YouTube -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 12, 2026)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, April 12, 2026.

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (Apri 12, 2026)

THE RISEN SAVIOR BRINGS PEACEFUL ASSURANCE.

JOHN 20:19-31

In the name + of Jesus.

M:       Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

C:        He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

      “On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together behind locked doors because of their fear of the Jews” (John 20:19).  The Jewish religious leaders had demanded the crucifixion of Jesus.  Jesus’ disciples feared that they were next.  So, they locked themselves in this upper room while the pilgrims in Jerusalem were still celebrating the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  But the disciples of Jesus had other fears weighing on them.  By the evening of that first Easter, they had already heard the reports of the women.  The women spoke of the angels at the tomb.  They could even report they had seen the risen Jesus.  Peter and John could report that Jesus’ tomb was, indeed, empty.  This should have resulted in joy; it did not. 

     The disciples remembered the last time they had seen Jesus.  For most, that was in the Garden of Gethsemane.  While Jesus was being apprehended, they fled into the night.  Peter had seen Jesus from Caiaphas’ courtyard right after Peter had denied him three times.  John witnessed Jesus’ death from the foot of the cross.  All had failed him.  If they saw Jesus risen from the dead, what could they say to him?  What would he say to them?  They may have feared the Jews, but they probably feared seeing Jesus, too.

     “Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’  After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.  So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord” (John 20:19-20).  The risen Savior brought a peaceful assurance.  He did not come to express disappointment or regret.  He did not bear a grudge.  Yes, they all failed him, but he had paid for that sin and for every other sin they had committed. 

     “Peace be with you!” he said.  While our translation says that he showed them his hands and side after he declared peace to them, it is also possible to translate it this way: “As he said this, he showed them his hands and side” (John 20:20, emphasis added).  This gesture would have been more than just an identifier, that is, Jesus showing himself as the crucified one.  It would also have been the proof that God’s peace was theirs.  The marks on Jesus showed that this is how their sins were paid for.  Jesus’ risen body is the proof that the payment was sufficient.  The Lord was not angry with them.  He sought no vengeance against them.  The risen Savior brings a peaceful assurance.  Sins are forgiven.  The Lord blesses you.  His face shines upon you.  He gives you peace.

     Unfortunately, peace eluded one of the apostles.  Thomas was not there.  Thomas had just as much reason for fear and guilt as the other apostles.  Sadly, his fear and his guilt still ruled over him.  He would not believe the testimony of the women.  He would not believe the claims of his fellow apostles.  None of them had a reason to lie to him.  And certainly their joy and enthusiasm should have convinced Thomas that they were telling him the truth.  But when someone is consumed by fear and guilt, that is the only thing they believe.  The prophet Isaiah declared, “There is no peace, says the LORD, for the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22).  If you are weighed down by your sin, you have no peace.  That is when the devil will seize you with unbelief and despair.

     Judas Iscariot is the chief example of this.  Judas had betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.  But St. Matthew notes, “When Judas … saw that Jesus was condemned, he felt remorse.  He brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders and said, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’  But they said, ‘What is that to us?  That’s your problem’” (Matthew 27:3-4).  The priests did nothing to atone for his sin.  For Judas, there was no pardon, no peace; therefore, there was no hope or comfort.  Since Judas could not fix or reverse what he had done, he chose to kill himself rather than to live with the burden of guilt.

     Judas’ suicide was tragic enough, but dying in unbelief and despair meant that Judas perished eternally.  Judas’ story is especially sad, because the risen Savior had come to bring peaceful assurance to sinners.  It is also sad that Judas’ story is repeated by so many.  Perhaps you know the terrible burden of sin, the likes of which haunted Judas.  Perhaps you are weighed down by guilt that will not lighten up.  People who are hounded by such guilt often deal with it in destructive ways.  Some medicate with drugs or alcohol.  Some figure they are a lost cause and choose to continue in their sin.  If you’re going to hell anyway, why not?  Others, like Judas, feel the only way to escape guilt and despair is by killing themselves.  But there is no forgiveness in any of these.  There is no peace.  And, saddest of all, there is only hell that awaits those who die in their sins.

     No one should have to live with such a burden of guilt.  No one needs to wallow in despair.  You have a Savior whose wounds testify that your sins have been paid for.  The feet that took Jesus to Mt. Calvary were nailed to the cross for you.  The hands that brought healing to the hurting were driven into the wood to bring healing to your troubled conscience.  Jesus’ heart—so filled with compassion for sinners—was pierced for you.  It brought forth a flow of blood and water which provide cleansing for all sin and guilt.  The Savior who died to rescue from sin, death, and hell now lives and declares, “Peace be with you!  You have been acquitted of all guilt.  You have received a full pardon.  The cloud of guilt has been lifted.  The sun of grace shines upon you now!”  The risen Savior brings peaceful assurance to you.

     To further assure you of that peace, Jesus had commissioned his ministers to deliver it to you.  “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you!  Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you.’  After saying this, he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.  Whenever you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven.  Whenever you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven’” (John 20:21-23).  Jesus has given charge to his ministers not merely to talk about the forgiveness of sins, but to administer it. 

     If you were a defendant in a court of law, you could ponder the idea of being acquitted.  You could dream about it, pray for it, and hope for it.  While such thoughts would be appealing, none of them would acquit you.  Nor would it do you any good if the judge sat in his chamber and thought good thoughts about you.  Even if he sat at his desk and muttered to himself, “That guy should go free,” how would that help you at all?  The only way you can be acquitted in a court of law is to have a judge formally declare you “Not guilty.” 

     Likewise, you don’t find forgiveness in your own private thoughts.  And it would not do you any good if God sat in his heavenly glory and thought good thoughts about you.  How would you know if he did or didn’t?  To know that your sins are forgiven, the judge must formally declare you, “Not guilty.”  All judgment has been entrusted to the Son.  Jesus will come again and sentence people either to everlasting life or everlasting damnation.  His verdict is the only one that matters.  Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection have won your pardon from all sin.  But to know that you are forgiven, it must be formally proclaimed to you.  The Lord Jesus has commissioned his ministers to do just that.  You have forgiveness delivered to you as the minister speaks in the stead and by the command of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The “I forgive you” is the voice of your Savior, delivered through the mouth of his minster.  In this way, the risen Savior brings peaceful assurance to you.

     You know Jesus’ words and promises.  They were applied to you in your baptism.  So, day after day, you can be confident that you stand forgiven before the Lord.  However, like the apostles, you may have a sin that haunts you and will not let you go.  For such times, the Lord summons you to private confession and absolution.  It is private; you are the only one present.  So, there is no confusion about who is meant when the absolution is proclaimed.  Jesus, through his minister, brings the peaceful assurance, “I forgive you.”  Jesus sends you home justified; you get to depart in peace.

     The apostle Thomas was not present that first week to hear Jesus proclaim peace.  On the next Sunday, Thomas was with them.  Suddenly, Jesus stood in the midst of his disciples again.  And what did he say to Thomas?  “Tsk, tsk, tsk.  You should have listened to these guys.  I am so disappointed in you”?  Rather than shame Thomas for his guilt, fear, and doubting, Jesus declared, “‘Peace be with you,’ he said.  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands.  Take your hand and put it into my side.  Do not continue to doubt, but believe’” (John 20:26-27).  Once again, the risen Savior showed the wounds that he received to take away the guilt of sinners.  Once again, the risen Savior showed himself the victor over death and the one who has the right to pardon all offenses.  Once again, the risen Savior brought peaceful assurance. 

     Now, if Jesus’ appearance to Thomas was for his sole benefit, it would not have been recorded for yours.  The Holy Spirit guided St. John to record these things to give you further assurance and greater peace.  John acknowledged that there is much more that he could have written.  No doubt, it would have been fascinating.  But the Holy Spirit does not waste his breath with anecdotes and trivia.  He is intentionally selective about what is written and about what we need to know.  St. John acknowledged that.  He wrote: “Jesus, in the presence of his disciples, did many other miraculous signs that are not written in this book.  But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31). 

     The risen Savior brings peaceful assurance.  It was shown in the wounds he sustained in making the payment for our sins.  It was shown in the immortal, resurrected body which proves the payment is sufficient.  Jesus’ risen body also provides a glimpse of the immortality that awaits us at our resurrection.  That peaceful assurance is proclaimed when sinners are absolved by Christ’s ministers who speak and act in the stead and by the command of Jesus Christ.  And it is bestowed on the pages of Scripture which are written for your hope and comfort. 

     Jesus Christ is risen.  He lives to bring peaceful assurance.  You get to live in peace.  You get to die in peace.  And you will receive everlasting peace.

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

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

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

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

JOHN 20:19-31

JESUS REMOVES ALL DOUBTS.

In the name + of Jesus.

M: Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

C:  He is risen indeed.  Alleluia!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

YouTube -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 7, 2024)

I was out of town for our service on April 7, but here is the Divine Service.  Thanks to the elders for leading the worship and the Bible Class.

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 16, 2023)

ACTS 2:14a,22-32

WHAT GOD FOREORDAINS STANDS FULFILLED.

In the name + of Jesus.

     There has always been a tension between what God says must happen and the freedom people have.  Perhaps the best example of this is Judas Iscariot.  Jesus said that Judas was bound to betray Jesus to death because the prophets had foretold it.  Just hours before he was betrayed, Jesus prayed to his Father in heaven: “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me.  I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:12).  Judas had to betray Jesus.  This was God’s will foretold through the prophets.  So, the question naturally gets asked, “If Judas had to betray Jesus, is it really Judas’ fault?  Can he really be held responsible for this if God foreordained it?”  The answer is: Yes, Judas is accountable for his own sin.

     Judas did not act in ignorance.  Jesus had repeatedly given Judas warnings.  Even on the night Jesus was betrayed, Jesus extended final warnings to Judas.  Jesus said to all the apostles, “Behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table.  For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed” (Luke 22:21-22)!  So, Jesus’ betrayal was foreordained, but it was Judas who went out and did it.  Judas was a thief who helped himself to the treasury of the apostles.  God did not make Judas greedy, but God used Judas’ greed to accomplish his own purposes.  Judas, seduced by a chance to make a quick buck, arranged the betrayal.  What God foreordained stands fulfilled.

     We have something similar in today’s reading from the book of Acts.  Simon Peter was preaching to the crowd who had gathered in Jerusalem for the festival of Pentecost.  This same crowd of pilgrims had been in Jerusalem for the Passover just fifty days prior.  They had witnessed Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and Jesus’ crucifixion on Good Friday.  Some of them, no doubt, were among the crowds who shouted, “Crucify him, crucify him” (John 19:6)! 

     Therefore, Simon Peter laid the responsibility of Jesus’ death at their feet.  Peter declared, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men” (Acts 2:23).  Once again, we feel the tension.  If God foreordained these things, how can God blame the people?  On the one hand, what God foreordains is absolutely going to happen.  God’s promises are not guesses.  In fact, they are stated in a verb tense that does not say what will happen, but what has happened.  In God’s mind, it is so firm that it has already been done.  On the other hand, God did not make the crowds demand Jesus’ crucifixion.  The priests did that.  They incited the crowd to join in their demand for blood.  It is like people who loot businesses during a riot.  Under normal circumstances, they would never do that.  But when they see others doing it, they are emboldened to join in.  But they are still accountable for their wicked actions.

     A common argument today is that people cannot be blamed for defying God’s word if that’s the way God made them.  This argument is wicked from its very premise.  Yes, God made all people, and God’s creation is good.  But sin has corrupted what God has made.  It cannot be claimed that God made people to do what God himself forbids.  We don’t accept this argument from others, either.  Imagine a man telling his wife, “Of course I look at other women on my phone and fantasize about them.  That is how God me.”  Imagine an employee saying to his boss, “Yes, I mock you behind your back and speak sarcastically to your face.  That’s how God made me.”  If your wife or your boss will not accept it, why should God?

     God does not make people do wicked things.  Wickedness arises from our own sinful hearts.  God did not make Judas greedy.  God did not make Cain kill Abel.  God did not make David have an affair with Bathsheba.  And God did not make the crowds at Passover clamor for the death of the Son of God.  In the same way, God does not make you jealous of friends or unsympathetic to strangers.  God does not make you hold grudges or manipulate people.  God does not inspire or tolerate wickedness.  In his word, God exposes wickedness so that you can avoid it.  While you may be attracted to certain sins, God calls you to exercise self-control and to fight against them.  No one will accept the excuse, “Well, I like this sin.  I have to do it.  That’s just who I am.”  God’s work may be foreordained, but your sins are not.  Repent.

     While the guilty will be punished for their sins, sending people to hell is not the will of God.  This is what the Lord says: “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11).  To prove that it is not God’s will to damn people, he promised a Savior as soon as sin entered the world.  In fact, God’s plan of salvation was ordained even before the creation of the world.  “Jesus (was) delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23).  Nothing about Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, trial, or crucifixion was accidental.  Everything was fulfilled according to God’s definite plan.  Jesus Christ had to become the sin offering which was consumed in God’s wrath.  This is how Jesus removed the curse of sin and rescued you from hell.  Our Lord desires that no one should perish.  Jesus fulfilled every promise, every prophecy so that no one should have to perish in their sins.  What God foreordained stands fulfilled.

     Again, God’s promises are not guesses or predictions.  When God foreordains something, it must stand fulfilled.  God continued to repeat his promises through the prophets, adding details here and there, so that we can know for certain that Jesus is the promised Christ.  Jesus fulfilled what God foreordained.  Simon Peter referred to one of those promises.  King David served as the Lord’s prophet about 1,000 years before Jesus was born.  In Psalm 16, King David foretold the resurrection.  Simon Peter quoted him: “For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption” (Acts 2:27). 

     As Peter noted, King David did not write about himself.  He explained, “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day” (Acts 2:29).  David is not the Holy One.  He has not escaped the grave or decay.  Therefore, the Holy One is the Son of David who would come and reign forever.  What God foreordained stands fulfilled.  Jesus Christ was, indeed, placed in a grave as David foretold.  But he was not forsaken there.  God raised Jesus up from the dead even before decay set in.  Jesus is the Holy One who lives and reigns over death and all things.  What God foreordained stands fulfilled.

    It was not just God’s plan of salvation which was foreordained before the creation of the world.  St. Paul wrote, “(God) chose us in (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.  In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will” (Ephesians 1:4-5).  So, your own salvation was foreordained by the Lord.  God has worked in your life to make sure that you have heard the words of eternal life.  God has worked in your heart to plant the faith which trusts God’s promises.  And God continues to work in you through his word and sacraments to keep you in this saving faith.  You are God’s chosen people, chosen even before the creation of the world to receive God’s salvation.  What God foreordains stands fulfilled.

     Now, the tension comes back.  Does that mean you and I can sit back and do nothing until Jesus comes again?  If our salvation is sure, does it mean that we won’t be and can’t be faulted if we give ourselves over to sins or if we ignore gathering together in God’s house?  Not at all!  If faith comes by hearing the word, that means we need to keep hearing the word.  If sin is rejection of and rebellion against God’s word, then we must fight against our sins.  To sin against God’s word is to rebel against the very thing that saves from sin.  If God saves through his word and sacraments, that means we need to continue coming to church for the word and sacraments.  Just as a plant will not stay alive if we refuse to water it, neither will your faith stay alive if you do not nurture it.  If we remain in Christ, then our salvation stands fulfilled.  If we forsake Christ, then we will not receive the blessings he desires to give us.  And that would be our own fault, just as Judas’ betrayal was his fault.

     What God foreordains will be fulfilled.  Jesus has completed all the work to pardon us of our sins and to grant us eternal life.  Peter assured the crowds, “This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses” (Acts 2:32).  The apostles and others were eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection.  Even Thomas, who at first refused to believe it, was invited by Jesus to touch his risen body and to inspect the wounds that heal us.  You and I are not eyewitnesses; we are confessors.  We believe and confess that God has been faithful to his promises.  Everything that was promised “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23) was fulfilled by Jesus.  Therefore, he is the Christ.  He is the Savior.  He has delivered us from the curse of sin and the power of death.  What God foreordains stands fulfilled in Jesus.

     There is, however, one more thing that needs to be fulfilled.  We confess it each week: “We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come” (Nicene Creed).  God has proven his faithfulness in every other promise, so we do not need to doubt this one.  Jesus has overcome the grave.  He will also deliver us from the grave.  David’s tomb may be full now, but he went to his grave trusting the promise of the Messiah he had foretold.  He wrote, “You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence” (Acts 2:28).  Jesus is the path to life everlasting.  He will raise us from our graves with bodies that are immaculate, impeccable, and incorruptible.  He will bring us into the presence of God.  He will fill us with joy, peace, and endless blessings. 

     All that God foreordained for your salvation stands fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  In this, we find our comfort and confidence.  For God’s will is always done, and his word is always sure.
 

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

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 24, 2022)

JOHN 20:19-31

PARDON AND PEACE COME IN JESUS’ NAME.

M:           Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Cong:     He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name + of Jesus.

     Does God hold you accountable for your sins, or does God freely pardon you for your sins?  It is not as simple a question as it would seem, and a bad answer will yield bad results.  Really bad results.  On the one hand, if you say that God freely pardons your sins, then you can use that as an excuse to pursue whatever immoral or wicked behaviors you want.  You will insist that your sins are of no account because God forgives anyway.  On the other hand, if God does not pardon freely and you are accountable for your sins, you will fall into despair.  If God does not freely pardon, then you must do something to prove your worthiness for forgiveness. 

     I suppose for the most part, you are never bothered by these questions.  You can go through most of your life without thinking about it.  But if you are on your sick bed and your thoughts turn to dying, this question will plague you.  If you don’t have a good answer, it will rob you of comfort and shake your faith to its core. 

     The question seems simple enough to answer: Either God holds you accountable for your sins or God freely pardons them.  But is actually a both/and answer.  You are accountable for your sins.  Your guilt is real.  Sometimes you feel that guilt; other times you don’t.  But we are all guilty; for we have all violated God’s Law—if not in deeds, then definitely in our thoughts.  And God does freely pardon you for your sins.  That’s because Jesus Christ has made himself accountable for your sins.  God does not just drop the charges for no reason.  That would mean he doesn’t take violations against his own Law seriously.  But he does, which is why Jesus was put to death according to divine justice and under God’s curse.  Jesus took responsibility for your sins.  Having made himself accountable for you, he suffered and died for you.  That is how God dealt with your sins so that he can freely pardon you.

     When Jesus appeared to the apostles on that first Easter night, the disciples were coping with their own guilt for having failed Jesus.  They felt accountable, because they were.  When it actually would have cost something to stand with Jesus, they fled.  Jesus suddenly appeared in the room with them.  Their reaction was both surprise and concern.  What would Jesus say to them?  Would he pile on even greater guilt?  If he did, they couldn’t argue about it.  But Jesus relieved their fears.  He said to them, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19).  Pardon and peace came in Jesus’ name.  He was not angry with them, and he did not bear a grudge.  He had willingly suffered and died to take away their guilt, and he showed them the wounds which purchased their salvation.  They had no need to fear Jesus or his judgment.  He proclaimed pardon and peace to the penitent and bolstered the faith of the fearful.

     Sadly, Thomas was not with the other apostles that evening.  No matter how much the disciples told Thomas about Jesus’ resurrection and appearance, Thomas would not believe it.  He had to see it for himself.  Jesus condescended to Thomas’ demands.  He did not owe it to him, but Jesus appeared to him in mercy anyway.  “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’  Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side.  Do not disbelieve, but believe’” (John 20:26-27).  Again, Jesus expressed no regret, not even for suffering on behalf of a skeptic.  When Thomas saw Jesus, he finally did rejoice in Jesus’ resurrection.  Like the others, Thomas received pardon and peace in Jesus’ name. 

     Now, Jesus does not appear to us to convince us he is risen.  We have no invitations to inspect his wounds.  It was never Jesus’ intention to stay on earth where people could come to see him.  If he had, you would probably never get anywhere near him.  At best, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime moment to meet him, and it would last maybe a minute because so many others who would want some of his time.  The pardon and peace which Jesus delivers would not be limited to one place where Jesus was.  It would be delivered through others wherever people gather in Jesus’ name.

     Therefore, Jesus commissioned these apostles to go with the same authority he had.  “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld’” (John 20:21-23).  The apostles, of course, did not remain on the earth forever.  Therefore, Jesus established the apostolic ministry to assure that at all times and in all places people would hear pardon and peace in his name. 

     This is the way the Lord always works.  When he wants to deal with people, he hides himself in earthly things.  He appeared to Moses in a burning bush.  He was with Israel in the wilderness hidden in a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire.  When the Lord came in person, he hid his glory under frail human flesh.  And today, when the Lord applies his salvation to you, he does it through the waters of baptism.  He gives his body and blood under bread and wine.  And he speaks through the mouths of ministers.  We don’t embrace his salvation because these earthly things are impressive.  We embrace them because Jesus attaches his name and his promises to them.  When your sins absolved by some poor minister, that absolution is backed by this promise: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them” (John 20:23).  Pardon and peace come in Jesus’ name.

     The Lord also works this way so that you do not have to place your confidence in your own thoughts.  You do not have to assume or guess that God forgives you.  The Lord has given you physical means by which his forgiveness is delivered to you.  Holy Baptism is a washing with the word that is applied to you for the forgiveness of sins.  Holy Communion is the body and blood fed to you for the forgiveness of sins.  And Holy Absolution is the vocal declaration of forgiveness proclaimed to you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  It is the word of God and the authority of Jesus which make baptism a water of life, which make the Lord’s Supper the medicine of immortality, and which make the absolution divine acquittal.  Pardon and peace are not merely pondered; they are delivered in Jesus’ name.

     Jesus gave authority to his Church to preach in his name.  The Church entrusts ministers to do this on their behalf.  But the authority is not only to forgive sins.  There is an ominous authority given too.  “Jesus said to them…, ‘If you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld’” (John 20:23).  Jesus gives the Church the authority to hold people accountable for their sins.  We do not do this to make people squirm; we do this so that they will not perish. 

     Why would we withhold forgiveness from sinners?  We do this when people don’t want forgiveness for their sins.  Many embrace their sins and will not repent of them.  To withhold forgiveness is to issue a solemn warning, such as St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).  Those who embrace such sins do not want forgiveness for them.  They want approval of them.  Such people we warn that they are accountable for their sins, and that God does not pardon them.  If they desire no forgiveness, they are granted no forgiveness.  How can we declare a blessing on things that God condemns?  And how could we remain silent as people remain under God’s curse and condemnation?

     “Jesus said…, ‘If you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld’” (John 20:23).  This withholding of forgiveness is not done out of hatred or bigotry.  It is done out of love for people whom we do not want to perish.  It is done to warn them so that they would repent and so that God would freely pardon.  Those who are comfortable with their sins need to hear that they are accountable for their sins.  If they refuse to be held accountable, forgiveness is withheld.  God’s wrath remains upon them. 

     But those who are terrified over their sins need to be comforted.  We urge such sinners to flee to Jesus; for, God freely pardons sinners for Jesus’ sake.  The apostles in the upper room were sinners and proved it, but they were still believers.  They believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.  So, when Jesus came to these troubled disciples, he declared, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19).  And to those Corinthians, St. Paul reminded them that some of them had embraced the wicked works which condemn.  But he went on to assure them, “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).  Pardon and peace come in Jesus’ name.

      St. John concluded this chapter with these words: “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book” (John 20:30).  I am sure the signs that Jesus performed in the presence of his disciples were amazing.  But the Holy Spirit did not guide John to write down any of them.  The Scriptures are not written down for the sake of fascinating us, although they are fascinating.  John tells us what the purpose of his writing and every writing of Scripture is: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31).

     Pardon and peace come in Jesus’ name.  Everything God tells us finds its fulfillment in that—whether God holds us accountable for our sins so that we will repent, or God declares that he freely pardons us for Jesus’ sake.  The goal of Scripture and the desire of the Lord is that we hear the word of the Lord so that we would flee from our sins and flee to Jesus.  For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved by him.  Thanks to Jesus, you are.  You are Christ’s.  Therefore, pardon and peace are yours.

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

YouTube -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 11, 2021)

 Here is the service from Sunday, April 11, 2021.

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 11, 2021)

1 JOHN 5:1-6

THROUGH THE RISEN CHRIST, 

WE OVERCOME THE WORLD.

M: Alleluia. Christ is risen!
C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia.

In the name + of Jesus.

          St. John gives us a great deal to ponder in these six verses in his epistle.  Today, we will focus on this one sentence: “Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world” (1 John 5:4).  The questions that spring from this one verse include these: Why does one have to be born of God?  How is one born of God?  How do you know that you are born of God?  And what does it mean to overcome the world?  We will begin by considering that last question.

     When we think of overcoming the world, we probably think in terms of great accomplishments.  Alexander the Great overcame the world by conquering nations and deposing kings.  People like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Warren Buffett have overcome the world through economic influence.  Or perhaps you think of Google and Apple.  They have overcome the world by having their fingers in so much of your life.  We are coming up on the time of graduation speeches where every member of the graduating class will be told that they can go out and conquer the world.  And every graduate will salivate at the possibility.

     The reality is that you have been overcome by the world.  You are influenced by the world more than you care to believe.  You observe the attitudes which are held by many people, including friends and people who you respect.  Because they are so common, you and I are drawn into adopting them even if they are contrary to God’s word.  The spirit of the world which is held by so many influences us.  Just one example is recognized in how the company we keep influences our speech.  If you work with people who constantly speak profanities, tell obscene stories, and boast of debauchery, you are likely to adopt their speech so that you feel like you are one of the guys.  To stand out is to be left out, which is at the least uncomfortable.  At worst, you become a target. 

     The world has embraced sinful ways.  It is driven by greed, pride, lust, arrogance, boasting, and self-exaltation.  We have learned to play by those rules.  Because it is common, everyone thinks it is okay.  You and I have been influenced by these things, even concluding that God need not be taken too seriously.  But God does not ease back on his Commandments to accommodate what is commonly accepted. 

     The world overcomes all people in the end.  No matter how rich, how influential, how accomplished someone is, he will die.  All people will die and go the way of the world.  The world and all its glory and all its promises are passing away.  Because it has been marred with sin, the world is under a curse.  It is bound to death and decay.  Because people have been corrupted by sin, we all are under a curse.  We are bound to death and decay, and no one is going to overcome that.  The world will finally be consumed in fire on the Last Day.  Anyone who loves the world will perish with it.  And this is why you need to be born of God.  This is your only hope, but this hope has been granted and, in fact, guaranteed to you.  Through the Risen Christ, we overcome the world.

     That which is born of the flesh is flesh (John 3:6), and it will perish with the world.  But that which is born of God is not of the world.  It is set apart from the world.  To deliver you from the world, the only begotten Son of the Father came into this world through the flesh of the Virgin Mary.  This flesh and blood Savior ransomed us from the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh.  The ransom price was his life—first a life lived in purity and perfect obedience to God’s Commandments.  By this, Jesus demonstrated a perfect love for his Father and then also for his fellow man.  By this perfect life, Jesus avoided the curse which comes upon sinners.  But the ransom price was also Jesus’ life as it was given into death.  At his death, Jesus was cursed on behalf of us.  The curse was lifted from us and put upon Jesus.  His holy life was given in exchange for our wickedness.  His precious blood is the ransom that sets us free from the curse of sin and the power of death.

     St. John wrote, “This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood” (1 John 5:6).  This refers to what John witnessed at Jesus’ death.  “One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water” (John 19:34).  And this is how you are born of God.  Just as life came to the Bride through the side of Adam, so also the life of Christ’s Bride, the Church, comes from his side.  From the side of Jesus flowed the water that gives life to the Church and the blood that sustains that life.  It is by the waters of baptism that you are born again—born of God and of imperishable seed.  Since you are born of imperishable seed, you shall live forever.  Though your body will be buried, it will spring up again at Jesus’ word to live forever.  The new life which has begun in you is sustained in you by the blood of Christ which is fed to you in the Holy Supper.  Your new life in Christ has begun in this life, and it continues in a life that knows no end.  The world will pass away, but you will not; for you are of God and in Christ.  Through the risen Christ, we overcome the world.

     This is how you know you’ve been born of God: God does the work for you.  God saves you.  God provides the new life in you.  He applies it through water and blood and word.  He does not tell you to look at yourself for assurance, but to him.  At the same time, he produces evidence of your new life through good works.  You don’t have to wait until heaven for proof that you are children of God.  You are his now, and your new life has already begun.  You are set apart for higher things.  St. John says this so that you can know that you are of God.  John wrote, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:1-3). 

     You have been given new birth into God’s kingdom.  He converts your status: You are no longer merely born of flesh and belong to the world, but you are born of God and belong to Christ.  More than that, he also converts your mind and your heart.  He has convinced you that God’s word is true and that his Commandments are right.  “And his commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).  If they seem burdensome, it is because the sinful nature still clings to us and presents reasons why it is too hard or too unrewarding to do God’s will.  But now you have a new nature in you, so that you delight in doing what God has created you for. 

    Children learn to be like their parents.  They observe what their parents do, how they speak, and how they act toward other people.  You are children of the heavenly Father.  He shows you what it is to be good.  Your heavenly Father continues to show mercy upon you, pardons all your sins, and is even patient with you in your weaknesses.  Therefore, you learn to imitate his forgiveness and adopt his forbearance toward others.  That was the spirit which Jesus showed when he met the apostles on Easter evening.  The apostles had all failed Jesus to some extent.  But when Jesus appeared to them, he did not review their faults.  He was not angry or disappointed.  He came to them declaring peace with God and with him.  Even Thomas, who refused to believe the testimony of his fellow apostles, was not shunned by Jesus for his skepticism.  Thomas also got to hear the words of peace and forgiveness.  Therefore, when you return to God in repentance, he will not speak to you in terms of punishment or probation, but of peace.  Since this is how God treats us, we who are of God strive to do the same.  This is not the way of the world, but it is the way of our God.  Through the risen Christ, we have overcome the world.

     “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments” (1 John 5:2).  To love God is to love his word.  Certainly, we love his promises and words of grace.  But we also love everything he says.  We know that he only has our well-being in mind when he instructs us in godly living.  Therefore, it is right to follow God’s will even when the world does not.  It is good to be kind to people whose fears and stresses make them short-tempered.  It is good to be patient toward people whose opinions have been honed by a sinful world.  It is right to have mercy upon all people; for how will anyone know that the Lord is a God who saves if they only know him as the God who hates sinners? 

     It is good, right, and salutary to hear the word of the Lord.  And it is necessary to sustain your faith.  The world will never stop trying to influence you, and it will promise you great rewards for conforming to its ways.  You need to hear God’s word so that you will not be deceived and led astray.  The devil is pleased to use fine-sounding arguments to convince you that God’s word is outdated, filled with inaccuracies, or promotes hatred.  Some arguments sound convincing.  Where do you turn to find assurance?  Too many Christians choose to keep listening to their friends who despise God’s word rather than to actually turn to God’s word.  Only Jesus has the words of eternal life.  The world and all its wisdom will pass away.  He who is preserved by the word of the Lord will endure forever through that word.  “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:3).  That word, in turn, will keep us.

     Through the risen Christ, we have overcome the world.  The world may make its merry march to destruction.  They may revel in intoxication and infidelity.  But do not be deceived by the happiness they claim to have.  If they remain apart from Christ, they will perish.  The world will see its end.  But not you; you are in Christ.  You are no longer be of the world, but you are in the world.  Who else but those who are God’s people can show them that there is rescue from a world that is perishing, comfort from the sins that plague our hearts, and hope for a greater glory?  In the risen Christ, there is peace with God.  Through the risen Christ, we overcome the world.  With the risen Christ, we will live forever.

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

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 19, 2020)

1 PETER 1:3-9

OUR LIVING LORD GRANTS

A CERTAIN SALVATION.

M: Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

C: He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

In the name + of Jesus.

      St. Peter wrote his first epistle “to those who are elect exiles of the dispersion.” (1 Peter 1:1)  These were Christians who were scattered around the Roman Empire.  They were also enduring persecution for the Christian faith.  Currently, what we are enduring is inconvenient and annoying.  Depending upon your situation, it might even rise to the level of hardship, but it is not persecution.  If everyone is supposed to stay at home, it is not targeted at Christians.  But Peter's initial audience was most certainly suffering for the faith.  No doubt, some were wondering if it was worth it.
     When you are constantly having to deal with problems or uncertainty, that is what consumes your mind.  It drains your energy.  You are absorbed by your present situation. The persecuted Christians in Peter's day were wondering: “How long do we have to put up with this?  Will we be imprisoned, or will we have to flee from home?  What does our future look like?”  While our current situation is not nearly as intense, we ask similar questions.  “When we will get back to our work places?  How long will we have to wear masks?  When can I finally get a hair cut?  What will our future look like?”  St. Peter points you to a future without question marks.  We don't know what next week holds, but we do know what eternity holds.  Our living Lord grants us a certain salvation.
     St. Peter keeps us mindful of what is remains certain when our world is not.  “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you...” (1 Peter 1:3-4)  Your inheritance is unfading; it will not lose value.  Your inheritance is undefiled; it will not become ruined or tainted.    Your inheritance is imperishable; it cannot die and will never come to an end.  It is unlike any treasure or any promise that is made in this world.  Yet, we tend to put our hopes and our efforts in this world.  And then we are frustrated when it results in disappointment.
     There is nothing in this world that is imperishable.  If you go to museums, you will find artifacts that are thousands of years old.  The empires they came from have been reduced to history books, and the artifacts from them must be kept under glass so that they are not reduced to dust.  All of the world's glory eventually fades away.  This is what the Lord says: “All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.  The grass withers, and the flower fades.” (Isaiah 40:6-7)  That is not limited only to empires and kingdoms, but it also applies to individuals.  The beauty of mankind gives way to wrinkles, aching joints, and poor eyesight.  No matter how much power, fame, or wealth a man has, everyone is finally equalized by the cemetery. 
     It is bad enough that our world has been defiled with pollution, pestilence, and war, but it is worse that the heart of every human being has been defiled by sin.  Some will argue that people are basically good and will cite reports about acts of kindness to strangers.  They are not reported because they are normal; they are reported because we are surprised by them.  We have to be told, “A little kindness goes a long way,” because we don't have time for that.  We have to take care of our own interests, our pride, and our possessions.  Our hearts are devoted to ourselves above all, even above God.  We have become our own gods, for we love and trust what benefits our stomachs, our wallets, our egos, and whatever will gratify us in the next few moments.  Repent.  For everything our defiled hearts crave will perish.  And whatever is perishing will never satisfy you.  You will only perish with it.
     St. Peter was writing to a church which was enduring persecution.  It was a time of great uncertainty.  Currently, you and I are enduring the shelter-in-place orders which are supposed to keep us safe.  It is also a time of great uncertainty.  But these hardships can serve for your benefit.  Therefore, St. Peter says, “Now for a little while … you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7)  So that we will not be entangled or engrossed in the things which do not save, our Lord is pleased to take them away from us.  He shows us how untrustworthy are the things we trust in.  We give them a value that they don't deserve.  Our Lord is reminding us that we don't need them, and he is purifying our faith by taking them from us. 
     Jesus does not want us to live with uncertainty or the kind of hope that needs you to cross your fingers for luck.  Christ has won your salvation for you.  It is not a hollow promise or even an iffy promise.  We live with those all the time.  Will the stay at home order end with April?  Will it go into May?  Will it come back in the Fall?  We don't know, and we are frustrated by this.  We want to know things will get better.  We do this because living in a state of pessimism and defeat is a soul-crushing way to live.  No one wants to live with such a dark cloud hanging over his head.  If this is how we feel when we are going through a pandemic which will eventually run its course, how much worse it would be to stare eternity in the face and to have to rely on what is, at best, iffy.
     The living Lord grants a certain salvation.  If you want to be certain that you will live in heavenly glory, then you must be holy.  Jesus grants you the certainty.  He is the one man who lived in perfect obedience to God's Commandments.  But Jesus delivers the credit of his perfect obedience to your account.  Since Jesus has clothed you in his righteousness, it is certain that you will stand in God's presence and dwell in his kingdom.  If you want to be certain that life does not end at a grave, then there ought to be proof of life after death.  Jesus is the one man who has overcome the grave.  And since Jesus is God, he assures you that his victory over the death is not for him alone, but for all who are marked in his name through baptism.  You can be certain of your resurrection from the dead to life everlasting. 
     The living Lord grants a certain salvation.  Jesus has cleansed you from everything which defiles you by bathing you in his holy, precious blood.  By your baptism, you have been crucified with Jesus.  Your sin was taken up by Jesus and removed from you.  He has not only won the full pardon for all your sin, he has also changed your heart and mind so that it is no longer controlled by sin.  He shows you and convinces you that he alone supplies you with blessings that satisfy and endure.  If you desire comfort and assurance, then make sure you are listening to Jesus far more than politicians, doctors, and reporters.
     Our living Lord gives us a certain salvation.  The inheritance you will receive is not kept on earth where all things will pass away.  This world offers no certainty, other than everything will pass away.  Jesus gives you a better certainty.  He gives you an inheritance which is kept in heaven so that it remains untouched by sin.  That is why your hope remains secure; for, it cannot be destroyed by anything—whether persecution or pandemic.  You have been “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5)
     Your situation may not look pretty right now.  Times might be hard.  Frustrations and inconvenience may linger.  Questions go unanswered, or are not answered to your satisfaction.  But Jesus assures you of a future without question marks.  The glory that you crave will come.  You have a hope that lives because Jesus lives.  He gives you the kingdom.  And he does not leave you waiting; for the kingdom already comes to you now.  Whenever God's word is preached—in the church, online, or in home devotions, God's kingdom comes to you.  This is how God delivers to you his salvation, his forgiveness, and his peace.  These are not defiled by problems.  Their value does not fade in tough times or dark days.  And they cannot perish.  For Jesus lives.  Our living Lord grants us a certain salvation.

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

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 28, 2019)

JOHN 20:19-31

JESUS GIVES AUTHORITY

TO FORGIVE SINS.

M: Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

Cong:  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

In the name + of Jesus.

      On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them... (John 20:19)  I suspect that the disciples were even more fearful of Jesus than they were of the Jews who were locked outside of their room.  They all had good reason to be afraid of him.  The last time they had gathered in that room, they were making claims about which of them was the greatest, and boasting that they would die rather than forsake Jesus.  The last time most of them had seen Jesus, they were running for their lives out of the Garden of Gethsemane and into the dark of night.  They forsook him, and Jesus went on to die alone.  These disciples were plagued by guilt.  They had been unfaithful and cowardly.  They were not good disciples. 
     These guilt-ridden disciples were all gathered back in that upper room where they had feasted with Jesus.  They had heard reports of Jesus' resurrection from the women.  Some dismissed them as idle tales.  But what if it were true?  What would Jesus say to them if they saw him again?  How angry would Jesus be?  Would Jesus reject them and cast them into fiery judgment?  He should, shouldn't he?  These were legitimate concerns. 
     Then, Jesus appeared among them.  He was not angry.  He did not express regret.  He said, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19)  Rather than breathing fire, Jesus breathed his Holy Spirit upon them.  Rather than casting them out of the kingdom of God, Jesus gave them authority to serve in his kingdom and even to proclaim his forgiveness in his stead and by his command.  He came to trembling sinners and declared, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19)
     When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.  Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. (John 20:20)  Jesus demonstrated that it was really him—their flesh and blood Savior.  We should take to heart the fact that Jesus appeared in the flesh to declare his peace.  Although the Scriptures are clear about God's mercy and forgiveness, Jesus did not leave these disciples to figure out for themselves that God loves sinners and forgives the guilty.  If you are being plagued by guilt, you are too frightened and confused to be sure that God loves you.  You might hope so.  You might even insist that it has to be true.  But a guilty conscience will not let your heart have rest.
     Case in point: Judas Iscariot was just as guilty as the eleven.  In fact, Judas was the only one of the Twelve who actually tried to amend his sins.  Judas tried to return the money he had received to betray Jesus.  But Judas' attempt to undo his betrayal and its consequences did not take his sins away.  Wanting to be freed from his guilt did not make Judas free from his guilt.  Judas Iscariot was so overcome by his guilt and grief that he sought relief in suicide.  Sadly, Jesus had forsaken Jesus' promises, and his tragic death resulted in endless grief and eternal sufferings.  The remaining disciples huddled together in the upper room.  They, too, wanted to be freed from their guilt and shame.  But banding together for mutual consolation could not take away their sins or relieve their guilt.
     Therefore, Jesus himself appeared to these disciples.  The very one who had taken their sins to the cross delivered the message of forgiveness to them.  Jesus did not speak about some nebulous concept of forgiveness.  Jesus personally declared, “I forgive you.  Peace be with you.” (John 20:19)  Jesus knew they had failed.  He knew all their faults.  And he still loved them.  Jesus had authority to forgive their sins, and so he did.  As he declared it, so it was done.
     Now, our sins are just as real as those of the disciples.  Every day we strive to be faithful to our Lord and obedient to his word.  But we forsake God's truth when holding firm to it is hard or painful or inconvenient.  The world simply expects that we will approve of immoral behavior and that we will participate in it with them.  When you feel like you are alone in standing in God's truth and living according to it, it becomes easier and more comfortable to switch allegiance from Jesus to the world.  We feel ashamed at God's word when people sneer at us for believing it, and we feel like we have to apologize for godly living.  Or, we don't apologize for it; we abandon it.  So, how should the Lord treat us when we abandon him because it was hard or painful or inconvenient to be faithful Christians?  Repent.
     If you feel guilty over your sins, if you feel ashamed of your cowardice, if you are grieved by your faults and failures, you are where the disciples were in the upper room.  You know the fears they had.  You may have loved ones try to console you by saying, “Don't feel bad.  Everything's going to be fine.”  Or you may try to convince yourself, “It really isn't that bad because I didn't mean to be unfaithful.  I will try to do better next time.”  But there is no forgiveness in any of that.  The devil will either try to convince you that you are not really a sinner or that your sins are way too bad.  In the one case, you won't seek forgiveness because you don't think you need it.  In the other case, despair may lead you where Judas went.  In neither case is there forgiveness.  If you want to have peace, you need God's word to deliver it.
     The Lord Jesus appeared to his troubled disciples in the upper room on Easter evening.  Jesus personally declared, “I forgive you.  Peace be with you.” (John 20:19)   That is how God absolves sins, removes guilt, and heals broken spirits.  Jesus does not appear in person any longer, but this is what he does instead.  Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (John 20:21-23)  
     Jesus gives authority to forgive sins to his disciples.  The same authority Jesus has to forgive sins he gives to his disciples.  And the Church calls ministers to apply that forgiveness to troubled sinners.  If you are troubled by your sin and guilt, you will not find peace in some nebulous concept of forgiveness out there.  How would you ever know that Jesus forgives you, and that he forgives that sin?  He does this by sending flesh-and-blood ministers to speak in his stead and by his command.  “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you,” (John 20:21) Jesus said.  Jesus gives authority to forgive sins.  Through his ministers, Jesus applies to you personally the forgiveness of your sins.  Yes, Jesus knows that you have failed.  He is aware of all of your faults.  And he still loves you.  He does not look upon you with disgust.  He does not regret dying for you.  Rather, he gives the benefits of his death to you.  He is merciful to you.  He desires you to live without guilt or shame or fear.  So Jesus gives you a personal word of forgiveness.  You hear it when his minster declares, “I forgive you.”  It is Jesus' “I” that you hear.  It is Jesus' forgiveness that is applied to you.  It is declared with Jesus' authority and backed by Jesus' own promise: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them.” (John 20:23)  
     Jesus gives authority to forgive sins to his disciples.  And you are all disciples of Christ.  You are all priests of God who bear his name and confess his word.  And you all have friends who carry burdens of guilt and shame.  Many of them live in terror at the idea of seeing Jesus.  They expect him to be angry, and for good reason.  They need the very forgiveness that you have.  And you get to be the voice that Christ uses to bring relief to guilty hearts, comfort to troubled souls, and healing to broken spirits.  Jesus gives authority to forgive sins to you, too.  It is his word.  It is his good news.  It is meant for everyone Jesus died for—that is, everyone.  And it is to be delivered to each individual—that is: “Jesus forgives you.  Jesus saves you.”
     Jesus gives authority to forgive sins.  He does this for your benefit so that you can know, without a doubt, that your sins are forgiven.  He grants peace to troubled sinners, and he brings joy to grateful saints.

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