Sermon -- All Saints' Day (November 1, 2021)

Note: This sermon was preached for chapel at Huron Valley Lutheran High School in Westland, Michigan. 

MATTHEW 5:1-12

BLESSED ARE THE SAINTS OF GOD.

 In the name + of Jesus.

     This portion of St. Matthew’s Gospel is known as the Beatitudes.  It comes from the Latin word which is repeated here as “Blessed.”  Some have called this portion of Scripture the “BE Attitudes,” suggesting that Jesus is telling you what to be.  “BE Attitudes” is cute, but it is wrong.  These are not commandments.  These are blessings.  “Blessed” is a status that God bestows on all his saints, not a condition that you are supposed to earn by being poor in spirit, meek, or persecuted.

     The first thing we notice is the audience to whom this sermon is directed.  “Jesus … went up on a mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them” (Matthew 5:1-2).  Jesus is speaking to the saints. 

     Saints means “holy ones.”  Holy means that which has been set apart for God and for his purpose.  For example, Holy Communion is bread and wine that have been set apart and consecrated to be the body and blood of Christ.  Holy Communion is set apart for God’s purpose—for you, for the forgiveness of sins.  The holy things are given to the holy ones.  God has set you apart as his holy ones.  You have been set apart from sin; you are pardoned of all guilt.  You have been set apart from death; your life now rests in Jesus Christ who will raise you from the grave at the resurrection of all flesh.  You have been set apart from damnation; for “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).  Blessed are the saints of God.

     As saints, you have also been set apart for good works.  Since you have been set apart from sin, you do not continue in it.  You have been called to honor God with your life.  You have been set apart for a life that is selfless, honest, pure, and praiseworthy.

     Blessed are the saints of God.  The Beatitudes proclaim both what you are and what you will be.  The first blessing is in the present tense.  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).  If you are poor in spirit, that means you recognize that you have nothing to give to God that he should reward you.  We confess our sins, not our worthiness.  If we would have the riches of heaven, God must give it.  And he does!  Yours is the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus has purchased and won it for you with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent sufferings and death.  He gave you all that he won for you in Holy Baptism.  Through that washing, which is set apart for God’s purpose, he set you apart as his redeemed saint.  Yours are the blessings of forgiveness and peace.  The kingdom is yours.  Blessed are the saints of God. 

     For the most part, the remaining blessings concern what you will be.  You are already children of God through faith in Jesus, but you do not yet look like the children of God or act like the children of God.  I am guessing that you don’t always feel like the children of God either.  Fear not.  That blessing will come to you.

     “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).  Your sins produce your mourning throughout your life.  If you have ever done something that just produces utter shame—the kind of shame that just makes you want to run away and never come back—you are not alone.  That kind of guilt is common.  Satan tries to make it even worse by convincing you that there is no hope for you.  But Satan is a liar.  You have a merciful Savior who consoles you.  No matter what you have done, “the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies you from all sin” (1 John 1:7).  Some regrets never seem to go away.  But listen: You will be comforted.  You are assured now that you are his saints.  Blessed are you—present tense.  But the day will come when Jesus delivers you into the heavenly kingdom where you will never be haunted by shame again.

     Blessed are the saints of God.  “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6).  If you hunger and thirst for righteousness, it is because you don’t have it.  People who are full don’t crave more food.  Those who are famished do.  We continue to come back to our Lord for word and sacraments because we always need his righteousness.  We don’t have it on our own.  Even when we are declared righteous, our lives don’t exemplify it.  Therefore, we flee to Jesus to be filled with his body and blood.  And the day will come when we will be perfected in glory.  We will be satisfied, forever righteous before God—not just in status, but also in our minds and hearts and actions.

     Blessed are the saints of God.  “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).  Right now, we only know God by his word.  We live by faith, not by sight; for, no one has seen God.  But you will.  Jesus cleanses you of all unrighteousness.  Therefore, you will dwell in the very presence of God and see him in all his glory.  Blessed are the saints of God, for they will all be gathered around the throne of God and praise the Lamb who was slain for them.

     Today is the Festival of All Saints—both the saints on earth and in heaven.  The Beatitudes remind us of what we are now and what we will be.  The saints on earth have not been glorified.  Yours is the kingdom of God, but not yet the glory.  The saints who have been delivered out of this world dwell before the Lord Jesus.  The live forever in uninterrupted peace, purity, and perfection.  But all of Christ’s redeemed—whether in heaven or on earth—are his saints.  Together, all the saints join in praise of God who has loved us and saved us.  Together, all the saints feast at the heavenly banquet—us for the moment at the Lord’s altar, and the saints in heaven continually in glory.  Together, all the saints confess Jesus with our lips and honor Jesus with our lives.  It is what we have been set apart for.
     Blessed are the saints of God.  Many of the blessings will not be seen until we enter heavenly glory, but the status is always in the present tense.  Blessed are you—the poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers, and even those who are persecuted because they live as those who are set apart for salvation.  No matter what anyone says of you, Jesus says you are blessed.  You are blessed because you are his.  Blessed are the saints of God—both now and forever.

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

Sermon -- Reformation Sunday (October 31, 2021)

JEREMIAH 18:1-11

THE LORD RE-FORMS THE CHURCH.

 In the name + of Jesus.

     The prophet Jeremiah preached in Jerusalem in the years leading up to its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  That destruction had been threatened already back in the days of Moses, some 900 years prior.  Moses had warned, “If you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. …The Lord will bring you and your king whom you set over you to a nation that neither you nor your fathers have known.  And there you shall serve other gods of wood and stone.  And you shall become a horror, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples where the Lord will lead you away” (Deuteronomy 28:15,36-37).  The warning Moses issued is much longer, taking up most of Deuteronomy 28.  God’s warning was stern, vivid, and disturbing.

     Jeremiah was called to proclaim that warning and that curse against a nation who had turned away from the Lord.  The people of Jerusalem were convinced that they were fine.  They even had prophets who told them so.  But Jeremiah was charged to tell the people that their status as God’s chosen nation would not save them from judgment.  Calling themselves God’s chosen people did not excuse their sin.  Walking into God’s temple would not deliver them or their temple from destruction.  If your confession is one thing and your actions are another, you dishonor God’s name and despise his word.  Even the world mocks you for that.  But this is the way it was for most of the people in Judah and Jerusalem. God’s patience had run out.  Moses’ warning was soon to become reality.

     Jeremiah was given a visual illustration for the people of Jerusalem.  The Lord told him to go to the potter and watch him make a vessel on a spinning wheel.  As he spun the wheel and shaped the clay, it fell apart in his hand.  Rather than wad up the clay and throw it out, “he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do” (Jeremiah 18:4).  Now, if a potter has the right to do this with his clay, the Lord has the right to re-form his Church when it has been corrupted too.

     Therefore, Jeremiah spoke to the people of Judah and Jerusalem the word of the Lord: “If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it.  Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ‘Thus says the Lord, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you.  Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds’” (Jeremiah 18:9-11).  Sadly, these Israelites were so ensnared by their sins that they refused to repent.  They did not amend their ways.  Therefore, the judgment came, and the nation was uprooted.  

     There was some good news, however.  The Lord would re-form his Church.  Through judgment and captivity, God would refine his Church.  It would be re-formed into a remnant of people who would listen to the word of the Lord and who would order their lives according to it.  In this way, the Lord preserved the nation and, more importantly, the promise that the Messiah would come through them.

     On Reformation Sunday, we rejoice that the Lord re-forms his Church when it becomes corrupt.  The corruption which invades the Church is always the result of the same thing—people stop taking the word of the Lord to heart.  The problem may rest with the preachers or the people.  St. Paul warned Timothy, “The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).  The people will want preachers who do not expose sins and call them to repent.  And they will find preachers who are willing to tell them what they want to hear.  This is all hidden under the veneer that a loving and gracious God would not condemn anyone.  To preach that and to believe that is to ignore large portions of the Bible.  But even if we would not take God’s Law seriously, he surely does!  His Commandments are not negotiable, and his threats are not empty.

     In the days of Martin Luther, God was not portrayed as a loving and gracious God who poses no real threat.  He was portrayed as an angry judge before whom you had better do the works he demands or be damned.  The only hope given to the faithful was to run to the Church who would supply you with just enough grace to do a little better.  This was done for a price.  You could pay to have a special Mass spoken in your name to gain favor with God.  You didn’t even have to be there, as long as the money was given and the priest did the work.  If you wanted to be spared suffering after death, you could purchase an indulgence which excused you from years of torment in purgatory.  Eventually, the question was asked, “If the Pope has the authority to release people from purgatory, why doesn’t he do it for free?”[1]  Now, God’s word does not speak of purgatory.  Much less does God’s word tie salvation to monetary donations. 

     So, God re-formed his Church.  Rather than crumple the whole thing up and start over, the Lord was pleased to raise up people who did read the Scriptures and preach them.  Over the years, some of them were condemned for this—men such as John Wycliffe (1320’s–1384) from England and Jan Hus (1372–1415) from Bohemia.  God raised up more preachers like them, most notably Martin Luther (1483–1546).  What resulted from their Scriptural preaching was people turning to the Scriptures instead of the traditions of men.  It meant trusting in a Savior who paid for their sins instead of their own payments for Masses, pilgrimages, and indulgences.  It meant that troubled souls found peace.  But it also meant a loss of funding for the Pope’s projects.  That’s when the persecution really began. 

     After a few years, Martin Luther was one of the preachers who was brought before governors and kings to make the good confession.  For his confession, he was declared an outlaw.  But through preachers who read the word of God, took it seriously, and preached it faithfully, the Lord reformed a remnant of his Church who rejoiced in salvation freely given.  To them, Jesus was finally revealed as a loving Savior who accomplished everything for our forgiveness and salvation.  To them, comfort was given to fearful hearts and assurance was given for the day of Judgment.  And you, dear Christians, are the beneficiaries of such Reformers.  God, who was pleased to re-form his Church, has also been pleased to preserve that Gospel among us.

     I suppose this could become a cause for pride, but it should not.  Remember, the Church was corrupted from within—from people who craved a different message and from pastors who were willing to give it.  Although Jeremiah had been a faithful prophet, he was not popular.  Jeremiah proclaimed, “Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds” (Jeremiah 18:11); the people responded, “That is hopeless!  So we will walk according to our own plans” (Jeremiah 18:12), and they found the preachers who emboldened them to do this.

     While it is true God re-forms his Church, it always begins with each of us individually.  We are grieved by every scandal which rocks the church and by every teacher who points people to themselves instead of to Jesus.  You may wish you could fix that.  But you can’t.  It is like people who want to change the world.  They can’t.  For example, you can’t make the whole world recycle, but you can make sure you do.  In the same way, many Christians are abandoning God’s word.  They take their direction from science, from popular ideas, or from their own feelings.  You can’t prevent that.  But you can be sure that you are listening to God’s word and applying it to your own life.  After all, you will not be judged for anyone but yourself.

     God’s word shows us the corruption and the warping of our own feelings, thoughts, and life.  Just as the clay could not fix itself, neither can we fix our sinful condition.  God must re-form us according to his good pleasure.  He does.  Jesus has rescued us from our corrupt and warped condition.  He has taken our sin and so was cursed for us.  He credits us with his innocence so that we are pleasing to God.  He puts to death the sinner in baptism, and he raises us up a new creation.  He takes those who were unwilling to listen and to do his will and converts us into those who are willing.  He changes us into noble vessels into whom he has poured his Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit transforms our minds and hearts.  He teaches us to love God’s word and guides us to reform our lives according to it.  St. Paul wrote, “It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).  This is how God re-forms you, and it is how God re-forms his Church.

     This re-forming is a continual process.  We are never done.  As long as we are in this world, we will battle against temptations.  We can still be deceived by smooth-sounding words, especially when those words excuse us and our loved ones when we are straying from God’s word.  We are still vessels of clay on the potter’s wheel.  God must continue to work on us so that we do not revert to being warped and corrupted. 

    God re-forms his Church.  The work is always done by God’s word being rightly taught and confessed.  The Church that is faithful does not demonstrate it by how moral the people are, by how happy the people are, or by how successful the people are.  The Church that is faithful is the one who rightly teaches God’s word and rightly administers the sacraments.  If that is done, it may well produce people who are moral and happy.  God’s people may prosper, or they may not.  Jeremiah didn’t.  But morality, happiness, and prosperity don’t save anyone.  Only the word of God produces saving faith.  This is how God re-forms and reshapes us for our own good.  This is how God refines his Church so that it will never perish. 

     Rather than boast about retaining God’s pure word, as if we by our strength have done it, let us offer up our humble prayer instead: God, grant us to keep your word pure so that you may keep your people pure.

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

---

[1] "Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial." (Thesis #82 of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses, posted on October 31, 1517) 

Update from Good Shepherd (October 28, 2021)

 Greetings!

REGULAR SCHEDULE

Divine Services are at 10:00 AM on Sundays, in person and on Facebook Live. Share our services and invite friends to tune in.

Sunday School and Adult Bible Class are Sundays at 8:45 AM. 

          Our Adult Bible Class will study the book of Daniel.  The tentative schedule can be found here.

Bible Matters, a discussion group, meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM.  The schedule of discussion topics can be found here.  

CLICK HERE for a calendar of events and meetings.

NEW WEB SITE DESIGN!!!

Thanks to Lindsey Casmer who has redesigned our web page!  Check it out and have a look around.  Click here.

FOOD DRIVE FOR SEMINARY STUDENTS

          Every year, Good Shepherd participates in a food drive for the married students at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary from which we get our pastors.  Our donations help to ease their expenses (tuition, books, rent, insurance, etc...) as they study for the office of the holy ministry.  Non-perishable food items and toiletries can be dropped off at Good Shepherd before November 7.  Gifts of money also allow students to purchase perishable food items they need.

WELS LUTHERANS FOR LIFE ANNUAL MEETING
          The annual meeting for WELS Lutherans for Life will on Sunday, November 7 at 3:00 PM. We will meet at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (17810 Farmington Road, Livonia) in the multipurpose room. The speaker will be Rev. Robert Fleischmann, president of Christian Life Resources. Rev. Fleischmann will speak about current issues that relate to the sanctity of life, stretching from the womb to the tomb. He will give direction how we can uphold the sanctity of life, encourage faithful use of God’s gifts of medicine while avoiding procedures that violate God’s word, and offer comfort and encouragement to those who battle temptations or guilt in regard to these things. Light refreshments will be provided.

CALL FOR NAMES – SAINTS TRIUMPHAT

        Every year, we remember the names of loved ones who have died in the Christian faith, praising God for the mercy he has had upon them and thanking God for preserving them in that saving faith throughout their life. Normally, the names of these departed souls are recalled in a prayer on All Saints' Day, which is November 1. Since Good Shepherd does not have a specific All Saints' Day service, we transfer this prayer and these remembrances to the 3rd Sunday of End Times which focuses on Saints Triumphant.
        In addition to members of Good Shepherd who have been called to eternal rest, you may submit the names of your own loved ones who have died in the Christian faith between November 15, 2020 and November 14, 2021. When submitting these names, please included
            1. the name of the deceased
            2. your name
            3. how he/she was related to you
            4. the dates of his/her birth and death, if known
        All names given by to Thursday, November 11 will be submitted in the bulletin. Names may still be submitted as late as Sunday morning, but will not be printed in the bulletin.

LITURGY SUNDAY

          Liturgy Sunday has been rescheduled to November 21.  This service will offer commentary to explain the rationale behind each part of our service.

GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE

         Feel free to share the videos.  For other services, do a search for "Good Shepherd Novi."  The service from Sunday, October 24 is here: Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service - October 24, 2021 - YouTube

         Bulletins for services can be downloaded from here (scroll down): 

http://goodshepherdnovi.org/worship

PART-TIME SECRETARY NEEDED
          Lisa Haase has recently accepted a position for the Novi School District and will begin her new position on November 1. This results in a need for a part-time secretary for Good Shepherd. Details for the job are posted on the church bulletin board. Lisa has also produced a detailed list of duties (some have been updated over the past year or so). If you are interested, you may consult Lisa and/or the sheet on the bulletin board.
          We are beginning our search among our own members first, and then will expand our search if needed. If you are interested, please speak with Pastor Schroeder welsnovi@aol.com or (248-719-5218).

OFFICE HOURS

          Office hours are Monday-Thursday, 9:00 AM – Noon.
          The pastor will be in his office unless a meeting has been scheduled elsewhere (consult the weekly schedule). The pastor is also available by appointment. Call or text (248-719-5218). You may also email (welsnovi@aol.com), but the response may be slower.

DO YOU LIKE US?

Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook.  Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings.  Be sure to share posts with friends.

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We desire as many as possible to rejoice in the Gospel which we proclaim and confess.  Share the information from our weekly email blast, links to our web page, and even to the pastor's blog to let others know that we have a space in our congregation for them!

In Christ,

Pastor Schroeder

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REGULAR SCHEDULE

DIVINE SERVICES -- Sundays at 10:00 AM (also on Facebook Live )

Sunday School and Adult Bible Class are on Sundays at 8:45 AM. 

Bible Matters meets on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM. 

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com

Something from ... Martin Luther on recognizing the words of Jesus

In an Easter sermon, Dr. Luther spoke of Jesus' resurrection appearance to his disciples.  At first, they were terrified by his appearing.  They were acutely aware of their sins, particularly of abandoning Jesus when he was arrested.  When Jesus appeared, they expected wrath.  Their guilty consciences had condemned them already.  Why wouldn't Jesus?

Instead, Jesus came and spoke words of peace to them.  He showed them his hands and side, which were the evidence of sins paid for.  Jesus did not come breathing fire, but proclaiming forgiveness and peace to troubled hearts, fearful minds, and condemning consciences.

The devil tries to mimic Jesus.  However, the devil reverses Jesus' words and works.  Jesus' ultimate goal is to bring comfort to the troubled sinner.  Sometimes, Jesus has to trouble that sinner first to make him aware of his sin and his need for a Savior.  The devil, on the other hand, comforts sinners in their sinful condition.  He speaks words of peace to them so that they will remain comforted in their sins and, therefore, will not repent of them.  On the other hand, the devil taunts those who are Christians.  He speaks no words of comfort, but convicts and condemns people so that they forget Jesus and despair over their guilt.

The sinner who is comfortable needs words of warning and condemnation so that he will not remain in his sin.  When Jesus does this, he seems like a vicious and cruel God.  The devil, on the other hand, seems friendly and loving because his words to the one who embraces his sin is so sweet and encouraging.

But the sinner who is troubled needs words of comfort, assurance, and hope so that he will not remain vexed by his sin.  Jesus is pleased to come with his, "Peace be with you," to these sinners.  The devil buries them in greater guilt; for he wants them to perish.

It is essential that we know the difference so that we are neither robbed of comfort nor strengthened in sin.  Here is Luther:

"(The devil) takes pleasure in deceiving us under the appearance and name of Christ.  He always wants to be God's ape and imitate what he sees Him do.  Now God's way of dealing with us is that he first frightens those who are not yet frightened, so that in additional naturally fearful hearts are always horrified at His words and works because of the timidity of their nature.  However, He again soon comforts those who are now frightened and speaks to them in a friendly way.  The devil certainly imitates this and also comes under the name and words of Christ, but with both false comfort and false frightening.  He turns both upside down, so that he makes those who are in need of comfort frightened and despondent and, on the other hand, comforts and strengthens those who should fear and be frightened with God's wrath." (Martin Luther, sermon on Luke 24:36-47, preached on April 11, 1531.  Pages 80-81.  Luther's Works: American Edition, Vol. 77.  Church Postil III.  Concordia Publishing House: St. Louis, MO.  (c) 2014)

A GOD-LIVED LIFE: Prayer

             We are in a series of sermons with a Stewardship emphasis. Stewardship, ultimately, is about our entire life. We use what God gives us to his glory and for the good of our neighbor. Over the next few months, we will consider the various ways we use the gifts God gives us as is God-pleasing.

          Each week, I will be sending out an email to further encourage what we pondered on the first Sunday of that month. In this way, the thoughts do not perish by that Sunday evening, but each one can give intentional consideration how he or she may put into practice what was proclaimed as a God-pleasing way to serve him.

          For the month of October, we continue to consider what it means to have A Life of Being a Disciple.

A GOD-LIVED LIFE: A LIFE OF BEING A DISCIPLE

Week #4      Prayer

            God the Father Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, gives you a standing invitation: “Call upon me in the day of distress.  I will deliver you, and you will honor me” (Psalm 50:15). 

            The Lord Jesus Christ, conqueror of death and the grave who lives and reigns over all things, gives you a faithful promise: “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).

            Of course, to pray in Jesus’ name is not a blank check to get whatever you want.  Every prayer includes this petition, whether spoken or not: “Your will be done.”  God’s will is always done, and we pray that it be done among us also.  We can pray for whatever we want, but we also know that our good and merciful Father in heaven, who is all-wise, will only give us what is good for us.  Sometimes that means withholding what we ask for because he has better things in mind. 

            But our prayers are important.  God speaks to us in his word; we speak to God through our prayers.  This dialogue is essential in our faith.  The Father speaks to his children; the children respond to their Father.  The children call upon their Father for every good thing and for aid in every evil thing; the Father is honored when we demonstrate our faith in him and is delighted to provide for, to protect, and to console his children.

            How to pray?  Here are some helpful thoughts.

1)      Pray for whatever you want.  Be bold, and trust that whatever God does is the right thing.

2)     Be persistent.  If you have children, you know how they can pester you continually with their requests.  We are God’s children, and he wants us to appeal to him persistently—not because he needs to be worn down, but because he is disciplining us to call upon him fervently.

3)     Trust his promises and hold him to them.  This is not disrespectful; it is faithful.  God is honored when we take him at his word and hold him to his word.

4)     Let the Scriptures inform your prayers.  The point of our prayers is not to coax God into thinking like us.  By our faithful reading of the Scriptures, we learn to think like God.  If you pray the Psalms, God’s answer to them will always be “Yes!”, for God is always in agreement with is own word.

5)     Pray out loud.  I don’t know if the devil can read our thoughts, but he certainly can hear our words.  Prayers vex the devil and drive him away.

6)     Pray with your family.  Gather requests and intercessions.  This models for your children that prayers matter and teaches them to do it too.  It also binds the family together better.

7)     Pray without ceasing.  This includes setting aside time for intentional prayers where your time is dedicated to calling upon the Lord.  It also includes brief, quick prayers spoken throughout the day for people and circumstances that come to mind.  “Lord, have mercy upon ____,” can be uttered often throughout each day, and God will be pleased to hear it.

YouTube -- 22nd Sunday after Pentecost (October 24, 2021)

Here is the service from Sunday, October 24, 2021.

Sermon -- 22nd Sunday after Pentecost (October 24, 2021)

ISAIAH 53:10-12

MY SAVIOR PAID THE DEBT I OWE.

 In the name + of Jesus.

     St. Matthew’s version of the Lord’s Prayer says: “Forgive us our debts,   as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).  The word “debts” acknowledges that we something to others.  Our first reaction might be, “I don’t owe anyone anything.  I don’t owe you an answer for the way I live my life.  I don’t owe you an apology for my opinions.  I don’t owe you a minute of my time.  I don’t owe you my attention, my affection, or my energy.  I don’t owe you because you don’t own me.” 

     Oddly enough, we also believe that other people owe us.  Other people owe us respect, the benefit of the doubt, good service, and a rapid response to our text messages.  We become easily upset when we are not given what we think we are owed, and we still think that we don’t owe anyone else anything.  That degree of self-centeredness is strong enough to have a gravitation pull!

     What do you owe to God?  In fact, everything.  Psalm 24 reminds us, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1).  The Lord does, in fact, own you; you are his creation.  And to everything in the world, God freely and continually provides all things.  From Psalm 145: “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.  You open your hand; you satisfy the desires of every living thing” (Psalm 145:15-16).  At the very least, you owe the Lord recognition for what he does.  And God does not give these blessings as a reward for good behavior.  Jesus declared, “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). 

     God does none of this because he owes us.  As Martin Luther explained, “All this he does because he is my good and merciful Father in heaven and not because I have earned or deserved it.  For all of this I ought to thank and praise, to serve and obey him.  This is most certainly true” (Explanation to the First Article of the Apostles’ Creed).  In other words, we owe God thanks, praise, service, and obedience.  In fact, it is not only owed, it is commanded.  And when our life on earth—a gift of God—is assessed, the Lord will judge us for how we served him—if we gave him the honor and obedience he was owed or if we lived as if we owed him nothing.

     It is no wonder Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our debts.”  We are indebted to the Lord for every time we have sinned against him.  For, we did not give him what he was owed.  What’s more, the Lord also tells us that we owe our fellow man love, service, generosity, and forgiveness.  St. Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other” (Romans 13:8).  When you withhold your love from your neighbor, you sin against him, and you become his debtor.  For, you do not give him what you owe him.  You owe him better than that.

     But that is not the way it works in the kingdom of God.  Jesus told his apostles, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43-45).  These are not just pretty words.  Jesus lived up to this.  He generously and freely gave to others what they needed.  All those miracles of healing were done out of mercy and solely for the good of those he healed.  Their diseases and frailties are the consequences of the sin that has corrupted the whole world.  It is a small part of what we confess, “I deserve your punishment both now and in eternity.”  Sufferings and problems are the result of being a sinner in a sinful world.  Nevertheless, Jesus brought healing and relief to people who were indebted to him. 

     The Son of Man served people by delivering them from the temporal consequences of their sin.  And he is far more merciful than that.  Jesus has served you and all mankind by delivering you from the eternal consequences of your sin.  He who is greatest of all made himself the servant of all.  His chief act of service is to do what he said he would do: “to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:44-45). 

     Now, if a ransom is needed, then a price has to be paid.  Jesus has, indeed, paid the price.  My Savior paid the debt I owe.  The prophet Isaiah foretold that this was God’s divine plan from long ago.  He wrote, “It was the will of the LORD to crush him” (Isaiah 53:10).  First, Isaiah said it was God’s will to crush his Son.  God the Father is not a vindictive God who likes to smite people.  He is a loving Father who desires you to be saved.  To do it, he offered up his own Son in your place. 

     When the Bible teaches about this substitutionary atonement—Jesus suffers and dies in your place—atheists like to accuse God of divine child abuse.  But this implies that Jesus did not want to suffer for you.  The whole Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—are united in the cause of your salvation.  Our Triune God is the Savior God, and my Savior paid the debt I owe.  The Lord did not do this out of a sense of obligation.  It is his will and his delight to save sinners, even at great cost to himself.  The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life.  My Savior paid the debt I owe.

     The fact that salvation comes at a price also highlights that there was a debt we owed God for our sins.  So, Isaiah wrote, “His soul makes an offering for guilt…” (Isaiah 53:10).  The guilt offering in the Old Testament was more than the slaughter of an animal.  In addition to the sacrifice, there was a payment made to the one who was sinned against.  This is what the Lord said: “If he has sinned and has realized his guilt and will restore what he took by robbery or what he got by oppression or the deposit that was committed to him or the lost thing that he found or anything about which he has sworn falsely, he shall restore it in full and shall add a fifth to it, and give it to him to whom it belongs on the day he realizes his guilt” (Leviticus 6:4-5).  If someone stole your cell phone, would you say, “It’s okay.  I forgive you.  You can keep it”?  No, you would demand it back.  And if the thief is repentant of his sin, he would return it willingly.  In the Old Testament, the man not only had to restore what he stole, he also had to compensate you by adding 20% of the value to what he stole.

     Now, when you steal from God’s infinite majesty and give his glory to something else, what is fair compensation for that?  And if you cannot pay the back your debt to God for one sin, how could you pay back what you owe him for all your disobedience?  Fear not, dear Christians.  You can confess, “My Savior paid the debt I owe!”  For, the Lord has made his own soul, his very life, the guilt offering for you.

     My Savior paid the debt I owe.  Jesus has made himself your guilt offering.  Yes, he is slain on your behalf, but he also is the full price of restitution for your debt.  The holy Son of God gave himself up on behalf of sinful mankind.  The eternal Son of God offered himself up on behalf of all people of all time.  The immortal Son of God laid down his life so that you can live forever.  The Son of Man gave his life as a ransom for you.  Your debt has been paid in full.  The cost has been covered, and you are now free.  It has pleased God to do this for you.  It was the will of God to crush him—not because he owed it to you, but because his love for you is boundless. 

     My Savior paid the debt I owe, and he adds the extra value to his guilt offering.  Isaiah declared what God would do: “When his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.  Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:10-11).  If he sees his offspring, he cannot remain a slain offering.  If his days shall be prolonged, then death cannot have the last word.  If the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand, then he shall live and his kingdom shall be firmly established.  If he shall see and be satisfied, he shall see the salvation of those for whom he died.

     My Savior paid the debt I owe, and he has even added value to it.  Your debt is cancelled; therefore, you have escaped the fires of hell.  But Jesus’ guilt offering comes with the added value of the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.  Jesus’ resurrection from the dead means that he owns death and the grave.  They are subservient to Jesus.  And since you now belong to Jesus through your baptism into his name, you also gain the victory over death and the grave. 

     My Savior paid the debt I owe.  Isaiah declared: “By his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.  Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong” (Isaiah 53:11-12).  Jesus won the victory over sin, death, and Satan.  You are the spoils of war.  Jesus lives as the conqueror; therefore, sin, death, and the devil cannot snatch you away from him.  When you are feeling guilty or ashamed because of your sins, remember the word of the Lord.  “Whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart” (1 John 3:20).  When the chill of death seems to be coming upon you, remember the promise of Jesus Christ: “I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die” (John 11:25-26).  When the devil produces in you doubt about your worthiness, ask him this: “If God is for us, who can be against us?  …Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?  It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:31,33). 

     The Son of Man has come to serve, and his humble service means your glorious salvation.  We owe everything to him, but it is such joy to give it because he so freely gives us all we need, and he gives us what is for our good.  It is no burden to thank and praise, to serve and obey the Lord.  Nor do we need to be threatened to love our neighbor.  If God loves him, so do we.  And we are free to love and to serve without fear; for God’s wrath has been put aside.  Our debt has been paid.  Our future has been secured. 

     Therefore, we praise our Lord with bold confidence: “My Savior paid the debt I owe and for my life was smitten.  Within the Book of Life I know my name has now been written.  I will not doubt, for I am free; and Satan cannot threaten me.  There is no condemnation” (“The Day Is Surely Drawing Near,” CW 207:5).

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