YouTube -- Pentecost (May 19, 2024)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, May 19, 2024.  This service includes the Rite of Confirmation.

YouTube -- Ascension, transferred (May 21, 2023)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, May 21, 2023.  The Rite of Confirmation was also observed in this service.

Sermon -- Ascension, transferred (May 21, 2023)

The Rite of Confirmation was also observed in the service today.

EPHESIANS 1:15-23

THE ASCENDED SAVIOR IS HEAD OVER ALL THINGS FOR THE CHRUCH.

In the name + of Jesus.

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

     There is a story told in the Apocryphal book of 2 Maccabees about a family of faithful Jews.  Seven brothers were being pressured to violate God’s Law and threatened with death if they did not comply.  They all refused.  One by one, they were brutally tortured and then put to death.  And over what?  They refused to eat unclean foods.  What many would consider trivial, these brothers believed to be a sin.  They would not turn from God’s word even on a minor point. 

     The mother of these seven brothers had to watch each one being brutally tortured and martyred until only the youngest remained.  She said to him, “My son, have pity on me.  I carried you nine months in my womb and nursed you for three years and have reared you and brought you up to this point in your life and have taken care of you.  I urge you, my child, … do not fear this butcher, but prove worthy of your brothers.  Accept death, so that in God’s mercy I may get you back again along with your brothers” (2 Maccabees 7:27-29).  The mother urged her last son to remain faithful to the word of God at all costs.  Finally, to complete the cruelty, the mother was killed. 

     As horrible as it was for this family to be tortured and martyred, they all recognized that there are things worse than dying.  They willingly suffered death rather than deny their Lord.  No matter how much it grieved this mother to lose her sons in this life, she watched them die in the confidence that she would get them all back at the resurrection of the dead.  This is the confidence of the Christian faith, based on promises made by God and confirmed by Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.  And now, Jesus guarantees a place in the heavenly kingdom to all who are faithful to him even to the point of death.  The ascended Savior lives and reigns as head over all things for the church. 

     I doubt that this family had taken the same confirmation vow that you will make today, Peter, but they demonstrated the spirit of that vow.  Many here have been asked in the past, as you will be asked today: “Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?”  I suppose that question sounds a little dramatic, but the truth is that we will all suffer death at some time.  The point of the Christian faith is not to die comfortably, but to die in the faith.  There are things worse than dying, such as being without Jesus.  So, whether we die peacefully or violently, we yearn to remain steadfast in the Christian faith and to have Jesus as our refuge.

     The confirmation vow is relived to a certain extent every Sunday.  Every week God’s people confess the Christian faith, using one of the three ecumenical creeds (Apostles’, Nicene, or Athanasian).  We are taking a stand—both literally and figuratively—stating, “This is the truth.  This we believe.  We will live and die in this confession.”  We confess these truths confidently because Jesus Christ has taught these things to us in his word.  And his word will not be refuted.  It may be reviled.  It may be rejected.  But the word of the Lord endures forever because the ascended Savior is head over all things for the Church.

     When St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians he mentioned how he constantly prayed for them.  It was a prayer for specific blessings.  We do well to have this prayer upon our lips so that we continue to grow in the faith and hope which rest upon Jesus Christ.  St. Paul’s prayer was for three blessings: “that you may know (1) what is the hope to which he has called you, (2) what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and (3) what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:18-19). 

     The hope to which the Lord has called you is that when you depart from this world, you will enjoy the peace and glory of life everlasting with the Lord.  The Christian hope is not a wish.  We don’t call it a hope because it is in question, like, “I hope the party goes well this afternoon.”  Rather, it is called a hope only because we have not received it yet.  But our hope is based on a promise made by Jesus.  Jesus promised, “Everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40).  Now, those are big words.  There is not a doctor on earth who could boast, “Take these pills.  And if they kill you, don’t worry.  I will bring you back to life.”  We would never take that doctor seriously.  But Jesus does claim this.  Why?  Because the ascended Savior is head over all things, including death and the grave.  He has conquered death.  Jesus lives and reigns for the Church.  Since Jesus has authority over death, he will follow through with his promise, and he will raise you up to live with him.  This is the hope to which he has called you. 

     The second part of our prayer is “that you may know … what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18).  That’s not to say the world won’t entice you with claims that its treasures and pleasures are more desirable.  Let’s go back to that faithful Jewish family from the days of the Maccabees.  After his six older brothers were tortured and slaughtered, the Greek king thought he could break the youngest brother.  He tried sweet-talking him.  “Antiochus not only appealed to him in words, but promised with oaths that he would make him rich and enviable if he would turn from the ways of his fathers and that he would take him for his friend and entrust him with [a prestigious office]” (2 Maccabees 7:24).  Oh, yes, there were riches waiting for this young man, but the cost was his place in the kingdom of God. 

     The ascended Savior is head over all things for the Church.  Jesus enriches you like no one else can.  You have a peace which the world does not know.  When you fall into sin, you know where to go to find forgiveness.  You know where to find strength to fight against temptations.  If you endure days of bitterness or loneliness and wonder if God has forsaken you, you have promises to cling to.  You know that God remains your good and merciful Father in heaven.  That does not change based on circumstances or feelings.  You can’t buy these riches, and the world cannot even offer them to you.  But Jesus guarantees them because he is head over all things.  He lives and reigns for you.

     The third part of the prayer is “that you may know … what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19).  The power of God is that he has delivered you out of the kingdom of the devil and that he preserves you from ever being taken captive again.  The devil will continue to hound you all your life.  He will try to seduce you out of the kingdom of God, and he makes his offers very attractive.  He will try to drive you to despair by tormenting you over your sins.  He will try to convince you that you don’t need God’s word, and that what you really need is more time for yourself, for entertainment, or for sleep. 

     Now, if your goal is a moment’s pleasure, the devil has great ideas.  But if your goal is eternal peace, joy, and glory, you need Jesus.  You will always need Jesus’ strength to preserve you in the true faith.  You will always need Jesus’ word to protect you from the devil’s lies and worldly wisdom.  You will always need Jesus’ body and blood to keep you in the true faith unto life everlasting.  You cannot stand against your enemies alone.  You and I are weak.  We still find temptations attractive.  Our sins prove that.  But Jesus is head over all things.  Nothing can overcome him.  The ascended Savior also sends you his Holy Spirit so that no unclean spirit will overtake you.  If you remain with Jesus Christ, if you cling to his word and sacraments, you are safe.  The ascended Savior is head over all things for you, for your good, and for your salvation.

     If there is a flaw in the Rite of Confirmation, it is that you may get the idea that you are done.  You’ve studied.  You have grown in the faith.  You memorized the Catechism.  You learned a lot about the Bible and its teachings.  And even if you have not gone through the Catechism in a long time, you still might think that you’ve mastered the Christian faith.  You know what happened at Christmas and Easter.  You might remember a lot of your Sunday School lessons.  It’s not like new chapters are being added to the Bible every year.

     But consider St. Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Christians.  He wrote, “Because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him…” (Ephesians 1:15-17), and so on.  He did not say, “You know who Jesus is.  That’s good enough.  You’re set.”  He urged them to continue in what they learned and to grow in the faith.  He encouraged them to let the faith in their hearts and minds become evident in their words and actions.  If you keep reading through the letter to the Ephesians, you will see that St. Paul admonished them to fight against the very sins and temptations that affect us today.  To stand firm, you need Jesus.  And Jesus will not fail you; for, he is the ascended Savior who is the head over all things for the Church.

     Then who or what is there to fear?  The seven Jewish brothers and their mother did not fear the threats, the torture, or the martyrdom that came at the command of Antiochus Epiphanes—which is not to say they enjoyed it.  But their moments of torment were soon forgotten as they entered everlasting peace and joy.  Their bodies were mutilated and destroyed, but they would get them back in glorified perfection.  In the end, those faithful Jews lost nothing.  How could they?  For, Jesus Christ lives and reigns “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.  And (the Father) put all things under his feet” (Ephesians 1:21-22). 

     So also, we stand firm with Jesus, fearing neither threats nor loss nor shame nor death.  Our ascended Savior is head over all things for the Church.  We long to be with him in glory.  Therefore, we long to be with him now.  Here, he confirms our hope of the resurrection, enriches us with his grace, and strengthens us to live and die in the one true faith.

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

YouTube -- Ascension Day, transferred (May 29, 2022)

Here is the service from Sunday, May 29, a little bit late.  Due to an illness, the Rite of Confirmation for one of our catechumens was observed in this service.

YouTube -- 6th Sunday of Easter (May 22, 2022)

Here is the service from Sunday, May 22, 2022.  The Rite of Confirmation was observed in this service.  Unfortunately, a COVID exposure resulted in one of our teens having to reschedule his confirmation to a future date, yet to be determined as of this posting.

Sermon -- 6th Sunday of Easter (May 22, 2022)

The Rite of Confirmation was observed in the service today.  Three catechumens were scheduled to observe the Rite of Confirmation.  Because of exposure to COVID, one of our catechumens was unable to attend and will have his confirmation rescheduled.

JOHN 14:23-29

ONLY JESUS GIVES PEACE THAT ENDURES.

 M:                   Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

Cong:              He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

In the name + of Jesus.

     The Rite of Confirmation will be observed this morning as two catechumens will vow to be faithful to the Scriptures they have learned.  For years, these three youth have come to church—for the most part, this church.  Why did you come here?  The short answer is that this is where your parents brought you.  You trust that your parents would not attend a church that misrepresents God’s word, so you had good reason to believe that you were taught the Bible here correctly.  But now that you are getting older and you are not far from being independent, you will assess the question again: Why do you come to this church?  What reason do you have to come to a confessional Lutheran church? 

     We have spent several years answering that question by looking at the Scriptures.  We compared what this church teaches and confesses to what the Bible teaches us to confess.  Today, you are publicly confessing that you agree with this church’s teachings because you have found it to be faithful to the Scriptures.  For that reason, you desire to be united with us in our mission, to partake of holy communion from this altar, to continue to hear God’s word preached from this pulpit, and to order your life according to the word of God.

     The reason you continue to come here is out of love for the Lord.  God has given us plenty of reasons to love him.  Even the atheist should find some affection for God.  St. Paul told the citizens of Lystra why.  “[God] did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness” (Acts 14:17).  If you are alive, if you eat and drink, if you are clothed, then you have reason to care about God.

     But you, dear Christians, have all the more reason to love God.  God has revealed his word to you to show you how he loves you and how he blesses you.  Jesus told his disciples, and he tells you too, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23).  God loved you even before you heard a word of the Bible, but his word shows you the full extent of his love.  God reveals his love to you in Jesus.  It is Jesus who has made the atoning sacrifice for your sins.  It is Jesus who delivers to you peace from God.  It is Jesus who has opened up to you the kingdom of heaven and will raise you up out of your grave to live forever without any sorrow, shame, or burden.  Jesus lived and died for you.  His life provides the holiness you need.  His death takes away all the guilt you have.  His resurrection is the proof that you are forgiven, and that God’s peace is yours.  Only Jesus gives peace that endures. 

     If Jesus willingly suffered undeserved, hellish torment to save you, then you know that everything else he has to say to you is for your good.  Jesus said, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word” (John 14:23).  The same word which saves you also directs you throughout your life.  It preserves you from falling back into sin and unbelief.  It prevents you from being deceived by fine-sounding arguments which either distort or deny God’s word.  It encourages you to continue to strive for godly living, and it strengthens you to fight against temptation.  This is why you will want to keep his word, that is, to cling to it, to continue to grow in it, and to cherish it your whole life long.  Only Jesus gives peace that endures.

     Regarding that peace, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).  Jesus does not give peace as the world promises peace.  The peace which comes from this world is fragile at best.  Often it is only an illusion.  Social media is the perfect example of this illusion as people will post the images they want you to see.  There is a photo in our family that is legendary, at least for my wife and me.  We were on a family vacation in Massachusetts.  It was around the 4^th of July.  We were at a beach waiting for the sun to go down so we could watch the fireworks.  We have a beautiful photo of five children stretched out across the beach with the sun setting behind them.  They are all smiling cheerfully.  If you saw it, you would probably think, “Awww, what a wonderful day that must have been.”  Laura and I know better.  That photo is a lie.  You did not see the two hours of arguing, teasing, and bickering which led up to that photo.

     How easy it is to be deceived!  We think that peace in this world is secure when life is going our way.  But how quickly it can be taken away!  Wealth can be lost with a bad day on Wall Street.  Health can be ruined by a virus.  (A COVID test can result in one of our teens having to reschedule his confirmation rite.)  A tornado in Gaylord just swept away homes and businesses.  Friends can let you down.  Loved ones die.  The blessings we have are all temporary.  They can’t guarantee you anything.  We can cherish them.  We may learn to depend upon them.  But if our peace comes from them, they our peace can be lost in a moment’s notice.  Jesus supplies a peace which cannot be shattered even if your whole world falls apart.  Nothing can cancel Jesus’ life, so our righteousness is intact.  Nothing can nullify Jesus’ death, so our forgiveness is sure.  Nothing can undo Jesus’ resurrection, so our salvation is certain.  Only Jesus gives a peace that endures.

     Every year, the young people who are confirmed are given a confirmation verse.  It is a verse of Scripture to meditate on their whole lives long.  And each year, I have a theme for the class.  The theme this year is that the Lord is our refuge.  The world may be chaotic, but the Lord is our refuge.  The devil may mess with your conscience, but Jesus is your peace.  Think of a refuge like a castle.  In medieval times, when the enemy came, the people would flee to the castle for safety.  The enemy would launch their projectiles at the castle, and the castle would take the blows.  The people remained safe.

     Jesus is your refuge.  He has taken the blows of sin, death, and the devil for you.  All the accusations that Satan makes against you were absorbed by Jesus.  The devil cannot harm you.  Sin does not condemn you.  The grave cannot keep you.  Jesus lives and reigns to protect you and to preserve you.  Only Jesus gives peace that endures.

     And you will need it all the more.  As you get older, the temptations you face will become more frequent, more intense, and more attractive.  The teen years are tough years.  Friends will entice you to adopt behavior and ideals that are opposed to God.  You will be drawn to your own sinful desires.  The world will tell you to do it without hesitation and without apologies.  But if you love Jesus, if you desire to keep his word, and if God has made his home in you, you will despise yourself for giving into temptations so easily and so frequently.  When that happens, do not flee away from Jesus because of guilt or shame; flee to Jesus.  He is the refuge for sinners.  He is your refuge where you find relief from guilt.  He is your refuge even in the face of death.  He assures you, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).  Your sins might trouble you; Jesus forgives them.  God’s judgment might make you afraid; Jesus suffered that punishment for you.  Only Jesus gives peace that endures.

     Jesus told his apostles, “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:25-26).  It is important to remember that Jesus said these things to the apostles.  He does not tell us to look to ourselves for truth.  Although the Holy Spirit has planted faith in your heart so that you know and believe his word, sinful desires also arise from within our hearts.  Ideas that sound great are not always godly ideas.

     This is why we always pay attention to the word of Jesus.  Jesus promised to send his Holy Spirit in order to teach the apostles all things and to remind them of all that Jesus said.  The apostles wrote down these words so that we can always know what Jesus has said, what he has done, what he promises, and what he desires.  You don’t have to guess about God’s love or purpose for you.  He tells you.  Jesus saw to it that his words would be recorded for your continued learning, encouragement, and guidance.  Continue in these for your own comfort and confidence in the faith.  Confirmation means you have been strengthened in the faith, not that you have mastered it.

     Only Jesus gives peace that endures.  Jesus’ words will never deceive you.  They will never fail you.  They are always for your good.  Sometimes they will be hard words of rebuke.  Oftentimes, the world will make it hard to follow them.  Your own flesh will resist them.  But Jesus gives you his word for your good—for a good life here and for your eternal good.  Jesus wants you to be restored to the image of God; so, he tells you what a godly life looks like.  People may mock you for chaste and decent living.  They may be baffled by your honesty and humility.  They may be confounded when you seek the good of others, even praying for your enemies and blessing those who curse you. 

     But you are children of God Most High.  You have been set apart from a world that is cursed.  You have been given a peace that the world does not know.  As long as you are listening to God’s word, you will remain in that peace.  You will find comfort in your refuge.  You will gather with fellow Christians who will encourage you, pray for you, and delight in confessing God’s word with you.  You will need them, and they will need you.  And we all need Jesus to preserve us in the one true faith.

     Today, two young teens will vow to be faithful to the Lord.  But far more important, you know that the Lord will remain faithful to you.  The Lord Jesus will sustain and strengthen you through his word.  He assures you that you have God’s favor no matter what the world says of you.  He assures you that your salvation is secure even if the world is falling apart.  If the world becomes chaotic, violent, or stressful, Jesus’ peace remains constant.  It is a peace that endures through every emotion, every age, and every circumstance.  God is our refuge and strength, and ever-present help in times of trouble.  He always has been.  He always will be.

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

Sermon -- Trinity Sunday (May 22, 2016)

NUMBERS 6:22-27

THE TRIUNE GOD HAS 

PUT HIS NAME UPON YOU.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Dearly beloved of God, and especially the youth who are being confirmed here today.

     The Triune God has put his name upon you.  You were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Through that baptism, the Lord washed away all your sin and guilt.  The Lord Jesus has clothed you with his righteousness, a garment on salvation wrapped around you.  The Lord drove out the unclean spirit in you so that now the Holy Spirit dwells in you.  You are God's temple, in whom God dwells, and on whom God has put his name.
     This has been your status even from infancy.  As you grew up and learned more about God's word, you learned more about the blessing of having the Triune God's name upon you.  Granted, you did not grasp this in your infancy.  Nevertheless, you had the benefit of God's blessings, God's promise, and God's salvation.  That is because God had adopted you into his family, and you received the benefits of that family.  As infants, you did not really understand the blessings you were given when you were born into your earthly family.  You did not really know or appreciate the benefits of having your family and bearing your family's name—that you had parents who would feed you, clothe you, bathe you, protect you, and console you.  You did not get it, but you benefited all the same.  In the same way, you have benefited, even from infancy, when the Triune God put his name on you and made you his own dear child.
     Now that you have studied God's promises and commandments, you know what it means that you are children of the Most High God.  You understand that having the name of the Triune God put upon you is not merely a status.  Faith is not mere knowledge.  The devil has knowledge, too.  In fact, the devil knows the Bible better than you and I do.  Faith is not knowledge of the facts that any Jeopardy champion can rattle off.  Faith is a devout trust in God's promises.  Faith believes that God is good and faithful, even when life is hard and unfair.  Faith is not mere theory.  Faith is living and active.  Faith is put to work, forming our attitudes and guiding our actions.  So, we not only confess that we are children of the Triune God, we also live as his children.
     Over the years, your parents have told you what they expect of you.  They have taught you how to behave.  They taught you to say “Please” and “Thank you.”  They made you apologize when you were wrong.  Your parents set a standard of behavior which you are expected to follow even when you are not with them.  That's because you bear the family name, and your parents don't want you to disgrace that name with rude or wicked behavior.  This is also how it is with the Lord.
     The Triune God has put his name upon you.  You have been adopted into God's family and you bear the family name.  The Ten Commandments declare what God's will is for all people.  If you bear God's name, you rightly take to heart what those Commandments say.  By them, God tells you how his children should think, speak, and act.  But they also show us that we do not do what we should do.  They highlight that we have sullied the family name. Our attitudes are jealous and petty.  Our words are deceptive, unkind, and vulgar.  Our actions are not for the love of our neighbor, but for the good and the glory of ourselves.  Perhaps you have even had people confront you about your sins, getting in your face and saying indignantly, “That's how you act?!  I thought you were a Christian!”  The Bible admonishes us: “You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.  For, as it is written, 'The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.'” (Romans 2:23-24)  Repent.  The Commandments remind us that we are still sinners, and we are right to confess that to be so.
     It is not only amazing that our Triune God has put his name upon us; it is also amazing that he does not revoke his name from us.  Nor are we the weird relative that he will only acknowledge begrudgingly.  Instead, God's face continually shines upon us.  That is part of the blessing that is proclaimed at the end of every service: The LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. (Numbers 6:25)  This is what Jesus Christ has done for us.  He reveals to us that our Triune God is most merciful to sinners.  Jesus took our sins and bore our shame and guilt and was put to death under God's curse for us.  Jesus hung from the cross in total darkness as the heavenly Father poured out all his wrath on Jesus for us.  In turn, the Lord's face shines upon us.  We have pardon for all our sins.  And since the blood of Jesus always covers us, the Lord is always gracious to us.  We are always God's beloved children.  The Triune God has put his name upon you so that you will always know that you are his.
     Today, dear class, you are about to vow that you will always be faithful to the Lord Jesus.  You will vow to conform your life to God's will, as the Lord gives you strength.  You will need his strength, because the devil will be fighting hard for the rest of your lives to lure you away from God.  And the devil plays dirty.  He lies.  He distorts God's word.  He wants to deceive you so that you believe that his ways are better.  He tells you that God only judges, the devil is accepting; that God only condemns, the devil loves; that God is a bigot, that the devil tolerates.  The devil mocks God's will for purity; the devil celebrates promiscuity and perversion.  God calls you to repent; the devil tells you to apologize for nothing.  And the devil's ways may very well be more popular.
     The devil will also employ your friends for his purposes.  They will mock you for following God's word.  They will beg you to forsake God's commandments and assure you that bearing God's name is unimportant or just plan stupid.  As I said, the devil plays dirty.  And to top it off, you will have your own sinful nature to contend with which will convince you that you have better things to do than to go to church, to be fed by Jesus, and to believe the Bible.  I don't mean to paint a dismal picture, but an honest one.  We do not call it “the Church Militant” for nothing.
     Your hope, however, has not changed, and it has never disappointed anyone who has kept it.  Your hope is the Triune God.  He is the one who blesses and keeps you.  He has not only made you, but he sustains you.  He not only provides for your bodily welfare, he has secured your eternal life.  You do well to vow to be faithful to him, but you will also find that you sin against him.  You will not need acquaintances to get in your face and tell you, “That's how you act?!  I thought you were a Christian!”  You will say that about yourself.  But you will find that your Triune God remains utterly faithful to you.  He will cleanse.  He will be gracious.  He will grant you peace.  And he will not revoke his name or his blessings from you.
     It is also worth noting how the Lord bestows his blessings upon you so that you always remain in his good graces.  The Lord commanded Moses to give these words to Aaron and his sons to proclaim to his people.  He concluded by saying, “So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.” (Number 6:27)  You will not remain a Christian merely by sitting at home and thinking about Jesus from time to time.  God's gifts are given by his ministers where God's people meet in God's name.  Here, the word which saves you is proclaimed.  Here, the Lord's Supper which feeds you is administered.  Here, the forgiveness which comforts you is dispensed.  Here, God's name which marks you continues to be proclaimed upon you.  Here, God's faithfulness is made known to you, and it is that faithfulness which will keep you faithful to him.
     Your confirmation vow will not save you.  It will not even comfort you.  You are saved and comforted and sustained and forgiven and blessed only by your merciful Father who sent his Son to redeem you who sends his Holy Spirit to create and strengthen faith in you.  Through word and sacrament, the Holy Spirit works to reveal to you the Son who proclaims to you your loving Father.  This is why you will always need the word and sacraments which are always in Christ's church.  The Lord desires this for you so that you will be his forever.  He is eager to bless and save you.  After all, that is why the Triune God has put his name upon you.

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

Confirmation and Graduation

This is fairly stale news by now, but I have been tardy in getting some milestones noted on the blog.  Below are pictures from Caleb's confirmation on May 18 and from Nathanael's graduation from Michigan Lutheran Seminary on May 24.

Congratulations and God's blessings to both of you!

 Alyssa, me, and Caleb

 

 Grandpa Schroeder, Caleb, and Grandma Schroeder

 Grandma Schmidt and Caleb (Feel better soon, Grandpa!)

Okay, so this is on a liturgical gesture....

Psst, Caleb, I used to have hair like yours.

Nathanael is all about maternal affection. 

President Petermann presents Nathanael with his diploma.  

Nathanael and Charli on their big day. 

The sunny day was great for the graduation, but lousy for putting shadows across people's faces.  Anyway, here's the whole family at MLS.

Two crazy weeks

It has been a strange and wild two weeks.  It was all supposed to revolved around Caleb's Confirmation and Nathanael's graduation from Michigan Lutheran Seminary.  That is the short version.  But the last two weeks looked a little more like this:

Sunday (May 11): Divine Service; house cleaning; Happy Mothers' Day!; Greenfield Village; take Nathanael, Andrew, and Charli back to MLS

Monday: Catechism Class wrap up; house cleaning

Tuesday: House cleaning; Shut in visits; 6th Grade Bible History Class; Church Council

Wednesday: Clean out the garage; pack up for trip; go to library to get a book on CD for the trip to New Ulm; get bulletin printed

Thursday: Leave at 6:15 AM for New Ulm, Minnesota to get Faith from Martin Luther College; begin disc 1 of biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer; slowed down in Chicago; lunch at the Arby's in Johnson Creek, WI where I also revise the upcoming sermon; Mississippi River about 4:00 PM CDST; New Ulm about 7:00 PM CDST; meet Faith; supper at Veigel's Kaiserhoff (no sauerbraten -- arrrgghhh!); bed time at the Colonial Inn.

Friday: Breakfast at the Ulmer Café and revise Sunday's sermon some more; pack up Faith; kill time at the Library at Martin Luther College; tried to nap in a quiet corner there, woke up to students giving their parents a tour; Commencement Concert at 4:00 PM; pack up Faith's last stiches of clothing and the Buick is FULL; supper at Subway; Faith takes the wheel at we leave New Ulm at 7:00 PM CDST; Mississippi River at night; I take over driving.

Saturday: Rerouted through Milwaukee at 1:00 AM CDST; Fly through Chicago at 2:30 AM CDST; Gas up in LaPorte, IN and Faith takes over driving the rest of the way; Home at 8:00 AM EDST.  Go to bed till about Noon; House cleaning

Sunday (May 18): Examination of Catechumens; Divine Service with Rite of Confirmation; Photos; Get ready for Open House at 2:00 PM; Mom passes out in our kitchen about 7:15 PM; EMS techs show up; Mom to hospital and we follow close behind.

Monday: Go to hospital with kids (after they finally get up) to see how Grandma is doing; take Nathanael, Andrew, and Charli back to MLS; listen to Bonhoeffer CD on the way back home; back to the hospital for a while.

Tuesday: Mother is released from the hospital; Mom & Dad immediately return to Wisconsin; take a nap; Laura gets her blood tested and platelets are down to 2,000; conduct final 6th Grade Bible History Class of the year; Laura has a bloody nose, so we go to the hospital immediately; stay until about 9:30 PM.

Wednesday: Take kids to school; then to hospital; try to do some church work; go to sports banquet at St. Peter; leave during banquet to pick up Laura who had been released; back to St. Peter to get kids; home and to bed.

Thursday: Get bulletin done; get a few other church-related items done; thanking God that I booked a guest preacher for Sunday.

Friday: Faith and I go to MLS for their final chapel of the year to listen to recipients of sports awards (academic awards were for the previous day); get Nathanael and Andrew's dorms packed into the van (as much as they could empty at the time); get checked into the hotel; nap; commencement concert at 7:00 PM; fiasco trying to get everyone picked up and back to the hotel for pizza; return Nathanael and Charli to the dorms by 11:00 PM; bed.

Saturday: Graduation at 10:00 AM; photographs to follow, then parties all day.

Sunday (May 25): Get to sleep in much later than a normal Sunday; check out of hotel; more parties to go to; home at about 10:30 PM; bed, sweet bed (kicked out by a 5 year old at 3:00 AM).

I am looking forward to what is supposed to amount to a normal week this week.  I suppose God's sense of humor will have other plans.

Sermon -- 5th Sunday of Easter (May 18, 2014)

JOHN 16:5-15

JESUS SENDS HIS SPIRIT FOR YOUR ADVANTAGE.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Today, two teens will be asked a question that is not often laid upon people.  Today, Alyssa and Caleb, you will be asked this question: Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it? (Rite of Confirmation)  For the past number of years, you have studied and memorized and prayed so that you can give your answer with confidence: “I do so intend, with the help of God.” 

     It is not a question asked lightly, and even more so, answered.  You also ought to be warned that around half of the people who have so vowed have not lived up to their intentions.  They have been led away by other interests.  Those interests may have been innocent enough, but if they led people away from Jesus, they have to be evil.  While people may insist that their ambitions and accomplishments have been noble, if they are in place of Jesus, then God cannot be pleased no matter how many people were helped.  Only through Jesus Christ will you find God’s favor and salvation.  Even if you should have to suffer death rather than fall away from him, you have really lost nothing.  You will not even have lost your life, for at death your life in God’s presence begins. 

     When Jesus spoke with his apostles on Maundy Thursday, they all vowed their undying allegiance to Jesus.  You may recall Peter proclaiming something that sounds similar to a confirmation vow.  Peter said to (Jesus), “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.”  And all the disciples said the same. (Matthew 26:35)  Of course, such fire and zeal will not save you.  Within hours, all the disciples fled from Jesus.  Likewise, your confirmation vow will not save you.  Good intentions and solemn vows never save you, just as they did not save Peter from denying his Lord.  It is not your word to God which saves, but God’s word to you.  That is what you and I must cling to every day of our life.

     The apostles boldly confessed their faithfulness to Jesus, but boldness turned to sadness when Jesus declared, “Now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’  But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.  Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you.  But if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16:5-7)  The apostles were sad because they wanted Jesus to stay with them.  They wanted to keep seeing miracles by him.  They wanted to continue feasting with him.  Life would be better if Jesus did not depart.  Jesus acknowledged, “Because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.  Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away….” (John 16:6-7) 

     Jesus sends his Spirit for your advantage.  It is better for you that Jesus not be physically in one place on the earth.  If he were, then you would never get near Jesus, and he could not be with you.  But now he has ascended to heaven.  Jesus has gone so that rather than being in one place, Jesus is now in all places.  Jesus sends his Holy Spirit who comes to all people wherever the word is preached and the sacraments are administered.  By giving you his Holy Spirit, Jesus marks you as his own redeemed brother or sister.  The Holy Spirit dwells within you, making you the very temple of God.  And what is the temple?  It is where God dwells with his people.  So far from having abandoned you, Jesus is with you always, to the very end of the age.  And if Jesus’ Spirit is with you, so are Jesus’ mercy, forgiveness, and salvation.  So it is for your advantage that Jesus sends his Spirit.

     “And when he comes,” Jesus says, “he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” (John 16:8-11)

     Jesus sends his Spirit for your benefit.  It is to your benefit to know what sin really is.  Most will limit sins to crimes—murder, rape, the kidnapping of Nigerian children, or a Sudanese woman sentenced to hanging for being a Christian.  Some will add that it is a sin to be against some social cause or group.  But Jesus tells you that the Holy Spirit convicts people of sin “because they do not believe in me.” (John 16:9)  All people are sinful.  Sin is not limited to crimes and misdemeanors.  The very heart of man is corrupt, so that even the good things he does are corrupted.  Man wants his reward from God, which betrays that man always thinks he can earn something by his works.  He does not want a Savior; he wants credit.  He does not crave mercy, but praise.  In short, man does not believe in Jesus, for he does not think he needs to be saved. 

     The Holy Spirit also convicts concerning righteousness, as Jesus says, “because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer…” (John 16:10)  Again, man does not know what righteousness is.  He thinks because he refrains from crimes and writes a check for a charity that he is righteous.  But no man is pure.  Everyone works with ulterior motives.  We do not crave righteousness from Jesus because we think that we’ve got it pretty well covered.  We may credit Jesus for dying for sins, but then we assume that we are getting the works done that would please God.  We do not seek comfort in Jesus interceding for us before the throne of God because we don’t think such intercession is necessary.  Jesus is out of sight, out of mind.  We think our righteousness comes from a place we can see, such as our own words and deeds. 

     Jesus sends his Spirit for your advantage so that you will recognize sin for what it is and so that you will know where righteousness can only be found.  Jesus came to rescue us from our sinful condition.  He knows that we are sinners.  He knows that we cannot stop it.  So he bled under the curse for all sin.  He completely covers us in that sacred blood.  Jesus supplies all righteousness.  Jesus has paid for all sins and provides full forgiveness.  Sins do not damn any longer; for Jesus has endured that.  Therefore, unbelief is the only thing which damns.  The Spirit convicts the world of this.  Whoever believes and his baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be damned. (Mark 16:16) 

     It is for your advantage that Jesus has gone into heaven.  Jesus has ascended into heaven so that he can give his gifts to his people in all the world.  So, if you seek righteousness, come where Jesus gives it—in the word preached, in absolution applied, in the Lord’s Supper where you commune with Jesus and he with you.  Through these, Jesus gives his Spirit, his mercy, and his salvation. 

     It is for your advantage that Jesus gives you his Spirit.  The Spirit dwells in you so that God will be with you and you will be with him forever.  He has sent his Spirit to you so that you will be preserved by his truth to the day you die.  You will likely not be martyred for the Christian faith, but the question you are asked will apply to you one day: Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it? (Rite of Confirmation)  The day will come when you will suffer death.  But fear not.  Jesus has not abandoned you.  Even in death he does not abandon you.  Jesus has saved you so that you will follow where he has gone.  Jesus sent his Holy Spirit who lives in you so that you will not die but live.  The Holy Spirit he has given you marks you as an heir of the resurrection to eternal life.  This is for your advantage, and your salvation.

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

Sermon -- Pentecost (May 19, 2013)

JOHN 15:26-27

THE SPIRIT OF GOD REVEALS THE WILL OF GOD.

Note: This sermon was preached on the day

when three teens observed the Rite of Confirmation.

In the name + of Jesus.

     In their studies for their confirmation, these three catechumens learned the 3^rd petition of the Lord’s Prayer: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  They also memorized Luther’s explanation of the Lord’s Prayer.  It often happens when memory work is assigned, teens like to request, “Can’t I just tell you what I think it means?”  As noble as that sounds, it is not wise.  When you pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” can you say you actually know what God’s will is? 

     If someone asks you want God wants, your answer had better not begin with the words, “I think….”  If you tell me what you think God’s will is, you are probably not telling me God’s will at all.  You are telling me what you would like it to be.  Or you are telling me what you think and you are assuming that your will is God’s will.  This is not only dangerous; it is arrogant, and it is idolatry.  Unless you are actually repeating what God has said, claiming to speak for God is blasphemy.  God must be the one to tell you what he wills and what he warns against.  God speaks for himself, and we dare not confuse our convictions with God’s word.

     So, how can you know what God’s will is?  How can you know what God desires and what God condemns?  You don’t have to guess.  God has revealed these things to us through his Holy Spirit.  Only the Spirit of God reveals the will of God.

     Now a follow-up question: How do you know what message is from the Holy Spirit and which message is from a different or demonic spirit?  Once again, sinners tend to resort to their feelings.  Some look for signs to confirm their desires—and by George, they always manage to find their signs.  It is a dangerous and deadly deception for you to look within yourself for divine guidance.  For, you are not divine.  And you can be sure that the Lord will never grant you permission to do what he condemns, no matter how many signs are telling you that it is okay to do so.  Our minds and our hearts are corrupt and self-serving.  That is why God does not speak to us through our feelings or our opinions. 

     The Spirit of God reveals the will of God.  Jesus had told his apostles that he would send the Helper, the Spirit of God, to show them the things of God.  The Holy Spirit would be given to the apostles and bear witness to Jesus and all of his words.  Jesus had not written these things down.  That was entrusted to the apostles.  Jesus told them so: “You…will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” (John 15:27)  Through the apostles, the Holy Spirit would proclaim and record the words and works of Jesus.  In this way, we don’t have to guess what Jesus would want or do.  We have a written record.  We have God’s own word.  In the Bible, God speaks for himself.  There, the Spirit of God reveals the will of God.

     God tells us what he desires and demands.  He tells us what he commends and what he condemns in many aspects of life.  He tells us what is pure in sex and marriage and what is a perversion of them.  He tells us what parents owe their children and what children owe their parents.  He praises the one who loves his neighbor and helps him in his need, and he pounces on the one who would use his neighbor and scheme to swindle him out of his time, money, and energy.   He commands us to regard his word as holy (because it is!) and to adhere to all of it (because everything God says matters!).  And he condemns us if we would distort or discard any of it in order to make God conform to our liking.  Where God has not spoken, you are free to do as you please.  God does not care what color you paint your bedroom, how you prepare your eggs, or who your favorite team is.  But when the Spirit of God reveals the will of God, it is not open for debate.  The word of the Lord stands, even if it stands against you.  And if it does stand against you, if it does reveal that you are listening to a different spirit, repent.  For it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

     On the Day of Pentecost, Jesus poured out his Holy Spirit upon the apostles.  He gave them the Divine Helper who helped them remember every word Jesus had spoken, every promise Jesus had fulfilled, and every deed Jesus had done.  Jesus sent his Spirit to guide them in all truth.  The Spirit of God revealed the will of God to them.  Jesus had said, “The Spirit of truth… will bear witness about me.  And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” (John 15:26-27)  The Holy Spirit granted these apostles the courage and the ability to speak to the crowds on the Day of Pentecost.  Crowds who had gathered from around the world with their divided languages heard the apostles declare the wonders and the will of God in their own native languages.  Through these apostles, the Spirit of God revealed the will of God.

     What, then, is that will?  Peter declared it in his second epistle: The Lord is “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)  Peter declared it in his first epistle: “Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)  And he proclaimed it to the crowds at Pentecost: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” (Acts 2:38)  It is God’s will that you would be saved from your sin—from your blasphemy which presumes that your opinions are God’s opinions, from your idolatry which puts your desires above God’s word, and from your unclean spirit which does not want to listen to God to begin with. 

     The Spirit of God reveals the will of God, and he bears witness to all Jesus has done for you.  For it was God’s will to save you.  Therefore, God came to redeem you.  He became flesh to deliver you.  Jesus submitted himself to all of God’s word.  He has done the will of God by doing all that is commanded of man.  In doing this, he has won God’s favor.  But to save you, Jesus did not bask in God’s favor.  Instead, he absorbed the curse of sinners.  It was God’s will to crush Jesus, to cause him to suffer, and to make his life a sin offering for the world.  First, this reveals that God has no tolerance for sin and no mercy for sinners.  Jesus died an excruciating death under the divine curse of an Almighty God.

     But Jesus’ sufferings and death also reveal the height and depth of God’s love for you—that Jesus would die mercilessly so that you would be shown mercy; that Jesus would take all your sin so that you would be found blameless before God; that Jesus would pay the price for every presumptuous word you would utter and for every time you followed your self-indulgent feelings over God’s word.  Jesus took God’s curse for these so that God could call you his saints.  Jesus gave himself into death so that you would have eternal life.  This is God’s will.  It has been fulfilled by Jesus.  It has been revealed by the Holy Spirit.  It has been proclaimed by the apostles.  It is still preached by God’s ministers.  And it has been given to you.

     Today, three teens will be vowing to be faithful to these Spirit-given teachings for the rest of their lives.  In some respect, they will be swearing to do the impossible.  They cannot keep themselves faithful anymore than you can keep yourself from sinning.  It is God the Holy Spirit who must give them life and strength and conviction.  It is the Holy Spirit who confirms us in the faith.  It is the Spirit of God who conforms our minds and hears to the will of God.  And the Spirit of God only does this in his word and sacrament.  This is where he reveals the will of God.  This is where he pours out the salvation of Jesus Christ.

     This is what you need.  This is what all Christians need.  It is the only hope we have, but it is the only hope which saves.  Remember: You may struggle in your faithfulness to God, but God is always faithful to you.  The Spirit of God reveals the will of God, and he shows you that your God is a gracious Savior who desires your salvation.  And that is why we pray, “Thy will be done.”

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