YouTube -- TRIDUUM: Good Friday Tenebrae (April 3, 2026)

Here is the Tenebrae service from Good Friday -- April 3, 2026.

Sermon -- Good Friday Tenebrae: The Sixth Word (April 3, 2026)

Good Shepherd celebrated a Tenebrae service in which we heard the seven words from the cross, followed by a brief homily on each word.  

THE SIXTH WORD — John 19:30

     Everything Jesus ever did was done intentionally.  He was fully obedient to God’s commandments.  He recognized that the traditions of the Pharisees were customs.  Even if those traditions were helpful for exercising piety, they were not commandments.  It is like teaching our children to pray before meals.  There is nothing in God’s word that commands us to pray before meals.  It is still a worthy practice, so we teach it.  But we cannot say a family is sinning against God if they do not offer up a prayer before digging into their salads.

     Everything Jesus ever did was done intentionally.  He did not waste his words when he taught about the kingdom of God.  No miraculous healing was done by accident.  His mercy toward the tax collectors and prostitutes was not to be confused with leniency, and his scathing rebukes against the Pharisees did not arise from rivalry.  Everything Jesus did was intended to lead people to repent and to find their hope in him.  Some did; others did not.

     Everything Jesus ever did was done intentionally.  His trip to the cross was done according to his own timing, done to fulfill all the prophets, and done as his Father willed it.  So, when Jesus uttered the words, “It is finished,” he stated that every little and last thing was done to perfection.  Not a single jot or tittle of God’s Law was bypassed; rather, every jot and tittle was fulfilled. 

     What this means for you is that there are no extra chores or challenges you must complete to be assured of eternal life.  There are no unpaid debts.  Everything God has demanded, he has received from Jesus. 

     “It is finished!”  This word Jesus uttered just before he died.  It is the word we cling to when we face death.  Because of this word, we do not have to invent virtues that we do not have.  Nor do we have to convince God and ourselves that our sins are excusable.  Are we sinners?  Yes, and Jesus came to save sinners.  Are we perfect?  No, but Jesus applies his holiness to us.  Jesus has removed from us all that condemns, and Jesus gives us all that saves. 

     “It is finished!”  The perfect life has been lived.  The cursed death has been died.  The sins of the world have been paid for.  Everything Jesus ever did was done with willful intention, with careful attention, and complete perfection. 

Sermon -- Good Friday Tenebrae: The Third Word (April 3, 2026)

Good Shepherd celebrated a Tenebrae service in which we heard the seven words from the cross, followed by a brief homily on each word.  

THE THIRD WORD — John 19:25-27

     When God created the world, he also created vocations for us to fill.  The second table of the Law says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Our vocations are the practical ways we do this.

     The first commandment in the second table is “Honor your father and mother.”  The family relationship is the most basic vocation in the world.  No one comes into the world without a father or a mother.  Children are taught to honor, serve, and obey their parents.  While the age of children may alter how they honor, serve, and obey their parents, the 4^th Commandment is never abolished.

     Even while he hung from the cross—weakened from the scourging, in agony from the nails, tormented by divine wrath—Jesus fulfilled his vocation as the firstborn son of Mary.  He kept the Commandment when we might have excused him because of his sufferings.  Nevertheless, he loved his mother.  He assured her that she would be cared for.

     Jesus had brothers, probably step-brothers, who could have taken up the obligation to care for Mary.  Instead, Jesus gave this responsibility to the apostle John.  John took her into his home and cared for her physical well-being. 

     But Jesus’ ultimate desire was for her eternal well-being.  He was dying for her sins.  He entrusted her to the apostle who would preach forgiveness, administer the Lord’s Supper, and absolve her in the stead and by the command of Jesus.  In this way, Jesus fulfilled his vocation as her faithful son and her faithful Savior.

     The Commandment is fulfilled by Jesus’ obedience.  The sins of abusive or negligent parents and the sins of disrespectful or rebellious children are paid for by Jesus’ death.  He reconciles to the heavenly Father.  We are adopted into his holy family.  We are gathered into the communion of saints.

Sermon -- Good Friday Tenebrae: The Second Word (April 3, 2026)

Good Shepherd celebrated a Tenebrae service in which we heard the seven words from the cross, followed by a brief homily on each word.  

THE SECOND WORD: Luke 23:38-43

     When Jesus was suspended upon the cross, “those who passed by ridiculed him…  In the same way, the chief priests along with the experts in the law mocked him among themselves” (Mark 15:29,31).  That does not surprise us.  But then Mark noted, “Those who were crucified with him also insulted him” (Mark 15:32). 

     Some people who sit on death row develop a sense of regret.  Hardened criminals go to the death chamber breathing out obscenities and cursing everyone within ear shot.  One criminal seems to have moved from one camp to the opposite.  He began the day with curses.  At least he could find some camaraderie among those who mocked Jesus, right?  But then came the change.  Why?

     Consider the words by which people mocked Jesus.  “He saved others.  Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, the Chosen One!  If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” (Luke 23:35,37)!  The mockers considered these claims worthy of scorn.  The criminal considered them worthy of further consideration.  And upon his consideration, he recognized that everything they said about Jesus was true.  He is the Christ.  He is the Son of God.  He is the King who has come to save his people and establish an everlasting kingdom.

     This criminal had given up all pretenses.  He would not pretend to be anything other than what he was—a sinner who was getting what he deserved.  But he saw that Jesus is the Righteous One.  Jesus had saved others.  Would Jesus save such a wretch as he was?  He asked Jesus for one thing: Remember me. 

     Whenever the Lord remembers in Scripture, he acts to save.  And that is exactly what Jesus came to do.  Jesus was mindful of sinners and took the curse of all, no matter what was on their record.  He died for the mockers, malefactors, and all mortals.  Therefore, we pray with the criminal: “Jesus, you have come to establish a kingdom.  That means you will live again to reign over it.  Remember me in your gracious reign.”

     The Lord Jesus would remember him.  The Lord Jesus is mindful of you, too.  You, too, will be with him in Paradise.

Sermon -- TRIDUUM: Maundy Thursday (April 2, 2026)

A CLEANSING FOUNTAIN.

ZECHARIAH 13:1

In the name + of Jesus.

     The first record of public worship in the Old Testament has to do with Cain and Abel.  “Abel tended sheep, but Cain worked the ground.  As time passed, one day Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the soil.  Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions.  The LORD looked favorably on Abel and his offering” (Genesis 4:2-4).  Those who are familiar with Old Testament worship probably don’t bat an eye at these verses.  Of course they brought sacrifices to the Lord!  But what gets overlooked is this: There are no instructions recorded about how the Lord is to be worshiped.  But the Lord must have said something.  Why else would Abel take pains to build an altar and slaughter a lamb from his flock?  And not just a lamb, but the firstborn?

     From the very first worship, the principle recorded in the letter to the Hebrews is on display: “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).  That principle continued with all the patriarchs.  After the Flood, “Noah built an altar to the LORD and took from every clean animal and every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.  The LORD smelled the pleasant aroma” (Genesis 8:20-21).  There had been no specific instruction about which animals were clean or unclean.  Yet, Noah knew.  So, again, the Lord must have said something.  Blood sacrifices continued with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  It was not until Moses climbed to the top of Mt. Sinai that the Lord spelled out in detail how his people were to worship him.  And what did the Lord desire?  Blood sacrifices of clean animals because “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). 

     Blood sacrifices continued as the tabernacle moved throughout the wilderness for forty years.  Eventually, Solomon constructed a temple in Jerusalem.  The Lord’s altar finally had a fixed location.  There, the blood sacrifices continued.  The Lord had also instructed the Israelites that they were not free to set up altars just anywhere.  The Lord had put his name on the altar at the temple.  It was only from that one place that the Lord accepted sacrifices which atoned for sin and celebrated the restored fellowship with the Lord.

     Day after day, the sacrifices were offered.  Day after day, blood was shed and splashed against the sides of the altar.  Year after year, the high priest bathed in a ceremonial washing before he entered the Holy of Holies.  He carried blood into the Holy of Holies to atone for his own sin and for the sin of the people.  He even made atonement for the altar on which the sacrifices were made.  All this had to be repeated, which showed that no blood sacrifice had made a complete and satisfying atonement for the people. 

     Obviously, our worship has changed since Old Testament days.  There is no blood shed, no animals slaughtered, and no bodies consumed in fire on the altar.  The prophet Zechariah foretold that the days would come when this change would take place.  He declared, “On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness” (Zechariah 13:1). 

     The final chapters of Zechariah speak repeatedly about the days when the Messiah would come.  A day would come when the sacrifices would no longer need to be repeated.  They would no longer be necessary because they would find their fulfillment, and that fulfillment would be all-sufficient for all people of all time.  The Lord would open a fountain which completely cleanses all who are bathed and covered by it.

     It should not surprise you to learn that “that day” would be the day on which our Lord Jesus Christ was slain at the cross.  He is the fulfillment of every blood sacrifice which had been offered up to that day.  Jesus is the propitiation for our sins.  While “propitiation” is a valid word, it is almost useless unless we understand what it means. 

     When a worshiper brought a bull or a sheep to the temple for a sin offering, he would place his hand on the head of that animal to designate it: “This one dies for me.”  The wrath of God would be transferred from the worship to the sacrificial victim.  Then it would be slaughtered and its blood shed.  Its body would be consumed in fire on the altar.  The worshiper would be pardoned and sent home justified, based on God’s promise.  That is what Jesus Christ is for you.  He presented himself as the sacrificial victim.  God’s wrath was transferred from you to him.  This one dies for you.  He is the perfect Lamb, spotless and clean.  His blood was shed and his body was consumed in God’s holy wrath.  You are sent home justified, based on God’s promises.

     That sacrifice was made for you twenty centuries ago.  That was the payment for your sins.  But now, how does God deliver that payment to you?  And what is the fountain that Zechariah was talking about which was “opened … for sin and for uncleanness” (Zechariah 13:1)? 

     St. John stood at the foot of the cross and witnessed Jesus’ death.  John wrote, “One of the soldiers pierced (Jesus’) side with a spear.  Immediately blood and water came out” (John 19:24).  This not only confirmed the death of Jesus, it also illustrated the way that Jesus provides cleansing for your sins.  St. John wrote in his first epistle, “This is the one who came by water and blood: Jesus Christ.  He did not come by the water alone but by the water and by the blood. The Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.  In fact, there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and these three are one” (1 John 5:6-8).

     “On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness” (Zechariah 13:1).  The fountain that was opened was Jesus’ side.  Water and blood came forth to provide life to his Church.  First, it is by holy baptism that our Lord cleanses you from all sin.  The payment for your sins was made by Jesus through his death on the cross.  The benefits of that payment are given to you in Holy Baptism. 

     The Lord himself tells you what is given in Holy Baptism.  When appeared to Saul who was on his way to Damascus, he snatched Saul from death to life.  But the Lord did not leave Saul to trust his experience, as miraculous as it was.  The risen Savior told him, “Now what are you waiting for?  Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16).  The cleansing fountain which was opened and poured out water from Jesus’ side is applied in Holy Baptism.  It is there that the Lord washes away sin and all uncleanness.

     That fountain also poured out blood from Jesus’ side.  The shedding of Jesus’ blood was necessary, for “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).  But our Lord does not leave us to merely ponder the shedding of Jesus’ blood, as if forgiveness is determined by how deep or how focused our meditation is.  Rather, our Lord crafted a way to deliver that blood to us.

     Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, “took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples.  He said, ‘Take, eat, this is my body.’  Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it all of you, for this is my blood of the new testament, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’” (Matthew 26:26-28).  That which he gave into death for you is given here to you.  The blood which was poured forth from Jesus’ side as the payment for your sins is given to you in the cup for the forgiveness of your sins.  The body upon which your sins were laid and which then was consumed in the fire of God’s wrath is given to you under the bread.  Jesus is the propitiation for your sins; for God’s wrath was poured out upon Jesus.  But now, God’s favor is poured out upon you—in fact, into you.

     This new testament is far superior to the old testament.  For, the sacrifices do not need to be repeated day after day, year after year.  Rather, Jesus, the eternal Son of God, made one sacrifice—once for all—to atone for your sins.  The benefits of this sacrifice are eternal.  As often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.  We do not repeat the Lord’s death, but we proclaim it.  And we eat and drink to receive the benefits of it.

     There is always a tendency to think that we still have to add something to what Jesus did for us.  In the Old Testament, the sacrifices were not cheap.  To slaughter a bull or a ram involved expense and commitment from the worshiper.  We might also think that there is some sacrifice or some work on our part that should be done to prove that we are worthy of such grace. 

     If sinners could perform the works that appease God’s wrath, then he would have left it in our hands, and those who enter heaven could boast that they earned it.  But no one can earn it.  Even our best works are stained, corrupted, and warped.  Therefore, Jesus established a new testament: He removes your guilt and purifies you from all unrighteousness.  This relieves you of the pressure of endless works, of convincing yourself that you have done enough to please God, and of suffering dread and doubt on your deathbed.  You do not have to question if you will be welcomed into heavenly dwellings.  Jesus removes all debts, drudgery, doubt, and dread.  Zechariah foretold why: “On that day a fountain will be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness” (Zechariah 13:1).

     The patriarchs had built altars on which they made their atoning sacrifices.  They followed God’s directions to attain forgiveness.  The blood of an innocent victim was shed.  The body was roasted in the fire on the altar.  And God’s wrath was diverted from the worshiper to the sacrifice.  That was a shadow of the things to come.  The reality is found in Christ.  And it is found here, according to our Lord’s own instruction.

     For here, we have an altar.  On this altar is both body and blood.  It comes from the innocent victim who was slain for you.  God’s wrath was diverted from you to him.  He, in turn, feeds you with the food that provides forgiveness, cleansing, strength, and salvation.  God’s grace still flows from Jesus’ side.  The fountain that was opened never runs dry.  

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

Sermon -- 6th Sunday in Lent: Palm Sunday (March 29, 2026)

YOUR KING COMES WITH AN ATTITUDE.

PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11 

In the name + of Jesus.

      St. Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Indeed, let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).  This tells you that Jesus has an attitude.  Now, usually when we say that someone has an attitude, we regard that as a problem.  You might say to a child, “You have a bad attitude.  Clean it up!”

     We experience bad attitudes because people don’t like to be told what to do.  This is also a reason that Americans are opposed to having a king.  If we don’t like our leaders, we can vote them out.  But kings reign for life.  Kings don’t ask permission to make decrees.  King issue laws, and that word reigns supreme.  (If you enjoy irony, this Sunday hits the same weekend as a bunch of “No Kings” rallies.) 

     Our Lord is the true King who reigns supreme.  The Lord God is King of heaven and earth.  His word reigns supreme.  He has given his laws to define good and evil, and he did not ask for our opinion on those laws.  Sinners, of course, resist this.  Everyone has one throne in his heart.  Each person wants to rule on it himself.  “I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it.  And I don’t want anyone to challenge, much less condemn, what I choose to do!”  But God is eternal; his word is not going to change.  And there is going to be no regime change.  So, anyone who thinks he can challenge, criticize, or condemn God for his laws will finally discover that our Lord comes with an attitude—vengeance upon all who do not honor him as King.

     The prophet Zechariah foretold that the King is coming.  The King comes with an attitude.  But Jesus’ attitude is not something we should fear.  Zechariah prophesied, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter of Zion!  Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!  Look!  Your King is coming to you.  He is righteous and brings salvation.  He is humble and is riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).  Your King comes with an attitude, but it is an attitude of meekness, gentleness, and humility.

      St. Paul noted, “Though he was by nature God, he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed, but he emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:6).  Jesus did not come radiating his divinity.  Jesus did not lose his power, glory, or majesty.  Rather, he kept it hidden under weak, humble flesh.  So, when Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, people did not flee from him in terror.  Rather, they met him with songs of praise.  “The crowds who went in front of him and those who followed kept shouting, Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9)!  They welcomed Jesus as their king.  They recognized that he had not come as an enemy or even as a threat.  He came as a king, but not as a tyrant. 

     Your King comes with an attitude.  He assures you, “I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29), so you need not fear him.  But do not misinterpret Jesus’ gentleness as timidity.  And even though Jesus was humble, that does not mean he was a push-over.  Jesus stood firm on God’s word.  He preached that word boldly and without apology.  Occasionally, those words cut people to the heart.  Some were alarmed by their sins and the judgment which they deserved.  To those who feared God’s wrath and sought relief from their guilt, Jesus proved to be gentle and humble in heart.  He bestowed mercy and gave them hope.  Others became angry at Jesus’ preaching.  They refused to let King Jesus possess the throne in their heart.  But when they became angry, Jesus did not soften God’s message.  He upheld the truth and did not budge.  If God’s word produced anger, the fault was not with God’s word.  Nor was the fault with the one who preached God’s word.  The fault lay with the sinner who rejected God’s word.

     Your King comes with an attitude.  His attitude was seen especially in the week when he entered Jerusalem.  Jesus was resolved to fight the battle which would deliver us from our sin.  There were numerous enemies who fought against him.  Jesus backed down from none of them.  Rabbis and priests came with cleverly devised “gotcha” questions, hoping to condemn Jesus for blasphemy or for treason.  Jesus did not evade their questions; he answered them with boldness and faithfulness to God’s word.  The devil tempted Jesus to shrink from the cup of God’s wrath.  Jesus responded with fervent prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.  The Father strengthened Jesus in his resolve to take up our sins and to drain the cup of God’s wrath.  Even when Jesus hung in agony from the cross, his enemies taunted him.  They challenged Jesus the same way Satan had when Jesus was in the wilderness.  “Save yourself!  If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!  If he’s the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him” (Matthew 27:40,42, emphasis added). 

     Jesus, however, had no need to prove himself to the priests, to the rabbis, or to the devil.  St. Paul noted, “Though he was by nature God, he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed, but he … humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).  He was determined to do the work that saves sinners.  His mission was not to dazzle, but to die; not to slaughter his enemies, but to be slain for sinners.  Your King comes with an attitude.

     Jesus humbled himself to suffer death on a cross, but he was no helpless victim.  He did not seek to escape arrest, although he did demonstrated that he could have.  When Judas arrived in Gethsemane to betray Jesus, Jesus asked who they were looking for.  They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”  Jesus answered plainly, “I am he.”  St. John then adds, “When Jesus told them, ‘I am he,’ they backed away and fell to the ground” (John 19:6).  Still, he did not attempt to flee.  Your King came with an attitude—a conviction to suffer and die for sinners.

     Jesus is a King whose will was carried out, not a pawn at the mercy of his enemies.  To further emphasize that Jesus was no helpless victim, we need only to consider the plans of Jesus’ enemies.  They were trying to orchestrate Jesus’ death according to their own designs.  “The chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas.  They plotted together how to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.  But they said, ‘Not during the Festival, or else there might be a riot among the people’” (Matthew 26:3-5).  And yet, Jesus’ death came during the Passover feast.  In truth, the priests were the pawns.  The Lord used the unbelief and the hatred of the priests and rabbis to achieve his own purpose.  According to Jesus’ timing and in fulfillment of God’s promises, they unwittingly fulfilled the role of God’s anointed priests: They sacrificed the Lamb of God.  Jesus is the true Passover Lamb whose body was roasted in God’s wrath and whose blood now marks you so that death and damnation pass over you. 

     And since he has done everything the Father sent him to do, the Father raised up his Son on the third day to live and reign forever.  This man, Jesus, now possesses all authority in heaven and on earth.  St. Paul wrote, “God … highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). 

     Jesus of Nazareth has been exalted.  This man now has and uses all the majesty, glory, and power of God.  Behold!  Your King reigns forever and ever.  And you have every reason to rejoice over this, because this King rules for you.  Everything in heaven and on earth and under the earth serves Jesus and is employed by him for the eternal good of his Church.  You may not understand why he does what he does, but your comfort is not in unraveling how he rules.  Your comfort is in knowing that Jesus does rule, that he is your loving Redeemer, and that whatever you experience does not change his nature, his love, and his devotion to you.

     Your King still comes to you.  He comes as God’s people sing the Palm Sunday song: “Hosanna in the highest!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”  We sing this as we are preparing to feast on Holy Communion.  For Lord comes to feed us with his living body.  He comes to mark us with the blood that causes death and damnation to pass over us.  Your King still comes with an attitude—compassion, mercy, and devotion to you.

     Behold!  Your King will come again on the Last Day to judge the living and the dead.  You may be grieved that people currently mock him, his word, and his people.  They seem to get away with it because our Lord’s judgment is being held back.  But your King will come with an attitude.  He did not regard his divinity as a prize to be displayed when he came to suffer and die, but his divinity will be displayed in radiant, undeniable glory when he comes to judge the living and the dead.  St. Paul said, “Every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10-11).  Many will not want to, but they will have no choice.  Jesus lives and reigns over all things.

     Our joy is that we already bend our knees before him, especially as we come to this altar to feast on his body and blood.  Our joy is that we already confess that Jesus is Lord.  We engage in the hymns of God’s people from all ages.  We even join in the song of angels and archangels as we sing, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of heavenly hosts.  Heaven and earth are full of your glory!”  We sing that because we confess that it is our King who comes to us to bless us and to save us.

     So, “let this attitude be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). You can be humble; for you know that you are sinners like everyone else on earth.  But you need not be timid.  You can confess God’s word boldly because it will never fail you or deceive you.  Even if you must suffer hatred from Jesus’ enemies, you are still sons and daughters of the King.  When he comes again with an attitude, he will avenge you.  Better than that, he will exalt you to the heights of heaven and to glory everlasting.

     Rejoice!  Your King comes with an attitude.  He is righteous and has salvation.  He is full of compassion and mercy.  He is totally committed and devoted to you.  That is why you and I are totally committed and devoted to him.  He is the King we all need.

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

YouTube -- 4th Sunday in Lent (March 15, 2026)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, March 15, 2026.

Sermon -- 5th Sunday in Lent (March 22, 2026)

THIS MAN HAS POWER OVER DEATH.

JOHN 11:17-27,38-45

In the name + of Jesus.

      It is almost impossible to underestimate how much went wrong back in the Garden of Eden.  Sin entered the world.  There were consequences to women, such as pain in child-bearing.  There were consequences to men.  The man’s role was to work and provide for his family.  But the Lord informed him, “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.  It will produce thorns and thistles for you” (Genesis 3:17-18).  The earth was not merely plagued with thorns and thistles.  The ground would know earthquakes, wildfires, and pestilence.  The earth would know blizzards, hail, and tornadoes.  Bodies would experience broken bones, allergies, genetic disorders, and physical disabilities.  Sin has brought on a death march for every living thing.  To top it all off, the curse that comes with sin is eternal.

     When Jesus entered the world to be our Savior, it was not just to deliver us from hell.  The goal is not just to evade punishment.  Think of it this way.  A man steps out of a tavern, having had way too much to drink.  He gets in his car to drive home.  But he crashes through a fence, runs his car into a house, smashes into the living room, is severely injured and severely injures others.  When the man goes to trial, the case is dismissed because of some technicality.  The man goes free, breathes a sigh of relief, and says, “Thank God I am not going to jail!”  Nevertheless, the damage he did remains.  The home is still damaged.  The car is still totaled.  And everyone still faces surgery, hospital stays, physical therapy, and counselling.  Would anyone conclude there was a happy ending because the man avoided jail, fines, and a criminal record?

     In the same way, if Jesus had done nothing but deliver us from hell, we would find some relief.  We might say, “No eternal punishment.  That’s good.”  But the damage done by sin would still affect our lives.  The world is still broken.  Hearts are still corrupt.  Words are still cruel.  Bodies still suffer pain, disease, and disorders.  And death still claims us all.  It is almost impossible to underestimate how much went wrong back in the Garden of Eden.  So also, it is almost impossible to underestimate how much Jesus does as our Savior.  Jesus has come to restore all things.  This man takes away the sin of the world.  This man will deliver us from all evil.  This man has power over death.

     Jesus got word that his friend Lazarus was ill.  In the days before modern medicine, even a fever could be life-threatening.  The message was an appeal for Jesus to bring the healing he had brought to so many others.  But Jesus delayed, and Lazarus died.  In Jewish culture, they did not waste time with burial.  Lazarus was wrapped in grave clothes and placed in a cave by that evening.  Lazarus’ body was already decaying by the time Jesus had arrived at Bethany.  Nevertheless, Jesus came for Lazarus because this man has authority over death.

     Death is cruel.  When Jesus came to the grave of Lazarus, he wept.  He felt the pain death inflicts on loved ones.  That pain is bad enough, but death is more cruel than that.  It does not care what schedule or responsibilities you have.  It does not respect feelings or friendships or fame.  Lazarus had two sisters, Martha and Mary.  It seems that they were both single.  If so, then Lazarus was responsible for their care and protection.  Lazarus’ death meant their lives would become a lot harder.  For Martha and Mary, Lazarus’ death was not merely the loss of a loved one; that was bad enough.  But now they had responsibilities thrust upon them that they were not prepared for.  Anyone who has had to pick up the pieces after the loss of a loved one can appreciate this.  Death of a loved one produces not only grief, but also additional burdens.

     “When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. …When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him…  Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died’” (John 11:17,20-21).  It does not seem that Martha was trying to lay a guilt trip on Jesus, as if to say, “Jesus, you failed us.”  Rather than an accusation, it was a confession.  “Lord, you have healed many people in Galilee and Judea.  I am sure that even with Lazarus at death’s door, you could have restored him to health.” 

     Martha’s confession continued, “‘Even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.’  Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’  Martha replied, ‘I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the Last Day’” (John 11:22-24).  Martha confessed what we all confess: “We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come” (Nicene Creed).  We confess that because that is what our Lord tells us.  He has promised: “This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me, but raise them up on the Last Day.  For this is the will of my Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life.  And I will raise him up on the Last Day” (John 6:39,40).  This man has power over death.

     Jesus gave Martha a different promise.  “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me will live, even if he dies.  And whoever lives and believes in me will never perish’” (John 11:25-26).  Jesus said that he is the resurrection and the life.  He didn’t say someday she’ll see it.  He who is the resurrection and the life was standing right in front of her.  This man has the power to raise up Lazarus from the dead.  He not only could revive him, but he could renew him from decay and restore him to his loved ones.  He who created mankind can resurrect and re-create mankind.  This man has power over death.

     Out of compassion for those who were dear to him, “he shouted with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’  The man who had died came out with his feet and his hands bound with strips of linen and his face wrapped with a cloth.  Jesus told them, ‘Loose him and let him go’” (John 11:43-44).  He is the resurrection and the life.  His word overrules the stench, the decay, and the finality of death.  This man has power over death.   

     Although Lazarus was restored to his sisters and was able to continue caring for them, this was a temporary fix.  Lazarus was restored to a broken world.  He returned to a crooked and corrupt population.  In fact, when Lazarus’ resurrection resulted in more people believing in Jesus, the religious leaders deemed it necessary to kill off Lazarus, too.  Lazarus returned to live as a sinner among other sinners.  This return to life was temporary.  The grave would hold him again.

     For whatever reason, people are attracted to the idea of reincarnation.  Even Christians think returning to this world in another life is appealing.  But return to what?  This would still be a world of disease and disorder, corruption and chaos, war and poverty, trials and tears.  What is so attractive about reliving these things again and again? 

     God does not create people to be recycled.  You are a unique creation of our Lord.  You were placed in this world in a particular time and place on purpose, with your own interests, abilities, and personality.  God designed you to be you for eternity. 

     If there is anything about reincarnation we would agree with, it is that all people will be judged at the end of life.  The Lord who gives us life holds us accountable for how we live it.  Our Lord created a perfect world and put holy people in it.  Man’s sin has not changed God’s expectations.  Our Lord’s judgment will not be about a reboot so that we can try again to get it right, as if sinners will ever achieve holiness.  The Lord will call us what we are, and his judgment will be final.

     Jesus came to do more than give us temporary relief from sin and death.  While we are grateful for momentary relief and for happy times, Jesus came to deliver to us eternal joys and everlasting peace.  He came to rescue us from death and a damning judgment.  In order to do that, Jesus had to address the problem that started it all—our sinfulness.

     If this man will have power over death, then this man must also have authority to forgive sins.  That authority was earned by Jesus taking sin and death into himself.  This man stood in place of mankind to suffer what mankind deserves.  The Bible testifies, “God made him, who did not know sin, to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Jesus became our sin and, therefore, had to suffer what sin brings—death and a damning judgment.  That is what Jesus endured on the cross.  When Jesus cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), it is because he was absorbing the torments of hell for every sinner who has ever lived.  No matter what disgrace has stood against you, Jesus has paid the price for it.  In turn, Jesus washed you clean of every spot and stain of sin when you were baptized into his name.  Now you bear a holy status.  So, at the final judgment, Jesus will call you what you are—a saint cleansed by his innocent blood. 

     This man has power over death.  Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me will live, even if he dies” (John 11:25).  Jesus is the resurrection.  He will raise you up on the Last Day, but not to come back to a world of sorrow, suffering, and loss.  The Lord Jesus will not only raise your body to be forever flawless, he will also restore this whole creation back to the Paradise he had intended it to be.  For, if sin is taken away, so are all the evils that come from it.  Jesus will bring you a new and holy creation. 

     This man has power over death.  Jesus is the life.  Jesus already calls you what you are—a saint cleansed by his innocent blood.  Therefore, consider this marvelous promise.  Jesus said, “Whoever lives and believes in me will never perish’” (John 11:26).  If you are cleansed of sin, then death cannot have you.  Life on earth may come to an end, but life in God’s kingdom will go on without interruption and without end.  For the Christian, death is but the gate to life in heaven.  When you close your eyes in death here, you will open them to see Jesus.  You will live with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven.  You will take your place at the heavenly feast.  You will enjoy peace in a sinless existence, and death will flee away.  The man who has power over death gives you endless life.  He will restore all that went wrong because of sin, and he will make it all right.  Since it is almost impossible to underestimate what Jesus has done as our Savior, we will need eternity to rejoice in it and to sing in endless praise.  Thanks to Jesus, you will have it.

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

Sermon -- Lenten Vespers (March 18, 2026)

This sermon was preached at St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Plymouth, Michigan.

IT IS FINISHED: The Kingly Priest.

ZECHARIAH 6:9-13

In the name + of Jesus.

      “The people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel.  Instead they said, ‘No, we want to have a king over us, so that we also can be like all the nations, and our king can judge us and lead us out to fight our battles.’  Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the LORD.  The LORD said to Samuel, ‘Listen to them, and appoint a king for them’” (1 Samuel 8:19-22). 

     In their request, the people themselves gave the job description for the king.  He was not just a law-giver and enforcer.  He was also the leader of the people in times of war.  The king did not merely send troops off to fight and die for him.  He himself would lead those troops into battle.  He would fight for the people he ruled.

     Israel’s first king, Saul, was a reluctant fighter.  When he was anointed to be Israel’s king, Samuel commissioned him with this promise: “The Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you with power, … and you will become a changed man.  When you have received these signs, do whatever is appropriate for the occasion, for God is with you” (1 Samuel 10:6-7).  “Doing what is appropriate for the occasion” meant going to fight to deliver God’s people.  God would be with him.  God would grant him the victory.  When Goliath rose up and demanded a challenger, however, Saul did not venture out.  In many ways, Saul proved to be unfaithful to the word of the Lord.

     Therefore, the Lord raised up a new king—a man after the Lord’s own heart.  David served as a faithful king.  As the Lord’s anointed, David did go out and lead the battle for God’s people.  The Lord also gave David an additional promise: “When your days are complete and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your seed, who will come from your own body.  I will establish his kingdom.  He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12-13). 

     But this seemed to be a failed promise when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem.  The royal house of David was either killed or taken into captivity.  No longer did Isrel have a king.  Even when the people of Israel returned to rebuild the city and the temple, they did not install a new king.  Zerubabbel served as a governor, but not king. 

     Israel was not able to restore the kingship, but they did restore the priesthood.  They reconstructed the temple and rebuilt the altar.  The high priesthood was reestablished and the sacrifices resumed.  The high priest was anointed to represent the people before the Lord.  He made the sacrifices on their behalf.  He was vested in garments which bore the names of the tribes of Israel.  He was designated by God as the one person who could enter the Holy of Holies and stand in the presence of the Lord with blood to atone for all the people.  He stood before God on behalf of all the people.

     The high priest also stood before the people on behalf of God.  He wore the sacred vestments which was crafted as the Lord had directed.  He presided over the sacrifices as the Lord had directed.  After performing all his duties in the temple, he exited and proclaimed the Lord’s blessing upon the people.  The words were spoken by the high priest, but the benediction was from the Lord.  You might be familiar with that benediction: “Tell (Aaron and to his sons) to bless the Israelites with these words: The LORD bless you and keep you.  The LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.  The LORD look on you with favor and give you peace.  In this way they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them” (Numbers 6:23-27). 

     The king of Israel and the high priest of Israel each had their own distinct roles.  The king did not have the right to enter the Holy of Holies or to make the sacrifices.  The high priest was not given the authority to punish lawbreakers or to summon the armies of Israel.  Therefore, the word of the Lord through Zechariah is an astounding message.

     The word of the LORD came to me: “Take an offering from the exiles—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have come from Babylon—and on that very day go into the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah.  Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and place it on the head of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest” (Zechariah 6:9-11).  This was an unprecedented decree.  The Lord declared he would establish a priestly king in Israel.

     This could be good news or bad news.  It is like headlines that try to spark your interest in a story.  While the headlines may be true, you don’t know if the story is good news or bad.  Over the years, I have read reports about the water levels of the Great Lakes.  At one point, they were high.  Then they dropped and were low.  Back and forth it went.  So, the story may have reported the facts, but without knowing the impact of the rising or falling of lake levels, I didn’t know if I was supposed to be scared or relieved.  So, Zechariah declares that the high priest will be fitted with the king’s crown.  Is that good or bad?

     The role of a king includes establishing laws and then enforcing them.  The King of heaven and earth has established his laws.  The Psalms testify: “To eternity, O LORD, your word is fixed firmly in the heavens.  For generation after generation, your faithfulness remains.  You established the earth, and it stands.  As for your judgments, they stand to this day, because all things are your servants” (Psalm 119:89-91). 

     The word of the Lord is supreme.  The word which brought this world into existence still sustains it.  God’s word causes the sun to rise and set at precise times.  It causes the seasons to come and go.  It enforces gravity, enables the union of a man and a woman to produce offspring, and ensures that the rain and the sun will cause the plants to sprout, bloom, and produce food.  All these occur because the word of the Lord declares it to be so. 

     The seasons, the sun, and the laws of physics obey the King’s decrees, but we do not.  The King of Heaven and Earth has decreed that his creatures are to live godly lives.  We know what is good, but we fail to live up to it.  We know what is evil, but we fantasize and give into it.  Our problem is not ignorance.  Our problem is a heart that is rebellious and stubborn.  We may confess that we deserve God’s punishment both now and in eternity, but when we suffer, we change our confession and accuse God of injustice.  But God’s word is not altered by our protests.  He does not make concessions to rebels.  God takes his own word seriously.  The King will surely enforce his Law, and his judgments will be just.

     Zechariah declared that the office of King would be bestowed upon the high priest.  So, the crown should be placed upon the head of Joshua.  He became the kingly priest.  And do not overlook the name of this kingly priest.  He is Joshua, which means “the Lord saves.”  He foreshadowed a future kingly priest with the same name.  The letters would be the same, although the pronunciation would change a bit.  The kingly priest would be called Yeshua in Aramaic, although you are much more familiar with the Greek version of his name: Jesus.  This is the kingly priest whom Zechariah said was coming.  This is good news, indeed!

     “This is what the LORD of Armies says: There is a man whose name is the Branch, because he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD.  He is the one who will build the temple of the LORD.  He will be clothed with majesty, and he will sit and rule on his throne.  He will be a priest on his throne, and there will be peaceful relations between the two offices” (Zechariah 6:12-13). 

     This kingly priest represents the people before God.  He fulfills the role of the high priest.  The high priest made sacrifices to atone for sins.  He slaughtered the sacrificial victim.  God’s wrath was redirected to the sacrificial animal; it no longer rested upon the sinner who presented it.  This substitution allowed God to be merciful to the sinner.  For, judgment was carried out.  Blood was shed.  The life of the animal was sacrificed according to God’s command.  Our kingly priest put all our sins upon himself.  He stood before God the Father in place of us all.  All God’s wrath was transferred from us to him.  Jesus died willingly for us who had willingly defied the King’s Law.  The King’s Law was fully enforced in the death of Jesus.

     This kingly priest also represents God before us.  Having died in obedience and innocence, Jesus was raised from the dead.  And God the Father entrusted all authority to Jesus.  Our great high priest is now Sovereign.  His decrees stand firm.  Because he has made the atoning sacrifice which pays for our sins—in fact, he IS the atoning sacrifice which pays for our sins—his royal decree is mercy, pardon, and peace.  For, he did not nullify the demands of the Law; he fulfilled them.  And he did not erase the judgment the Law lays on the guilty; he suffered that judgment for us.  He did all this so that you can live under him in his kingdom and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness—just as he has risen from death and lives and rules eternally.  This is most certainly true; and this is most certainly good.

     This Joshua, this Yeshua, this Jesus is your kingly priest.  “He is the one who will build the temple of the LORD.  He will be clothed with majesty, and he will sit and rule on his throne.  He will be a priest on his throne, and there will be peaceful relations between the two offices” (Zechariah 6:13).  He is the kingly priest.  Jesus faithfully fulfills the duties of both offices.  He has established his Church by his sacrificial death.  He bestows the benefits of his death in the Holy Supper.  “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).  Your kingly priest lives.  His royal decree is mercy upon all who are gathered to him.  His reign extends to the ends of the earth and will endure into all eternity. 

     Zechariah foretold it.  The high priest Joshua foreshadowed it.  The Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled it.  And we will rejoice in it forevermore.

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

Worship Notes: Passiontide

            Sunday, March 22 is the 5^th Sunday in Lent.  This marks the beginning of Passiontide (the final two weeks of Lent), in which the Passion of our Lord intensifies.  Therefore, the Lenten fast also intensifies which we can observe in our worship setting.  The sights and sounds in God’s house are muted even more.  For the past number of weeks, our celebration has been muted in the following ways:

                              There are no Alleluias. 

                              We do not sing the Gloria in Excelsis after the Absolution.

                              There are no flowers on the altar.

            During Passiontide, you will note these additional practices.

                              The Gloria Patri (Glory be to the Father) is omitted from the Psalms

                              All artwork or icons have been removed or veiled.

                              The ringing of the church bell ceases.

                              All music is muted except for the support of congregational singing.

            Our services will practically be barren of celebration, but that is the point.  We are fasting.  We are penitent.  We are intently focusing on the sufferings and death of Jesus.  Ceremony and celebration will return with vigor on Easter Sunday when we rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord which declares that sins are forgiven and that death is destroyed.

Sermon -- 4th Sunday of Lent March 15, 2026)

CONDUCT YOURSELVES AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT.

EPHESIANS 5:8-14

In the name + of Jesus.

     St. Paul wrote many letters to the Christian churches he served.  For the most part, there was some controversy which inspired the occasion for his letters.  They remind us that no Christian congregation is perfect.  There is a perfect church, but you have to die to enter it.  On earth, the church is filled with sinners.  The Church faces pressure to change its teachings with each generation.  It is infiltrated by false teachers and false teachings.  It usually begins by some saying that there should be room for alternative views of God’s word.  They claim that the Church should do all it can to preserve unity and peace.  “By their love you will know them,” they say.  While we pray for unity and peace, that is not the chief goal of the Church.  The chief goal is to be faithful and to hold firmly to God’s word.  No false teaching is harmless, and we cannot make peace with it.  St. Paul wrote, “All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16, emphasis added).  So, when St. Paul saw that a congregation needed correction, he wrote a letter.

     Even though these Christians needed correction, St. Paul did not treat them as enemies or suggest that they were outside of the Christian Church.  He greeted them as brothers and sisters in Christ.  He thanked God for them.  He prayed for them.  And he reminded them who they were.  He wrote to the Ephesians, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).  

     Just as our Lord had enlightened the Ephesian Christians, so he has also enlightened you.  Many of you have lived your entire life in the light of Christ.  Having been baptized as infants and having been taught the Christian faith, you have been light in the Lord for as long as you can remember.  If you were enlightened to know God’s word later in life, you are just as much a child of God as any other Christian.  There are not degrees of being saved.  There are not levels to the kingdom of God; there is just the kingdom of God.  You are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light.

     If you want to be particular about St. Paul’s exhortation, he tells the Ephesians Christians, “Continue to walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8, emphasis added).  They were already doing this.  St. Paul urged them to continue in the word they believed.  To “walk” as children of light means to conduct yourself and your whole life as children of light.  To put it succinctly, he says, “You are Christians.  Act like it!”  Conduct yourselves as children of light.

     Before we are told to act like Christians, we ought to remember what made us Christians to begin with.  St. Paul wrote, “You were once darkness” (Ephesians 5:8).  That refers to our natural sinful condition.  The sinful hearts is a dark place.  Even though the Holy Spirit has created in you a clean heart and a right spirit, it does not take much for that to be eclipsed by wickedness.  Just think of how easy it is for you to assume the worst of other people or to despise them when they infringe upon your time.

     Consider how Jesus’ disciples misread the situation with a blind beggar.  Jesus and his disciples were on their way into the temple when they saw the man who was born blind.  Being blind, he had been reduced to begging for alms.  He was a fixture at the temple gate, deposited there by friends.  He sat there, hoping that those who came to worship would be compassionate and generous to him.  Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind” (John 9:2)?  Since most people have sight, the disciples concluded that this must have been some special punishment that God had inflicted upon this man.  They had the idea that people who suffer are getting what they deserve. 

     We make similar judgments about other people because the sinful heart is a dark place.  This darkness is what produces not only wicked thoughts, but it also gives us our excuses for them.  Our compassion for the down-trodden is withheld because we believe they are getting what they deserve.  To be fair, that may be true.  If people blow their money on gambling, drinking, or needless Amazon purchases, they may be unable to pay their rent, their insurance, or their utilities.  We deem them unworthy of pity.  Granted, they created their own misery, but it is still misery. 

     Of course, we are responsible for much of our own misery.  People sabotage their own marriages by looking at computer generated images and fantasizing about other people.  People nurse grudges and withhold forgiveness, insisting that a rift in the family is justified and reconciliation is unreasonable.  Then there is the shame that you keep to yourself.  Even if you don’t suffer consequences for the sins of your past, you still endure the shame of them.  You crave mercy, but you fear the judgment of friends—perhaps even the abandonment by those friends if they ever found out.  If people get what they deserve, we know we deserve a damning judgment.

     The sinful heart is a dark place, but God sees and he knows.  And it will get worse.  St. Paul wrote, “Everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes things visible” (Ephesians 5:13).  Everything will be exposed.  Perhaps you can keep your secrets hidden and take them to the grave with you.  But in the end, everything will be revealed.  St. John was given a vision of Judgment Day.  He wrote, “Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it.  The earth and the sky fled from his presence, and no place was found for them.  I also saw the dead, great and small, standing in front of the throne, and books were opened. …The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and the Grave gave up the dead that were in them, and they were judged, each one according to what he had done” (Revelation 20:11-13).  At this public reckoning, everyone will be fully exposed.  God’s light will shine on each, and each dark deed and secret thought will be made known.

     How terrifying it would be for people to learn about every secret you hide!  But you don’t have to answer to other people.  You may have sinned against them, and you are accountable for that.  But it is God to whom you must give an answer.  And there is no hiding anything from him.  The Bible reminds us, “Death and Destruction lie open before the LORD—how much more human hearts” (Proverbs 15:11)! 

     The sinful heart is a dark place.  It fails to have pity on those who are held captive to their sins.  It claims the right to hold in contempt those who have made a mess of their lives.  God be praised that he does not treat us that way!  The Lord did not abandon us to our foolish errors or filthy judgments.  He continues to shine his light upon us—not just to expose our guilt, but to show us the way out. 

     Of all the people who could have looked down on us in judgment, Jesus is the one.  He kept all of God’s Commandments and did not cave into any temptations.  He could have looked on us in derision and withheld his pity.  We were too lazy to fight.  We caved in under pressure.  We know it was wrong and did it anyway.  Jesus could have insisted that we should get the judgment we deserve.  Instead, he came and suffered the judgment we deserve. 

     But the light of God’s love is seen in Jesus Christ.  God’s grace radiates from him.  In order to deliver us from the damning judgment for our sins, the Lord took away our sins.  So that we would not be banished to the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, Jesus took up our sins.  He was banished by his Father as he died on a dark Friday when the sun’s light failed.  That is where the Lord took care of your sins and altered your judgment.  You have been cleared of all charges.

     The Lord applied all of this to you in your baptism.  He changed both your status and your heart when he made you children of light.  St. Paul noted that “the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth” (Ephesians 5:9).  God’s goodness has atoned for wickedness.  God’s righteousness covers over your sin.  God’s truth guides those who are saved to godly living.  In the end, God’s light will expose you for what you are—children of God purified in Jesus’ blood.  You will highlight God’s grace.  You will reflect the image and innocence of Jesus Christ.

     That is why the Lord urges you to conduct yourselves as children of light.  St. Paul urges you, “Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord, and do not participate in fruitless deeds of darkness.  Instead, expose them” (Ephesians 5:10-11).  Continue to walk as children of light.  Continue to hear and meditate on the word of the Lord.  This will guard you from error and guide you in truth and goodness.  Many voices will try to convince you to bless what God does not bless.  The appeal for the Church to get with the times or to allow for alternative views of God’s word will always go on.  Those appeals can be crafted to sound very sensible.  Only by adhering to the word of the Lord are those appeals exposed for the lies that they are.  Only by learning what is pleasing to the Lord will you continue to conduct yourselves as children of light.

     The world will always be a dark place, but the Psalms remind us, “Your words are a lamp for my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).  That is the light that keeps us secure and ensures that we are on the right path.  God gave his word to show us his love.  His love is surely made known in the promises, but it is also revealed in his commands.  God gave those commands to us to direct us away from sin.  Sins do not produce anything good.  The Commandments, however, direct us to lives that will be blessed.  Martin Luther reminds us: “He promises grace and every blessing to all who keep these commandments” (Luther’s Small Catechism: Conclusion to the Commandments).  If you conduct yourselves as children of light, you will spare yourself of many griefs. 

     Continue to walk as children of light.  Paul wrote, “Do not participate in fruitless deeds of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11).  He could have just as easily said, “Do not drink poison.  Do not play with fire.  Do not stick a fork in an electric outlet.”  You have been rescued from sin death, and destruction.  Do not return to them; for you are light in the Lord.  You are Christians.  Rejoice in it.  You are Christians.  Act like it.  Conduct yourselves as children of light. 

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