Things that make me go, HMMMMMMM

As the Apostle John was recording the events of Jesus' resurrection, he mentioned the Apostle Thomas and noted that he is also known as Didymus, or, "the Twin."  If John had done this once, it would be an interesting piece of trivia.  

But John doesn't write this once.  He writes it THREE TIMES -- John 11:16, John 20:24, and John 21:2.  This is hardly coincidental, and it goes beyond an interesting piece of trivia.

That being said, I don't know what John's point was in including this bit of information three times.  If someone has a compelling theory to offer, I would like to hear it.  But for now, it is one of those things that make me go, "HMMMMMMM...."

Minor Festival -- Festival of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist

                Lutheran worship is liturgical.  While that often refers to an order of worship, it can also refer to the calendar of the Church Year.  The Church Year includes major festivals, such as Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost, etc...  Today we recognize a minor festival, the Festival of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist.

               John was the son of Zebedee and the brother of St. James.  John and James were known as the “Sons of Thunder,” which reveals their passionate nature (sometimes misguided).  John was one of the three apostles who was privileged to witness Jesus’ most intimate moments in his ministry (e.g., the raising of Jairus’ daughter, Jesus’ transfiguration, Jesus’ sufferings in Gethsemane).  John, who refers to himself as “the other disciple” or “the disciple Jesus loved” in his gospel, seemed to be Jesus’ closest friend.  This apostle wrote the final books of the New Testament (a gospel, three epistles, and Revelation).  We know that, toward the end of his life, John was exiled to the island of Patmos for his faith.  Tradition says that John was the only apostle to die of natural causes.  Whether we go to our grave peacefully or as a martyr, we would pray that our Lord keep us faithful as he did for John.

Minor Festival -- St. Matthias, Apostle (February 24, 2019)

Worship Note for the Festival of St. Matthias, Apostle

Lutheran worship is liturgical.  While that often refers to an order of worship, it can also refer to the calendar of the Church Year.  The Church Year includes major festivals, such as Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost, etc...  Today we recognize a minor festival, the Festival of St. Matthias, Apostle.

St. Matthias received his apostleship after the original Twelve.  After Judas Iscariot had betrayed Jesus, despaired of hope, and committed suicide, the remaining apostles replaced Judas with Matthias.  We are told nothing else of Matthias.  What is most noteworthy in Matthias’ filling in the twelfth position among the apostles was the apostles’ desire for this to be a divine appointment (Acts 1:24-26).  Even today, we recognize that it is God who calls pastors and teachers to serve his people – a comfort for the pastor or teacher who knows that this is where God wants him to serve; and a comfort for God’s people who know that this is the servant God has chosen just for them.

        We will observe the Festival of St. Matthias, Apostle this Sunday, February 24.

Lutheran Satire: Best Conspiracy Ever

At our Sunday Night Bible Series last night, we discussed the evidence of the resurrection of Jesus.  Since an empty tomb proves only that there is no one in it (Dr. Maier quipped, "An empty tomb does not prove the resurrection, but you can't have a decent resurrection without one."), we considered other evidence.  

The behavior of the apostles changed from timid to bold, especially as each one of them faced persecution, beatings, imprisonment, exile, and martyrdom for the sake of the testimony they gave of Jesus' resurrection.  Would they really fabricate a resurrection story and suffer so much for a lie?  Is the founding of the Christian faith, based on the resurrection of Jesus, one big scam?  Lutheran Satire gives us some insight to this line of thinking!

Something from ... Chrysostom on the Church and the Apostles

Something from St. John Chrysostom (ca. 349 - 407), bishop of Constantinople.


Here, John comments on the benefits we have received through the Apostles and Evangelists who have recorded the words and works of Jesus Christ, by which the Holy Spirit brings people into the kingdom of God.  Though they have departed from this world, their words are still proclaimed.  And we still benefit from their words, as the Church (the commonwealth) gathers around them Sunday after Sunday to receive the blessings proclaimed in them.


“And as a place for this their commonwealth they have assigned Heaven, and God they have brought in as the framer thereof, and as lawgiver of the statues there set; as indeed was their duty.  And the rewards in their commonwealth are not leaves of bay nor olive, not an allowance of meat in the public hall, nor estates of brass, these cold and ordinary things, but a life which hath no end, and to become children of God, to join the angels' choir, and to stand by the royal throne, and to be always with Christ.  And the popular guides of this commonwealth are publicans, and fishermen, and tent-makers, not such as have lived for a short time, but such as are now living for ever.  Therefore even after their death they may possibly do the greatest good to the governed.” (St. John Chrysostom, p 6, Homilies on the Gospel according to St. Matthew; Homily 1, part 12)

Sermon -- Festival of St. Bartholomew

JOHN 1:43-51

A TRUE ISRAELITE SHALL SEE GREAT THINGS.

In the name + of Jesus.

     When the Christian Church celebrates a minor festival, it is our tradition to change the paraments on the altar to reflect it.  Sometimes the paraments are white indicating that the saint we commemorate died a peaceful death.  Today, as you can see, the paraments are red.  This indicates that the saint was martyred for the Christian faith which he preached and confessed. 

     The Festival of St. Bartholomew falls on a Sunday this year, and it is timely for us to celebrate it.  Though Scripture tells us precious little about St. Bartholomew, tradition tells us that he was a missionary to India and Armenia.  Tradition also says that Bartholomew was flayed alive for being a preacher of Jesus Christ.  While that is grotesque, it is no less disturbing to hear about the Christians in Syria and Iraq who are being crucified these days for the Christian faith.  They have had their homes marked by Muslims.  And though it puts them in great danger, these Christians have not denied Christ or pretended to be anything other than Jesus’ disciples.  In his wisdom, the Lord Jesus is allowing these Middle Eastern Christians to glorify him in their death.  We pray that the Lord would sustain these people in their faith so that they would remain faithful even to the point of death—either their own death or watching the death of their family members.  Let your prayers for these people be fervent and frequent.

     But long before Bartholomew honored Jesus by his gory death, Jesus honored him with a high compliment.  Bartholomew is also known to us as Nathanael.  He was somewhat of a skeptic.  He was not willing to buy into any rumor about a Messiah, no matter how much he had been longing for him.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus NazarethNathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  Philip said to him, “Come and see.” (John 1:45-46) 

     As you know, Nathanael did come and see.  Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” (John 1:47)  We do not often hear Jesus give such high words of praise to anyone.  So what was it about Nathanael that Jesus commended him for?

     The answer comes from Philip’s invitation to him.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus Nazareth(John 1:45)  Nathanael believed Moses and the Prophets.  More than that, Nathanael believed that Moses and the Prophets foretold that a Messiah would come to deliver him from his enemies, specifically, from sin, death, and the devil.  Nathanael had heard the promises read in the synagogue.  He had studied them when he was confirmed as a son of the covenant.  And he continued to long for and pray for the Lord’s Christ to come.  He was a true Israelite. 

     When Nathanael came to Jesus, he was amazed at Jesus’ omniscience.  Jesus assured him, “You will see greater things than these.  Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:50-51)  In other words, Nathanael would see Jesus as the path to heaven.  It is through Jesus that heaven is opened.  And it is at Jesus’ word that the angels will carry us there.  A true Israelite will see great things.

     Nathanael was praised as a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit.  If such words of praise sound wrong to you, it is because you know that all men are liars.  We lie to cover up our sins and hide our shame.  We lie to make ourselves look good before others.  We lie to ourselves, convinced that we are good and that God should be pleased with us.  In all this, we end up calling God a liar.  For, when we insist that we are good, we deny what God has said, “All have sinned.” (Romans 3:23)  This is what the Lord says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)  Even our best motives are tainted, because we think we should be rewarded and praised for what we do and who we are.  We may defy God with self-centered words and actions, but we still expect God to reward us for ice bucket challenges and for being nice to people who like us.  Such things are nice, even helpful, but they do not take away sins.

     The Lord Jesus Christ does not want you to put your trust in self-deception.  He has exposed you for the sinner that you are.  He has done this so that you will no longer buy the lie that you must earn praise from God, or worse, that you have earned it.  All have sinned.  There is no praise in that.  Therefore, you do not have to pretend to be what you are not.  You do not have to hide your guilt or cover your shame.  You come before God boasting of nothing.  Instead, you confess your sin.  You repent of any pride in yourself.  You throw yourself on God’s mercy.

     The Lord Jesus Christ does not fail you or disappoint you.  Jesus rescues you from every false hope.  He does not let your salvation rest on wishful thinking.  And he does pretend that your sins are no big deal.  That is Satan’s line.  They are a big deal.  That is why Jesus suffered for your guilt and died for your sins.  Jesus is the guilt offering which was made for you.  He has paid for all your sins in blood.  Therefore, you are pardoned for every offense.  You are forgiven of all sins.  Jesus has applied his bloody sacrifice to you in your baptism.  There, he has covered your shame with his righteousness.  There, he created in you a clean heart and has breathed in you his Holy Spirit.  That is how you can stand before God as one who is holy and blameless.  Your life is hidden in Christ.  That is what God sees.  Therefore, God is pleased with you.  Therefore, God is pleased with your works—whether you pour ice water over your head to support a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease, or you pour over figures for work, or you pour over a novel in bed.  God is pleased with you not by what you do or by what you pretend to be.  God is pleased with you because Jesus makes you a true Israelite.

     As you assess yourself, you might recognize that you do not look a true Israelite.  And that is true.  You don’t look like it—yet.  But the day will come when God will transform your lowly body into the likeness of Jesus’ glorious, risen body.  On that day, at the resurrection, you will actually appear as God has declared to you be.  You will not merely be called a saint, you will look like one.  Heaven will be opened to you.  And the angels who have watched over you throughout your life will also escort you into the very presence of God.  There, all true Israelites will see the glories of heaven and have everlasting, unbroken peace.  A true Israelite will see great things.

     The apostle Nathanael came from the fig tree to see Jesus preach and heal, to suffer and die, to rise from the grave and to ascend to heaven.  Then he went out and proclaimed to many the truth of Jesus Christ.  No longer does man have to lie to himself, to pretend before others, or to try to earn God’s praise.  Jesus Christ has cleansed us from all sin and rescued us from false hope.  Nathanael boldly confessed this truth even when a gruesome and painful death was pronounced against him.  Even then, Jesus did not disown Nathanael.  He was still a true Israelite.  He would see greater things and be given a greater glory.
      A true Israelite will see great things.  It is impossible to know if you will face anything close to what St. Bartholomew endured.  There is no way of knowing if you will ever face persecution as intense as the Christians in Syria and Iraq.  Whether you do or not, you are marked as Jesus' disciple.  You do not have to pretend to be who you are not.  You confess that you are a sinner, but more importantly, you confess that your hope, your peace, your righteousness, and your salvation all come from Jesus and rest in him.  There is no deception in Jesus' promises, and there is no disappointment in clinging to him.  This faith is what makes you a true Israelite, and you will see the greater things of heavenly glory.

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

Sermon -- Festival of St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles (October 28, 2012)

JUDE 1-4,17-23 / JOHN 14:21-27

BE ZEALOUS FOR THE KINGDOM.

In the name + of Jesus.

     In just a week and a half, we will have a chance to vote for a president, for various congressmen and officials, and on proposition this or that.  People may get excited about elections because they believe the right official will produce a glorious and prosperous kingdom.  But if you want some divine direction regarding political promises, programs, and elections, then listen very carefully, because here it is: “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.  When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.” (Psalm 146:3-4) 

     Today the Church focuses on two obscure apostles, St. Simon and St. Jude.  The one is known better as Simon the Zealot.  The Zealots were a political faction whose goal was to usher in the kingdom of God by ridding the Promised Land of the Romans and their armies.  In their zeal, they had even engaged in guerilla warfare and acts of terrorism to oust Israel’s enemies and to establish Israel’s kingdom, which they assumed was synonymous with the kingdom of God. 

     Our Lord Jesus Christ called Simon to be a preacher in the kingdom of God.  If Simon would be a zealot, it should not be for an earthly kingdom.  Earthly kingdoms come and go, but the throne of our God endures forever.  In his epistle, St. Jude urges us to demonstrate zeal for the kingdom of God.  This kingdom is not advanced by warfare, elections, or legislation.  St. Jude wrote, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” (Jude 20,21)  Be zealous for the kingdom, and that means being zealous for God’s word – zealous for the proclamation of it, zealous against the distortion of it, and zealous for receiving it and partaking of it.

     St. Simon wanted to see the kingdom of God established and advancing in a visible way.  He wanted to see the Lord living and reigning in Jerusalem.  He wanted to see the Lord’s enemies cowering at his feet.  He wanted to see God’s faithful people enjoying the benefits of peace, prosperity, and productivity under the glorious rule of their Messiah-King.  And perhaps that is what you want the kingdom of God to be too.  You may even live under the delusion that this is what the United States of America is supposed to be.  But it is not.  God’s kingdom is no worldly kingdom.

     St. Jude had hoped it would be, though.  He asked Jesus, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” (John 14:22)  What a glorious thing it would be to see Jesus and his kingdom reigning in this world!  Oh, how we wish that we would radiate in divine glory and that the Lord’s favor upon us would be obvious to the world!  Instead, we suffer the frustrations and pains of a sinful world.  We are mocked for taking God’s word seriously.  We are despised for confessing that Jesus Christ is the sole source of righteousness, forgiveness, and salvation.  We do not appear to be citizens in the kingdom of God.  Instead of being dominant, we are weak.  We don’t look like children of the Most High God, either.  Rather than looking like saints, we prove that we are sinners.  We pray, “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory,” but then we wonder: Where is it?!

     Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” (John 14:22)  Do not be deceived or disappointed about the kingdom of God.  It is not revealed in advancing armies or in lavish palaces.  The Lord reveals himself in the word which is preached and in sacraments which are administered.  This is where the Lord delivers to you his forgiveness.  This is where the Lord opens up the gates of heaven to you.  It does not matter if it is a time of peace or persecution.  It does not matter if we meet openly in an ornate cathedral or secretly in someone’s basement.  Where the word and sacrament are, there is the kingdom of God.  For there, Jesus is with his people imparting forgiveness, blessing, and salvation.  Be zealous for the kingdom.

     The kingdom of God has been established by the blood of Christ.  It is Jesus’ blood which was shed for the forgiveness of sins.  It is Jesus’ blood which has been poured over you in your baptism to purify you and to bring you into God’s kingdom.  It is Jesus’ blood which is given to you in the Lord’s Supper where you remain united to Jesus in his kingdom.  He has ransomed you from a world where glory fades, were promises are broken, where dreams are dashed, and where people die.  Even the greatest glory this world has to offer is fleeting, and it always ends in death.  But now Jesus has delivered you into a kingdom where God always keeps his promises, where the glory is everlasting, where death is destroyed, and where a perfect world is not something you dream about but something you wait for.  This is the kingdom God has given to you. 

     Be zealous for the kingdom.  The devil can never overthrow Jesus from his throne.  He can never destroy the kingdom of God.  But he will strive to get you to leave it.  He will even try to deceive you by twisting God’s word so that his lies have the appearance of divine truth.  For that reason, St. Jude wrote, “I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.  For certain people have crept in unnoticed who … pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 3,4) 

     So that you will not be deceived by lies or led astray by temptation, be zealous for the kingdom.  That means be zealous for the word of the Lord – zealous for the proclamation of it, zealous against the distortion of it, and zealous for receiving it and partaking of it.  Hear the word of the Lord.  Cling to his truth.  For this is your only refuge against Satan, your only forgiveness for your sins, and your only hope for eternal life.  But the Lord will not fail you.  He is zealous to save you, which is why he suffered and died for you.  He is zealous to keep you in his care, which is why he sends ministers to preach and administer the Lord’s Supper.

     On election day, by all means, vote as your conscience leads you and pray for your leaders.  You can get excited about promises and candidates all you want.  None of them will ever make the world a utopia.  You will never get heaven on earth.  Whether rulers are wise or foolish, truthful or liars, noble or crooked, chaste or immoral, or Christian or heathen, the divine direction is the same.  “Put not your trust in princes.” (Psalm 146:3) 

     But you have been brought into a glorious, eternal kingdom.  It is not limited by boundaries or languages or even time.  The kingdom of God dwells in the hearts of all who believe and are baptized.  You get to join in with angels, archangels, and all the company of heaven in your worship.  And in this kingdom, God blesses, forgives, comforts, and grants everlasting life.  No army, no enemy, and no death can ever take that from you.

     St. Simon and St. Jude did not preach about a glorious, earthly kingdom in which they would enjoy peace and prosperity.  They pointed to a better, eternal kingdom in heaven – purchased and won by the blood of Christ.  Tradition says that St. Simon and St. Jude honored Jesus by shedding their blood for him.  They were zealous to the end, contending for the faith, clinging to Jesus, and proclaiming his kingdom.  This faith has been delivered down to you.  Be zealous for the kingdom.  It is where you are safe.

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