Holy Week schedule for 2023
Sunday, April 2 -- Palm Sunday (10:00 AM)
Tuesday, April 4 -- Private Confession & Absolution (6:30 - 8:30 PM)
Thursday, April 6 -- TRIDUUM: Maundy Thursday (7:00 PM)
Friday, April 7 -- TRIDUUM: Good Friday (7:00 PM)
Sunday, April 9 -- TRIDUUM: Easter Dawn (7:30 AM)
Sunday, April 9 -- Easter Breakfast (8:45 - 9:45 AM)
Sunday, April 9 -- Easter Festival Divine Service (10:00 AM)
Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, March 26, 2023. You may want to jump ahead to the 5:20 mark for the beginning of the service.
Greetings!
REGULAR SCHEDULE
Divine Service is Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School and Adult Bible Class are on Sundays at 9:00 AM.
Bible Matters resumes in April.
ADULT BIBLE CLASS: HE WENT THROUGHOUT THEIR TOWNS AND VILLAGES
Throughout his ministry, Jesus never traveled more than 100 miles from his hometown of Nazareth, yet he covered a lot of ground. We will consider the various places and events which marked Jesus’ life and ministry. Travel along with Jesus throughout Judea and Jerusalem, Samaria, the villages of Galilee, and a few areas beyond Palestine.
The schedule for this class can be found here. Classes are on Sundays at 9:00 AM.
> We have considered the idea of getting an LED sign to replace our church sign for a long time. Rather than continue to consider it, we want to proceed. Signs come in many shapes, which also means many different prices. In order to determine our options, we need a few people to do some research on the LED sign options. Once we determine what we want and how much it will cost, we can either get the new sign or lay the plan to rest. If you are willing to do some research, speak with Dan Rauchholz.
> If you have friends who are not attending a church or with whom you have had conversations about spiritual matters, ask them if they would like to meet your pastor. Meetings can take place at your home, at church, at a coffee shop, or other venues.
SHARE THIS POST!
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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GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org
PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com
This sermon was preached at Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church of Novi, MI on March 15, at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Belleville, MI on March 22, and at St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Plymouth, MI on March 29.
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REPENT! TURN TO JESUS!
When You Face Temptations.
In the name + of Jesus.
Our Lord Jesus Christ warned us, “Temptations
to sin are sure to come” (Luke 17:1).
You can avoid some, based on the places you go, the thoughts you ponder,
and even the company you keep. But you
cannot escape all temptations. Not even
our Lord could escape temptations.
When Jesus entered the Garden of
Gethsemane, his struggle was intense. It
was not the first time Jesus endured temptation. We know of the temptations Jesus faced during
forty days in the wilderness. But those
temptations never made Jesus sorrowful to the point of death. They never resulted in Jesus sweating drops
of blood. In Gethsemane, Jesus was on
the threshold of his worst suffering. It
is no wonder that Jesus “fell
on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might
pass from him. And he said, ‘Abba, Father, all things are possible
for you. Remove this cup from
me. Yet not what I will, but what you will’” (Mark 14:35-36).
Jesus knew what the wrath of God would be like. He was aware of what it would mean to take
into himself all the torment of hell—the eternal God enduring death and weeping
and gnashing of teeth on behalf of all mankind.
He did it for people who grieve over their sins and people who revel in
their sins. He did it for people who fear,
love, and trust in God and for those who deny that God is even real. Some would praise him for his redeeming work. Some would use it as an excuse to sin all the
more. Many would never care at all. Regardless, it would be damning torment.
Jesus prayed that if any other way were
possible to pay for sins, if any other way salvation could be won, his Father
would opt for that. But there is no other
way. So, Jesus remained faithful to his
Father. Jesus’ prayer and Jesus’ commitment
were that God’s will be done. And so, he
did it, which means that your sins are pardoned, God’s wrath is turned away from
you, and your eternal life is secured.
When
Jesus entered the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed fervently. But he also called on his apostles to pray
with him. Jesus was not the only one who
was facing temptation. Jesus had warned Peter,
“Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you
will deny me three times” (Mark 14:30).
In St. Luke’s Gospel, the warning is even stronger: “Simon, behold,
Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31). Therefore, Jesus summoned Peter to keep watch
with him and to pray. In fact, all the disciples
were warned, “You will all fall away, for it
is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered’”
(Mark 14:27). The temptation to forsake the Lord was bound
to come. They all had good reason watch
and pray.
In
the safety of the upper room, the disciples were courageous. Their spirit was, indeed, willing to stand by
Jesus. Peter led the charge: “He
said emphatically, ‘If I must die with you, I will not deny you.’ And they all said the same” (Mark 14:31). They heard the warnings
and boasted that they would not fail. In
Gethsemane, the disciples should have been preparing for spiritual
battle. Instead, they
dozed off. “(Jesus)
came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you asleep? Could
you not watch one hour? Watch
and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is
weak’” (Mark 14:37-38). They did not keep watch. They did not pray. They all failed.
Temptations to sin
are sure to come. The Bible tells us
why: “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring
lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Chances are, you know how he will attack
you. You know the sins that are
attractive to you. You know your own
weaknesses. The devil does, too. He entices you to do what your sinful nature
desires. The sinful nature, more than anything,
loves itself. It loves praise and pleasure. Temptations are sure to come to be embarrassed
about God’s word, to gain acceptance from the world, and to avoid scorn.
Our culture is training
us to rethink our beliefs, or more to the point, to reject God’s word as
truth. The culture has new truths to
instill and, so it seems, to enforce. You
may find yourself in the situation of Jesus’ disciples. They learned that there is a cost to being
Jesus’ disciple. The soldiers who
entered Gethsemane were a sizable force with swords and clubs. When the soldiers seized Jesus, the disciples
feared they were next. The threat of
arrest, beatings, and death were very real.
So, they fled. They desired to
save their skin rather than to risk it for standing by Jesus. Later that night, Peter was exposed as one of
Jesus’ disciples. Fearing his own demise,
Peter swore up and down that he was not associated with Jesus. He feared what people thought of him or what
people could do to him more than what Jesus would say about him or do to him.
There is certainly a cost for being a disciple
of Jesus. If you have not experienced that
yet, you will. Our culture is becoming more
hostile to the word of God. You may be
passed over for promotions, forfeit raises, or be forced to seek different employment
if you refuse to take part in pride events or say that men and women are
different. At the very least, you may be
required to undergo training to reshape your thinking. You may have to explain to your children that
they will have to give up a sports league so that you do not give up Sundays at
church. You may wonder if you are the
only person around who believes the Bible anymore. The temptation looms large to go along with the
culture rather than to stay with Christ.
Peter and the disciples thought that fleeing from Jesus would save their
skin. To do that, however, is disastrous
for your salvation.
Repent. Turn to Jesus when facing temptation. Despite his disciples’ failure, Jesus remained
faithful to them. Jesus remains faithful
to you, too. He is ever-present to help
you against temptations. The Bible
reminds us, “We do not have a high priest who is
unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been
tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we
may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16). Turn to Jesus when facing
temptation for strength, for encouragement, and for confidence that nothing can
truly harm you if you are in Christ.
Perhaps you fear how much you might lose if you remain faithful to
Christ. You may lose friends. You may lose our income. You may lose the standard of living you have
become accustomed to. You may. There may be a hefty cost to being a disciple
of Jesus. There certainly is in other places. And the Church has experienced this throughout
its history. For us, it has only been
stories we have heard. Will these stories
end up being lived by us, too? I don’t
know. But we ought to be aware of trials
that may come. Temptations to forsake
Christ I order to maintain peace with our culture are sure to come. Temptations to preserve a cozy suburban
lifestyle may become intense. We should be
aware of our weaknesses and recognize our need for God’s strength. “Watch and pray that you may
not enter into temptation. The
spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38). Turn to Jesus when facing temptation.
Turn to Jesus when
facing temptation.
For, Jesus will not forsake you.
He paid a great price to redeem you.
He endured not just the scorn of the world, but the torments of hell. He was not merely accused by wicked men, he
was condemned by his own Father in heaven.
He willingly, deliberately went to the cross to pay for sins he did not
commit, and he did it so that you will not be condemned for sins you did
commit. You have been rescued by Jesus
from sin, death, and hell. Judgment is coming
upon this world because it is wicked and warped. Jesus has set you apart from the world which
is marked for destruction. He will not
abandon you to cope with it on your own.
Turn to Jesus when
facing temptation. The Savior who lived and died for you will not
forsake you in life or in death. He has
summoned you, “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I
will deliver you, and you shall glorify me” (Psalm 50:15). When you pray, call upon God with your
specific request. Say out loud the sin
which entices you. Name the enemy which
stalks you. There is no verse in the Bible
which suggests that the devil can hear your thoughts, but he can hear your
words. Pray against the devil to vex him
and to chase him away.
Even if you succumb
to temptation, the Savior will not cast you away. He extends this promise: “If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). And again, when you confess, acknowledge your
sins out loud. “Lord, forgive me for
this.” We do not commit generic, non-descript
sins. So, say what you have done when
you are seeking forgiveness for it.
Again, name your enemy to acknowledge what you must fight against. Turn to Jesus when facing temptation, and return
to Jesus when you fall into temptation.
For, he is your kind and merciful Savior.
Our desire is to
remain faithful to Jesus; for, the spirit, indeed, is willing. But understand that it is actually Jesus who
keeps you faithful to him. He summons
you to pray to him because the flesh is weak.
He preserves your faith through his word. Since temptations will not cease, your
devotion to the word of God and prayer cannot cease either. The Lord also nurtures your faith through the
body and blood which have overcome death and the devil. As you feast on the Lamb which was slain and
now lives, you will live more and more for him.
And as you continue to turn to Jesus, you will long more and more to be
with him. You will care less and less
for this world, and you will be less and less bothered when the world takes its
pleasures and praises from you.
“Temptations to sin are sure to come” (Luke 17:1), so turn to Jesus, and you can be assured of your ultimate victory over every lie and every evil.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Private confession and absolution will be available at church from 6:30 - 8:30 PM on Tuesday, April 4. No appointment is necessary. Just stop in. If this rite is new to you (and it is for many who attend here), the pastor will walk you through the rite so that you understand and appreciate it more. Private confession and absolution is always available by appointment throughout the year.
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Our churches teach that private Absolution should be retained in the churches, although listing all sins is not necessary for Confession. For, according to the Psalm, it is impossible. "Who can discern his errors?" (Psalm 19:12) -- Augsburg Confession, Article XI
What is Confession?
Answer: Confession has two parts: the one is that we confess our sins; the other is that we receive Absolution, or forgiveness, from the confessor, as from God Himself, and in no way doubt, but firmly believe that our sins are forgiven before God in heaven by this.
What sins should we confess?
Answer: Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even of those that we do not know, as we do in the Lord's Prayer. But before the confessor we should confess only those sins that we know and feel in our hearts. -- Luther's Small Catechism, Part V
These are basic confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. They are catholic, insofar as they are Christian. But they are not Roman, insofar as the penitent is not obligated to orally confess every sin in order to be forgiven of it and insofar as one's forgiveness is not dependent upon some action on the part of the penitent. The forgiveness is based on Jesus' sufferings and death for the penitent who has been baptized into his name.
Since the practice of Private Confession and Absolution is a Lutheran practice, it would be good for Lutherans to practice it. It is good for the penitent who is grieved by a particular sin to confess it so that he can hear Christ say through the mouth of his minister: "I forgive you." It would be good for the one who is burdened to be relieved of his burden by Holy Absolution. It would be good for this practice, though foreign to many in my corner of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, to be restored.
Private Confession and Absolution has always been available to all members by appointment. In order for this practice to be restored and perhaps put to better use, there will be dates on the calendar set aside for anyone who would like to drop in and make use of this means of grace. These will be set up about 4 times per year. Private Confession and Absolution will still be available by appointment in addition to these scheduled times.
It is anticipated that Private Confession and Absolution will roughly follow this regular schedule.
A day around Epiphany (Epiphany is always January 6)
A day during Holy Week
A day around Labor Day weekend
A day after Thanksgiving weekend
The next scheduled date and time for Private Confession and Absolution will be Tuesday, April 4, 6:30-8:30 PM. Appointments are not necessary. You need only drop in. All participation is voluntary, as Absolution cannot be forced upon anyone.
Of course, this will be new to pretty much any member who decides to make use of it. If you happen to come in, the pastor will walk through the rite with you and explain the various parts of it, especially including the "private" part, namely, that this confession is to Christ and, therefore, remains his business alone. The pastor will not report any confession or even the names of those who come for confession. Finally, the point of this is not for a pastor to learn everyone's dirty, little secrets. (His life is easier if he remains ignorant. But God's people do not call a pastor to be ignorant; they call him to absolve in the name of Jesus.) The point is for the guilty and the grieved to find relief and receive forgiveness, or absolution.
Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, March 19, 2023. You may want to forward it to the 5:50 mark for the beginning of the service.
OUR LORD AWAKENS THE DEAD TO LIFE.
In
the name + of Jesus.
I suppose a little background is in order since our reading assumes we know the association between Elisha and the Shunammite woman. Elisha served as the Lord’s prophet and carried out his ministry from town to town. One of the cities he would visit on his circuit was Shunem. In that town, a woman suggested to her husband that Elisha should be invited to stay with them in their guest room when he came to town. Since she was so gracious to God’s prophet, Elisha was eager to be gracious to her. She and her husband did not have any children, so Elisha prophesied that she would have a son in a year. To paraphrase her response to Elisha, the woman said, “Don’t mess with me, man of God. Do not set me up for disappointment.” But true to Elisha’s word, the woman conceived and bore a son.
Fast forward a number of years, and the
child had grown some. He went out to
visit his dad in the fields during the harvest.
But we heard his exclamation, “Oh, my head! My head” (2 Kings 4:19)! Perhaps it was a brain aneurism. In any case, the child died; and the mother
who begged not to be disappointed was utterly grieved. She set out immediately to find Elisha, and
she laid the blame at his feet. She did
not want to bother her husband with the matter.
She would not speak to Gehazi about it.
Since it was Elisha’s word which gave the child, she would address only
him. Again, to paraphrase, she said, “Did
I ask you a child? Didn’t I say, ‘Don’t
mess with me?!’” All the joy she had
because of her child was forgotten. She
was heartbroken and defeated.
But Elisha, the man of God, had compassion
on this woman. He sent his servant, Gehazi,
to run and to put Elisha’s staff on the boy.
He presumed that this would restore the boy to life, but it did not. God’s word does not tell us the reason Elisha’s
staff failed. We only know that it did
not awaken the boy from death to life. I
suppose we can take a guess why. Perhaps
God was telling Elisha, “You need to be invested in this personally. You will need to touch the boy, his body
connected to your body, to awake the dead to life.” Even if that is not the reason, that is what happened.
When Elisha came to the house, he invested
himself to awaken the boy from death to life.
“He went in and shut the door behind the two of
them and prayed to the Lord. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting
his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the
flesh of the child became warm” (2 Kings 4:33-34). Of course, it was not Elisha who awakened the
dead to life. The Lord, who is the
author of life, heard Elisha’s prayer.
The Lord had mercy upon the bereaved mother. The Lord awakens the dead to life.
Elisha is a
foreshadowing of Jesus. Jesus came to
awaken the dead to life. To do so, the
Lord invested himself completely in us.
The Lord became a man, taking on our flesh. His body is connected to ours in order to
save our bodies from corruption and death.
When we think of Jesus saving us, we usually think only of his payment for
our sins. And that is certainly
true. St. Peter wrote, “He himself bore our sins in his body on
the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By
his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Taking on our flesh was necessary in order to give it into
death to pay for our sins. He invested
himself completely to save us completely.
He became a man in order to take up the cause of mankind. The Lord not only united himself to us by becoming
a human being, he also took into himself all our guilt and the punishment that
comes because of sin. So, Jesus has
removed your guilt from you and delivered you from any condemnation. You have been pardoned from every
offense.
The Lord awakes
us from death to life. You have been
given new life through Jesus Christ. You
are no longer dead in your sins. You
have been restored to godliness. You
have a status before God as one who is blameless, and the Holy Spirit has
created in you a pure heart which strives to live blamelessly. So, the curse of sin has been lifted from you,
but you are still living with the effects of sin. Bodies age and ache. Eyes and ears and muscles grow weak. You fear catastrophes and endure
tragedies. You have been delivered from
sin, but you still live in a sinful world.
When Jesus came
to deliver us from sin, he came to deliver us from all of it. The miraculous healings Jesus did give us a
glimpse of the heavenly kingdom. When we
enter heavenly glory, there will be no wheelchairs or crutches. There will be no hearing aids or corrective
lenses. There will be no prescription medication
or doctor’s appointments. All these come
because of sin. But Jesus will deliver
us from all of these, as his miraculous healings testify.
Sin corrupts and
kills everything it touches. It should
bother us to no end. Sadly, it does not bother
us as much as it should. For example, there
is nothing holy about selfishness. Selfishness
is, ultimately, idolatry of myself. But
I don’t always feel bad about being selfish.
When I am selfish, I often get my way.
For that reason, I often consider selfishness a good thing. I shouldn’t.
My selfishness is presumptuous. It
does not concern me with your schedule or your burdens. I only care about my own. Worse, it is an offense to God who has not
created me to love myself above all things.
This should bother me more than it does.
Repentance is owed—not only for the selfishness but also for how little my
sin bothers me. It shows how little I
take God’s word to heart.
While our sins
may not bother us as much as they should, what comes from sin sure does: death. The Bible reminds us, “The wages of sin is
death” (Romans 6:23). How
people die varies, but why people die does not. We are sinners. Sinners die.
And after death comes judgment. But
the Savior who has taken away our sin also delivers us from death.
Jesus became a
man and willingly went into death so that he could overcome it. When Elisha was tending to the Shunammite
boy, he had to call upon the Lord to raise him back to life. We are never told about the boy’s life after
that, but it is safe to assume that he grew older and finally died. He remained dead. The grave finally claimed him after all. But Jesus raised himself from the dead. He laid down his life only to take it up again. Now, the grave no longer has mastery over Jesus. This man has conquered death on behalf of all
mankind. Jesus lives forever, and
forever has authority over death and the grave.
On the Last Day,
Jesus Christ will awaken all the dead. All
graves will be emptied. Death must give everyone
back. Those who are in Christ will be
awaked from death to life everlasting.
So, while you will have to face a judgment, Jesus has already told you
what it is: You are pardoned of all sin. You have been cleansed by his blood. You are marked for eternal life. Those who remain outside of Jesus Christ,
sadly, will still be in their sin, and God cannot reward sin. Their punishment will be deserved. Their selfishness will reap its ultimate
reward, and their torment unending. But
for you, Jesus’ selfless life and death have atoned for your selfishness. He was mindful to pay for your sins even if
you were not mindful of them. Now, Jesus
lives to forgive your sins, to save you from a curse death, and to preserve you
in the saving faith because he has awaked you from death to life.
When Gehazi had
traveled to put Elisha’s staff on the boy’s face, it had no effect. Gehazi returned to Elisha and the Shunammite
woman to deliver the sad news. Gehazi’s
words, however, are a marvelous confession. He did not say, “The boy is still dead.” He said, “The child has not awakened”
(2 Kings 4:31). Is there a better
description of what death is for the Christian?
Jesus used a similar expression when we referred to the death of Lazarus. “He said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has
fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him’” (John 11:11). Since our Lord has authority over death, he
has authority to awaken us from death to life.
Think about when
you go to sleep at night. None of us is
afraid to go to bed. When you were eight
years old, you probably considered bed time to be a punishment. But not now.
Now it is a reward. But what
happens when you go to sleep? You are
dead to the world. You don’t see
anything. You don’t hear anything. You have no idea what is going on in the
world, and you certainly don’t have control over it. But you peacefully go to sleep, confident
that you will open your eyes to a new day.
The Lord Jesus will awaken us from death to life. When you close your eyes in death, you will
open them and see Jesus. You will be
with him in heaven, forever free from sin.
And on the Last Day, Jesus will awaken you from your grave. You will open your eyes to a new, glorious,
and everlasting day. This why we confess
joyfully: “We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the
world to come” (Nicene Creed).
We look forward
to eternal life because our Savior is the resurrection and the life. To ensure our part in that life, Jesus gives
us his body and blood which has conquered death. We feast on the living body and blood of
Jesus. Through this feast, Jesus sustains
us in a dying world and assures us of life everlasting with our Lord.
Finally, there
is one more point to make regarding the Shunammite woman and the raising up of
her son—the joyful reunion. When we must
bid farewell to those who die in the faith, it is a bitter and sorrowful
moment. When death rips them away, the tear
hurts badly. We don’t need to feel badly
for the Christian who dies. He or she has
entered the joys or Paradise. He or she
is forever free from the pains and sorrows that have been produced by sin. It is our pain that makes us weep. It is the unfixable separation from loved
ones that hurts so badly.
But fear not. Jesus will mend what sin and death rip apart. Just as the Shunammite woman was overjoyed to receive her son back, so we look forward to the joyful reunion of those who have died in the faith. The grave will give back our dead. And just as Jesus lives forever free from death, so will they. And so will we. For, Jesus awakens the dead to life.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Come on a tour of the final events of Jesus' life and of his resurrection from the dead. Get your passport and visit three stops which highlight why we celebrate Easter.
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Greetings!
REGULAR SCHEDULE
Divine Service is Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School and Adult Bible Class are on Sundays at 9:00 AM.
Bible Matters resumes in April.
ADULT BIBLE CLASS: HE WENT THROUGHOUT THEIR TOWNS AND VILLAGES
Throughout his ministry, Jesus never traveled more than 100 miles from his hometown of Nazareth, yet he covered a lot of ground. We will consider the various places and events which marked Jesus’ life and ministry. Travel along with Jesus throughout Judea and Jerusalem, Samaria, the villages of Galilee, and a few areas beyond Palestine.
The schedule for this class can be found here. Classes are on Sundays at 9:00 AM.
CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS
> We have considered the idea of getting an LED sign to replace our church sign for a long time. Rather than continue to consider it, we want to proceed. Signs come in many shapes, which also means many different prices. In order to determine our options, we need a few people to do some research on the LED sign options. Once we determine what we want and how much it will cost, we can either get the new sign or lay the plan to rest. If you are willing to do some research, speak with Dan Rauchholz.
> If you have friends who are not attending a church or with whom you have had conversations about spiritual matters, ask them if they would like to meet your pastor. Meetings can take place at your home, at church, at a coffee shop, or other venues.
SHARE THIS POST!
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
==============================
GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org
PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com
It is great to see continued improvements to Detroit.
For example, the Detroit Riverwalk has been voted the best riverfront in America (again!). Yes, Detroit. People from other communities are actually coming to Detroit to see what they've done to produce such an amazing riverfront. You read that correctly: they are coming to Detroit to see how they can duplicate it. Yes, Detroit.
Now, a new release is talking about the soon-to-be reopened Book Tower in downtown Detroit. Like so many buildings in Detroit, this was a gem that fell into disrepair for a long time. Conventional wisdom would have suggested to knock it down because it was a monument to urban blight. Developer, Dan Gilbert, saw it differently--or, rather, correctly. He invested about $300 million to renovate and restore it to its former glory. It will be opening again this year.
Check out the article and the embedded video to show what this place will be: Book Tower’s $300M+ historic renovation in Detroit nears completion (wxyz.com)
I doubt I will be able to afford the rate to enjoy a room there, and I have no need to lease an apartment there, but I sure hope I will find an opportunity to walk in. It looks amazing.
During Passiontide, you will note these additional practices.
The Gloria Patri (Glory be to the Father) is omitted from the Psalms.Our services will practically be barren of celebration, but that is the point. We are fasting. We are penitent. We are intently focusing on the sufferings and death of Jesus. Ceremony and celebration will return with vigor on Easter Sunday when we rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord which declares that sins are forgiven and that death is destroyed.
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WE CAN ONLY SEE SALVATION WITH JESUS.
In
the name + of Jesus.
Our Gospel begins by Jesus refuting a belief that never seems to go away. When Jesus’ disciples encountered a blind man, they asked Jesus, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:2-3). God does not work by karma, the idea that you prosper if you do good things and you will suffer harm if you do bad things. Hindus teach this. Jesus does not. If fact, if you believe karma, you would never dare have compassion on people who suffer. You would conclude that their struggles and problems are karma for their misdeeds. If you step in to help them, then you will be interfering with karma and the bad things will happen to you. This is unloving and unbiblical. Sometimes someone suffers because of his own sins or foolishness. Sometimes not. We don’t always know why one person suffers and another person prospers. What we do know is that the universe is not reigning over all things; Jesus is. That should bring us comfort no matter what we experience.
So, why was this man born blind?
Why are some people born with birth defects? Why do some people develop multiple sclerosis
or dementia? We don’t know. We can say that the world is broken, and as a
result bad things happen. But why this
person and not that person? We don’t
know. What we do know is that Jesus is reigning
over all things. That should bring us
comfort no matter what we experience.
In the case of this blind man, Jesus did
give a reason why he was born blind. It
was so “that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John
9:3). In this case, the
works of God meant reversing the effects of a sin. God designed eyes to see, but the corruption
of sin means that the gift of sight is withheld from some. Jesus came not only to remove the curse of
sin, but also to restore what sin had corrupted. So, Jesus “spit on the ground and made mud with the
saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to
him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ So he went and washed and came back
seeing” (John 9:6-7).
What should have been a cause for rejoicing
ended up being a cause of contention.
The day on which Jesus healed this man was the Sabbath. According to the Pharisees, making mud was an
act of creation, and such work was forbidden on the Sabbath. Therefore, some of the Pharisees said that
Jesus was worthy of condemnation, not praise.
They not only could not see Jesus as the Messiah, they would
not see it.
Most of the Pharisees refused to see what
God had revealed. Through the prophet Isaiah,
God revealed what we should expect to see when the Messiah comes. He foretold the signs: “Say
to those who have an anxious heart, ‘Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come … and save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and
the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and
the tongue of the mute sing for joy” (Isaiah 35:4-6). To be sure, there were miracles
done by God’s Old Testament prophets. However,
there is no record of a blind man receiving his sight. No blind people were ever healed until Jesus
of Nazareth did it. Jesus did not deal
with a man who was had slowly gone from 20/20 vision to blurred vision to being
legally blind. He was blind from
birth. Jesus restored his sight,
fulfilling God’s promise through Isaiah.
It was plain to see, but the Pharisees refused to see it.
Ironically,
the blind man did. The Pharisees “said to the blind man, ‘What do you say about him,
since he has opened your eyes?’ He
said, ‘He is a prophet.’ They
answered him, ‘You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?’ And they cast him out” (John 9:17,34). The man who had been born blind
saw what God had revealed: We can only see salvation with Jesus.
We all have blind spots where we do not
see what God has revealed. There are
some things in God’s word that we just don’t understand. Now, that is not a reason to give up pondering
these things. We continue to hear God’s
word and meditate upon it. As time goes by,
God makes things clear to us. What a joy
it is to have those “Aha!” moments! What
a blessing it is when God enlightens us to see his word all the more clearly. If you are eager to have more of those moments,
join us for Bible Class where questions and discussions foster more of those moments.
But we also suffer from some blind spots the
same way as the Pharisees did. We don’t
want to see what God is revealing. Our
reason is the same as theirs: We don’t like it.
God’s word is sometimes hard to accept.
Our sinful nature does not what to give up our self-centered opinions
and goals. We want our sins to be
defensible. We want our grudges and our
jealousies to be justifiable.
Perhaps the blind spot that affects people
most is our accountability to God. All people
agree that sins which hurt other people are bad. Stealing is bad because you harmed someone’s
ability to pay bills. Lying hurts
someone else’s reputation. War is bad
because it takes lives, limbs, minds, and property. Bullying is bad because it belittles people and
causes them to live in fear.
But God’s definition of sin is not limited
to what hurts other people. Sin is whatever
is opposed to his word. If I argue that
getting drunk in my basement is not a sin because no one saw it and no one got
hurt by it, it is still in violation of God’s word. God sees it.
The sins that we do with the doors closed and the shades drawn are still
sins. God holds us accountable for them
all. They are still wicked. Even if the whole world cheers and supports
you in your sins, God does not and cannot.
It is imperative to see this: God’s word is to be taken seriously
because God is to be taken seriously. If
we followed God’s word in all things, we would not offend God or harm our
fellowman. Repent.
We can only see salvation with Jesus. When the Pharisees came face to face with the
evidence that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, they carefully investigated the
miracle—but only to prove that Jesus’ miracle was a fraud. They refused to see it any other way. They doubted that the man they saw was really
the same guy who had been blind. They
questioned the man’s parents because they didn’t believe the man was really
born blind. They called the miracle evil
because it was done on the Sabbath. They
asked repeatedly how the healing came about, refusing to believe it was real. They insisted that Jesus was not a godly
person. No matter how often they were
shown Jesus’ words and works, they refused to see that he is the Christ, the Son
of God, and the Savior of the world.
They were worthy of Jesus’ sentence: “Jesus
said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no
guilt; but now that you say, “We see,” your guilt remains’” (John 9:41). Their problem was not ignorance; it was stubborn
unbelief. And “Whoever does not
believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).
We can only see salvation with Jesus. He fulfills the prophesy of Isaiah, not only giving
sight to the blind and healing diseases, but this part of the prophesy, too: “Behold, your God will come…. He will come and save you” (Isaiah
35:4). Jesus comes to save you from all sin
and from all that sin brings with it.
Now, Jesus will not stop the anger or the bitterness that some people
have toward you. The man who had been
born blind was reviled and expelled by the Pharisees. Perhaps he was permanently banished from their
synagogues. So, Jesus may not deliver
you from the wickedness of other people.
Some will do evil to you just because you are a convenient target. You may have to endure their cruelty, but they
cannot condemn you.
We see our salvation with Jesus. He saves us from the wrath of God, which we
rightly deserve. God’s word shows us our
guilt. Only stubborn unbelief would shut
its eyes and deny that guilt. But see what
Jesus does! He takes away your guilt and
saves you from God’s wrath. When Jesus went
to the cross, many must have wondered why such a gracious man would suffer this
way. If you asked the Sanhedrin, it was because
Jesus was deceiving the people by claiming to be God. If you asked the Romans, it was because Jesus
was a threat to the government by claiming to be the King of the Jews. If you were a by-stander, you would see Jesus
as a beaten, bloody mess. You might
conclude that he deserved all the mockery he got.
But God reveals something different. The prophet Isaiah foretold: “Surely he has borne our griefs and
carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and
afflicted. But he was pierced for our
transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities… It
was the will of the Lord to
crush him” (Isaiah 53:4-5,10). This is how we see Jesus. It was the will of God to deliver us from his
wrath. So, Jesus was damned for us. Jesus made himself accountable for us and
suffered what you and I deserve so that we would not suffer under God’s anger
at all.
The Pharisees had both the prophecies of the
Bible and the ministry of Jesus to see that he is the Christ. They even got to see Jesus’ sufferings and
death. But they refused to see that
Jesus is their Savior. They were blind
to the love of God revealed in Jesus, and they had no benefit from it. But thanks be to God, you see it differently. We can only see salvation with Jesus. When we see Jesus’ sacrificial death, we see
the way God loves us. God is not willing
to lose you to sin, so he sent Jesus who willingly endured the cross for
you. Through Jesus, you are forgiven of
every offense against God. God is not
willing to lose you to the grave, so Jesus conquered it by his resurrection. Because of Jesus, God see you as one who is
guiltless. Therefore, you will rise from
the grave to see the glories of heaven.
Jesus has secured that for you.
We see our salvation in Jesus. Jesus now lives and reigns over all things for the good of his Church. We don’t always see how that is working out. Bad things still happen, and many times we don’t know why. Why does this person suffer while that person prospers? Why does evil go on? Why is life so hard? It won’t always make sense to us. But rather than fret over what we see in this world, we put our trust in what we see in God’s word. And we trust that God knows what he is doing. That should console no matter what we see or experience. Because no matter what we see or experience, we see God’s love and salvation in Jesus. That remains constant. That alone comforts.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The touch of Jesus is significant. Jesus could certainly have spoken a word of blessing upon the children. Or the mothers could have sung a psalm for their children which proclaims God's blessings upon his people. But the touch of Jesus was important to them. They made the effort to go to Jesus and to deliver their children to him.
This is significant for us today, too. While we can take comfort in the word of God which delivers God's blessings to us (i.e., forgiveness of sins, new life, and salvation), the Lord knows that we need his touch. God did not merely declare from heaven that he loves us and forgives us. He became a man to connect himself to us, in fact, to unite himself to us. In doing so, he exalts our humanity and, by his death and resurrection, will restore us to what God had created us to be. He does not merely save our souls. He saves us completely--body and soul, which is what God has created us to be.
When Jesus wants to connect with us today, he goes beyond his bare word to do so. He could have issued Bibles to everyone and told us to read his word and said, "That is sufficient. You need nothing more." Instead, he chooses to touch us in physical ways.
He established the office of the holy ministry and sends out pastors who proclaim God's blessings, preach God's word, absolve God's people, and touch their lives. When he brings us into his kingdom, he tells us to use water in connection with God's word to cleanse us of all sin. Through the waters of holy baptism, he gives us his Holy Spirit. When he strengthens and keeps us in the one, true faith, he gives us his body and blood in, with, and under the bread and the wine in holy communion.
And even more, he connects us with each other. We are all flesh-and-blood, body-and-soul people who get to support one another. We do so not only with prayers, but also with human touch. God designed us to have fellowship with one another. We greet one another with handshakes and hugs. In the early church where the culture called for it, they greeted one another with a holy kiss.
Like those mothers who loved their babies and wanted Jesus to touch them and bless them, we also want to make the effort to come where Jesus touches us with his blessing. In this way, we don't have to rely on how well we hear and understand God's word for our comfort. We can have Jesus apply his blessings to us through things we can touch, taste, see, and smell.
The blessings of Jesus came through his touch. They still do.
NOTE: The picture above is a painting by Lucas Cranach, the elder (1472 - 1553), on display in Frankfurt, Germany. (Source: Christ Blessing the Children by CRANACH, Lucas the Elder (wga.hu))
