YouTube -- TEN WORDS: 9th & 10th Commandments (September 6, 2020)

 Here is the service from September 6, 2020.

Sermon -- TEN WORDS: 9th & 10th Commandments (September 6, 2020)

EXODUS 20:17

TEN WORDS – THE TENTH WORD.

A PURE HEART DESIRES WHAT GOD DESIRES.

In the name + of Jesus.

      The second table of the Law can be summed up with these words: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  It is usually pretty obvious when we break that command.  Consider the civil unrest that we see in our nation.  Many are rebelling against civic authorities, making some cities unsafe.  People are causing bodily harm by launching weapons or throwing rocks.  People are burning businesses to the ground, stealing the livelihood of the people who owed them.  And the 8th Commandment takes a beating as people insult each other and cast blame for all the problems.  Love for one's neighbor is lacking in all of this, and it is pretty obvious.  

     The 9th and 10th Commandments address love for one's neighbor in matters that are not obvious.  These two Commandments boil down to this: “You shall not covet.”  Now, if you covet, no one will know it.  If you covet your neighbor's spouse, no one will arrest you.  If you covet your neighbor's property, you will not stand trial or face jail time.  There are no laws in any courtroom which will convict you for having jealous thoughts.  So, if you covet, are you really causing any harm to anyone?

     Sadly, this has become the measure of right and wrong for a lot of people.  If I engage in something immoral or even illegal but no one gets physically hurt or loses money, then it is believed that it is okay.  But if this is how I judge right and wrong, my goal is no longer to pursue what is good and right.  My goal is simply to not get caught.  If no one can prove that I am at fault, then I am suddenly faultless.  

     In the 9th and 10th Commandment, the Lord addresses the heart.  A pure heart desires what God desires, but the Commandments show us we do not have pure hearts.  Sinful words and actions don't spring up out of nowhere.  Everything begins in the heart.  St. James explained why coveting is wicked and leads to more wickedness.  “Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15)  Everything begins in a corrupt heart.  The heart is attracted to wicked desires.  We act on our selfish desires, and we sin against other people.  Finally, sin results in death and damnation.  

     This is what the Lord says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)  Our own hearts deceive us.  We do not think that our desires are wicked.  The sinful heart convinces us that we will be happier if we pursue our desires.  As a result, we are not content with what God has given us.  We crave what he has not given.  Single people are envious of married people, convinced that two adults in the house means life is easy.  Married people envy single people who are free to do whatever they want whenever they want.  We envy the jobs of other people, wishing we had the perks and benefits that we assume they do.  We long for the life that other people have.  Ignorant of other people's hardships, we assume they have none, failing to understand that everyone has a cross to bear.  We become discontent and frustrated.  Ultimately, we fault God, thinking that his gifts are not good or that he did not know what he was doing when we gave them.

     When we survey the Bible, we find many lives were ruined because one person coveted what God had given to another.  David coveted Uriah's wife and arranged Uriah's death in order to hide from him that David had impregnated her.  King Ahab coveted Naboth's vineyard.  When Naboth refused to sell it to him, Queen Jezebel orchestrated the death of Naboth so that Ahab could confiscate the vacated property.  The scribes and Pharisees envied Jesus' popularity and schemed to kill him because of it.  The sinful heart is convinced that if we connive and scheme to get what God has not given us, we will be happier, better, and content.  But it is a lie.  The sinful heart is never content.  It always believes there is something better somewhere else.  Our covetous desires give birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.

     A pure heart desires what God desires.  The Ten Commandments show us what God desires.  They teach us the good we are to pursue and warn us of the evil we are to avoid.  Even though the curse of hell hangs over those who are disobedient, we still sin against God's commands.  Our problem is not that we don't know better.  The problem is that our hearts are evil and that we are incapable of doing better.  If we had pure hearts, we would desire what God desires and be content with what God gives.  We are not content because our hearts are not pure.

     Therefore, Jesus came to deliver us from the curse of the Law.  He does not take the Law away.  The Commandments are God's word.  They are always true and they are always in force.  Instead, Jesus came to do for us what the Law demands of us.  Once again, it starts with the heart.  Conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, Jesus entered our world without inheriting a sinful nature from any earthly father.  He lived with a clean heart and was guided by a right spirit.  For this reason, Jesus remained content with whatever his heavenly Father chose to give him.  If Jesus grew up as a peasant in a backwoods town, Jesus trusted that this was good.  If Jesus had to be an apprentice carpenter under his guardian, Joseph, then Jesus dutifully did what he was given to do.  When Jesus could have become world famous as a traveling miracle show, he did not abuse his power for personal gain.  His miracles were done for the good of others.  He did not covet fame, fortune, power, or possessions.  He did not attempt to seize the priesthood from corrupt priests or to overthrow the flawed governments of Herod or Pilate.  Jesus maintained a pure heart.  He remained content with what the Father gave him, and committed to what the Father gave him to do.

     If our Lord had let us get what we deserve for our covetous hearts, self-absorbed thoughts, callous words, and selfish actions, he would have demonstrated justice according to his Commandments.  But our Lord was not content to let us perish.  Still, the Law demands justice.  Therefore, Jesus came to take our place under the Law.  He did that not only by fulfilling the Commandments for us, he also did that by taking our place under the curse of the Law.  This is what the Lord says: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” (Galatians 3:13)  By dying a cursed death for our covetous and impure hearts, Jesus demonstrated that God is just.  We are spared from hell and damnation because Jesus assumed our guilt and was assessed the just punishment of the guilty.  Since the punishment has been taken by Jesus, you are pardoned.  Your sins do not stand against you; for they have been taken from you.

     The Lord has supplied to you the benefits of Jesus' innocent life and sacrificial death through your baptism.  For, in your baptism, you were cleansed and purified to be God's holy people.  In baptism, God put to death your sin and raised you up a saint.  He answers your prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)  Day after day, you repent of your coveting.  You return to your baptismal covenant, drowning the sin that still clings to you.  And day after day, the Lord raises you up anew—forgiven of sins and strengthened to do what is good and right.  He gives you a pure heart which desires what God desires.

     The Lord has revealed himself to you as a gracious and merciful God.  For this reason, you can trust that whatever God chooses you to have is for your good.  In his wisdom, your heavenly Father has deemed it best to withhold from you certain blessings.  You may not always understand or appreciate God's wisdom in this.  But faith will continue to believe that God is good.  A pure heart desires what God desires and trusts that he is wise in what he does.

     Ultimately, what God desires you to have is eternal life in his heavenly kingdom.  If this is your desire and your goal, then give thanks that the Lord blesses you as he does!  Everything he sends to you is done with that goal in mind.  And since this is the goal he has for all of you, you need not envy anyone else.  You all have the same Savior, the same promises, and the same glory that awaits.  If that is your greatest treasure, you need not be so concerned about worldly treasures.  That is why you do not need to covet anything, but rather can be content.  A pure heart desires what God desires.  And with Jesus Christ, all your desires are satisfied.

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

YouTube -- TEN WORDS: 8th Commandment (August 30, 2020)

 Here is the service from Sunday, August 30.

Sermon -- TEN WORDS: 8th Commandment (August 30, 2020)

EXODUS 20:16

TEN WORDS – THE NINTH WORD.

A GOOD NAME IS BETTER THAN GOLD.

In the name + of Jesus.

      One time when Jesus was in the temple, the scribes and Pharisees brought before him a woman.  They said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.  Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women.  So what do you say?” (John 8:4-5)  The scribes and Pharisees presented this to Jesus as a difficult case, allegedly looking for a God-pleasing way to settle it.  The reality is that they were looking for a way to trap Jesus in his words.  If Jesus, who had a reputation for being merciful, were to advise they let the woman go, then he would be rejecting the Law of Moses.  On the other hand, if Jesus upheld the Law of Moses and called for her stoning, he would be seen as merciless.  And he would be in defiance of the Romans who did not let the Jews execute people no matter what the Law of Moses said.  

     While the case sounds like a 6th Commandment issue, the motivation behind it was an 8th Commandment issue.  The scribes and Pharisees did not care about the reputation of the woman they brought to Jesus.  In bringing her to the temple for display, they let the whole city know that this woman was an adulteress.  What might have been a private sin was now flaunted before everyone.  Her public reputation was ruined.  In bringing her case to Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees wanted to see Jesus' reputation destroyed by a can't-win answer.  Meanwhile, these religious leaders stood there smugly, as if they were morally superior to the woman, to Jesus, and to everyone in ear shot.

     While Americans will overlook many sins, one sin that Americans have a particular disgust for is snobbery.  When we are able to say, “That guy acts like he is so much better than the rest of us,” everyone will turn against that person.  People will seek to prove he is no better and to destroy him by digging through his past and exposing his secrets.  This snobbery is what makes the scribes and Pharisees such easy villains in the Gospel lessons.

     Because of our sinful condition, we also engage in our own perverse version of snobbery.  We delight in seeing our neighbor in a bad light.  We find the stories that expose his shame to be tantalizing, and we are eager to share the juiciest morsels with others.  It is all the more true if it concerns a person we don't like.  Then we are ready to believe any story that speaks evil about that person.  We are even willing to believe lies if it enhances the evidence we want.  We want to feel justified for hating and destroying someone's reputation.  And for what reason?  So that we feel superior.  No matter what sins and shames I may have against me, I feel smug when the sins and shames of people are flaunted.  This does nothing for the good of my neighbor.  And in truth, it really does nothing for my good either—except to fool myself into thinking I am good because someone else is bad.  Repent.

     The 8th Commandment states: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16)  Martin Luther's Small Catechism explains it this way: “We should fear and love God that we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, or give him a bad name, but defend him, speak well of him, and take his words and actions in the kindest possible way.”  A good name is better than gold.  Your reputation determines how others treat you, what kind of relationships you might develop, and whether or not someone will hire you.  If you are branded as a crooked person, your job options become very limited.  If you are known as a liar, few will trust you with anything that matters.  If you have the reputation of being a spiteful person, many people will not give you an opportunity to prove otherwise.  A good name is better than gold, and once that name is tarnished, it may not get restored again.

      It is not hard to find flaws in people.  Everyone is a sinner, and you can find evidence of it for anyone.  Everyone has words and works they wish they could take back.  Everyone has actions and attitudes that they hope no one ever discovers.  If we wanted to mark everyone by their wicked choices and poorest qualities, we could do it.  But the 8th Commandment tells us to “defend (our neighbor), speak well of him, and take his words and actions in the kindest possible way.”  Unless God has put you in a position to compile evidence to convict a law-breaker, he has not made it your job to report the shame of others.  Love overlooks a multitude of evils, seeks to preserve our neighbor's reputation, and will not assume the worst of them.  A good name is better than gold, and should be protected accordingly.

     This is one of the reasons Jesus ignored the question of the scribes and Pharisees who brought the woman before him.  They were not treating her in a way that would preserve her reputation or uphold her in honor.  Her sin allowed them to use her for their own wicked purposes.  Jesus could have upheld the Law and treated her according to her sins.  Instead, Jesus chose to treat her according to the mercy she needed.  Rather than uphold the Law against her, Jesus chose to fulfill the Law for her to set her free from condemnation.

     A good name is better than gold.  Therefore, Jesus came to clear your reputation.  He is a gracious God who does not treat us as our sins deserve.  He fulfills the Law for us, seeking not to rub our sins in our face, but to relieve us of them.  He set aside his glory to be mantled with our shame.  So, when Jesus was slandered, he did not retort, “Oh yeah?  Well let's take a look at your life for a few minutes!”  When Jesus was falsely accused, and he did not expose the real sins of his antagonists.  Rather than call upon his Father in heaven not to hold him accountable for the wickedness of others, Jesus accepted our guilt and endured our punishment.  Jesus, who honored and obeyed God's Law, died for you and me who have not.  Jesus was branded a law-breaker for you.  In doing so, Jesus has cleared your name.  He has taken away all the charges against you; you are acquitted, free to go.  

     A good name is better than gold, and Jesus gives you a great name—saint.  This means that you are stand before God in pure innocence.  Granted, it is not an innocence of your own.  It is the innocence which Jesus Christ has bestowed upon you.  Just as Jesus took up the mantle of your shame, so he cloaks you in the mantle of his perfect obedience.  You have been clothed in Christ through your baptism.  Therefore, no matter what the world tries to pin on you, no matter what blame your own conscience sticks you with, Jesus overrules it.  He declares that you are guiltless.  You are saints.  This is your reputation before the heavenly Father, and it will be declared to the whole world at the final judgment on the Last Day.  For Jesus has seen to it that your name is written in the Book of Life.

     A good name is better than gold.  Jesus has granted you a name and a status that stands against any slanderous accusation anyone would smear you with.  The world may speak against you with venom and lies, but Christ's judgment remains firm.  He speaks to you with grace and peace.  Now that your name and reputation have been cleansed, so also you get to speak well of others and defend them.  Rather than view people according to their faults and treat people according to their worst moments, we get to cover them with mercy.  We can honor them as Christ has honored us.  Our Lord did not forever brand King David an adulterer, the apostle Paul a persecutor, and the patriarch Jacob a polygamist.  He is pleased, rather, to know them as saints.  He does the same for you.  And you get to do the same for others.

     A good name is better than gold.  Receiving someone in love and mercy bestows a blessed peace upon them.  For all people want to be loved and accepted.  If someone is caught in a sin, love does not excuse it.  Rather, you show a greater love for such a person by addressing it privately in order to preserve their good name.  We want people free from sin, not emboldened to persist in it.  Therefore, love will not ignore what brings God's wrath on someone.  But we do not want anyone to be publicly shamed either, and so we speak to them discreetly that they might repent.  We want people to enjoy a good reputation before mankind and before God.  For, a good name is better than gold.

     When the scribes and Pharisees demanded from Jesus how to treat the woman who had been caught in adultery, Jesus answered by asking them how they wanted to be known.  “He stood up and said to them, 'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.'  … When they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.” (John 8:8,10)  No one who is held up against God's Law comes away clean.  We all have sins which condemn us.  But Jesus does not deal with us according to our sins.  He deals with us according to his mercy.  The woman would remember Jesus for his mercy.  He called her to flee from her sinful choices, but he set her free from being condemned by them.  He does the same for you.  When Jesus speaks your name, it is not to shame you or remind you of your sins.  It is to bless you, to comfort you, and to call you his beloved saints.  This is of greater value than gold.

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

YouTube -- TEN WORDS: 7th Commandment (August 23, 2020)

 Here is the service from August 23, 2020.

Sermon -- TEN WORDS: 7th Commandment (August 23, 2020)

EXODUS 20:15

TEN WORDS – THE EIGHTH WORD.

GOD CALLS US TO RESPECT AND PROTECT HIS GIFTS.

In the name + of Jesus.

      When a rich, young man came to Jesus to ask what he had to do to inherit eternal life, Jesus referred him to the Ten Commandments.  He replied, “All these I have kept from my youth.” (Luke 18:21)  To be fair to the ruler, he was probably not being a braggart.  He was likely a moral, decent, honest man, and he probably was able to keep the Commandments in the strictest, most literal sense of the wording.  He loved his parents.  He was faithful to his wife.  He never killed anyone.  Nevertheless, he knew that his obedience was not enough.  He lacked something.  Jesus' reply showed him that he had a love for money that he was not ready to renounce, and he went away sad.

     We bear some similarities to this rich, young ruler.  Like him, we are convinced that we have handled the Commandments pretty well, too, in the strictest, most literal sense of the wording.  For example, the 7^th Commandment states, “You shall not steal.”  We can boast that we have not engaged in armed robbery.  We have not broken into someone's house to burglarize them.  We have not embezzled thousands from our employer or engaged in insider trading. 

     The Bible, however, is peppered with verses that speak of much less violent and much more common sins against this Commandment.  This is what the Lord says: “Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or quantity.” (Leviticus 19:35; NIV '84)  “The wicked borrows but does not pay back.” (Psalm 37:21)  God abhors those who con and swindle, as Solomon wrote, “'Bad, bad,' says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts.” (Proverbs 20:14)  To the Corinthian Christians, St. Paul wrote, “You yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers!” (1 Corinthians 6:8)  And to other Christians, St. James wrote, “Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you have kept back by fraud, are crying out against you.” (James 5:4)  

     No matter how we do it, our sins against the 7^th Commandment demonstrate that we do not love our fellow man, that we are not content with the gifts God has given us, that we do not respect the gifts God has given others, and that we are only interested in building up our own personal kingdoms at the expense of others.  Just as Jesus exposed the rich, young ruler's love for his wealth, so our Lord exposes our self-serving love in this Commandment and calls us to repent.  In addition, God calls us to respect the gifts he gives and to protect others from suffering the loss of the gifts he gives to them.

      Our Father in heaven has freely and faithfully provided whatever we need to live.  Luther's Small Catechism confesses it correctly: “I believe that God still preserves me by richly and daily providing clothing and shoes, food and drink, property and home, spouse and children, land, cattle, and all I own, and all I need to keep my body and life.” (Explanation of 1^st Article of the Apostles' Creed)  While God gives everyone what they need, the way God blesses us varies from person to person and from house to house.  Some have just enough to get by; but it is enough.  Others have more lavish homes and enjoy greater luxuries.  You might think this is unfair (unless, of course, you are the one with more), but everything that is given is a gift.  If all that we have are gifts, then no one has been owed any of it.  No one has a right to a stockpile of possessions.  No one is owed a particular standard of living.  Luther reminds us why we receive from the Lord what we do: “All this God does because he is my good and merciful Father in heaven, and not because I have earned or deserved it.” (Explanation of 1^st Article of the Apostles' Creed) 

     Our Father in heaven gives his good gifts to all people.  In his wisdom, he has determined how you will be blessed.  More goods does not mean God favors you; few goods does not mean God likes you less.  Oftentimes, the abundance of possessions is a curse.  King Solomon, who had more wealth than you will ever see, declared, “The worker’s sleep is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but a rich person’s abundant possessions allow him no sleep.” (Ecclesiastes 5:12, EHV)  An abundance of possessions teaches us to trust in them, and we are petrified of losing them.  It betrays that we don't trust the Lord will supply our daily bread.  But God calls you to respect his gifts and to trust that he knows how to sustain you from day to day.

     It is lack of trust which motivates us to take matters into our own hands.  We act as if cheating or swindling our neighbor is necessary.  Rather than protect our neighbor and his gifts, we think that our life can only be maintained by hoarding our wealth and by withholding from our neighbor what we owe him.  When we get away with this, we tend to brag about it.  When someone does it to us, we fume.  Therefore, if you know what it feels like to be cheated, then you also ought to know that your neighbor deserves better than this from you.  Recognize that what God has given to your neighbor is God's choice.  It is never our place to correct God's judgment.  God calls us to respect and protect his gifts, whether they are the gifts that God has given to us or to our neighbor.

     No matter how many possessions God grants you, they are all temporary goods.  King Solomon reminds us, “As he came out from his mother’s womb, so he will go again, naked as he came.  From his hard work he can pick up nothing that he can carry away in his hand.  This too is a sickening evil: Just as he came, so he will go.  So what does he gain, he who works for the wind?” (Ecclesiastes 5:15-16)  Unfortunately, we invest ourselves too much in a world that will perish by laboring for money that we cannot keep.  And the more we invest in this world, the less we will be invested in the kingdom of God.

     God calls us to respect and protect his gifts.  His greater gifts are not the material goods we need to live from day to day, but the spiritual gifts that produce eternal life.  Everyone who treasures earthly riches will perish with them.  But if your treasure is Jesus Christ and his word, you will never perish.  For Christ and his word endure forever.

     A few weeks ago, we heard a parable which teaches what our Lord thinks is valuable.  Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up.  Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44)  You are the treasure which Jesus found.  He came into the world and emptied himself of everything in order to purchase and win you for himself.  Jesus gave up not only heavenly glory and honor, but even worldly ease.  He lived a meager life, trusting that his Father would provide for his daily needs.  When he was nailed to the cross, his entire estate was the garment he was wearing, and even that was stripped from him.

     The holy Son of God went to the cross to make himself the payment for our sins.  For trusting in wealth, for devoting ourselves to worldly kingdoms, for cheating our neighbor, and for every sin, Jesus rendered the payment to set you free.  His resurrection declares to you that his ransom price to deliver you from death and damnation is complete.  His ascension to heaven assures you that there is a place where you will go to dwell in God's presence forever.  In God's presence, you will never lack anything.  You will never crave goods that will perish, spoil, of fade.  The only thing that will matter is that Jesus dwells with you and provides all you need.

     But the fact is: That is all you need now; and you have it!  Jesus Christ supplies to you his body and blood which takes away sin, which has conquered death, and which strengthens your faith.  Jesus speaks to you with words that stand firm when economies tank and bank accounts dwindle.  Others may measure you by the clothes you wear, the house you live in, and the car you drive.  And if you don't measure up, they may despise you.  Jesus never despises you no matter what your struggles are.  Jesus assures you that the riches of heaven are yours.  Monopolies and advertisers may try to drain more money from you.  Identity thieves may try to steal your assets.  But the Lord does not scheme to see what he can get out of you.  The Lord continually gives—supplying you your daily bread and pouring out grace and mercy without limit.  You can't buy these blessings, but the Lord gives them for free.  And they are the only blessings that save.

     God calls you to respect and protect his gifts.  We get to use the blessings God pours out upon us to care for family, friends, neighbors, and strangers.  We get to protect the property and income of people whom others might try to cheat.  We are grateful for God's generosity and goodness.  But mostly we are grateful not for what we get to spend, but for what Jesus spent on us.  You are the treasure for whom Jesus gave up everything to gain you for himself for eternity.  This salvation shall be respected above all and protected at all costs.

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

YouTube -- TEN WORDS: 6th Commandment (August 9, 2020)

 Here is the service from Sunday, August 9, 2020.

Sermon -- TEN WORDS: 6th Commandment (August 9, 2020)

EXODUS 20:14

TEN WORDS – THE SEVENTH WORD.

MARRIAGE SHOULD BE HONORED BY ALL.

In the name + of Jesus.

      During the week of God's creation, while all the universe was still without a flaw, the Lord God established marriage as the basic unit of society.  One reason God gave for this is that “it is not good that the man should be alone.” (Genesis 2:18)  It is good for the man to have a wife so that God could issue this blessing: “Be fruitful and multiply.” (Genesis 1:28)  This is a general command and blessing which was bestowed upon all men and women.  This blessing produces a natural drive in men and women to enjoy intimacy and to have children.  In order for the children to be raised in a stable and secure environment, the man and woman would first be bound together in marriage—devoted for the good of each other and for the good of the children which God would give them.  None of this was an afterthought or reaction after Adam and Eve first saw each other.  From the beginning, even in a perfect world, this was God's design.  And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)  God blessed marriage and set it in high honor.  Therefore, marriage should be honored by all.

     From the very beginning, God had intended marriage to serve the highest good for a man and a woman.  It is the closest and most intimate relationship that can exist among people.  Those who have a good marriage know that this is true.  Whoever does not have a good, strong marriage knows that this close relationship can cause pain like no other.  When a marriage ends in divorce, the husband and wife who had been joined together as one are rent apart.  The ripple effects—or perhaps it feels more like pounding waves—also disturb children and extended families.  Society itself is weakened by families that break up.  And often children repeat the patterns that they learned from their parents, resulting in more divorces and broken homes.  Anyone who says that marriage is nothing more than a piece of paper ignores this breakdown and insults those who honor marriage for what God intends it to be.

     Marriage is to be honored by all, whether you are married or not.  In his explanation of the 6th Commandment, Martin Luther taught us what we are to strive toward: “We should fear and love God that we lead a pure and decent life in words and actions, and that husband and wife love and honor each other.” (Small Catechism)  It is not merely actions that God judges, but attitudes as well.  Marriage is often dishonored because of our speech.  Men make crude jokes about women, depicting them as objects of conquest to be used rather than people to be cherished and protected.  Some women have adopted this locker-room mentality or play to it.  They flaunt their bodies and boast of their own proclivities.  Now people celebrate what is impure and indecent in words and actions.  Both men and women belittle the value of marriage and turn sex into a sport rather than a gift.  Once the marriage bed is no longer reserved for marriage, we should not be surprised that marriage itself is deemed unnecessary.

     Marriage is to be honored by all.  God set it up as he did because he is a God of order.  He created man and woman as sexual beings.  God does not tell us that such urges are evil; they are natural.  But they are to be controlled as used in a way that God has deemed pure.  Therefore, God established the marriage union as the proper and blessed way of fulfilling those natural urges.  He has established a pattern for men and women to follow, and he bestows blessings upon the man and woman who keep his Commandment.  

     Unfortunately, we are being taught much more about love and marriage from the entertainment industry than from God's word.  The classic story is that a man and a woman meet, and that love is a continual romantic ride where the excitement never ends.  In these stories, one or both people are in relationships where the excitement had cooled off to a normal, routine life.  Then they find excitement from someone else.  If they craft the story well, you even find yourself cheering for a woman to leave her husband for the more exciting alternative.  How disappointing, then, when people discover that marriage is more about coordinating schedules and tending to chores than roses, dining, and dancing.  That's not to say that marriage is boring; it is to say that marriage is work.  And yet, God has decreed it to be most noble and holy work—that husbands and wives love and honor each other.

     Perhaps the problem lies in how we define the word, “Love.”  While dating and marriage certainly will include emotion and romance, that is not love.  Love is not an emotion that burns hot and cools off; love is a policy which remains constant.  It is a commitment that each will be devoted to the good of the other.  That commitment is never withdrawn, even when a man and wife are fighting over something.  The marriage vow is binding.  The commitment is unconditional.  And love is the policy that keeps the bond and the commitment intact.

     St. Paul teaches us that marriage is a reflection of the love and commitment that exists between Christ and his Church.  He wrote: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)  Christ does not love the Church because he gains something by having her.  He chooses her despite her blemishes and faults.  But he does not ignore them.  Instead, he covers them.  He takes what belongs to the Bride and makes it his own.  So Jesus assumes the debt his Bride owes and he pays the price.  Though it means he must suffer hellish torment and though it costs him his life, Jesus willingly dies for the benefit of his Bride, the Church.  

     By his sufferings and death, Jesus has paid the bride-price to have his Church.  And he has been pleased to bring you into it.  He has taken away all your sins and covered you in his innocence.  And he does not love you with conditions or for as long as he finds it exciting or worth his while.  Jesus Christ loves his Bride, the Church.  This is the policy.  He is committed to her good, and he covers every wrinkle, every spot, and every blemish with his own innocence and goodness.  She is beautiful because he makes her beautiful.  Marriage should be honored by all husbands in this way.  Husbands are to love and honor their wives.  This means a man will have a sacrificial love which regularly says “No” to himself so that what he would invest in himself he instead invests for the good of his bride and his family.  For, this is how Christ loves and honors his betrothed, his Church.  

     While men and women may seek to find the one each will marry, it is the man who leaves his father and mother to establish the new house with his bride.  It is the husband who is to give his provision, protection, and his name to his wife.  For, love is the policy that endlessly seeks the good of his wife.  And how does the wife respond to all this?  St. Paul wrote: “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. (Ephesians 5:22-23)  Americans bristle at the word “submit.”  Americans have been taught that we submit to no one.  This is one of the reasons marriages fail.  Marriage cannot work as a two-headed beast or as a rivalry.

     Marriage should be honored by all wives who submit as the Church submits to Christ.  Why does the Church submit to Christ?  Because that is how she receives good things from him.  By submitting to Christ, the Church is not humiliated, but exalted.  The Bride receives from her Groom his commitment, his name, his protection, and his provision.  Just as Christ took from her all that was hers—her debt and her flaws, so also Christ gives to her all that is his—his righteousness and his glory.  In this same way, wives are to rejoice in receiving the love, devotion, and dedication of their husbands.  All that is his is given to her.  Marriage should be honored by all wives in this way.  Wives are to love and honor their husbands; finding ways to support them and exalt them rather than to catalog their faults and let them know how other husbands are better.  For, this is how the Church loves and honors Christ.  

     Is the love Christ has for his church emotional or romantic?  No.  Jesus does not look at you googly-eyed, singing sappy love songs, and wanting to hold your hand.  Jesus' love is a fully-committed, unconditional dedication for your benefit and your salvation.  Love is fulfilled in hard work—saying “No” to oneself for the sake of the other.  Jesus did the work, forsaking what was good for himself, so that you would receive his blessings.  Because of his sacrificial love, Jesus pardons all your offenses—even sins against the 6th Commandment, be they adultery, divorce, fornication, lust, or obscenity.  The Lord Jesus continues to cover your debts and clothes you in his righteousness because he remains faithful to the vow he made to you, sealed in your baptism and renewed in Holy Communion.  

     Marriage should be honored by all—whether you are married, single, or divorced.  God established it for the good of man and woman, for the blessing of a family, and for the stability of society.  He has decreed it to be very good.  And because he has betrothed himself to the Church and exalted his Bride, we shall all have a place at the wedding feast of the Lamb.  For we are his beloved redeemed, and he is ever faithful to us.

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

YouTube -- TEN WORDS: 5th Commandment (August 2, 2020)

Here is the service from August 2, 2020.  TEN WORDS: The 5th Commandment.

Sermon -- TEN WORDS: 5th Commandment (August 2, 2020)

EXODUS 20:13

TEN WORDS – THE SIXTH WORD.

LOVE SEEKS AFTER A GOOD LIFE.

In the name + of Jesus.

      Many of the Ten Commandments are brief, telling us what not to do.  “You shall not murder” is pretty succinct.  Yet, the Commandment is not limited to acts of murder.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” (Matthew 5:21-22)  Our Lord judges attitudes as much as actions.  If you limit the hatred of your neighbor to your heart, you can avoid jail time, but not hellfire.

     Most people can boast that they have kept the 5th Commandment in its most literal sense: “You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13)  But no one can boast that he has kept his heart pure in regard to the 5th Commandment.  If you drive a car, deal with customers, or have an interest in politics, you have wished evil on other people.  Perhaps you have even convinced yourself that the world would be a better place of some people were killed off.  This is what the Lord says: “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:15)  When others stand in the way of our interests, we despise them and even wish them harm.  They may never know the rage or hatred that reside in our hearts, but God sees it.  And he holds us accountable for it.

     Love seeks after a good life—a life that God defines as good.  God's will is not just that we avoid evil.  God's will is also that we do good.  Both are necessary.  The Catechism teaches about sins of commission and sins of omission.  Sins of commission are about doing evil.  When we commit a crime, that is a sin of commission.  Sins of omission are about failing to do what is good, such as when we omit the comfort and aid we could have offered to someone in need.  Sins of commission are usually easy to see.  There are witnesses to murder, assault, abuse, and road rage.  Sins of omission are often hidden.  I did not trip the woman, but rather than help her up or gather her groceries which spilled out, I walked by and minded my own business.  I may claim that I did no harm, but on the other hand I did no good.  God demands that we be guiltless of both sins of commission and sins of omission.  We are right to confess: “I have done what is evil and failed to do what is good.”

     In his explanation of the 5th Commandment, Martin Luther highlights both parts of God's will: “We should fear and love God that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and befriend him in every bodily need.” (Small Catechism)  Love seeks after a good life, not just for ourselves, but for others.  The good that God wants us to do is to help and befriend our fellow man in every bodily need.  In theory, we know this is good.  In practice, we have all kinds of reasons why we don't do it.  “It will cost me money to bring any real help.  What if he squanders my money?  Don't get me wrong; I hope the needy people find the help they need.  But I am busy; I don't have time to stop and assist that person.”  Our love is first and foremost for ourselves, and we can find any reason to justify doing nothing for others.  But a faith lived in theory and not in practice is useless.  This is what the Apostle John wrote: “If anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17)  Repent.

     If we are going to seek after a good life for our fellowman, we are going to have to engage our fellowman with all his faults and failings.  If we are going to have mercy on our fellowman, we will need to show kindness to him in his lowly condition.  If we are going to be patient, we will have to love someone through petty annoyances or foolish choices.  If we are going to be gracious, we will have to give more and better than people deserve.  If we measure everyone according to their worthiness, we will be able to keep ourselves free from risk, expense, and heartbreak.  But to do that, we also have to withhold mercy, grace, and love.  This is not the nature of the God who saved us and who made us his people.  

     Love seeks after a good life for all people, despite risks or costs.  If you are merciful to someone, he may disappoint you and remain in his destructive ways.  If you are gracious to someone, he may take advantage of you.  If you love your fellowman and are patient with his weaknesses, he may not even recognize it.  But love is not measured by how someone might respond to it.  Love is simply given by the lover without conditions or restrictions.  This is exactly how God so loves the world.  

     Love seeks after a good life.  The Lord God has sought the salvation of every person on earth.  Jesus was sent to redeem us all with all our faults and failings.  So, he gave his body over to beatings on behalf of the wicked.  He poured out his life blood for ingrates.  He suffered hellish torment for people who hate him.  He swallowed the full wrath of God for people whom he knew would abandon him and disappoint him and go back to their sins.  In all of this, Jesus had no regrets.  He was not counting the cost, doling out just enough mercy on those he thought would be worth the investment.  Rather, Jesus was seeking for all people a good life that endures into all eternity.

     Jesus seeks after a good life for you.  He suffered and died for you to cover the cost for all your sins.  He is devoted to you with love, mercy, and grace.  He did all of this even though you and I do not stop sinning and we fail to love our fellowman as we ought.  But he did all this to cover the cost for those very same sins.  You and I come back to Jesus seeking forgiveness, and he remains merciful and gracious.  He does not tire of loving you or seeking your good.  This is not because you are better than others.  It is because he is good and gracious and faithful to his promises.  That is what secures your good life of peace, comfort, and confidence.  And he gives more!

     Jesus is your friend who helps you in every bodily need.  Jesus will eventually give you a body and life that are free from aches and pains, disabilities and disease, weakness and wearing out.  For, Jesus came in the flesh to deliver our flesh from its bondage to sin.  That is not just deliverance from the curse of sin, but also deliverance from the effects of sin in our bodies.  Jesus gave his body into death to take away all our sins.  And that body rose from the grave to guarantee our own bodily resurrection to glory.  After the resurrection, our bodies will never have their struggles again.  

     St. John described it this way: “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. … and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:16-17)  He who fed the 5,000 will do more than supply our basic needs.  Jesus, who healed the sick which were brought to him, assures us that we will be free from every frailty or fault.  St. Paul says that “the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:21)  That's because the body that God has given you is a precious gift.  It was created by him for your good, and redeemed by Jesus for your good.  Therefore, every body and life that he has granted are to be honored, cherished, and protected.  

     Love seeks after a good life; but it is not a good life when people are reduced to hunger or homelessness or sickness.  In the case of the rich man and Lazarus, we condemn the rich man for giving no aid to Lazarus at his gate.  But we don't know—did Lazarus do this to himself?  Was he destitute and diseased because of his own foolish choices?  And if so, do we then commend the rich man for ignoring him?  We can find excuses for the rich man just as easily as we can find reasons to condemn him.  But love does not look for excuses.  Love looks for ways to show love and compassion for the needy.  While we can boast of what we might have done for Lazarus, we were not there.  Whatever aid we say we would have given him sounds pious, but it is only theoretical.

     Love seeks after a good life—not in theory, but in personal and practical ways, even when it is risky or costly.  If we have disdain for our neighbor, we will withhold mercy, love, and grace.  But if we love our neighbor, we will help and be a friend to him in every bodily need.  “For, your Father who is in heaven makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45)  God's love is not limited to the worthy; it is given to all.  And since we are the children of God, we desire to act like our Father.  This kind of love is always seeking a good life for our neighbor, and that is because our God's mercy, love, and grace have guaranteed a good, glorious, and everlasting life for us.

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

YouTube -- TEN WORDS: 4th Commandment (July 26, 2020)

Here is the service from Sunday, July 26, 2020.

Sermon -- TEN WORDS: 4th Commandment (July 26, 2020)

EXODUS 20:12

TEN WORDS – THE FIFTH WORD.

DIVINELY ORDAINED AUTHORITY IS WORTHY OF HONOR.

In the name + of Jesus.

      Today our sermon series turns to the second table of the Law which is boiled down to this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31)  When God brought you into the world, your closest neighbor was your parents.  They were the authority God established over you, and they had the most influence on you.  God designed it this way for your good; for no one will care for a child more than his own parents.  Therefore, the 4th Commandment says, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12) 
     Martin Luther's explanation of this commandment says: “We should fear and love God that we do not dishonor or anger our parents and others in authority....” (Explanation of the 4th Commandment, Luther's Small Catechism)  While God has established a number of authorities over us, the authority that dealt with you during the crucial and formative years of your life was your father and mother.  They established the rules of the house.  They provided for your welfare.  They protected you from harm and danger.  They disciplined you to know right from wrong and to behave accordingly.  They punished you if you were disobedient or unruly. 
     Your parents also shaped your faith by bringing you to church, teaching you God's word, and showing you how to pray.  Faith does not come naturally.  It is not passed on like curly hair or brown eyes.  It must be taught and modeled so that children will be grounded in the Christian faith.  If this is neglected, parents should not be surprised when their children leave the Church—and, tragically, forfeit eternity.  Since God established parents for the high and holy calling of passing the faith down to their children, this divinely established authority is worthy of honor.
     God has established authorities for your good, and each has its own role.   Government cares for your physical well-being.  They curb wickedness with punishment and maintain order for a peaceful society.  The Church cares for souls.  It preaches God's word to call you to repent and proclaims God's mercy and salvation for your comfort and peace.  Parents cover both realms, so they serve the highest good of their children.  These divinely established authorities are worthy of honor.
     Unfortunately, we have a natural resistance to authority.  The reason is simple—we want to do our own thing and have our own way.  To submit to authority means that we must say “No” to our selfish goals.  If we pursue our selfish goals anyway, we face the wrath and punishment of the authority.  Speeders get tickets.  Felons get prison sentences.  Obstinate sinners are denied holy communion.  In our sinful stubbornness, we conclude that the authority is the one with the problem. 
     If there is one thing we sinners are good at, it is insisting upon getting our way.  We usually package that by saying we want our rights or what is fair.  If a parent starts spooning out the ice cream to two or more children, they won't be thinking that they are getting a special treat.  They will be assessing the scoops to make sure they aren't getting less than their siblings.  If one feels slighted, he will whine at the parent about getting an equal share.  The others will assess if the extra scraping results in more ice cream for the first child who complained.  Then they will demand more to make it all even.  If you are a parent of more than one child, you have endured this fight.  If you had a sibling, you engaged in this fight.  Either way, neither the generosity nor the authority of the parent mattered.  The sinful heart always demands more.  We believe that whatever is to our advantage is our right and is fair.  We never outgrow that.  This is why we always criticize divinely established authorities.  If we face their wrath, it is often because we gave them reason to become angry.
     The 4th Commandment states: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12)  It is important to recognize this: The 4th Commandment does not talk about what authorities are obligated to do for you.  It is strictly about the honor and obedience you owe them—even if you think they are incompetent or uncaring or wicked.  (We could talk about what they owe you, but that is a different sermon.)
     Divinely established authority is worthy of honor because of the God who established them.  No authority on earth is perfect; nevertheless, all authority stands in the stead of the God who established them.  This is especially true of fathers and mothers.  Men and women become fathers and mothers by God's design and blessing.  Then they carry out the role that God gives to them to provide for, protect, and discipline their children.  The parents' love and duty is not based on how much the children please them.  That love and duty are to be performed by parents for the good of their children no matter what.
     Parents are but a reflection of God the Father.  God the Father is the giver of every good and perfect gift.  He supplies us with all that we need to live.  He protects us from harm and danger.  If you think of all the ways the devil could afflict us with disease or disaster, God protects us from most of it.  All this he does because he is our good and merciful Father in heaven and not because we have earned or deserved it.  Still, we groan under God's authority because he forbids us from pursuing our selfish aims.  When we see others who are blessed differently, we grumble that God has not given us our fair share.  And yet, God remains good and generous.
     In fact, God is most gracious to us by not giving us what is fair.  For our grumbling against God the Father's blessings, for despising God's established authorities, for insisting upon our own way, God would be just and fair in damning us all.  In fact, sin is the great equalizer; for everyone has earned God's wrath and punishment.  And because of sin, everyone is going to die.
     But our Father has not treated us fairly.  He has been most gracious to us in sending his Son.  Jesus is the only person who was fully obedient to the Father.  He did not grumble about any hardships he had to face.  He did not reject the authority of emperors, kings, governors, or occupying armies.  He did not rebel when he was sent to suffer damnation for sins he did not commit.  Jesus willingly endured all of these things because he loves his Father.  And trusting that his Father is good, gracious, and right,  Jesus went forth to suffer and die for our groaning, grumbling, and rebellion.  Jesus gave up his rights—the honor and glory that are his because he is God—in order to do what was beneficial for us.  He endured shame on the cross to redeem us from the dishonor we have given to divinely established authorities.  You are forgiven of your sins—not because you deserve it, but because God is good and gracious to you. 
     God the Father continues to love us, care for us, and protect us.  He also disciplines us so that we do not return to our sins.  It does not always seem that he is a loving Father when he inflicts upon us what seems painful and for no good purpose.  We only know that we have lost something that we liked.  But he is doing the work of a father—curbing us from loving and trusting in things that cannot save us.  For the moment it is painful.  But God does not cater to what provides a moment's pleasure.  Your friends will encourage you to do or take what makes you happy right now.  Parents look past the present moment.  They are thinking of your next 50 years and advise you accordingly.  Your Father in heaven loves you even more; he is focused on your eternal good.  The Father always disciplines you with that as his goal.
     Divinely established authority is worthy of honor.  That is what the commandment says.  In addition to the command, God has extended a promise  “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12)  The fact is that obedience to the authorities God has established usually results in a long life.  By obeying the authorities God has established, you avoid wicked behavior, foolish choices, and temporal punishment.  Wicked behavior usually leads to a harder life and an earlier grave.  But the Lord promises grace and every blessing to those who obey his commandments, giving us all the more reason to follow them.
     “We should fear and love God that we do not dishonor or anger our parents and others in authority, but honor, serve, and obey them, and give them love and respect.” (Explanation of the 4th Commandment, Luther's Small Catechism)  To do this is to honor the God who established these authorities for your good.  Parents delight in their children and seek their good.  By honoring, serving, and obeying their parents, children actually benefit themselves.  This is God's design, who does all things for your good—both for the moment, and for eternity.

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

YouTube -- TEN WORDS: 3rd Commandment (July 19, 2020)

Here is the service from Sunday, July 19, 2020.

Sermon -- TEN WORDS: 3rd Commandment (July 19, 2022)

EXODUS 20:8-11

TEN WORDS – THE FOURTH WORD

JESUS CHRIST IS OUR SABBATH REST.

In the name + of Jesus.

      For as much as we enjoy vacation days and dream about retirement, God has given us work as a blessing.  Work might be draining or drudgery, but it is not a curse.  Even before sin entered into the world, “the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” (Genesis 2:15)  The work which God gave Adam to do was a blessing, both for himself and for the family whom the Lord would eventually give him.

     Although work in a sinful world has its challenges and frustrations, work itself is a gift of God.  It is one of the most practical ways you carry out God's will to love your neighbor as yourself.  Whether it is a career, tending to household chores, a weekend project, or volunteering, it is through work that you get to serve your neighbor in his need.  If you view work only as a means to your income, your labors will not be fulfilling.  If you recognize work is how you love and serve your neighbor in his need, you will find your work is a noble task even when it is toil and sweat and drudgery.  

     But our Lord did not put us on earth to do nothing but work.  In the 3rd Commandment, the Lord declares a day of rest.  Through Moses, the Lord proclaimed to Israel: “Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. … For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. ” (Exodus 20:9-11)  This was more than just a divinely ordained weekend or a day off to relax.  While the Israelites certainly benefited from that, this was not the reason for the day of rest.

     The Lord linked the Sabbath day to the week of creation.  For six days, the Lord labored, but on the seventh day he rested from his creating activity.  This was the same pattern God had prescribed for his people.  For six days, they were to labor—providing for their families and serving their neighbor with their various occupations.  But the seventh day was set apart as holy to the Lord.

    The Lord gave particular instructions about what that rest was for.  He said, “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation.” (Leviticus 23:3)  So, the point was not a day for oneself.  The Sabbath was to be a day set aside to hear God's word and meditate upon it, to pray, praise, and give thanks.  For six days, the Israelites would love their neighbor through their jobs and serve their families in their homes, but on the Sabbath they would rest and the Lord would serve them.  The Lord, through his word, would bestow on them blessing and comfort, consolation and encouragement, forgiveness and peace.  And that is still the point of the 3rd Commandment.  

     Seventh Day Adventists will accuse us of willfully violating this commandment because we do not adhere to a Saturday worship day.  But God's concern is not really about Saturday.  God's concern is about the peace and rest he desires to give us through his word.  Every Sabbath which was set apart as holy to the Lord was to keep Israel focused on the Savior who would come to them and secure rest for their souls.  But now that the Savior has come, we do not need to keep on preparing for him.  So, St. Paul wrote to the Colossians: “Let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.  These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Colossians 3:16-17)  The peace and rest that our Lord gives are not delivered by a day of the week, but by Jesus. 

     Jesus Christ is our Sabbath rest.  We heard it in our Gospel lesson where Jesus summons us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Mathew 11:28-30)  What is the Sabbath rest that Jesus gives us?  It is that he takes away from you all the demands that need to be met to know that God is pleased with you.

     That does not mean the works don't have to be done.  God's Law is always in force.  His will is eternal, and it is not optional.  No one is ever excused from loving his neighbor.  There is no day off from observing God's word.  If we can't do it, the problem is not with God's Commandments.  The Commandments show the problem lies within us.  No matter how hard we try to follow God's Law—that is, to do good to all people at all times—we can't.  We become weary and worn out from trying to fulfill this never-ending task of honoring God with good and godly lives.  It is a burden that never gets lighter.  We can't shed the burden because we can't shed our sinfulness.

     But Jesus Christ is your Sabbath rest, and that means that Jesus removes from you the burden of sin and the curse of the Law.  Jesus has done this by doing the work for you.  Jesus loved God's word and upheld every passage in it.  He did not make excuses why something in the Scriptures doesn't matter, isn't important, or could be ignored.  He upheld every word in his manners and in his message.  But he did not throw the Commandments in people's faces to watch them cower in fear and guilt.  Jesus loved the people with whom he came into contact, even the unlovable.  While Jesus loved the passages of Scripture above all, he also loved the people to whom they applied.  This is how he could deal compassionately with prostitutes, tax collectors, and other flagrant sinners but still not give approval to their wicked choices.  He did not engage people according to their faults, but according to their needs.  Rather than hold their iniquities against them, he took them away.  He covered their shame with his innocence.  He exchanged his perfect obedience for their sins, and he died in their place so that they could have life.

     He has done this for you, too.  Jesus Christ is your Sabbath rest.  Jesus not only upheld the Law, he fulfilled it.  If Jesus only upholds the Law, he must condemn you for sinning against it.  But by fulfilling the Law, Jesus has done the work and alleviates you of the burden of having to be perfect.  In baptism, Jesus cloaked you with the righteousness God demands of you.  He covers your guilt with his innocence.  Jesus cleanses you of every spot and every blemish by his holy, precious blood.  Jesus has cleansed you through your baptism, and he sustains you by his body and blood in holy communion.  

     Jesus Christ is our Sabbath rest.  Therefore, we make it a priority to gather in sacred assembly to hear God's Word and to partake in the heavenly banquet.  All week long, we labor and serve and toil for the benefit of our family, for the good of our neighbor, and for the glory of God.  But here, we get to rest.  Here, God serves us.  Here, the Lord bestows blessing and comfort, consolation and encouragement, forgiveness and peace.  Here, the Lord supplies what we need to live in peace and joy in this life and what we need to enter into glory in the life to come.  Jesus did the work to save us, and here he administers the benefits of it to us.  Jesus Christ is our Sabbath rest.

     Once you depart from God's house, Jesus continues to bless who you are and what you do.  As I had mentioned, the Commandments are not optional.  They express God's will for your life, and God's will is eternal.  Since you have been set apart as God's people and for God's glory, you strive to live what God has decreed to be a good and godly life.  Even if you regard this as a burden because you are fighting your sinful nature to do this, the yoke is easy and the burden is light.  For Jesus remains your Sabbath rest, which means you get to live in the peace of knowing that God is always pleased with you and your life.  For, that is not based on your life, but Christ's.

     You have been set apart as God's people.  This is not a fickle status.  Since you have been covered by Christ, you remain in God's grace.  If you are grieved because you confess with St. Paul, “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19), then heed Jesus' summons to find rest in his gracious words and to feast at this altar where his body and blood strengthen and keep you in the true faith until life everlasting.  In this way, God's favor remains upon you.  His words of grace continue to sanctify your life, your work, and your eternal destiny.  Apart from that word, nothing is holy.  Therefore, we cling to his word and promises.  We devote ourselves to hearing, learning, studying, and meditating upon his word.  For, Jesus alone has the words of eternal life.  Jesus Christ alone is our Sabbath rest.  Jesus Christ alone will deliver us from our struggles and labors and bring us to a rest that will have no interruption and no end.

     Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.  Remember Jesus Christ who removes your burdens and covers you with his innocence.  And find your peace in this, that Jesus Christ remembers you and gives you rest for your souls.

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

YouTube -- TEN WORDS: 2nd Commandment (July 12, 2020)

Here is the service from July 12, 2020.

Sermon -- TEN WORDS: 2nd Commandment (July 12, 2020)

EXODUS 20:7

TEN WORDS – THE THIRD WORD.

GOD'S NAME IS GIVEN FOR A GOOD PURPOSE.

In the name + of Jesus.

      There is a kind of comfort we take in knowing the name of someone.  When a mother gives birth and I tell my wife about it, she will likely excuse me if I don't recall the length or weight of the baby.  But I know she will be frustrated with me if she asks the child's name and I say, “I forget.”  Somehow, knowing someone's name makes us feel like we know them even if we've never seen or met them.  There are several places in the Bible where we hear that a man of God came to proclaim the word of the Lord, but we are never told his name.  The point is that we are to focus on the message rather than the prophet who delivered it.  But we feel like we are missing something when we don't know his name.  Samson's parents faced the same issue.  When the angel of the Lord told Manoah and his wife that they would have a son, Manoah said to the angel, “What is your name, so that, when your words come true, we may honor you?”  And the angel of the LORD said to him, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful?” (Judges 13:17-18)  Despite receiving a divine word from a divine messenger, Manoah wanted to know his name.  Knowing someone's name produces familiarity and binds a relationship more tightly.

     We tend to respond the same way regarding God's name.  When we hear people say that they believe in “God,” we don't always know what they mean.  The Scouts and the Lodges boast that they hold to a belief in God, but they leave it to you to make God whatever you want him to be—whether it is the Triune God, the Muslim god Allah, the Hindu god Vishnu, or some generic, nebulous god in the sky.  To them, any and every expression of “god” is valid, and belief in any “god” is praise-worthy.  So when you discover that I urge you not to join such organizations, this is why.  Who God is matters.  How we confess God matters.  While the word “god” can be used in a generic sense for any god, the true and only God is not a generic being.  He is a specific, unique, real, and personal being who gives us his name so that we can know him.  

     The Creeds of the Christian Church say more than, “I believe in God.”  God defines himself much more clearly than that.  He reveals his name to us so that we can have familiarity with him and be bound to him in a saving relationship.  The Bible gives us many names for God, and each name is a description of who God is, what he is like, and what he does.  The most personal revelation of God is in his Son, Jesus.  God the Son was sent by God the Father to make known God's identity, God's desires, and God's deeds—in particular, God's saving love for mankind, not merely be talking about it, but by acting to secure it.  Jesus declared, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)  All that Jesus has said and done reveals who God is.  And Jesus gives us the most definitive name for our God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19)  This is the name which we are baptized into so that we might become the saints of God and heirs of his kingdom.  This is the name which makes God familiar to us and binds us to him in a loving relationship.  God's name is given for a good purpose.

     Since God is holy, his name is holy.  And he commands us to regard it that way: “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)  The phrase “in vain” might be better understood if we say that God forbids that his name be used “for no good purpose.”  So, when we use the name of God or Jesus as an expression of surprise or outrage, God is not amused.  He pins guilt on those who take what is holy and use it profanely.  For God's name is given for a good purpose, not for a curse word.

     How is God's name used for no good purpose?  Luther offers this: “We should fear and love God that we do not use his name to curse, swear, lie or deceive, or use witchcraft.” (Luther's Small Catechism, Explanation of the 2nd Commandment)  Cursing uses God's name for evil.  Swearing, lying, and deceiving uses God's name to hide evil.  Witchcraft and psychic activity has us call on an unholy name for divine guidance.  While we all should be on guard against these things, Christians are most likely using God's good name for no good purpose when we fail to honor him in our lives.

     If you are a Christian, you bear God's name.  You belong to Christ; therefore, you are Christians.  St. Paul urges you to consider this: “You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself?  While you preach against stealing, do you steal?  You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?  You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?  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 2:21-24)  When you bear the name of Christ but fail to live according to the very words you confess, you disgrace God's name to the world.  And the world is both disgusted and delighted by it.  They are delighted because they believe that your sins vindicate their sins.  If God's people don't honor his word or his name, why should they?  If God's people don't fear him, why should they?  But they also express their disgust for you.  They feel that you ought to live up to the standard that you say is the truth, and they say that you are guilty of hypocrisy if you don't.  In this way, they conclude that the Christian faith is a farce.  In this way, God's name is blasphemed because of us.

     God's name is given for a good purpose, so it is no small matter to dishonor God's name.  In some cultures, one of the greatest sins you can commit is to bring shame to your family.  Sometimes, the phrase, “Death before dishonor,” (or perhaps “Death because of dishonor”) is actually carried out.  Those who shame the family are killed so that the dishonor dies with the offender.  While we would consider such an action extreme, it does demonstrate the high value that is given toward honor of one's family.  The Lord has declared, “The LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)  When we dishonor God's name with our sins, we deserve death.  That which is holy dare not be desecrated.  If we truly think little that God's name would be held in derision because of us, then the world is right and we are hypocrites.  Repent.

     But God has given us his name for a good purpose.  We call upon God's name in every trouble.  Our greatest trouble is the sin that names us and claims us and shames us all.  For the shame we have brought on ourselves, death is demanded.  Therefore, we call on the name of our God because he has revealed this name to us: Jesus, which means, “The Lord who saves.”  Jesus took upon himself the sin and the shame of every sinner.  He was labeled a liar, a scoundrel, a blasphemer and was accused of much more wickedness; and he did not dispute it.  Every charge that has been named against us, Jesus made his own.  Bearing our shame and dishonor, Jesus was put to death for it.  Death because of our dishonor.  But by his innocent death, the Son of God has cleared our names of all charges.  Now, he has given us a new name.  The Bible says: “In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” (Galatians 3:26)  

     God has given his name for a good purpose.  Jesus shows you that you have a loving Father in heaven.  Through Jesus, he calls you all sons of God.  In New Testament times, the sons were the heirs of the estate.  So, if you are all sons of God, you are all heirs of the heavenly kingdom.  Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is your dear brother.  The Holy Spirit dwells in you.  This name—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—was put on you when you were baptized.  By your baptism, God named you as his very own.  That name is a family name.  It binds you to God as his own people.  For you do not have a nebulous god.  You have a personal God who has given you his name so that you can know him, call upon him, and be saved by him.

     God has given his name for a good purpose.  He gives you his name so that you are familiar with him and are bound to him in a loving relationship.  And God knows your name, too.   You are not some faceless, anonymous person—just one of 7 billion.  No, you are his.  He knows you by name and is intimately interested in you.  He knows when you lie down and when you get up.  He knows the number of hairs on your head.  He delights in your good works.  In fact, he has written your name in the Book of Life so that you will be his forever.  On the Last Day, Jesus will confess you before his Father and call you by name to receive your place in heavenly glory.  

     Therefore, we get to use God's name for a very good purpose.  We confess his name and tell of his wonderful deeds.  We pray, praise, and give thanks.  For his name is worthy of praise, and it is the only name given by which we must be saved.  

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