YouTube -- Ascension of our Lord, transferred (June 1, 2025)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, June 1, 2025.

Sermon -- Ascension of our Lord, transferred (June 1, 2025)

LUKE 24:44-53

JESUS’ ASCENSION EXALTS HUMANITY.

In the name + of Jesus.

M: Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

C:  He is risen indeed.  Alleluia!

     Very rarely are departures a happy experience.  Sometimes, people are embittered with each other and go their separate ways angry with each other.  Most times, parting is sad.  When a child heads off to college, a mother will watch with tears until the car disappears.  If a family moves to a new state, they must bid farewell to a familiar town and townsfolk.  The worst is death.  The college student will come home.  That family may return on vacation to visit.  But death is final.  Parting usually produces tears.  St. Luke recorded how the Lord Jesus parted from his disciples.  “While he was blessing them, he parted from them and was taken up into heaven” (Luke 24:51).  Over a period of forty days, Jesus had appeared to his disciples and then disappeared.  But this parting was different.  He was lifted up from the earth and hidden by a cloud.  They would not see him again.  So, their reaction seems strange.  “They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 24:52). 

     Perhaps the best explanation for this comes earlier in our reading.  “He said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.’  Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:44-45).  The apostles had witnessed the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  They recorded the facts in the Gospels.  But Jesus enlightened them to understand that everything had happened according to plan.  All that was necessary to be done, Jesus accomplished.  The curse of sin has been removed.  Humanity can be spared damnation.  Jesus’ ascension means that humanity has been exalted.

     Jesus opened the minds of his apostles so that they could see how the entire Old Testament foreshadowed and foretold all that had to happen.  Everything points to Jesus.  Since sin has been taken away, the cherubim no longer prevent the way into Paradise.  Rather, at our last hour the angels come and deliver us into the Paradise of God.  The waters of the Flood had destroyed the whole wicked world, but now the waters of Holy Baptism lift us up from death and damnation and we are kept safe in the ark of the Holy Christian Church.  Just as the Lord had delivered Israel and drowned the Egyptians in the Red Sea, Jesus Christ has delivered us and has drowned our enemies in the waters of baptism.  Just as the Lord fed Israel in the wilderness on their way to the Promised Land, so also our Lord feeds us bread from heaven on our way to our heavenly Promised Land.  Like David who went out to slay Goliath, the Son of David went out to slay the devil for us.  Like Hosea whose wife was unfaithful to him but was redeemed and restored to him, our heavenly Groom redeemed and restored his Church to him.  And on and on it goes.  Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms pointed to Jesus, and he has fulfilled all things.  Therefore, the Father has exalted Jesus and given him all authority over heaven and earth.  Jesus’ ascension means the exaltation of his humanity.

     Every week, we confess about Jesus, “He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty” (Apostles’ Creed).  To sit at the right hand of God the Father is to possess all honor, glory, and power.  It is hardly a shock to confess that God rules over all things.  It would surprise many that we confess that a man is ruling over all things.  And yet, that is the case.  Jesus became a man to unite himself to humanity and to take up our cause.  He has never stopped being a human being—not when he rose, not when he ascended, and not when he took up his power to reign over all things.  In the same way, Jesus never stopped being God.  He did not make use of his divine powers and majesty except for the miracles he did.  Instead, he willingly suffered and died in weakness to secure our salvation. 

     No longer is Jesus living in weakness and humility.  Jesus’ ascension exalts his humanity.  The man, Jesus, now makes full use of his divine majesty.  What is true of God is true of the man Jesus.  This man possesses all power and majesty.  This man sees all things, knows all things, and is present in all places.  Shortly before he ascended into heaven, Jesus made this promise to his disciples, “Surely I am with you always until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).  He did not mean that he will be with us in our hearts or in our thoughts.  He is actually with us.  Even though the Christian Church covers the entire world, Jesus is with each and every Christian.  Because this man is omnipresent, Jesus’ body and blood are on the altars of every Christian church on earth.    Jesus’ ascension exalts his humanity.

     I suppose Jesus’ exaltation could be terrifying.  If he sees all things, he sees what you try to get away with.  If he knows all things, he knows the secret thoughts of your heart.  If he is present everywhere, there is no escape from his watchful eye.  If all judgment has been entrusted to him and he judges justly, then he has you dead to rights.  The Bible says, “Death and Destruction lie open before the Lord—how much more human hearts” (Proverbs 15:11)!  You and I might try to defend our sins with clever arguments or appeals to emotion.  Jesus calls evil what it is, and he does not justify it.  Repent.

     Jesus lives and reigns over all things.  He has been entrusted with judging the living and the dead—the man who will either acquit or condemn each man or woman.  But let’s remember what has given this man the right to do so.  Jesus said, “This is what is written and so it must be: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day” (Luke 24:46).  Having fulfilled what his Father sent him to do, Jesus was exalted to the highest place.  Jesus’ ascension exalts his humanity.

     But Jesus’ ascension also exalts your humanity.  His death has taken away your sins.  His judgment upon you is nothing to be feared; for he has proclaimed a pardon for all who believe and are baptized into his name.  His continual presence is not something you need to escape.  For, if Jesus is always with you, then his mercy always rests upon you.  There is no place you can go where his righteousness fails to cover you.  There is no headline or tragedy or political action that cuts you off from Jesus’ gracious promises.  Jesus lives and reigns over all things, but he lives and reigns for you.

     Jesus’ ascension exalts your humanity.  That is why he became a man to begin with.  Mankind had fallen into sin which corrupts all things.  Sin corrupts hearts so that we desire what is evil.  Sin corrupts minds so that we are guided by fear or anxiety more than God’s promises.  Sin corrupts governments so that leaders use their power to fight against Jesus Christ and pass legislation that violates God’s word.  Sin corrupts this world so that an avalanche wiped out an entire town in Switzerland.  Sin corrupts our bodies so that the beauty and agility of youth become wrinkles and arthritis.

     Sin has caused people to seek contentment by perverting the body and life God has given us.  God created man with a special purpose and design.  Because of sin, we despise God’s purpose and pervert his design.  God gave us people to love and things to use, but we end up loving things and using people.  This despising of God’s creation has led many to think that God has made a gross mistake with the bodies he has created.  Men insist they are women and women insist they are men.  While this rejection of God and his creation is terrible, it is also particularly sad.  What kind of confusion and discontentment leads young, healthy people to reject their God-given bodies and think that happiness is found in hormone suppressors and mutilation?  What’s worse is that we have a government who supports this perversion and prosecutes those who want to offer correction and relief to confused and deceived people.

     But there is hope for those who are confused.  There is correction for those who have been deceived.  There is even forgiveness for those who have desecrated themselves.  The scars may not be reversed, but the people can be redeemed.  And in the end, even the bodies will be restored at the resurrection.  This is true for all bodies whether sin has affected us physically, mentally, or emotionally.  For, we are all corrupted by sin. 

     But Jesus’ ascension exalts our humanity.  At the resurrection, he will raise us up with bodies that will be perfected.  Our hearts and minds will be purified.  We will be content and happy when God makes all things new.  Our place will be the home of righteousness.  For the Son of Man, the Christ, has paved the way into Paradise.  This man has opened heaven to mankind.  Just as Jesus became man to dwell with us and to unite himself to us, so he will bring us to dwell with him in unity and purity.  He will make our bodies, our mouths, our minds, and our hearts what they were always intended to be.
     Jesus’ ascension exalts mankind.  And you are already being exalted.  You have been rescued from a life that is pointless and purposeless.  You do not need to turn to alcohol, drugs, carnal pleasure, greed, or self-glorification to cope with life.  You do not need some alternate identity or to be validated by social media.  Jesus’ ascension means your humanity has been exalted.  Your identity is found in him.  You are a child of the Most High God.  You are a special creation.  You are unique in your interests, talents, abilities, and goals.  God directs those so that you live for his glory and for the benefit of others.  He designed you for his glory, and he is improving the image of God in you.  It will be confirmed in perfection when you are taken up to dwell with your ascended Savior who redeemed you from sin and reconciled you to the Father.

     Until then, you get to declare the praises of God who exalts you.  This is the mission Jesus gave to his Church.  He told the apostles what must happen: “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations” (Luke 24:47).  This is what we are given to do.  Just as we bear the name of Jesus, so also we proclaim it to a world that needs it.  Jesus rescues people from the depravity and depression that come from sin, and he exalts mankind to what God intended us to be.  Jesus’ ascension exalts humanity.  Just as Jesus is with you to the very end of the age, so also you will be his in the age that never ends.

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

YouTube -- 6th Sunday of Easter (May 25, 2025)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, May 25, 2025.

Sermon -- 6th Sunday of Easter (May 25, 2025)

JOHN 16:16-24

NO ONE CAN TAKE YOUR JOY AWAY.

In the name + of Jesus.

M: Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

C:  He is risen indeed.  Alleluia!

     Americans have become sloppy with their words.  Words get misused and can even end up with their opposite definition.  A perfect example is the word, “peruse.”  If I asked you to peruse something quickly, you would think that I mean you should skim it.  The actual definition of “peruse” is to concentrate on the words and to soak them in.  It cannot be done quickly.  When someone tells you to peruse something quickly, it is meant to be humorous.  But our misuse of it is changing its definition.

     Bible translators have a difficult task in trying to convey the Greek and Hebrew words into different languages.  Some word choices are poor.  For example, a proper translation of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is, “Blessed are the merciful…  Blessed are the pure in heart…” (Matthew 5:7-8).  Some translate the word “blessed” as “happy.”  Now, a person who is blessed probably is happy.  But the translation becomes nonsense if it is: “Happy are those who mourn…  Happy are those who are persecuted…  Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me” (Matthew 5:4,10,11).  I would not be happy if I were mourning, or persecuted, or insulted, or falsely accused.

     “Happy” and “blessed” are different things.  Likewise, “happy” and “joy” are different things.  Happiness centers in me.  How I am being treated determines if I am happy or not.  If circumstances change, happiness instantly becomes sorrow or anger.  Happiness comes and goes.  But your status as God’s blessed child is constant because the blessing comes from God, not from your circumstances.  So also, joy is based on God’s promises.  Since God’s promises do not change and cannot be undone, joy remains no matter what circumstances you face.  That is why no one can take your joy away.

     On the night he was betrayed, Jesus was preparing his disciples for life without him physically being with them.  He alerted them, “In a little while you are not going to see me anymore, and again in a little while you will see me” (John 16:16).  This refers immediately to Jesus’ death and resurrection.  The death of Jesus would result in the apostles’ sorrow and grief.  Jesus told them that would happen.  “Amen, Amen, I tell you: You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice.  You will become sorrowful” (John 16:20).  They trusted that Jesus was the Messiah and that he would usher in a kingdom which is eternal and glorious.  They were kind of right.  The apostles had thought in terms of an earthly kingdom.  So, when Jesus was put to death, all their hopes and dreams died with him.  But Jesus’ kingdom is a spiritual kingdom.  It is established in people’s hearts.  So, it is not a kingdom that can be seen.  The glory of this kingdom will not be seen by us until we depart from this world. 

     But the apostles would see Jesus again.  When Jesus rose from the dead, they would see him, speak with him, touch him, and eat with him.  Jesus would prove his victory over the grave which assures you that your sins are forgiven.  His resurrection means that the payment for all sins is sufficient.  Jesus would prove his authority over the grave.  Death does not get the last word; Jesus does.  He will raise all people from the dead, and all who believe in him will be raised up to everlasting life and endless glory.  When the apostles saw that, their sorrow turned to joy; and no one could take that joy away from them.  Christ is risen.  Therefore, his kingdom has been established.  It is a kingdom of grace and glory in which sinners are forgiven and eternal life is secured.  This promise is yours.  Therefore, this joy is yours, and no one can take your joy away.

     Jesus also had said, “because I am going away to the Father” (John 16:16).  This is included in the “In a little while you are not going to see me anymore, and again in a little while you will see me” (John 16:16).  The apostles saw Jesus for forty days; then he ascended into heaven.  They have given their testimony, and we rejoice in it.  We have not seen Jesus, but in a little while, we will see him.  Life is short.  Even people who live to 100 will tell you so.  Our “little while” will give way to the everlasting kingdom Jesus has prepared for us.  When we close our eyes in death, we will open them to see Jesus.  And no one can take that joy away.

     But for now, we have our moments of sorrow.  Life is short, and it is often hard.  Sin produces grief and pain.  Sometimes that grief and pain are self-inflicted, as we sin against God’s word and despise ourselves for giving into temptations yet again.  Sometimes the grief and pain come from enduring the scorn of a world that embraces the sins we strive to flee from.  St. Peter warned that worldly people are “surprised that you do not plunge into the same overflowing river of filth with them, and they slander you” (1 Peter 4:4).  It is hard to live and work with people who mock the Christian faith.

     But such sorrows will happen.  St. Paul told the Christian churches, “We must go through many troubles on our way to the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).  The apostles certainly learned this.  For preaching about Jesus, they were slandered, attacked, and died gruesome deaths.  Their lives were cut short on this earth, but not in the kingdom of God.  They endured the hardships, but no one could take away their joy. 

     It is no different for you, no matter what kind of grief or sadness you might endure.  Remember, we are not talking about happiness.  Happiness depends on how you feel.  And if your focus is on being happy, then you might devote yourself to your sins.  After all, you commit sins because they make you happy.  But sins do not produce any confidence or hope.  And the “happiness” that sins bring does not last.  That is why people keep on sinning.  We keep on chasing happiness which never lasts.  Repent, and do not be deceived.  Those who strive for such happiness will be sentenced to eternal sorrow and suffering.

     But no one can take your joy away.  Joy depends upon Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.  This is where we find an enduring hope and complete confidence.  And since joy depends upon Jesus, no one can take your joy away.  There is nothing in the world that can change the perfect life Jesus lived for you.  There is no threat or problem that can nullify the death of Jesus which has paid for all your sins.  There is nothing—not death or the devil himself—which can undo Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.  It is Jesus who has established a kingdom that cannot be overthrown.  It is Jesus who has made promises which cannot be nullified.  It is Jesus who has made your salvation secure.  No trouble, no struggle, no enemy, no threat, not even death—no one can take your joy away.

     To aid us through the griefs and sorrows of life and to increase our joy, the Lord Jesus gives us another promise.  He said, “Amen, Amen, I tell you: Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.  Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.  Ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be made complete” (John 16:23-24).  This is a marvelous promise, but we need to understand it properly so that we don’t accuse Jesus of lying to us or think that the Lord has failed us.

     Jesus told us to pray “in my name.”  There are two truths to understand with those words.  The first is what it means to pray in Jesus’ name.  This is to believe in Jesus as your Savior and as the one who has reconciled you to God the Father.  God does not automatically hear the prayers of everyone.  The prophet Isaiah tells us why: “It is your guilt that has separated you from your God, and your sins have hidden God’s face from you, so that he does not hear” (Isaiah 59:2).  But Jesus has taken your sins away.  Nothing separates you from your heavenly Father.  He not only will hear your prayers, he wants you to pray to him and to cast all your cares upon him.

     You are children of the heavenly Father.  That means you are able to approach him with all the boldness of children who ask their parents for things.  Children are not shy about asking for anything, even for things that they know the answer will be, “No.”  “Can we have dessert before we eat dinner?”  Who knows?  Maybe Mom and Dad will say, “Yes!”  So, you can ask your heavenly Father for anything, from the grandiose to the trivial.  From remission of cancer to a safe trip to seeing more butterflies in your backyard. 

     That brings us to the other part of praying in Jesus’ name.  It is to pray according to his will.  God will always say, “Yes,” to his will.  In some cases, we know exactly what God’s will is because he tells us.  He directs us in his word so that we know what to do and what to desire.  If you pray for the Holy Spirit to lead you to desire those good things, God will answer and bless because that is his will.  In other cases, we don’t know what God’s will is.  Will he alleviate my suffering?  Will he silence those who mock me?  Will he provide me with a godly spouse?  We pray to our Father, and we trust that he will do what is best for us.  Your prayer might be that God would make you happy.  But God’s goal for you may not be to make you happy, but to draw you closer to himself and to strengthen your faith by testing it.  This is one of the ways he increases your joy—he shows you that the things that bring you momentary happiness are not as good as the things that teach you to long for everlasting joy.

     Even if you weep and wail for a little while, your future is unending joy.  Jesus said, “A woman giving birth has pain, because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, because of her joy that a person has been born into the world” (John 16:21).  So also, the grief that we experience now is nothing compared to the joys that await us in the heavenly kingdom.  That is our ultimate goal.  That is what we long for and pray for.  And our Lord will certainly answer those prayers because that is what he desires, too.

     When the day comes that we close our eyes in death, we will open our eyes and see Jesus.  Then, our joy will be complete.  You will be perfected in your thoughts and desires, and delivered from all sorrows and strife.  Although your joy is not complete now, it is still sure.  Then, in Christ’s eternal kingdom of grace and glory, you will not only have joy.  You will be eternally happy.  For, your circumstance will never change.  You will see Jesus.   You will dwell with the Father.  And no one can or will take your joy away.

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

YouTube -- 5th Sunday after Easter (May 18, 2025)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, May 18, 2025.

Sermon -- 5th Sunday of Easter (May 18, 2025)

1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-13

WITHOUT LOVE, IT’S ALL FOR NOTHING.

In the name + of Jesus.

M: Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

C:  He is risen indeed.  Alleluia!

      The early church experienced many miraculous gifts.  Through the laying on of hands by the apostles, people received such gifts as “healing gifts, …miracles, …prophecy, …evaluating of spirits, …different kinds of tongues, and …the interpretation of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:8-10).  St. Mark concluded his Gospel by stating the purpose of these gifts: “Those who went out preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it” (Mark 16:20).  The early church had not yet received the New Testament Scriptures in their entirety, so the miraculous gifts confirmed the message.  We do have the full New Testament, so we point to chapters and verses to teach and to defend the Christian faith.

     The congregation in Corinth was exceptionally gifted.  The Holy Spirit had supplied them with all sorts of abilities.  You would think that this congregation would have been a model of peace, joy, and love.  Unfortunately, the gifts the Holy Spirit had given to be a blessing for the whole congregation became a cause for pride, jealousy, and division.  They knew what the love of God was, but they were not good at putting it into practice.  St. Paul told them, without love, it’s all for nothing.

     St. Paul referred to those spiritual gifts and ramped them up to extreme levels.  “If I speak in the tongues … of angels….  If I have the gift of prophecy and know all the mysteries….  If I give away everything I own, and if I give up my body that I may be burned but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).  In other words, if my life blazes with astounding signs of faith but I do not have love, what good is it?  What good is it if God is not honored?  What good is it if my neighbor is ignored or belittled?  Without love, it’s all for nothing.

     Jesus commanded us, “Love one another” (John 13:34).  I could preach that anywhere in the world and no one would disagree with me.  But ask people to define what that means, you will get many different answers.  So, let me ask you: What do you love, and why?  What probably comes to mind are things that make you happy or give you pleasure.  “I love pizza.”  Why?  Because it’s tasty.  I like it.  It brings me pleasure.  But if that is how I measure love, then it is all about me.  It is utterly self-centered.  If my focus is on what I can get out of people and things, that is not love at all.  Love looks outward, not inward.

     If you want to know what love is, then turn to the Lord.  St. John declared, “God is love” (1 John 4:16).  Not, “God is loving,” which he is.  But “God is love.”  God=love.  God’s love is demonstrated in giving gifts and working for the good of others.  Love is God’s policy, his commitment, his conviction. 

     This love is confessed by us in the Apostles’ Creed.  There we acknowledge what God does for his creation.  Regarding God the Father: “I believe that God has made me and all that exists, that he gave me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my mind and all my abilities.  And I believe that God still preserves me by richly and daily providing clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land cattle and all that I own, and all that I need for body and life.  And God preserves me by defending me from all danger and guarding and protecting me from all evil.  All this God does because he is my good and merciful Father in heaven, and not because I have earned or deserved it.  For all this I ought to thank and praise, serve and obey him” (Luther’s Small Catechism; Apostles’ Creed: First Article).  Our Lord does this for all people, including those who despise him and deny him.  Such generous love is God’s policy, his commitment, his conviction.

     The Lord has blessed us richly with all that we need.  He desires that we respond to him with thanks and praise, service and obedience, but we have not given it.  Not everything in God’s word gives us pleasure.  God’s word does not allow us to do whatever pleases us.  The Corinthians took pleasure in their spiritual gifts but not in the people who were supposed to benefit from them.  This was worship and love of themselves.  Likewise, the reason we return to our sins is because we like them.  We believe we stand something to gain in them.  They make us happy even if they hurt others and dishonor the Lord.  Repent.

     While we have earned God’s wrath for worship and love of ourselves, God did not send his wrath.  He sent his Son.  That’s because God’s policy, God’s conviction, God’s commitment is love.  That love is personified in Jesus Christ—“who has redeemed me a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sin, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and by his innocent sufferings and death.  All this he did that I should be his own and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness” (Luther’s Small Catechism; Apostles’ Creed: Second Article). 

     Without love, it’s all for nothing.  But God’s love has done everything to work salvation for you.  Jesus went to the cross for sinners and rebels.  He did not wait for us to improve before he suffered and died for us.  He found us in our sinful condition—ungrateful for his gifts, yearning for cheap thrills, willing to be seduced by Satan who promises to give us whatever we want.  Rather than let us get the judgment we deserve, Jesus rescued us from it.  He even did this for people who despise and deny him because his love does not hinge on how people respond to it.  Love is the policy, the conviction, and the commitment.  Those who prefer their sins over Jesus’ love will be judged according to their preference.  The penitent will receive pardon and peace from our Lord.  Without love, it’s all for nothing.

     God’s love has been manifested for you because he has delivered his gifts to you and thereby delivered you into his kingdom.  The Holy Spirit’s love accomplished this.  For “I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him.  But the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.  In the same way, he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.  In this Christian Church, he daily and fully forgives all sins to me and all believers.  On the Last Day, he will raise up me and all the dead and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.  This is most certainly true” (Luther’s Small Catechism; Apostles’ Creed: Third Article).  And it is most certainly a pure and perfect love.  “It is not selfish.  It is not irritable.  It does not keep a record of wrongs.  It does not rejoice over unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:5-6).

     If we don’t have a love for God and his word, it doesn’t matter if the whole world tells us how nice we are.  Without love for God and his word, it’s all for nothing.  But the Lord pours this love upon us and into us.  This produces love for God, for his word, and for others.  God’s love and God’s gifts prove to us that he is good and merciful.  We recognize that his word is good and right. 

     Likewise, God’s love teaches us how to love our fellow man.  Just as God does not grant us permission to pursue any desire we have, so also love for our fellow man does not allow us to give blanket approval of every desire or idea they have.  After all, “(Love) does not behave indecently.  …(Love) does not rejoice over unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:5,6).  We cannot bless what God does not bless.  Love compels us to seek repentance from those who sin against God.  Although many will call this hate, it is not.  It is seeking their good which is what love does.  Now, you could judge and condemn people who have embraced sin.  While you would not be wrong, you need to be careful that your words are not haughty or self-righteous.  That’s because “Love is patient.  Love is kind.  …It is not arrogant” (1 Corinthians 13:4).  Without love, it’s all for nothing.  Our Lord does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked.  Neither do we.  The goal is not to flaunt how right we are; it is to seek the eternal good of others.  Love desires the salvation of all.

     The Corinthians proved that Christians struggle with these things.  We prove it, too.  We do not love purely.  Our faith has not been perfected yet.  That will not happen until we enter everlasting glory.  Then our love will be pure.  For, “when that which is complete has come, that which is partial will be done away with” (1 Corinthian 13:10).  Our longing for heaven is not just that our bodies will be made whole and our world will be made perfect, it is also that our minds and hearts and mouths will have and will show pure love for one another.  After all, without love, it’s all for nothing.

     The spiritual gifts among the Corinthian congregation did not make them a perfect congregation.  They still struggled to love one another.  Eventually, those spiritual passed away.  But do not think that we have been robbed of anything.  St. Paul had said that these gifts would fade out.  But the God who loves us still gives us what we need.  The miraculous gifts did not remain, but “these three remain: faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). 

     Faith is the trust in God and his word.  It is the commitment to live according to God’s word even when it is hard to do.  Faith will persist in godly living and trust that God knows what he is doing even when we don’t.  Hope is the confidence that we have a place awaiting us in the heavenly kingdom.  We have not received it yet, but we will.  When we are received into glory, even faith and hope will pass away.  In the heavenly kingdom, we will not live by faith, but by sight.  We will not hope for glory because we will have it.  But “Love never comes to an end” (1 Corinthians 13:8).  The God who is love is eternal.  His love is eternal.  And thanks be to God, we will dwell eternally with him—in his pure love for us, in our perfect love for him, and in peace and love for one another and all the people of God.

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

YouTube -- 3rd Sunday of Easter (May 4, 2025)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, May 4, 2025.

Sermon -- 3rd Sunday of Easter (May 4, 2025)

JOHN 10:1-19

JESUS RECALLS, RESTORES, AND REPURPOSES FAILURES.

In the name + of Jesus.

M: Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

C:  He is risen indeed.  Alleluia!

     Simon Peter was a failure.  He never thought he would be.  He had even boasted about it.  Despite Jesus’ warning to him that Peter would deny him, Simon Peter insisted, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you” (Matthew 26:35).  Peter had even compared his commitment to that of the other disciples: “Even if all fall away, I will not” (Mark 14:29).  But just a few hours later, Peter denied any association with Jesus three times.  St. Luke tells us that Jesus and Peter had exchanged a look at each other right after Peter’s denials.  Crushed in spirit, Peter left the courtyard of Caiaphas and wept bitterly over his failure.

     You can imagine how horrible Peter felt.  After all his boasting, Peter failed.  After exalting himself over his fellow apostles, Peter failed.  The others may have fled from Jesus, but only Peter denied him.  Since Jesus had been executed, there was no chance to make things right with Jesus.  Guilt.  Shame.  Regret.  Failure.  It all piled up.

     Then there were the reports on that Sunday morning from a number of women who had gone to the tomb.  It was empty!  There was a message from an angel at the tomb: Jesus had risen!  The angel also had given the women a message for the apostles.  “Look, he is going ahead of you to Galilee.  There you will see him” (Matthew 28:7).  So, after a week or so, the apostles went to Galilee to wait for Jesus.

     Simon Peter was never that good at waiting.  He told his fellow apostles, “I am going fishing” (John 21:3).  He may not have been good at being a disciple, but he could still do that.  The disciples spent the night on the water, but caught nothing.  In the gray of the morning, a figure on the shore asked them, “‘Boys, don’t you have any fish?’  ‘No!’ they answered.  He told them, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.’  So they cast the net out.  Then they were not able to haul it in because of the large number of fish” (John 21:5-6). 

     This should sound familiar.  About three years prior, Jesus had sat in Simon’s boat and taught the crowds while the disciples were mending their nets.  They had not caught anything that night, either.  After teaching, Jesus told Simon and the others to go out into the deep waters for a catch.  It was the wrong time and the wrong place, but they went out at Jesus’ word.  They caught such a remarkable catch of fish that both boats began to sink.  Peter recognized that the man in the boat was no mere man.  He fell at Jesus’ knees and pleaded, “Go away from me, because I am a sinful man, Lord” (Luke 5:8).  Being in the presence of God, Simon had become acutely aware of his failures.  He did not want to be reminded of his sins.  He certainly did not want to be condemned for them.  His solution was to beg the Lord to leave.  But Jesus loved Simon too much to leave him.  He had a new purpose for him—to become a full-time disciple of our Lord.

     When Simon Peter was in the company of friends, he boasted about his allegiance to Jesus.  When he was surrounded by unfriendlies, he was afraid and he failed.  Like Peter, we are often influenced by the people we are surrounded by.  We care too much about what other people think of us.  We care too much about what we think they think of us.  Because we are afraid of their scorn, we adopt their manners.  Longing for acceptance from the godless will cause us to shrink from godliness.  If your coworkers drop all kinds of vulgarities into their speech, you may find yourself copying them.  If your friends talk about their drunken escapades, you may find yourself bragging about behavior that you should be ashamed of.  Because the world glamorizes carnal pleasures, people can make us feel ashamed for chastity.  It is as if they are appalled and ask, “You are not one of his disciples, too, are you?”  It is an accusation more than a question.  Like Peter, we fail.  That kind of shame eats at you because you can’t ever forget it. 

     You are not alone.  Do you think Simon Peter ever forgot how he denied Jesus?  Do you think St. Paul ever forgot that he persecuted Christians?  Do you think David ever forgot his affair with Bathsheba and his killing of her husband to cover it up?  Odds are, you will not forget your failings, either.  You could be like Simon Peter and beg for the Lord to go away.  Worse, you could be like Judas Iscariot who was overwhelmed with grief and killed himself.  Judas chose to die for his own sin, which saved no one. 

     Dear Christians, rejoice in this: The Lord Jesus did not come into this world to rub your sins in your face.  Rather, the Lord Jesus came to take your sins from you.  Though all his disciples failed him, he appeared to them and greeted them, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19,21,26).  That peace is yours, too.  Jesus did not fail you in his work as your Savior.  He claimed responsibility for all your sins so that he could pay the price for them.  He did not fail to suffer the blows of injustice, of brutish soldiers beating him, of the scourge ripping his back open, or of the nails piercing his wrists and feet.  He did not fail to drink the cup of God’s wrath down to its last drops, taking into himself the full punishment for all iniquities.  Jesus did not fail to atone for any sin—not denial, not betrayal, not even blasphemy or any failure that haunts you. 

     This Savior who went into death made it a point to see Simon Peter after he had risen from the dead.  He did not come bearing a grudge.  He did not express regret for his horrendous sufferings and death.  He came in mercy.  He had compassion.  Jesus recalled, restored, and repurposed the failed disciple.  That’s why this time Simon Peter did not beg Jesus to go away.  The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”  When Simon Peter heard, “It is the Lord!” he tied his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the sea” (John 21:6-7).”  Simon Peter wanted to get to Jesus as fast as he could, knowing that he is the one who covers our sins with his innocence.  Jesus recalled and restored Simon Peter, no longer regarded as a failure, but as a faithful disciple.

     Now, forgiveness restores us to God’s favor, but it does not erase all consequences.  The man who embezzled from his company will have to go to jail.  The man who cheated on his wife may have to pay alimony and child support.  The woman who gossiped about her sister may never get invited back to her house.  The pastor who is guilty of scandalous living is no longer eligible to serve as a pastor, having sullied the name of Jesus Christ before the world.  Being restored to God’s favor does not reverse the damage that was done.  David’s repentance did not bring Uriah back to life.  So, you may have to suffer the consequences of your failures and bad choices for now.  But do not confuse the consequences with God’s wrath.  Jesus has endured the full curse.  There is no curse left for you.  God is not angry; he bestows grace and peace.

     Simon Peter had denied being a disciple of Jesus three times.  So, where did that leave him regarding his position as an apostle?  Could he ever have the right to hold such authority again?  In an act of pure grace, Jesus recalled, restored, and repurposed this failed apostle.  Just as Peter had denied Jesus three times, so also Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me” (John 21:15,16,17)?  It is as if Jesus reversed Peter’s denials.  Then, three times, Jesus commissioned him: “Feed my lambs” (John 21:15).  “Be a shepherd for my sheep” (John 21:16).  “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17).  After an earlier miraculous catch of fish, Jesus gave Peter a new purpose as his disciple.  After this miraculous catch of fish, Jesus repurposed and restored him to apostleship.  The Lord recalled, restored, and repurposed the one who had failed.

     The love that Jesus had for Peter filled his heart with both gratitude and conviction.  Toward the end of his life, Peter demonstrated his conviction to the Lord Jesus.  This time when Peter was facing dire consequences for being a disciple of Jesus, he did not fail to confess.  Jesus assured Peter that he would receive the strength to make the bold confession with his very life.  Jesus told him, “‘Amen, Amen, I tell you: When you were young, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted.  But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will tie you and carry you where you do not want to go.’  Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God” (John 21:18-19).  Tradition tells us that Peter was sentenced to die by crucifixion.  In humility, Peter declared that he was not worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.  So, the Romans turned his cross upside down and crucified him that way.  Peter was willing to suffer all things, even death, rather than fail his Lord.  Peter departed this life not as a failure, but as a faithful disciple of Jesus.

     It is unlikely that you will be asked to glorify God in a martyr’s death.  But you are presented every day with opportunities to glorify God.  These may not seem to you like great acts of courage, or even noticeable events.  But God knows.  And the world will recognize it, too.  When the Holy Spirit sets you apart for godliness, you will stand out in a godless world.  The world will not stop trying to influence you to turn from God.  You will either be encouraged to embrace wickedness or be ridiculed because you won’t.  The pressure can get uncomfortable.  The temptations can be intense.  You may even fail.

     But the Lord Jesus recalls, restores, and repurposes failures.  David failed, and he was recalled to the Lord’s kingdom.  Peter failed, and he was restored to apostleship.  Paul failed, and he was repurposed to preach the faith he once tried to destroy.  If you fail, then flee to Jesus.  Confess your sins in private absolution to hear Jesus’ words of pardon.  Flee to this altar to receive the body and blood which were given and shed for you.  The Lord will not treat you as a failure.  He will recall you to God’s kingdom.  He will restore you to God’s favor.  And he will repurpose you to be one who lives and serves for his honor.  If you’ve sinned against your spouse, repent and commit yourself to seeking your spouse’s good.  If you’ve cheated your company, repent and dedicate yourself to faithful employment.  If you’ve gossiped, lied, or cursed, repent and pledge your mouth to honesty, decency, and blessing.  The God who restores you also repurposes you to a godly life.  For this is good and right and pleases our Savior.

     “How blessed is the person whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  How blessed is the person whose guilt the Lord does not charge against him” (Psalm 32:1-2).  This is why, like Peter, we run to Jesus.  The Lord recalls, restores, and repurposes failures.  With him there is forgiveness.  With him, sinners find peace, and failures are made faithful.

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

YouTube -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 27, 2025)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, April 27, 2025.

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 27, 2025)

JOHN 20:19-31

JESUS REMOVES ALL DOUBTS.

In the name + of Jesus.

M: Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

C:  He is risen indeed.  Alleluia!

     The apostle Thomas is remembered in the Christian Church for doubting.  I suspect the world would praised him for his skepticism.  Thomas knew what had happened to Jesus—crucified, died, and was buried.  But Thomas had not seen him, heard him, or touched him.  So, why would Thomas believe Jesus had risen?

     Thomas’ skepticism may sound noble, but let’s consider what Thomas refused to believe.  Thomas had the prophecies of the Old Testament.  To be fair, the apostles had not connected all the dots between the prophets and the Messiah either.  Thomas had the words of Jesus.  Three times Jesus had explicitly spelled out that he would go to Jerusalem, suffer, die, and rise from the dead on the third day.  Thomas had seen all of Jesus’ words come true, but he did not believe the word about the resurrection.  Thomas had the testimony of Mary Magdalene who was the first to see Jesus risen.  The women who had fled the tomb not only saw Jesus, they grabbed his feet.  Then there was the testimony about the angels at the tomb who had declared Jesus risen from the dead.  Jesus had appeared that day to Peter, to the Emmaus disciples, and to ten of the apostles in an upper room.  St. John wrote that “the other disciples kept telling him, ‘We have seen the Lord’” (John 20:25)!  They kept telling him, hoping to convince him.  These were not pranksters.  They were Thomas’ close friends and colleagues.  There was no reason to conclude that they were playing with him.  Rather, they were insistent, “We have seen the Lord!”

     But Thomas was persistent in his unbelief.  Thomas had demands that needed to be met before he would believe that Jesus had risen from the dead: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe” (John 20:25). 

     Odds are, you have had your own doubts about events recorded in the Bible.  We know what normal looks like in this world, and that is what we expect.  When God intervenes in his creation, it is amazing, astounding, and even unbelievable.  But that is the nature of a miracle.  God acts outside of the laws of nature to carry out his work of salvation.  He acted to provide for the needs or the safety of his people.  And God acted to destroy those who opposed and attacked the promise of salvation.  The accounts of the miracles are amazing, astounding, and even unbelievable.  The greatest miracle in the Bible is the resurrection of Jesus.  It should be no surprise, then, that Jesus’ resurrection receives the most scrutiny and suffers the most criticism. 

     There is a pastor who preaches on college campuses and defends the Christian faith to skeptics.  In one instance, a woman challenged the resurrection of Jesus.  She stated, “How convenient of you to simply state that the Bible is true without any proof!  Show me the medical records of Jesus and then I will believe you.”  He responded, “Well, how convenient of you to demand proof that you know does not exist!  No one had medical records back then.  Homer.  Herodotus.  Sophocles.  Plato.  Aristotle.  Show me their medical records.  But you believe they were real” (paraphrase of Rev. Cliffe Knechtle, https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rNp4bYMkkZw).  We accept the historical reality of many from history, but Jesus and his resurrection endure unrivaled skepticism.  Jesus’ resurrection has more and better testimony than just about anything from ancient history.  We have eyewitness accounts from dozens of people who willingly died excruciating deaths rather than renounce their testimony.  That should be enough to remove all doubts.

     The resurrection of Jesus is challenged, attacked, and denied because Satan does not want you to have any comfort or salvation.  What if Jesus is not risen from the dead?  St. Paul tells you: “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is pointless, and your faith is pointless too.  …If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.  Then it also follows that those who fell asleep in Christ perished” (1 Corinthians 15:14,17-18).  The enemies of the faith, led by Satan, will always sow seeds of doubt among God’s people.  What appears to be healthy skepticism is plain unbelief.  And “whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). 

     But Jesus removes all doubts.  Promises were made centuries in advance.  Jesus fulfilled them to the letter.  Eyewitnesses confessed Jesus’ resurrection without hesitancy and without yielding.  And yet, Thomas demanded more.  Jesus did not owe Thomas a special appearance, but in mercy he granted one.  Jesus removed all doubts.  “Jesus came and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you,’ he said.  Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and look at my hands.  Take your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue to doubt, but believe’” (John 20:26,27).  Thomas not only saw, he was invited to touch and inspect.  This was no phantom or vision.  This was Jesus—flesh and bones and wounds from nails and spear still visible.  He who was dead—a fact confirmed by Pontius Pilate—proved himself risen from death—a fact confirmed by all the apostles and even by doubting Thomas. 

     Tradition tells us that Thomas did not hem and haw over Jesus’ resurrection.  He went from skeptic to ardent confessor.  He ended up going to India to preach repentance and forgiveness won by a Savior crucified and risen.  Thomas’ confession and conviction remained firm, attested by the fact that he suffered martyrdom in India, being slain by a spear for the Savior who had been slain for him.  Thomas could lay down his life for the Lord, knowing that the Savior he had seen victorious over death would give him that same victory.  Thomas’ slain body would be raised up again.  Jesus removed all doubts about that. 

     St. John wrote his Gospel to remove all doubts from you as well.  It is the reason he wrote his Gospel: “Jesus, in the presence of his disciples, did many other miraculous signs that are not written in this book.  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31).  Jesus removes all doubts.

     Jesus has removed doubts about your forgiveness as well.  We all want to be forgiven of our sins and freed from the burdens of guilt and regret.  We can hope that we are forgiven, but if our forgiveness is limited to hopes and wishes, then we have no confidence that our Lord’s favor actually rests upon us.  We are not forgiven because we say so.  Just saying it does not make it true.  I remember when my sons were playing baseball in the back yard.  One was pitching, one was hitting, and one was playing catcher.  Unfortunately, the catcher did not have a mask on.  I warned him, “You’re going to get hit in the face with a foul tip.”  The response was, “No, I won’t.”  Nice words, but those words did not guarantee anything.  I think it took one pitch to prove my warning true.  Just saying that nothing bad would happen proved a false hope.

     Just saying something does not make it true.  Likewise, you do not get to declare yourself forgiven of your sins.  That would be like a prisoner announcing to the warden that the charges against him have been dropped and that he is free to leave.  The prisoner does not get to declare his innocence or his freedom.  That must be granted by the one who sentenced him.  So also, forgiveness can only be granted by our Lord; for, he is the one we have sinned against.  He is the one who hands down the sentence.  And while we long for a full pardon for our sins, only God can give it.  So, how can you be sure that forgiveness is actually yours?

     Jesus removes all doubts.  This is what he told his apostles.  “He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.  Whenever you forgive people’s sins, (their sins) are forgiven.  Whenever you do not forgive them, (their sins) are not forgiven’” (John 20:22-23).  Jesus gives his Church the authority to forgive sins in his name.  That authority is entrusted especially to the minister who speaks in the stead and by the command of Jesus Christ.  Where does that authority come from?  Jesus told his apostles, “Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you” (John 20:21).  Jesus gives authority to his disciples to forgive sins of the penitent or to withhold forgiveness from the impenitent.  Those who will not turn from their sins are told that their sins cling to them.  It is the proper judgment upon those who want to keep their sins.  But for those who are alarmed by their sins and desire an escape from God’s judgment, to those who long for comfort, peace, and hope, Jesus removes all doubts.  The absolution which is declared by the pastor in the name of Jesus is not a wish.  It is a declaration of pardon and a release from guilt and punishment. 

     Jesus removes all doubt.  He assures you that when his ministers forgive your sins, your sins are truly forgiven.  You can envision it this way.  Jesus is not here personally to tell you to your face that your sins are forgiven.  But since he gives this authority to his church, and the church bestows this authority on the pastor, you should hear the pastor’s words as if they were Jesus’ words.  The “I forgive you” is the voice of your Savior out of the mouth of your pastor.  This way, you don’t have to merely hope your sins are forgiven.  And your pastor does not merely wish you well, as if a more glorious form of “Have a nice day.”  Rather, you get to hear the pronouncement applied to you as from Jesus himself, “I forgive you.  Peace be with you.”

     Jesus removes all doubt.  He has fulfilled all Scripture and accomplished all that had been foretold.  He has paid for all sins and delivered you from every accusation.  He has overcome death and has opened up heaven for you.  He has proclaimed a full pardon for you and has exonerated you before his Father.  He has entrusted his church with the authority to unbind the penitent from their guilt and unburden you from all your fears.  These promises and proclamations are written so that you will believe, and that by believing you will have eternal life.  You have undeniable proof of God’s mercy so that you can have unwavering hope in your salvation.

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

Something from ... Rev. Normal Nagel on God's Word

Rev. Normal Nagel served as a pastor and professor in Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.  A book was published of his sermons, covering the years from 1949 - 1999.  I never met Rev. Nagel, but I have heard about his prowess as a preacher and teacher.  I had received a copy of the book, "Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel" when Pastor Gregory Gibbons invited me to purge his library upon his retirement.  Having heard about Rev. Nagel's preaching, this was an easy one to pick out.

Below is a quotation from a sermon for the 5th Sunday of Easter, preached in Cambridge, England in 1967.  The whole sermon would be worth quoting, but I will limit it to a few paragraphs regarding the Word of God and the confidence it gives us, especially when it is connected to the sacraments.

Here is something from Rev. Norman Nagel.

"The greatest gifts are all given by the Word of God.  The Word of God not only tells what these gifts are but also conveys them.  When the word of forgiveness is spoken to you, forgiveness is given to you.  When the Benediction is spoken to you, the blessing of God is given to you.  In the sacraments, the Word is joined with extra means of conveying the gifts.  It is then as if God takes your hand and presses His gift into it with the assurance, 'Now you have really got it.  Without a shadow of doubt, it is surely yours.'

"Jesus would be nothing for us if the Word of truth did not tell of Him and gives Him to us.  A silent movie of Calvary would be nothing more thana tragic piece of newsreel.  The soundtrack of God's Word tells us what is going on there, what is achieved, and gives it to us with the words 'for you.'" (p 134, Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel.  Concordia Publishing House: St. Louis, MO. (c) 2004.)

YouTube -- Ascension Day, transferred (May 12, 2024)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, May 12, 2024.  It is the Ascension service transferred from Thursday, May 9--the actual day of Ascension, 40 days after Easter.

Sermon -- The Ascension of our Lord, transferred (May 12, 2024)

ACTS 1:1-11

OUR ASCENDED LORD ESTABLISHES AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM.

In the name + of Jesus.

M:       Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

C:        He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

      After Jesus rose from the dead, Jesus “presented himself alive to (his apostles) after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).  Just as Moses spent 40 days on Mt. Sinai receiving the Law from God, so also Jesus spent 40 days with his apostles after his resurrection teaching them the word of God.  I don’t know if the apostles had any idea how long these appearances would last, but Jesus knew.  Since the time was short, Jesus was focused on what mattered.  Jesus spoke to them about the kingdom of God.  Our ascended Lord establishes an everlasting kingdom.

     Still, old ideas die hard deaths.  Israel had waited a long time for the Messiah and for the establishment of the Messianic kingdom.  In their minds, the Messianic kingdom was as much an earthly kingdom as it was a heavenly one.  I suppose some had no craving for a heavenly kingdom at all.  They envisioned the days of David and Solomon restored, and even greater.  This meant glory, prosperity, and peace in Jerusalem and the rest of Israel.  If God’s people were ruling over everything, then everything would be right with the world.

     The apostles were not immune to these ideas.  That’s why they asked Jesus, just before he ascended into heaven, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel” (Acts 1:6)?  Jesus had done everything he had been sent to do.  The kingdom of God had been established, and Jesus held authority over all things.  The last thing to be done, in the apostles’ mind, was to reestablish the kingdom of Israel.  If Jesus is the king who lives and reigns over all things, it stood to reason that Israel would be the chief beneficiaries of his power.  Perhaps the apostles had visions of being princes in that new kingdom.  But Jesus gave no instructions about a political movement which would challenge the house of Herod for the rule in Jerusalem.  There were no plans drafted to subvert Roman rule.  Jesus focused them on the kingdom of God.

     Old ideas die hard deaths.  There are still people who envision a United States government ruled by Christians, as if that will cure all the problems in this world.  Now, on the one hand, having a Christian influence in the government might prevent laws that support or promote wickedness.  Jesus does not call us the salt of the earth for nothing.  The government is a gift of God which is established to promote righteousness and to punish wickedness.  How well any government does this is always a topic of debate.  No earthly government will ever be perfect because sinners are in it and sinners live under it.  People will always have different ideas about the righteousness which should be promoted and the wickedness that should be punished.  If there are more Christians in government, those moral standards are more likely to be in line with God’s word.  That would be a good thing.

     It is important for us to understand that we live under two kingdoms.  One is this worldly kingdom ruled by government.  But we also live under another kingdom—the kingdom of God.  That kingdom was established by Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Jesus entered his glory by fulfilling all that the Father had given him to do.  He was sent to atone for our unholy lives by his holy life.  And Jesus was sent to atone for our rebellious hearts and hands with his sacrificial death.  Jesus’ hands were nailed to the cross and his heart was run through with a spear to atone for us.  To affirm that Jesus’ life and death achieved all that Jesus was sent to do, he was raised from the dead.  The Father vindicated Jesus and validated his atoning work. 

     Our ascended Lord, who lives and reigns forever, established an everlasting kingdom.  This kingdom is ruled by grace.  In the kingdom of God, all sins are forgiven.  God’s love is poured out.  The devil is destroyed.  Death is overcome by eternal life.  And the shame of sin is covered by the glory of God.  You were baptized into this kingdom.  Through your baptism, Jesus has snatched you from the power of Satan and the terrors of death.  Jesus brought you into a kingdom of peace.  Our ascended Lord establishes an everlasting kingdom, and it is the only kingdom that will ever last.

     That is why Jesus responded to the apostles’ question as he did.  He told them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8).  The apostles always had some interest in the earthly kingdoms that ruled over them.  They had to pay their taxes and to abide by laws, some of which were unjust and oppressive.  They had to live under these governments which were not kind to Christians.  Who wouldn’t want relief from that?  Nevertheless, Jesus told his apostles not to be concerned about it.  He had a greater kingdom for them to rejoice in and to proclaim.  Our ascended Lord establishes an everlasting kingdom.

     We live in two kingdoms—and earthly one and a heavenly one.  We often give more attention to the earthly kingdom than we ought.  I suppose because that is what is in front of us every day.  With a presidential election coming up in November, we may think about it even more.  Politicians make promises and present ideas to make the world a better place.  Who doesn’t want the world to be a better place?  But understand this: The kingdoms of this world are limited in power and duration.  Either the kingdom will pass away or you will.  But our ascended Lord establishes an everlasting kingdom.  The kingdom, the power, and the glory are his forever.

     The apostles and the early Christian Church did not live under a government in which governing officials were elected.  They had to live with the governor, king, or emperor they were stuck with.  We do have the privilege to elect our leaders.  When we support a particular candidate, we all have our own agendas we would like to see met.  It has been said that we vote with our wallets.  That is probably true for everyone.  We want to be sure that we have enough money to buy what we need and what we want.  Some want the environment to be pristine.  Some want health care to be more affordable or more accessible.  Some want to see an end to shootings, riots, crime, and wars.  Others simply want people to get along and their communities at peace.  What do you pray for and long for to make your life better?

     All of the blessings we pray for God grants to us according to his wisdom.  Sometimes God’s wisdom means he will let wicked, greedy men accumulate worldly gains at the expense of our wealth, our health, world peace, or the environment.  God often lets sinners freely act as sinners.  And lest you think it is inexcusable for God to do that, he lets you do it, too.  He does not seal up your mouth when you slander, sass, or curse.  He does not have you go blind or deaf when you look at or listen to things you should not.  But God does not let wicked men have total control.  Jesus Christ lives and reigns over all things.  He orchestrates world events so that kingdoms rise and fall and empires come and go.  Therefore, it is not our place to try to unravel what God is doing in world history.  And it is certainly not our place to declare on God’s behalf what God is doing.  He has not told us, so we can’t know.

     But we do know this: Our ascended Lord establishes an everlasting kingdom.  That means it will not pass away into the dustbins of history.  That means his blessings will always be given—forgiveness of sins, new life, and salvation.  More than that, our ascended Lord will bless us with the world we long for and pray for.  It will not look like it in a world of sorrows.  Not even Jesus was spared from false accusations, charges of demon possession, and other insulting remarks.  Jesus endured watching loved ones die, and he did not raise them all from the dead.  Their graves are still full.  Jesus also endured his own death as wicked men insulted and slandered him.  But Jesus did not establish a kingdom for this world.  Jesus’ eternal kingdom is a heavenly kingdom.

     Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven to establish an everlasting kingdom.  What can we expect from this kingdom?  St. John gave us a glimpse of the eternal kingdom: “God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).  Money won’t matter; we will have everything we need.  Sorrows will be gone; there will be no pain or loss to grieve over.  Health care won’t be necessary because our bodies will be incorruptible.  Our resurrected bodies will be perfected for eternal life.  In other words, all the things we long for will be given to us in measures beyond our grasp.  What the world screams over, we simply wait for.  This is the glory of our ascended Lord’s everlasting kingdom.

     St. Luke wrote, “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up” (Acts 1:1-2).  Did you catch that?  The Gospel of Luke recorded everything that Jesus began to do and teach.  He has ascended into heaven and is physically removed from our sight, but Jesus is still at work.  He worked through the apostles who performed the same miraculous signs Jesus did.  He worked through the apostles who passed on Jesus’ teachings in the words of the New Testament.

     While the miraculous signs ended with the apostles, the teaching did not.  To this day, the Church proclaims the kingdom of God to all people—people who long for peace, for hope, for a joyful future, for deliverance from death, and for relief from guilt and shame.  You have what they need.  So, when I say that the Church proclaims the kingdom of God to all people, understand that you are the Church.  You have friends who need to be rescued from the deceptions of the devil, from the terrors of death, and from a life without any real purpose.  If they are going to hear about the kingdom of God from “the Church,” no committee or board is going to find your friends.  You are the one to proclaim it.  And Jesus will work through you to snatch people from the power of the devil and to bring them into an everlasting kingdom of grace and glory.

     Jesus Christ lives and reigns over all things.  His kingdom is in good hands.  Jesus Christ lives and reigns forever.  Therefore, his kingdom cannot pass away.  Our ascended Savior establishes an everlasting kingdom, and he has established you in it.

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