Sermon -- 12th Sunday after Pentecost (August 28, 2022)

From the Pen of St. Paul

COLOSSIANS 3:12 – 4:2

WE ARE CLOTHED WITH CHRIST.

In the name + of Jesus.

     St. Paul reminds you of your status as one who has been baptized.  He wrote to the Galatians, “as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).  You are clothed with Christ which means that Jesus’ innocence covers your guilt.  Jesus’ blood and righteousness are your beauty, your glorious dress.  When God the Father sees you, he sees Christ.  Therefore, God’s favor rests upon you. 

     But your baptism is more than just a change in your status.  We sing along with King David in Psalm 51: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).  Baptism produces a clean heart which is focused on what is pure.  It creates a right spirit which is devoted to righteousness.  Baptism clothes us with  Christ and works a change in our minds, hearts, words, and actions.  We want to be like Jesus because his righteousness covers us, and his name is upon us.

     St. Paul wrote to the Colossians about the old sinful nature being taken off like a ratty, filthy garment and about the new man being put on who is being restored to the image of God.  The metaphor of putting on a new garment continues in our reading.  “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12).  St. Paul tells us to put these characteristics on because they are not inherent in us.  But now we are a new creation in Christ; this is what we were created to be, and what we are restored to be.

     There is a bumper sticker which says, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”  We would agree with that.  But the fact that people have to be told to be kind betrays the fact that many people are not.  Restaurants and shops are posting notes to remind customers that they are short-staffed and ask them not to get angry at the people who did show up for work.  The fact that such notes are necessary tells you what kind of behavior they are experiencing.  People are demanding, rude, and arrogant.  They cut people with sharp tongues and pour bitter words into the wounds they have made.   

     That’s not to say we are above it.  We are impatient when we have to wait for attention.  We become unkind when our schedule gets interrupted.  We are short on compassion: “My problems matter; yours don’t bother me at all.”  It is a daily battle against our sinful nature.  Therefore, put off these sinful traits like a ratty garment and dress yourself with godliness.  This goes way beyond, “Be kind.” 

     St. Paul says, “If one has a complaint against another, [forgive] each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Colossians 3:13).  Our natural reaction when people sin against us is to retaliate.  We favor vengeance over mercy.  And you might argue, “They don’t deserve my forgiveness.”  That is true.  We judge rightly when we recognize that sin is wrong.  We should not tell anyone who sins against us, “It’s okay,” because it is not.  Sin is never okay.  Mercy is never deserved.  Forgiveness, by its definition, is not deserved; it is graciously given.  We are clothed with Christ; therefore, we also act like Christ who has freely forgiven us.

     Our Lord did not choose to save sinners because we have earned or deserved it.  He did it because he loves us.  He loves all mankind.  He does not want anyone to perish.  God the Father sent his Son to deliver us from fiery punishment because he loves us.  The Son came willingly because he loves us.  Jesus lived in meekness and humility among people who flaunted superiority over others.  He had compassion for people who did not show mercy to anyone.  Then Jesus accepted every charge of guilt despite his perfect innocence.  All this because Jesus came for all to redeem all.

     So, Jesus went to the cross for all people—for those who loved him and for those who hated him; for those who spoke well of him and for those who slandered him; for those who were eager to listen to him and for those who wanted him to shut up.  Jesus’ love for mankind is not determined by how well mankind behaves or responds to him.  Out of his steadfast love for all, Jesus died to deliver all out of the curse of sin and the sentence to hell.  Jesus made the sacrifice which pays for the sins of the world, even though many in the world still do not care and, sadly, will not benefit.  But the Lord has made you wise for salvation.  By faith that trusts in Christ alone, you are cleansed of sin and arrayed in a robe of righteousness.  You are clothed with Christ.

     So now, continue to shed whatever filth tries to stain you and put on the godly qualities which the Lord has always intended you to have.  “And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:14).  Love is not an emotion; it is the policy.  It is committing yourself to doing what is good for others.  As it was with Jesus, so it is with us: We will do good no matter what.  If people do not notice, do not care, or do not like it, we will do good.  When it is hard, costly, or when we just don’t feel like it, we will do good.  Just as Jesus’ behavior was based on his love and not on people’s response, so it is with us.  We are clothed with Christ, and we strive to act like little Christs to the world.

     Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “The most important (commandment) is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31).  Our Lord not only gives us the commandment, he also gives us the neighbors whom we are to love. 

     St. Paul instructs us to serve in our various vocations—wives and husbands, children and parents, bondservants and masters (we would update this to be “employees” and “employers”).  In these and in all other vocations, we get to exercise “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, patience” (Colossians 3:12), forgiveness, and love.  To be kind, there must be someone to show kindness to.  To be patient, there must be someone to be patient with.  To have a compassionate heart, there must be someone to show compassion toward.  So, we put down our cell phones and look others in the eye to listen to their concerns.  We put our task on pause to give our full attention to the request of others and show consideration.  We acknowledge that our problems are not the only problems, and we help others to bear the burden of theirs.  In all our interactions with other people, whether they are noble or wicked, we are clothed with Christ.  The way we treat others reflects the way Jesus Christ has treated us.

     Now to be sure, some people make it hard to do this.  As Major Frank Burns once said, “It’s nice to be nice to the nice.”  But it is hard to be kind to those who are rude.  It is hard to show patience to the one who keeps messing up.  It is hard to remain humble when you listen to the one who brags about how great he is.  And it is hard to have compassion for people who do not seem to have compassion for anyone else.  Perhaps you heard about the story of the restaurant in northern Michigan which closed because of the customers who were so demanding and demeaning to the staff who was working there.  When the owner of the restaurant witnessed how badly her employees were being abused by the customers, she decided that no profit was worth what they had to put up with.  She evicted the customers and closed her doors.  And who could blame her?

     So, what would motivate you to keep putting on “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, patience” (Colossians 3:12), forgiveness, and love?  St. Paul answers the question for you: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:15-16). 

     It is the Lord Jesus who fills you with his peace.  He continues to be faithful to you.  He does not cast you off because you had your own moments when you were impatient, rude, and condescending.  He forgives all your sins because he has paid for them.  It is the Lord Jesus who works in you a clean heart and right spirit so that you love what is good and desire to do it, even for people who are not good.  For, the love of Christ which dwells in us is based on his undying love for us.  Love gives.  Love seeks what is good for others, regardless of what other people do. 

     We are clothed with Christ.  We all are.  Therefore, we all encourage one another to continue in purity of mind and spirit.  We admonish one another so that we will not embrace sinful desires for pride, revenge, or superiority.  Rather, we encourage one another with the word of Christ, with songs that teach the faith, and with prayers.  Of course, to do that, we have to be together.  We are here for the good of each other, and we are here so that our Lord will continue to preserve us in the faith and prepare us for acts of kindness, patience, compassion, forgiveness, and love.

     We are clothed with Christ.  We are perpetually clothed with Christ.  There is never a time when you are not a Christian.  That means there is never a time when you are excused from doing good or allowed to embrace wickedness.  If we are clothed with Christ, then we always seek to have the mind and the heart of Christ.  Likewise, there is also never a moment when the blood of Jesus Christ fails to purify you of all sins.  There is never a moment when the Holy Spirit abandons you.  There is never a moment when God the Father hesitates to call you his “chosen ones, holy and beloved” (Colossians 3:12).  Whether you are with your family or your colleagues at work, whether you are traveling or at home, whether you are among friends or strangers, whether you live or die—you are clothed with Christ.

     Therefore, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).  Whatever you do, whatever you say, however you act, wherever you go, do everything in the name of the Lord—because you always bear his name.  He is pleased to call you his chosen, holy, and beloved.  You rejoice to call him your Savior.

     We are clothed with Christ.  This holy garment marks us as the Lord’s now and forever.  And so, let us join in our hymns to encourage one another with this promise and confession: Jesus, your blood and righteousness my beauty are, my glorious dress.  With these before my God I’ll stand when I shall reach the heavenly land. 

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

YouTube -- 11th Sunday after Pentecost (August 21, 2022)

Here is the service from Sunday, August 21, 2022.

Sermon -- 11th Sunday after Pentecost (August 21, 2022)

From the Pen of St. Paul

COLOSSIANS 3:1-11

WE ARE FOCUSED ON CHRIST.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Jesus told a parable about a rich farmer who became much richer because of a bumper crop.  Since his barns were too small to contain his whole harvest, he built bigger barns.  He secured his fortune, and he chose to enjoy the rest of his life in leisure and luxury.  We could argue that this man had achieved the American dream. 

     You’ve probably heard it said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.”  That’s because God often has different plans for us.  And often, God’s plans are the opposite of what we want.  Our plans focus on ourselves, our desires, and our glory.  In his mercy and wisdom, God may redirect us or God may dispose of our plans altogether.  In the case of the rich farmer, his plans were, “Relax, eat, drink, be merry” (Luke 12:19).  God’s plans were, “Fool!  This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be” (Luke 12:20)?  Then Jesus explained why we should regard this man as a fool instead of with envy: “So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:20).

     St. Paul picks up on this thought, although Paul’s words are not so much focused on money.  St. Paul urges us to focus on Jesus above any worldly effort or accumulation.  He begins, “If then you have been raised with Christ…” (Colossians 3:1).  Paul is not calling into question the faith of the Colossians or of you.  Perhaps a better translation would be “since.”  It is like saying, “If the Democrats control Congress…”; they do.  Since they do, whatever you say afterwards should be true.  So, since “you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2).  Then St. Paul tells you why we are to be focused on Christ.  “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). 

     When you were baptized into Christ, united himself to you.   He took what is yours—your sin and guilt—and died under God’s wrath in your place.  His death is your death.  And Jesus gives you what is his.  His life is your life.  His glory is your glory.  His path is your path.  Jesus is the way through this life and into the next.  Just as Jesus lived in humility and weakness, so now do you.  Like you, Jesus lived in a world of stubbed toes, splinters, blood, sweat, and tears.  Like Jesus, you also endure insults, mockery, and people who disappoint and frustrate you.  Fleshly bodies are feeble, frail, and mortal.  Just as there is nothing about your appearance which is glorious, so also the prophet Isaiah foretold about Jesus, “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2).

     Jesus suffered and died in humility and weakness.  The image of Jesus on the cross, if it is accurately portrayed, should make you avert your eyes.  His bleeding, naked, frail body being pulled lifeless from the cross is pathetic.  The only reason you find it endearing is because you know that his death is the payment for all your sins.  It did not look glorious; it looked grotesque.  But on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead with a glorified body.  He is no longer subject to death or weakness or struggles.  Jesus lives, forever free from death, forever untouched by the schemes of wicked men, forever over Satan and all demonic forces.  Jesus lives and reigns in glory.  His glory was witnessed by the apostles.  His glory will be seen by all creation when Jesus comes to judge the living and the dead.

     We are focused on Jesus because he is the way to our glorious future.  “For your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:3-4).  For now, your glory is hidden.  Yes, you are the children of God.  Yes, you are the heirs of the heavenly kingdom.  But that is not evident now.  These things are yours by faith.  When Jesus comes again, we and all the world will see and know this glory to be true.  We will think, act, and appear as the glorious children of God Jesus says we are.  We will be like Jesus.  As it was with Jesus, so it is with us: The glory comes at the resurrection from the dead.  We are focused on Jesus so that we are assured of the glory hidden now and the glory to be received when he comes again.

     We are focused on Christ.  “Seek the things that are above…  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1-2).  Everything which the world esteems as glorious is passing away.  The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.  For in these things I delight, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).  The world and all its glory will pass away, so why invest yourself in that or boast about it?  Why build your kingdom here when “here” will be destroyed by flames?  Why build your kingdom now when “now” is momentary and eternity is coming?  We are focused on Christ whose kingdom endures forever.

     You have probably heard it said that some Christians are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.  That can happen.  Although this world is passing away, we still live in it.  We do not seek its glory; our glory is that we serve for the good of others.  We do not take our focus off Christ to do it.  In fact, we can’t.  To serve in a God-pleasing way, we must keep focused on the heavenly things—the kingdom and the word of God.  This is how the Holy Spirit informs and inspires our attitudes and behavior.  In order to serve in a way that glorifies our Lord, we keep our focus on Christ.

     St. Paul shows us how: “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  On account of these the wrath of God is coming.  In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.  But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth” (Colossians 3:5-8).  The sinful nature still clings to us.  It still influences us to revert to worldly words and actions.  It never produces anything profitable or beneficial, so it must never be rewarded.  It must be put to death.

     St. Paul mentions a number of sinful attitudes that are common to mankind, and he calls you to put them away.  We will limit our focus to anger and wrath.  What is it that makes you angry?  It is likely something or someone which prevents you from getting your way.  Now there may be occasions when your anger is justified.  For example, when Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments, he saw the people of Israel engaged in the wicked and perverse worship of a golden calf.  In his anger, Moses slammed the tablets to the ground and shattered them.  Then he pulverized the golden calf, scattered the gold residue in the water, and made the Israelites drink it.  In all of this, Moses was not seeking his own glory or trying to get his way.  He saw the people under his care abandoning the living God for a dead idol, exchanging glory for shame, and abandoning heaven for hell. 

     Our anger is rarely stirred up by such noble motives.  We are enraged when the slow car is in the far left lane.  We snarl when our text does not get answered for more than 30 minutes.  We are upset when no one notices that the dishes are done or the laundry is folded.  We get angry because we assume that every inconvenience is a sign of disrespect.  We fume because people are not as focused on us and our problems and our achievements as we are.  Repent.  Unchecked anger turns into shouting, threats, violence, and murder.  Anger and wrath have not benefited your neighbor, and they have not made your life any better either.

     Our Lord Jesus Christ has valid reasons to be angry with us for our selfish, worldly ways.  But he does not treat us as our sins deserve.  He is merciful.  He died under God’s wrath to pay the price for ours.  Having rescued us, Jesus calls us to put our sins to death.  Focused on Christ, we “put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:9-10).  Sin cannot be ignored, or it will ensnare you.  It must be put off by daily repentance.  We cast off our old ways, and our Lord renews us day by day.  The Holy Spirit works in us so that we live with our minds set on things above.  That does not mean we think of angels, harps, and clouds.  It means that we want to be like Jesus.

     We are focused on Christ as we live in a world that rejects his word and mocks godly living.  As we had considered before, Jesus lived in such a world and yet was faithful to the Father.  Jesus served many people who were only interested in his miracles and thought little of the words of eternal life.  Jesus did good to them anyway.  We are focused on Christ; so, we also serve our fellow man.  Even if our service is despised, we do good anyway.  Jesus confessed the truth before others because he desired to save them.  Some slandered Jesus for his testimony.  They plotted his death.  When they put him under oath, they made him confess that he is the Christ, the Son of God, so that they could condemn him for blasphemy.  Jesus made the good confession, and then died for the sins of all—for sins of anger, impurity, obscenity, and every evil deed and desire.  We are focused on Christ; so, we also confess the truth and expose the devil’s lies.  We confess no matter how much the world hates the truth—first, because we love God’s truth and second because the only hope anyone has of being saved is to hear that truth.  We are focused on Christ.  He is the only source of life in a dying world.  He maintains faithful love in a world of failed promises.  He guarantees the only glory that will endure.

     We are focused on Christ.  His mercy endures, his kingdom is eternal, and his promises are unshakable.  Everything else will pass away, so we need not cling to earthly glories, and we dare not let earthly desires cling to us.  Since “you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).  Soon enough, you will live and reign with him in everlasting glory.  So it will be with everyone whose treasure is Jesus and is rich toward God.

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

YouTube -- 10th Sunday after Pentecost (August 14, 2022)

Here is the service from Sunday, August 14, 2022.

Sermon -- 10th Sunday after Pentecost (August 14, 2022)

From the Pen of St. Paul

COLOSSIANS 2:6-15

WE ARE ROOTED IN CHRIST.

In the name + of Jesus.

      St. Paul reminds you of who you are and then issues a warning so that you do not fall away from it.  He wrote, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.  See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:6-8). 

     We are rooted in Christ, and St. Paul uses several expressions to show how: “as you received Christ Jesus the Lord” (Colossians 2:6) and “just as you were taught” (Colossians 2:7).  It is the message of Jesus Christ which revealed God’s grace to you, and it is the message of Jesus Christ that keeps you in God’s grace.  The message which released you from the grasp of the devil is the same message which prevents the devil from latching back onto you.  The one truth which created saving faith in you is the only truth which sustains you in the saving faith.  “Just as you were taught,” so continue in that teaching.  In this way, you will remain rooted in Christ and in his kingdom.

     “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him” (Colossians 2:6).  As you received it, so keep on receiving it.  It does not matter what era you live in, what culture you come from, or how times have changed.  God does not change; neither does his will or his word.  Therefore, continue in them so that you remain “rooted and built up in him and established in the faith” (Colossians 2:7).

     Now, from the encouragement to the warning: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8).  The devil cannot kidnap you out of the kingdom of God.  Instead, the devil tries to entice you away from the foundation of your faith.  He tries to make God’s will and God’s designs unattractive and unreasonable.  The devil seeks to reprogram you through media, school curriculums, politics, and cancel culture.  If you refuse to adopt these wicked ideas, the world will shame you or threaten you financially.

     You should know that this is nothing new.  The Colossians were facing the same kinds of pressures, which is why Paul wrote them this letter to encourage them to remain rooted in Christ.  The particular teaching which Paul described as “philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world” (Colossians 2:8) is known as Gnosticism.  While Gnosticism has several facets to it, a brief summary is that it rejects what God has established.  Gnosticism teaches that the physical body is evil and that we are free when we cast it off.  The spirit is all that matters.  God, however, created us body and soul.  The body is not evil.  It has been corrupted by sin, but your physical body is not evil in and of itself.  Adam and Eve were created with bodies which God decreed to be “very good” (Genesis 1:31).  The Lord himself took on human flesh which remained sinless, and he did not shed his humanity at his resurrection, as if that is what we are to be delivered from.  To this day, Jesus is true man, and it is good.

     Gnosticism has not gone away.  Our culture promotes it by rejecting what God has established.  God created people male and female.  Doctors, nurses, and parents can decree “It’s a boy” or “It’s a girl” at the moment of birth.  Ultrasounds enable people to have gender reveal parties even before the birth.  Anatomy makes it obvious who is a boy or a girl.  Today, people are rejecting what God has created by stating that the sex of a child is not evident, it is assigned.  Children are taught to question whether they are boys or girls, and it is regarded as a good thing if they are confused about it.

     People are rejecting what God has established.  A woman may be convinced that she is a man (or vice versa).  In doing so, she despises what God has made her to be and craves what God has not made her to be—convinced she knows better than God.  She regards her body as evil and insists what matters is her spirit, that is, how she identifies herself rather than recognizing what she actually is.  Granted, this may be a genuine psychological issue for some, but for many it is a noble and healthy choice “according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world” (Colossians 2:8).

     But rejecting God’s wisdom and longing for something different is nothing new.  How often have you thought that you would be happier if you had a fancier house or a movie star life?  Have you wished you had someone else’s family, vacation, or Facebook posts because you assume they’ve got it better than you?  Repent.  God knows what he is doing.  He created you as he wanted you.  He has blessed you as is best for you.  You should not covet what God has chosen not to give you, as if that would fix everything.  That is the very sin which Adam and Eve committed in the Garden of Eden.  It has condemned the whole world, and it still runs rampant in the world today.

     People despise God’s order and reject what God has established.  It is more than preferred pronouns and transitioning to different sexes.  It is also women being taught that a career is the highest good and that motherhood is a punishment.  It is men who avoid the responsibility of serving as leaders, providers, and protectors of women and children.  It is people who flee from reality through the fantasies projected on their computer screens.  It is people who usurp the blessings of a marriage bed and mock marriage itself.  If you stand firm on God’s word, you charged with intolerance.  If you uphold what God has established, you are branded as a hater.  If you confess the truth, you may be cancelled.  However, if you abandon Christ and side with the world, you will be cheered.  Life will be easier for several decades, and you may even congratulate yourself for being righteous as the world defines it.  But the cost is eternal under the wrath of God who was spurned.

     “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7).  We have been rooted in Christ.  Remain rooted in Christ so that you will not become captives to lies.  Abound in thankfulness that Christ preserves you through this life and for the next.

     Every summer, we hear about beaches which are closed because of E.coli or some other contaminate.  We avoid the water because it is toxic.  We look for the source which produced the contamination.  If the source can be corrected, the water will be good.  In the same way, our sins spring from a corrupted nature.  The thoughts, words, and actions are bad because the heart is bad. 

     Everything God has established is good, but it has been corrupted.  Bodies, intellect, emotions, and motives have all been corrupted by sin.  The evidence comes through nasty words and selfish actions.  It is felt in your discontented thoughts and covetous hearts.  These reveal the real problem—your sinfulness.  Running to one worldly philosophy after another is not going to change this.  The change comes only through Jesus “in (whom) the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9).  Because God loves what he has created, he had no desire to toss it in the trash even when it had become corrupt.  Rather, he chose to restore it.  And so, God himself came to do it.  Jesus of Nazareth, in whom “the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,” came to rescue and to restore what sin has ruined.

     Jesus has delivered you from the sin which corrupts your thoughts and your motives, your words and your works.  “You, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.  This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.  He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:13-15).  Jesus took your trespasses away.  He has rescued you from every useless philosophy and demonic lie which are supposed to make your life better.  He has publicly humiliated the devil and exposed his ways as foolish, deceitful, and deadly.  Sin produces shame and death.  The grave offers only despair.  The devil wants you in hell.  Comfort, hope, and life are found only in the living Savior who has overcome the devil, the world, and every wicked thing.  Your sin is taken away.  Death is powerless.  The devil is crushed.  But Jesus lives!

     You are rooted in Christ for this salvation.  Jesus has removed the sin which contaminates you and has restored you to purity.  The holy waters of baptism have purified you and renewed you.  St. Paul wrote that you have “been buried with (Jesus Christ) in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12).  God raised you up a new creation and restored you to himself.  Your heart is no longer ruled by sin and your mind is no longer motivated by what is evil.  Jesus has established you on the firm footing of his word, and what he has established is good.

     The devil and the world will still pressure you to reject what God has established.  You will entertain thoughts that such ideas are sensible.  You may even give into them from time to time.  But continue in Christ’s word so that you will not be deceived, but so that you will remain rooted in Christ.  “As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith” (Colossians 2:6-7) so that Jesus Christ dwells in you, so that his sacrificial death atones for you, and so that his righteousness covers you. 

     You are rooted in Christ whose reign has been established and will not budge no matter what people in the world insist upon and clamor for.  Jesus Christ guides you to do what his word has established, having convinced you that it is good.  Christ dwells in you so that you will be raised from the dead to live perfectly content with all that God gives and does.  You cannot crave anything better.  You will find satisfaction in no other place.  You have been rooted in Christ, and what he has established is always good.

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

Sermon -- 9th Sunday after Pentecost (August 7, 2022)

 From the Pen of St. Paul

COLOSSIANS 1:21-29

WE ARE RECONCILED IN CHRIST.

In the name + of Jesus.

     From creation, God designed us for relationships—husband and wife, parent and child, brother and sister, friends, neighbors, business associates, and so on.  We establish friendships over mutual interests or experiences.  Sometimes that interest is “My kid is in the same class as your kid.”  Other times it is an occupation, a hobby, or a sports team.  Then the bonds of friendship grow through conversations, shared meals, and time spent together. 

     But relationships can be dashed quickly.  A poor choice of words is enough to do it.  Sometimes it is an inconsiderate act or an oversight.  A friendship can even be ruined by an insult that is merely perceived.  Strained relationships can be mended, but pride often prevents it.  We feel righteous in holding grudges and withholding forgiveness.  We insist that we are right regardless of the cost.  For a friendship to be restored, we must put our pride to death—either acknowledging that we are wrong or graciously forgiving the wrong done to us.  This produces a reconciliation, that is, we become friends again. 

     While God created us to enjoy relationships with one another, our closest relationship is to be with the Lord.  He has created us to be the objects of his affection now and for all eternity.  As the author of life, he tells us how it is supposed to be lived—what is good and what is evil.  He gives us the Commandments and holds us accountable to them.  He forbids us to follow another god or an alternative truth.  For, there is no other god and his word alone is truth.  If we do not follow the Triune God and his word, we trust in lies and worship idols.

     That is what it was like for most of the Colossian Christians.  Paul reminded them, “You … once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds” (Colossians 1:21).  They had followed idols and were hostile to the true God and his word.  But they were not unique.  All of us enter this world as enemies of God.  To this day, we can find ourselves fighting against God’s word.  When we don’t like what God tells us, we abandon God’s word for our own personal truth.  In doing so, we are self-deceived.  If you and I both believe that we possess the truth but we believe completely different things, we both can’t be right.  We might both be wrong, but we can’t both be right, because the truth cannot disagree with itself.  Personal truth is a lie.

     We are, by nature, alienated from God, hostile to him, and doing evil deeds.  This natural sinful condition still rears its ugly head.  We are hostile to God when we challenge his commandments, actions, or wisdom.  We can’t escape this sinful condition; we must be rescued from it.  We have a Savior who has done just that.  Jesus Christ “has now reconciled (you) in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” (Colossians 1:22).  Jesus has revealed to you that God the Father is not a God who is motivated by pride, but by love.  He seeks to reconcile all who are hostile to him.  He wants those who are alienated from him to be gathered to him for their good.  Jesus Christ has rescued us from our sinful condition and restored our relationship with God the Father.  We are reconciled to God in Christ. 

     Jesus is in very essence God—worthy of all glory, honor, and worship.  Rather than coming into the world prideful and boastful, he humbled himself to become a man, in fact, the servant of all mankind.  Even more than that, he humbled himself to take upon himself the responsibility for all our evil deeds.  He made himself the target of God’s wrath and put himself under God’s enmity because of our stubborn hearts and hostile minds.  He was pierced to the cross and there consumed all of God’s wrath against all mankind.  Jesus was alienated and forsaken at the cross by his Father so that we could be restored to the Father.

     We are reconciled in Christ.  Because of Jesus’ death, he presents you as “holy and blameless and above reproach” (Colossians 1:22).  Jesus has taken away all your guilt.  Therefore, you are blameless before God.  Jesus has consumed all of God’s wrath.  Therefore, you are above reproach; no judgment speaks against you.  You have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.  Therefore, you are holy—set apart from sin and death, and set apart for God and for godly living.  There is no condemnation for you, no judgment, no accusation, no anger whatsoever.  You are the object of God’s affection now and for eternity.  You are reconciled in Christ.

     Paul goes on to add one of the more bizarre comments about his apostleship.  He says, “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Colossians 1:24).  First, we must recognize what Paul does not mean by this comment.  He does not mean that Jesus’ work of redeeming us is incomplete, as if St. Paul or anyone else had to add something to Jesus’ innocent life and sacrificial death.  Just before Jesus gave up his final breath, he declared, “It is finished” (John 19:30).  The sum total of Jesus’ work of redemption completed at his death.  The life of perfect obedience satisfies God’s demands of the Law.  The substitutionary death of Jesus satisfies the Law’s demands for justice.  Full payment has been rendered.  All sins are paid for.  There is nothing you or I or St. Paul could add to Jesus’ work.  If that were necessary, we would never know if the work were complete.  But we are reconciled in Christ.  The relationship has been restored.  God has declared you forgiven and beloved.

     So, what could have been lacking?  St. Paul was one of the apostles entrusted with preaching the whole counsel of God to the church.  The letters he wrote were written for us.  That’s why they have been preserved.  That’s why we read them in church.  The apostles recorded the words, works, and will of Jesus Christ.  But for Paul’s faithful proclamation, he was despised, arrested, beaten, and imprisoned.  Jesus had said this would happen.  Jesus’ words had to be fulfilled.  Paul suffered for the body of Christ, the Church, so that the Church would have Christ’s word etched in print for the entire New Testament era.  So, Paul was not suffering to complete Jesus’ payment; he was suffering to fulfill Jesus’ prophecy.

     Through this written word, the Holy Spirit works so that “you continue in the faith, stable, steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard” (Colossians 1:29).  By God’s grace, you hold to God’s word, confess it to others without bending, and live your life according to it.  You do this because you’ve been reconciled to God and now recognize that God’s commandments, actions, and wisdom are good.  But by continuing “in the faith, stable, steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel” (Colossians 1:29), you will also suffer for the sake of his name.  I don’t think you have to worry about beatings or imprisonment, but people will criticize you when you confess Jesus the only hope for sinners and mock you for living as a child of God.  Now, you are the body of Christ.  The body of Christ still takes beatings, and Jesus said that this would happen.  And this will go on until he comes again to judge the living and the dead.

     But you need not fear or even shrink back.  You and I continue to come into the Lord’s presence where he encourages and strengthens us to “continue in the faith, stable, steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel” (Colossians 1:29).  Any ridicule or suffering we endure in this world is nothing compared to the glory that is to come.  We are reconciled in Christ.  In Christ we remain under God’s grace and care.  Our reconciliation, our rescue, our resurrection to life everlasting come only through Jesus Christ, and he comes to us only through his word and sacraments.  This is why it is essential that we continue to meet in God’s house.  Here, the Holy Spirit will keep you “in the faith, stable, steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel” (Colossians 1:29).  And the Lord will not forget your sufferings or those who caused you to suffer.

     We are reconciled in Christ, which means that you know God loves you, and you know what proves that God loves you and has saved you.  You have learned “the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.  … God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:26-27). 

     The Gospel is not a secret.  Once you have heard a secret, it is no longer a secret.  A mystery, however, is something that you continue to ponder even after you know it.  Among the mysteries about God is that he who is all-glorious chose to humble himself to become a man.  He who is almighty made himself weak, even submitting to the cruelty and injustice of sinners.  He who is immortal died.  He who demands obedience from mankind and holds us accountable for our sins made himself accountable and suffered and died for our disobedience.  We continue to ponder this, for this reveals a God who pardons the guilty and restores the relationship which was broken. 

     The mystery is also that Christ is in you.  Although you and I confess we are sinners—and rightly so, for we prove it—we also confess that we are saints—and rightly so, for God says so.  You trust in a holiness that is not yours.  You put your pride to death and boast in the risen Savior.  You are credited for doing good even though you still do evil because the blood of Jesus cleanses you and the Holy Spirit has cast out the unclean spirit in you.  You are a glorious people, but your glory is now hidden.  When Jesus Christ comes again to judge the living and the dead, your glory will be manifested by Jesus.  For now, we marvel at this mystery by faith.  But then, we will rejoice to see this glory revealed.  And Jesus will prove to all creation that we are reconciled in Christ.

     We are reconciled in Christ.  He is pleased to call you his friends.  This is a relationship that Jesus has established for all eternity.  It is not fragile; for it has been founded on Jesus’ perfect love and his steadfast commitment to you.  You are the object of his affection now and for all eternity.  This is what God has designed you for.

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

YouTube -- 8th Sunday after Pentecost (July 31, 2022)

Here is the service from Sunday, July 31, 2022.

Sermon -- 8th Sunday after Pentecost (July 31, 2022)

FROM THE PEN OF ST. PAUL

COLOSSIANS 1:1-14

WE ARE FRUITFUL IN CHRIST.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Christians are in the habit of going to church.  We know what to expect.  We find comfort in it.  We have friends here.  But if a stranger were to ask you, “Why do you go to church?” how would you answer?  Is it just a habit?  An obligation?  That you would feel guilty if you don’t go? 

     We go to church and to Bible Class to hear God’s word for our comfort, encouragement, and guidance.  We study it and to meditate upon it.  Some might say that we come to learn, but that is not quite right.  Our best attended service is Easter.  You don’t go to Easter services to learn things.  You already know how the story ends.  Easter does not present any surprises.  Now, you will have moments of enlightenment when something in the Bible strikes you like it had not before.  Those “Aha!” moments come to us throughout our lives, and we are grateful for them.  But that is not why we continue to come to church and to Bible Classes.  We come to hear the words of Christ so that we will become like Christ.  For, we are fruitful only in Christ.

     When Paul wrote to the Christians in Colossae, he commented that “we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints” (Colossians 1:4).  The Colossian Christians knew about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for them.  They had heard the Gospel and they believed it.  They knew the facts.  They learned the passages.  They trusted in God’s promises. 

     St. Paul wrote this letter to assure them that knowledge of Jesus was a good start.  Paul’s prayer for the Colossians was that they would grow deeper in faith, in wisdom, and in godly living.  To believe in Christ is good; to become like Christ is the goal.  This is the prayer of the apostle for his fellow Christians.  It is God’s plan for you, too.  We are fruitful in Christ.

     Here is Paul’s prayer for the Colossians, and indeed for all Christians: “We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9).  We long to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will.  But there is only one way to know God’s will.  He has to tell us what it is.

     Some years ago, there was an exercise for engineers who were hired by Microsoft.  They were given an assignment to fill Bill Gates’ house with state-of-the-art technology.  They came up with some pretty slick ideas.  Media was voice-activated.  Lights were motion-detected.  So, when Mr. Gates walked from one room to the next, lights and music would turn on in the room he entered and shut off behind him.  But the best idea was by a group that did nothing.  They just asked a question: “What does Mr. Gates want?”  The only way to be sure that Mr. Gates would be satisfied with the work is if it is what he wanted.  The only way to know what Mr. Gates wanted was to ask him.  We are fruitful in Christ when we ask, “What does our Lord want?”  And to know that, we must listen to his word.

     First of all, the Lord wants you to know that you have been redeemed.  As St. Paul wrote, “[The Father] has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.  He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:12-14).  The Father sent his Son to redeem you from a dark, dreary existence of fear, doubt, guilt, and regret.  You are no longer ignorant of God’s love or your eternal future.  The Lord has enlightened you to know that Jesus has redeemed you.

     God the Son became a man so that he could die.  Jesus died under God’s curse which was illustrated when the sun refused to shine on him.  He died in darkness with our guilt under our curse.  But this man is also true God; so, his death is the sufficient payment for all mankind.  The price to redeem has been paid in full.  Sadly, many people do not know it.  Many still live in doubt and fear, with guilt and regret.  They should not have to, but since they don’t trust in Jesus, they live with darkened hearts and fearful consciences.  They have no real hope.  Not so with you.  You have been delivered from the domain of darkness to the light of God’s love, favor, and forgiveness.  You have a hope that many do not have because you have been brought to trust in a promise that all need.  Regardless of what happens in this world, you have a place in heavenly glory and bliss that awaits you.  This is not based on a wish, but on the very words of God.

     This Gospel has made you wise for salvation.  But our Lord also wants you to be wise for godly living.  He wants you to have “the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9).  In his word, God tells you what his will is so that you can have spiritual wisdom.  This wisdom means putting God’s word to action in your life.  To believe in Christ is good; to become like Christ is the goal.  And we are fruitful in Christ.

     We come together in God’s house to be filled with spiritual wisdom.  God reminds us that his word alone is eternal and that everything else will pass away.  Then God’s word sets our priorities accordingly.  God directs us to use the things he has given out of love for our neighbor rather than loving things and using our neighbor.  God’s word moves us to turn from sin because it shows us that sin is always destructive.  It never satisfies.  It always causes harm.  And it cannot be ignored.  Wisdom means that we will cast off our sins and fight against them.  We do not want to be sinful with wicked works, but fruitful with good works which are always beneficial.  We are fruitful as long as we are in Christ.  

     We come to church to hear God’s word.  In doing so, we become better acquainted with his will.  We are given motivation to repent of our sins and strength to renounce them.  The Lord fills us with wisdom and the will to do what is pleasing to him.  If we are in Christ, we will be fruitful.  For this is what the Lord says: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  …Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches.  Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:1-5).  

     We are fruitful in Christ, and we remain in Christ as we remain in his word and are nourished by his sacraments.  God strengthens and sustains our faith through the Gospel.  He prunes from us the sins that entangle us so that they will not overcome us.  He nourishes and strengthens us so that we become like Christ and bear the fruit he seeks.  To believe in Christ is good, but the goal is to become like Christ.  And we remain fruitful as long as we are in Christ.

     We come to church in order to receive the answer to another part of St. Paul’s prayer: to be “strengthened with all power … for all endurance and patience with joy” (Colossians 1:11).  We live in a world that is hostile to God’s word.  People mock Christians when they “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” (Colossians 1:10).  We are encouraged to embrace sin rather than repent of it.  We are regarded as strange when our behavior is chaste and when our words are not obscene or profane.  If you speak with people and do not pepper your speech with filthy language, people will notice.  Some will even ridicule you for being too goody-goody because your godly behavior convicts them.  You need not be surprised by this.  St. Peter observes, “They are surprised that you do not plunge into the same overflowing river of filth with them, and they slander you” (1 Peter 4:4).  When the mockery mounts up, you may feel like you have to apologize for purity and chastity.  You may become weary of holding on to godly living.  If it seems like no one else cares, you will wonder why you should care anymore.

     Do you see why Christians come together for worship, why we need to?  It is so that St. Paul’s prayer, which is also our prayer, would be answered: to be “strengthened with all power … for all endurance and patience with joy” (Colossians 1:11).  We need God’s word to keep us mindful of our place in his kingdom and of the glory that comes to those who stand firm in the faith.  We need the sacraments to strengthen us so that we will stand firm in the faith.  Our Lord sustains us when the fight for the faith gets hard.  Jesus reminds us that he himself dwelt among sinners with patience and mercy.  He knows what it is like to live in this world.  Rather than cast off people in disgust, Jesus interacted in mercy.  In love, he called them out of the domain of darkness—out of doubt, fear, and guilt to a life of comfort and confidence.  In love, he calls us to be like him and to do likewise.  And when we prove ourselves to be sinners, Jesus assures us of his faithfulness to us and forgiveness for us.  He restores us, redirects us, and rejuvenates us.  In Christ, we are kept fruitful.  For, to believe in Christ is good, but the goal is to be like Christ.

     We come to church because we need each other for this encouragement.  We support one another and pray for one another as we patiently wait for our Lord’s return.  When he comes again, he will gather all his people together to give us the glorious kingdom he has won for us and has promised to us.  While we wait for our Lord’s return, we gather in his name to hear his word and feast on his body and blood.  This enables us to wait with patience, with endurance, and even with joy.  This motivates us to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord” (Colossians 1:10).  This keeps us fruitful and keeps us in Christ—the only place we find redemption and the forgiveness of sins.

     Why do we come to church?  Because we want to be with the Lord.  Here, he meets us in the word and the sacrament.  Soon the Lord will return and take us to be with him, and we will be with the Lord forever.  When that day comes, guess what?  We will be like Christ.  We will be perfected in the knowledge of God.  We will be in perfect harmony with God’s will.  Every trace of darkness will be driven out.  All fear, doubt, guilt, and regret will be banished, and we will dwell in everlasting light.  We will be gathered for everlasting worship—the heavenly feast, the choirs of angels, and the communion of all the saints in peace and joy forever.  We will be with Christ, and we will be like Christ.  That, after all, is the goal.

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

YouTube -- 7th Sunday after Pentecost (July 24, 2022)

Here is the service from Sunday, July 24

Sermon --7th Sunday after Pentecost (July 24, 2022)

GALATIANS 6:1-10,14-16

WE ARE DEVOTED TO GOD IN SERVICE TO EACH OTHER.

In the name + of Jesus.

     When you were brought into the kingdom of God, you were brought in individually.  While many were likely present at your baptism and rejoiced to see it, only you benefited from it.  Just as a birth happens to only one child at a time, so also you were born again as an individual. 

     While your salvation happened to you personally, you are not called to go it alone in the Christian faith and life.  You have been brought into a family of believers.  Your faith is yours alone, but you are part of THE faith.  You have all received the same Holy Spirit who has brought you into one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.  There is only one kingdom of God, and you are all in it. 

     Being devoted to God also means being devoted to all of God’s people.  You have been joined not only to Christ, but to all who bear his name.  Since we are a family of believers, we are joined together to serve for the good of each other.  We don’t know the saints of God who are scattered around the world, but we are still devoted to them.  We include them in our prayers.  We support them with mission offerings.  We provide aid when it is needed, such as when Christians suffer from famine, war, or natural disasters.  But we are especially devoted to the family of God whom we do know, namely, those who are members of this congregation.  Being devoted to each other means that we seek the good of each other.  Above all, that means that we watch over one another so that no one slips away from the faith.  St. Paul wrote, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.  Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.  Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2). 

     We live in a society which tells everyone to mind their own business.  I suppose that is sensible in some areas.  It is not my business what your income is, how you decorate your house, or what direction you mow your lawn.  On the other hand, I can use “Mind your own business” as my excuse to ignore you, your sorrows, and your struggles.  The Savior who has compassion on sinners teaches us to care for one another.  St. Paul says: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

    We are devoted to God in service to each other.  Some might refuse your loving concern, especially if it is about one’s sins.  Some may tell you to back off by saying, “Do not judge lest you yourself be judged!”  They may insist the Bible forbids you to make judgments on others.  But that is impossible.  You cannot go through life without making judgments.  What do you think about the shooter in Uvalde, Texas who killed grade schoolers?  When you heard the reports, did you say, “Well, who am I to judge?” 

     All judgment is to be in line with God’s word.  Our Lord tells us what is right and wrong, good and evil.  In this way, God remains the judge.  So, when we see our fellow Christians who are falling into sin or drifting away from Christ, we cannot mind our own business—not if we love them.  If you saw your brother or sister or child doing something that would bring great harm to them, you would not mind your own business and say nothing, would you?  If we are devoted to God by serving each other, that includes admonishing a brother or sister who is straying from the Christian faith and Christian living.

     But do this “in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1), St. Paul says.  We deal with one another in mercy.  I should humbly recognize that I myself face temptations.  I, too, am attracted to sins and am susceptible to being deceived.  The goal is not to prove that I am morally superior.  The goal is to love my fellow Christian and to see that he or she remains my fellow Christian.  So, if my brother or sister in Christ is struggling with sin, love compels me to bear the burden with him or her so that he or she will not be overtaken by sin, overwhelmed by guilt, or overlooked because I am going to mind my own business.  Love calls me to devote my time, my money, my energy, and my prayers for a brother or sister who is engaged in a spiritual struggle.  You and I do this for one another because we love and care for one another.  Being devoted to God means serving each other as God’s people.

     The devil is devoted to our destruction, but the Lord is devoted to our salvation.  Therefore, we are devoted to God and his word.  And therefore, we are devoted to God’s people.  We band together to fend off the devil’s attacks.  We rally to the Divine Service because here Jesus Christ strengthens, encourages, and sustains us.  We remain stronger when we are together.  Our Lord has great concern for sheep who stray from the flock.  He knows that a sheep is in danger on its own.  Jesus calls us to bring each straying sheep back to the fold where it is safe.  This we do because we regard each other as saints who are precious to our Lord.  Therefore, we are devoted to God in service to each other.

     St. Paul encourages you, “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.  So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:9-10).  In loving our neighbor, and especially in loving our brothers and sisters in Christ, we seek each other’s good.  In this way, we are fulfilling the law of Christ.  In other words, we are acting like Jesus.

     The Lord Jesus Christ was completely devoted to your good—in fact, to the good of all mankind.  He demonstrated compassion on the diseased and disabled—even the dead!—by restoring them to health.  These acts of mercy are glimpses of the heavenly kingdom where everything will be restored to perfection.  But Jesus does not merely seek to relieve your aches and pains.  He delivers you from fiery torment and endless death.  He does not mind his own business.  His business is to save you and to restore you to God.

     Jesus is devoted to doing good for all people.  He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  It is a tremendous comfort to know this!  Jesus did not select a special few for whom he would live and die.  He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  If you are in the world, Jesus has suffered and died for you. 

     Sadly, many do not know or care that Jesus has won their salvation.  They will not benefit from Jesus’ saving work, but it is not because Jesus failed to pay the price for them.  It is because they do not believe in him.  If they do not know him, we are to seek their highest good and declare to them how Jesus loves sinners and saves them.  We want everyone to know that salvation is found only in Jesus.  If they refuse to listen, they will perish—and we pity them all the more.  But that does not change the fact that Jesus lived and died for their highest good.

     You are brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ.   You enjoy the benefits of all of Jesus’ works.  Your sins are taken away.  You are children of the heavenly Father.  You will obtain a glorious resurrection.  Jesus became man to make himself one of us.  He lived, died, and rose from the dead so that we could be one with him.  If you are brothers and sisters of Christ, then you are brothers and sisters of one another.  He has brought you together to serve one another, to encourage one another, to comfort one another, and, if need be, to admonish one another.  The Lord has arranged this so that you can benefit each other. 

     We are devoted to God in service to each other.  St. Paul exhorts us: “As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).  Just as Jesus has done all things for our good, so we serve for the good of others.  In doing so, we show that our faith is not just a matter of talk.  We put into practice what our Lord says.  Our Lord gives freely to us, so we give freely to others—whether they honor God or not.  We need not concern ourselves to whom good is done; our concern is just that we do good.

     Granted, some will abuse this.  Some will be ungrateful.  Some will even try to scam you.  If that happens, then you will be like Jesus who suffered for people who mocked him as he died for them.  You will be like your Father in heaven who “makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).  St. Paul urges us, “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).  Your works don’t save you, but they are evidence that you are saved.  You may not see any rewards for doing good in this life, but God sees the good you do.  He will bless you for it. 

     We are devoted to God in service to each other.  “As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).  If your good works are devoted to any and to all, how much more are they devoted to your brothers and sisters in Christ!  Our Lord Jesus Christ is pleased to call us his brothers and sisters.  If it brings joy to Jesus to acknowledge this, we have all the more reason to rejoice in this.  Therefore, we give to each other freely, knowing that our true treasure is Jesus Christ, and our true home is heaven.

     We are devoted to God in service to each other.  “As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).  These opportunities do not have to be invented.  God presents them to you every day.  It is offering a kind word to someone who is having bad day.  It is sitting and listening to one who is grieving or mourning.  It is a word of welcome to the stranger or the outcast.  It is a word of encouragement to one who is struggling.  It is compassion for those who are weak, downtrodden, or neglected.  It is being patient and kind to all, understanding that people are carrying burdens that you don’t know anything about.

     Our God is devoted to us and to our good.  He provides all that we need in this life, and he has done all the work to secure our place for eternal life.  He gives freely and faithfully.  Since we bear his name, we long to be like him.  We are devoted to the neighbor he has given us, especially to our brothers and sisters who are united in his name, in his work, and for his glory.  We serve as our Lord does—not because it is deserved, but because it is beneficial and because it is needed.

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