YouTube -- 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 1, 2024)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, September 1, 2024.

Sermon -- 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 1, 2024)

ROMANS 9:30 – 10:4

THE ONLY RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT SAVES IS BY FAITH ALONE.

In the name + of Jesus.

     You do not have to go to church to know how to behave.  You do not need to be a Christian to be a decent person.  Most people know how to be honest, moral, and decent.  That does not mean they always are, but it means they can do it.  If you took a foul-mouthed thug and put him before a judge, he would suddenly be able to curb his tongue and avoid profanities.  He would even demonstrate humility.  He may not want to, but he knows he has to.  He does not need a church to show him that.

     Throughout your life, you will meet a lot of nice people who have no use for the church, for a Bible, or for Jesus.  When they die, their eulogies will praise them for what wonderful people they were.  There will be stories about how much they volunteered to bring help and happiness to others, about their generosity, hospitality, and zest for life.  And they may all be true.  Those eulogies might put you to shame, as you wonder why you have not done as much as they did.  It is assumed that such people have done enough to find their way into heaven.  This may also boomerang on you, as you wonder if you’ve done enough.

     St. Paul speaks about two kinds of righteousness.  There is a righteousness which comes by faith, and there is a righteousness which people try to attain by their works.  To many, they look the same, but they could not be more different.  One saves, and the other does not.  One reduces you to nothing; the other strokes your ego and fills you with pride.  One opens heaven, and the other brings you down to hell.  In fact, some think the righteousness that results in death is more praiseworthy than the one that saves.  But the only righteousness that saves is by faith alone.

     St. Paul wrote, “Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law” (Romans 9:30-31).  In other words, the Gentiles did not know the Commandments.  Some were decent and moral; many others embraced debauchery, dishonesty, and drunkenness.  Nevertheless, those who heard the word of God, repented, and believed in the promises of Jesus were found righteous.  Their righteousness was not earned; it was given to them by faith in Jesus.  The only righteousness that saves is by faith alone.  On the other hand, the people of Israel had the Law of God.  They tried to keep the Commandments and the Levitical regulations, and they looked pretty good trying.  But they never lived up to God’s perfect Law.  God did not find them righteous by their works because, no matter how pious or abundant their works were, they remained sinful.

     The Gospel lesson gives us an example of the righteousness which comes from works.  The Lord had given Old Testament Israel numerous laws to keep them distinct from the nations around them.  They were to be set apart because the Messiah would come through them.  Among those laws were dietary laws—foods that were clean and lawful and foods that were not.  In addition to God’s Law, the Pharisees had added their own practices.  They prescribed the washing of hands, plates, utensils, and other things.  This was not about hygiene, but spiritual purity.  They taught that observing all these things would prove a person pure, or righteous, before God.  They taught that the failure to wash or to eat non-kosher foods defiled a person.  The Pharisees observed all of these laws and traditions, and it looked very impressive.  The eulogies for the Pharisees would gush: “How noble and pious they were!  They fasted.  They tithed.  They diligently observed all the traditions.  Surely, they have their place in heaven!”

     One thing you should understand about eulogies: Eulogies are our remembrance of someone.  We tell stories and reflect on memories about why he was so special to us, how faithfully he served in this or that capacity.  We fondly remember his interactions, his quirks, and his personality.  All of it may be true.  Eulogies are our judgment.  We overlook faults and highlight achievements.  On the one hand, such memories are to be cherished.  There is a reason the death of a loved one grieves you so much.  On the other hand, eulogies are not God’s assessment.  That’s why funerals in Lutheran churches do not have a parade of people telling their favorite stories.  There is a place for those outside of the funeral, no doubt.  But if we want comfort in our sorrows and assurance of peace and hope for the deceased and for ourselves, then we need to hear God’s promises.  We do not establish our own righteousness; Jesus does.  Only Jesus does.  Jesus alone does.  The only righteousness that saves us by faith in Jesus alone.

     The Pharisees tried to establish their own righteousness before God by all their pious acts.  But outward acts do not make us pure.  They might look attractive.  They might produce impressive eulogies.  But they do not make the heart pure or the person righteous.  Jesus said, “Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?  … What comes out of a person is what defiles him.  For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person” (Mark 7:18-23). 

     The heart is sinful.  It is naturally corrupt and selfish.  When we encounter nice people who do nice things, we might compliment them, saying, “She has a good heart!”  But what about when nice people do not-nice things?  When you are jealous of someone else’s blessings, is that a good heart?  When your impatience results in giving someone the stink-eye or uttering a nasty word, is that a good heart?  When a man gazes at a woman’s figure and fantasizes about what he could do to that figure—caring not about her name, her feelings, or her well-being—is that a good heart?  All these sinful attitudes come from within, from hearts that have been corrupted by sin.  If your heart is corrupt, the works that come from it will also be corrupt.  Righteousness before God is not an occasional thing, it must be a constant thing.  For God is not good occasionally, he is a good and holy God constantly.  That is the standard he holds us to.

     There are two kinds of righteousness—the righteousness that comes from inside of you, and the righteousness which comes from the outside.  If it comes from inside of you, then you are trying to establish your place with God by doing enough good works to please him.  That does not mean such people are irreligious.  Some might be atheists who are confident in their niceness, but others are people who confess to be Christians who still depend upon themselves for their place before God.  Consider St. Paul’s assessment of the people of Israel: “I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.  For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness” (Romans 10:2-3).  In other words, people know how to behave.  They know they should be upright, decent, honest, and moral.  But they reject the righteousness that God provides, convinced that they are doing enough to establish their own righteousness.  Some want to split the credit—“Jesus did his part.  Now I’m doing mine.”  But if you are corrupt, then your part is corrupt.  It cannot be righteous.  This cannot save you.  The only righteousness that saves is by faith alone.

     Now, if your righteousness comes from outside of you, then it is not yours by nature.  God must bestow it upon you.  This is the righteousness of God and it comes through faith in Jesus Christ.  This is what St. Paul says is “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense” (Romans 9:33).  The offense is that we have nothing to contribute.  We want to think so.  We want to believe that we are God’s people because we are better than those who are not.  But Jesus destroys all that.  If your righteousness comes from outside of you, then you have nothing to boast about—not works, not effort, not sincerity, not a better performance than anyone, not even being nice.  The righteousness of God comes from Jesus, and he gives it to you freely and fully. 

     The only righteousness that saves is by faith alone.  Faith alone does not mean that no works were done.  It means that the works have been done by someone other than you.  The holy obedience which pleases God has been lived by Jesus.  This Jesus gives to you.  Jesus has also done the work which takes away your sins.  Jesus suffered and died bearing your guilt.  He endured the sinner’s death for you and took in all of God’s wrath in your place.  That’s why St. Paul wrote, “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4).  The works of the Law do not make you righteous; Jesus does.  Thanks to Jesus, the Law does not condemn you; Jesus has fulfilled it.  Your sin does not stand against you; Jesus has taken it away.  So, while you cannot boast that you have done anything to receive your place in heaven, you can boast that in Christ all things have been done.  It is just as Martin Luther confessed: “Lord Jesus Christ, you are my righteousness, I am your sin.  You became what you were not so that I would be what I am not.” 

     And now what does the Bible teach you?  “In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27).  If you trust in Jesus’ merits instead of your own, then you are sons of God.  If you are baptized into Christ, then you are clothed with Christ.  If you are clothed with Christ, then you are righteous in God’s sight.  If you are righteous in God’s sight, then you are saved.  The only righteousness that saves in by faith alone. 

     Fast forward to your funeral.  There will be people who will eulogize you.  They will share stories and memories.  They will talk about what you have done for them and for others.  They will remember your good works, and what they say will probably all be true.  But the good works are not what saved you.  They sprang up from a heart that was purified by the blood of Jesus and enlivened by the Holy Spirit.  They are evidence of God’s work in you.  But when you are standing before God, no eulogy will help.  Your Savior, however, will.  Jesus Christ will present you to his heavenly Father dressed in his own righteousness.  And he will uphold the word of the Lord: “whoever believes in him will not be put to shame” (Romans 9:33).    

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

YouTube -- 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 10, 2023)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, September 10, 2023.

Sermon -- 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 10, 2023)

EZEKIEL 33:7-11

TRUE LOVE MEANS SAYING THE HARD TRUTH.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The Lord had called Ezekiel to a watchman over the people of Israel.  The job of a watchman was to stand on the walls of the city and keep a look out for any threat to the city.  People who lived in the city would commute to the fields around the city to tend their flocks and herds or to till the ground for crops. 

     The watchman allowed the people to tend to their daily work without concern for their safety.  If he saw an enemy approaching, he would blow the trumpet to alert everyone.  The people in the fields would, then, flee back to the safety of the city and take refuge behind its walls.  If they ignored the trumpet, or if they did not want to bother to stop their work, their blood would be on their own heads.  On the other hand, if the watchman failed to blow the trumpet and alert the people of the danger, the people would be killed, but the watchman would be accountable for their blood.  Therefore, it was crucial that the watchman be faithful in his calling.  The lives of people were at stake.

     The Lord told Ezekiel, “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel.  Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me” (Ezekiel 33:7).  The trumpet that Ezekiel sounded the call of the people to repent of their sins.  They had turned away from God’s word; and by turning away from God’s word, they turned to evil.

     Ezekiel was sent by God to proclaim the word of the Lord.  His life would have been easier if he had just kept his mouth shut and let people do whatever they wanted.  Many would have preferred Ezekiel mind his own business.  But Ezekiel’s business was that he was a watchman.  He was duty-bound to tell people the word of the Lord.  He might not have been able to make them care, but he would not let them remain ignorant.  Ezekiel was a man under orders—God’s orders.  So, Ezekiel had to tell people the hard truth about their sins and God’s judgment whether they hated it or loved it.  It was crucial that the watchman be faithful in his calling.  The lives of people were at stake.

      This is still the role of the Church.  The Church has been entrusted with the word of God.  We are not to keep it to ourselves, but to proclaim it.  You could argue that the Lord’s instruction in these verses is just for pastors.  That is true, to an extent.  Pastors are under orders to speak the word of the Lord and to warn people so they will not be swept away by their sins.  Pastors are accountable to God for their faithfulness in doing this.  It is crucial that the watchman be faithful in his calling.  The lives of people are at stake.

     But this is your concern, too.  Jesus taught his disciples, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone” (Matthew 18:15).  These are instructions about one Christian speaking to another.  Out of love for each other, we do not want to see anyone turn away from the Lord and be swept away by sins.  Since you love your family and friends, then you can love them enough to tell them the hard truth.  You can tell them what God’s word says so they can escape being condemned by it.  True love means saying the hard truth.

     Many people will tell you that this is not what love does.  People say that love means accepting people no matter what.  Love means letting people do what makes them happy.  But this is not true.  Think about raising children.  If they run amuck in your house, draw on the walls with markers, pull all the pots and pans out of the cabinets, and flush socks down the toilet, will you let them keep doing it because it makes them happy?  Will you let them keep acting this way because you love them?  On the contrary, precisely because you love them, you will discipline them, correct their destructive behavior, and teach them self-control.  If you don’t, they will suffer much worse consequences when they are older.  True love means saying the hard truth, even if it results in a tantrum from those children.

     It is no different when we get older.  Some insist they have the right to do whatever they want, even if it is clear rebellion against what God has said.  Many immoral behaviors are defended with the phrase, “Love is love.”  It is a nonsensical phrase, suggesting that anything is good if it is wrapped up in terms of love.  But what would you say to a married man who becomes enamored with his co-worker?  What if he becomes so involved with her that he leaves his wife for this new woman, insisting, “She is my soulmate.  This is true love.”  If “Love is love” and if “the heart wants what it wants,” will you fault this man for leaving his wife and family because he found love in another woman?  Wouldn’t you instead tell this man, “This is not love.  It is selfish and it is evil.  Repent”?  Examples like this abound.

     Now, the phrase, “The heart wants what it wants,” is true.  We have desires, sometimes intense desires, and we want to act on them.  But the phrase fails to recognize that our hearts are sinful and corrupt.  The heart often wants to do or to take what God forbids.  And the slogan, “Love is love,” might be popular, but it is not Scriptural.  What does the Bible teach us?  “God is love” (1 John 4:16, emphasis added).  That means whatever God says is said in love.  In love, God directs us to what is good and pure.  And if it is good and pure, we benefit others as we do it.  When God calls us to repent because we are not good or pure, he is doing it because he loves us.  True love means that God will tell us the hard truth so we will not be condemned for chasing the lies.

     You might be afraid to speak to your loved ones about their sins and to urge them to repent.  What if urging loved ones to repent means they get angry and you never see your family again?  It is true: Families can be torn apart by such conversations.  But would you be willing to keep your family for a time only to lose them for eternity?  Like Ezekiel, all you can do is sound the trumpet.  You sound the trumpet because you love your loved ones, and because it grieves you to see them in danger.  It is crucial that the watchman be faithful in his calling.  The lives of people are at stake.  True love means saying the hard truth. 

     If you should find yourself having a hard conversation with a loved one about his sins, he might become defensive or angry.  That is often how we try to hide our guilt.  He may also accuse you of being judgmental or acting superior.  This is why it is best to sound the trumpet of God’s word.  Even if your loved one is not accountable to you—though his sin grieves you and may influence others—all are accountable to God.  Therefore, we proclaim God’s word.  We say, “This is what the Lord says, but this is what you are doing.  You are fighting against God, and I would hate to see you suffer for it.  You are on a dangerous path.  Please put a stop to your sin.  If you need me to, I will help you however I can.”  You are not having this conversation for your good, but for his.  This is true love; and true love means saying the hard truth.

     The Lord told Ezekiel: “Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11).  If you urge people to flee from their sins, it may produce better behavior in them.  Better behavior will spare them of harm to themselves and to their loved ones.  The man who puts away his internet porn will focus on improving his marriage to the woman in his house who is real and not virtual.  The liar can get back some respectability by being honest.  Rather than pondering evil about someone, the gossip can devote his words and his time to praying for them.  There is benefit in that, but to be saved, we need more than better behavior.

     True love means saying the hard thing.  But true love does not just expose the wound; true love also puts salve on the wound and provides its cure.  So, in love, God does not just inform us of our sins; in love, God informs us how he takes our sins away.  The Lord does not take pleasure in damning.  He is not a God who is eager to smite and destroy.  He is eager to redeem, to rectify, and to restore. 

     God proved his love by becoming a man and taking our sins upon himself.  Jesus Christ is God in the flesh.  He willingly gave his life as the ransom price to set us free from all wickedness, guilt, and shame.  This is true love because Jesus did not do this for his good, but for ours.  Jesus did not suffer and die for us because he owed it to us or because we proved ourselves worthy.  Long before you and I were in this world, long before we had sins on our record or reason to fear God’s judgment, Jesus gave himself as the atoning sacrifice for us.  This is love—that Jesus suffered what sinners deserve so that we will not suffer what we deserve.  The Lord has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but it pleased the Lord to make himself a guilt offering for us.  It pleased the Lord to die the death of the wicked in order to pardon us.  And Jesus willingly took up the task he was given because he loves his Father, he delights in God’s word, and he is also eager for our redemption.  Jesus was not only eager to do these things, he accomplished them.  And this is not a hard truth, but joyous good news and the truest, purest love there is.  For, God is love.

     But what hope is there for someone who rejects God’s word?  The writer to the Hebrews asks: “How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3)?  If people reject God’s word, where will they find forgiveness or comfort or peace?  How can they cope with guilt or shame or death?  Denial and defensiveness can only last so long, and then comes the reality of death and judgment.  True love cannot stand by and let loved ones perish.  If they reject God’s word, if they prefer to let the heart have what the heart wants, then the truth of God’s word becomes especially hard—they are lost.  But God’s truth still stands, so we say so.  And then we pray for their repentance.

     True love means saying the hard truth.  Confessing God’s truth is not optional for us.  God’s truth keeps us secure and preserves our faith.  Therefore, we cling to it.  And since God’s word is the only way that sinners can be rescued from their sin and its judgment, we eagerly confess it and proclaim it.  God’s word reveals the Savior we need, the Savior we have, and the only Savior there is to deliver us from sin, death, and the devil.  It should not be hard to speak these truths, because they are good news of great joy which is for all the people.  God’s love for us is our reason to rejoice.  Our love for God is our reason to confess his word.  And our love for others is the reason to confess it to them.

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

15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 18, 2022)

 PROVERBS 25:6-7

KNOW YOUR PLACE BEFOFE THE KING.

In the name + of Jesus.

     King David had many children from multiple wives.  You probably don’t know the names of many of them.  You likely recall Solomon who became king after David.  And if you remember any others, it is likely Absalom who tried to depose his own father and become king in his place.  Absalom’s reign did not last very long.  He was also fearful that his memory would not last very long.  2 Samuel records this: “Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar that is in the King's Valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.”  He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom's monument to this day” (2 Samuel 18:18).  Although the monument was still standing when 2 Samuel was written, it was lost to history long ago.  If it were not for the Bible, we would have no record of Absalom.

     Absalom’s fear infects us all.  We want to be remembered.  We want to believe that we are important and that our lives matter.  We want to know that WE matter.  Some have become convinced that they do not matter and conclude that suicide is a sensible course of action.  It is heart-breaking to see people—young people!—consumed by despair like that.

     None of us has the clout or the cash to establish a monument to ourselves like Absalom did.  So, in order to feel important, we build up claims about ourselves.  It does not matter if they are true or not, just so other people will hear them and acknowledge us.  Who does most of the work around your house?  Who is the busiest person at your workplace?  Chances are, you would say, “It’s me!”  Maybe it is.  But if I am convinced that no one is busier or works harder or accomplishes more than I do, it is because I am aware of my work more than anyone else’s.  I know my burden and remain unfamiliar with the burdens of others.  This is how I convince myself that I matter and that I am valuable. 

     We measure our importance by full schedules, titles, accomplishments, and income.  But this is a dangerous game.  What if you lose your job?  Are you suddenly worthless?  Are you insignificant if you don’t accomplish as much as you used to?  Are you unimportant if you don’t have a title?  The world probably thinks so, so you might think so.  Absalom propped up a monument to prove to the world that he was someone.  If you prop yourself up, it is to prove to the world that you are something.  Or maybe you are only trying to prove it to yourself.  Either way, you will end up disappointed.  Someone else will always be busier, make more money, get more done, or have a higher title.  You will age and decline.  If this matters to you, it is probably because you think it means that you won’t matter anymore.

     David’s son, Solomon, ended up being king of Israel.  More importantly, King Solomon was guided by the Holy Spirit to pen the book of Proverbs.  In his book, Solomon tells us what a godly life is.  And he who was king urges all of us: Know your place before the King.  “Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble” (Proverbs 25:6-7). 

     If you prop yourself up before others, they usually respond by trying to one-up you and propping themselves up higher.  It ends up being a contest which only produces boasting, but not winners.  Maybe you will win that contest.  Or maybe you will be humiliated because you are not as big a deal as you thought.

     If that is true in a worldly sense, it is all the more true before the Lord.  Know your place before the King.  “Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble” (Proverbs 25:6-7). 

     This is why we begin every service with a confession of sins.  There is no point in approaching God and boasting how much we have done.  Whoever does this expects payment from God.  Even if we achieved perfect obedience to God’s commands, Jesus told us how we ought to respond.  “So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty’” (Luke 17:10).  But we have not achieved perfect obedience.  Rather, we come before God with an honest admission.  We are, by nature, sinners.  Our hearts and minds are corrupt, and it shows itself by what comes out of our mouths and what we do with our actions.  Know your place before the King.  “Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence” (Proverbs 25:6), especially because he knows your life, your motives, your thoughts—every dirty little secret.  If not now, then at the final judgment, the King will expose you for the sinner you are and humiliate you for all your boasting.

     Now, we do not confess our sins to God as reverse psychology, as if we grovel and say, “Lord, have mercy on me, a wretched sinner,” so that God would reply, “Oh, you are not that bad.  Don’t worry about it.”  No, God judges justly and accurately.  Sinners deserve his wrath and punishment, both now and eternity.  We do not confess that to gain pity; we confess it because it is accurate.  And we confess our sins because we hold God to his own 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).

     Our King is a most merciful king.  Our glorious king laid aside his glory to come to earth for sinners.  He came because he loves us.  He loves us because we are his creation.  Therefore, he acts to redeem us from sin and death.  The King of heaven and earth became the lowest of the law by accepting all the charges that stand against you and all mankind.  Bearing the sins of the world, Jesus suffered accordingly.  Jesus died the cursed death that sinners deserve.  The eternal Son of God was damned in place of all mankind in order to deliver all mankind from eternal death and shame.  And the Savior who went into death for sinners overcame death for sinners.  Jesus lives and reigns to declare that your sins are pardoned and that all charges have been dropped.  Jesus lives and reigns to decree that you will live and reign with him.  You have his royal decree on it.  When you were baptized, he granted you the blessed status as a child of the Most High God.  And if you are a child of God, then you are an heir of his heavenly kingdom.  Know your place before the King who summons you, “Come up to a higher place, and take your place at the heavenly banquet.”

     Do you see how valuable you are to the Lord?  Do you see how much you matter to King Jesus?  Whether you are a genius or suffer from mental health issues, whether you are living comfortably or from paycheck to paycheck, whether you are strong or frail, whether you are in the prime of your life or at its sunset, you matter to the Lord.  For you are his creation, his redeemed, and his beloved child.  God the Father showed you your worth by the price he paid to make you a member of his family. 

     Know your place before the King.  Although you do not see him in his glory yet, you still live and serve before the King in whatever it is you do.  The works God has given you to do are important, too.  Those works matter, especially for the people you are serving in your various vocations.  You do not need to change the world for your works to delight God or for your service to matter to others.  You might feel that your job is mundane, and you might wonder if anyone would care if you never showed up to do your job.  If you feel that way, you can bet that it is not Jesus who is suggesting that to you.

     Know your place before the King, because everything you do in his name is glorious to him—sweeping the floor, scrubbing the toilet, driving courteously, calling your parents, pushing buttons for the company, or being the person who runs the company.  God presents you daily with opportunities to honor him and to serve your neighbor.  What a glorious task he gives you.  The world may put value on it according to your paycheck, but the Divine King values it because he values you.  He is delighted to see his royal servants be his loyal servants.

     Know your place before the King, and do not be discouraged if the world is unimpressed by you.  In the sight of God the Father, it does not matter.  If you have enjoyed a safe, pleasant upbringing or if you endured a rough childhood, it might affect the way you see the world.  It does not affect the way God sees you.  He sees you as cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.  If you look at your life and see many impressive accomplishments, or if you are disappointed that you did not achieve more, it might affect the way the world views you.  It does not affect the way God views you.  His love for you is not determined by how much you have done, but by what Jesus has done for you.  Whether you have earned impressive titles or those titles were given to someone else, whether your achievements are honored or go unnoticed, it does not change your value.  Even if you scrape by in life, you still have treasure in heaven.  You are children of the Most High God.  What greater title could you have?  The world may strip you of your titles or wipe out your achievements.  But the King of heaven and earth assures you that your title as child of the Most High God cannot be taken by anyone and your inheritance will never lose its value.  Jesus lives and reigns to guarantee it.

     Absalom, the son of David, built a monument to himself so that people would remember him.  His monument did not last.  If you built a monument to yourself, it would not last either.  Even if it were still standing in 100 years, many would look at it and comment, “I guess someone thought they were important, whoever that was.”  King David had many other children besides Solomon and Absalom.  Do you know their names?  So it will be with you and me.  Like Eleanor Rigby, we will die and be buried along with our names.  No one will remember us down the road.  That’s okay.  The King of heaven and earth not only knows your name, he has written it in the Book of Life.  God the Father knows who is children are, and he will never forget you.  Why?  Because you matter to him.  You are valuable to him—enough that he gave his only-begotten Son to gain you.

     Know your place before the King.  Because you know King Jesus, he will honor you and say, “Come up here,” and bring you to the eternal feast.

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

YouTube -- 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 5, 2021)

Here is the service from September 5, 2021.

Sermon -- 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 5, 2021)

MARK 7:1-8,14-15,21-23

SIN COMES FROM WITHIN US,

BUT SALVATION COMES FROM OUTSIDE OF US.

In the name + of Jesus.

      When Jesus debated with the Pharisees, he often exposed how their traditions violated God’s word.  From that, we might get the idea that traditions are bad.  Traditions, however, can be valuable and useful.  They are even cherished.  Tell a Michigan fan that their last game of the season will be against Maryland instead of Ohio State, and you will get a lecture on what tradition means.  Imagine a New Year’s Eve without the ball dropping in Times Square.  What about a Christmas Eve without singing Silent Night?  If these things happened, they should not rock your world, but they probably would.

     The Church has its share of traditions, as well.  We make the sign of the cross on themselves.  We stand for the Gospel reading.  We kneel for receiving the Lord’s Supper.  The pastor wears vestments when he leads the service.  Now, none of these save anyone.  But whatever traditions a church uses are supposed to teach the faith.  If you don’t know why we do what we do, please ask.  Every tradition is supposed to support Christian doctrine.  Any tradition that fails to do that is useless or even destructive.

     Traditions are usually defended with the phrase, “We’ve always done it that way.”  That may be true, but it does not explain why we have done it that way.  When we defend the tradition rather than teach the reasoning behind it, the traditions take on a life of their own.  They become more important than the teaching they are supposed to support.  That’s what happened with the Pharisees.

     In fairness to the Pharisees, their traditions were intended to improve the observance of God’s Law.  In the case of today’s Gospel lesson, the issue was ceremonial washings.  God’s word did prescribe ceremonial washings for the priests before going into God’s presence, for lepers after they were cured, or for pots and pitchers which had contact with an unclean animal like a lizard.  The Pharisees expanded God’s directives.  To make sure the vessels for eating were ceremonially clean, they were always to be washed; so also the hands of the people who were eating.  So, when Jesus’ disciples reclined at their table without washing their hands, the Pharisees were mortified.  We might tell our children, “Oh, that’s gross!  Wash your hands!”  For the Pharisees, the rebuke was, “That is unlawful.  You are clearly wicked men!”

     Therefore, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and corrected their practice.  “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’  You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” …And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him” (Mark 7:6-8,14-15). 

     The Pharisees’ traditions had trumped God’s word.  They condemned people who were guiltless.  This was not only slander, but it produced a burden of guilt on people which they never should have carried.  It would be like making too much out of making the sign of the cross on yourself.  If we started to have debates about the proper way to make the sign of the cross (cross right to left vs left to right, how you form your fingers when you cross), we would make people fret that they are not faithful to the Lord unless they get the tradition right.  We would put the focus on the ceremony and forget what it teaches.  Making the sign of the cross is supposed to serve one purpose: It is a reminder that you are a baptized child of God.  If it does not do that, it is useless.

     Jesus turned the meal time conversation to the dietary laws observed by the Jews.  Now, these laws were divinely given.  Some food was declared to be clean, some unclean.  The kosher laws and all the ceremonial laws were designed to set Israel apart from other the other nations for the Savior who would come through them.  But now the Savior has come for all the nations.  In establishing his new covenant, Jesus stated that righteousness does not come by what you eat or don’t eat.  “There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him” (Mark 7:15). 

     There is nothing outside of you that makes you sinful or unclean.  To be sure, there is much wickedness in this world.  Wicked men plot wicked schemes.  People are rude and insulting.  Authorities abuse power.  Liars manipulate, slander, and steal.  People sin against you—sometimes thoughtlessly, sometimes intentionally.  But there is no one in this world who makes you a sinner.  There is nothing outside of you which makes you sin.  Sin comes from within you.  Sin dwells in you and corrupts your thoughts, words, and actions.  Our confession is correct: “I confess that I am by nature sinful and unclean.”  As Jesus stated, “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, and so on…  All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person” (Mark 7:21,23). 

     It is not people out there who make us sin.  Sin comes from within us.  Sin arises from a heart and mind that are sinful from the moment we are alive.  That’s why you have wicked thoughts, words, and actions.  When someone gets a promotion, wins a contest, or gets recognized for some achievement, there is nothing wicked about that.  It should be a time for everyone to rejoice.  Instead, you become envious.  Sin comes from within you.  When man gazes at another woman and fantasizes how his life would be better if she ditched her husband for him, the woman did not do anything evil.  That covetous desire comes from within you.  Even when someone sins against you, they don’t make you sin.  If a man defames you or defrauds you, he is guilty of evil.  You have a right to recognize his sin and call it what it is.  But when you dream of seeing him die or suffer harm, that comes from within you.  That’s because we are by nature sinful and unclean.  Sin comes from within us. 

     The Pharisees tried to fix this with harsher laws and traditions.  Threats and fear may enforce better outward behavior, but they do not change a single corrupt heart.  Medieval Christians tried to avoid the wickedness by hiding in monasteries, but they did not escape sin.  They brought their own sinful nature in with them.  You can find traditions which curb your behavior, but traditions will never save you.  He who is impure cannot make himself pure.  “There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him” (Mark 7:15).  Sin comes from within us.  It does not come from outside of us.  But salvation does.

     Salvation comes from God through his Son, Jesus Christ.  God sent Jesus who is pure, innocent, and righteous to save us.  When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, he did it not to receive forgiveness, but to unite himself to us.  In his baptism, Jesus soaked up all our sins and guilt and made them his own.  This is why Jesus went to the cross to be put to death.  Bearing our sin, he made himself the sin offering which atones for us.  Jesus died as one defiled with all sin.  Jesus was sacrificed for those guilty of debauchery and deception, for envy and anger, for selfish fantasies and foolish pride.  Jesus was consumed in the fiery wrath of God.  In this way, Jesus consumed death and damnation for you.  Jesus took God’s curse and God’s wrath for you.  If God’s curse and wrath are taken away from you, God has nothing left for you but peace and love.  If death and hell are conquered by Jesus, they cannot have you.  Jesus has purchased and won you from all sin, from death, and from the power of the devil.

     Sin comes from within us, but salvation comes from outside of us.  Pardon and peace come from outside of us.  They have to.  These things cannot be claimed by us, they have to be granted by one with authority.  It works that way in our world, too.  You cannot walk into a court of law, tell the judge you have acquitted yourself, and walk out.  The judge must pass the sentence to grant you a pardon.  So it is with God’s forgiveness.  It does not come by you thinking you should have it.  God must declare it. 

     Salvation comes from outside of you.  The Lord applies his salvation to you through preaching and his word.  The word is revealed by God, recorded by prophets and apostles, and related through others.  You probably first heard it from your parents.  You hear it preached through pastors.  You are encouraged, or if needed, admonished, through your fellow Christians.  Pardon and peace are a divine proclamation.  Your confidence comes from God’s decree rather than your own intentions which are not always good and your reflections which are not always right.

     Salvation comes from outside of you.  You were baptized into the name of Jesus.  By your baptism, God washed away your sins, covered you in Jesus’ righteousness, and gave you his Holy Spirit to drive out the unclean spirit that was in you.  He made you a new creation.  He created in you a clean heart, which is your status before God.  Jesus presents you pure and undefiled before the Father.  Jesus also sends his Holy Spirit to renew in you a right spirit.  The Holy Spirit works in you your desire to live a godly life and to put to death whatever sinful desire would entice you.  So, even the good you and I do is what God wills and works through us. 

     Salvation comes from outside of us, but it is given freely and generously by our Triune God who designed and desires our salvation.  God the Father sent his Son to save you.  Jesus paid the price to redeem you.  The Holy Spirit created and sustains faith in you.  It is all the work of a holy God rather than an impure person.

     For the most part, our traditions are the inventions of mankind.  Good traditions reinforce the teachings of God’s word.  Good traditions aid us in our discipleship.  Good traditions guide our mouths and our bodies to say and to do what we believe in our hearts.  If they point to Jesus, they are doing what traditions are supposed to do.  But the traditions themselves do not make us pure, and they cannot save.  For, salvation is never our work.  Salvation comes from outside of us; and God has been pleased to plant that salvation in us.  The Lord dwells in our hearts, so our hearts are not only close to him; they are his. 

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

YouTube -- 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 13, 2020)

 Here is the service from September 13, 2020.

Sermon -- 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 13, 2020)

MATTHEW 16:16-21

THERE IS NO SALVATION WITHOUT A CROSS.

In the name + of Jesus.

      The gospel reading begins with the phrase, “From that time on....” (Matthew 16:21)  It begs the question: What just happened?  What was the event that sparked Jesus repeated instruction that “he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Matthew 16:21)?  It was this, that the disciples confessed and acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  

     There was a great misunderstanding among the Jews about what the Christ would do when he came.  All the Jews were awaiting the Lord's Messiah, but they also had various ideas about the mission of the Messiah.  One common expectation was that the Messiah would restore the throne of David, the glory of Israel, and times of prosperity to the people of God.  In practical terms, that could mean expelling the Romans, an abundance of wealth, great honor and prestige, and continual dominance over surrounding nations.  In short, they wanted a worldly Messiah who would bring in a worldly kingdom of worldly success.  

     The disciples had confessed that Jesus was the Christ.  So, “from that time on,” Jesus continued to teach his disciples what that meant.  It meant that Jesus must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things, be killed, and on the third day be raised from the dead.  The reason this must happen is that there is no salvation without a cross.

     One reason the Christ must suffer this way is because that is what the prophets foretold.  If God had promised it, the Christ must fulfill it.  So Jesus must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert (John 3:14-15).  Jesus must be pierced in his hands and feet (Psalm 22:16).  As he hung from the cross, the Christ must have his bones disjointed (Psalm 22:14) but not broken (John 19:36).  He must die according to God's will (Isaiah 53:10).  And more prophecies foretold what must happen.  If God had promised it, the Christ must fulfill it.  The cross was not an option; it was a pre-determined destination.  There is no salvation with out the cross.

     But the Christ does more than merely fulfill prophecies.  The prophecies were given for a purpose—to proclaim the Lord's salvation for sinners.  Therefore, the Christ must do what he was sent to do in order to win salvation for you; and there is no salvation without the cross.  The Christ, the Son of God, must come to take upon himself the sins of mankind.  The Christ must submit himself to the righteous judgment of God and die as one accursed.  The Christ must lay down his life as a guilt offering on behalf of the guilty.  The Christ must endure this condemnation publicly so that all the world could know what God has done to remove the curse of sin and to graciously pardon our offenses.  After the payment for sins has been made, the Christ must be raised up from the dead to prove that the payment is complete, that sins are forgiven, that the grave is powerless against mankind, and that Jesus has been entrusted with all judgment.  Since he has taken away your sins and emptied the grave of its sting, he has already assured you of a judgment of innocence and eternal life.  All of this is only fulfilled through his death on the cross.  There is no other way of salvation, and that is why Jesus taught his disciples that this is what it means that he is the Christ.  This must happen, for there is no salvation without the cross.

     Jesus' instructions, however, continued.  He said that the cross was necessary for him, but he adds this: The cross is necessary for you, too.  “Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'” (Matthew 16:24-25)  There is no salvation without the cross.

     This is, perhaps, where you start to appreciate Peter's rebuke of Jesus.  Jesus had just taught his disciples that he must suffer many things and be killed.  Peter was appalled.  “Suffer shame, rejection, and a bitter death?  No, Lord!  God have mercy on you and spare you this.  And what about us, your disciples?  What do we get?  What is in this for us?”  Such opinions are held today as well.  What benefits does Christianity deliver to you?  What blessings does Jesus bestow?  Our longings are often as misguided as the people in Jesus' day.  Many want Christianity without a cross.

     Perhaps this is illustrated best by athletes who succeed or win championships.  They give glory to God, which sounds noble.  But underlying these claims is the belief that God rewards those who follow him with worldly success.  God gives strength to hit a home run.  God gives trophies and medals to those who honor him.  God will bless you if you share the Facebook post.  But what blessings are we expecting?  Like the Jews of Jesus' day, we want a worldly Messiah who will bring worldly success.  

     There is no salvation without the cross.  Jesus did not take a path of glory, fame, success, and wealth to the cross.  Why should his disciples expect a different path?  Jesus called Peter's thoughts about this Satanic, and indeed, they are.  These are the dreams and schemes of men—to seek worldly blessings from a worldly Messiah and to bask in a worldly kingdom.  But the world and all its riches will pass away.  If you devote yourself to them, you will perish with them.  “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Matthew 16:26)  

     There is no salvation without the cross.  That is why Jesus teaches us: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)  We never overcome our desire for personal glory.  We accumulate wealth not to benefit others, but ourselves.  We tell stories to enhance our own honor.  You can discover your true nature when you consider the kinds of things you daydream about.  How often are your daydreams about helping other people?  How often are your daydreams about the kingdom of God?  Are they not about your own pleasures, your own pride, and your own kingdom?  This is why Jesus tells you to deny yourself.  Jesus delivered you from your selfishness so that you would not be condemned for it, but not so that you could continue in it.  

     There is no salvation without the cross.  “If anyone would come after me, let him … take up his cross.” (Matthew 16:24)  Sometimes the cross is what the Lord lays on you.  In his wisdom and in his mercy, he has you endure pain and loss.  It surely does not seem like mercy, and your own wisdom strongly disagrees with the Lord's.  But the Lord is not looking for you to be happy in the next few minutes.  The Lord seeks your eternal salvation.  Therefore, he may take away from you good gifts.  The losses that truly grieve us are the loss of good things.  And yet, the Lord chooses to take them away from us to teach us to not put our trust in them.  We can give thanks for them, but we cannot rely on them.  Sometimes this is the cross that we must bear—to put to death our reliance on gifts that can be lost.

     There is no salvation without the cross.  Each one of us has a cross that is unique.  You take up your cross to put to death the sinful inclinations that you struggle with.  Every one of us is plagued by a different set of temptations.  Things that appeal to you may have no appeal for me, and vice versa.  If you than shrug your shoulders and say, “Oh, well, this is just who I am.  God will forgive me anyway, so I will not fight against sin and temptation”, This means you have no interest in denying yourself or in casting away your sins.  But God has not saved you so you can still dabble in the sins you find attractive.  These are the thoughts of men which lead to death.  But you have been transformed by the thoughts of God who calls you to flee from your sins.  He teaches you that defiance of his word is never good or harmless.  He calls you to put those desires to death.  This may be especially hard for you.  Daily, you may find yourself in a battle to resist temptation.  Just as Jesus did when he was facing his cross, you will have to call on God to strengthen you as you bear your cross.  And God is merciful.  He does not leave you to face sin and temptation alone.  He summons you to pray, and then he gives you a promise: “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (Psalm 50:15)  And if you still fall, he extends another 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) 

     There is no salvation without the cross.  The cross was designed for killing things, and the sinful nature cannot be tamed; it must be killed.  Our sinful desires must be put to death in us so that they will not claim us and control us.   And that is why you pick up your cross.  You have been set free from your sins; do not welcome them back.  You have been saved from sin's curse; do not return to it.  Rather, follow Jesus.  We devote ourselves to his word for comfort, guidance, and hope.  We consume his body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith.  We follow not just his words, but also his ways; and his way is the way of a cross.  Then, after the cross, everlasting glory.  These are the things of God.  And there alone do we find salvation.

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

Sermon -- 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 22, 2019)

LUKE 14:1,7-14

THE LOWEST PLACE YIELDS THE HIGHEST HONOR.

In the name + of Jesus.

     When Jesus was invited to feast at the home of a prominent Pharisee, he could not help but notice the jockeying that went on among the dignitaries who had shown up.  Jesus lived in a society that was driven by honor.  As the Proverbs declare: “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” (Proverbs 22:1)  If you were disgraced, it was more than an embarrassment; it was a condemnation.  The Pharisees were the experts in God's law.  Among them were men of varying degrees of prestige and importance.  So, when they arrived at the feast, they had to size up who was there to determine who was the most important and who got the most important places.  The apostles struggled with this mentality too, having arguments among themselves about which of them was the greatest.
     Jesus, therefore, told a parable about people who finagle their way to the most important seats at a wedding banquet.  Those who scheme to get the places of greatest importance clearly think they deserve them.  Few are so bold as to claim a spot in the VIP seating who know they don't really belong there.  If you do claim a spot there and the VIP shows up whose spot you are in, you would be escorted to the cheap seats.  Once again, in a culture that is based on honor, getting moved to the lowest place is not merely embarrassing, it is a sentencing.  It shows you where your honor has dropped to.
     However, the lower place would yield the higher honor.  For, Jesus said, “When you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’  Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.” (Luke 14:10) 
     Now, Jesus was not offering up political savvy when he said this.  Granted, some may have schemed this way, hoping to get themselves exalted in front of the other guests.  But  if you would take it upon yourself to sit in the lowest place, you had better be prepared to stay there.  Jesus did not say that the master of ceremonies is obligated to move you up.  Jesus is not into political games or social jousting.  He wants people of self-importance to recognize their place.  And that is why he warns: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)
     This is a theme that runs throughout the Gospel of Luke.  It began with the Virgin Mary when she sang her song of praise: “He has shown the strength of his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate.” (Luke 1:51-52)  The Lord does not have much mercy for those who boast how great, how important, and how much more valuable they are than others.  Before God, we all share equal value—sinners.  On earth, we all have the same end result—the grave.  There is no difference.
     Even if God has granted you a position of great importance, you don't need to flaunt it over anyone.  If you do, you spend no time loving and serving your neighbor.  You only want to exalt yourself over your neighbor at his expense.  There is a story about a corporal in the War of the American Revolution who was giving orders to a squad of privates to move wood in order to prepare a bridge to cross a river.  While he was barking out orders, an old man came up to him and suggested, “It looks like those men could use a little more help.”  The corporal turned to the old man and forcefully explained that he was in command and his job was to see that the privates do the work that was assigned to them.  He was not about to lower himself to do the work of privates.  The old man said nothing more and joined in with the men moving the wood around.  Not much later, another soldier came up to the corporal and asked, “Why is General Washington doing the work?”  One man took pride in his supposed importance.  The other sought to serve, regardless of his importance.
     Jesus teaches us to order our lives with similar humility.  We do not need to concern ourselves with our own prestige or the prestige of others.  We simply love our neighbor and serve him in his need—especially if he is needy.  After warning the Pharisees, Jesus also addressed his host.  Rather than sharing his blessings with those who were already richly blessed, the man was told, “When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you.” (Luke 14:13-14)  
     In Jesus' day, those who were poor, crippled, lame, or blind did little to contribute to society.  They were stuck in their difficult condition, often through no fault of their own.  Since they had little to contribute to society, they were judged as having little value and no importance.  The Lord disagrees.  Granted, they cannot pay you back for the time, effort, and money you spend on them.  But they are not to be loved because of what they can give; they are to be loved because of what they need.  And they need it more than most.  By serving them, you share a concern and a common place with them.  You are both sinners.  You are both dying.  You are both in need of God's mercy.  And if you can reflect God's mercy in your compassion for the needy and the lowly, it is all the better for them.  Demanding your respect and flaunting your importance does nothing for your fellow man.  In the kingdom of God, the lowest place yields the higher honor.
     The lowest place of all was taken by our Lord Jesus.  Jesus is God Almighty who possesses all majesty, glory, and honor.  Yet, he put aside his glory to become man.  He did not come to live in palaces or flaunt his royal divinity.  Jesus did not merely become a human being, he took a lowly place among human beings.  The only time Jesus was found in a palace was when he was on trial.  The only time Jesus was adorned as a king was when the soldiers put a robe on him and a crown of thorns to mock him.  When Jesus did use power, he did it to serve the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 
     More than that, Jesus took the lowest place.  He put aside his honor to take up our shame and sin.  He gave up his innocence to take on our guilt.  And he went to the cross which was the lowest place of all.  It was more than an agonizing death by crucifixion.  It was Jesus suffering the curse of the Father for the sins of the world.  It was the damnation for the sin of every sinner of all time.  Jesus was accounted guilty on behalf of the whole world and was condemned for sins he had never committed.  Therefore, because Jesus took the lowest place, God the Father exalted him to the highest honor—that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every mouth confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11)  The lowest places yields the highest honor.
     Jesus took the lowest place so that you would be exalted.  He has taken away your sins, and he exalts you to a new status.  Instead of declaring you to be a sinner who has not kept his commands, he declares you to be a saint who has been cleansed of all unrighteousness.  You are now a child of the Most High God.  And if you are a child of God, you are an heir of the heavenly kingdom.  Jesus took the lowest place, but in doing so, he has given you the high honor of forgiveness of sins, new life, and salvation.  Jesus did not do this because you have produced something valuable that he wanted to get out of you.  Rather, your value is found in what God gave to redeem you—that Jesus willingly gave up his holy, precious blood to save you.  He did not save you because you were great or important or highly exalted.  He saved you because you needed it and because he loves you.  And that is what highly exalts you.
     As long as we live in this world, we do well to remember our place in it.  We are but dust and breath.  We are sinners who live among other sinners.  We are no more special or important or valuable than anyone else.  The world may value people based on what it can get our of them.  But in the kingdom of God, one's value is based on what Jesus has done for them.  Therefore, we love and serve our neighbors in their need, and especially those who truly need it.  The lowest place yields the highest honor.  Humble service will be highly honored by our God.  For he has exalted you for the sake of Jesus to be his own, and he will bestow on you everlasting honor at the heavenly banquet.

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

Sermon -- 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 2, 2018)

EPHESIANS 6:10-20

WE DRESS FOR BATTLE AND STAND, BY GRACE.

In the name + of Jesus.

     When a reading begins with the word, “Finally,” it helps to know what led up to the “finally.”  Throughout the letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul reminds us of who we are.  We are God's people, by grace.  We were chosen by God before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless before him.  In time, God sent his Son, Jesus, to deliver us out of sin and death by taking our sin and dying our death.  Since Jesus has risen from the dead and since we are baptized into Jesus, we too shall have victory over the grave.  We have all been united into this one faith by grace.  And by grace, we are set apart to honor God, to serve our neighbor, and to confess God's word with our words and with our lives.
     God's grace has supplied us with all we need for godly living now and for the glory to come.  While this news gives us endless peace, it does not mean that we get to live our lives in endless peace.  On the contrary, our enemy still targets us, tempts us, and attacks us.  We live in the Church Militant, which means that we face battles every day.  Every day is a fight to do what is right.  Every day is a struggle against our own sinful flesh so that we do not give up whenever we get weary or frustrated, or even when we fall.
     We live in the Church Militant.  We have a real enemy who fights against us.  Therefore, St. Paul encourages: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11)  We tend to think of our enemies as people who steal our possessions, who harm our reputation, or who inflict harm in our bodies or our family members.  These are most certainly evils, and the Ten Commandments condemn such actions.  No one wants to be robbed, slandered, wounded, or killed.  The devil spurs people on to do these things, and they cause grief, pain, and frustration for those who suffer them.  As painful as it is to lose such blessings, no one is damned because they do.  St. Paul reminds us: “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)  Therefore, you are urged to put on the full armor of God so “that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11)  
     The devil seeks to lead us out of the kingdom of God not with weapons, but with words.  He distorts God's promises so that we trust lies.  He tempts us to believe that following God's word is too hard, too expensive, too unreasonable, too unpopular, and too boring.  It is far easier to announce that you love all people and applaud whatever it is they choose to do.  After all, why would you be opposed to loving people and seeing them happy?  But what makes sinners happy is their sins.  God sees nothing lovely about applauding actions and attitudes which usher people into hell.  So, if the devil even distorts what it means to show love or to be happy, his schemes can not be trusted.  They must be exposed, and then they must be opposed.  The struggle continues.  Therefore, put on the full armor of God, because it is needed.
     We dress for battle and stand, by grace.  We do not have the strength or the savvy to overcome the devil's schemes.  So, our Lord gives us the battle plan.  Here it is.  Ready?  “Stand there.”  St. Paul instructs us: “Take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand therefore...” (Ephesians 6:13,14)  The Lord does not instruct us to charge into battle, to conquer new territory, or to destroy demons.  We aren't strong enough.  But Jesus is, and he has already won the victory over the devil.  Therefore, we stand in Christ so that we remain alive, protected, and safe.  We dress for battle and stand, by grace.
     Although it sounds like a foolish battle plan, it is quite common throughout the Bible.   The most familiar example is when the Israelites had marched out of Egypt.  They reached a point where the Red Sea was before them and the Egyptian army was behind them.  They were stuck.  They expected slaughter and defeat.  The Lord, instead, divided the Red Sea waters and ordered Israel to continue their march.  Israel passed through the sea on dry ground.  However, when the Egyptians pursued them, the waters return to their place.  The Egyptian army was dead, and God's people got to celebrate a victory in which they did not even draw a sword.  The battle went just as the Lord had promised: “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14:14) 
     We dress for battle and stand, and we take our refuge in Jesus Christ.  Jesus has fought the battle for us against sin, death, and the devil.  He single-handedly acted to deliver us from every enemy.  He did not go forth with armies or weapons or even armor.  Jesus took on frail flesh which carried all our sins.  He was pierced naked to a cross where he took every one of the devil's accusations upon himself, though he had no guilt of his own.  The devil was all too pleased to work through wicked men to orchestrate the crucifixion of Jesus.  The devil was convinced that the death of God's Son means damnation for us all.  Jesus went into death for us, but he rose on the third day.  The devil had not overcome Jesus, and death could not contain him.  Jesus has paid for all our sins.  He has crushed the serpent's head.  By his sufferings, death, and resurrection, Jesus has delivered you from all your enemies.  Sin cannot condemn you.  Death cannot keep you.  The devil cannot have you.  No matter how much the devil taunts, attacks, and tempts you, your refuge is Jesus.  In him is life and peace and everlasting victory.
     Therefore, we do not need to charge into battle.  The battle has already been won by Jesus.  Although we remain in the Church Militant,  although Satan still flings his fiery arrows, we need not fear.  We dress for battle, putting on the full armor of God.  And we take our stand.  St. Paul describes our protection.  “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God....” (Ephesians 6:14-17)  
     We dress for battle and stand, by grace.  The Lord Jesus has supplied us with armor to withstand every temptation and attack.  They are all defensive in nature.  The full armor of God is designed to protect us.  For, Jesus does not ask us to go forth to make ourselves anything different than we already are.  We are God's redeemed people who have been set apart as recipients of God's mercy and grace. 
     We are dressed for battle, having been clothed with Christ himself.  He is our refuge against all our enemies.  Jesus has taken the blows from sin, death, and the devil for us.  When we take our stand in Jesus, we remain safe.  This means we devote ourselves to God's word, knowing his truth and growing in faith.  The better we know God's word, the more we will recognize a deceptive voice when we hear it.  When we go to receive absolution, the voice of Jesus through his minister overrules every taunting word of Satan.  Satan tries to make your sins stick to you, but Jesus declares, “You are pardoned.  Go in peace.”  The absolution extinguishes every flaming dart of the devil and quenches it in baptismal waters.  When we flee to Holy Communion, we will be strengthened and comforted.  For this is the feast by which Jesus nourishes us and sustains us so that we will continue in the battle of the Church Militant. 
     For now, we dress for battle and stand, by grace.  We take our stand with Christ, and he remains our refuge against all our enemies.  Sin does not condemn; we stand in God's grace.  Death does not own us; we stand as children of the resurrection.  The devil cannot harm us; we stand in Christ who has destroyed his kingdom.  And soon, the battle and struggle will end.  Jesus will deliver us into the Church Triumphant where our enemies will never afflict us again.  And there, we will take our stand in God's glory and everlasting peace.

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