Sermon -- Chapel at Hope Christian Academy

This sermon was reworked from a sermon that was preached at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Novi on May 14, 2023.  

It was preached at Hope Christian Academy on May 5, 2026.

ACTS 17:22-31

WE WORSHIP THE ONLY GOD WORTH KNOWING.

In the name + of Jesus.

M:       Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

C:        He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

     When the apostle Paul walked through the streets of Athens, he saw many shrines to many gods.  The Greeks and Romans acknowledged all kinds of gods, each responsible for some part of creation or life.  It was an admission that they were not in control of their lives.  They could not control the weather which, in turn, meant that they had no control over their harvests.  There must be a god who is in charge of those.  They were not in control of what stirs up people to love or war.  Mars and Venus were worshiped for that.  Sailors and travelers knew they had no control over the sea.  A trip to Neptune’s shrine might result in good sailing.  You can at least give the Greeks and Romans credit for recognizing that they did not have control, and that someone influenced times and events.

     As the apostle Paul observed the various temples and shrines for all these gods, he noticed another altar.  He said, “As I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god’” (Acts 17:23).  It was as if the people in Athens did not want to offend any god that they happened to have missed.  Well, the truth is they had missed one—the triune God.  Rather than mock the Athenians for their pagan worship, St. Paul seized the opportunity to teach them about the God they did not know. 

     What Paul encountered in Athens is not much different than what we run into today.  People are still very religious, but they claim to be spiritual.  Many are claiming to be “Nones,” that is, not affiliated with any religion.  When filling out a survey, they check, “None” for religion.  But such people have not abandoned interest in God.  That should not surprise us.  St. Paul noted, “(God) made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth … that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him” (Acts 17:26-27).  So, it is no surprise that people are religious.  What many lack, however, is any real source of truth.  Their faith is in their opinion—or worse, whatever they have seen on a TikTok video.  If people claim to be spiritual, their god is whatever they think he is or should be.  But just as I cannot tell you what you are like, we do not get to tell God what he is like or should be like.  God must reveal himself to us if we are to know him rightly.

     Dear Christians, you do know the triune God who insists, “I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God” (Isaiah 45:5).  “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.  I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:10-11).  There can only be one God.  Only one can be almighty.  You can’t have two almighties; one would have to be more powerful than the other.  Only one can reign supreme.  You can’t have two supremes; one would have to be greater than the other.  Our Lord does not allow himself to be worshiped as chief of many gods.  He demands, “You shall have no other gods” (Exodus 20:3); for, there are no other gods.  As it turns out, he is also the only one who saves.  We worship the only God worth knowing. 

     The people of Athens demonstrated a natural knowledge of God.  That was apparent when St. Paul walked through Athens.  In each of the shrines he passed, he saw altars.  What is an altar for?  It is for offerings.  An animal is slaughtered and consumed by fire.  This was done to purchase the favor or to appease the wrath of a god.  In either case, it showed the worshiper was seeking to make things right between themselves and God.  Their consciences testified that something needed to be done to make things right.  So, they made sacrifices at these altars.  But how could they know which offerings were pleasing?  And how could they know if their offerings were enough?  Just as they made assumptions about who God is, so also they had to make assumptions about whether or not some god was pleased with them.

     We worship the only God worth knowing.  The Lord has not only revealed his nature to us, he has also revealed what reconciles us to him.  Jesus has won God’s favor by his perfect obedience.  That favor was poured out upon you in your baptism.  And Jesus also has appeased God’s wrath.  Unlike false gods who demand sacrifices to be appeased, Jesus came to be the sacrifice which appeases God’s wrath.  Jesus took upon himself our sin—the defilement in our hearts that leads us to jealousy, bitterness, and self-centeredness.  What makes us jealous?  We despise someone else’s blessings, thinking that we deserved them more.  What makes us bitter?  We thought we deserved the recognition that someone else got.  We are self-centered, thinking that the universe revolves around us, and we are angry and surprised when others do not agree.

     This sin of making myself my own god affects the way I think others.  And it affects the way I treat others.  It is worthy of God’s wrath.  But Jesus has taken all sin and guilt from us.  He was slaughtered on the cross and there was consumed by God’s fiery wrath.  Since Jesus has taken away the curse of sin, we are not condemned.  Since Jesus has taken into himself the full load of God’s wrath, God has only blessing left for us.  We worship the God who saves, and this is the only God worth knowing.

     How blessed you are to know the true God!  How blessed you are to live your life in peace!  For, the day is coming when we will all have to stand before God to answer for our lives.  St. Paul told the people of Athens, “(God) commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).  We worship the only God worth knowing who has revealed his word to you so that you don’t have to guess where you stand with him. 

     Jesus died to pay for your sins.  Jesus is risen and lives to proclaim a full pardon and endless peace.  You don’t have to guess or assume it is true.  This is not your opinion that you believe in.  These are the words of your living Savior, and they are the words which he will utter before you at the final judgment.  For your comfort and peace, he proclaims them already!

     When the apostle Paul walked through the streets of Athens, he saw many people clinging to gods that were not real and could not save.  So, he preached to them.  You and I will encounter more and more people who claim to be spiritual, who grew up never going to church, or who have been badly misinformed about what the Bible teaches.  Some do not worship God at all.  Others, because of their assumptions, worship a god which, for all intents and purposes, is an unknown god.  How do you engage them?  Start by asking questions.  What do they believe?  Why do they believe it?  How did they come to that conclusion?  Like St. Paul, you have the word of God which reveals salvation.  You have compassion for the lost.  Start with people where they are, and then proclaim what the true God has revealed.  Through you, God will reveal his mercy, his peace, and his salvation.  Our Triune God is the only God worth knowing.  For, he is the only God who saves, and he is the only God there is.

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

Sermon -- Chapel at Hope Christian Academy (September 23, 2025)

This chapel devotion was delivered at Hope Christian Academy in Westland, Michigan.

AMOS 6:1-7

WE GRIEVE OVER OUR WORST AND LOOK FORWARD TO GOD’S BEST.

In the name + of Jesus.

    It was the best of times.  It was the worst of times.  But this time, it is not “A Tale of Two Cities”; it is the story of one nation.  For some people, it was a time of decadence and self-indulgence.  For many others—most others—it was a time of oppression, poverty, and injustice.  Those who were in authority reveled in their privileges.  Those who were under that authority suffered in their hardships.

     Listen again to how Amos described the life of the rich in the northern tribes of Israel: They “lie on ivory beds, sprawling upon their couches, eating lambs from the flock and calves straight from the stall, improvising tunes on the lyre, composing music for themselves on musical instruments like David, drinking large bowls of wine—they slather themselves with the most expensive perfumed oils” (Amos 6:4-6).  Ivory beds are very luxurious.  Someone dropped some serious cash to get those.  Most people only ate meat a few times a year, so, it was extravagance to eat lamb or veal every day.  They rocked to their music and drank large quantities of wine.  I suppose to many people, that’s the good life, the best of times, and something to strive for.

     Amos declared, “They do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph” (Amos 6:6).  They were like the brothers of Joseph.  Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery.  They watched the Ishmaelites put bonds and chains on him to drag him away.  Despite Joseph’s cries for mercy, his brothers sat down to eat, and drink, and count their money.  In the same way, the rich turned a deaf ear to the cries of those they were supposed to care for.  They sat down to eat, drink, and bask in their wealth.

     Economically, it was the best of times.  Spiritually, it was the worst of times.  Amos told them, you “do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph” (Amos 6:6).  Joseph had two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.  They were the largest two tribes in the north.  But Joseph had gone to ruin.  The northern tribes had corrupted worship.  Even though the Lord was very specific about how he was to be worshiped, the people decided, “We will worship God the way we like.”  This corrupted worship encouraged corrupted lives.  If they did not care to honor and love God, why would they honor or love their fellowman?  Amos called them to repent.  If not, those who were the first in society “will go into exile as the first of the exiles” (Amos 6:7).  The Lord warned, “You want to be first?  You will be—the first to be banished!”

     The leaders and the wealthy in Israelite society had a pecking order in their hearts.  They put themselves first.  They placed their fellowman down the list.  Last on the list was the Lord.  Since God’s face was not directly in front of them, he could be ignored.  Since God’s threats were only words at this point, he was dismissed.

     This is the way it is for every sinful heart.  Our hearts are devoted to ourselves—our pleasures, our reputations, our glory, and getting our own way.  Down the list is our fellowman.  You might disagree, thinking, “I would do anything for my friends!  They love me and I love them.”  But what if your friend stops returning your texts?  What if your friend starts hanging out with someone else?  Does he or she remain your friend?  If you withdraw your friendship because you are no longer getting something from them, your love is not as pure as you think.  And that’s for friends!  To say nothing of strangers. 

     Finally, God comes at the end of the list.  Some argue that God is selfish because he demands that we fear, love, and trust in him above all things.  Do you know how much God changes if we reject him or refuse to obey him?  Not at all.  God is the giver of every good and perfect gift.  God is not envious of your possessions; he gave them to you.  God is not jealous of your wealth; he is the one who supplies it.  Everything you have comes from God’s hand.  Your very body, soul, and life come from the Lord.  He is not kind to you to get something out of you as if he needs anything.  But he does want you to recognize that he is good and loving.  And if God is good and loving, then his word is good and obeying it is good.  And he will not let anything else receive the honor that he, and only he, deserves. 

     But if we put ourselves first, we will be the first to be banished.  To put God below anything is to despise him.  To put anything above God is to choose those blessings over God’s.  Then we forfeit the goodness and mercy and salvation he brings.  Jesus warned repeatedly, “many who are first will be last, and the last will be first” (Mark 10:31).  To exalt yourself is to lose it all.

     The prophet Amos issued a warning to the northern tribes, and they did not listen.  Amos did not have much good news for these Israelites.  When God’s judgment finally came, those who were not slaughtered by the Assyrian army were taken into captivity, never to return.  We, too, have a judgment coming.  But here is the good news for you: The Lord Jesus Christ has come to deliver you from your sin and from the coming judgment.  Jesus Christ, by whom all things were made, made himself one with us.  Jesus, to whom belong all honor and glory and majesty, emptied himself of everything to save us.  Jesus, who is God over all, took the lowest place—the place of a cursed, rebellious slave.  He who is first made himself last.  Jesus’ selfless death has atoned for all our selfishness.  He did not do this to get anything out of us, but to give to us all things that matter, all things that have eternal value. 

     You and I rightly humble ourselves; we grieve over our sins.  But those who humble themselves will be exalted.  Jesus exalts us, making us to be children of the Most High God.  Our goal is not to make this world the best of times.  This world and all its wealth is passing away.  Therefore, we can dedicate our wealth for the good of others.  You won’t keep it, so use it here so that it will do some good for someone.  That is what God gave it to you for. 

     But the best of times are coming.  We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.  We long for the new heavens and the new earth where all God’s people will dwell in peace and security forever.  There we will feast with the saints and angels.  There we will sing and make music before the Lord.  There we will be anointed with the oil of gladness.  There, all evils will be put away.  Our Lord will delight in us, and we will delight in him above all things.  It will never get any better than that.

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

Sermon -- Festival of St. Mark, Evangelist (April 25, 2025)

This sermon was preached at a chapel service at Hope Christian Academy in Westland, Michigan.

ACTS 15:36-41

ST. MARK REVEALS A SAVIOR WHO DOES NOT DISAPPOINT.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Without really knowing him, you probably have a great respect for St. Mark the Evangelist.  How could you fail to admire one of four writers of the Gospels?  Perhaps it would be good for you to learn the rest of the story.  You may find him disappointing.

     St. Mark was raised by a godly woman named Mary.  (His father is not mentioned.)  She was a resident of Jerusalem and was among the first Christians.  Her home was used as a gathering place for Christians to worship and pray (Acts 12:12).  Although not one of the apostles, Mark seems to have been a witness of at least some of Jesus’ ministry.  In his gospel, Mark includes an interesting note following the arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane.  He wrote, “A certain young man was following him, wearing just a linen cloth over his naked body.  They seized him, but he left behind the linen cloth and fled from them naked” (Mark 14:51-52).  Many agree that this was Mark referring to himself.  If he was able to escape the guard, he might have been a pretty shifty runner.  You might be disappointed to learn that Mark would also end up running away at a later date.

     Mark had accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey.  He traveled with them to the island of Cyprus.  From there, they sailed to the mainland to a city called Pamphylia, which is in modern-day Turkey.  We don’t know why, but that’s where Mark ran away and returned home.  Later, when Paul and Barnabas were planning to revisit the churches they had founded, Paul refused to bring Mark along.  That suggests that Mark’s reason for abandoning the work on the first missionary journey was inexcusable.  Mark had failed to fulfill his duties faithfully.  Although Barnabas was willing to give his cousin, Mark, another chance to serve, St. Paul was unwilling to take the risk.  To him, Mark was a disappointment and, therefore, unwelcome.

     Mark was likely a young man, perhaps even a teenager, which means that you might have a lot in common with him.  You have heard Jesus’ teachings.  You probably come from a devout Christian family.  And, like Mark, you don’t always live up to your intentions in serving the Lord.  Many of you have taken a confirmation vow.  You swore before God and his church that you would willingly suffer all things, even death, rather than turn away from your Lord.  And I have no doubt that you meant it.  That vow is easy to make surrounded by your family and the family of believers who were gathered at your church with you. 

     But once you have found yourself surrounded by people who do not share your faith, whose speech is peppered with obscenities, and who cheer for perverse behavior and think you are weird because you don’t, it is not so easy to stand firm in your faith.  That confirmation vow takes a bit of a beating.  Maybe your parents were disappointed in your choices.  Maybe you were disappointed in yourself.  You would not be the first.  There is a reason King David taught us to pray in the Psalms, “Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways.  According to your mercy remember me, because of your goodness, O Lord.” (Psalm 25:7).  Those of us who are older have prayed that prayer often.  We can still feel the disappointment of poor choices from our past.  Mark probably prayed it, too.  You are not unique in your struggles.

     If you have a desire to serve the Lord, it is because the Holy Spirit has planted that desire in you.  If you are disappointed in yourself over your sins, the Holy Spirit has planted that in you as well.  We all prove ourselves to be sinners.  You may be frustrated by it.  You may even despise yourself for it.  But it is not a reason to despair.  The Lord Jesus Christ came for sinners.  He does not disown you because you are weak.  He remains faithful to you amid your struggles.  You may not live up to whatever vows or promises, but the Lord has made a vow to you.  St. Mark recorded it for you: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). 

     You will notice that Jesus did not say, “Whoever believes and performs up to a certain level.”  He did not say, “Whoever believes and overcomes all temptations.”  He did not say, “Whoever believes and does not let me down.”  Our Lord promises salvation to all who are baptized and who trust in him.  You and I do not have the righteousness which God demands, but Jesus provides it.  Whoever believes in Jesus has it.  Whoever has been baptized into Christ is covered in it.  Therefore, you are not judged according to your merits, but according to Jesus’ merits.  Those who trust in Jesus for forgiveness and salvation will never have their hopes disappointed.

     I had said that you should know the rest of the story about St. Mark.  There is a bit more to the story.  It did not end with St. Paul’s disappointment of Mark.  Young Mark grew in faith, in maturity, and in his commitment to the Lord.  He was devoted to God’s word.  He was fed by the Lord’s Supper.  And he continued to serve the Lord in his kingdom.  The Gospel he wrote is regarded as the memoirs of St. Peter.  That means Mark accompanied Peter in his work.  Even St. Paul changed his mind about Mark.  Paul mentions Mark in his letters to the Colossians and to Philemon, showing that Mark had become a fellow minister with St. Paul.  Shortly before he was put to death, St. Paul wrote to Timothy and implored him to come to him.  He included this request: “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).  Not only did Paul ask for Mark, Paul praised him for his usefulness.

     You will also continue to grow in the faith, and the Lord has use for you in his church—whether you would become a full-time church worker like Mark or whether you will support that work like Mark’s mother, Mary.  Do not let the struggles of youth sour you about your future.  The rest of your story has yet to be written.  So, be devoted to God’s word.  Partake in the sacrament as often as you can.  If you are disappointed in yourself because of your sins, go to your pastor and confess them so that he will absolve you of them.  Neither the Lord nor your pastor will ever be disappointed in a broken and contrite heart.  As you continue to receive God’s mercy and to grow in the faith, the Holy Spirit will build your courage so that you will confess the faith in your words and your works. 

     We have pondered St. Mark’s story.  But the story St. Mark would have you cling to is the one he wrote about Jesus.  Mark proclaimed to you all that the Savior has done for you so that you will find peace and purpose and pleasure in him.  You will never be disappointed in Jesus’ promises, and he is not disappointed that you are his.

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

Sermon -- Festival of St. Matthias, Apostle

This sermon was preached at Hope Christian Academy in Westland, Michigan.

ACTS 1:15-26

The Festival of St. Matthias, Apostle

In the name + of Jesus.

     “This saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to become an overseer, he desires a noble task” (1 Timothy 3:1).  The Lord has established the office of the holy ministry for the good of the Church.  The Church does not exist for the sake of the pastor; the pastor exists for the sake of the Church.  He is the Lord’s servant.  He is sent to serve you by preaching and teaching God’s word, by administering the sacraments, by absolving the penitent, and by admonishing the impenitent.  And he serves the Lord as one who is accountable to God for his service.  The desire to be a pastor is a good one, and it is good for all the boys here to consider if that is how you could serve the Lord and his Church.

     What makes someone a pastor?  The short answer: God does.  Simply having the desire to be a pastor does not make you a pastor.  Jesus had gathered many disciples to himself, but they were not all chosen to be his apostles.  Jesus hand-picked twelve.  To them, he gave authority to preach, to heal diseases, and to drive out demons.  They trained for three years with Jesus.  They heard his teaching, received private instruction, and witnessed his miracles, particularly his resurrection from the dead.  As much as others may have wanted to be apostles, no one could take that honor or authority for himself.  Jesus had to give it.

     Sadly, not all the apostles remained faithful to Jesus.  Judas Iscariot was motivated by greed rather than godliness, and he agreed to betray Jesus for cash.  Overwhelmed by guilt, Judas hanged himself.  He fell from the faith and then fell headlong from his noose to a gruesome death.  This left a vacancy among the apostles.

     Again, the remaining Eleven did not seek volunteers.  Perhaps some had the desire to be apostles.  Perhaps some felt they had the right to be apostles.  But just having the desire to be an apostle does not give one the right to be an apostle.  The book of Acts records who alone would have been eligible to be an apostle of our Lord.  St. Peter said, “‘Therefore it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us during the entire time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from his baptism by John until the day Jesus was taken up from us, become a witness with us of his resurrection.’  They proposed two: Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus) and Matthias” (Acts 1:21-23).  These two men were deemed eligible to be apostles, but there was only one vacancy.  So, the Church prayed that the Lord would reveal which man would fill the office.  They cast lots, “and the lot fell to Matthias.  So he was counted with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:26).  What made Matthias an apostle?  God did.

     From this time forward, we hear nothing about St. Matthias.  We don’t know where he preached, but we do know what he preached.  As a witness of Jesus’ teachings and miracles, his death and resurrection, Matthias boldly claimed that God has taken a keen interest in sinners.  That preaching could be terrifying at first.  How does it make you feel to know that everything you do is seen by God?  That every word you have said—even what you whispered in secret or sent privately in a text—is known by God?  That every thought you’ve considered is open to God?  You’ve probably heard it said that the internet is forever.  Anything you put into the cyberworld can come back to haunt you.  Now, you can get around that by not putting your comments or photos on the internet.  But there are no secrets with God.  The Bible declares, “Death and Destruction lie open before the Lord—how much more human hearts” (Proverbs 15:11)!

     The Lord has taken a keen interest in you.  It is not to convict and to condemn you; it is to console you and to save you.  The Lord’s interest in you is revealed in Jesus Christ.  He is God who became a man to dwell with sinners.  When Jesus exposes your sins, it is like a doctor who tells you, “You have a tumor in your brain.  If it is not removed, it will kill you.”  Jesus says, “You have sin in your heart.  If it is not removed, it will kill you.  Good news: I have come to restore and renew your heart.”

     The Lord has come to alleviate you of the sins that haunt you.  The Lord has come to take upon himself your curse and to suffer and die in your place.  And to prove to you that his payment for your sins is sufficient, Jesus rose from the dead.  The Savior lives to purify you of all unrighteousness.  The Savior reigns for your good.  St. Matthias bore witness to all of this.  He preached it freely and fearlessly so that people could be freed from their sins and live without fear of death and hell.

     There are no longer apostles in the Christian Church today—that is, people who were chosen personally by Jesus and who witnessed his life, death, and resurrection.  But the Church does have pastors who continue to preach, teach, administer the sacraments, absolve the penitent, and admonish the impenitent.  And just as no one could insist on his right to be an apostle, so also no one today can enter a church and insist that he is the pastor.  The Lord worked through the Church to call Matthias to fill the office of an apostle, and so the Holy Spirit works through the church today to call men to be pastors to serve in a particular time and place.

     This should not be shocking to you.  It works similarly in many occupations.  Say you have the desire to be a police officer, which is also a noble task.  Just having the desire does not make you a cop.  If you were to go to a local precinct and tell the officer on duty that you want to be a cop, he would not give you a uniform and the keys to a squad car.  It requires training from an academy.  Upon graduation, you would be qualified to be a police officer, but that still does not make you one.  A department must hire you.  They give you the authority to serve as a police officer.  So also, men are trained to be pastors.  They study at a seminary.  Upon graduation, they are qualified to serve as pastors.  But that does not make them pastors.  What makes someone a pastor?  God does.  The Lord works through a congregation to call a man to be a pastor.  This, therefore, is a divine call.  It assures the pastor that this congregation is the place God wants him to serve, and it assures the congregation that this is the pastor God wants them to have.

     In his wisdom, the Lord was pleased to add St. Matthias to the number of the apostles.  We don’t know much more about Matthias.  The traditions about his life and ministry are vague and contradictory.  We don’t know where he preached or how he died.  This is no great tragedy.  Countless pastors have served God’s people in God’s Church who are not remembered.  The Lord, however, remembers them.  The Lord had a keen interest in them and their service.  The Lord blessed them for their faithful service, and the Lord blessed his Church through them.  That is what matters.

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

Sermon -- Chapel at Michigan Lutheran Seminary (February 5, 2025)

This sermon was preached at the chapel at Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw, Michigan.

JEREMIAH 1:4-10

CONFESSING GOD’S WORD IS NOT ABOUT POPULARITY, BUT THE TRUTH. 

In the name + of Jesus.

     Our Lord Jesus Christ gave this warning to his apostles, “They will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, handing you over to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake.  … You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends.  They will put some of you to death.  You will be hated by all people for my name’s sake: (Luke 21:12,16-17).  If the prophet Jeremiah had heard Jesus’ words, he would have reviewed his life and said, “Check.  Check.  Check.  Check.  And check.”

     The Lord had called Jeremiah to a ministry that no one would envy.  He was called to preach to a stubborn people who despised him and his message.  Jeremiah issued warnings to the people of Jerusalem that God’s patience had reached its end.  Judgment was imminent.  The city and the temple would be destroyed.  Those who wished to save their lives should surrender to the Babylonian army.  Any who did not would die from starvation, disease, or the sword.  For this, Jeremiah was branded a traitor and a liar.  But confessing God’s word is not about popularity, but the truth.

     Not only was Jeremiah despised for his preaching, the people in Jerusalem had other preachers who were preaching the opposite.  They were assuring them that God’s favor would always rest on them.  They promised the people deliverance from all enemies.  They declared days of peace and prosperity because Israel was a people chosen by God.  Now, whose message do you think was more popular?  Which one would you rather hear?  Can you guess why Jeremiah was despised?

     Jeremiah was a young man when the Lord called him to be a prophet.  Jeremiah tried to excuse himself from preaching because of his youth.  The Lord dismissed that claim.  I also wonder if Jeremiah knew the challenges he would face and was trying to dodge the Lord’s call.  In either case, the Lord gave Jeremiah all the confidence he would need to serve as the Lord’s spokesman.  He told Jeremiah, “‘You must go to everyone to whom I send you and say whatever I command you.  Do not be afraid of them, because I am with you, and I will rescue you, declares the Lord.’  Then the Lord stretched out his hand and touched my mouth.  The Lord said to me: There!  I have now placed my words in your mouth” (Jeremiah 1:7-9).  Jeremiah never had to be inventive or develop gimmicks to make his message more appealing to the people.  He was given the words of the Lord.  He only had to repeat them and proclaim them.  Confessing God’s word is not about popularity, but the truth.

     Some of you will be called to be pastors or teachers.  All of you are called to be confessors of God’s word.  And just as God gave his words to Jeremiah, so God has given his word to you.  You know what is good and right.  You know what is evil and wrong.  God has made that plain to you.  You know that there is judgment for the unbeliever and that there is forgiveness for the penitent.  God has shown you that, too.  While you might think that you are too young to confess God’s word like Jeremiah claimed, you are not.  God’s word is true.  It has authority because it is God’s word, not because you are old enough to make it so.

     You are all confessors of God’s word.  You delight in what God has to say because you know it is true.  More importantly, you delight in it because it is that word which assures you that you are redeemed children of God.  You are not God’s people because you are better or smarter than others.  You are not God’s children because you attend Michigan Lutheran Seminary.  You are God’s children because you have been baptized into God’s name.  You have been washed clean of all your sins through the innocent blood of Jesus.  He has taken your sins, your death, and your punishment.  You, in turn, receive his innocence.  He took God’s curse so that you live under God’s favor.  Therefore, you don’t need to fear anything.  As St. Paul wrote, “If God is for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31)?

     Well, Jeremiah would answer that question for you.  A lot of people.  You are confessors of God’s word, but you will find that a lot of people don’t want to hear anything that God has to say.  That might feel strange to you because of how much you delight in hearing the word that assures you of God’s faithful love and of the eternal glory to come.  You will not experience it here in the relative safety of the MLS dorms.  But you might experience it at your summer job.  You might face it with neighbors or relatives.  You will certainly face it at a public college.  And when you do, you might wonder what is wrong with you.  If you have to stand alone in your confession, you will be tempted to abandon it.  Even if you know God’s word is right, the desire to be liked by other people might sway you to seek their favor over God’s favor.  Like the Pharisees, we can yearn to crave the praise of men more than the praise of God.  Beware.  Confessing God’s word is not about popularity, but the truth.

     I don’t say this to scare you, but to prepare you.  And I encourage you with what the Lord told young Jeremiah: “Do not be afraid of them, because I am with you, and I will rescue you, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 1:8). 

     With the Lord there is hope and strength and truth and refuge.  You may not be popular with the world for your confession, but don’t let that convince you that there is something wrong with you.  Popularity is not how we determine who is right.  Jesus told us, “Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it.  How narrow is the gate, and how difficult is the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Mattew 7:13-14).  Those who reject the word of the Lord will perish, but those who faithfully hold to Jesus Christ and his word of the Lord will be saved by him. 

     Confessing God’s word is not about popularity, but the truth.  So, people may say all kinds of nasty things to you and about you.  This would be very troubling to anyone.  But that is why you need to hear the word of the Lord again and again.  You need to be reminded of God’s favor upon you and God’s faithfulness to you.  You are not what the world says you are.  You are a child of the Most High God.  And he tells you, “Do not be afraid of them, because I am with you, and I will rescue you, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 1:8). 

     This is also why you will need to faithfully be in God’s house Sunday after Sunday.  You will need the encouragement of your fellow Christians.  They will pray for you.  They will encourage you.  They will remind you that you are not enduring this wicked world alone.  And you will need to be nourished and strengthened in holy communion where you will receive the body and blood of Jesus which has overcome death, the devil, and the world.

     The prophet Jeremiah faithfully preached and confessed God’s word for many years.  They were hard years.  Eventually, Jeremiah was dragged down to Egypt against his will.  There, he continued to confess and to preach.  Tradition says that his listeners finally stoned him to death.  But do not grieve for Jeremiah.  He is with his Lord and is doing very well.  This is our ultimate goal as well.  Even if the world hates you, they are not in charge.  Your Savior, Jesus Christ, is.  He holds your life in his hands, hands which were nailed to a cross to redeem you.  He is with you.  He is your refuge.  And he is faithful to you.  So do not fear.  His word endures, and it will save you.

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

Sermon -- Chapel at Hope Christian Academy (December 8, 2023)

This sermon was delivered for the chapel service at Hope Christian Academy (formerly Huron Valley Lutheran High School) in Westland, Michigan.

REVELATION 20:10

JUDGMENT FOR THE DEVIL.

In the name + of Jesus.

      A common theme in movies is the bully who finally meets his match.  The story shows the bully mercilessly mocking and threatening and beating up a sympathetic character.  The star athlete picks on the kid in the chess club.  The bully also has groupies who congratulate him every time he belittles other people.  This goes on for a while, making you feel sorrier and sorrier for the one who is picked on.  Eventually, a hero steps in.  Maybe the kid in the chess club gets superpowers.  Maybe someone else shows up who challenges the bully.  The climax of the movie comes when the bully is humiliated and rendered powerless.  This formula works every time because we all want to see justice done.  We want to see the good guy win in the end, and we want to see the villain pay the price.

     Occasionally, the formula means that the hero dies to save others.  That formula should sound familiar.  The battle of good versus evil, especially the good man dying to save others, is taken from the Scriptures.  Its origin goes back to the Garden of Eden.  There, the devil deceived Adam and Eve.  He convinced them that God did not love them.  Why else would he forbid them from eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?  He declared that happiness comes from taking what you want whether it is forbidden or not.  Adam and Eve bought the devil’s lie.  The devil ensnared them, overpowered them, and claimed them as his own. 

     We have not gotten any smarter or any better.  St. Paul wrote, “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 4:4).  The devil is the god of this world.  All people enter this world in sin and unbelief.  The ancient serpent holds us in his grip.  He wraps himself around our thinking and influences our will.  This is why we do not see God’s word as good, but oppressive.  We conclude that God withholds things from us because he does not want us to have fun.  The devil convinces us that happiness comes from taking what we want, whether it is forbidden or not.  Why else do people celebrate drunkenness and revenge?  Why else do we devote energy and time to satisfy our lusts and our greed?  Why else do we gossip, slander, and post insults on social media?  The devil deceives us into thinking that this is how we will find purpose and happiness.  But just like in the Garden of Eden, we discover that the devil’s lies result in shame and death.  Repent. 

     The god of this age had blinded us, but Jesus Christ came to enlighten us.  He shows us that God is not the enemy; he is loving.  His Law is not oppressive; it is good.  When God forbids us from doing things, he is teaching us to avoid what harms and destroys.  It is like he is saying, “Don’t poke your eye with this stick.  Don’t eat too much chocolate or you will get sick.”  This is not to rob you of fun, but to save you from shame.

     Jesus also enlightens you to see that he delivers you from death, that he covers your shame, and that he rescues you from the devil.  Jesus gave himself in exchange for you.  The devil, like a serpent, latched onto Jesus to consume him.  If he could destroy Jesus, he would be able to devour the whole world.  So, all our sins were taken up by Jesus.  The full curse of death was thrust upon him.  He died bearing the curse of all. 

     Even though the death of Jesus results in the payment for all sins, the devil could not help himself when he had the opportunity to put Jesus to death.  He chomped onto Jesus like a fish takes the bait.  But just as the giant fish vomited up Jonah, so death and the grave vomited up Jesus on the third day.  The death blow dealt by the devil was overcome.  Jesus has crushed the ancient serpent underfoot and has nullified the devil’s reign.  He has rescued the devil’s captives, which is you.  You are free from sin, delivered from death, and victors over the devil thanks to Jesus.  The bully has been humiliated, and he is rendered powerless.

     Nevertheless, St. Peter wrote, “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8).  St. Peter wrote that to Christians, to people who had been delivered by Jesus.  The devil continues to bully Christians.  He will make you revisit your past.  He will remind you of the shameful way to you spoke to your parents, the pain you caused when you mocked your friend, and the lack of sensitivity when you laughed at someone else’s problems.  As you continue to go through life, that playlist will get longer.  The Accuser will reissue the charges and rip open wounds that you thought were healed.  That bully will never stop his attacks.  He will taunt you so that you might give up hope.

     But you have been given a sure and certain hope in Jesus.  Jesus is the strong one who fends off the bully.  As long as you remain in Jesus, the devil cannot have you.  While the devil will present the truth when he accuses you of your sins, the devil is a liar.  The lie is that your sins still cling to you.  Jesus has taken them away.  Jesus continues to absolve and encourage through his word.  He exposes the devil’s lies.  He protects you through his promises.  He feeds and strengthens you in Holy Communion so that you do not grow weary in your struggle.  This is why the Church gathers every week to hear God’s word and to partake in the Holy Supper.  We get to feast on the body and blood which have overcome death and the devil.  By this, you are kept safe.  If you continue in this, the devil cannot snatch you back.

     Jesus is the hero who delivers you from that demonic bully.  The Accuser stands accused and condemned.  The sentencing of Satan will finally be executed at the final judgment.  His verdict has already been announced.  He has no hope, no future, no second chance.  And he knows it.  That is why he seeks you so relentlessly. 

     But the devil has been vanquished.  No matter how much he taunts, Jesus’ word overrules the devil.  Jesus has brought you under his reign of peace and joy.  And the day is coming when he will forever silence every lie, every accusation, and every plague of the devil.  Jesus will cast the devil and his demons into the lake of fire.  It is a fire that will never be extinguished.  It will inflict torment forever.  The bully, who sought to consume and torment us for eternity, will suffer eternally.  The devil, who strives to steal and destroy what the eternal God has made, will suffer eternal banishment.

     In the movies, when the bully finally gets his comeuppance, the audience gets a great sense of relief.  Justice was done; the bully cannot cause harm anymore.  How much greater our joy will be when the father of lies is forever silent, when the prowling lion poses no threat, and when the great Dragon can no longer breathe fire because he is being consumed by it. 

     God’s people will be secure.  That battles against sin and temptation will be over.  We will dwell with God.  And we will rejoice.  For, the enemy is dead, and Jesus lives.

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

Sermon -- Chapel at Michigan Lutheran Seminary (October 18, 2023)

The following was preached at Michigan Lutheran Seminary in Saginaw for their morning chapel.

ROMANS 11:1-6

Our God Invites Unworthy Sinners to Participate in His Blessings.

In the name + of Jesus.

     With the war that is going on between Israel and Hamas right now, you can plan on hearing many Christians talk about our obligation to defend Israel because they are God’s chosen people.  Now, there may be political reasons to defend Israel.  But many claim that we have a divinely ordained duty to support Israel, and to fail to do so is rebellion against God.  Let’s consider the Scriptures so that we do not put our trust in words that God did not say.

     To start with, it is true that Israel was God’s chosen people in the Old Testament.  But the question needs to be asked: Chosen for what?  The Lord answers for us.  He told Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3).  The blessing upon all the earth is fulfilled by the Messiah who came through Abraham and his offspring.  That is what Abraham was chosen for.  That is what Israel was chosen for.  They were God’s chosen people through whom the Messiah would come into the world.  When the Lord acted to crush nations who threatened Israel or even when God sent nations to oppress Israel, the reason was the same: To defend and protect the Promise.  Every act of God, no matter how violent, had this motive behind it: Don’t mess with the Promise!

     Now fast forward from Abraham to Jesus.  Jesus is the promised Messiah who was long foretold.  He preached to the people of Israel so that they would benefit from the Promise and Jesus’ fulfillment of it.  While some believed and rejoiced, many did not.  Jesus had told a parable to issue a warning to any who rejected him.  He compared the kingdom of heaven to a king who had prepared a wedding banquet for his son.  Many who were invited spurned the king and his son, even killing those who were sent to gather them in.  Jesus rendered the verdict: “The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city” (Matthew 22:7).  The Lord did this in 70 AD when the Roman army destroyed the temple and burned Jerusalem.  The chosen people rejected the Messiah for whom they were chosen.

     So, the Lord turned to the Gentiles.  And it was not long into the New Testament era that the Church become less Jewish and much more Gentile.  All that leads into St. Paul’s question in our reading.  “I ask, then, has God rejected his people?  By no means!  For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin.  God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew” (Romans 11:1-2).  The Lord did not banish the Jews from the kingdom of God.  They abandoned God’s promises, rejected Jesus as the Messiah, and forfeited his blessings.  This grieves the Lord; for he does not want anyone to perish but to come to the knowledge of the truth—or in the case of the Jews, to come back to the knowledge of the truth.

     God invites unworthy sinners to participate in his blessings.  That means you and me.  You are now the chosen people of God—chosen in Christ who set apart you from sin, death, and the devil, and who set you apart for good works which honor God and serve your neighbor.  You and I were chosen by God’s grace.  We did nothing to curry God’s favor.  We are not chosen by God because we are worthy; we are chosen because God is gracious.  By grace, God showed brought you into his kingdom to receive his benefits.  God invites unworthy sinners to participate in his blessings.

     That is how it has always been, and St. Paul acknowledged that.  Paul himself was proof that God had not rejected the Jews.  Paul was “an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin” (Romans 11:2).  But he was chosen by grace, as all are.  Abraham came from a family of idolaters; still, God chose him.  The tribe of Benjamin was almost completely wiped out for their wickedness; yet God spared some.  Paul was a persecutor of the Church; yet God chose him.  God invites unworthy sinners to participate in his blessings.

     Your story is probably not so dramatic.  Odds are, you grew up in a Christian home and have never known anything different.  If so, God be praised.  But it is still God’s grace.  You did not choose where you were born.  You did not choose parents who believe that a Christian education is worth every cent of tuition, room, and board they are paying.  Yet, God placed you there for your eternal good.  All this is God’s gracious work for you.  By grace you have been saved.

     And now, you are facing a world which does not care much for the Bible.  They mock what you believe.  They are confused that you do not partake in wicked behavior which is celebrated by others.  Some are even appalled that you don’t go along with them.  Right now, you have the benefit of daily chapel services among Christians who share a common confession.  But the day will come—perhaps at college, perhaps in employment—when you may feel like you are the only one who believes in Jesus and lives according to his word.  You are not alone in this.

     St. Paul wrote, “So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace” (Romans 11:5).  You are Jesus’ chosen people.  The Lord always preserves a remnant who knows that Jesus lived and died for sinners—not because it was owed, but because it was needed.  You know that Jesus conquered death for you—not because you deserved it, but because he is merciful.  You know that heaven awaits—not because you are better, but because you are loved by Jesus. 

     God invites unworthy sinners to participate in his blessings which were secured by Jesus and given by him.  It is not a deal that God has made with you; it is a promise that God has given to you.  So you are the true Israel, the people who benefit from God’s grace, who have been entrusted with the Promise.  You are God’s chosen people.  Chosen for what?  For the forgiveness of sins, a new, godly life, and salvation.  By grace, you have become God’s chosen people.  By grace, the Lord will sustain you through word and sacrament.  There is no other grace. 

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

Sermon -- HVL Chapel (April 21, 2023)

This sermon was preached for chapel at Huron Valley Lutheran High School in Westland, Michigan.  

As of this summer, HVL will be known as Hope Christian Academy, enrolling children grades 6-12.

PSALM 110:1

WE ARE CONQUERORS WHO HAVE A DIVINE INTERCESSOR.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Let’s begin with a pop quiz, shall we?

     True or False?  The one who rules over all creation is a man.

     True or False?  God died on Good Friday.

     If you are having trouble figuring out the answers to this quiz, it is because you are trying to unravel a mystery.  A mystery is different from a secret.  Once I tell you a secret, it is no longer a secret.  You know it.  But a mystery remains a mystery even after you know it.  The best example is the Holy Trinity.  We worship one God.  Our one God is three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  That is not a secret; you know it and confess it to be true.  Each—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is God, and yet there is only one God, not three.  Don’t try to figure it out.  It is a mystery.

     Another mystery is the two natures of Jesus Christ.  He is true God and true man—two natures in one person.  He is not half God and half man.  He is 100% God and 100% man.  Your math class teaches you that this is 200%.  But Jesus is not two people.  He is one.  Don’t try to figure it out.  It is a mystery.

     Now, God does not reveal these things to us for the sake of religious trivia or just to be theological stumpers.  Everything God reveals to us is for our salvation and for our comfort.  King David revealed to you that the one who is true God and true man serves you for your good.  We are conquerors who have a divine intercessor.

     David wrote, “The LORD says to my lord” (Psalm 110:1).  The first Lord is Yahweh, God Almighty.  He utters a divine proclamation.  But to whom?  David says, “my lord.”  This is not the divine name, Yahweh, but a word meaning master or superior.  David was not speaking about himself, as if God was giving David a place at the right hand of the Father.  He was speaking about his descendant.  Now, if this is David’s descendant, he is a man.  But if he is David’s superior, he is God.  So, he is both God and man.

     The LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool” (Psalm 110:1).  Jesus is given a place at the right hand of the Father.  For most people, the right hand is the dominant hand.  Therefore, Jesus is given a place of dominance.  Jesus told his apostles after his resurrection, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18).  Now, that probably does not surprise you.  “God rules.”  Stop the presses, right?

     But what our Lord is revealing to us is much more.  Jesus of Nazareth lived in humility and weakness throughout his life.  He gave glimpses of his divine nature, mainly through the miracles he did.  But he came in humility and weakness and mortality so that he could die for you.  But Psalm 49 teaches us, “Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life” (Psalm 49:7).  So, if a man dies for you, he does not save you.  But God died on the cross on Good Friday.  God himself makes the payment which takes away your sins.

     On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead.  “God has power over death.”  Stop the presses again, right?  But it was a man who has overcome death.  That means that you who are mankind, will also be delivered from death.  The grave cannot hold you.  Jesus will raise you up.  One man has conquered death on behalf of all mankind.  Then he ascended into heaven, paving the way into heaven on behalf of all mankind.  St. Paul wrote, “There is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).  Jesus is God who has come to earth, and he is man who has ascended into heaven.  He is God who has died for the sins of all mankind, and he is the man who has conquered death for all mankind.  Thanks to Jesus, God will dwell with man and men will dwell with God.  He is your divine intercessor.

     The LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool” (Psalm 110:1).  Jesus of Nazareth, true man, united to you as your dear brother, lives and reigns for you.  He is at the right hand of the Father, which means that this man is making the full use of his divine abilities for your good.  He is your divine intercessor, guaranteeing that God’s favor rests upon you and that all things will work for your ultimate good—maybe not for your immediate happiness, but certainly for your eternal well-being.

     Every enemy will be destroyed and crushed under Jesus’ feet.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death.  On the Last Day, Jesus will raise you up to live forever in glory.  Jesus will guarantee your place there before the Father.  This does not mean that your Father in heaven is one big meany who is disappointed that he does not get to smite you.  Your Father in heaven loves you.  He is pleased that Jesus lived, suffered, died, and rose for you.  Jesus intercedes before him, and the Father delights to hear it and to call you his own.  He is pleased to give you the kingdom. 

     We are more than conquerors, for Jesus has rescued us.  Through Jesus, we have overcome sin.  Through Jesus, we will be delivered from death.  Through Jesus, we are destined for heavenly glory.  We have a divine intercessor who comforts us in our fears and sorrows and who strengthens and keeps us in the one, true faith until life everlasting.  He is our Immanuel.  Because he lives and reigns forever, he will bring us to live and reign with him.

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