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.

Worship Notes: The Triduum (The Three Days)

 INTRODUCTION TO THE TRIDUUM

          The enormous significance of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection has always been the central focus of Christian worship.  Prior to the fourth century, Easter Day itself included all three emphases, but thereafter they were distributed over three days of special observance, which Augustine called “the most holy Triduum of the crucified, buried, and risen Lord.”  These days have long been understood as the climax of the Church’s year.

          Since the last half of the 20^th century, Lutherans have been rediscovering the richness of the ancient Triduum (pronounced TRIH-doo-um) and adapting the traditional services associated with it for use in Evangelical-Lutheran worship.  In keeping with their origins, the Triduum services are closely connected with one another.   We observe the Triduum as a single service that extends over the “three holy days.”

MAUNDY THURSDAY

          The theme of Maundy Thursday, best expressed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. John, is the novum mandatum or “new command” of Jesus that his disciples “love one another.”  The institution of the Lord’s Supper sets forth the depth of Jesus’ love and gives power to the Church to live out his command.  For the Triduum, Maundy Thursday marks the end of Lent proper.  The service begins with the sermon and an exhortation regarding the end of Lent.  This unusual arrangement allows the minister to explain the meaning of the Sacrament and the liturgical actions that are to take place so that they may proceed uninterruptedly and vividly from this evening through Good Friday to the Easter Vigil.  The action of ceremonially stripping the altar prepares the chancel and the congregation for Good Friday.

GOOD FRIDAY:

THE SERVICE OF THE SEVEN WORDS

          As the middle service of the Triduum, Good Friday is prepared for by Maundy Thursday.  In turn, it leads into the Easter Vigil.  The absence of a benediction the previous evening and again on Good Friday underscores the connectedness of the Triduum service.  Good Friday is not a “funeral” for Jesus, but an austere celebration of the Lamb and his sacrifice.  The bare altar, symbolic of Christ, is the focus along with a large, rough finished wood cross.

          The Service of the Seven Words is a service that reviews the seven times in which Jesus spoke at his crucifixion.  Each reading is interspersed with silence for meditation, prayers, and hymns.  The Service of the Seven Words is intended as the primary Good Friday service and his historically been observed sometime during the “hours of the cross,” between noon and three o’clock.  It may also be used in place of the Service of Darkness (Tenebrae) as an evening service, as is the case at Good Shepherd.

EASTER VIGIL

           The climax of the Triduum comes in the Vigil of Easter, a service of watching and waiting which utilizes prayer, Scripture, and hymns.  The Vigil is composed of four parts:

I.     The Service of Light focuses on the Paschal Candle, the representation of the unconquered life of Christ.

II.   The Service of Lessons uses Old Testament texts that foreshadowed our deliverance and rescue by Jesus.

III.   The Service of Holy Baptism emphasizes our baptismal connection to the crucified and risen Christ.

IV.    The Service of Holy Communion proclaims the risen Savior and our blessed reconciliation to God.

          In the ancient Church, the Vigil began on Saturday and continued through to Easter Dawn.  It was at dawn that the cry rang out: “Alleluia!  Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!”  We honor the spirit of the Vigil, beginning our Easter Vigil at an early hour on Easter Sunday.  With the service of Easter Dawn, we conclude the Triduum.  Our Festival celebration is held at our regular hour of Divine Service, at 10:00 AM.

          May the Lord bless us as we observe these “three holy days,” the Triduum.

Holy Week 2026

Holy Week Schedule at Good Shepherd for 2026

THE TRIDUUM (The Three Days)

Maundy Thursday 

April 2, 7:00 PM

Good Friday

April 3, 7:00 PM

Easter Dawn 

April 5, 7:30 AM

Easter Breakfast -- 8:45 - 9:45 AM

Easter Festival Service -- 10:00 AM

Sermon -- Good Friday (April 18, 2025)

JOHN 19:31-37

BLOOD AND WATER POURED FORTH FROM THE LORD.

In the name + of Jesus.

     In the days of the Colosseum, the emperor sponsored gladiatorial games for the citizens of Rome.  Trained soldiers were given a variety of weapons to fight to the death.  After a brutal struggle, the dead and wounded would lie on the floor of the Colosseum.  Their blood soaked into the sand which covered the wooden floor.  Then, a jester would come out with a red-hot poker.  He would dance to amuse the crowd, but his real purpose was to prance up to each body and touch the red-hot poker to it.  If the man did not flinch, he knew that the man was dead.  If the man did flinch, a soldier would take a sword or spear and run him through to put the mortally wounded man out of his misery.  This practice seems to have been utilized by the Roman soldier who was overseeing the death of Jesus. 

     As Good Friday was winding down, three men hung from their crosses.  Crucifixions could last for days as a condemned man languished in a slow, torturous death.  The weight of one’s body would rest on his chest as his lungs slowly filled with fluid.  Breathing became labored.  Fighting for life, a man would push up with his legs to grab a small gasp of air and then slump down to languish some more.  Eventually, he would not be able to breathe any more, and he would expire.  But as long as he could push up for that breath, he would hang from the cross.

     “Since it was the Preparation Day, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses over the Sabbath (because that Sabbath was a particularly important day). They asked Pilate to have the men’s legs broken and the bodies taken away.  So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who was crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other man” (John 19:31-32).  With their legs broken, the men could no longer push up for that precious breath.  Death came quickly, and their bodies were removed from their crosses before the Sabbath.

     In the case of Jesus Christ, however, breaking his legs was unnecessary.  Jesus had yielded up his life already.  His life was not taken from him.  As Jesus had told his enemies, “I lay down my life so that I may take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.  I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again.  This is the commission I received from my Father” (John 10:17-18).  So, Jesus intentionally went into death.  He did not lose his life; “he gave up his spirit” (John 19:30). 

     Therefore, when the soldiers broke their legs to hasten the death of the criminals, they did not need to do this for Jesus.  “Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear” (John 19:34).  This was likely not an act of unnecessary cruelty or boredom.  This was likely standard operating procedure.  If Jesus had flinched, he was not dead yet.  But the thrust of the spear up into Jesus’ heart guaranteed that he was dead.  The Romans excelled at putting people to death by crucifixion, and this act ensured that their job was done right.

     St. John had been standing at the foot of the cross, and he had witnessed all that Jesus endured there.  He saw the soldiers nail Jesus to the beams of wood.  He saw the soldiers divide up Jesus’ garments and cast lots for his seamless tunic.  He heard the priests and Pharisees mock Jesus.  He heard Jesus speak seven times, although most of Jesus’ sufferings were endured in silence.  And John witnessed the soldier take his spear and thrust it into Jesus’ side.  This held significant interest for John, and he strongly asserted what he had witnessed.

     John wrote, “When they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.  Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear.  Immediately blood and water came out.  The one who saw it has testified, and his testimony is true.  He knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe” (John 19:33-35).  There was no comment made to incriminate the soldier of barbaric behavior.  There was no propaganda which would inspire readers to resent the Romans.  John simply recorded the facts.  The spear in Jesus’ side confirmed his death.  But John saw something significant from this wound.  Part of it was the fulfillment of Scripture, “They will look at the one they pierced” (John 19:37; Zechariah 12:10).  But what truly caught John’s attention was that blood and water poured forth from the Lord.

     John stated emphatically that he had seen it.  It is a historical account about the death of Jesus of Nazareth.  John’s Gospel is not a propaganda piece.  Nor is it a collection of fables.  John’s Gospel is a record of history.  He wrote about real people engaged in real events in documented places among historical figures at times that can be dated with relative certainty.  Even people who deny that Jesus is true God acknowledge that there was a Jesus of Nazareth who died by crucifixion.  The death of Jesus Christ is recorded even by historians who had no interest in defending or confessing the Christian faith.

     These events were as real as the sins we have committed against God.  When you are haunted by your sins, your guilt is real.  The devil does not vex you over things that never happened.  He accuses you with the truth.  You did say those terrible things.  You did try to cover up your sins with a lie.  You did try to pin the blame on someone else.  You did withhold your help from someone in need because you didn’t trust them, didn’t like them, or just didn’t want to be bothered by them.  You fantasized how harm would come to someone because that would somehow make your life better.  This guilt is real because those sins were real.  In order to find real relief from such guilt, you need historical, well-documented proof of salvation which was won for you.  A mythical Savior does nothing for you.  A historical and actual atoning sacrifice produces a real payment for sins.  But besides a well-attested act of redemption, you need a definitive way for that atonement to be applied to you.

     The historical death of Jesus is undeniable.  You can take a trip to Jerusalem and visit the place where Jesus was crucified.  Of course, present-day Jerusalem does not look exactly like the Jerusalem of Jesus’ day.  Archaeologists have taken their best guesses about which hill at Jerusalem is Golgotha.  In fact, there are two places which are presented as the possible site of Golgotha.  While the exact placement of Jesus’ cross is debatable, his crucifixion is not.  John saw it.  And John saw blood and water pour forth from the Lord.  

     If you go to Jerusalem, you can pose in front of the place where your forgiveness was won, but you won’t find forgiveness there.  The ransom price was made 2,000 years ago, but the benefits need to come to you now.  And this is why St. John was so emphatic about seeing blood and water pour forth from the Lord.

     John noted why the blood and the water pouring forth from Jesus’ side matter.  In his first epistle, St. John wrote, “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). 

     Jesus won your salvation for you in his death at Golgotha.  But how does he get that salvation to you today, 2,000 years after he died on a hill 6,000 miles away?  It is by the Spirit, the water, and the blood.  The Holy Spirit guided the apostles to record the very words of God so that we can know what God demands, what God promises, and what God has done to save sinners.  God’s demands show our need for a Savior.  God’s promises assure us that he does not leave us hopeless in our sinful condition.  And God’s actions through Jesus are how our sins have been taken away.

     To give us greater assurance of this salvation, God has attached his promise to tangible things.  You are not left to wonder if you believe his words strongly enough, sincerely enough, or purely enough.  God applies his salvation to you.  He has washed you clean in your baptism and has marked you as his redeemed.  In holy communion, he pours into you the blood which was shed as the atoning sacrifice for your sins.  There is no need to wonder if God’s love and salvation are really yours.  Blood and water poured forth from our Lord, and now blood and water have been poured forth upon you.  This is how the salvation which was won for you on Golgotha is delivered to you here and now.

     Our Lord is the source of life.  He gave life to this world when he created the world and everything in it.  Most things the Lord summoned into being.  He spoke and gave life to the world.  Mankind, however, the Lord set apart from the rest of creation.  He formed the man from the dust of the earth.  He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.  When it came time for the Lord to make a helper suitable for the man, the Lord took a rib from the man and formed a woman.  The life of the bride came out of the side of her husband.

     Our Lord Jesus Christ has betrothed himself to the Church.  Jesus is the groom; the Church is his bride.  Just as the life of the first bride came from the side of the man, so also the life of the Church comes from the side of Jesus Christ.  Blood and water poured forth from the Lord.  It is through the water that the Lord gives life to his Church, and it is through the blood that the Lord sustains that life in his Church.  Regarding the water, we have the promise, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38).  Regarding the blood, we have this declaration, “This is my blood of the new testament, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28).  

     The blood and the water poured forth from the Lord’s body at the cross.  It was a real, historical, documented event.  Now the blood and the water are poured forth to the body of Christ in the sacraments.  Here, the Lord applies true forgiveness, grants real comfort, and bestows lasting peace.  Blood and water poured forth from the Lord.  It is for you.  For the forgiveness of sins.  For real.

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

Sermon -- Maundy Thursday (April 17, 2025)

HEBREWS 10:15-25

JESUS GIVES US A NEW AND ENDURING COVENANT.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The covenant that the Lord had established with Israel at Mt. Sinai was a holy arrangement between God and his redeemed people.  While the Lord was always faithful to his end of this covenant, God’s people were not.  Sinners proved themselves sinners—no matter how great the blessings were for obedience and no matter how harsh the punishments were for disobedience.  The Ten Commandments still carry blessings and curses.  In his explanation to the Conclusion to the Commandments, Martin Luther wrote, “God threatens to punish all who transgress these commandments.  Therefore we should fear his anger and not disobey what he commands.  But he promises grace and every blessing to all who keep these commandments.  Therefore we should love and trust in him and gladly obey what he commands” (Luther’s Small Catechism).  The threats do not keep us from sinning against his word, and the promises are not enough to have us willingly and consistently do the good God desires.  The old covenant was destined to fail—not on God’s part, but on ours.  A new covenant is needed if it is to endure and if we are truly to benefit from it.

     The old covenant also limited access to the Lord’s presence.  In some respects, we have such limitations today.  Our president is a servant of the people, but no citizen can just walk into the Oval Office to speak with the president.  You need to have an appointment, go through a background check, and endure a slew of security measures if you would even have a chance to see the president.  A senator would have easier access than a mayor, and a mayor would have easier access than you.  But there are limits on all people.

     In a similar way, access to God was granted only as God directed.  Non-Israelites were kept the farthest out—restricted to the outer courtyard of the Temple.  Israelite women could get a little closer.  Israelite men could enter the area where the altar was.  Priests could enter the temple itself.  But a thick curtain prohibited entrance into the Holy of Holies. They couldn’t even peak inside of it.  Sewn into the curtain were two cherubim which guarded the way into the Holy of Holies just as cherubim guarded the way back into the Garden of Eden.  That curtain preached its own sermon: Sinners cannot stand in God’s holy presence.  The curtain declared physically what Isaiah proclaimed verbally: “It is your guilt that has separated you from your God” (Isaiah 59:2).

     The only one who was ever granted access to the Holy of Holies, the very presence of God, was the high priest.  He was restricted to one day a year, and he was not allowed behind the curtain unless he came with a sacrifice of blood.  If access to the Lord was so restrictive where God chose to dwell with people on earth, how could people hope to dwell with God in his heavenly presence?  A new covenant would be needed if it is to endure and if we are truly to benefit from it.

     Jesus gives us a new and enduring covenant.  The writer to the Hebrews goes on at length to explain how everything about Jesus is superior to the old covenant.  That is what the whole letter is about.  Regarding access to the Lord, he writes, “we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place through the blood of Jesus.  It is a new and living way he opened for us through the curtain, that is, his flesh.  We also have a great priest over the house of God” (Hebrews 10:19-21).  Jesus is our great high priest who entered into the very presence of God.  He did not take the blood of goats or bulls; rather, Jesus entered heaven itself with his own blood.  Jesus is both the high priest and the sacrificial victim.  He presented his own holy, precious blood which was shed in his innocent sufferings and death on our behalf.  This perfect sacrifice is pleasing to the heavenly Father, establishing peace with him and securing us a place with him. 

     Jesus gives us a new and enduring covenant.  The barrier that had stood between us and our Lord was our sin.  Remember: “It is your guilt that has separated you from your God” (Isaiah 59:2).  But our Lord Jesus has taken away the sin of the world.  Listen to what St. Matthew records about the death of Jesus.  “After Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.  Suddenly, the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:50-51).  That curtain which had forbidden access to the Holy of Holies was rent in two the moment Jesus died.  Now no barrier stands between us and our Lord.  All sins were punished and purged by Jesus’ death.  Since sin has been taken away, there is nothing to prohibit your access to God anymore.  There is no pecking order in our access to God’s presence.  Whether man or woman, lay person or clergy, young or old, single or married, Jew or Gentile—all have the same access to God.  For, all have the same Savior, and all live under the same, enduring covenant.  Jesus grants us eternal access to the Father.  Jesus gives us a new and enduring covenant.

     So, why would this new covenant endure where the old covenant failed?  It is because the Lord has not made any demands of you for this covenant to be fulfilled.  He does not ask you to contribute anything.  Jesus fulfilled the Law for you with his perfect obedience.  Jesus took up your sin to suffer its curse for you.  Then Jesus overcame death by his resurrection and opened up heaven to you.  He has done it all and delivers the blessings to you.  Since it is all God’s work, this is the new covenant endures through all ages and in all circumstances. 

     But isn’t there anything for us to do?  What about faith?  What about repentance?  What about good works?  Aren’t these conditions to be met?  Don’t we need to do something to set us apart from the rest of mankind which is perishing?  Some suggest or insist that we must make some contribution toward our salvation.  They argue that our part proves why we are saved but others are not.

     What does the writer to the Hebrews say?  “The Holy Spirit also testifies in Scripture to us, for first he said: This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, says the Lord.  I will put my laws on their hearts and I will write them on their mind” (Hebrews 10:15-16).  In other words, the faith that trusts God’s promises and receives his salvation—this faith God has worked in you.  The Holy Spirit has given you new life in Christ, and he sustains it in you.  He has put God’s law in your heart so that you not only believe it, but you also live according to it.  The repentance God calls for, he works in you so that you turn from sin and strive for holiness. 

     To be sure, there is something that sets you apart from the rest of mankind which is perishing: The Holy Spirit has set you apart.  He works repentance in you.  He sustains a living faith within you.  That is why this new covenant endures.  It is God who works in you to will and to work according to God’s good purpose.  And that is why God does not throw it back into your lap, as if God had left something undone.  The writer to the Hebrews declares God’s promise: “I will not remember their sins and their lawlessness any longer.  Now where these sins are forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin” (Hebrews 10:17-18).  You might remember your sins.  Even if you try to suppress the memory, the devil will dredge up the past.  He will accuse and convict.  You will try to find ways to forget and to eliminate the feelings of guilt.  But it is not necessary.  The only one who can condemn you for your sins is Jesus, and he has taken them away.  Instead, the Lord calls to remembrance the sacrifice he made once and for all.  Therefore, no more sacrifice is needed.  No conditions still need to be met.  Salvation has been secured.  Your access to God is unrestricted.  Jesus gives us a new and enduring covenant.

     To make you partakers of this new and enduring covenant, our Lord has given sacraments to his Church.  Once again, these are not acts that you do.  These are God’s gracious acts through which he delivers forgiveness of sins, new life, and salvation to you.  In your baptism, you were cleansed of all sin.  You were united to Jesus in his death and resurrection.  The sinner was put to death, and the Lord raised up a saint. 

     Tonight, we especially remember the sacrament which the Lord gave to his church on the night he was betrayed.  In it, he makes us partakers and beneficiaries of his atoning sacrifice.  “He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.’  In the same way, he took the cup after the supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is being poured out for you’” (Luke 22:19-20).  We not only remember the death of Jesus Christ, we also are in communion with it so that we receive forgiveness through it.  And our Lord remembers his covenant with us—that we are redeemed and reconciled to the Father through the blood of Jesus. 

     Jesus gives us a new and enduring covenant.  This is why the writer to the Hebrews urged his fellow Christians: “Let us hold on firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.  Let us also consider carefully how to spur each other on to love and good works.  Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have the habit of doing.  Rather, let us encourage each other, and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:23-25).  The only way we could nullify this covenant is if we abandon it.  Many Christians have wandered from the saving faith for one reason: They stopped gathering to hear the word and receive the sacrament.  But if we are faithful in receiving his gifts, he will be faithful in strengthening and keeping us in the saving faith.

     Jesus gives us a new and enduring covenant.  He entered the Most Holy Place with his holy, precious blood to gain access to God’s presence for us.  Then he gives us his holy, precious blood in the sacred feast to sustain us in the saving faith and to purify our spirits.  So, let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that we have access to God’s presence.  When our last hour comes, he will send his angels for us.  The angels who had guarded the way to Paradise will usher us into Paradise to dwell in the very presence of God.  Then the covenant will endure.  For, as St. John promises, “God’s dwelling is with people. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people.  God himself will be with them, and he will be their God” (Revelation 21:3).

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

Worship Notes: The Triduum - 2025

INTRODUCTION TO THE TRIDUUM

The enormous significance of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection has always been the central focus of Christian worship.  Prior to the fourth century, Easter Day itself included all three emphases, but thereafter they were distributed over three days of special observance, which Augustine called “the most holy Triduum of the crucified, buried, and risen Lord.”  These days have long been understood as the climax of the Church’s year.

Since the last half of the 20^th century, Lutherans have been rediscovering the richness of the ancient Triduum (pronounced TRIH-doo-um) and adapting the traditional services associated with it for use in Evangelical-Lutheran worship.  In keeping with their origins, the Triduum services are closely connected with one another.

We observe the Triduum as a single service that extends over the “three holy days.”

MAUNDY THURSDAY (April 17, 7:00 PM)

The theme of Maundy Thursday, best expressed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. John, is the novum mandatum or “new command” of Jesus that his disciples “love one another.”  The institution of the Lord’s Supper sets forth the depth of Jesus’ love and gives power to the Church to live out his command.  For the Triduum, Maundy Thursday marks the end of Lent proper.  The service begins with the sermon and an exhortation regarding the end of Lent.  This unusual arrangement allows the minister to explain the meaning of the Sacrament and the liturgical actions that are to take place so that they may proceed uninterruptedly and vividly from this evening through Good Friday to the Easter Vigil.  The action of ceremonially stripping the altar prepares the chancel and the congregation for Good Friday.

GOOD FRIDAY: THE SERVICE OF THE CROSS (April 18, 7:00 PM)

As the middle service of the Triduum, Good Friday is prepared for by Maundy Thursday.  In turn, it leads into the Easter Vigil.  The absence of a benediction the previous evening and again on Good Friday underscores the connectedness of the Triduum service.  Good Friday is not a “funeral” for Jesus, but an austere celebration of the Lamb and his sacrifice.  The bare altar, symbolic of Christ, is the focus along with a large, rough finished wood cross.  The Service of the Cross consists of two parts: 

                I. The Word and
                II. The Meditation on the Cross.

The service is highly meditative in nature and is celebrated simply and not hurried.  The Service of the Cross is intended as the primary Good Friday service and his historically been observed sometime during the “hours of the cross,” between noon and three o’clock.  It may also be used in place of the Service of Darkness (Tenebrae) as an evening service, as is the case at Good Shepherd.

EASTER VIGIL (April 20, 7:30 AM)

The climax of the Triduum comes in the Vigil of Easter, a service of watching and waiting which utilizes prayer, Scripture, and hymns.  The Vigil is composed of four parts.

            I. The Service of Light focuses on the Paschal Candle, the representation of the unconquered life of Christ.
            II. The Service of Lessons uses Old Testament texts that foreshadowed our deliverance and rescue by Jesus.
             III. The Service of Holy Baptism emphasizes our baptismal connection to the crucified and risen Christ.
             IV. The Service of Holy Communion proclaims the risen Savior and our blessed reconciliation to God.

In the ancient Church, the Vigil began on Saturday and continued through to Easter Dawn.  It was at dawn that the cry rang out: “Alleluia!  Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!”  We honor the spirit of the Vigil, beginning our Easter Vigil at an early hour on Easter Sunday.  With the service of Easter Dawn, we conclude the Triduum.  

Our Festival celebration is held at our regular hour of Divine Service, 10:00 AM.

May the Lord bless us as we observe these “three holy days,” the Triduum.