YouTube -- 6th Sunday after Pentecost (June 23, 2024)

Here is the Divine Service from June 30, 2024.  The guest preacher was Rev. Michael Bater who is retired and had previous served for over 30 years at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lansing, MI.

YouTube -- 6th Sunday after Pentecost (July 9, 2023)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, July 9, 2023.

Sermon -- 6th Sunday after Pentecost (July 9, 2023)

MATTHEW 11:25-30

JESUS IS THE REFUGE FOR THE WEARY.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The apostle Paul commented on a struggle that every Christian has.  He wrote, “I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:18-19).  We have been set apart as God’s people by faith in Jesus.  Therefore, we have also been set apart to do good works because they are God’s will. 

     Our problem is not ignorance, as if we don’t know what God calls a good work.  God tells us in the Commandments what is good so that we may do it and what is evil so that we may avoid it.  Our problem is not motivation.  We concur with the apostle Paul: “I have the desire to do what is right” (Romans 7:18).  The Holy Spirit has worked that desire in us.  He has created in us a clean heart and renewed in us a right spirit.  This is why we delight in God’s word.  It is not only good in theory, it is also good in practice.  And we want to live up to it.  The problem is our sinful condition.  Even when we want to do the good God demands, we fail.  Even when we want to avoid the evil God condemns, we still do it.  Whether we are plagued by moments of weakness or by habits which we struggle to break, our sinful condition still vexes us.  Even an apostle of our Lord was so frustrated by his sins that he cried out, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death” (Romans 7:24)?  He answered his own question in the next verse: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25)! 

     This is why Jesus invites all to come to him.  He is the refuge for the weary.  He issues the summons: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29). 

     First, let’s consider the labor Jesus spoke about and why it makes anyone weary.  Jesus spoke to people who were striving to serve God according to his Commandments.  As we noted, the Commandments direct us to what is good.  The Commandments declare God’s will, so they are always in effect.  Jesus instructs us, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).  That’s not easy, is it?  Jesus tells us, “If your brother … sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him” (Luke 17:3-4).  I don’t know about you, but I would lose patience after two or three times.  Jesus tells us the good things we are to do.  In our heads, we know we should, but we struggle to do them.  Love for enemies, forgiveness given freely, endless kindness and patience are all good things; for this is how the Lord treats us.  Yet, we are more likely to hold grudges, plot revenge, and renounce friendships.  The good God demands is hard.  It is trying.  It makes us grow weary, and it is burdensome.

     The Commandments not only forbid wickedness, but they condemn all who are guilty of it.  The Bible teaches us, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths…  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (Ephesians 4:29,31).  We know such sins are wicked and cause harm.  Yet, we still do them.  We are drawn to them, whether we do them out of weakness or habit. 

     We know that we should be better.  We pray to become better.  We buy books which give tips for becoming better people.  We listen to seminars that are supposed to help us become better people.  We promise to be better.  We commit to getting better.  “I have the desire to do what is right” (Romans 7:18), but I don’t get better.  “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19).  Who will rescue me from this wretched sinful condition?  Who can alleviate my burden?  Who could provide relief?  “Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25).  Jesus is the refuge of the weary.

     The good that God demands has to be done.  It is not optional.  But it has been done—by Jesus.  Jesus was always pleased to do the will of his Father, and he did it.  His holy, obedient life has fulfilled the demands of the Law.  He has earned his Father’s approval.  Instead, he accepted his Father’s curse.  Why?  “For our sake (God) made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Jesus did not overlook our sins; he paid for them.  He also covers our sin with his innocence.  By faith in Jesus, we received credit for his work.  Jesus labored; we rest.  Jesus gives; we receive.  Jesus is the refuge of the weary.  When you put your head down on your pillow each night, you don’t have to wonder if God is pleased with you.  No matter how your day went, you are marked by the blood of Jesus which purifies you of all sin.  Therefore, God is pleased with you.  Jesus removes all doubts and alleviates all fears.  Jesus is the refuge for the weary.

     It is not just Christians who struggle with the frustration of their sins.  All people do.  God wrote his law on the hearts of all people; everyone recognizes that there is a standard of right and wrong to live by.  Some may ignore it, but most people try to live by it.  As a result, many live in fear, wondering if God is happy with them.  On their best days, they hope so.  On their worst days, they are sure he can’t be.  Either way, there is no comfort, and there is no rest.  They must continue to labor to be good enough or to craft arguments to convince themselves that they’ve done enough, and they are weary of the efforts.  They may even repeat the cry of St. Paul, “Wretched man that I am!  Who will deliver me from this body of death” (Romans 7:24)?  Without faith in Jesus, there is no rescue.  There is no refuge. 

      But to you, dear Christians, the Lord has made known your refuge.  Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will” (Matthew 11:25-26).  There are many smart people in this world who are skilled in many ways.  But none of those skills and none of that knowledge take away sin or deliver from death.  Intelligence doesn’t save.  Sincerity doesn’t save.  Even motivation doesn’t save.  To be saved, we must become like little children.  Little children need to have everything done for them.  They need parents to clothe them, feed them, and take them everywhere.  They only receive.  And is this not how the Lord saves us?  We do not contribute to our salvation—for we do not do the good that would please God, and we cannot erase the sins we have committed.  But Jesus, in his saving grace, does all of this.  He has done the work.  We rest.  He delivers the gifts.  We simply receive.  He implants the faith.  We benefit.  Jesus is the refuge for the weary.

     The Third Commandment says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”  It is time to be set apart for God’s sacred purpose.  God commands us to honor preaching of his word, receiving the Lord’s Supper, and partaking in the Divine Service, but it is a law that only benefits us.  It is like telling an employee, “Go, pick up your paycheck,” or a mother summoning her children, “Come for supper.”  No one would snap back and say, “You don’t own me!  Don’t tell me what to do!”  We obey those commands because we benefit from them. 

     It is the same with the Third Commandment.  Jesus summons us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  When we gather for the Divine Service, the Lord serves us.  We rest from our daily labors, and we receive God’s gifts of mercy, salvation, comfort, and peace.  Everything Jesus gained for our salvation is delivered here.  His forgiveness is announced.  The body and blood which have conquered death are served.  We depart with his blessing upon us.  Jesus is the refuge for us as we endure this wearying world.

     Jesus continues, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30).  At first glance, this sounds disappointing, as if we are trading in one yoke for another, just replacing burdens.  But the yoke of Jesus is easy and light.  Jesus does not abolish the Commandments; they are God’s will for our lives.  We have been set apart as God’s holy people.  We have been set apart for living godly and holy lives.  We have even been filled with a desire to do that.  We want to honor our Lord and to do good to our neighbor.  But we still experience the struggle and frustration the apostle Paul wrote about.  Our labor never seems to stop.  But the burden is light with Jesus as our refuge.  He shows us that we do not need to live in fear.

     Jesus is the refuge of the weary.  He is gentle.  He does not lash out at us because of our weaknesses.  On the contrary, he delights in our works even if they are imperfect and incomplete.  Our Lord is like a mother who gets a fistful of dandelions from her child.  She does not complain that there are prettier flowers or that a more costly gift would have been better.  She delights in the gift because she delights in her child.  She is moved by the gesture because it was done out of love.  The Lord delights in your works because he delights in you.  Your neighbor benefits from your works even if he is ignorant of your efforts or ungrateful for them. 

     When you lay your head down on our pillow each night, you don’t have to wonder if you had a good enough day to remain on God’s good side.  If you are in Christ, you are righteous and pure before God.  He is pleased with you.  That is not based on how well you are keeping the Commandments.  It is based on Jesus who has fulfilled the Commandments with his perfect life and sacrificial death.  His innocent death has satisfied the justice of the law.  His perfect life has satisfied the demands of the law.  His resurrection from the dead proves that all his labors have been accepted on your behalf.  Jesus has done all the work to present you blameless before God.  You rest in his grace and rejoice in his salvation.  Jesus is the refuge of the weary.

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

YouTube -- 6th Sunday after Pentecost (July 17, 2022)

Here is the service from Sunday, July 17, 2022.  Pastor Schroeder was out of town.  The guest preacher is Rev. Alois Schmitzer who is retired.  Pastor Schmitzer had recently served Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Chruch of Jenera, Ohio for over 30 years.  He also served as Pastor Schroeder's supervising pastor during Pastor Schroeder's vicar year (3rd year of seminary training in the field).

Also, there was no organist or pianist available, so all the hymns and liturgy were accompanied by HymnSoft.

Sermon -- 6th Sunday after Pentecost (July 21, 2019)

LUKE 9:51-62

TO FOLLOW JESUS, KEEP YOUR FOCUS.

In the name + of Jesus.

     This particular part of the Gospel of Luke is a turning point in Jesus' ministry.  Prior to this, Jesus had been going from town to town, preaching, teaching, and healing diseases.  His goal was the next town or the next territory.  But here, his goal changes.  Luke writes, “When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51)  Jesus' goal was to “suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised,” (Luke 9:22)—just as he had told them.  So, Jesus was focused on that mission.  He set his face to go to Jerusalem to win our salvation, and he would not be distracted from his goal or divert from his mission. 
     As Jesus began making his way from Galilee in the north to Jerusalem to the south, he planned to pass through Samaria.  And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him.  But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.  And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”  But he turned and rebuked them. (Luke 9:52-55)  To this day, it seems nothing can get a person angry faster than not showing him the level of respect he thinks he deserves.  James and John felt that way about Jesus.  James and John wanted to see vengeance rain down on the Samaritans.  You can imagine the conversation: “Lord, remember when wicked King Ahab sent soldiers to arrest Elijah in Samaria, and Elijah called down fire from heaven to consume them?  Don't you think a repeat is in order?”  But Jesus rebuked them.  His goal was not to lash out judgment against those who rejected him.  Judgment would come upon people at the Last Day.  But Jesus was focused on his goal.  Judgment would first fall upon Jesus when he suffered and died in Jerusalem for sinners.
     On the way to Jerusalem, there were three incidents of people who wanted to follow Jesus.  Two volunteered; one was recruited.  Someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”  And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Luke 9:57-58)  Jesus did not refuse this man's enthusiastic plea, but he didn't automatically receive him either.  Jesus answered by letting him know that following him was not going to be a life of ease.
     I suppose you can appreciate Jesus' words.  The world loves its own, but Christians often don't feel at home in the world.  The world celebrates drunkenness, promiscuity, obscenity, and taking advantage of others.  God's people repent of these things and strive to keep ourselves from them.  It can feel very lonely when you take God's word seriously.  Just as Jesus was rejected by the Samaritans, you may be rejected too.  And while we might want to see fire rain down upon those who reject us, our mission is not to seek vengeance or to demand respect.  Jesus has not called us to do that, but only to follow him.  To follow Jesus, keep your focus.
     The second man, Jesus recruited.  To another he said, “Follow me.”  But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”  And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead.  But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-60)  Now, it sounds cruel for Jesus to rebuke a man grieving the loss of his father.  But if this man's father had died that morning, he would already have been tending to his burial.  In other words, this man did not want to follow Jesus until later.
     It still happens that people believe in Jesus but they do not want to join the church.  They fear doing so will dishonor their parents or family.  Maybe they will join later, after their parents have died.  Our relationships influence us, too.  If our family or friends are dismissive of the Bible, if they want their Sunday mornings to be about other activities, then we are inclined to give in to their wishes.  Sadly, it rarely works the other way—that we would urge them to join us in church.  Beware.  Do you fear losing the friendship of the spiritually dead at the expense of your own spiritual life?  It is far more common than most realize.  To follow Jesus, keep your focus.
    Finally, another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”  Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:61-62)  Once again, Jesus sounds unreasonable.  Why would walking out on one's family without a word be God-pleasing?  God has given each of us our vocations in which we serve him, and that includes serving our family as husband or wife, son or daughter, father or mother, brother or sister, and so on.  The problem was with the man's response to discipleship.  “I will follow you, Lord, but...”  Whenever we put conditions on our discipleship, our Lord is not getting our full commitment.  It doesn't matter what condition we put on it.  “I will follow you, but my family is visiting and they don't go to church.  They come first.”  “I will follow you, Lord, but it is really hard to put your word into practice when I am pressured to act differently.”  “I will follow you, Lord, but it will cost me.”  When we add conditions to our discipleship, we cannot really call him “Lord” anymore.  Something else has been raised higher.  To follow Jesus, keep your focus on Jesus.
     As St. Luke records these exchanges, he does not tell us how anyone responded.  The point is not what these men did.  The question is: Where is your focus?  Each one must assess himself.  No matter how well you think you have done, all have fallen short.  We have all found reasons that following Jesus was inconvenient, or put a strain on a relationship, or was lonely.  We have all found reasons to turn away from his word and to focus on what was more agreeable to family, friends, or our own personal agenda.
     To follow Jesus, keep your focus.  He calls you to be separate from this world because he has set you apart from it already.  He has set you apart for a better kingdom and is eager to give you better blessings.  This world is passing away.  Even the blessings of this world are passing away.  But Jesus brings you to a life that will not even be snuffed out by death.  He will bring you into a kingdom whose glory will never fade.  And he assures you that, before your heavenly Father, you are always accepted, always cherished, and always forgiven.
     This is because Jesus had set his face toward Jerusalem.  He was focused on his mission.  And you were Jesus' mission.  He went there to pay for the sins of all.  His innocent death atones for our guilt—for when we were focused on worldly gain instead of heavenly riches, when we found it more convenient to do what is forbidden than to suffer for doing what is good, when we found the praise of the world preferable to praise from God.  Jesus has taken this guilt and all other shame away from you because he set his face toward Jerusalem to die for you.  He not only willingly endured the scorn of Samaritans, scribes, and Sadducees, he also bore the wrath of God for us.  He knew what he was getting when he went to Jerusalem, but Jesus was focused on our salvation.  He did not lose that focus, because he did not want to lose us to death and hell.
     To follow Jesus, keep your focus.  Jesus has us focus on his words and promises.  His word guides us in our vocations in this life so that we turn from evil and strive to do good.  Our focus is to do the works God gives us to do.  But we are especially focused on his promises.  These remind us that we have a gracious God who works all things for our good, who pours out on us heavenly riches, and who praises us as his beloved children.
     Although following Jesus may sometimes feel lonely, you are never alone.  Jesus is with you, and his people meet together regularly for mutual encouragement.  Although following Jesus may sometimes cost you, the only things you lose are things that will perish with the world anyway.  Only Jesus gives you gifts that endure forever.  Although following Jesus may result in rejection and ridicule from the world, Jesus renders the only judgment that matters.  You are children of the Most High God and heirs of heaven.  Keep your focus on that.  Set your face toward Jesus and his word, and you will receive a blessed death, a glorious resurrection, and a kingdom that will never perish.

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

Sermon -- 6th Sunday after Pentecost (July 1, 2018)

NOTE: A good number of the thoughts in this sermon were gleaned from a lecture on the Gospel of Mark by Prof. Daniel Deutschlander.  Some of Prof. Deutschlander's seminars can be found here: https://welswwd.weebly.com/deutschlander-seminars.html

MARK 5:21-43

SHOWING MERCY IS 

IMPORTANT TO JESUS.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Two people had an encounter with Jesus.  One thing they had in common was that they were both desperate.  A man came to Jesus in a panic because his daughter of twelve short years was dying.  This probably had come on her quite suddenly.  Any care by a physician had produced no results.  Instead, she was at death's door.  This man pleaded with Jesus to come and put his healing touch upon her.  The other person was a woman who was also at her wits' end.  Her problem had gone on for twelve long years.  After blowing all of her money on every solution she could think of, she was desperate for healing.  Like Jairus, she had heard of Jesus, and she longed for Jesus to heal her.
     There were also stark differences between these two people.  We know the name of the man was Jairus, but his name is mentioned only once.  He is usually referred to as “the ruler of the synagogue.” (Mark 5:22,36,38)  In other words, Jairus was important.  He was a man of prestige and influence in Capernaum.  If Jairus had asked you to do something, you probably stopped what you were doing and did what he asked.  On the other hand, we don't even know the woman's name.  Perhaps, at one time, she was well-to-do, but her medical expenses wiped out her of money.  Her bleeding disorder was more than a medical issue, too.  Her continual bleeding caused her to be ceremonially unclean.  That meant she had to be secluded from much of society.  She lived in the shadows—impoverished, unnoticed, and unimportant.
     The devil is pleased to use these two ends of the spectrum so that we withdraw from Jesus.  The devil may stroke your ego and convince you that the world is here for your benefit.  He causes you to believe that your job is important, your hobbies are important, and your commute on the road is important.  As a result, you despise other people who share the road with you.  You despise your family because the responsibilities you have with them take up time you would rather give to other matters.  You even despise God, convinced that your schedule is too important to take time to pray or to read God's word.  The devil may even convince you that God's word can be dismissed when your choices and behavior defy his word: I am too important to be bothered by God's opinion.  No matter how important Jairus may have thought he was, God brought him down to nothing when his daughter was dying.  Then, all that mattered was God's mercy.  What the world regarded as a horrible thing for Jairus' daughter, God used for good, because showing mercy is important to Jesus.
     When the pendulum swings the other way, the devil uses that too.  The woman who came to Jesus was regarded by society as unimportant.  She eventually believed it, too.  She did not come to Jesus with a face-to-face request like Jairus.  She had hoped to slink up behind Jesus among the crowds, to touch his garment, and disappear as invisibly as she showed up.  The devil is pleased to convince us that we are also unimportant, unnecessary, worthless, and useless.  How often do you conclude, “What I do does not make much of an impact”?  How often do you wonder, “If I just disappeared, would anyone really care?”  The devil drives us to despair.  Although God has been pleased to put us in this world and calls us to serve him in our various vocations, the devil would have us believe that it is all meaningless and a mistake. 
     In the one case, we exalt ourselves over God and our neighbor, thinking that we are all-important.  In the other case, we convince ourselves that we are unimportant and worthless.  In the first case, we end up believing that God is unnecessary.  In the second case, we end up believing that God is uninterested.  These are all lies.  Do not believe them.  Showing mercy is important to Jesus, no matter who it is shown to.
     Notice how Jesus dealt with each person.  When the woman had been healed by touching Jesus' garments, Jesus immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” (Mark 5:30)  The disciples thought this was absurd.  The crowds were jostling Jesus about.  Everyone was touching him!  Still, Jesus persisted.  He looked around to see who had done it.  The woman, still thinking she was unimportant, fell trembling at Jesus' feet and fessed up.  And, as St. Mark records it, she told him the whole truth. (Mark 5:33)  
     Now, to appreciate this, understand that men and women are different in how they communicate.  A man would sum this up in three sentences: “I had this problem.  But then I touched your garment.  I'm healed now.”  Women are much more detailed.  (This is not a criticism, but an observation.)  You can imagine this woman saying, “Well it all started twelve years ago.  I talked to my sister about it, and she told me to see this doctor.  That was a waste of time.  So I went to the next doctor and spent money there.  That didn't help either...”  And on and on it went.  Never once did Jesus cut her off.  He let her say all she needed to say, because to him, she was important.  Showing mercy to her was important to Jesus.  And so, he was pleased to tell her: “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5:34)
     Meanwhile, you can also imagine Jairus getting more and more anxious as this was going on.  He knew his daughter was at death's door, and he knew that time was precious.  His body language would have screamed, “Tick-tock, Jesus.  Let's go!”  Then he got the kick-in-the-gut message: “Your daughter is dead.  Why trouble the Teacher any further?”  But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” (Mark 5:35-36) 
     When Jesus heeded Jairus' plea to come and heal his daughter, a promise to heal her was implied.  Jesus urged Jairus to cling to that promise no matter what the circumstances suggested.  Jesus entered Jairus' home and said, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping?  The child is not dead but sleeping.”  And they laughed at him. (Mark 5:39-40)  The mourners laughed because they knew what death was.  Nevertheless, Jesus went to the daughter, grabbed her by the hand, and commanded, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” (Mark 5:41)  Death had to give her back, and then Jesus gave her back to her parents.  Showing mercy is important to Jesus.
     Now, you have not been given such specific promises that your every disease will be healed or that you will receive your loved ones back from death—at least, not in this life.  Still, God uses such evils to show us that we are helpless so that we will continue to call upon him for mercy.  He does this because it is showing mercy is important to Jesus. 
     Jesus demonstrates his mercy most vividly at the cross.  He has carried to the cross all of our sins—from our fantasies of self-importance to wallowing in self-pity.  He went to the cross for all people—great and small, young and old, healthy and disabled, famous, infamous, and anonymous.  There, he bore the curse and the punishment for the sins of the world.  There, he won forgiveness for all people.  And he included you.  Even though Jesus was given a place in the grave, he conquered death.  He now holds the key to death and Hades, and he lives to set you free from these.  On the Last Day, he will summon you from your grave.  Just as the little girl bounced up from her death bed to live again, so will you.  You will be given a resurrected body which will never succumb to disease, disappointment, despair, or death.  All your diseases will, indeed, be healed.  And death will, indeed, have to give back your loved ones who have died in the Christian faith.
     Throughout your life, there will be times you feel important and there will be times you feel worthless.  People may tell you that you are one or the other.  Do not be bothered by them.  They are neither your Creator nor your Judge.  And they are certainly not your Savior.  To Jesus Christ, you are important.  Showing mercy to you is important to Jesus.  He assures you that, through him, you have become children of the Most High God.  There is no greater title than this, and you are honored by it both now and forever.  For you are important to the Lord.

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

Sermon -- 6th Sunday after Pentecost (July 16, 2017)

ROMANS 6:1-11

BAPTISM SETS YOU 

FREE FROM SIN.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The greatest gift that you received in this world is your baptism.  It is through your baptism that you received all the gifts that Jesus Christ won for you through his life, death, and resurrection.  Those events took place some 2,000 years ago in the land of Israel, but the benefits of Jesus' work is delivered to you here and now in your baptism.  It is there that Jesus washed you clean of all of your sin.  Through your baptism, you were adopted into God's family and made a child of the Most High God.  The Lord gave you garments of salvation to wear, marked you in Jesus' name, and made you an heir of everlasting life.
     Most of you were baptized as infants.  You can't remember the day or the water being put upon you.  But that doesn't mean it is useless.  You don't remember the day of your birth, either, but you are certainly benefiting from that.  Even though baptism was applied to you in years past, its benefits stay with you throughout your life.  In fact, it is your baptism which has given you life, because baptism sets you free from sin.
     St. Paul writes, “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.  For one who has died has been set free from sin.” (Romans 6:6-7)  The old self is the sinful nature in which we were born.  All people are natural born sinners.  That is why people are so cruel to each other.  People who are supposed to care for you end up seeking their own interests.  We become bitter or envious toward people we are supposed to love.  And we are all too ready to believe the worst about other people, as if that somehow makes us better.  This is the sinful nature at work, and we all have one.
     But you died when you were baptized.  Your old self was crucified with Christ.  The sinner, which had stood at odds with God and his word, was put to death.  Now, if your old self died when you were baptized, you are no longer under sin.  It does not own you.  It cannot claim you.  It does not damn you.  You are free from its curse, its control, and its condemnation.  Baptism sets you free from sin.
     This freedom comes to you through baptism into Jesus Christ.  It was Jesus who first united himself to you when he became man.  Jesus became man to serve all mankind in his perfect life and sacrificial death.  He was baptized in the Jordan River, even though he had no need for cleansing.  Instead of being cleansed, he absorbed our sin and its curse.  He suffered for our sins, died under God's wrath, was dead and buried.  This is what sin brings on all who are guilty.  Now just as Jesus united himself to you by becoming man and being baptized, so also your baptism has united you to Jesus.  Listen to what Paul says: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4)  
     Baptism sets you free from sin.  You have been united with Jesus through baptism.  Your sinful nature was crucified with Christ and buried with him.  And just as Jesus has risen from the grave forever free from the power of death, so also you have been raised up a new creation.  In this new life, you are free from sin, death, and the devil.  Your sin no longer is held against you.  Your death is a temporary rest, but on the Last Day you will be raised from the grave with a glorified body to receive a life without end.  And Satan, whose name means “accuser”, can no longer taunt you over your sins or destroy you with guilt and despair.
    Oh, he will try.  You have probably felt his efforts before.  Satan accuses you of your sins and he does not make anything up.  He brings back vivid memories of words you wish you had never uttered, deeds which you wish you could undo, and thoughts which you pray would never be revealed to others.  Satan tries to crush you with guilt and shame and regret.  He wants to convince you that you are so worthless and wicked that God cannot possibly love you.  But Satan is a liar, and don't ever forget that.  He and his accusations are to be dismissed with one simple phrase: “I am baptized.”  Your baptism means you are clean on all counts.  It does not take away the consequences of your sins.  The thief will still go to jail.  The gossip may not get that friendship back.  But the guilt and curse of sin are taken away by Jesus.  In baptism, God assures you that he has made you a child of God, and you have God's own word on that.  You may have had a wicked past, but you are forgiven.  Baptism sets you free from your sins, and now you have a new life.
     As a new creation and a child of God, you walk in newness of life.  The newness of life means with the recognition that you are now under God's grace.  Your life is not about how many good works you have to do to get on God's good side and earn his approval.  God is already pleased with you.  And if you have to suffer temporal consequences for your sins, that does not mean God is angry with you.  In your baptism, you were clothed with Jesus' own righteousness.  God sees you as holy and blameless; and God loves what is holy.
     This new life also means that you recognize that God's word is true.  God has filled you with a right spirit which acknowledges that God determines what is good and delights in pursuing it.  You do not do it for gain or reward, but because the Lord has convinced you to love what is good.  And in the same way, you avoid what is evil because God has decreed it to be so.  Your flesh will always want you to give into greed, selfishness, lust, intoxication, gossip, and holding grudges.  Some may urge you to avoid these because they only add grief or pain to your life.  But that is like saying, “Don't get drunk because you don't want an addiction or a hangover.”  While that is true, the Lord has taught you better.  You avoid these things because God forbids them and they are evil.  Since sin is no longer your master, flee from the things which lead back to sin and death.  This is what St. Paul means when he says, “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11)  
     Baptism sets you free from sin.  Baptism sets you free for serving the Lord in joy as a child of God.  Now, you will never live up to being what a child of God should be.  We strive for it, but we all fall short.  When that happens, return to your baptismal covenant in repentance.  The Lord will not be disgusted with you or banish you from his family because you have fallen short of his glory.  The Lord does not tire of having mercy upon you or loving you.  His mercies are new every morning.  The Lord will be true and faithful to his promise which he made to you when you were baptized.  He will forgive your sins.  He will raise you up again as a new creation.  He will assure you that you remain a child of the Most High God, and therefore an heir of the heavenly kingdom.  Baptism sets you free from your sin.
     The idea was not original with Martin Luther, but he did put it in his Small Catechism.  He urges Christians to begin and end each day by blessing themselves with the sign of the cross and saying the baptismal formula, “In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.”  As you begin and end each day, remember who you are and whose you are.  You are Christ's.  You are beloved by God the Father.  You are the temple of the Holy Spirit.  You have been redeemed from sin, delivered from death, and released from the devil's claim.  You have been set apart for godly living and for the good of others.  You are a new creation in Christ.  Your baptism has bestowed all of these gifts upon you, and you get to live in the comfort and confidence that baptism marks you as the Lord's, now and forevermore.

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

Sermon -- 6th Sunday after Pentecost (June 26, 2016)

         This sermon was preached on the occasion of Good Shepherd's 35th anniversary.

1 KINGS 19:14-21

THE CHURCH SHALL NEVER PERISH.

In the name + of Jesus.

      This reading begins at the lowest point of Elijah's ministry and life.  It comes immediately after one of the highest points.  Elijah had been preaching in the northern tribes of Israel where the people were vacillating between worshiping the Lord and the Canaanite god Baal.  They saw no conflicts in bouncing back and forth between them.  I guess it seemed unloving to say that not everything is true.  Elijah had challenged the prophets of Baal, and this challenge resulted in the Lord proving himself to be the only true God and the false god Baal to live only in men's fantasies.  The prophets of Baal were put to death for leading God's people astray.  It was a day of great victory.
     But that victory lasted only about 24 hours.  Queen Jezebel pronounced a death sentence on Elijah.  The people who had rallied to the Lord just as quickly wandered away from him.  Elijah traveled from Israel all the way down to Mt. Sinai to tender his resignation.  In fact, he asked to be put to death.  To paraphrase, Elijah said, “Lord, they don't care.  I don't care.  All have forsaken you.  Just kill me off and be done with it.  Your promise has failed.  The Church is dead.”
     Perhaps this is not shaping up to be the kind of pep talk you would expect for a church anniversary.  Granted, things are not as bad as they were for Elijah, but that does not mean they are glorious.  Take a look at the Christian Church today.  It is fractured.  There are schisms between church bodies and in-fighting within them.  Churches mean in convention to formally reject portions of God's word, and pastors overthrow Commandments in the name of “love.”  The world cheers when Christians forsake God's word—either by neglecting the hearing of it or rejecting the content of it.  The Bride of Christ is not very pretty in this world, and she has not been very faithful.
     Elijah thought that the Bride of Christ was dead.  He asked to be relieved of his duties.  Instead, the Lord gave Elijah work to do.  “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus.  And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria....  and Jehu ... to be king over Israel, and Elisha ... to be prophet in your place.” (1 Kings 19:15-16)  The Lord would not ignore those who had led his people astray.  Justice would come—either at the sword point of kings or at the condemning word of God's prophets.  And Elijah would not be the last prophet.  God's word would continue to be preached, and the Church would not perish.
     Even though Elijah could not see any evidence of it, the Church had not perished.  The Lord told him, “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:18)  Among the scores of people who lived in and around the northern tribes of Israel, God had graciously and amazingly preserved 7,000 in the true faith.  They were certainly a minority, and the likely felt like it—alone, helpless, and defeated.  So the Lord sent Elijah back, because they needed a pastor.  The Church would not perish.  Elijah was even commissioned to ordain their next pastor, Elisha.  Elijah's ministry would not end until God's say-so, and Elisha would still be there to preach and teach, to comfort and encourage, to console and to strengthen God's faithful people.  The Church would not perish.
     The Lord Jesus Christ does the same for us today.  If we assess our own lives, we do not live up to the standard God sets for us.  We go through streaks in our Christian life—sometimes determined to live godly lives and devoted to God's word, other times giving in to temptation because we are tired of fighting it and dismissing God's word for other pleasures.  We grow weary of doing good and being faithful because many are not and seem none the worse for it.
     For 35 years, Good Shepherd has gathered as a Christian congregation for the same reason the Lord sent Elijah back to Israel—because sinners need God's mercy.  When you are giving into your sinful nature, you need to be called to repent.  Sin has no place in the life of a Christian.  St. Paul wrote to the Galatians about such sins: “I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatians 5:21)  Our sins need to be rooted out and put to death.  To let them live or to live with them will eventually destroy faith.  We confess that our lives are not pretty, either.  But the Lord Jesus Christ still loves us.  He continues to summon us to come to him.  And when we come, Jesus is not angry with us.  He does not regret his sacrifice for us.  Instead, he continues to bless and to soothe and to save.
     This is why the Church shall never perish.  Just as the Lord was able to sustain 7,000 Israelites in the true faith when unfaithfulness was common, popular, and even celebrated, so the Lord is able to sustain his flock today.  The Church shall never perish because the Lord Jesus does not tire of declaring his love for us.  That love is proclaimed from this pulpit.  It is applied to individuals at the baptismal font.  It is proclaimed and participated in as we eat and drink the Lord's Supper.  Through these, the Lord Jesus continues to cleanse us from our unrighteousness by his holy, precious blood.  Jesus shed that blood as the payment for our sins, and he supplies its benefits through his ministers who administer God's blessings in the word and the sacraments.
     That is why the Lord sent Elijah back to Israel and anointed Elisha as the next prophet for Israel.  The word of the Lord needed to be proclaimed to people who were faithful but weary; who sought God's righteousness but were only seeing most people mock it; who needed to know that even though the majority was not faithful to the Lord, the Lord was certainly faithful and merciful to them.  And the Lord would carry out his will through material means—whether it would be with the sword of Hazael and Jehu, or with the mouths of Elijah and Elisha.  The Lord had not abandoned his post.  The Lord had not gone on sabbatical from his reign.  His mercy endures forever, and therefore so does his Church.  The Church shall never perish.
     For 35 years, God has been pleased to preserve this congregation and to have the pure gospel preached and the sacraments rightly administered.  But we are not gathered this day to congratulate ourselves for it.  We are only here because the Holy Spirit has been pleased to gather a small group of Christians who hunger and thirst for righteousness.  Therefore, we delight in the word where his mercy is revealed and delivered.  We flock to the sacraments where he satisfies our thirst and feeds us with the righteousness we need.  And we beg others to join us, because we know that they need it too.
     I do not know if God will bless us so that we will grow into a mammoth congregation or if we will remain a small group of believers.  I suppose anniversary Sundays are supposed to be filled with visions of grandeur where we envision ourselves becoming the largest church in town.  But that sounds more like a political stump speech than the word of God.  The Lord did not tell Elijah to grow the church, only to preach the word.  And 7,000 people who craved it would weep for joy that they would get to hear it.  That is all God has given us to do.  If this congregation should perish for some reason (for, others have), let it not be because we were afraid to declare God's praise or because we got bored with God's grace.  And if this congregation does perish, God's word will not.  He will protect and preserve his people.  The Church shall never perish.
     The Bride of Christ may not be pretty to people who look at her, but the Lord Jesus has cleansed his Church.  He washes you clean, wipes away every spot and blemish of sin, and dresses you in garments of salvation.  Jesus has taken from you all that is corrupt in you, and he has bestowed upon you all that is good in him.  The world may despise the Church because she will only be faithful to her betrothed.  But there is no need to flirt with the world; for, Jesus alone saves you.  He is devoted to you and enamored with you.  That is all that matters.  The Church is his Bride.  Jesus presents her to himself as one who is beautiful and blameless.  And just as the Lord's mercy endures forever, so does his Church.  The Church will never perish and, therefore, neither will you.  You are his, both now and forever.

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

Sermon -- 6th Sunday after Pentecost (July 5, 2015)

1 

1 KINGS 19:9-18

THE LORD'S STILL, SMALL VOICE COMFORTS HIS TROUBLED CHURCH. 

  

In the name + of Jesus. 

     There is no doubt that many Christians are upset about court decisions and popular opinions in recent days.  Some have resorted to panic.  Others have been tempted to give in to perverse ideas.  Some have even renounced portions of God's word in order to boast that they are on the so-called “right side of history.”  I understand why Christians are saddened by the events that are unfolding before us, but I don't understand why so many Christians are surprised by it.  Here is the headline that you should all understand in conjunction with the Supreme Court decision about same-sex marriage: Unbelievers acted like unbelievers, and the godless celebrated like the godless.  It should not be a surprise.  It gives you good reason to pray, but not to crawl into your basement to hide.  You are living in a world that has never liked Jesus or his word.  Perhaps it is good if that has finally been made evident to you.  But our days are by no means unique.
     The prophet Elijah found himself at Mt. Sinai after a monumental victory for the Lord.  The people of Israel had been hemming and hawing about which god they wanted to serve—the Lord or the Canaanite fertility god, Baal.  Elijah was the last prophet of the Lord to be preaching in public, and he called the Israelites to commit themselves one way or the other.  There is one God to be obeyed and worshiped.  Would they side with the Lord or with Baal?
     After the Lord had answered with fire which consumed Elijah's sacrifice, the people confessed that the Lord is God and slaughtered the lying Baal prophets.  But only one day later, Elijah heard that Queen Jezebel ordered his death sentence.  So much for glorious victories!  Those who had turned to the Lord turned away just as quickly.  So Elijah ran all the way down to Mt. Sinai.  There, he tendered his resignation as the Lord's prophet.  He also asked the Lord to kill him off.  The Church was done.  There were no faithful people left.  So Elijah asked to die and be done with it.
     The Lord responded, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.”  And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind.  And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a (still, small voice).  And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. (1 Kings 19:11-13)  
     The Lord was not in the mighty and destructive forces, as we might expect him to be.  Just like you, Elijah might have hoped that Lord would strike the unbelievers with lightning bolts or rain down fire and brimstone.  But that is not where God is at work.  That is not how the Lord changes hearts.  The Lord's still, small voice comforts his troubled Church.
     Elijah was convinced that he was the last believer standing.  The Lord assured him that was not true.  He declared, “I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:18)  Despite social pressure to forsake the Lord or at least to add Baal worship to their lives, 7,000 people had been preserved by the Lord.  The Lord had kept them faithful to him.  So the Lord commanded Elijah, “Go back.  They need encouragement.  They need comfort.  They need a pastor to serve them.”  The Lord's still, small voice comforts his troubled Church.
     What's more, the Lord commanded Elijah to anoint his successors.  The Church of God would not end with Elijah or his generation.  Though heaven and earth shall pass away, the word of God shall never pass away.  The Lord's still, small voice is still heard.  The Lord still comforts his troubled Church.
     The Lord told Elijah to go back and anoint those who would act as God's agent of judgment against unfaithful Israel.  The godless would be judged.  But God's people would need the word of the Lord so that they could persevere in their godless society.  Temptations to forsake the Lord were prominent.  They were objects of scorn for having such an inflexible, uncompromising faith.  How long would they endure it?  They did not know.  But God would keep his people faithful.  God would preserve his Church, even in troubled times.  God is not good only when times are good.  God is good even when he tests and purifies his Church through hardship and persecution.  The still, small voice never goes silent.  The Lord's still, small voice comforts his troubled Church.
     Now you, dear Christian, may feel like you live in the same times as Elijah.  I assure you, it is not as bad now as Elijah witnessed.  Churches are not being destroyed, and pastors are not being killed, or even imprisoned for that matter.  Whether the Lord allows our safety and freedom to continue, who knows?  But you need not fear that unbelievers are acting like unbelievers.  And you should not run and hide because the world is becoming more and more godless.  Your hope and comfort have not changed one iota.  Your comfort has never been about being popular with people, being liked by Facebook friends, or even being comfortable in the world.  Your comfort and peace come from Jesus Christ who has rescued you from a world that is defiant, depraved, and marked for destruction.
     The Lord's still, small voice comforts his troubled Church.  That voice was manifested in Jesus Christ who did not come to slay the wicked or lay waste certain communities.  Jesus suffered and died for sinners in order to atone for their defiance, to redeem them from their depravity, and deliver them from death and destruction.  Jesus Christ has cleansed you of every stain of wickedness that dwells in you.  He has covered your iniquity with his righteousness and has created in you a godly spirit.  It is this God-given faith in you which is appalled at sinful defiance and which is grieved at moral depravity—including especially your own.  It is not the sins of others which would condemn you; it is your own sins.  Therefore, you continue to repent, fleeing from the evil that still dwells in you and that still comes out of your mouth and your hands.  You always need to hear the Lord's still, small voice comfort your troubled hearts.  For, it is the Lord who declares, “I forgive you all your sins.  I purify you of all unrighteousness.  I am your refuge from death and hell, and I am your comfort in a corrupt world.”  The Lord's still, small voice comforts his troubled Church.
     The Lord sent Elijah back to Israel to preach God's word.  God's people needed it; so did the godless.  The mission of the Church has not changed.  If the still, small voice of God—that is, the Gospel—is going to be heard, it is the Church which is going to preach and confess it.  Don't worry about converting all of America.  You each have friends and family.  You need only confess God's word to them, one at a time.  God's word will continue to be preached and confessed and believed in this godless world.  The Church, therefore, will continue to speak and act like the Church in a world that has neither love nor use for it.  And yet, God will continue to bring in his elect as you continue to be salt and light to a world that desperately needs it.
     Do not fret, and do not quit.  The Lord preserves his people.  The Lord keeps watch over his flock.  The Lord has redeemed you, and he will never forsake or forget you.  And though the world will perish, the Lord has delivered you from it.  The Lord's still, small voice still comforts his Church.  The Church will never perish.  It will always confess his name, proclaim his word, and rejoice in his salvation.  The Church will always gather to hear the Lord's still, small voice; for that is what saves us and consoles us.

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

Sermon -- 6th Sunday after Pentecost (June 30, 2013)

LUKE 9:51-62

A FAITHFUL DISCIPLE LOOKS

NOT FOR EXCUSES, BUT MERCY.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The Lord Jesus Christ is not fond of excuses.  No, that’s not saying it clearly enough.  How about this?  The Lord Jesus Christ despises excuses.  He will not accept them.  He will not believe them.  Anyone who thinks that he can excuse himself for doing what is evil or failing to do what is good should not deceive himself.  If you try to excuse your sins, you will not be forgiven for them.  For, this is what the Lord says: “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13) 

     And yet, we all persist in giving God our excuses.  “Lord, I meant to do your will, but it just didn’t work with my schedule, with my girlfriend, with my buddies, with what my job demands, with my hobbies, with my habits,” etc….  “Lord, your words are a bit hard to take.  My friends really hate what you have to say about this or that issue.  I think that we would get a lot more people interested in church if we just stopped talking about it.  Isn’t the main thing that people hear about Jesus and love?  Jesus didn’t turn anyone away, so why set up barriers or turn people away by harping on sins?” 

     They all sound like good excuses, don’t they?  We find just enough reason to convince ourselves that God’s word can be ignored or defied.  And we convince ourselves that God should be pleased with it because our motives are good and our hearts are in the right place.  Lies!  A heart that deviates from God’s word is never in the right place.  Pleading an excuse to sin against God is a demand to sin against God.  He will not excuse you.  And if you persist, he will not forgive you.  Repent.

     Now, when we think of people who make excuses for their sins, it is easy to imagine people who want to get away with some heinous or dastardly sin.  But consider the people in our gospel lesson.  These were not felons.  In fact, they seem quite religious.  We would probably consider them good-hearted, well-intentioned people.  These are the kinds of folks you would like as your neighbor and to have your kids on the same little league team as theirs.  But they revealed divided hearts.  They were willing to follow Jesus—but on their terms, as long as it fit their schedules, as long as it wasn’t inconvenient.

     As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”  And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” (Luke 9:57-58)  Perhaps the reason Jesus answered this man so tersely is because he wanted him to understand that being Jesus’ disciple is not going to be easy.  This man may have hoped to bask in the glory as one of Jesus’ entourage.  Jesus assured him that following him meant hardship and rejection from the world.  Bearing his name means being treated like him.  Being Jesus’ disciple is not about being popular.  It is about being faithful, especially when it is not popular.  Jesus did not want hardship to become an excuse for this man to forsake Jesus later.

      To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”  And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead.  But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-60)  Jewish custom demanded that the dead be buried by sundown.  If this man’s father had died, he should have been tending to it.  In other words, this man pledged, “I will follow you…later, when it is convenient.”  Family obligations sound like a good and reasonable excuse, but such excuses exalt man over God, even if that man is one’s family. 

     Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”  Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:61-62)  No employer wants workers who would rather be somewhere else.  No farmer plows his field by looking backward.  And no disciple pledges, “I will follow you, but….” 

     The Lord is not interested in excuses; for sins are never excused.  When you confess your sins to the Lord, he does not say, “Oh, it’s alright.”  Because it is not.  Sins are never alright.  The Son of Man did not come to grant you excuses.  He did not come to give you license to do more evil.  Therefore, do not seek ways to excuse yourself.  A faithful disciple does not look for excuses, but for mercy.

     The Son of Man came to make atonement for all of your sins.  He came to earn you a pardon for all of your transgressions.  He did not give you a free pass; he gave you mercy.  As our gospel declares twice: [Jesus] set his face to go to Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51,53)  He was committed to his course to go to Jerusalem, the place of sacrifice.  He was determined to go to suffer and die, to make atonement for your sins, and to be a sin offering for you.  Jesus did not give his heavenly Father any excuses.  He did not say that his task was too hard, too gruesome, inconvenient, thankless, or unfair.  Jesus sought no excuses, even though he was making a payment he did not owe.  He set his face toward Jerusalem and did not look back.  He sought to have mercy upon you.  The Son of Man did not have a place to lay his head, but rather had a crown of thorns placed upon his head.  He had charges nailed above his head.  And finally, his lifeless head and body found rest in a borrowed grave.

     Jesus set his face toward the cross.  That cross shows you two things.  First, it shows you what God thinks of sin.  He despises and damns every infraction against his commands.  He did not withhold any wrath or punishment from his only begotten Son.  Sin has brought about the bloody death even of God the Son.  That is how bad it is.  Secondly, the cross shows you what God thinks of you—how dearly God loves you; how much he desires your salvation.  Jesus did not offer up excuses why he could not be bothered with your problems.  He took your guilt.  He put an end to your excuses.  He silences every accusation.  His death has made atonement for you.

     A faithful disciple looks not for excuses, but mercy.  So, when you come before the Lord in your prayers or when you come before your pastor in private confession and absolution, do not make excuses for your sins.  Confess your sins boldly.  You are not here to impress your God by down-playing your sins or by making false claims of faithfulness.  Acknowledge your sin.  Do not hide your guilt.  You are here to seek mercy.  You are here to obtain forgiveness.  You are here to hold the Lord to his promises.  And what does he promise?  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)  

     A faithful disciple looks not for excuses, but for mercy.  And the Lord is most merciful to you.  He is eager to forgive your sins.  He does not tell you your sins are okay; he declares that they are forgiven.  He bled and died because of them.  He bled and died for you!  But he did this willingly.  He set his face toward Jerusalem where he acquitted you of all guilt and delivered you from all punishment.  So set your face toward Jesus, and you will find mercy.  Come to this altar, and here you will receive it.

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