YouTube -- Last Sunday of Epiphany, Transfiguration (March 2, 2025)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, March 2, 2025.

Sermon -- Last Sunday of Epiphany, Transfiguration (March 2, 2025)

EXODUS 34:29-35

JESUS REVEALS A GLORY THAT WILL NOT FADE AWAY.

In the name + of Jesus.

     When Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, there were others who joined them on that mountain.  Moses and Elijah appeared and were speaking with Jesus.  It was not the first time either had spoken with the Lord on a mountain.  Elijah spoke with the Lord when his frustrations led to despair.  Elijah was convinced that there were no believers left and that his ministry had been a failure.  The Lord told Elijah to return and to keep preaching.  The covenant had not failed.  There were still thousands who were faithful and waiting for the Lord’s deliverance.

     Moses spoke with the Lord when that covenant was enacted on Mt. Sinai.  He received the tablets of the Ten Commandments and other details about Israel’s service to the Lord.  Now these men spoke with the Lord on a mountain again.  While they could have reminisced about the glory days of the past, instead they focused on the glory days to come.  St. Luke wrote, “They appeared in glory and were talking about his departure, which he was going to bring to fulfillment in Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31).  This departure, in the Greek “exodus”, was the greatest act of deliverance our Lord would bring about.  God’s great act of deliverance in the Old Testament was the exodus out of Egypt.  This act of deliverance would be far greater.  Jesus would establish a better covenant than was enacted at Mt. Sinai.  Jesus reveals a glory that would not fade away.

     If Jesus established a new covenant, then there was something flawed about the old covenant.  Normally, a covenant has two sides to it.  Two parties must come to an agreement for a covenant to be reached.  In the old covenant, the parties were the Lord and the people of Israel.  The lengthy terms of the old covenant are recorded in Deuteronomy 28, but they boil down to this: If the people of Israel faithfully served the Lord and followed his commands, then the Lord would bless them with protection, prosperity, and glory.  But if the people of Israel did not follow the Lord’s commands, then the Lord would afflict them with all kinds of curses and terrors. 

     There is glory in this covenant, for this covenant is the word of the Lord and the word of the Lord is always glorious.  There was great blessing to be gained in this covenant.  “He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep his Commandments” (Luther’s Small Catechism).  But this covenant was flawed because of one word.  That word was, “If.”  If Israel was obedient, they would be a glorious people.  Sadly, Israel did not live up to their end of the covenant.  The glory of this covenant faded because of the “If.”

     This was reflected in Moses’ appearance when he received the word of the Lord.  The Bible informs us, “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not realize that the skin of his face was shining because he had been speaking with the Lord.  When Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, they were amazed that the skin of his face was shining, so they were afraid to come close to him” (Exodus 34:29-30). 

     The fear of the people was not just from the shock of Moses’ appearance.  Moses’ face was reflecting the glory of the Lord.  Of course, Moses’ face had no glory of its own.  Moses was a mortal man, corrupted by sin like the rest of us.  The shining face was a reflection of God’s glory.  It is like the moon.  The moon gives no light on its own.  Its brightness is a reflection of the sun.  In the same way, Moses’ face reflected the glory and holiness of the Lord.  That is why the people fled from him in terror.

     When Moses addressed Israel with God’s word, he left his face uncovered.  “When Moses was finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.  But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would take the veil off until he came out again” (Exodus 34:33-34).  The reason Moses covered his face was not to prevent the people from seeing the Lord’s glory.  It was to prevent the people from seeing the glory fade.  St. Paul wrote, “Moses … put a veil over his face, so that the Israelites could not continue to look at the end of the radiance, as it was fading away” (2 Corinthians 3:13).  This represents the glory of the old covenant because it did not result in glory.  In fact, it resulted in condemnation because the people failed to live up to their end of it.  Jesus, however, reveals a glory that will not fade away.

     When Jesus took Peter, James, and John up the mountain, he gave them a glimpse of the glory to come.  “While he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothing became dazzling white.  Just then, two men, Moses and Elijah, were talking with him!  They appeared in glory and were talking about his departure, which he was going to bring to fulfillment in Jerusalem” (Luke 9:29-31).  Jesus reveals a glory that will not fade away.  The glory on the mountain was undeniable, but it was temporary.  Eternal glory would be achieved through Jesus’ departure, or exodus.  Jesus would go to another mountain at Jerusalem.  There, he would not appear in glory, but in shame and weakness as he languished on a cross.  That is where Jesus would establish a new covenant which would not be flawed and which would not fail.

     Jesus reveals a glory that will not fade away by establishing a new, better, and everlasting covenant.  To ensure that this covenant would not fail or fade, Jesus made it a one-sided covenant.  That means that Jesus did everything to fulfill it.  To secure God’s favor, Jesus would have to keep all of God’s commands.  He not only did it, he received the Father’s approval which Peter, James, and John heard for themselves.  “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 17:5).  Jesus earned God’s good pleasure by living up to all the demands of God’s Law.  If Jesus had not done this, then Jesus would be of no benefit to you.

     Jesus continued to live under God’s pleasure by dying under God’s curse.  Just as the old covenant was ratified by blood, so the new covenant is, too.  Jesus shed his innocent blood to restore our relationship with God the Father.  That holy, precious blood redeems us from sin, reckons us righteous, and reconciles us to God the Father.  In the Old Testament, the people were put under the covenant by having blood sprinkled on them.  You have become beneficiaries of this new covenant through the waters of Holy Baptism being sprinkled on you.  In baptism, you have been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. 

     All this Jesus did on his own.  As Isaiah had foretold, “He saw that there was no one.  He was appalled that there was no one who could intervene.  So his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness supported him” (Isaiah 59:16).  Jesus has established and ratified this new covenant on his own.  He satisfied the demands of the Law by his innocent life.  He satisfied the punishment of the Law by his sacrificial death.  He overcame the grave by his bodily resurrection.  He opened heaven by his ascension.  And he will come again to gather his people to him on the Last Day.

     All this Jesus has accomplished for you.  And he does not attach an “If” to it.  Jesus does not tell you, “You will be saved if you live a life that proves you are worthy.”  He does not tie a condition on it, saying, “You are forgiven of your sins if you never do that again.”  He does not even suggest, “You will be a Christian if you believe strongly or sincerely enough.”  If salvation hinges on an “If,” the new covenant is no better than the old covenant.  Then your salvation falls back on something you must do.  But the glory of the new covenant does not fade or fail because Jesus made it one-sided.  Jesus did the work.  He sends his Holy Spirit to create the faith that saves.  And the Lord works and continues to strengthen and keep you in this saving faith.  That is why Jesus’ new covenant is not flawed and will not fail.  You and I receive its benefits and rejoice in its blessings which endure forever.  Jesus reveals a glory that will never fade.

     And so that your faith will continue to be strengthened and kept in the one true faith, Jesus invites you to partake in this new covenant in a precious feast.  Rather than let you worry about how genuinely or sincerely or strongly you believe his promises, Jesus gives you something solid and tangible.  He connects this new covenant to the Sacrament of the Altar.  Here, you get to eat the body of our Lord—the body which has overcome death and lives and reigns forever.  Here, you get to drink the blood of the Lord—the blood which was poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins.  This bread and wine are not symbolic anymore than Jesus’ sufferings and death were symbolic.  St. Paul states, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:16)?

     Jesus reveals a glory that will never fade.  We catch a glimpse of that glory at Jesus’ transfiguration.  Jesus appeared in glory, as did the saints of the past, Moses and Elijah.  They appeared with Jesus in glorified bodies and spoke with the Lord as one speaks with a friend.  All the pains and sorrows of the past were forgotten—and Moses and Elijah had endured a lot.  Their focus was on the new covenant Jesus would establish and fulfill in Jerusalem.  Since Jesus has fulfilled all things, we can look forward to the same glory enjoyed by Moses and Elijah.  They had departed from this earth centuries before Jesus’ coming, and their glory had not faded. 

     The Lord will fulfill in us the words of the prophet Daniel: “Those who have insight will shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who bring many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).  Once again, this is the Lord’s doing.  He who has loved us acted to redeem us.  He who redeemed us acted to bring us to the saving faith.  He who brought us into the faith continues to sustain and to strengthen us in this faith through his word and sacraments.  And he will reward the faith he has created in us by fulfilling his promises to us.  He will bring us into everlasting glory where we will radiate the glory seen in Elijah, Moses, and in Jesus himself.  Right now, that glory is hidden.  “Dear friends, we are children of God now, but what we will be has not yet been revealed.  We know that when he is revealed we will be like him” (1 John 3:2).  Jesus reveals a glory that will never fade away.  And soon enough, he will transfigure us into a glory that will never spoil, fade, or perish.

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

YouTube -- 7th Sunday after Epiphany (February 23, 2025)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, February 23, 2025.

Sermon -- 7th Sunday after Epiphany (February 26, 2025)

LUKE 6:27-38

LOVE GOES BEYOND CONVENIENCE.

In the name + of Jesus.

      In our Catechism Class, we talk about two different ways we sin against God’s Commandments.  They are sins of commission and sins of omission.  Sins of commission are done when you commit the sin against God’s Commandment.  For example, when you tell a lie about someone, that is an act of wickedness.  You have committed the sin.  This is usually what we think of when we speak about sins.  We think of actions that we have taken which go against God’s will.

     Sins of omission, on the other hand, are when we omit the good that God wants us to do.  So, you may not have told a lie about someone, but what if you did not defend the reputation of the person who was being lied about?  That means you did not do good toward that person when you should have.  These are sins, too, and we are right to confess both: “I have done what is evil (sins of commission), and I have failed to do what is good (sins of omission).”

     The Gospel reading for this week highlights our sins of omission.  Jesus said, “I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies.  Do good to those who hate you.  Bless those who curse you.  Pray for those who mistreat you.  If someone strikes you on one cheek, offer the other too.  If someone takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt” (Luke 6:27-29).  We fail to do what is good because we think that we are excused if we don’t.  It is easy to come up with reasons why we don’t do what Jesus tells us to do.  “My enemy doesn’t deserve it.  People who mistreat me should be cursed, not blessed.  I have a gesture for people who hate me, and it is not prayer.  Why would I turn the other cheek to the one who strikes me?  I am going to hit back, and harder!” 

     We are often blind to the sins we commit against others, but we have an acute sense of justice when we are wronged.  What’s worse is that we seem to be eager to accuse others of wronging us.  Forget about someone taking your cloak and then letting them have your shirt as well.  We become offended over things that are far more petty.  “That guy stole my parking spot.  Someone took the last piece of dessert.  I can’t believe they are making me wait.”  Rather than graciously overlooking these things, we act as if these are grave sins and the height of disrespect.  And then, we want justice.  Actually, we want revenge.  If anyone causes us suffering, we want them to suffer worse.  Anger produces hatred.  Hatred incites violence.  But we call it justice.  And then we have the nerve to claim what good people we are.  Repent.

     Love goes beyond convenience.  Love does not depend upon who people are or how they treat us.  Love does one thing: It seeks the good of other people.  Love goes beyond convenience.  Jesus knows what a convenient love looks like.  He says, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  To be sure, even the sinners love those who love them.  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  Even the sinners do the same thing.  If you lend to those from whom you expect to be repaid, what credit is that to you?  Even the sinners lend to sinners in order to be paid back in full.  Instead, love your enemies, do good and lend, expecting nothing in return” (Luke 6:32-35).  

     It is convenient to love those who will love you back.  It is easy to lend to those you know will repay you.  It is convenient to care for people who are grateful and will praise you for your acts of kindness.  Even if your acts of kindness are done anonymously, you are willing to do them because you expect others will gush over your charity. 

     So, what about those who don’t appreciate it or won’t acknowledge it?  How long do we have to put up with that?  Should it matter?  In theory, you might say your love would persist.  In practice?  Such love runs dry very quickly.  But Jesus tells you not to omit the love for your fellow man even when it is hard.  Love goes beyond convenience.  It seeks the good of people whether they are successful or destitute.  It seeks the good of people whether they are well-mannered or crude.  It seeks the good of people whether they are friend or foe.  It seeks the good of people who will respond in kind, who won’t respond at all, or who will respond with obscenities and insults.  “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?  To be sure, even the sinners love those who love them” (Luke 6:32).  Love does not care what the other person does.  Love only gives.  It does not seek compensation.  Love goes beyond convenience.

     Consider our Old Testament lesson and the love that Joseph demonstrated toward his brothers.  You might recall how their jealousy led to a plot to kill him.  Cooler heads prevailed, but not loving hearts.  They sold Joseph into slavery.  Through a course of events, Joseph had an encounter with Pharaoh which resulted in him being put in charge of the distribution of food during a seven-year famine.  Joseph’s brothers had to come to Egypt to get food during this famine.  Joseph was in a position to exact revenge on his brothers.  No one would have stopped him, and no one would have blamed him.  You could make a strong case that anything he did to them would be justice.  What his brothers did to him was evil, and Joseph did not hesitate to say so.  But Joseph believed that what his brothers needed from him was not justice, but mercy.  Joseph demonstrated an amazing love toward his brothers and their families.  It was not because they deserved it.  It is because it was needed.  Love is not driven by whether someone is worthy or not.  Love is given freely by the one who loves.  And love goes beyond convenience.

     Jesus’ teaching exposes our sinfulness.  He shows us that we are not like God.  Jesus said that “the Most High … is kind to the unthankful and the evil” (Luke 6:35).  It does not matter to God that we are sinners.  “God is love” (1 John 4:16), and so God loves freely, even upon those who are ignorant, ungrateful, or hostile.  Jesus taught the Golden Rule: “Treat others just as you would want them to treat you” (Luke 6:31).  That sounds good, but our love is conditional.  We do not love others the way we would want them to love us; we love others only so far as they love us back.  We omit the good we are supposed to do because we regard such love as risky or dangerous or a waste of our efforts.  But love goes beyond convenience.

     Our Lord Jesus did not just talk about this love.  We can all talk about it, but it is another thing entirely to practice what you preach.  Jesus did both.  Jesus did love his enemies.  Jesus prayed for those who persecuted him, who betrayed him, and who denied him.  Jesus did good to all people, even when he was vilified for it.  Jesus demonstrated mercy to well-known sinners because he knew they did not need to have their sins rubbed in their face.  They needed to have their sins taken away.  Jesus came to do just that.  When his enemies struck him in the face, Jesus offered to them his other cheek also.  He even allowed his enemies to pull his beard and spit in his face.  When they took his cloak, Jesus allowed them to cast lots for his tunic so that he died on the cross completely exposed. 

     As Jesus was enduring the shame of crucifixion and the torment of God’s wrath for our sins, his enemies mocked him.  “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!  …He saved others, but he cannot save himself. If he’s the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him” (Matthew 27:40-41).  Jesus would have had every right to come off the cross and declare, “You know what?  You people are not worth it.  You deserve what you will get for your stubborn unbelief and loveless hearts.  I’m done.”  But he did not.  Even if they withheld their love from him, Jesus would not withhold his.

     He does not treat us as our sins deserve.  Rather, Jesus was treated as our sins deserve.  His love went far beyond convenience.  Like his heavenly Father, Jesus “is kind to the unthankful and the evil” (Luke 6:35).  So, rather than rub our sins in our face, he took them away.  Rather than execute justice and condemn us, Jesus was executed and condemned in our place.  For our lack of mercy, for our slowness to forgive, and for our cold and conditional love, Jesus poured out limitless love, immeasurable mercy, and full forgiveness.  This is not because it is deserved, but because it is needed.  Love goes beyond convenience.

     As our Lord has shown such love and mercy to us, we get to demonstrate that same love and mercy to others.  Love always seeks what is good for others, even if they are unthankful and evil.  But don’t confuse love for your fellow man with acceptance of everything he might do.  When people argue that love means accepting their sins, they like to quote this Bible verse, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned” (Luke 6:37).  They may not know much about the Bible, but they know that verse.  It is intended to shut you up about sins.

     But the reality is you cannot go through life without making judgments.  There are certain things that are good or evil.  If you hear about a murder, you don’t throw your hands up and say, “Who are we to judge?”  No, murder is evil.  Judgments are necessary, but the question is, “By what standard are you making your judgment?”  The only standard that matters is the one used by the one who will judge the living and the dead, Jesus Christ.  The Lord tells us what is good and right versus what is wicked and wrong.  So, we let God remain the judge, and we will agree with him.  Even if God’s judgment shows me I am wrong, I acknowledge that God is right.  I confess my sin, and I repent.  So, when God shows me that I love my fellow man with strings attached, then I repent and put aside my pettiness.  Love means I will view my fellow man with compassion.  Out of love for him, I am not only allowed to call sins evil, I am supposed to.  But love means my goal is not to rub his sins in his face.  My goal is to show him his need for the Savior who died to set people free from their sins.  By doing so, I am seeking the highest good of my fellow man.  That is how the heavenly Father has treated you and me.

      Love goes beyond convenience.  We do not take it upon ourselves to get vengeance upon the wicked; we leave that to our Lord.  Rather than focus on how we are wronged by our fellow man, we focus on how we are loved and saved by Jesus.  We rejoice in the mercies of our Lord, and we are eager for others to know this mercy too.  They will learn of God’s mercies as they see that mercy shown by you.  It may not be convenient.  It is certainly not deserved.  But it is good.

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

YouTube -- 6th Sunday after Epiphany (February 16, 2025)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, February 16, 2025.

Sermon -- 6th Sunday after Epiphany (February 16, 2025)

PSALM 1

BLESSED IS HE WHO DELIGHTS IN THE WORD OF THE LORD.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The very first Psalm sets the tone for the entire book of Psalms.  The focus is on whose words you listen to.  We all listen to someone.  When you were little, you listened to your parents.  They set the rules, and they disciplined you when you did not follow them.  They taught you good manners and to say, “Please” and “Thank you.”  They taught you to fold your little hands and showed you how to pray.  And, of course, they showered you with love and attention.  The love that parents have for their children made it easy for the children to listen to their parents and to love them in return.

     When you got older, you began to listen to other voices.  They weren’t all bad.  You listened to your teachers at school who exposed you to math and history and science.  Many parents recall their children coming home from school and saying, “My teacher said such-and-such,” as if nothing the teacher said could ever be challenged.  As you advanced in age, you began to listen more to friends, professors, politicians, political analysts, and celebrities.  What they told you may have been good or bad.  Their words influenced you.  If you liked what they said, you internalized it, repeated it, and defended it.  And again, that may have been good or bad.  But the point is, there is always someone talking to you.  We are influenced by words, and by those words we establish what we believe is true and moral versus what is evil and unethical.

     The Psalmist, presumably King David, states emphatically that there is only one word on which we are to build our lives.  “Blessed is the man [whose] … delight is in the teaching of the Lord” (Psalm 1:1-2).  And this delight means more than giving it a quick listen and then moving on to more important things.  The word of the Lord IS the important thing, and it is given to direct everything we do at all times.  That is why he writes, “On his teaching he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2).  Blessed is he who delights in the world of the Lord.

     One of the reasons the Psalmist encourages meditating on God’s word day and night is that the word of the Lord is not the only word we hear.  We are bombarded by many voices all day long.  Many voices compete with God’s word.  Some outright deny it.  The devil is very good had making what is evil seem reasonable, desirable, and commendable.  Americans, in particular, celebrate the freedom of doing whatever we want.  The devil promotes this freedom.  By contrast, he portrays the Lord as a killjoy and a hater because the Lord sets limits on you.  How many Commandments begin with the phrase, “You shall not…”?  And the devil and the world retort, “Why won’t he let you?”

     Unfortunately, you and I have a sinful nature which concurs with these words, because our sinful nature does not want any limits put upon it.  The sinful nature declares, “If it feels good, do it.”  But feelings are not how we are to determine good and evil.  The Lord sets the standard, and he is the judge.  Therefore, his word overrules all feelings and opinions.  The Lord clearly states that certain actions and attitudes are evil, no matter how good they feel.  God’s word proclaims one thing.  Other voices claim another.  Both demand our attention and insist that they are right.

     The Psalmist illustrates how the devil seduces us with words and strives to influence our lives.  Listen how we can become more and more entrenched in sin.  The Psalmist writes, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the advice of the wicked, who does not stand on the path with sinners, and who does not sit in a meeting with mockers” (Psalm 1:1).  First, we get advice.  Advice seems harmless enough.  You can take it or leave it.  But the advice from the wicked seduces us into wickedness.  And again, it is presented as reasonable, desirable, and commendable.  Eventually, when we find our sins enjoyable, we stand on the path with sinners and imitate their ways.  We celebrate the so-called freedom to do whatever we want.  From there, we sit in with mockers, that is, we make ourselves right at home with our sins.  We join in with those who mock God who doesn’t understand what real freedom is and who would withhold from us happiness and pleasure.  We regard sins as reasonable, desirable, and commendable, and we embrace them warmly.  God has no blessing for those who are seduced by wicked words.  And it is certainly not freedom; for it chains us to death and damnation.  And still, the devil lies, “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4).

     Blessed, rather, is he who delights in the word of the Lord.  The Psalmist explains that abundant life comes to whoever listens to the word of the Lord.  He states, “He is like a tree planted beside streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, and its leaves do not wither.  Everything he does prospers” (Psalm 1:3).  When we hear the word “prospers,” we think of money, popularity, or promotions.  Now, if our goal is to build a kingdom for ourselves in this world, that conclusion would be reasonable, desirable, and commendable.  But our goal is not to build a kingdom in a world that is passing away or to gain glory which will perish, spoil, and fade away.  Our goal is to have a place in the heavenly kingdom.  Therefore, we give heed to the word of the Lord so that we live under God’s blessing.

     Those who delight in the word of the Lord are like a tree that has been transplanted next to a canal or a channel.  Even if everything around it is dead, the tree thrives because it is nurtured by the waters.  In the same way, even if the world is filled with mockers who are dead in sin, the Lord still nurtures you with his word.  He produces in you the fruits of faith.  In this way, you prosper with good works which honor God and benefit your neighbor.  By his word God blesses you, and his blessings rest upon you.

     Blessed is he who delights in the word of the Lord.  But there is no blessing for anyone who does not delight in God’s word.  There is only judgment.  The Psalmist declares that the wicked “are like the chaff which the wind blows away” (Psalm 1:4).  In the days of King David, stalks of grain were laid out on a threshing floor where something heavy was rolled over them.  The kernels of grain broke loose, but they also had husks around them—chaff.  Think of them like the popcorn husks which get stuck between your teeth.  They are annoying and useless.  To get rid of the chaff, the harvesters at the threshing floor would take shovels and fling the grain into the air.  The heavier grain would fall right back to the threshing floor, but the chaff would be swept away by the wind.  This is what the wicked are like before God.  “The wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous” (Psalm 1:5).  They are swept away in God’s wrath, and they perish. 

     So, why won’t you be swept away like chaff?  After all, you and I have taken the advice of the wicked, thinking that it is unreasonable that God would withhold something from us.  We have stood on the path of the sinner, saying that it was undesirable to do good to people who are rude or ungrateful.  We have sat with the mockers who believe it is commendable to support people in their sins because it makes them happy.  There is no blessing for those who think and act this way.

     When the Psalmist began the Psalm with the words, “Blessed is the man” (Psalm 1:1), there is a man who has fulfilled all these things.  Jesus Christ was not seduced by warped advice.  He did not go down the path of the wicked.  He did not settle in with those who mocked God’s commandments.  Jesus’ delight was in God’s word—the promises, the prophecies, the commandments, the admonitions, all of it.  He not only delighted in it, he did it.  Jesus fulfilled all the Commandments of God, living the righteous life we have not.  Jesus did not consider it drudgery to attend services at the synagogues.  Jesus devoted hours in prayer to his heavenly Father.  Jesus did good to all people, even when he was criticized for doing it on the Sabbath or accused of using the powers of Satan to exorcise demons.  Although people responded to Jesus with slander, Jesus still prospered in good works.  Jesus rightly earned blessing from his Father.  Just as Jesus delighted in the word of the Lord, so also the Father delighted in Jesus.

     “The Lord approves of the way of the righteous” (Psalm 1:6).  This approval and this righteousness have been delivered to you through your baptism.  Jesus has cloaked you in his innocence and credited you with his obedience.  This is why we delight in the word of the Lord.  There, we hear how Jesus has purified us so that we will not be like the chaff which is blown away and driven from the Lord’s presence.  There, we also hear how the Lord Jesus delivered us from the judgment that we have earned.  Bearing our sins, Jesus stood under God’s judgment for us.  At the cross, Jesus was consumed in God’s fiery wrath.  There were no words of comfort or mercy for Jesus when he was forsaken by the Father for our sins.  In turn, God speaks to us tenderly and mercifully.  He pours out his blessings and promises us a kingdom of unending glory, peace, and purity.

     Blessed is he who delights in the word of the Lord.  You need this word throughout your life so that you are not seduced by demonic reasoning or sinful desires.  Those voices will never stop.  The devil employs the entertainment industry, political rhetoric, business practices, and friendly advice to turn you away from the Lord.  Many of those voices do not hide their promotion of evil.  Those voices are so common that we have accepted their sinful influence as normal.  Other times, we are tempted by surprising sources, just as Jesus was by Simon Peter.  People whom you love will offer you friendly advice to turn from God’s word because doing what is wrong is easier than doing what is right.  The point is, there is always someone talking to you.  We are influenced by words, which can be good or bad.  By words, we establish what we believe is true and moral versus what is evil and unethical.

     Not all words have blessing in them.  No matter what promises or proclamations the world makes to you, they all end up being silenced by a grave.  But blessed is he who delights in the word of the Lord.  For, this is the word of the Savior who lives to deliver you from the grave and promises the resurrection to life everlasting.  In his word, God declares you righteous for Jesus’ sake, and he leads you on paths of righteousness for your eternal good.  Blessed are you who delight in the word of the Lord; for the Lord’s delight rests upon you.

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

Sermon -- 5th Sunday after Epiphany (February 9, 2025)

ROMANS 10:12-17

IT NEEDS TO BE SAID.

In the name + of Jesus.

     There is a question that is often posed to Christians about salvation.  It goes something like this: “Is it fair that someone would go to hell just because he has never had the chance to hear about Jesus?”  It is usually a challenge, implying that God’s love is disingenuous.  The one who issues this challenge is probably not interested in hearing the word of the Lord.  Rather, such a person seeks only to exalt himself at the expense of God, believing himself to be more righteous, more loving, and more gracious.  You may have wondered about this yourself.  Maybe you have been hesitant to ask because it sounds like you are accusing God of wrong-doing.  But it is a legitimate question, asked with a genuine concern for the lost.  So, let’s consider it.  What about people who have never had the chance to hear about Jesus?  What becomes of them?  Are they automatically condemned?  Do they get a pass because they were stuck in a bad spot or lived at a bad time?

     To start answering this question, we have to remember a few key facts.  First and foremost is this: Everyone enters this world as a sinner.  Everyone begins outside the kingdom of God.  No one stands on neutral ground, much less begins in God’s good graces.  The Bible reminds us, “The mind-set of the sinful flesh is hostile to God, since it does not submit to God’s law, and in fact, it cannot.  Those who are in the sinful flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:7-8).  Sinners want to do their own thing.  Sinners lash out at God for daring to give them standards to live by.  And sinners are insulted that they should be judged by those standards.  This is everyone; for everyone enters this world a sinner.  If anyone is condemned, it is not that God expelled them from his kingdom.  They were already outside of it.  At the final judgment, they remain forever outside of it.  And yes, that is tragic.

     Another key fact is this: If anyone is going to be delivered from eternal death, God must be the one who rescues them.  We are naturally dead in sin, so God must give us new life.  We do not save ourselves.  We cannot save ourselves.  The very definition of being saved means that you are doomed if you are left alone.  Someone else must step in to prevent your doom.  That is what God has done for you.  In fact, he has done it for all mankind.  St. John wrote, “God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son” (John 3:16).  If you are in the world, then God revealed his love for you by sending Jesus Christ into the world for you.  St. John also wrote that Jesus “is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2).  Once again, if you are in the world, then Jesus paid for your sins.  No one was left out.  Jesus’ sacrificial death satisfied God’s wrath as the full payment for all sins.  So, no one should have to perish in their sins.

     Some will reject Jesus.  They will hear his words of promise and salvation, but they won’t care.  They will learn that Jesus took away their sins, but then they will take them back.  Their problem is not ignorance, but stubborn unbelief.  Their condemnation will be without excuse.  But now what about those who never heard?  Do they get excused because they are ignorant?  Do they get to heaven if they have never had a chance to hear?  First, let’s remember that ignorance is not innocence.  They are still in their sins.  But if it is argued that people who never had a chance to hear get a free pass into heaven, then the worst thing we can do is preach the Gospel in all the world.  If the confession about Jesus can be snuffed out of existence, then no one will ever have a chance to hear.  And if that allows them a free pass into heaven, then more will be saved by not preaching the Gospel than by preaching it.  But that is not what Jesus taught. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).  Therefore Jesus gave this command: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.   Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).  It must be said if people are to be saved.

     This is what the Lord says: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).  With Jesus Christ, there is no condemnation.  Apart from Jesus Christ, there is no salvation because there is no forgiveness for any sins.  Apart from Jesus Christ, there is no one who can pay for your sins or deliver you from death.  And this leads to another key fact: Sinners are saved only by faith in Jesus Christ.  If you are to be saved, you need to know who your Savior is.  The Lord has made that known in the Bible.  And since no one just picks up a Bible to see what it says (or, it is quite rare), it needs to be said by those who have had God’s word taught to them.

     In order for people to know God’s love for sinners, God has to make that love known.  In order to know that the payment for your sins was made, you need to know how that payment was made.  In order for you to be sure that the curse of sin has been removed and that God’s favor rests upon you, you need to know who secured that for you.  None of this can be assumed.  It needs to be said so that it can be believed.  Sinners are saved by faith in Jesus.  This “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message comes through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).  It needs to be said.

     Of course, if it needs to be said, someone has to say it.  St. Paul reasons, “How can they call on the one they have not believed in?  And how can they believe in the one about whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without a preacher?  And how can they preach unless they are sent” (Romans 10:14-15)?  If you do have concern about people who have not had the chance to hear about Jesus, then we need to increase our efforts so that everyone does have a chance to hear about Jesus.  I suspect that you are not ready to go to distant lands to proclaim the Gospel to the lost.  But there are missionaries who do go, and we get to support them with our mission offerings.  We can pray that God will send more pastors and missionaries into the world so that more will preach and more can hear and more will believe and more will call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.  This Gospel needs to be preached for these reasons.

     It needs to be said, but don’t let your mind go only to the far reaches of the world.  The city of Novi has over 50,000 people living in it.  I can tell you that nowhere near that many are going to church.  This Gospel needs to be said to those who are in our community and among our friends.  Just because it is familiar to you, don’t think that it is known by others.  It needs to be said. 

     And do not overlook the most obvious mission field there is—your own household.  Children and grandchildren need to be taught about God’s love.  Parents have been entrusted with this most noble and essential task.  Parents are willing to do just about anything for the good of their children.  What greater good can you do for them than to bestow the gift of eternal life through the word of God?  Faith does not come through your fondness.  God’s love is not bestowed because you love someone.  It needs to be said because “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message comes through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). 

     In our Gospel, Jesus called Peter and Andrew, James and John to be fishers of men.  They were trained by Jesus for three years and were commissioned to be apostles.  None of us are apostles; but we are all confessors of God’s word.  Do not think that you are ill-equipped to speak about these things.  You know the basic facts.  All are sinners.  All need the Savior to deliver them out of sin and death.  Jesus is the Savior who suffered and died to pay for the sins of the world.  And this needs to be said so that people can hear, believe, call upon the name of the Lord, and be saved by him. 

     St. Paul encouraged the faithful preaching of God’s word, but Paul also acknowledged the sad reality: “Not all obeyed the gospel.  For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who believed our message’” (Romans 10:16)?  Even though Jesus has paid for the sins of the world and left no one out when he gave his life for that payment, many are not interested.  Some stubbornly cling to their sins.  They like them.  They will not apologize for them or repent of them.  Others insist that they are good enough and don’t need a Savior.  “If I’m a good guy and my friends say I’m a good guy, then let God judge me fairly.”  Sadly, God will honor their convictions.  If they reject the Savior, the remain outside the kingdom of God and will for all eternity.

     And for those who never hear?  By all means, pray for such people.  But rather than find fault with God that some did not hear the Gospel, our goal is make sure that all will hear about Jesus Christ.  If the Church is lax in preaching, teaching, confessing, and going into all creation to do it, it is not God’s fault that people have not heard.  We live in a day and age when God’s word is more accessible than any other time in history.  The internet allows people all over world opportunities to hear the Gospel.  The Bible has never been more accessible than at any time in history.  If you have a phone, you have a Bible at your disposal.  But for people to come to faith, the words will need to be preached.  It is a consistent truth: Faith does not come through an app.  Faith comes from hearing the message.  It needs to be said, from one person to another, and God’s people are the ones who must confess it.

     And you need to continue in it yourself.  Listen again to St. Paul’s words: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message comes through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).  That is a present tense.  Faith comes from hearing the message.  Not “faith came to you once when you heard the message.”  No, faith needs to be fed and nurtured.  A faith that is not being fed is being starved.  A plant that never receives water is going to die sooner or later.  In the same way, faith that does not hear God’s word will also die, because faith comes by hearing, is sustained by hearing, and is strengthened by hearing the message, and the message comes through the word of Christ.

     So, it needs to be said, again and again.  Just as a wife likes to hear her husband say, “I love you,” and in fact needs to hear it, so the Church needs to hear Jesus declare his love again and again.  And Jesus delights in doing it.  He knows we need to hear God’s declaration, consolation, and salvation.  He wants you to know and to believe and to be saved.  He wants this for all people because God so loved the world.  The world needs to know, so it needs to be said. 

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

YouTube -- 2nd Sunday after Epiphany (January 19, 2025)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, January 19, 2025.

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday after Epiphany (January 19, 2025)

ISAIAH 62:1-5

THE LORD DELIGHTS IN A BLESSED UNION.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The first miracle of Jesus was done at a wedding feast where he changed water into wine so that the feast could continue.  We might argue that there were matters far more urgent to account for Jesus’ first miracle.  Jesus could have cured lepers or restored the limbs of the paralyzed.  Jesus could have restored sight to the blind or hearing to the deaf.  What if Jesus’ first miracle was to drive a demon out of one who had been possessed?  What a statement that would have made!  And yet, Jesus’ first miracle was at a wedding banquet.  This begs the question: Why there?

     Perhaps the best reason is because of a theme that repeats itself throughout the Bible.  That theme is the blessed union between a husband and a wife.  The Bible begins with a wedding in the first chapters.  God had established this blessed union in the Garden of Eden, and called it very good.  It was not a reaction to sin entering the world, as if God said, “I had better come up with some arrangement so that people won’t behave like animals in heat.”  Rather, the Lord saw marriage as a godly arrangement which benefits both the man and the woman.  Each would be bound to the other, serve each other, and uplift each other.  Their sexual impulses would be fulfilled exclusively with one another.  The marriage bond would grow stronger as they built their lives together.  As God blessed them with children, they would raise them in a godly home.  This is what God calls very good.  It is still God’s plan, and it is still very good.  The Lord delights in a blessed union.

     The blessed union of man and wife finds his greatest fulfillment in the union of Jesus Christ and his Church.  Our Lord Jesus Christ binds himself to his Church.  He exalts her and provides her with good things.  The Church, in turn, honors and serves the Lord with loving obedience.  The Lord is faithful to his Church, and he looks for his Church to be faithful to him.  The Lord delights in this blessed union.

     But faithfulness is a two-way street.  Throughout the Old Testament, God’s chosen people were not faithful to him.  They turned to other suitors to find their happiness.  When there was a drought, they turned to Canaanite fertility gods and adopted their perverse worship.  At other times, they were enamored with nations which were powerful and rich.  They sought happiness and fulfillment through allegiance to godless kings.  The people were ruled by their belly, their purse, and their lust.  They violated the sacred union they had with the Lord.

     The Lord sent prophets, again and again, to woo his people back to him.  Eventually, the prophets declared a bitter divorce between God and his people.  They would be dragged into captivity, ironically, by the very nations they chased after.  The northern tribes of Israel were enamored with the Assyrians.  They came to Israel not to love them, but to conquer, to kill, and to drag them into exile.  The southern tribes did not learn the lesson.  Later, the Babylonians with whom they were enamored came to kill, to conquer, and to drag them into exile.  The people were abandoned.  The land was desolate.  The people, the nations, and the gods who were supposed to make them happy abused and failed them.  Trying to gratify their belly, their purse, and their lust left them empty.  The blessed union had been broken because Israel was not faithful to the Lord or to his word. 

     The Lord looks for faithfulness from his people.  But whenever we sin against God’s word, we prove ourselves unfaithful.  We chase after other things to make us happy.  We, too, are ruled by our belly, our purse, and our lust.  We, too, run after what we think will satisfy us more than God can.  This is true in all things, but it is especially common in regard to marriage and the marriage bed.

     The Lord established marriage as a blessed union between one man and one woman.  He called it very good, and it still is.  Any deviation from God’s design perverts what God has created.  But how many people seek their happiness outside of God’s design?  Marriage has been redefined.  Now it is the union of anyone.  It could be man to man or woman to woman.  It could include multiple people or be open to other partners.  It could even be a woman marrying her cat (which happened in the UK in 2022).  In some cases, people become bored with their own spouse and seek thrills through adulterous affairs.  Sometimes it is not an affair with a real person, but with an image on a computer screen.  God’s word says, “Marriage is to be held in honor by all, and the marriage bed is to be kept undefiled” (Hebrews 13:4), but many seize the bed without commitment to the marriage.  The Lord says this is worthy of judgment.  Besides incurring God’s wrath, it is also destructive to any relationship a husband or wife might hope for. 

     The Lord delights in a blessed union, and that is because marriage is an image of the union between Christ and his Church.  Those who alter God’s plan for marriage pervert the image of Christ and his Church.  That is why the Lord takes these sins so seriously.  These sins show disdain for God who established marriage as a blessed union.  We end up telling God that we know better, and that we will pursue our own paths to happiness —as if God is in no position to judge or even to comment on the holy estate he ordained.  Repent.

     Even though the Lord has been a jilted lover, he is steadfast in his love.  He remains faithful and seeks after those who are his.  He persists in his commitment.  That’s what Isaiah told the people of Israel who would be taken into captivity.  The Lord would restore their blessed union.  He said, “You will never again be called Abandoned, and your land will never again be called Desolation, for you will be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land will be called Married, because the Lord delights in you, and your land will be married.  …Just as a bridegroom rejoices over a bride, your God will rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:4-5). 

     The Lord delights in a blessed union, and he is the one who brings it about.  Isaiah declared the word of the Lord: “For the sake of Zion I will not be silent.  For the sake of Jerusalem I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth shining brightly, and her salvation burns like a torch” (Isaiah 62:1).  The righteousness which goes forth comes through Jesus.  The salvation which shines emanates from Jesus.  He is the light of the world which shows us the faithful love of God.

     The Lord Jesus is a faithful groom whose delight is in his bride, the Church.  Jesus will not leave you abandoned or desolate.  Although you and I have not been faithful to him, he persists in his love for you.  As a benevolent groom, he has assumed your debt and made it his own.  In Old Testament times, a woman who was proven to be unfaithful to her husband could be put to death.  Jesus, taking your place, was put to death for you.  By his death, he covered your debt and settled your account.  He has been faithful to you.  And now he dotes on you, seeking your highest good and promising you eternal pleasures.

     The Lord delights in a blessed union.  Jesus has acted to reconcile you to himself.  He is the dowry that wins you for himself.  St. Paul reminds you that “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, by cleansing her with the washing of water in connection with the Word.  He did this so that he could present her to himself as a glorious church, having no stain or wrinkle or any such thing, but so that she would be holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:25-27).  Jesus Christ expunged your record and wiped it clean.  If Jesus had mercy upon prostitutes (whose sins were obvious and repeated) and restored them to morality and purity, then he does the same for you no matter what your past has been.  There is no sin which stands against you—no infidelity, no lustful cravings, no lingering blame for chasing after happiness from other suitors.  All past offenses have been pardoned.  “Just as a bridegroom rejoices over a bride, your God will rejoice over you” (Isaiah 62:5). 

     The Lord delights in a blessed union.  He has restored you to purity.  Isaiah tells you, “You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will assign to you.  …For you will be called My Delight Is in Her” (Isaiah 62:2,4).  The Lord Jesus not only delights in you; you are evidence of his glory.  Isaiah said, “You will be a beautiful crown in the Lord’s hand, and a royal diadem in the palm of your God” (Isaiah 62:3).  The Lord keeps you like a crown in his hand because he is proud to show you off.  He likes to gaze at you, as one might gaze upon jewels to admire their beauty.  The Lord does not see your flaws or dwell on your weaknesses, for you have been purified by his blood.  Do you see how much your Lord loves you?  He does not deceive you, abuse you, or manipulate you.  Rather, he seeks your good.  He gives you precious gifts.  He guides you in paths of righteousness.  He protects you from death and the devil.  Where else could you possibly turn to find greater satisfaction, greater joy, and greater hope?  The Lord delights in this blessed union.  And what other delight could we hope for?

     So, Jesus’ first miracle was done at a wedding.  He turned water into wine so that the feast would not come to an embarrassing end.  And typical of our Lord, what he supplied was far better than the people had previously and far more than they needed.  His grace is always poured out in excess.  His love and forgiveness do not run out.

     The Bible begins with a marriage, and it ends with one, too.  St. John was given a glimpse of the glories of heaven and wrote, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give (God) glory, because the wedding of the Lamb has come.  His bride has made herself ready, and she was given bright, clean, fine linen to wear.  (In fact, the fine linen is the ‘not guilty’ verdicts pronounced on the saints.)  The angel said to me, ‘Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:7-9).  The blessed union will culminate in the wedding feast of heaven which will be celebrated through all eternity.  The feast will be endless, and our joys will go on uninterrupted.  Blessed are you who, by God’s grace, will be there.

     And blessed are you now who already get to partake of the heavenly feast.  The holy Bridegroom nourishes his Bride so that his Church can serve him in strength and in joy.  The feast goes on because your Lord provides all you need.  Blessed are you who have been united to Jesus Christ.  And he delights in this blessed union.

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

Sermon -- 1st Sunday after Epiphany (January 12, 2025)

LUKE 3:15-17,21-22

THE TRIUNE GOD POURS OUT HIS GRACE IN BAPTISM.

In the name + of Jesus.

     St. Luke’s record of Jesus’ baptism is the shortest in the Gospel, except for John who does not record it at all.  Even though St. Luke is brief, what he records is amazing.  Luke records three things that happened at Jesus’ baptism.  It happened, first, that “heaven was opened” (Luke 3:21); second, that “the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove” (Luke 3:22); and third, that “a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love.  I am well pleased with you’” (Luke 3:22).  Each event teaches us a lot about Jesus, and they give us great comfort in regard to our own baptisms.

     First, we hear that heaven was opened.  What this actually looked like I don’t know.  No Gospel writer gives any details about it.  Maybe it just meant that there was a break in the clouds.  But maybe it should be understood metaphorically.  The Son of God had left the glories of heaven to live in our world.  The first thirty years of his life were unspectacular.  Jesus grew up in Nazareth and lived obediently under his parents’ watch.  Presumably, he worked as a carpenter’s apprentice under his earthly father, Joseph.  He did not do any miracles or preach in the synagogues. 

     Jesus left the glories of heaven, but he was not banished from it.  When he was baptized, the heavens opened up.  That brought about the sending of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the Father.  The Triune God was made evident as each person of the Trinity was distinctly seen and heard on that day.  The Triune God poured out his grace at this baptism.

     St. Luke noted, “The Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove” (Luke 3:22).  This is where Jesus was revealed as the Lord’s anointed.  Anointing usually signaled the authority and the gifts granted to those who served God’s people—whether it was the high priest, like Aaron, the king, like David, or a prophet, like Elisha.  Those men were anointed with oil and were recognized as God’s appointed men with the authority for their particular office.  Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit to fulfill all three offices.  As prophet, he proclaimed the good news of salvation.  As king, he went out to fight for us the battle against sin, death, and the devil and to conquer our foes for us.  As high priest, he was to make the sacrifice which reconciles us to God the Father.  And, in fact, he IS the sacrifice which reconciles us to God the Father.  At his baptism, Jesus was publicly revealed as the Christ and was set apart to do the work as our Savior.

     If there were any doubt about who Jesus is, God the Father made it abundantly clear when “a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love.  I am well pleased with you’” (Luke 3:22).  Jesus is God the Son.  This relationship has existed between the Father and the Son from eternity.  Normally, the relationship between a father and a son has a start date.  I did not become a father until the birth of my first child.  The birthday for each of my children is on our calendar, and we celebrate it every year.  Every year, we mark how many years we have enjoyed these children. 

     The relationship between me and my children is 30 years or less.  But not so with God the Father and God the Son.  That relationship goes back to eternity where there is neither a clock nor a calendar.  Time does not exist in eternity.  We don’t ask about a when for that relationship, but a what.  God the Father and God the Son are eternally Father and Son—as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end.  At Jesus’ baptism, the Father revealed who Jesus of Nazareth is.  “This one,” he declares, “This one is my beloved Son.”  Jesus is God the Son in the flesh.  The Father is well pleased with him because he has come to do the Father’s will, which is to save sinners. 

     Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins, so Jesus did not need it for his sake.  He did it for yours.  Jesus was baptized in order to unite himself to you.  The three things that happened at Jesus’ baptism happened to you in yours.  The Triune God pours out his grace in baptism.

     When you were baptized, heaven was opened to you.  The one thing that keeps people out of the kingdom of heaven is sin.  Nothing sinful can stand in the presence of a holy and pure God.  Therefore, Jesus came to take away all your sin and guilt.  That happened about 2,000 years ago on a hill just outside Jerusalem.  There, Jesus suffered to pay for all sins and died bearing the curse deserved by all sinners.  So, how does that payment for sin get applied to you now?  Through your baptism!  Baptism washes away all your sin and purifies you from all unrighteousness.  And since sin no longer clings to you, heaven is open to you.  The Triune God pours out his grace in baptism.

     Secondly, when you were baptized, you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Now the Holy Spirit dwells in you.  He has created faith in you which receives the benefits of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.  He has convinced you that God’s word is true and good and right.  Therefore, he also works in you to live and think according to God’s word.  He puts your faith into action.

     However, you and I never stop being sinners.  We struggle with it day after day.  It is not because we are ignorant, as if we don’t know what is good and God-pleasing.  God has told us what pleases him.  Faith concurs with it and delights in God’s commands.  But the sinful nature in us does not.  So, we continue to sin.  You are probably guilty of breaking Poe’s Law.  Poe’s Law is that you interpret someone’s joke in an email or a text as if they were serious.  Imagine a boss who responds to a petty, office squabble by writing, “Maybe I need to fire the whole team.”  An ironic comment which was supposed to defuse a spat blows up into anger, back-biting, fighting, accusations, and so on.  You sin against the boss and others because you would rather assume the worst than seek clarification.

     Or, what if someone sins against you?  You know what Jesus says to do.  Turn the other cheek.  Have mercy.  Forgive freely from the heart.  And the Holy Spirit in you would have you agree.  But the sinful nature in you wants revenge.  You want to lash back and make him feel more pain than he inflicted.  So, which will it be?  We all struggle with our sinfulness in countless ways.  Sometimes we fight off the sinful inclinations.  Sometimes we give into them.  If we ever get to the point where we stop the fight and just let sin have its way with us, the Holy Spirit may depart from us because we have made it clear that we prefer sin to righteousness. 

    This is an on-going work of the Holy Spirit in you, and you need to continue in God’s word and to feast in the sacrament so that faith will continue to be fed, grow, and increase your good works.  John the Baptist told us what Jesus gives us in our baptism.  He said, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16).  The fire is not God’s damning judgment.  Rather, it is God refining you to strengthen your faith and to purify your heart and mind.  When gold is purified, it is put through intense heat.  It is turned to liquid so that impurities float to the top.  Then they are skimmed off, because no one wants flawed gold.  Likewise, the Lord is not content to have us live with our flaws.  He puts us through trials.  We would call it suffering and pain but it is discipline.  God works through that to rid us of things we don’t need and should not have.  While trials by fire are not fun, they are good for us.  And they prove that all we truly need in this life is Jesus Christ and his gracious promises. 

     The Triune God pours out his grace in baptism.  And that brings us to the third thing God does in your baptism.  You did not hear the voice of the Father audibly speaking from heaven, “You are my (child), whom I love. I am well pleased with you” (Luke 3:22), but it is recorded in the Bible for you.  In your baptism, God adopted you into his family.  He put the family name upon you: Christian.  If you are in God’s family, then you receive all the benefits of the kingdom.  Your sins are pardoned.  The grave has been robbed of its power.  You have been delivered from the devil and all his accusations.  The Father is pleased with you because you have been clothed in Jesus’ innocence.  And if you are a child of God, then you are also an heir of his heavenly kingdom. 

     The Triune God pours out his grace in baptism.  And what a comfort it is that you have been baptized!  You have the promises of God sealed upon you.  It is more than hearing God’s word and taking it to heart.  That is good, too, but the devil is quick to divert our attention away from God’s promises and turn the focus to ourselves.  How many Christians live in terror because they fear that they do not have a strong enough faith?  That happens especially when you are confronted by death.  You know you can’t escape it.  But then your fear takes over.  You assess your life and your faith and you wonder if you are really good enough.  If you focus on yourself, you will throw everything into doubt and confusion. 

     But the Triune God has poured out his grace upon you in your baptism.  He has done all the work.  Jesus has taken up your sins, so they do not condemn you.  Jesus has overcome the grave, so it has to give you back.  Jesus has opened up heaven to you and sent his Holy Spirit upon you.  The Father has marked you as his own dear child.  All of this is yours not because you have believed strongly enough.  It is yours because God has put it upon you in your baptism.

     Think of it this way.  Why are you a member of your family?  Is it because you loved your parents enough?  Is it because you have contributed to the family estate?  No, it is because you were born into it.  You have your family’s name upon you because you were born into it.  You benefit from your parents providing and protecting because you are their child.  You did nothing to earn this special place.  It is the same in God’s family.  God has brought you into his family in your baptism.  This is the grace he has poured out upon you.

     Jesus Christ was baptized to unite himself to you, and you were united to Jesus in your baptism.  The Father is pleased with you.  The Spirit dwells in you.  Heaven is opened to you.

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