Sermon -- 19th Sunday after Trinity (October 26, 2014)

MATTHEW 9:1-8

JESUS HAS AUTHORITY TO DELIVER 
THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF LIFE.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Have you heard about Brittany Maynard?  She had recently been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and was given no more than six months to live.  She knows her end is soon, and she was told that it would be painful.  Her solution?  On November 1, she intends to end her life by physician assisted suicide.  She has taken it upon herself to choose the date of her death, a right that belongs to God alone.  Just as God determines where and when we enter the world, so it is God’s prerogative to determine when and where we depart.  Sadly, it appears that Brittany Maynard will die outside of God’s promises and mercy.

     Many people are calling Brittany Maynard a hero.  Her parents and husband are saying how proud they are and how brave she is.  The right-to-die groups are using Brittany’s case, with Brittany herself endorsing it, to promote death with dignity.  It is a sad testimony that our society views suicide as compassionate, and even as medical treatment!  More people are buying into the idea that it is good to tell others: You are better off dead.  It will be cheaper and easier.  It will be less stressful, less painful for you to endure and for us to watch; so, we encourage you to die more quickly. 

     Now, you could argue that Brittany’s quality of life is not what it should be.  Granted.  It isn’t.  No one wants terminal cancer.  Nor does anyone want to be blind, deaf, or bed-ridden.  Soldiers who come back from Afghanistan don’t like living without legs or eyes.  Burn victims do not like having people turn away from them in horror.  It is not the quality of life anyone wants.  Even people with allergies or colds do not have quality of life they want.  They want to be free from such things.  The paralytic that was brought to Jesus wanted a better quality of life, too.  His friends brought him to Jesus to restore his strength so that he could walk again, so that he could be a productive member of society and a provider for his family.  That is the quality of life he sought.  He was brought to Jesus so that Jesus would supply it.  He was not disappointed.

     Behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed.  And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” (Matthew 9:2)  I suspect that no one was ready to hear that.  The paralytic wanted to hear Jesus give the word so that his legs would be strong again.  But Jesus understood what we do not.  You can enter heaven if you suffer from paralysis, psoriasis, or even cirrhosis.  But you cannot enter heaven if your sins are clinging to you.  Sin is what makes us unclean and corrupt.  Sin is what brings death and damnation.  Therefore, in true compassion, Jesus told the lame man, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” (Matthew 9:2)  He would not perish or face eternal punishment.  Jesus would deliver him from that.  Jesus has the authority to deliver the highest quality of life.

     The Pharisees were not ready to hear Jesus’ words either.  Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” (Matthew 9:3)  They knew that the right to pardon sinners belongs to God alone, for all the sins that we commit are committed against God.  Every sin is rebellion against God’s Law.  Every sin proves that we have hearts that are bent on evil, that are corrupt, and that are unclean.  The most any man can do is try to convince you that your sins are excusable.  “Oh, it’s okay,” we say.  Our consciences know better.  Sins are never okay.  Neither are they excusable.  God’s Law convicts and condemns us.  We are guilty, and that is not excusable.  Sin marks us for divine punishment, both now and eternity.  That is not okay.  Repent.

     The scribes were right about one thing: Who can forgive sins but God alone? (Mark 2:7)  Since every sin is rebellion against God and his word, then only God can pardon the guilty.  But God does not merely wave a magic wand and say sins are gone and no longer count.  The guilty are guilty as charged.  And this guilt is deserving of punishment—both now and in eternity.  Therefore God himself became man so that the eternal God could take the punishment of all sin here and now.  Jesus Christ did not simply dismiss the sins of the paralytic.  They were not okay, and they were not excused.  They were paid for by Jesus who suffered and died for them.  Jesus has suffered and died for every one of your sins, too.  Jesus gave his body into death for these corrupt, unclean, broken, frail, and mortal bodies of ours.  After he gave himself into death to be the payment for our sins, Jesus rose from the dead.  He lives, victorious over death.  He reigns, and declares: “Take heart; your sins are forgiven.” (Matthew 9:2)  He has authority to do that because he has paid the price for your sins.  He has absorbed death and damnation for you.  He has conquered death and declares you to be victors with him.  Jesus has authority to give you the highest quality of life.

     Of course, you still live in a corrupt and broken world.  Veterans don’t automatically get their limbs back.  Burn victims have to live with skin grafts.  People who suffer from allergies or colds either take Sudafed or pack extra Kleenex.  But Jesus assures you that it will not always be this way.  He who delivers you from the curse of sin also will deliver you from every last consequence of sin.  And Jesus demonstrated that he has authority to do both.

     Jesus knew the thoughts of the scribes and said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts?  For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”  And he rose and went home. (Matthew 9:4-7)  It is easier to say that a person’s sins are forgiven.  Who could prove that they are not?  The promise of forgiveness is only worth as much as the authority of the person who declares it.  And Jesus has risen from the dead to prove his authority to say it.  What’s more, Jesus has promised to his ministers, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them.” (John 20:23)  The absolution given through your pastor is not just happy words.  If it were, it is as useless as saying your sins are okay when you know full well that they are not.  It is as worthless as telling an invalid, “Walking is good for you,” when he can’t walk at all.  But this absolution in Jesus’ name has the authority of Jesus behind it.  Therefore, you can be sure that your sins are forgiven.  Jesus has declared it to be so, and he has given authority to men to say so.  Jesus has the authority to deliver the highest quality of life—a life that is free from guilt.

ParadiseParadise

     If you should have to suffer weakness or illness in this world, it is only because your Lord wants to you crave what will come.  Unlike Brittany Maynard, you do not have to resort a lethal dosage of drugs to enter eternity—and most likely not on good terms.  Your Lord Jesus supplies you with a regular dosage of his body and blood to supply you with forgiveness, life, and salvation.  That is true mercy that delivers eternal life.  And there is no better quality life than what Jesus gives you.

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

Sermon -- 18th Sunday after Trinity (October 19, 2014)

MATTHEW 22:34-46

THE SON OF DAVID ANSWERS THE GREAT COMMANDMENT.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Rabbis who have studied the Torah, that is, the books of Moses, have claimed that there are 613 specific commandments that God has given.  There are 365 negative commandments declaring what God forbids, and there are 248 positive commandments declaring what God desires.  So there is one “Thou shalt not” for each day of the year, and one “Thou shat” for each bone and major organ in the human body.  I would imagine that it is next to impossible to keep track of them all, and yet scribes and rabbis would debate about which of these commandments was the most important one.

     A group of Pharisees surrounded Jesus to ask him his opinion.  One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.  “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:35-36)  This was far from genuine curiosity.  The Pharisees were ready to pounce on Jesus for choosing any one commandment over another.  Jesus did not flinch, but answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

     Before we consider the order of the commandments Jesus gave, we must consider a proper definition of love.  Just as sinful mankind perverts the gifts God has given us, so also sinful mankind perverts the definition of love.  Sinful mankind seems to think that a permissive attitude is the very spirit of love.  But a permissive attitude is the very path to destruction.  Permissive parents don’t care what their children eat, where their children go, or what their children do when they are out too late.  Such children are often told by their friends how lucky they are that their parents don’t care what they do.  They assume that such parents must really love their children to let them do anything.  Children often recognize that it is a curse: Their parents don’t care.  Such children who are given neither guidance nor discipline are destined for a hard life and probably a jail term.  Likewise, love is not a permissive attitude which celebrates every perversion or defends them as rights.  Americans might call these rights; God still calls them evil.  While no one should have to lose his job or housing for perverting God’s good gifts—for, everyone does that—everyone should repent for his sins.  It is not love to let people become hardened or persistent in their sins.  God has given his commandments so that we will recognize sins and flee from them.  So, just as it is love to rescue someone from a burning house or to prevent them from eating poison, so it is love to stand firm on God’s word, to expose evil for what it is, and to call sinners to repent.

     Love is properly defined as seeking the good of the other person.  That is what God seeks in the commandments he gives.  God gives his “Thou shalt’s” to bless us and guide us and give us what is good.  The marriage of one man and one woman is good because through it, God acts through a man and woman to conceive, raise, and discipline children.  Obedience to authority is good because godly citizens make for a peaceful society.  God gives his “Thou shalt not’s” for our good too, to protect us and to keep good order.  Lying is evil because it destroys reputations.  Vandalism is evil because it steals money from someone who has to pay for repairs he should have never had to make.  Selfishness is evil because it causes us to look at our fellowman as a rival or worse, as an enemy.  God sets these standards so that we can know what is truly good and what is truly evil.  God gives us these commandments so that we can know how we truly love and serve him as well as truly loving and serving our neighbor. 

     How can you pick which of God’s commandments is the most beneficial or important?  The Son of David answers the great commandment.  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)  In this way, all of God’s word is honored, observed, and obeyed.  In this way, God is honored as the highest good and the source of all that is good. 

     Now, I can’t see if you truly love the Lord your God above all, and you cannot see it in me either.  Only God can see who truly loves him, for only God can see the heart.  Yet, love is not mere theory.  Love demands an object to love.  So, what does this love look like in our lives?  How do we love God above all?  By loving and serving our fellowman as ourselves.  Jesus said, “On these two commandments [hang (literal)] all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:40)

     But not everyone does them.  In fact, not anyone does them.  That is why everything falls apart.  We incur the wrath of our fellowman because we do not love him as ourselves and seek his good as God defines what is the good to be done and what is the evil to be shunned.  We incur the wrath of God because we do not honor, observe, or obey what he commands or what he prohibits.  This is not God’s fault that you are guilty.  It is not your neighbor’s fault that you have sinned.  These are not your enemy.  Your enemy is the devil who tempts and accuses you.  Your enemy is your own sinful flesh which clings to you and condemns you.  Your enemy is death which desires to have you forever.

     Jesus Christ came to deliver you from your enemy.  The Son of David came to take your enemies and crush them as dust under his feet.  Jesus does this not by destroying the great commandment.  God’s commands are good, and Jesus does not destroy what is good.  Instead, the Son of David answers the great commandment by doing it.  How did Jesus love the Lord God with all his heart, soul, and mind?  By doing exactly what his Father had given him to do.  After a life of perfect obedience, Jesus suffered and died for our disobedience.  Jesus loved his fellowman—whether friend or foe—as himself.  Jesus loved you, not by granting you permission to engage in perversion, but by seeking your good.  And what is good for you is to be pardoned for any and every way you have perverted, corrupted, or abandoned God’s commandments for your own selfish gain. 

     The Son of David answers the great commandment by fulfilling it.  Jesus has done the will of the Father, which is to save you from your enemies.  Jesus has taken your sins and let them inflict their deadly wounds on his body.  Jesus has let death deliver its lethal blow on him as he laid down his life for you.  Jesus has endured the assault of the devil and let him pin every infraction of God’s commands upon him.  So your enemies have turned away from you to take Jesus in your place.  But Jesus, since he was obedient to his Father, has destroyed your enemies.  Sin can no longer condemn you; it has been paid for.  Satan can no longer assault you; for Jesus is your refuge against every assault.  Death has no claim; for Jesus has claimed you from death.  The Son of David who laid down his life to deliver you has risen from death to assure you that you have truly been delivered.  He has conquered.  Your enemies are defeated.  Jesus has ascended into heaven where he lives and reigns forever, and where your enemies are a footstool, lying crushed and powerless under Jesus’ feet.

     The Son of David answers the great commandment.  He has loved his Father above all.  He has loved you as he loves himself.  And by these, he has fulfilled the commandments and saved you.  What is more, he has made you followers who recognize that his commandments are good.  Therefore, you love the Lord your God.  You cherish his words.  You conform your heart, soul, mind, and life to them.  For, the God who gave his life for your salvation also lives in you to will and to act so that you love your fellowman and seek his good, just as Jesus Christ has sought yours.

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

Sermon -- 17th Sunday after Trinity (October 12, 2014)

PROVERBS 25:6-13

ONLY THE KING CAN TRULY EXALT YOU.

In the name + of Jesus.

     When you read through the book of Proverbs, you may get the impression that Solomon’s words are nothing more than pithy advice.  The whole book appears to be one verse of homespun wisdom after another.  But if that is all the book of Proverbs is, then we can put it on par with Aesop’s Fables or the Farmer’s Almanac.  The big difference is that whenever we conclude a reading from the book of Proverbs, we say: “The Word of the Lord.”  Therefore, the book of Proverbs is more than handy advice.  It is divine revelation.  And though we may not always grasp why the Lord gave us individual proverbs, we can be sure that these are God’s words.  These are sayings our Lord wants us to know and to ponder.

     Solomon wrote: “Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here,’ than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.” (Proverbs 25:6-7)  We live in a society where people demand respect from other people but do not place a very high priority on showing respect.  It is bullying disguised as self-esteem. 

     While some may cower to demands of respect, such demands will not work before a king.  The king reigns supreme.  He does not propose laws that can be debated or vetoed.  The king makes the laws because he is the law.  And when the king makes a judgment, there is no court of appeals.  The king is the judge.  His word is the authority.  His word is final.  So, to prop yourself up before a king or to demand respect and honor from him is foolish.  You do not exalt yourself before a king.  Only the king can truly exalt you.  If you exalt yourself, the king will humiliate you by letting you know what your place really is.  Then he will subject you to it.

     The Lord God Almighty is the king before whom you and I stand.  We often forget our place before him.  We are always inclined to tell the Lord how good and godly we are.  Perhaps we compare ourselves to others and expect God to rank us accordingly.  Perhaps we think of some good works that we are especially proud of and want God to reward us for them.  Or perhaps we think that God thinks of us as highly as we think of ourselves. 

     Again, Solomon warns, “What your eyes have seen do not hastily bring into court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame?” (Proverbs 25:7-8)  We like to think that we are good judges of people.  We grade them both on their actions and on their attitudes.  The standard by which we grade is ourselves.  We compare others with us.  Often, we take the worst that we see in others and compare it with the best that we see in ourselves.  Then we look down on others while we exalt ourselves, assuming that God shares our judgment.  Do not bring hastily to God’s court what your eyes see and what you assume to be true.  You will be put to shame by people whose stories you do not know and whose hearts you cannot read.  It is just as likely that their good deeds and kind words will put you to shame because they are better than yours. 

     “What your eyes have seen do not hastily bring into court…” (Proverbs 25:7)  Your case, based on what you think, will be thrown out of God’s court.  You will be humiliated because your judgments are flawed.  Your judgments are flawed because your heart and mind are flawed.  Sinners always dream and scheme how they can exalt themselves.  We write and recite our own eulogies long before we die.  Some may humor you and let you exalt yourself.  But before your God and King, you cannot exalt yourself anymore than you can make yourself weigh less by pulling up on your shoes.  The King knows your heart, and his judgment is always right and just.  This news does not inspire confidence.  It instills fear, and for good reason.  Repent.

     Solomon wrote, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.  Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear.” (Proverbs 25:11-12)  The Lord speaks a fitting word to you, and to the one craving hope, it is a most beautiful, lovely, and priceless word.  This word fitly spoken is a word of correction, because it points you away from yourself and your own judgment.  It is a word that graciously delivers you from trying to make a case for yourself.  It is a merciful word which spares you from trying to exalt yourself in God’s presence.  After all, God is only pleased with that which is holy.  And no matter how fond you are of how well you behave, you cannot possibly believe you are holy. 

     Do not humble yourself before the King because that is how you play the game or that is how you get noticed.  Be humble because that is your rightful place.  There is no reason for you to exalt yourself.  Nonetheless, the Lord has taken notice of you in your lowly place.  Kings usually do not waste their time considering the outcasts, but your King, Jesus Christ, has take up your case and has united himself with your cause. 
     The King of heaven and earth descended from his throne on high to have compassion on the lowly.  He took your place in the court, and his neighbors filed all kinds of shameful charges against him.  Even though Jesus is the God that Caiaphas made Israel’s sacrifices to, Jesus did not exalt himself or demand respect in Caiaphas’ court.  Jesus did not even refute the charges; he simply accepted the guilt.  Then Jesus was led to Pilate’s court.  Even though Jesus is the God who worked out world history to bring the Romans to power and Pilate to his position of authority, Jesus did not demand his due from Pilate.  He did not protest that his sentence was unjust or that the charges were untrue.  Jesus took the lowest place; for he was standing in the stead of sinners.  He submitted himself to suffer and die for you.

     As Jesus endured scorn and shame at the cross, he continued to speak fitting words.  He prayed for mercy on his executioners.  He absolved a criminal who confessed that he deserved the death sentence, but more importantly confessed that Jesus was his King.  And Jesus finally spoke before he died, “It is finished.”  Any effort you feel you need to make to prove yourself better than your neighbor is finished.  Any argument you dream up to console yourself that you are good enough is finished.  Any scheme that you devise to convince God that you are good enough is finished.  These are finished and unnecessary and useless.  Jesus has taken your shame so that he can exalt you.  The righteousness you need to stand before God Jesus has been rendered.  The sins you need to be cleansed of Jesus has taken away.  Jesus rose from the dead to claim complete authority over all things.  And your King has uttered the final word: You are acquitted, forgiven, and saved.

     Only the King can truly exalt you.  And he does!  “It is better to be told, ‘Come up here,’ than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.” (Proverbs 25:7)  Jesus has summoned you to status that is higher than any this world knows.  Jesus has given you a name greater than any this world can give: You are a Christian.  You have been cleansed by the blood of Christ.  You have been branded by the name of Christ.  And you will inherit a place at the heavenly feast with Jesus Christ.  To assure you of that, Jesus summons you already to his feast now.  Here, the holy things are given to the holy ones.  The holy things are the body and blood of Christ, and the holy ones are you; for you are Christ’s.  This is how Jesus highly exalts you.  It is Jesus who makes you children of the Most High God and heirs of his everlasting kingdom.  And since Jesus is the King of heaven and earth, his word has authority.  His word is the law.  He is the judge.  And his word is final.  Only the king can truly exalt you.  He does, and he will for all eternity.

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

Sermon -- 16th Sunday after Trinity (October 5, 2014)

LUKE 7:11-17

GOD VISITS HIS PEOPLE WITH SALVATION.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Jesus raised a young man from the dead, and the crowds were amazed.  They glorified God, saying, … “God has visited his people!” (Luke 7:16)  Their choice of words was most fitting.  The word “visited” is only used a handful of times about God’s dealing with his people, mainly in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament.  Every time it is used, it is because God is acting to work out salvation for his people.  God visited Sarah so that she conceived and gave birth to Isaac (Genesis 12:1).  That son of Abraham, of course, would be the ancestor of the greater son of Abraham by whom all peoples would be blessed.  Just before he died, Joseph promised that God would visit his people in Egypt and deliver them to the Promised Land (Genesis 50:24).  After Israel endured brutality and slavery for centuries, God fulfilled his promise.  He called Moses to deliver Israel out of Egypt.  And when the people heard that the LORD had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.” (Exodus 4:31) 

     In a small town called Nain, God visited his people again.  It was not to an aged woman who had no son because she was barren.  It was to a widowed woman who had no son because he had died.  It was not to a group of people who were being brutally enslaved by a tyrant.  It was to a group of people who were being tyrannized by death.  The crowd from Nain was carrying out a young man to his grave.  But each one knew that one day he or she would be the deceased.  Each one would be carried out to his or her own grave by family and friends.  Every funeral is a cruel reminder that we all have a death to face.  Every funeral brings anguish as we see what death does to the people who are still alive.

     A parade of death was leaving Nain, and the most pitiful character in this scene is not even the young man who died in his prime.  It is the widowed mother.  Her life had been deeply affected by death.  It is likely that she had made this procession behind her father and her mother, behind her father-in-law and her mother-in-law.  Being a widow, she had made this walk behind her husband.  And now she was going to lay her only son to rest. 

     She should not have been surprised at the death of her parents, her husband, or her son.  After all, everyone dies.  That is no surprise.  But death never comes at a convenient time.  She was not ready to bid farewell to her parents.  Even though you may not have lived at home for decades, there is something reassuring and comforting in knowing that mom and dad are still there.  Death destroys that familiar comfort.  She was not ready to bury her husband.  Who knows what plans they had made after the hard years of raising a son?  Death destroyed those plans.  Death robbed her of her future.  And then she lost her son.  That he died was not a surprise.  That he died so young was a surprise.  This was the son who was supposed to take care of her in her old age years.  This was the son who was supposed to keep life from getting too lonely.  But death brought not only sorrow, it brought solitude and loss of support.  Death is a horrible, wretched thing—whether you are facing your own death, or you are grieving the death of a loved one.

     On the way out of Nain was a procession of death.  On the way into Nain was a procession led by the Lord of life.  When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” (Luke 7:13)  The word translated “compassion” means that Jesus ached in his guts over her.  In the very pit of his stomach, Jesus grieved for this widow because she grieved at the death of her son.  God had come to visit his people, and that means that God had compassion and had come with salvation.

     Jesus’ compassion was not limited to a word of sympathy.  Jesus’ compassion resulted in a word which commanded death to give way.  Jesus stopped the funeral procession and grabbed hold of the coffin.  And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.”  And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. (Luke 7:15)  Jesus rebuked death and restored life to this young man.  He also restored the joy of his widowed mother.  Jesus put an end to death and grief, bringing instead life and joy.  God has visited his people with salvation.

     Of course, this is not what happens at Christian funerals.  No matter how heart-rending or devastating the death of a Christian is, Jesus does not stop the funeral and bring the person back to life.  But let’s recognize that even though this young man from Nain was raised and given back to his mother, he ended up dying later anyway.  For that reason, Jesus gives us more than word to put off a funeral for a few years.  Jesus puts an end to death altogether.  God visits his people with salvation.

Paradise

     By his death, Jesus has put an end to death.  Just as Jesus took your sins and the sins of the world, so Jesus has swallowed up death for all people.  No one has to face the grave with fear.  No one has to live with a terrified conscience.  No one has to think of life as a meaningless journey to nothingness.  Jesus let death grab hold of him so that he could, in turn, grab hold of it and squeeze the life out of it.  Jesus did this by his resurrection from the grave.  On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead.  He left the grave empty and powerless.  Therefore, death has to obey him, just as it obeyed his command at Nain “Young man, I say to you, arise.” (Luke 7:14)  At Jesus’ command, the grave will have to forfeit you.  At Jesus’ summoning, you will not receive another mere year or a measly decade or a paltry century.  You will be raised up to everlasting life.

     God has visited his people with salvation.  Jesus’ resurrection is the reason your faith is well-founded that you shall also rise from the grave to live forever.  It is no pipe dream or wishful thought.  This man overcame death for all mankind.  Likewise, your hope for your loved ones who have died in the faith is well-founded too.  They are not heirs of eternal life because you love them.  They are heirs of eternal life because Jesus has had compassion upon them.  Jesus has marked us in Holy Baptism and has made us children of the resurrection.  On that day, Jesus will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.  Death will be done.  Sin will be gone.  There will be no more funeral processions, or bitter separation, or crying, or loss.  For God has visited his people with salvation.  Jesus has grabbed death away from you and has taken hold of you for eternal life.

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

Sermon -- 15th Sunday after Trinity (September 28, 2014)

MATTHEW 6:24-34

YOU NEED NOT BE CONCERNED ABOUT ANYTHING,

BECAUSE GOD IS CONCERNED ABOUT YOU.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Jesus would have you consider the birds and the flowers.  It is a good time of year to do that.  The birds are starting to make their way south for the winter.  They do not pack suitcases or even a purse.  They do not have a GPS.  They do not make reservations.  But year after year, they migrate thousands of miles to the same places where they find food and shelter.  And after winter, they will come back.  The birds do not fret over these things.  They live, flittering about from one place to the next, confident that the Lord who has always taken care of them will continue to do so.

     Regarding the flowers and plants, we see that they are starting to fade and wilt.  A good hard frost will probably put a number of flowers away for the year.  The flowers sprout and grow each year.  Each year, they add beauty to God’s world and to our lives.  But they never last.  The flowers bloom in vibrant colors, and then whither and die.  They bring beauty, but only momentary beauty.  Now, if God has this much concern for sparrows and marigolds, don’t you think that he has a greater concern for you?  You need not be concerned about anything because God is concerned for you.

     But our concerns are always turned in on ourselves.  The first verse in the gospel lesson lays the ground work for everything that follows.  Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)  The Greek word translated here as “money,” is “Mammon,” meaning any kind of material wealth.  You cannot serve God and mammon.  One has to rank higher than the other.  Only one can be lord.

     The First Commandment tells us to fear and love and trust in God above all things.  Yet, we trust in mammon more than God.  We fear the loss of our money, possessions, and property more than the loss of God.  We never have enough mammon, but we warn ourselves about having too much religion.  Even people who call themselves good Christians are content to go months without coming to God’s house to receive his blessings in the Divine Service.  Anyone willing to miss even one paycheck this year?  “You cannot serve God and [mammon].” (Matthew 6:24)  So, which one do you love?  Which one are you devoted to?  Which one do you serve?

     We are all guilty of loving and trusting in mammon or fearing the loss of it.  We are no different than the pagans who believe that joy is found in buying the next thing.  But like the very things we buy, the joy does not last.  Technology advances and soon we are generations behind in our e-things and i-gadgets.  Cars need constant repairs.  Houses need new carpeting and new roofs.  Even things we need to survive do not last.  Children outgrow their clothing.  Dress shirts get stained or ripped.  A great meal will only sustain you for a number of hours.  And the leftovers grow moldy because they are forgotten in the back of the refrigerator.  Nevertheless, we fret and carry tremendous concerns about goods which were never intended to last that long.  Like the pagans, we run after such things, and we are never satisfied by them.  Mammon is a deceptive and cruel master.  It will not satisfy, and it cannot save.

     Therefore, do not pay attention to the pagans or the smooth talkers from Madison Avenue.  “Look at the birds of the air... Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow….” (Matthew 6:26,28)  The birds do not fret.  The lilies of the field are incapable of worry.  And they have no need to.  The Father in heaven who created them also cares for them and provides their needs.  You are much more valuable than birds.  God has far more concern for you than for wildflowers.  You need not be concerned about anything because God is concerned about you.   

     Jesus declares “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (Matthew 6:32), that is, all you need.  He is your heavenly Father.  He has created you and knows what you need to live.  As a loving Father, he will always give you enough.  He will expect you to recognize when you have to scale back on your extras, but he will always supply your needs.  You need not be concerned about anything because God is concerned about you.

     But he is your Father for a much more endearing and comforting reason.  Your Father does not merely bring you daily bread.  Your Father brings you into a kingdom that is eternal in which the gifts and goods never wear out, get moldy, or become outdated.  To secure your place in that kingdom, the Father sent his only begotten Son.  To secure your place in that kingdom, God the Son did not become a bird or a flower, but a human being.  God’s concern for you is demonstrated in God’s becoming man.  He has united himself with mankind in order to save mankind. 

     As a flesh and blood man, Jesus submitted himself to the same fear, love, and trust that are expected of all flesh and blood people.  In Gethsemane, Jesus feared the Lord and called on him to aid him in carrying out his will.  On the way to Calvary, Jesus loved his Father and pressed on to serve him and us.  Even as he was hanging from the cross under the darkness and forsaken by his Father, Jesus trusted that his Father would receive his spirit and raise him from the grave.  Jesus’ perfect submission to his Father has won his Father’s good pleasure.  In turn, Jesus pours that favor out upon you.  You need not be concerned about anything because God is concerned about you. 

     Therefore, Jesus urges you, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)  Jesus implores you to make your greatest concern the things which are eternal and unshakable.  The day will come when you will no longer need food, drink, or clothing because you will be dead.  But your place in God’s kingdom is not disrupted even by death.  Jesus went into death for you and overcame death by his resurrection.  This flesh and blood Savior assures you, who are flesh and blood, that your life will not fade out with death.  Rather, you are children of the resurrection.  You, who already bear Jesus’ righteousness, will be raised from the dead and will shine in splendor and be visibly righteous forever.  And Jesus will bring you into a kingdom of righteousness in which the flowers will not perish, the gifts will not need warranties because they will never be broken, the bodies will not become sick or weary because they will be incorruptible, and the feast will not end because the joy will never cease.

     Now, if the Lord has that much concern that you receive a place with him in his kingdom forever, will he not also care for your momentary needs now?  Jesus promises you he will: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)  You need not be concerned about anything because God is concerned about you. 

     And so, God’s blessings are already for you.  The birds are here to entertain you.  The flowers are here to make your world more beautiful.  God supplies you with food to satisfy both your taste buds and to sustain your body.  God gives you clothing to keep you warm and to cover yourself in modesty.  You will always have these things, so you need not concern yourself over them.

     But even more, your Father has covered you in Jesus’ righteousness so that you are beautiful in his sight.  He supplies food from this altar for your forgiveness and as a sacred feast even before you have entered heaven.  These have everlasting value, and so you seek them first.  So do not worry about your blessings, whether temporal or eternal.  Your heaven Father supplies both without fail.  You need not be concerned about anything because God is concerned about you. 

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

Sermon -- 13th Sunday after Trinity (September 14, 2014)

LEVITICUS 9:9-18

GOD’S WILL IS TO SEEK MERCY FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR.

In the name + of Jesus.

     As the Lord gave his commandments to his people, he continued to repeat the phrase: “I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:10,12,14,16,18)  The Lord put his name on his Law because the Law is good and right and holy.  It is good, right, and holy because God is good, right, and holy.  This particular portion of God’s Law is summed up in the final verse: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:18) 

     You recognize that God’s Law is good when you consider how other people treat you.  You recognize that it is good that no one defames your reputation or tells lies about you.  It is good when no one tries to con you, defraud you, or deceive you.  It is good when no one is working behind your back to get some kind of revenge on you.  And it is good when your fellow man grants you the same patience, understanding, and kindness that you wish people would have for you. 

     Now, if the commandments are right and good when others treat you this way, they are also right and good in defining how you treat others.  It is good that you do not hurt or harm your neighbor in his body.  It is right that you see your neighbor’s good in his marriage, in his possessions, in his name, in his honor, or in his business.  And it is good that you be merciful, kind, and patient with him as you would want him to be with you.  God’s will is that you seek mercy for your neighbor.

     God punctuates all of these commandments with this reminder: “I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:10,12,14,16,18)  The Lord God is holy.  His word and his will are holy.  And since you bear his name, he expects you, too, to be holy.  You bear a holy status before him for the sake of Jesus who has redeemed you.  And that holy status is to be seen in your words and actions toward your neighbor.  God’s will is to seek mercy for your neighbor.

     Now, all of this sounds good, but you know how this all works in practice.  Each commandment is a stab to the heart, as it highlights that you have not done the good that God seeks from you.  You have borne the grudge against your neighbor.  You have lied to him to take advantage of him.  You have shown partiality to others—either because you thought siding with the rich would produce a favor, or because you thought that opposing the rich made you a more noble person. 

     “You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:18)  The Lord is not vague in this command.  But we are like the lawyer from the gospel.  We want to know—who does God really mean here?  Who is my neighbor?  You and I are pretty good about serving our loved ones.  Even pagans are good at that.  But you and I show very limited mercy to the stranger.  We have none to show to someone who is a jerk or a schmuck.  God does not limit it in any way.  God does not limit the audience whom you are to love.  Nor does God put a quota on how much good you are to do.  “You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:18)  That means the people you like, the people you don’t know, and even the jerk and the schmuck.  And it means that you always seek their good.

     God’s will is to seek mercy for your neighbor.  Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:36)  You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. (Leviticus 19:2)  You bear the name of Jesus, but you do not reflect the love of Jesus.  You have not gone and done likewise.  You have not regarded your fellow man as someone whom God has given you to serve, but as a pest who should be shooed away as fast as possible.  You have withheld your love from your neighbor.  Repent!

     God’s Law is good and right and holy.  But it also shows us that we are not.  God’s Law is good and right and holy because God is.  God’s will is to seek the mercy of our neighbor because God does.  Jesus declared, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)  Yes, your heavenly Father is merciful.  He sent Jesus not merely to tell you about what it means to be merciful, but to be merciful to you.  Jesus did not limit the audience he would be merciful to.  He had mercy on all—on his loved ones, on the stranger, the jerk, the schmuck, and even on the ones who demanded his death.  Jesus did not put a quota on how much good he would do.  He came to be merciful and to save.

     Jesus had mercy upon you by fulfilling all that God’s commandments require.  Jesus did not profane the name of the Lord his God.  Rather, in the name of his God and Father, Jesus served his neighbor with healing, mercy, and compassion.  Jesus did not show favoritism among the people he preached to; for, there was no difference—from the most learned scribe to the most simple peasant.  All were sinners.  All were called to repent.  All needed salvation.  And so Jesus came for all and supplied righteousness and forgiveness to all.  There is no favoritism, for Jesus does not deliver different salvations to anyone.  He has had mercy on all people.  Jesus does not even steal us away from death, the devil, and damnation.  Rather, Jesus paid to get us from them.  Jesus offered up his own holy life and poured out his own innocent blood as the cost to redeem us and set us free.  This is God’s will—that Jesus seek mercy for his fellow man.

     Jesus did not take revenge on people—though he had every right to.  All are sinners, and that means that all have sinned against him.  The problem is not limited to those who shouted, “Crucify him!” or who smacked him and mockingly demanded, “Prophesy!  Who hit you?”  The problem is with you and me.  With our sins, we have slapped God in the face.  And yet, God does not seek revenge or even harbor a grudge against us.  Mercy upon mercies!—he has sought our salvation!  Jesus endured the wrath of God for us.  God emptied his vengeance upon his own Son, Jesus, so that you are forgiven of all your sins.  Jesus was shown no mercy so that God would have mercy upon you.  He did not limit his target audience.  He died for all.  He did not put a quota on his mercy.  He takes away all your sins.  This is God’s will—that sinners be saved, that sins be forgiven, and that mercy is shown to mankind.  God our heavenly Father has had mercy upon us, and has sent his only Son to be the atoning sacrifice for us.  You are forgiven.  You have been shown mercy.

     As he gave his Law, the Lord punctuated all of these commandments with this reminder: “I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:10,12,14,16,18)  That Lord has redeemed you and has put his name on you.  Now, you are holy before him.  And not only before him, but you are to be holy before the world.  You have been set apart from all that is cursed, and you have been called blessed.  Just as you are children of the heavenly Father, you shall be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful.  Seek mercy for your neighbor, whether your neighbor is your spouse, child, co-worker, boss, a stranger, or even a schmuck.  This is how you love and serve your neighbor as yourself.  You do it because your neighbor needs this mercy, kindness, and compassion.  It doesn’t matter if he does not deserve it; you don’t either.  But God’s will is to seek mercy for one’s neighbor.  God sought yours and, in this way, brought you forgiveness and salvation.  Your neighbor needs your mercy, and by your words and actions, your neighbor may also learn of the Lord’s love, forgiveness and salvation, too.  This is God’s will.  It is good and right and holy, just as God is and just as God has declares you to be.

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

Sermon -- 12th Sunday after Trinity (September 7, 2014)

MARK 7:31-37

JESUS PROVIDES EVERLASTING HEALING.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The world is a mess, and you cannot fix it.  People are dying, and you cannot stop it.  You’d rather hear better news, because it is both terrifying and exhausting to hear about so many problems.  Ice bucket challenges flood social media in hopes to find a cure for Lou Gehrig’s disease.  Ebola has become an epidemic in western Africa.  Americans get nervous then they hear that missionaries from Africa are coming back to America to be treated for the Ebola virus.  It seems we would rather have people dead than treated so that we do not run the risk of being infected.  Hospitals keep adding on.  Researchers keep crafting new drugs.  The list of bugs, viruses, diseases, and illnesses goes on and on. 

     The world is a mess, and you cannot fix it.  Nevertheless, we certainly try.  It has been said that 15% of our economy is the health industry.  We look to pharmaceuticals for the answer.  Presidential and congressional campaigns spend a great deal of time talking about health care.  People are either outraged because they like the health insurance they have and they don’t want the government to mess it up, or they think that health insurance is a mess and they want the government to clean it up.  Many say they are too sickly to come to church, but they will never miss a doctor’s appointment.  We are a nation obsessed with health.  We spend a tremendous amount of money to prolong life and its quality.  And still, people are dying and you can’t stop it.

     This is not the world God created or intended.  But once sin entered the world, a curse fell upon it.  And so genes mutate.  Viruses invade the body.  And people are born both blind and deaf.  While the story of Helen KellerNormal

     Decapolis a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. (Mark 7:32)  This man and his friends sought healing so that he could once again speak and hear.  They were not disappointed.  Taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.  And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”  And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. (Mark 7:34-35)  Jesus had mercy on the man who was deaf and mute.  By the way he tended to his man, Jesus demonstrated that he understood his particular need.  He touched the man’s tongue, as if to say: “This is your problem, isn’t it?”  Jesus heaved a heavy sigh, so that the man who could not hear his prayer could see it.  Then, the Word made flesh gave the word: “Be opened!” Jesus provided the healing for the deaf and mute man. 

     They were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well.  He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” (Mark 7:37)St.

     Although Jesus demonstrated such mercy, he did not do it for showmanship.  Jesus charged them to tell no one.  But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. (Mark 7:36)  It is not hard to figure out why the people kept talking about it.  Who wouldn’t want an instant cure-all for every bump, bruise, or broken body?  If our church boasted of miraculous healings, people would come flooding into our doors instead of going to Providence Park.  And they probably would not come for any other reason.  Though many could be happy, they would still remain sinners.  And though many could be healed, they would still die—and worse! they would die in their sins.  If this is the result, then even Satan would be pleased to heal your diseases!

     Therefore, Jesus urged the people to keep silent about his healings.  Jesus had a greater healing in mind.  Jesus provides everlasting healing.  This was accomplished by removing from you the corruption of sin which brings guilt, decay, destruction, and death.  For, if sin is removed, then the curse of sin is taken away too.  And if the curse of sin is taken away, you will never again have to deal with aches and pains, sickness and weakness, or even death.

     So Jesus provides the perfect healing you need by his holy and precious blood.  It is the life of Jesus that was given as the remedy for all sin and evil, for all death and damnation.  “He took our illness and bore our diseases.” (Matthew 8:17)  He bore our guilt and its curse.  He died our death and suffered our damnation.  Jesus Christ has taken away from us everything that is corrupt, warped, and messed up.  By his blood, Jesus cleanses us of all sin and heals us of every disease.  Jesus provides everlasting healing.

     All of these things are true, though it does not look like it.  After all, you may still be carrying your disease or disability.  You may be weak and frail.  You are getting older.  Your immunity is fading.  Your bones are getting more brittle.  At the same time, you also have not stopped sinning.  But recognize what Jesus does.  He has not stripped you of your sinful flesh or abducted you from a broken world.  You still live here as a sinner in a sinful place.  What Jesus does do is serve as your refuge in your sins and as your hope in this sinful place.  He declares that you are forgiven, that you are blameless, and that you are one has victory over death.  Jesus makes you children of the resurrection.  And it is then that you will have everything you have ever prayed for or hoped for.

     At the resurrection of all flesh, you will finally see and experience the perfect healing you wish you could have now.  It will not be the temporary fix you are familiar with.  You will not get eternal refills of ibuprofen or medications.  You will be raised with a body that will never be broken or bruised.  You will be delivered to a world of righteousness that will never know corruption or destruction.  You will have a life that will never be messed up again.  That is the everlasting healing that Jesus provides to you.  By his sufferings and death, Jesus delivers you from every curse of sin.  By his resurrection, Jesus delivers you from every mark of sin and every memory of evil.

     In the meantime, the Lord has graciously provided you with doctors, hospitals, and the best medicines known in the world’s history.  Through these, the Lord provides temporary relief and healing.  But these are all temporary, and sometimes they fail.  But Jesus will not fail you.  Jesus forgives all your sins.  He is the remedy for your death and your grave.  Jesus provides everlasting healing.  He grants you resurrection from the grave.  And he brings you to a life of everlasting health, wholeness, and holiness.

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

Sermon -- 11th Sunday after Trinity (August 31, 2014)

GENESIS 4:1-15

TRUE WORSHIP COMES BY FAITH ALONE.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Two men went up to the temple to pray.  Both knew what they were doing.  Both knew how to pray and to whom they were praying.  Yet, only one of them went home justified before God.  And who was it?  It was the wretched sinner, the thief, the tax collector.  He did not hide his sin or make excuses.  He confessed his sinfulness and pleaded for mercy.  He wanted nothing more.  He got everything he prayed for, and more!  He went home justified, forgiven, saved.

     From outward appearances, the Pharisee was the better man—by a long shot.  You heard him recite his credentials.  The man had performed his religious duties diligently, even above and beyond the call of duty.  And I don’t think anyone would have argued with him that he was better than most.  He prayed boldly, and his worship looked more devout, more sincere, and more authentic than the tax collector’s.  Yet, he was not justified, forgiven, or saved.  That is because the Pharisee trusted in his own goodness.  God is not pleased with people who take pride in how good they are, no matter how good everyone else thinks they are.  True worship comes by faith alone.

     Now, consider two other men who went to worship.  Both knew what they were doing.  Both knew how to make a sacrifice and to whom they were sacrificing.  Yet only one of them went home justified before God.  The Lord had made it clear that Abel’s offering was pleasing and that Cain’s was not.  The letter to the Hebrews explains precisely why.  “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous…” (Hebrews 11:4)  Cain was able to go through the motions of worship, but his heart was set upon something else.  Cain did not long for forgiveness.  He did not repent of his sinfulness.  And he was irate that the Lord did not honor him as Cain was convinced he deserved to be honored.

     True worship comes by faith alone.  Without faith it is impossible to please [God] (Hebrews 11:6); for, without faith, you are still in your sins no matter how noble you appear and no matter how praiseworthy people think your life is.  Without faith, you are not pleasing to God.  And if you are not pleasing to him, then nothing you do will please him either—not your generous charity, not your patience with overbearing co-workers, not your winsome personality, and not even your prayers.  You can’t earn God’s praise.  Therefore, true worship comes not by acts of love and kindness, but by faith alone.

     The Lord admonished Cain, “Why are you angry…?  If you do well, will you not be accepted?” (Genesis 4:6,7)  Nevertheless, Cain would not do well.  He would not repent.  He was convinced that going through the motions was all that mattered, and God should reward it.  Cain would fit in well with many Americans today, for we see his attitude prevalent in many people, including ourselves.  We are all impressed with good works and believe that they are worthy of praise and divine reward.  Consider the case of Robin Williams.  There is no doubt that Mr. Williams had been involved in numerous charities.  He was a kind and genuine friend to many.  And he was beloved by many more because he entertained them.  Now, all that is wonderful, but none of that could save him.  If that sounds cruel to say, it is because you believe God should reward him for his kindness and his talent.  Now, I don’t have any idea of Robin Williams’ eternal fate.  But his fate and the fate of everyone hang on this truth: Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:16) 

     True worship comes by faith alone, but we all trust in our good works to some extent.  We know that we have done good things, and we believe that we deserve a reward for them.  Therefore, your good works are a snare to you.  You trust in them, and you exalt yourself because of them.  This is worship of self, and it is idolatry.  He who exalts himself will never go home justified, forgiven, or saved.  Repent.

     True worship comes by faith alone.  The Pharisee boasted in his works when he prayed.  He trusted that his works would save him.  He was self-deceived.  Cain did not offer true worship, for the Lord found a heart that was not repentant or humble.  And while you can make every impression that your worship is sincere by belting out the hymns and saying your prayers, the Lord looks at the heart.  The Lord knows what you truly believe in.  True worship comes by faith alone.

     The focus of faith, of course, is Jesus Christ.  Faith does not talk about how good you are or about how much you do.  Faith clings only to Jesus.  He is the source of everything that saves you.  You do not have to go about trying to win God’s favor or to make claims that you are doing enough to please him.  Good heavens!  When would you ever do enough?  When could you ever have the confidence that you have done the works with which God is pleased?  And could you every really convince yourself that you have fulfilled all of God’s Commandments?  Dear Christian, you have a Savior who fulfills all of this for you.  He has wrapped his holy, obedient life around you like a garment in your baptism.  Therefore, God is pleased with you.  God the Father delights in calling you his beloved child.  And since you are pleasing to God, your worship is pleasing to him, your works are pleasing to him, and your life is pleasing to him.  True worship comes by faith alone.

     Faith clings to Jesus Christ, knowing that Jesus takes away every sin you have done and every good you have left undone.  The tax collector did not hide his sin.  He knew he was guilty and confessed it.  Though we do not hear any bad reports about Abel, he knew he was a sinner.  His blood sacrifice acknowledged that he looked for the perfect blood sacrifice which would pay for his sin, overcome his death, and appease God’s wrath.  Jesus Christ is the blood sacrifice which atones for every fault you have. 

     True worship comes by faith alone.  Faith does not try to plea bargain with the Lord to suggest that you are not that bad.  Faith rejoices that Jesus takes away the sin of the world.  Jesus pays for your sins, and he atones for your sinfulness.  Your condition before God now is not sinner, but saint.  Your attitude is no longer to do what is evil, but to flee from it.  Your desire is no longer to do what is right so that you will be rewarded for it; you desire to do what is right because you are a child of God who delights in what is good.

     True worship comes by faith alone.  By faith in Jesus Christ, you are a child of God, covered in the righteousness of Christ.  Therefore, God is pleased with your works and your worship as if they were holy.  It is like a little girl who draws a picture for her parents.  You know that it is not going to be a Rembrandt, but you love it more than anything Rembrandt could paint.  Your daughter did it because she loves you, and you cherish it because she did it for you.  So now, you are children of God.  As you serve, your works will not be flawless.  Nevertheless, God looks upon them as holy.  Your works are dear to him not because they are better than the works of others, but because by faith you are his dear children.  By faith in Jesus, you are holy in his sight.  And that is what pleases God.

     This is your true worship, whether it is done in church, at work, or at home.  Such worship clings to Jesus Christ by faith.  And when you depart from God’s house, you will go home justified, forgiven, and saved.  Jesus has secured it, and faith rejoices in it.

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

Sermon -- 8th Sunday after Trinity (August 10, 2014)

Jeremiah, the weeping prophet,
by Michelangelo,
from the Sistine Chapel.

JEREMIAH 23:16-29

CLING FAITHFULLY TO GOD’S TRUTH.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Jeremiah is sometimes called the “weeping prophet.”  He preached a strong message of rebuke and repentance.  Jeremiah foretold of doom and gloom, of war, exile, destruction, and death.  For Jeremiah’s preaching, he was subjected to hatred and slander.  He was the target of a murder plot.  He was threatened with stoning.  He was dropped into a cistern where at least one source (Josephus? Apocrypha? can’t remember where) reports that Jeremiah sank into the mud up to his neck.  It is no wonder Jeremiah was known as the weeping prophet.  He did not have much to rejoice over. 

     But you also ought to know this about Jeremiah: He was right.  Jeremiah’s message of rebuke was not heeded.  And his pleas for repentance were both ignored and shouted down.  Therefore, the doom and gloom he had warned about did come.  The war, the exile, the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple, and the death of many of its inhabitants happened just as Jeremiah had foretold.

     Jeremiah was right for one simple reason: God had given him the message.  Jeremiah was the mouth through whom the Lord issued his warnings and calls to repentance.  When the calls to repentance were despised, the Lord carried out the punishment he had warned about.  Jeremiah may not have been a fun prophet, but he was a faithful prophet.  He had clung faithfully to God’s truth.

     Though Jeremiah’s message was unique, he was not the only prophet in Jerusalem.  The other prophets preached a message that was much happier, much less controversial, and much more appealing then anything Jeremiah was saying.  Jeremiah warned of judgment and doom; other prophets promised peace and prosperity.  One of them had to be wrong.  Guess who the people preferred.

     The Lord had warned, “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes.  They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord.  They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’” (Jeremiah 23:16-17)

     There is nothing new under the sun.  There are still competing voices.  There are still false prophets.  Jesus had warned that they will come to you as wolves in sheep’s clothing.  They look and sound like God’s people, but they will devour and destroy you with their message.  Now, surely they will have to answer to God for their lies and deception, but if you are deceived, you will suffer too.  God does not excuse you for buying the lie or for going astray.  Sheep who go astray get devoured; and blaming the bad shepherd does not change anything for the sheep.

     The message remains the same: “It shall be well with you” and “No disaster shall come upon you.” (Jeremiah 23:17)  It is a message from the prophet’s own imagination.  He wants everything to be fine.  You want everything to be fine.  He sells a message you are eager to buy.  But based on what?  If God did not say it or promise it, the prophet has no business saying it.  You will be both deceived and disappointed.  Cling faithfully to God’s truth. 

     False prophets will come.  Preachers will tell their dreams.  Satan still wants to deceive.  And so, many lies are peddled today as if they were the very word of God.  How many sins are defended and encouraged in the name of love?  Now, God is love.  But God does not defend, much less promote, sin.  So the word “love” is misused.  It is used as a cover for fornication, adultery, cohabitation, same-sex marriage, and any other form of perversion you can think of.  Even worse, “love” is used to defend false doctrine.  Americans are not allowed to find fault with any religious teaching.  We are to let all the gods line up next to each other and declare them all equally good options.  If you don’t think so, try telling someone that you believe Islam is evil or that imams teach a demonic doctrine.  We are afraid to call liars for what they are because, first, people will not think it is very nice, and second, because we do not want to suffer for doing so.  We are better Americans than we are Christians.  So we back off of our confession.  We let the lies go unchallenged.  And by failing to expose or refute the lies, we make the confession that we accept them.  And even if we don’t, we teach our children that they are acceptable.

     Even Christendom has its share of false teachers.  Satan likes to play God in order to deceive you with godly sounding words.  Preachers will say that Jesus is nice and that God is love.  You can’t argue that it is wrong, but then you can’t say that it is right either.  Any message that does not preach repentance and forgiveness is not a Christian message.  Where there is no crucified Jesus, there is no salvation.  There is no Christian Church.

     Cling faithfully to God’s truth.  Be on your guard so that you are not deceived.  How can you be sure that you are hearing God’s truth?  The Lord answers for you: “I did not send the prophets, yet they ran; I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.  But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their deeds.” (Jeremiah 23:21-22) 

     A prophet or preacher is to do nothing other than preach the word of the Lord.  And God does not leave that word a mystery to you.  He has revealed his council to you in the Bible.  Jeremiah called Jerusalem to repent so that they would not die in their sins.  The hammer of God’s word was to crush their stony hearts into repentance so that they would not be crushed in divine wrath. 

     Jeremiah had proclaimed, “Behold, the storm of the Lord!  Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked.  The anger of the Lord will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his heart.” (Jeremiah 23:19-20)  God’s wrath comes upon us because of our sins.  They cannot be excused; they must be paid for.  They are not forgiven just because you want them to be.  That comes from the imagination of your mind.  If you want to be sure that you are forgiven, then God must say so.  If you want to be sure you are saved, then God must act.  If you want true peace and not just wishful thinking, then cling faithfully to God’s truth. 

     The Lord has spoken and acted.  Jesus has stepped into the storm for you.  Bearing your sins, he took the brunt of God’s wrath.  He endured the fury of divine rage for your sins.  And so your sins were not excused, they were paid for.  Jesus demonstrated true love by suffering and dying for your sins.  You are saved by a God who became flesh and who was crucified so that God’s judgment would be executed on you.  God’s desire is not to accommodate you in your sins, but to redeem you from them.  He does not compromise his judgment or his commandments for you, but rather he fulfills those commandments and reconciles you so that you are not banished from his presence.  Cling faithfully to God’s truth for certainty of your salvation.

     The false prophets will always be out there, telling their stories, spelling out their visions, and making promises in God’s name.  God will let them go.  What has straw in common with wheat? declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:28)  Those who are eager to believe the lies will be deceived by them.  But you are God’s harvest.  Therefore, cling faithfully to God’s truth so that you will not be deceived.  This is also how you remain confident of your own salvation.  For, by clinging to God’s truth, you cling to the only word that stands firm and the only word that saves.

     Jeremiah wept that his beloved city would be destroyed.  But you are not among those who are destroyed.  You are among those who have been saved.  God himself has told you.  His is the word that you must listen to.  Cling faithfully to it, and you will be saved.

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