.  And this grace comes the kingdom of our loving Savior.  How strange, and yet how wonderful, that Jesus died in innocence to save the guilty!  How strange, and yet how wonderful, that the saved are now called to save others.  The time has been fulfilled.  The kingdom of God is at hand.  Jesus has come.  Let us follow him for every good thing.

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

YouTube -- 3rd Sunday after Epiphany (January 22, 2023)

Here is the service from Sunday, January 22, 2023.  The guest preacher for the day was Rev. Mark Porinsky who is retired.  Previously, Pastor Porinsky served for about 40 years at Faith Lutheran Church of Dexter, Michigan.

YouTube -- 3rd Sunday after Epiphany (January 23, 2022)

Here is the service from January 23, 2022.

Sermon -- 3rd Sunday after Epiphany (January 23, 2022)

ISAIAH 61:1-6

THE LORD’S ANOINTED RELIEVES AND RESTORES.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Isaiah’s prophecy begins with the words, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me” (Isaiah 61:1).  If there is any confusion about who the “me” is, Jesus cleared that up.  He went to the synagogue in Nazareth and was given the privilege to do the reading and to preach on it.  The appointed reading for the day just happened to be Isaiah 61.  After the reading, Jesus began his sermon: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).  The “me” of Isaiah is Jesus.  He is the Lord’s Anointed.

     Isaiah foretold a seven-fold blessing which the Lord’s Anointed would bestow through his preaching.  He would later secure those blessings with his sufferings and death.  Here is what the Lord’s Anointed would do: “The Lord has anointed me 1) to bring good news … 2) to bind up the brokenhearted … 3) to proclaim liberty; … 4) to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor; … 5) to comfort; … 6) to grant to those who mourn in Zion … 7) to give them a beautiful headdress …, the oil of gladness …, the garment of praise” (Isaiah 61:1-3).  The Lord’s Anointed was sent to relieve everything that has burdened the people and to restore everything that was ruined.

     While it would be worthwhile to explore each of these seven blessings, we will limit ourselves this morning to this: “The Lord has anointed me … to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound” (Isaiah 61:1).  The Old Testament Israelites knew of captivity through their 400 years in Egypt.  They were reduced to servitude and oppressed with hard labor.  The Egyptians even ordered the death of their baby boys so that the women would be absorbed into Egypt and the nation of Israel would cease to exist.  The Israelite nation longed to be free from their bondage, but it’s not like they could just walk away or refuse to obey.  They were captive to Egypt and in bondage to slavery.  It was not until the Lord acted to set them free that they finally had liberty.

     You and I have been under bondage to sin.  Even though you are forgiven children of God, you recognize the bondage and oppression of sin still in your lives.  Surely, you want to be free from sin, but you aren’t.  Sin still dwells within you.  Sin persists in your thoughts and comes out of your mouth.  It will not let you go.  As a result, you are also captive to death.  “The wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23), so we are all destined for the grave.  No one wants to die, but then no one has a choice either.

     Just as Israel was not free from captivity util the Lord acted to set them free, so the Lord’s anointed must act to relieve you of your burden and release you from your captivity to sin and death.  He gave himself in exchange for you.  He offered himself as the ransom which sets you free.  So, sin did to Jesus what it should have done to us.  He took the curse and was consumed in God’s wrath.  Jesus died the death we deserve—not just an agonizing death on a cross, but a God-forsaken death of judgment.  Jesus died for sins that we have done in weakness or on purpose.  Jesus died for sins we can’t recall and for sins we cannot seem to forget.  By taking your sins away from you, Jesus sets you free.  Your sins cannot condemn you because Jesus was convicted of them for you.  The Lord’s Anointed relieves you of your bondage to sin and its curse.

     The Lord’s Anointed also relieves you of death.  The worst that death can do is bring you to the fires of hell and endless torment.  But Jesus has relieved you of that sentence.  Jesus endured the horrors of death for you.  The eternal Son of God has endured the torment so that you will not.  Now, for you, death is but a slumber.  Scripture often speaks of death as a sleep from which Jesus will awaken you.  Now, you surely do not fear going to bed at night.  You probably look forward to it.  But when you sleep, you are dead to the world.  You don’t see anything.  You don’t hear anything.  You are completely unaware of anything that is going on.  But you go to sleep confident that you will wake up in the morning.  And isn’t that what death has become for those who are in Christ?  We go to our grave for a while, but on the Last Day, our Lord who holds authority over death and the grave, will summon us back to life.  He will relieve of death and decay, and he will awaken us into everlasting day.  He will raise us up with glorious, immortal bodies.  The Lord’s Anointed relieves us of death and restores to us life in God’s glorious presence.

     After Isaiah foretold what the Lord’s Anointed would deliver to us, he also foretold the benefits of his gracious decree.  After being relieved of their burdens and freed from their captivity, all that Israel lost would be restored.  In one respect, Isaiah’s prophecy was quite literal.  Isaiah prophesied more than 100 years before Israel’s captivity in Babylon.  Nevertheless, Isaiah was already foretelling of their return.  The cities and houses that were to be destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar would be rebuilt.  The land which was to be devastated would later be recultivated.  Again, the Lord would act to restore his people.  And a faithful remnant would resettle the Promised Land and wait for their Messiah.  The Lord’s Anointed relieves and restores. 

     And the Lord’s Anointed promises you much better!  One of the realities of living in this sinful world is that we lose the blessings God gives us.  The fault does not lie in the blessings.  God’s blessings are good gifts.  The fault does not lie with the Lord who both gives takes these blessings away.  He who gives them for a while has the right to withdraw them as he sees fit.  He does not give his gifts because they are deserved, and he does not take them away because he is petty or angry.  He does it out of wisdom and mercy, even if our losses cause pain.  If the Lord withdraws his blessings, it is because he is teaching you that us not to love or trust in them.  We don’t need the blessings; we need the God who supplies whatever is for our good.  Throughout your life, you’ve probably lost wealth and property; yet you still have enough.  You’ve lost friends and family members; yet God is still good and merciful.  Eventually, we lose our dexterity, our mobility, and finally our breath; but God does not forsake you.

     The Lord’s Anointed will restore all things.  He will raise us from the dead and give us everything that we truly need.  All his blessings will be perfect.  They will never lose value or effectiveness.  They cannot be lost or stolen.  Everything which is devastated or devalued by sin will be restored.  The Lord’s Anointed will restore what has been lost.  Those who have lost their senses will have their sight and hearing restored.  Those who have lost their ability and agility will have their bodies made whole.  Those who have become weak and frail will be restored to perfect strength.  Lost riches will be restored with much better riches.  A dying world will be restored to an everlasting Paradise.  The Lord’s Anointed gave us glimpse of this freedom with his miraculous healings.  The Lord’s Anointed relieves and restores.

     This also means that you will be relieved of all your struggles and weaknesses.  You have been relieved of the curse of sin already.  God’s pardon means your sin does not condemn you.  But your sinfulness still plagues you.  You are not proud of your sins.  You grow frustrated because you cannot overcome bad habits or because you do not produce the patience, kindness, generosity, or self-control you want.  But the Lord’s Anointed will relieve you of your weaknesses.  He will restore to you both the perfect desire and the perfect ability to do everything in accordance with God’s will.  And you will rejoice in doing it.  What joy to know that you will never again disappoint a loved one, fail to keep your word, or need to swallow your pride over boastful or hurtful words!  The Lord’s Anointed will restore you to a pure heart and mind and to glad and willing obedience.  The Lord’s Anointed relieves and restores.

     Jesus read the words: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor” (Isaiah 61:1).  Jesus was sent to deliver the good news of salvation to the poor.  That means all people because all are destitute of righteousness.  Jesus, however, supplies the righteousness people need.  And now, to you who have been given the righteousness that saves, Jesus calls you to declare this good news, too.  You do this both by words and actions.

     The Lord reminds you, “You shall be called the priests of the Lord; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God” (Isaiah 61:6).  Not everyone in Christ’s church is a pastor, but everyone is a priest.  A priest is one who speaks and acts for the Lord.  This is what you do throughout your life.  You sing his praise and call upon his name here.  You pray and teach God’s word with your family at home.  You invite your neighbors to come and hear God’s word with you and boldly confess the comfort and peace that Jesus gives to sinners.  You can boast how Jesus has relieved your fears and how he will restore your life to perfection and peace. 

     Your priestly duties are not limited to church.  You live and serve in God’s name no matter what you do.  Even the way you live toward your neighbor makes a confession to him.  You work honestly.  You act graciously.  You forgive freely.  You speak kindly.  You listen with compassion, and you respond with mercy.  Whatever you do, you do it as a priest of God and in service of Christ.  This is how you love your neighbor and bless him—whether your neighbor is your spouse, your client, or a stranger.  Your neighbor will recognize your deeds of love, and he will praise God for your service.

     The Spirit of the Father has anointed the Son who declares liberty for the captives and freedom for those who had been bound to sin and death.  In holy baptism, God the Son poured out his Spirit upon you and set you free.  Through preaching and holy communion, he keeps you free from the bondage to sin and death.  He relieves you of the guilt that bothers you and the death that stalks you.  He pardons you and promises you a resurrection to life everlasting.  He will restore to humanity the perfection it first had, and he will restore the world to the perfection of Eden.  The Lord’s Anointed was sent and commissioned for this very purpose: to relieve sinners and to restore righteousness.

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

YouTube -- 3rd Sunday after Epiphany (January 24, 2021)

 Here is the service from Sunday, January 24, 2021.

Sermon -- 3rd Sunday after Epiphany (January 24, 2021)

1 CORINTHIANS 7:29-31

CRAVE WHAT IS PERFECT, NOT WHAT IS PASSING AWAY.

In the name + of Jesus.

      You likely have heard the phrase, “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.”  You will rarely get what is perfect.  It is, practically speaking, unattainable.  Still, we want the perfect moment, the perfect sunset, a perfect marriage with perfect children, perfect health, and so on.  Whoever waits for these will be forever disappointed.  If you are waiting for the perfect job, you will probably never accept an offer for one.  But that doesn’t mean such things can’t be good.  Your moments, your marriage, your children, your job, and your health can all be good, and God can be praised for it.

     It is different, however, in the kingdom of God, especially in regard to the goal of our salvation.  We are not waiting for a heavenly kingdom that will be “good enough.”  It will be perfect.  There will be no sin, no struggles, no stress, and no sadness.  We will always have joy, peace, security, and rest.  These blessings will not be tainted.  The perfection will not get interrupted.  It will be the Paradise that our Lord always intended us to have; and God himself will be with us.  We will marvel at God, but we will not hide from him.  We will welcome him as a friend.  This is not fantasy; these are divine promises.  So, crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.

     When we read St. Paul’s instruction to the Corinthians, it might seem that St. Paul is telling us to abandon our responsibilities and our associations with everybody.  They are bold words, to be sure.  “This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short.  From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it.  For the present form of this world is passing away.” (1 Corinthians 7:29-31) 

     This world in its present form will come to an end.  Or it may be that your end comes before this world ends.  In either case, everything in this world has an expiration date.  In some cases, you will be able to rejoice and say, “Good riddance!”  Good riddance to the bitterness produced by politics.  Good riddance to the righteous anger whereby people try to establish how noble they are, rage against some injustice (whether real or perceived), and vilify people who have different opinions.  Good riddance to every heart-breaking loss.  Good riddance to every ache, itch, cramp, and blemish.

     But the end of all things also means the end of good things.  St. Paul said, “Let those who have wives live as though they had none.” (1 Corinthians 7:29)  Anyone who has enjoyed a good, strong marriage does not want it to end.  But they all do when death finally separates them.  St. Paul said, “Let those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing.” (1 Corinthians 7:30)  God gives us many reasons to rejoice.  We rejoice over our families, our friends, promotions, recognition, and accomplishments.  These are great blessings which fill life with pleasure and purpose.  But they will come to an end, too.  St. Paul advises, “Let those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it.” (1 Corinthians 7:30-31)  God gave us this creation to use and to enjoy.  Some of it is luxury; some of it is necessity.  But all of it will pass away.

     Our Lord Jesus Christ issued a number of warnings about clinging to the world.  Jesus referred to Lot and his family when they were told to flee from Sodom.  Sodom had been marked for destruction because of the great sins that stood against it.  God sent angels to get Lot out of the city, but he dragged his feet.  Even if Lot was repulsed by the wickedness of Sodom, he still had a home and friends there.  He was reluctant to let it go.  Finally, the angels grabbed him and his family by the hand and pulled them out.  But against the word of the Lord, Lot’s wife turned back to watch the destruction of the city.  She perished immediately.

     Therefore, Jesus warned: “Just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building (and these were all good and necessary to sustain life), but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all—so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. (Luke 17:28-30,32-33)  Understand that we will take nothing with us from this world.  Therefore, Jesus urges you not to cling to it.  For, even if it is good and provides blessing, it will not save you.  Crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.

     In the world, we do not want perfect to be the enemy of good.  Your blessings do not need to be perfect to be good.  But when it comes to the kingdom of God, do not let good become the enemy of perfect.  If you have a wife or a husband, it is good for them to love and honor each another.  If you buy goods, it is because you need them or because they make your life nicer.  No one needs scented candles, but they make the house smell nice. If you make use of this world, it is for the good of your family and your fellow man.  But if you only care for the good that you receive in this world, you may forfeit the perfection that God has set apart for you.  Beware, because this is what many people do.  But you: Crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.

     We all love this world more than we want to admit.  We invest much energy into what is passing away, trying to accumulate, protect, and preserve as much of it as we can.  But this is what the Lord says: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Luke 21:33)  If it will all pass away, how could we ascribe more value to it than to the word of the Lord which endures forever?  Crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.

     The word of the Lord is perfect, true, and eternal.  It protects, guides, comforts, encourages, and saves.  It delivers to you everything that Jesus Christ has done for your sake.  Only Jesus can save you from a corrupted world which is passing away and in which you will die.  Jesus died on a cross outside of Jerusalem to pay for your sins, but you will not find forgiveness just by visiting Jerusalem.  Jesus conquered death by his resurrection, but you will not find eternal life taking a tour of the site.  Jesus delivers his salvation only through the word which is preached and which is attached to the sacraments.  There, Jesus doesn’t just talk about the forgiveness of sins, he applies it.  There, Jesus doesn’t just refer to purification of sins; rather, he cleanses you in baptism and presents you as holy to God the Father.  There, Jesus doesn’t just speak about the atoning sacrifice; rather, in holy communion he delivers to you the body and blood which have paid for sin and which have risen to live forever.  

     Crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.  The perfect life of Jesus was lived on your behalf.  By his perfect life, Jesus rejected any idea of establishing a kingdom on earth.  Even if governing officials were corrupt or religious leaders were hypocrites, Jesus did not come to build a new capitol building or a more impressive cathedral.  He came to have mercy upon sinners, to heal the sick, and to seek in the lost, to take away sins, and to destroy death.  Jesus’ ministry shows us that the kingdom of God is nothing like this world.  Earthly governments rise and fall.  Church buildings can be destroyed, and church bodies can teach false doctrine.  None of them is perfect, and all of them pass away.  The kingdom established by Jesus, however, endures forever.  His word endures forever.  And all who believe in that word shall live forever with Jesus in his kingdom.  Crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.

     “The appointed time has grown very short.  From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it.  For the present form of this world is passing away.” (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)  Do not let good be the enemy of perfect.  The things St. Paul mentions are, for the most part, good.  There is no shame in any of them.  But all of them are temporary, no matter how good they are.  You will bid farewell to them at some point in time.  So, you ought to be ready and willing to do so.

     But do not forsake or neglect or even think lightly of Jesus’ words and sacraments.  Even when you lose everything in this life, you still have not lost God’s mercy, salvation, forgiveness, and hope.  The only way you lose these is if you forsake hearing God’s word.  If you forsake hearing God’s word, faith will eventually die.  Sure, you can still remember facts about the Bible.  You are not saved by knowing facts, but by faith in Jesus’ promises.  Faith not only came by hearing the word, but faith continues to come as you continue to hear God’s word.  Faith is only sustained and strengthened by God’s word and sacraments.  Therefore, these are paramount.  As we have vowed in our confirmation rite, we should be willing to suffer everything, even death, rather than fall away from the teachings that God reveals to us.  Eventually, you will suffer death, but whoever believes in Jesus will not perish but has eternal life.  Whether you die wealthy or poor, married or single, rejoicing or weeping, that won’t matter.  It will all pass away.  But our Lord will save all who cling to his word and yearn for the perfect Paradise of God.  Therefore, crave what is perfect, not what is passing away.

     On the Last Day, our Lord Jesus will return.  This world in its present form will pass away.  Better than that, it will be perfected.  St. Peter wrote, “The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” (2 Peter 3:10)  This is a fire that will refine and purify the world from every evil.  We will be raised up with new, perfected bodies, and we will receive a new heaven and a new earth.  In this new, eternal home, we will not just have all things good, but perfect.  The Lord Jesus will be with us, and we will be with him in his kingdom.  Neither his kingdom nor his word nor his glory will fade or pass away.  These endure forever; and we will endure because of him and with him.

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

YouTube -- 2nd Sunday after Epiphany (January 17, 2021)

 Here is the service from Sunday, January 17, 2021.

Sermon -- 3rd Sunday after Epiphany (January 27, 2019)

LUKE 4:14-21

JESUS SECURES GOD'S FAVOR UPON YOU.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Epiphany means “appearing or revealing,” and the Epiphany season is when Jesus of Nazareth is revealed to us as the Christ, the Son of God, and the Savior of the world.  Critics of the Bible, however, insist that Jesus never claimed to be the Son of God.  They argue that disciples later worked those claims into the Bible long after Jesus' life.  When first confronted by this, Christians will roll their eyes, dismiss it, and walk away.  You know the claim is not true.  But it may gnaw at you a little bit.  And it may result in searching through the Bible for a concrete, undeniable claim by Jesus.  You may look for something as explicit as Jesus saying, “Make no mistake: I am God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father.”  That is the Nicene Creed which confesses the Christian faith.  Critics will argue: “But Jesus never used those very words to identify himself, so he never called himself the Son of God.  You Christians invented that.  So there!”
     While it would be a worthy exercise to go through the Gospels and highlight all the places where Jesus did make claims that only God could make, let's focus on the one from our Gospel this morning. 
     Shortly after his baptism, Jesus returned to Galilee and went to his hometown of Nazareth.  He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath, as was his custom.  Now that in itself deserves more attention.  Jesus is the Son of God.  He is the Word made flesh, and so he is the source of the words which were read in the synagogue, just as he is the source of the word read in church week after week.  Jesus really had no need to go and hear the word since he IS the Word.  And yet, Jesus' custom was to be in the synagogue Sabbath after Sabbath.  You and I have need of this word each week.  We need to be admonished so that we do not get lazy and become content with sins.  We need to be encouraged so that we will remain faithful to our Lord.  After all, our attitudes and behavior are influenced and shaped by something.  If God's word does not direct our attitude and actions, then society will.  When the world accuses Christians of being judgmental, they are being hypocrites.  You don't think the world is judgmental?!  Ask the Catholic teens from Covington, Kentucky if the world makes judgments!  Society has no problem shaming people into saying the right words and doing the right things—at least as the world defines right and wrong.  And the world cannot make up its mind, either.  Its truth keeps on shifting from year to year.  There seems to be a continual contest about who is more socially righteous and which cause is most important.  The world will most certainly judge you according to its standards and try to shape your attitude and behavior. 
     Our attitude and behavior will be influenced and shaped by something.  That is why it needs to be our custom to be in God's house each week and in God's word each day.  We must let our Lord influence and shape us.  His truth does not change from year to year.  He is the judge who sets the standard of right and wrong for all people.  Your conscience proves that you are answerable to him for your attitude and your actions.  Since our Lord is the judge, and since he holds our eternal judgment in his hands, we ought to be consumed with knowing his word so that we do not bask in the world's praise for a moment only to be condemned by God forever.  Therefore, it is good, right, and salutary that our custom is to be in God's house to hear his word.
     The Lord Jesus was a rabbi, which gave him the right to read the Scriptures and to deliver the sermon in that synagogue in Nazareth.  The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him.  He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”  And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.  And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:17-21) 
     The Lord Jesus said it very clearly: He fulfills the promises.  He is the one to whom the Scriptures point.  He is the Messiah who comes to bring salvation.  When Jesus spoke these words, he did not tell them to give attention and to devotion to God, but to him.  Jesus declared: I am the fulfillment of the Scriptures.  By seeing, hearing, and believing in me, you have light, and life, and salvation.
     We certainly do well to heed God's word for encouragement, for admonition, and for direction in godly living.  These influence and shape us.  God's word tells you what is good, and God's word tells you want is evil and to be avoided.  But we also recognize that we still fail.  Our attitude is not pure, and our actions are not perfect.  When we seek comfort and acceptance, we are quicker to listen to our friends than to God.  Now if the opinions of your friends are enough for you, then Jesus will not be of much value to you.  But if you recognize that you are a prisoner of your sinful condition, and if you are oppressed by the guilt of your sins and the fear of God's judgment, then Jesus brings great relief.  Jesus secures God's favor upon you.
     Jesus read from the prophet: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” (Luke 4:18)  You and I have nothing to boast of before God.  We have nothing that God should honor or reward in us.  We are bankrupt.  But Jesus has enriched us.  He has done the good God demands, and he has avoided every evil path.  His delight was in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditated day and night. (Psalm 1:1, paraphrase)  So his attitude was pure, and it produced perfect works.  Jesus has credited you with these.  He has rewarded you for his works.  He enriches you with his gracious words.  Jesus secures God's favor upon you.
     Jesus read from the prophet: “He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” (Luke 4:18)  Jesus delivers you from your captivity to sin, death, and the devil.  He has exchanged himself for you.  Jesus handed himself over to let death and the devil do what it pleased to him so that you would be spared of the judgment and the torment.  He subjected himself to everything which is due the guilty.  In turn, you are set free.  You are like Barabbas.  He was guilty on all counts.  But when Pilate offered to set a prisoner free, Barabbas was let go.  The innocent one, Jesus, took his place and suffered what he deserved.  This is precisely what Jesus has done for you.  No longer do you have to hide your shame, pretend your guilt is not there, or live in fear and dread of God's wrath.  Jesus Christ has set you free.  You have received a full pardon.  Jesus secures God's favor upon you.
     In speaking of God's promises of forgiveness, salvation, and divine favor, Jesus declared, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)  Jesus is God who backs up God's promises and fulfills them.  If Jesus is not really God, then all of his talk about forgiveness, relief, enlightenment, enrichment, and divine favor are just talk.  If Jesus cannot give you want he proclaims, he only utters pretty words.  Those who insist that Jesus is not God and never claimed to be God end up with a Jesus has never really done anything for you.
     But this is what Jesus says after reading God's promise of salvation and peace: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)  And how wonderful for us that he does this!  Sin and guilt are real.  Death and the grave are real.  And your conscience confirms that your accountability before God is real.  Therefore, we do not need pretty words or empty promises.  And we don't have it.  God's forgiveness, salvation, and favor are real.  We have God in the flesh who secures everything he has promised.  Jesus has fulfilled all of this for you.  Jesus relieves you from oppressive guilt.  Jesus frees you from the captivity of death and the devil.  Jesus enriches your life with his gracious words and divine wisdom.  Jesus secures God's favor upon you, because he is God who has come for you.

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

Sermon -- 3rd Sunday after Epiphany (January 22, 2017)

1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-17

BY GRACE, 

WE ARE UNITED IN CHRIST.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Our Lord Jesus Christ on the night he was betrayed prayed for the Church and for the unity of all the believers in it.  Specifically, Jesus prayed, “I do not ask for (the apostles) only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you....” (John 17:20-21)  It is a grievous thing that the Church is fractured into so many denominations.  Our Lord is not delighted by it, and neither are Christians.  That is not to say that the divisions are meaningless or should be ignored.  It is easy to insist that denominations should simply get together and forget their differences.  But if that is your sentiment, let me ask you: Are you willing to reject that the Lord's Supper is the body and blood of Jesus?  Or to say that what we receive in the Lord's Supper doesn't matter?  Will you still insist that we are by nature dead in sin and cannot by our own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ our Lord or come to him?  Or are you ready to embrace the so-called “Sinner's Prayer” in which you choose a Savior for yourself and claim that salvation is your work as much as it is God's?  Sadly, the church on earth is not united.  But as sad as the divisions are, they matter because God's word matters.
     You ought to understand that divisions in the church are nothing new.  Some divisions are over doctrine as we had just considered.  Other differences are much more petty.  But to those who have settled into their strongly held opinions, their differences do not seem petty at all.
     It may seem impossible to you that people could be united in thoughts and judgment.  We get frustrated and even angry with other people because they do not think like we do.  We cast judgment on people who disagree with our opinions and preferences.  In some cases, you risk your life wearing your favorite team's jersey into the opposing team's stadium.  Some terminate friendships because the other person voted for a different candidate.  And if you don't terminate the friendship, you congratulate yourself for your amazing ability to tolerate idiots.
     We all desire to be the god of our own little world.  We believe that our opinions set the standard for what is smart and our attitudes set the standard for what is right.  We judge everyone according to those standards.  If people agree with us, we deem them to be right and smart.  If they disagree, we don't care about their reasons.  We label them wrong or stupid or, if we are being nice, ignorant.  We are not as interested in their eternal well-being as we are in showing them that we are right.  This is the height of arrogance, and it marks us all as idolaters.  Repent.
     When St. Paul wrote to the Corinthian congregation, they had already broken up into factions.  They had pledged themselves to be disciples of one pastor and would not submit to the preaching or care of others.  St. Paul wrote: What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”  Is Christ divided?  Was Paul crucified for you?  Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:12-13)  These pastors were not preaching conflicted messages or competing gospels.  If the pastors were not divided, why was the congregation divided over them?  Even if you should have a fondness for a certain pastor or church, the kingdom of God is not based on men or denominations.  No pastor or church body ever died for your salvation.  Only Jesus did, and he points us to the Scriptures for our hope and for the source of truth.  That is what unites us.  By grace, we are united in Christ.
    Jesus establishes this unity by leveling the playing field for all people.  None of us has anything to boast about before our Lord.  For this is what the Bible teaches: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)  There is no difference or division among us.  We are all sinners.  Whether the world considers you to be a saint or a scoundrel, you are a sinner.  We have all sinned.  We all continue to fall short of the glory of God.  That is why we are all going to die one day.  It is what sinners deserve.  We all alike are under God's wrath.  We are all united in that.
     But the verse continues: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ... to be received by faith. (Romans 3:23-25)  Again, there is no difference or division among us in this.  We all have the same Savior, and we are all saved in the same way.  The Lord Jesus Christ took from us all our iniquity.  He became a man and took into his body all of our guilt and then took all the punishment it deserves.  Jesus did not try to determine which sinners were worth dying for; he was crucified for all.  Jesus did not crunch numbers to figure out which sins were worth covering and which were too costly.  He assumed them all.  And he consumed God's wrath for us all.  You are not saved because you are better or smarter or more sincere.  You are saved by Jesus' holy, precious blood and innocent sufferings and death.  By grace, we are all united in this.
     Now, it is true that some Christians appear more zealous than others.  Some are more patient.  Some are more eager to confess their faith and invite friends to church.  Some are more generous with their money or time.  Some are exemplary in godly behavior.  But godly living and zeal does not make you better in God's eyes.  By grace, we are all united in Christ.  Have you been baptized into Christ?  Then you are cleansed from all your sin and clothed in Jesus' righteousness.  Do you believe and confess that your salvation is God's gift to you?  Then you are an heir of eternal life.  Do you bear the name Christian?  Then God's favor rests upon you and he regards you as holy and blameless before him.  By grace, we are united in Christ.  You cannot gain greater favor from God; you have his favor already.  He does not love some more and some less.  God's love for you does not change; you are all his beloved redeemed.  You shall receive the same heavenly home.  Therefore, there is no boasting among us at all.  By grace, we are all united in Christ—all saved the same, all saints before God, and all heirs of his everlasting kingdom.
     God has called us into his kingdom by his word.  God has united us by his word, and God keeps us united by that word.  Where God has not spoken, we are free to have different opinions and preferences.  The kingdom of God is not about who you voted for in the last election.  It is not about your favorite hymn, what color you wish the carpeting would be, or who makes the best dessert for pot luck dinners.  It is not even about who your favorite pastor ever was.  By Christ, we are united in Christ.  It is the forgiveness of sins which we all share and our status as God's saints which unites us to Christ as to one another.
     By grace, we are united in Christ.  By grace, Christ has taught us to hear his word and submit to it.  When that word exposes us in our sins, we confess that God is right and that we are wrong, and we repent.  When the whole world seems to set a different standard to what is right and smart, we continue to take our stand on God's word and bear the scorn of a world which boasts that it has moved beyond the word of God.  When we gather together as the church, we rejoice that God has bound us together in this blessed union.  We are not united because we are better or smarter or more sincere.  We are united by God's grace.  We are united for God's glory.  We are united in service to each other and to those who are not yet united with us.  We unite our voices here, and we look forward to the blessed union of all Christians united in heavenly glory as we praise God for his goodness forevermore.

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

Sermon -- 3rd Sunday after Epiphany (January 27, 2013)

LUKE 4:14-21

THE LORD’S ANOINTED PROCLAIMS

THE LORD’S FAVOR.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Jesus went to the synagogue on the Sabbath.  It was his custom to go there and hear the readings from Moses and the Prophets.  As a rabbi, he also had the opportunity to teach and to preach.  On this particular day in Nazareth, the assigned reading was from Isaiah, chapter 61.  The synagogue leader handed the scroll to Jesus for the reading.  Jesus read it, and then sat down to expound on the text.  “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21), he said.

     In other words, when Jesus read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18), Jesus was telling them the “me” in Isaiah is Jesus.  He had come from God.  He was anointed by God.  And he was commissioned by God to preach good news to the poor.  He had come to Israel to proclaim that God loves them.

     Now, Jesus’ message then was not too different from what we hear today.  The message that people expect to hear in church is this: “God loves you.”  For that matter, you can talk to people who have no use for the church and they still will say the same thing: “God loves you.  God would never shut anyone out.  God would never turn anyone away.  God does not want us to judge or condemn anyone.  God wants us to love each other.  And God loves you just the way you are.”  It is an appealing message, and it is very popular.  However, when people say, “God loves you,” you must ask, “Based on what?”  How do you know God loves you?  Just because you think he should?  Because you are so good?  Because you think God never condemns anyone for any reason?  Such a god is an idol and a lie, no matter how popular he is. 

     This is what the Lord says: “I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:5,6)  The Lord God is a jealous God.  You owe him honor and glory and obedience, and he will not share this with anyone else; for, he alone is God.  But he is not a God devoid of love.  He says so himself.  What is his love based upon?  His love is based on his holy justice.  He loves all who are holy and obedient.  As he said, he shows love to those who love him and keep his commandments.  There is no love, however, for those who fail to keep them. 

     Yes, you owe God.  You owe him love, honor, glory, and obedience.  But you have not given God what you owe.  You are worse than poor; you have racked up a debt beyond limit.  You continue to raise the debt ceiling day after day with your sins.  Your conscience oppresses you with guilt, and rightly so.  For, you are guilty.  You know what you’re supposed to do, but you haven’t.  And you don’t.  You owe God, and you cannot begin to pay him back.  You can’t even deliver the obedience you owe him.

     Dear friends, if you recognize how poor and beggarly you are before God, this is good.  There is no good news for those who demand a reward from God.  But for those who are poor in spirit and who boast of nothing, there is good news.  A Savior has come for you.  He came to Nazareth to read the word of God in the synagogue.  Jesus is more than a rabbi or a teacher who has come to preach the word of God.  God himself has come to proclaim good news to you.  Jesus read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” (Luke 4:18)  Then he said, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)  He is the Lord’s anointed.  He fulfills the Lord’s promise.  The Lord’s anointed proclaims the Lord’s favor.

     Jesus proclaims the good news: “He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)  This is not a prophet who comes and talks about God’s favor.  This is God who proclaims it, who enacts it, and who fulfills it.  Jesus is the Lord’s anointed who proclaims the year of the Lord’s favor. 

     It is likely that we all know people who have endured hardship in the past number of years.  Jobs were lost.  Homes were foreclosed.  Financial burdens were heaped upon people for various reasons.  Credit card debt has become massive and crushing for many.  Back in Old Testament days, people who endured such hardships sold themselves into slavery to repay their debts.  For years, they labored to pay back what they owed.  But every 50^th year came the Year of Jubilee.  It was in that year that mercy was given on all who had suffered in debt and slavery.  All debts were forgiven.  All slaves were set free.  Land which had to be sold away was restored.  Full pardon was granted.  The slate was wiped clean.

     This is what Jesus came to decree and to enact.  The Lord’s Anointed proclaims the Lord’s favor.  Jesus came to settle all debts, to free you from your captivity to sin and death and judgment, and to end the oppression of your conscience.  He comes to pardon you from all of your guilt and to clean the slate.  The Lord’s Anointed proclaims the Lord’s favor.  God loves you.

     But as we said before, when you hear, “God loves you,” you should ask, “Based on what?”  God’s love still remains based on his holy justice.  So Jesus acted for you so that God can be just and so that God can show his favor upon you.  Therefore, Jesus has come to pay the debt that you owe.  He delivered on the holy obedience that God demands.  Jesus’ holy life supplies all the perfect love that God seeks and the willing obedience that God commands.  The Commandments have been kept.  And Jesus’ sacrificial death supplies all of the judgment and justice that God demands.  The guilty one was condemned – Jesus bearing all of your guilt for you.  Jesus gave up his life as the payment for you.  God has been satisfied.  The debt is paid.  You have been pardoned.  The slate is clean.  Your conscience can be put to rest.  God’s love is yours.  Based on what?  Based on the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The Lord’s Anointed proclaims the Lord’s favor.

     I imagine that the indentured slaves of Old Testament times yearned for the Year of Jubilee and the day that they would be set free.  To have to wait for the 50^th year for full pardon must have been agonizing.  And while the Lord decreed it, Scripture gives no record that the Year of Jubilee was actually observed. If so, then no one was ever pardoned and no debt was ever forgiven.  You, however, do not need to wait years for relief; nor do you need to wonder if the Lord really forgives or pardons.  The Lord’s favor is yours.  The Lord’s Anointed speaks and acts through his appointed servant so that you can know the Lord’s favor rests upon you.  It is based on Jesus’ sufferings, death, and resurrection.  It is distributed to you in holy absolution, in holy baptism, in holy communion, and by divine decree.

     Though you were poor, now you are rich!  The debts have been paid off, and the Lord pours out his riches into your hands.  You have been granted a full pardon.  The slate has been wiped clean.  The Lord’s favor love is yours.  The Lord’s Anointed proclaims it and fulfilled it. 

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