Sermon -- 20th Sunday after Pentecost (October 15, 2023)

MATTHEW 22:1-14

THE LORD PREPARES BOTH THE FEAST AND THE GUESTS.

In the name + of Jesus.

     “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son” (Matthew 22:2).  And that is exactly what it is.  The Lord God, King of the Universe, has sent his Son to save everyone in the world from the guilt of sin and the penalty of its punishment.  More than save us from a damning judgment, the Lord also summons us to a sumptuous banquet where we get to rejoice and feast in his presence forever.  For God does not just tolerate the world.  God loves the world.  Therefore, he sent his only begotten Son so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 

     God loves his creation enough to redeem sinners rather than damn them, and to reconcile us to himself rather than forsake us.  He loves his creation enough to restore all things and to make them new again.  The glory that awaits us is a grand banquet.  The Lord proclaimed, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9).  And so, it is not just a parable.  “The kingdom of heaven [is] a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast” (Matthew 22:2-3).  

     In the Old Testament, the Lord had chosen Israel to be his favored guest.  While salvation was not limited to the Jews, the Lord worked through them because the Messiah would come through them.  The whole reason Israel was set apart by God was for the sake of that Messiah.  For years, the prophets foretold that the Messiah would come.  They called the straying back to the Lord and repeated the invitation to the feast.  For years, the people waited in hope.  Then Jesus came to them.  He called the people to himself so that they would benefit from his saving work.  He was eager to welcome them into the heavenly banquet.  The Lord had both prepared the feast and summoned the guests.  Sadly, they all had reasons to ignore the invitation.

     If you were invited to a State dinner at the White House, odds are you would go.  Even if you hated the president, you would likely go.  It is no small thing to be the guest at a State dinner.  Now, understand this: This was the king’s invitation.  A king carries far more authority than a president.  Our presidents are accountable to the laws of the land.  A king is not.  He is supreme, and his word is law.  So, refusal to heed the king’s invitation goes far beyond an insult; it is treasonous.

     The king invited honored guests to a banquet for the crown prince.  The king had alerted the guests; they knew that this banquet was coming.  Then the king summoned his guests: “‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready.  Come to the wedding feast.”’  But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them” (Matthew 22:4-6). 

     The guests who had been invited did not go off to commit crimes or plot wicked schemes.  They just didn’t care.  For the most part, they went back to their jobs.  They had busy schedules.  They would not give up their time for the king.  Their time was dedicated to making money so they could pay their bills, put food on the table, and maybe make their homes a little nicer and enjoy their families.  I don’t think we would call any of that evil.  But the king was going to supply everything they needed at his wedding feast.  They would eat from the king’s table.  They would be surrounded by royal splendor.  They would enjoy the company of their families and friends.  And best of all, they would bask in the kindness and generosity of the king.  But they despised the king and his banquet.  Some even rejected it with violence.

     If you have not picked up on the warning already, here it is: We also have daily pursuits that consume our time and attention.  They are usually not evil.  Our schedules are filled with obligations for work, for chores, for sports, or for study.  The devil does not need to seduce you with wickedness to draw you away from the words of your King.  He takes what is good and convinces us to elevate it above God.  This is idolatry.  We become distracted so that we don’t read our Bible.  We don’t ponder our Lord’s words.  We don’t come to Bible study.  We don’t say our prayers.  We brush it aside by saying, “I just don’t have time.”  While it sounds noble to be so busy, it is a lie.  We always make time for what matters.  Somehow, we do find time for scrolling through social media or binge watching TV series.  But if we don’t make time for it, our confession is this: It doesn’t really matter.  It can be skipped, and it will not be missed.  Repent. 

     “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son” (Matthew 22:2).  Many refuse to heed the King’s words and forfeit his good graces.  Nevertheless, the King is determined to be gracious.  “He said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.  Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’  And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good.  So the wedding hall was filled with guests” (Matthew 22:8-10). 

     The Lord prepares both the banquet and the guests.  He seeks out from all over the world people for his wedding banquet.  And he is not picky.  The invitation did not depend on whether people were rich or poor, if they were locals or foreigners, or even if they were crooks.  The King invited everyone to the wedding feast for his Son.

     The Lord prepares both the banquet and the guests.  It does not matter what your past has been or what marks are on your record.  You are summoned to the wedding feast.  In fact, as members of the Church, you are not merely guests; you are the Bride of Christ.  “The kingdom of heaven [is] a king who gave a wedding feast for his son” (Matthew 22:2).  The Son of God has betrothed himself to the Church.  As a faithful Groom, Jesus made himself accountable for all the debts which have been wracked up by his beloved.  We owe God obedience because he is our Maker.  But we have not given God what we owe.  We have incurred an insurmountable debt.  Jesus assumed the responsibility for our failures.  And then he paid the debt we owed.  By his sufferings and death, Jesus paid the full price for our sins and cleared us of charges.  This is how Jesus has prepared us for the feast of heaven.

     The Lord has prepared both the feast and the guests.  All are brought in the same.  We do not bring a contribution for the feast.  The Lord has done everything; we receive it due to his gracious generosity.  And what is more, the Lord has prepared the guests, too.  The servants went out to the distant roads to bring people into the wedding banquet.  Those people were both unaware of the feast and unprepared for it.  They would have had their grubby clothes which were stained with dust and mud from the fields and the roads.  The king, of course, knew that.  So, the king not only summoned them, he also provided them with garments appropriate for the wedding banquet. 

     St. John got a glimpse of the heavenly feast in Revelation.  He saw the multitudes there and noted, “I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes…  ‘These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation.  They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb’” (Revelation 7:9,14).  You and I do not stand before the Lord with righteousness of our own.  We are not righteous.  We owed God righteousness, but we have not given it.  Therefore, our perfect Groom not only covered our debts, he also clothes his Church with his own righteousness.  You and I have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.  We are been purified of all guilt.  We are clothed with Christ, and therefore we are pleasing to God the Father.  The King rejoices that we shall feast with him in glory.

     There was one guest, however, who had rejected the wedding garments.  “(The king) said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’  And he was speechless.  Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness.  In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’” (Matthew 22:12-13). 

     We don’t know why the man refused the wedding garments that were given to him.  He had no excuse to offer.  But we can guess what his excuse was because such excuses are still made today.  People presume that merely being nice is enough to appease God.  Maybe you’ve seen the poster or bumper sticker that says, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”  Of course, people should be kind, but just being kind is not enough to please God.  God’s command is not, “Be nice,” or “Be kind.”  It is “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” (Leviticus 19:2).  This holiness is bestowed upon is in holy baptism.  For, this is what the Lord says: “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).  This is the garment of salvation that covers you and presents you before the Lord as holy.  This is the blood of the Lamb which purifies you from all unrighteousness.  To refuse it is to stand before the king without the wedding garment.  And to stand before God without the righteousness of Christ results in being cast out of the wedding feast.  For, apart from Jesus, there is no forgiveness, no salvation, and no hope.

     But the Lord prepares both the feast and the guests.  Jesus has not only invited you to the feast, he has chosen you for his own.  He gives you everything you need to partake in the heavenly feast.  And to assure you of your place, he lays out before you the heavenly feast already now.  Here, the Groom feeds his Bride so that she can live and thrive.  Here, at the Lord’s table, we receive nourishment to sustain us until we enter the feast that has no end. 

     The King has prepared a wedding feast for his Son, and you are his honored guests—the holy things for the holy ones.  Rejoice in the goodness of the King; for, he rejoices over you.

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

Sermon -- Welcome Home Sunday (October 27, 2019)

HEBREWS 2:9-18

JESUS HAS BECOME OUR BROTHER

AND HAS MADE US GOD'S FAMILY.

In the name + of Jesus.

     There is a special relationship that families get to enjoy with one another.  While friends become near and dear to us, friends also come and go throughout life.  Chances are, you don't hang out with the friends you had in high school—even though, at the time, you were convinced they were the best friends you will ever have.  But new friends came along, because friends come and go.  A family, however, stays with you all your life long, in good times and in bad.  Your family is on your side.  And because they love you, they are not afraid to tell you that your choices are stupid, or wicked.  They care about your choices because they will live through the consequences with you.  Your family cares about your long-term well-being because they are in it for the long term.  God established the family, and God calls it good.
     There is a special relationship that families get to enjoy with one another.  Each family member has a stake in one another.  The neighbor kid may have been granted the privilege to walk into your house without knocking, but he never has the right to the inheritance.  Only family members have the special rights of the household.  If it is true for your flesh and blood family, it is all the more true for the family of God.  Now, dear Christians: You are the family of God.  And as the family of God, you have the special rights of the household.  You are brothers and sisters of one another.  No one here is more precious to God, and no one is less loved.  The reason we are all God's family is because Jesus Christ has become our brother and has made us God's family.
     God established the family, and God calls it good.  God was pleased to give you as a gift to your family when you were born to them.  But none of us has had an inherent right into the family of God.  On the contrary, we have not been obedient children; we have been rebels.  God reveals himself to us as our heavenly Father.  In one respect, God is the Father of all people; for he is the one who gives life to all.  What does God the Father do?  God has given us life and limb, provides clothing and shoes, house and home, our mind, our talents, and our abilities.  And the God who gives life also sustains it.  God causes the food to grow, the rains to fall, and the sun to shine.  He does this for all people—no matter how righteous or rotten they are.  Since God gives and sustains life, he also tells us how that live is to be lived with his Commandments. 
     And how do we respond?  We chafe under God's Commandments, looking for pleasure, satisfaction, and an easy life according to our own designs.  We find reasons to ignore or defy God's Commandments; and when we do, we still insist that we are good people.  We argue that his will is unfair and that our problems are God's fault.  We question his wisdom.  We think we would be better at being God than God is.  If you had a child who told you that the way you run your house is stupid, how would you respond?  Repent.  God's wrath is deserved, and our death has been earned; for the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)
     But miracle of miracles—God does not treat us as our sins deserve.  Not only does God not condemn us, he acts to bring us into his family.  Jesus Christ became our brother in order to made us God's family.  God bound himself to us in order to deliver us out of our bondage to sin and death, and to nullify any claims the devil would have on us.  The writer to the Hebrews says: Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.  (Hebrews 2:14-15)  
     God has become one of us in order to make us members of God's family and to bring us to heavenly glory.  In order to do that, Jesus Christ became our brother.  He became a flesh and blood man to bind himself to us and to take up our cause.  Jesus became like us in every way, except that he was without sin.  That does not mean, however, that Jesus had it easy.  The writer to the Hebrews states: “It was fitting that (God) … should make the founder of their salvation—that is, Jesus—perfect through suffering.” (Hebrews 2:10)  Jesus had to endure what you and I are familiar with.  He submitted himself to the very Commandments you and I are to keep.  And the devil saw to it that Jesus would endure temptations to abandon God's will and to go his own way.  He tried to convince Jesus that he could attain everything without suffering and without loss.  By remaining faithful to his Father, Jesus had to endure people lying about him, plotting against him, betraying him, disowning him, and failing him.  He suffered under Pontius Pilate, and Caiaphas, and Judas, and Peter, and through the words and actions of many others.  In all of this, Jesus remained the perfectly faithful brother of us and the perfectly obedient Son of his Father.
     But instead of claiming a reward, Jesus endured rejection from his Father.  Jesus took the full curse of the Law when he went to the cross with our sins.  Jesus became man so that he might taste death for everyone. (Hebrews 2:9)  He diverted the wrath of God from you to himself.  This is what the writer to the Hebrews means when he says that Jesus made propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17)  Jesus gave himself as the sin offering which appeased God's wrath.  He absorbed the whole curse and all death by his death.  Jesus put an end to the power of death by his death.  He has not only tasted death for everyone, but death has been swallowed up in victory.  This man who is our brother has defeated death by his resurrection.  And so now you, who also share in flesh and blood, no longer need to be haunted by the fear of death.  Jesus lives, and because Jesus lives so will we.  Jesus has become our brother to bring us to life everlasting with him in heavenly glory.
     If you have been baptized into Christ, then you receive all that Jesus Christ has won for you.  In baptism, you have been marked as a child of God.  Whoever believes and has been baptized has the right to be children of God and receives the benefits of the household.  God's name rests upon you.  God's love and blessing are yours.  And you are heirs of the heavenly kingdom.  God has done all of this for you.  He does not merely tolerate you; he loves you and has made you his own forever.  Jesus became our brother and has made us the family of God.
     If you are the family of God, then you are brothers and sisters of one another as well.  It means that you all have a stake in one another.  We are stuck with one another in God's family in good times and in bad, and that is a good thing.  It means that we get to pray for one another, to encourage one another, to watch over one another for our protection and well-being, and to reach out to each other in love and concern.  It even means that, when you see a brother or sister engaging in sinful choices, you don't sit back and say, “Not my business, not my problem,”—or worse, “If this is what makes them happy, I say go for it.”  We recognize the consequences for anyone who flaunts defiance of God's will, and we know the blessings that belong to those who cling to God's will.  If we regard each other as a brother or sister in Jesus, we will act as the family of God toward each other.
     Jesus has become our brother and has made us God's family.  Families are good and come with great blessings.  But as much as we strive to be good and faithful brothers and sisters in the family of God, we are still sinners.  We may be oblivious to the challenges and pains of our fellow brothers and sisters, and we may even be forgetful of them because we are absorbed in our own lives.  But even if your brother or sister fails you, the Lord Jesus does not.  Jesus has become your brother and has made you God's family.  And he loves you perfectly.  Jesus does not dismiss you when you struggle in your weakness, and he does not disown you when you fall short.  He continues to declare to you that you are children of the Most High God, and that God's love is greater than your shortcomings. 
     Your place in God's family has been won by Jesus, and it is assured by Jesus.  That is why we gather together as the family of God each week.  God, our Father, summons us to receive his blessings.  Jesus, our brother, comes with his body and blood to sustain us in the faith.  The Spirit continues to confirm us in the faith and to conform our lives to Jesus.  And we get to rejoice together and to encourage one another—not just occasionally on a special Sunday, but continually.  This is good; for there is a special relationship that families get to enjoy with one another.  Jesus has become our brother.  God has made us his family.  He desires us to be his dear children now and forevermore.  There is no more special relationship than this one.  And it is good.

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

Sermon -- 20th Sunday after Pentecost (October 7, 2018)

MARK 10:2-16

BLESSING COMES ONLY THROUGH HEEDING GOD'S WORD.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The Pharisees came to Jesus, hoping to ensnare him with this question: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” (Mark 10:2)  If Jesus said, “yes,” they would have condemned him for failing to uphold the 6th Commandment.  But if Jesus had said, “no,” they would have quoted Moses to him, charging him with rejecting the word of God.  Knowing that they were not genuine in their questioning, Jesus threw it right back at them.  “What did Moses command you?”  They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” (Mark 10:3-4)  
     They were not wrong, but they were not right, either.  Moses' instructions about a certificate of divorce had to do with an orderly way for society to recognize when a divorce had officially been finalized.  It did not mean that God encouraged the divorce, or even that he was pleased with it.  God had also directed Israel how to deal with murderers, but that did not mean God tolerated murder.  The Pharisees were looking for an out from their marriages.  God had honored and blessed their marriage vows.  To renounce those vows was also to cast off God's blessing.  But the Pharisees wanted to justify their divorces.  Therefore, they were more interested in what they wanted God's word to be instead of what God actually said.  Blessing comes only through heeding God's word, not from finding ways to circumvent it.  It has not changed.
     Marriage has taken quite a beating in American society.  People love weddings; marriage is not held in high regard.  Marriage has been redefined.  If you ask someone what marriage is, it may simply be defined as two people who love each other.  It isn't necessarily wrong, but it isn't necessarily right, either.  Teenagers will say how they love each other, but we would not say they are ready for marriage.  Couples who live together will say they love each other, but they will cringe at the idea of getting married.  By doing so, they acknowledge that they are not committed to each other.  People who do insist that they are committed to one another find that their commitment is not so binding when life gets hard.  Some people dismiss marriage as nothing but a piece of paper, which insults everyone who has been faithfully married.  Money is just a piece of paper too, but people crave it and work hard to get more and more of it.  If only marriage saw that much effort and commitment!
     When the Pharisees brought up marriage, they alluded to Moses, but they quoted the wrong verses.  Jesus did not speak about good reasons for divorce; he spoke of the blessing of marriage.  Jesus replied: “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.  But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’  ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Mark 10:5-9)
     Jesus turned their attention to what God actually said about marriage and what God intends marriage to be.  Blessing comes only through heeding God's word.  God had said so, and so it is true.  God declares that a man leaves the home of his parents to establish a new home.  He takes to himself a wife, and he gives himself completely to her.  He gives her his name, his possessions, his provision, his protection, and whatever else is good for her.  He devotes himself to her for her good.  She is joined to him for his good.  Together they are one flesh, one household, and one body.  This is not merely a contract between adults that can be rendered null and void when better offers come along.  It is a union established and blessed by God.  Blessing comes only through heeding God's word.  To renounce the union is to renounce the blessing. 
     Though marriage is a blessing, it is not without struggles.  Both husband and wife are sinners.  Each will sin against the other, and each act of selfishness, laziness, or coveting for something better both wounds the marriage and harms one's spouse.  No one has kept himself pure in regard to the 6th Commandment—whether single, married, or divorced.  Sins against this Commandment have left people damaged, disillusioned, and disappointed; and they have resulted in broken hearts and broken homes.  But if we, like the Pharisees, try to find excuses for our sins, it will not take away the pain or the guilt.  Excuses are not obedience.  Excuses do not love or serve our God or our neighbor.  Excuses are a rejection of God's word, as if to say, “Just because God said so does not make it so for me.”  Repent.  There are no blessings given through excuses.  Blessing comes only through heeding God's word. 
     When God gives his blessing, it is not mere words.  His words are backed up by actions.  The Lord Jesus loves sinners.  He does not concern himself with whose sins caused the most damage, whose lives are the most messed up, or whether you are married, single, or divorced.  Jesus has come to serve all sinners by making himself the atoning sacrifice for all.  He did not stray from the path of the cross when it got hard, but he faithfully endured all things, even the wrath of God, to the end.  God had sent him to receive the curse for sinners, and so he did.  He made no excuses while he suffered for ours.  Rather than try to get out of this punishment, Jesus gave himself into it.  His innocence atones for our guilt.  Therefore, you are pardoned for all your transgressions.  It is not true because you believe it should be true.  It is so because God said so.  And God attached his “I said so” to the waters of baptism which have marked you as children of God, and to the holy meal by which Jesus gives you the body and blood which have atoned for your sins and have overcome death.  This is where you are assured of forgiveness—because God said so.  He put his word on it, and blessing comes only through heeding God's word.
     God established marriage to be a blessing for people.  And it is through the married couple that God intends to bring children into the world.  It is no accident that St. Mark records children being brought to Jesus right after he had discussed God's institution of marriage.  The husband and wife who are united to serve each other and bless each other also serve together to care for the children God gives.  This design of God is best for all.  And though it is true that single mothers are common in our day and age, all you have to do is hear a single mother tell you about the burdens she bears to recognize that a godly father will not look for an out, but for the best way to serve his family.  For this is what God has given him to do in giving him a wife and children.  Heeding that word is a blessing for his family and for himself.
     When the children were brought to Jesus, he was pleased.  For, he has come to be their Savior, too.  And the only way children will learn of Jesus as their Savior is if they are brought to him and his Church.  Parents serve their children best by doing this.  And if parents want to see their children in heaven, they will make sure they do this.  This is what our Lord desires so that he can bless and save them.  This comes only by heeding God's word.  Therefore, he declares to us all, “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Mark 10:15)  
     When parents are raising children, they lay down rules in their house and teach their children what is good and bad.  They will enforce these rules by saying, “Because I said so.”  Even if the child does not like the rule, he will accept that his parents have authority over him and that their word stands.  This is how we receive God's word, too.  The Pharisees sought a way around it.  But we simply hear it, believe it, and order our lives according to it.  Through obedience to these Commandments, God blesses us and spares us of many griefs.  God gave us his Commandments to show us what a good and godly life is to be.  If God's word shows us that we have not been good, then we admit it, confess it, and repent of it.  For, there are no blessings to be found in excuses, only in heeding God's word.
     Our Lord has given us his word for our good.  They show us what a good life is supposed to be.  More importantly, they show us that God is good, and that his goodness is revealed in Jesus who has saved us.  Jesus supplies us with his good and has swept away all our bad.  He assures you that you are children in God's kingdom.  He has said so.  And by heeding that word of promise, you are blessed forevermore.

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

Sermon -- 20th Sunday after Pentecost (October 22, 2017)

MATTHEW 21:33-46

THE LORD SEEKS 

FRUIT FROM HIS VINEYARD.

In the name + of Jesus.

     For the third week in a row, we hear Jesus speak a parable about workers in a vineyard.  And for the third week in a row, Jesus issues a warning to his listeners.  In fact, there is almost no good news to be found in this parable at all.  The vineyard is used repeatedly in the Bible as a metaphor for the kingdom of God.  The vineyard belongs to the Lord.  He graciously finds people to receive the benefits of it.  In turn, the Lord seeks fruit from his vineyard.
     The tenant farmers in this parable enjoyed their place in the master’s vineyard.  But they did not love the master.  The servants he sent were abused, beaten, and slain.  When the master sent more servants, they were treated the same.  Finally, the master sent his son.  The master reasoned, “He bears my name.  He comes with my authority.  Certainly, they will treat my son with the same regard they would have for me.”  And in truth, they did.  They enjoyed their place in the master’s vineyard, but they did not love the master.  They, likewise, despised his son.  They cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
     In its original context, Jesus told this parable as a warning to the religious leaders of his day.  The priests and the Pharisees enjoyed their place and their prestige in the Lord’s vineyard.  But they did not pay heed to God’s word.  The Lord had sent servants to warn them to stop trusting in their reputation and in their positions of power.  They were to repent; for dust they were, and to dust they would return.  But they despised the prophets.  John the Baptist had been the latest in the line of casualties.  Surely they would respect God’s Son!  They did not.  Even though the Pharisees recognized that Jesus’ parable was about them, they did not heed its warning.  Just three days after Jesus told this parable, the priests and Pharisees fulfilled it by killing Jesus.
     The original purpose of this parable was to warn the Pharisees and to call them to repent.  But it is not included in Matthew’s gospel just so we can hear Jesus stick it to his enemies.  There is a stern warning for us as well.  You, dear Christians, are workers in the vineyard.  The Lord has graciously brought you into his vineyard to receive the benefits of his kingdom.  In turn, the Lord seeks fruit from his vineyard.  But like the Pharisees, we can get really comfortable and assume that we are entitled to a place in the Lord’s church.  When that feeling of entitlement comes, we forget that we are sinners.  We no longer are driven to repent.  We even begin to challenge parts of God’s word and tell him that they do not apply to us. 
     Consider how the Pharisees attacked Jesus.  They presented Jesus with questions in which they tried to play, “Gotcha!”  They were not interested in producing fruits of faith; they were interested in proving that parts of God's word did not include them.  They came to Jesus and asked, “Can a man divorce his wife for any reason?  Moses told us to write a certificate of divorce and that’s all there is to it.  Do you disagree with Moses?”  Jesus pointed them to the first marriage for what God intends a marriage to be—a lifelong union of man and woman.  Today, people challenge that and insist, “Marriage is just a piece of paper.”  This is an insult to God and to everyone who is married.  Marriage is hard.  A sinful man and a sinful woman daily put their selfishness to death to seek the good of the other.  It is not a piece of paper; it is the image of Christ who sacrificed himself for the good of the Church and of the Church who submits to Christ to receive his blessings.  Marriage is blessed by God and is designed to bring great joy.  Sinners make it hard.  You don’t have to go through a divorce to know that.  But joy comes from marriage only when you put in the work.  The Lord seeks this fruit from his vineyard. 
     The Pharisees also challenged, “Do we really have to honor our government?  Caesar calls himself a god.  The government is corrupt and brutal.  Are we really supposed to support that?”  Jesus asked them for a coin.  “Let me see, whose inscription is on this and whose image?  So, if you use Caesar’s money, and travel on Caesar’s roads, and enjoy the peace and order Caesar brings to your society, then you owe Caesar obedience and honor.  Give him what you owe, and honor God above all.”  We have enjoyed peace, prosperity, clean water, paved roads, law and order, and so on from our government.  We give them scorn, but not our prayers. 
     There is nothing new under the sun.  Like the Pharisees, we don’t like what God says about marriage and divorce, about obedience to the government, and the list of sins goes on.  The Lord seeks fruit from his vineyard, and we are the laborers in that vineyard.  The service God seeks is glad obedience to his word, even it it is hard, unpopular, or inconvenient.  If God’s word exposes our sins, then we ought to repent, not make excuses.  It is incredible to hear Christians be shown that their lives do not align with God’s word only to have them dismiss it by insisting, “Well, in this case, it’s different.”  The only thing different is that it is you.  You probably do not feel bad hearing Jesus warn the Pharisees.  You might even feel smug about it, because it is not you.  But when Jesus’ warning is directed to you, you get defensive.  It is not different.  Jesus issues the warning so that you do not lose the blessings you have been given.
     Jesus wants you to take his warning seriously, so he does not mince words.  “Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit.” (Matthew 21:43)  The Lord did remove the kingdom from the Pharisees.  God’s judgment came down on them hard.  Sadly, it is a common refrain.  Martin Luther saw it too.  He compared the preaching of the Gospel to a rain shower that falls on a certain place for a while.  It brings life and refreshment to the people who first hear it.  But then people get bored with it.  They assume that salvation is theirs while they go on with worldly and selfish pursuits.  For that reason, the Gospel shower stops.  The kingdom is taken away.  500 years after Martin Luther, the German churches have been reduced to museums—beautiful, but empty.  It seems to be happening in America too.  The church here does not dwindle because of persecution; it dwindles because of pleasure, money, and leisure.
     Now, as I had said earlier, there is not much good news to be found in this parable.  But we do find some.  First of all, you are in the Lord’s vineyard, which means God has brought you into his kingdom.  You have been washed clean of your sins through baptism.  You have been entrusted with God’s word.  You are fed and nourished with the body and blood of the Lord for the strengthening of faith and the forgiveness of sins.  These are priceless blessings.  These are where the Lord delivers his salvation to you.
     And there is good news that the Lord Jesus cares enough for you to warn you not to lose what he has given you.  He is the cornerstone on which the Church is built and on which salvation is found.  If this rock dashes you to pieces, it is because he desire to reform and restore you into godly people.  He works repentance in you so that you do not fall off the foundation of God’s word.  If he rebukes you, it is because he loves you.  It is because he wants you to benefit from the sufferings and death he endured to pay the price for your sins.  Jesus submitted himself to the evil plans of the priests and the Pharisees for your good.  It is at the cross that God’s wrath has been removed from you.  Jesus did not see anything different about you and your sins.  He suffered and died for you just as much as anyone else.  If you insist your sins are different, then Jesus’ sufferings and death are not yours.  But if you are a sinner, then Jesus’ sufferings and death are for you.  Your guilt has been taken by Jesus.  Your sins are forgiven through him.  And his word of peace is yours.
     The Lord seeks fruit from his vineyard.  He wants to know that the faith he has worked in your heart is seen in your life.  The words which declare God’s forgiveness are yours; and it is the same Lord who declares what is good and godly for you.  If the Lord is good, then so is his word—all of it.  The same word which saves you also works in you to guide you, comfort you, direct you, encourage you, and console you.  The Lord is good.  His word declares what is good.  The Spirit works in you so that you prodcue what is good.  All this so that you will remain in the Lord's vineyard for good.

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

Sermon -- 20th Sunday after Pentecost (October 2, 2016)

HABAKKUK 1:1-3; 2:1-4

THE LORD RESPONDS TO THE FRUSTRATED FAITHFUL.

In the name + of Jesus.

      Habakkuk was a frustrated prophet of the Lord.  He was preaching to God's covenant people, but they were not acting like God's covenant people.  They were not being faithful to the Lord by keeping his word.  They even had given themselves over to violence, oppression, and strife.  People did not love their neighbor; they took advantage of him.  Disinterest in God's word revealed itself by indifference to sins.  Each one lived as he pleased, practically defying God to judge him for it.
     Habakkuk had had enough.  He voiced his complaint to God.  “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?  Or cry to you 'Violence!' and you will not save?  Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong?  Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.” (Habakkuk 1:2-3)  Sin was blatant, and the Lord was idle.  People defied God's word, and God did not seem to care.  Habakkuk was frustrated and complained, “How long, Lord, until you step in and stop it?  When, Lord, will you condemn the guilty?  When will you fix everything that is going wrong?”
     Can you relate?  We are very frustrated too.  We see wickedness go unstopped and often unpunished.  We see people suffer and grieve.  We teach people to honor marriage, but everyone seems to prefer fornication to chastity and cohabiting to marriage vows.  Even churches don't seem to care.  We tell our children to be honest, but we deal with people who regularly lie and cheat.  And they win awards for it.  Sin runs rampant and sinners prosper.  Like Habakkuk, we cry out to God, wondering, “How long, O Lord, until you do something?  Why are you idle?  How long until you step in and put a stop to it all?  How long until you condemn the guilty and fix everything?”
     Habakkuk's frustration finally exploded in a complaint to the Lord, but Habakkuk's complaint was lodged in the right direction.  It was also lodged with the right spirit.  Habakkuk did not presume to give orders to God or to suggest that he could do a better job.  Habakkuk declared, “I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.” (Habakkuk 2:1)  This frustrated prophet waited for the Lord to respond.  He knew the Lord, and he knew that the Lord does not turn a blind eye to sins.  The Lord knows that the world is evil and that the people in it are violent and conniving.  He knows that people are filled with jealous thoughts, utter cruel words, and anonymously post mean tweets.  Since the Lord upholds his commandments, the Lord would act.  Habakkuk would wait patiently for the Lord's reply, and the Lord responded to the frustrated faithful.
     “The Lord answered me: 'Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.  For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie.  If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.'” (Habakkuk 2:2-3)  Not only did the Lord speak to Habakkuk, his response was meant for all.  It was to be written on a tablet, and messengers were to run with the word and declare it.  The Lord responds to his frustrated faithful.
     The Lord's response is for you, too.  When the Lord brought you into the kingdom of God, never did he promise you that the world was suddenly going to be better.  He did not say that your life would be without pain or sorrow or frustration or temptation.  Do not blame God if you do not experience heaven on earth.  God never promised that.  What God did do is act so that you would be delivered from a world of sorrow, pain, grief, and death and brought into the peace and joy of heaven.
     The Lord responds to the frustrated faithful.  He says, “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4)  The righteous shall live by faith.  But we are not righteous.  As the Lord noted to Habakkuk, we are like all men—puffed up.  We consider ourselves to be better than others.  We are frustrated at other people and bothered by their sins, but we overlook our own.  While it is true that the violence of others makes the world evil, we do not improve it either when we exalt ourselves over them.  You are rightly frustrated by the sinful world, but you should be equally frustrated by your own sinful self.  And if you aren't you should be scared because you don't even recognize your sins.  As the Lord says, “None is righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10)  “All have sinned.” (Romans 3:23)  So, where do we find our righteousness?
     The Lord responds to the frustrated: The righteous shall live by faith. (Habakkuk 2:4)  Although we have not done the righteous works God demands, we have a Savior who has done them for us.  Jesus Christ is the Righteous One.  He has kept all the commands of God perfectly.  But he is also called “the LORD Our Righteousness.” (Jeremiah 23:6)  Jesus gives us the righteousness we need to stand before God.  By faith, we are credited with Jesus' works.  We are declared righteous.  Therefore, we shall live.
     Jesus not only gives us the good we need, he also removes the evil that clings to us.  Just as he has lived for us to save us, so also Jesus died for us to save us.  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God. (1 Peter 3:18)  By faith, we again receive credit for the work which we did not do, but which was done for us by Jesus.  And since Jesus has gone into death for us, we need not fear it.  Having been declared righteous by God, we shall live.  We live in comfort now, and we shall live forever in peace forever.  This is the Lord's response to the frustrated faithful.
     And he gives you even more.  As we had noted earlier, being in the kingdom of God does not make you immune to the problems, pains, and griefs of this fallen world.  When these come, we cry out like Habakkuk, wondering how long God's people will have to endure such misery.  God promises deliverance, and it will come.  If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come... (Habakkuk 2:3)  You are not delivered from frustration here; your deliverance will come at the Last Day, and it will be everlasting.  For the Lord created you to live, to enjoy his goodness, and to delight in serving him and others.  That is hard to do here as we battle a violent, selfish world and our own lazy and selfish flesh.  But deliverance from your frustrations will come soon.  By faith in Jesus, you who have been declared righteous by him, will have everlasting life.
     The Lord responds to the frustrated faithful.  And he promises you all that you need to overcome your frustrations.  He brings you the comfort now of assuring you that you are redeemed.  You have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus and are, therefore, righteous in God's sight.  The righteous have already been judged by God.  He is delighted in you.  By faith, you have been pardoned of all guilt.  By faith, you have been clothed in Christ.  By faith, you do not even have to fear death.  For, Jesus has overcome death.  And since you belong to Jesus, his victory is yours too.  By faith, you are children of the resurrection and heirs of heaven.
     In the midst of our frustrations, we have a Savior.  We are his.  He does not forget us or forsake us.  He continues to console us and encourage us.  And you are not alone in your frustrations.  God has given us each other for mutual consolation, for aid, for prayer, and for encouragement.  The Lord responds to the frustrated faithful.  He urges us to persevere through momentary troubles, no matter how troubling they are.  He teaches us to pray for the glory to come, and to hasten the Lord's return.  He assures us that we will forever be delivered from all frustrations, and we will live in joy with all the righteous faithful forevermore.

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

Sermon -- 20th Sunday after Pentecost (October 14, 2012)

GENESIS 2:18-24

THE LORD ESTABLISHES A BLESSED UNION.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Throughout the week of creation, the Lord assessed his work.  Repeatedly, as the universe was being formed and filled, the Lord reviewed his creation and made his assessment, “And it was good.”  Yet, on the sixth day, after all of the land animals had been created and after Adam and been formed and given life, the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him” (Genesis 2:18), or corresponding to him.

     To illustrate this to Adam, the Lord brought all of the animals to Adam.  While the Lord used the opportunity to have Adam name all of the animals, he also highlighted to Adam that nothing from the animal kingdom corresponded to him.  While they were flesh and bone, they were neither flesh of his flesh nor bone of his bone.  The animals came before Adam as male and female, but Adam had no female to correspond to him. Adam was shown that it would be good for him to have a wife.

     The Lord, therefore, created a woman for the man.  The Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.  And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.  Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”  For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:21-24)  The Lord established a blessed union, and it is the divinely established pattern for every marriage since then.

     Marriage, however, has been taking quite a beating in our society.  Jesus declared in our gospel that Moses permitted divorce because hearts were hard.  Moses’ instructions were for divorce to be done in an orderly way, not that the Lord or Moses sanctioned divorce.  The letter to the Hebrews declares, “Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept pure.” (Hebrews 13:4)  But couples usurp the blessings of the marriage bed before they get married, or even without any intentions of getting married.  Then there are people who insist that those of the same sex should enjoy marriage, turning the very definition of marriage upon its head.  With that gaining traction, you can bet that people will soon be promoting polygamy.  While you may not be guilty of fornication in practice, you are likely guilty of it in your thoughts.  All of this flies defiantly in the face of God who declared marriage to be a blessed union and very good.

     But sadly, it comes as no surprise.  Man has always perverted that which God calls “very good.”  We pervert the use of food and drink, the use of money, television, and internet, and the gifts of marriage and sex.  God gives us people to love and things to use, but we end up loving things and using people.  We will defend anything as long as it pleases us and serves us.  You may be satisfied with your excuses, but God is not buying them.  God will never accept the perverted use of his gifts, nor will he ever call them very good.  Repent.

     From the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’  ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’  So they are no longer two but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” (Mark 10:6-9)

     The Lord desires that marriage be recognized and honored as a blessed union for more than the practical reasons that it is the most stable place to raise children, that it allows for men and women to fulfill their sexual desires, and that a man and a woman be committed to one another for mutual companionship, support, and strength.  All of these are good reasons to honor marriage.  But ultimately, marriage is to be honored because the blessed union of husband and wife is a reflection of Jesus Christ and his Church.

     Just as it was with Adam and Eve, so it is with Jesus and his Bride, the Church.  When the Lord split open Adam’s side, he brought forth Adam’s bride from it.  When Jesus’ side was split open at the cross, it brought forth a sudden flow of blood and water.  From Jesus’ side, he gives his Bride life.  You have been born again through water and the word, which means that you are now delivered from sin, from guilt, and from death.  From Jesus’ side, he sustains his Bride’s life.  Jesus strengthens and keeps you in the one true faith by his body and blood.  Jesus has granted you life through the word and sacraments, and Jesus keeps you alive through the word and sacraments.

     Jesus has done all things for the good of his Bride, the Church.  He has suffered all pain, all shame, all guilt, and all punishment for the benefit of the Church.  He removes every sin from you.  Though innocent, he suffered and died for every way in which we perverted or warped or abused his good gifts, for every self-gratifying act, for every self-deceiving excuse, and for every act of defiance against God’s word.  As a loving Groom, he assumed our debt and paid the price.  He gave up all he had so that we would all be his.  Though baptism, he has united us to himself for all eternity.  The Lord has established a blessed union for our eternal good.

     When a man and woman are married, it is common that the man gives his name to his bride.  In doing so, he also pledges to give all that is his to her.  He vows to do all things for her benefit, for her protection, and for her well-being.  The wife submits to her husband so that she would receive all good things from him.  In a world of sinners, this does not always work out as the Lord has designed it.  But when we consider how Jesus Christ has blessed his Bride, the Church, we see what a blessed union is to be.  Jesus has put his name on you and has bestowed on you all the benefits of being the Lord’s.  Isaiah declares, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult my God, for he has clothed me with garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness … as a bride adorns herself with jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)  In baptism, Jesus clothed you in the righteousness you need for eternal life.  He marks you for a place in the heavenly wedding banquet.  He grants you divine peace and an eternal, glorious inheritance.  Jesus establishes a blessed union.

     Since you are the Church, the Bride of Christ, you strive to be faithful to him in all things.  Therefore, put off the perverting of his gifts.  Flee from the seductions of the world and from the deceptions of the devil.  Fear and love God so that you lead a chaste and decent life in words and actions.  Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept pure (Hebrews 13:4, emphasis added), for these are God’s good gifts to you.  When they are enjoyed as God has designed, they are good, pure, and beneficial.  Families are stronger.  Marriages are stronger.  And society is better.  Marriage should be honored by all, for it is the blessed union which has been established by God.  And your Savior, Jesus Christ, should be cherished by you, for he is God’s greatest gift to you.  He keeps you and sustains you in the saving faith.  He forgives you of all sins and sets apart for all good.  He gives you all that is his, for he has united you to himself in a blessed union for all eternity.  God has seen it, and it is very good. 

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