Sermon -- Funeral of Phil Obradovich (May 2, 2014)

ROMANS 5:6-11

PHIL HAS BEEN RECONCILED TO GOD.

In the name + of Jesus.

     I got to know Phil Obradovich pretty late in his life.  And though I didn’t know him for most of his years, I got to learn about many of those years.  Though it wasn’t always bad, it wasn’t always good either.  From talking to Phil, to his wife Beverly, and to you, his children, over the past few years, I learned that there were some difficult and painful times.  That may have resulted in some hard feelings or strained relationships.  One thing is for sure, Phil Obradovich regarded himself as a sinner, and he confessed it freely.  In fact, he spoke of it often.  He did not take pride in it.  The fact is, all people are sinners.  Phil confessed that he gave plenty of evidence for that, but more importantly, he repented of it.  If you did not know that before, you should know it now.  Even though he could not fix the past, he did repent of it.

     Now, I don’t know if your memories of your father and grandfather are fond memories or not.  But what matters most of all is this: What did God think of him?  That is all that matters for any of us.  If the whole world thinks you are fantastic or if the whole world thinks you are a failure, it finally does not matter.  God’s judgment is not based on what anyone else thinks of you—whether good or bad.  St. Paul told us what God’s judgment of Phil is.  While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8) 

     Our Lord Jesus Christ did not wait until we were good enough.  He came to suffer and die precisely because we are not good people.  Sins are rebellion against God.  God cannot brush them aside like they don’t matter.  For every snide word, for every heartless deed, for every perverted thought, and for the very sin that dwells in our hearts, there is a price to pay.  The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)  The price has to be paid.

     Therefore, Jesus paid the price.  You and I cannot pay for our sins, not even for one.  So, Jesus took it all.  God became man and suffered on behalf of all mankind.  He took on the weight of our guilt and the curse for our sins.  The accursed death has been died.  The full price has been paid.  Your crucified Lord was pulled down from his cross and laid in a grave.  But the grave could not hold him.  Jesus rose from the dead and overcame the power of death.  Sin and death had done their worst to Jesus, but now Jesus lives!  He had died for the ungodly and for sinners, but he lives to tell sinners that their sins are truly forgiven.  His death was the sufficient payment to appease the wrath of God.  So God the Father is reconciled to you, and you are reconciled to him.  You do not need to fear him, for he does not despise you.  That is Phil’s judgment: Phil has been reconciled to God.  His soul has not been banished to hell.  He has gone to dwell with his Lord and Savior.  He has peace.

     But just as the death of Jesus is not the end of the story, so the death of Phil Obradovich is not the end of the story either.  God has not created us to be mere souls or spirits.  God created you as body and soul people.  It is what he has always intended you to be.  Likewise, when God came to earth to save us, he did not come as a spirit.  He became a body and soul man.  That flesh and blood Savior went to the cross, and then to the grave.  And when Jesus rose from his grave, he was no mere spirit.  Body and soul, Jesus rose gloriously from death.  He even invited his apostles to touch his body and to inspect the wounds that were inflicted on him to save them.

     Death has done to Phil Obradovich what death will do to all of us—earth to earth, ashes to ashes, and dust to dust.  But this is not the end of the story.  Phil has been reconciled to God.  That means God shall restore all things for him.  The body which is committed to the ground today does not remain dust and ashes.  Phil Obradivoch has been baptized into Jesus.  That means he is united to Jesus in his life, his death, and his resurrection.  Phil was united to Jesus in Jesus’ life, which means that Jesus’ holy obedience covers up every flaw and failing of Phil.  God sees him as his own beloved and blameless son.  That is why he is an heir of eternal life.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10)  Phil has been reconciled to God. 

     Secondly, Phil’s baptism also has united him to Jesus’ death.  When Phil was baptized, God put to death the sinner and raised him up a new creation.  God regarded Phil as a saint.  Now, Phil confessed that he was no saint.  He did not want to be judged based on his merits.  But he had a Savior who pleaded for him.  That Savior covered Phil with his own innocent blood and credited Phil with his own perfect merits.  And Phil rejoiced that he got to feast on the body and blood of Jesus.  For through Holy Communion, Jesus continued to cleanse him of sin and keep him united to Jesus.  Phil has been reconciled to God. 

     Thirdly, Phil’s baptism united him to Jesus’ resurrection.  Just as Jesus died and rose to live again, so it will be for Phil.  The grave does not own him, Jesus does.  At the last day, God will raise up all the dead for judgment.  Of course, Phil has already heard his judgment: Forgiven, reconciled to God.  But Phil will not merely be a saint in status.  Jesus will raise him up so that he will look like one and live like one.  Our Lord Jesus Christ will raise up Phil, just as he will for Beverly, and he will give them a perfect, glorious, incorruptible, imperishable body so that they will be what God had always created them to be—body and soul, holy and blameless, beloved children of God who will dwell in a flawless Paradise and enjoy a peaceful life in God’s glorious kingdom forever.  Phil has been reconciled to God. 

     Dear friends, these are not wishful, happy thoughts to get us through a tough time.  Death and pain are real things.  These bodies and souls we have are real things.  But these are also real things: the love of God which is revealed in the death and resurrection of Jesus, and reconciliation to God which was won through Jesus’ death and resurrection.  God calls us to repent of our sins and to cast all of our hopes upon Jesus.  Through his word and sacraments, Jesus reconciles us to God and gives us real salvation.  This is the only hope for sinners.  For, God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)  But now Christ has risen.  All who believe and are baptized into him shall be saved by him.  This was Phil’s hope, and he will not be ashamed in it.  These ashes shall rise and live, just as surely as Jesus lives and reigns.  God and sinners have been reconciled.  Sins are forgiven.  Death is conquered.  And life everlasting is yours through Jesus Christ.

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

Sermon -- 2nd Sunday of Easter (April 27, 2014)

                        JOHN 20:19-31 / EZEKIEL 37:1-14

THESE BONES WILL LIVE!

In the name + of Jesus.

Pastor:                        Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

Congregation:            He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

     In Ezekiel’s vision which we had heard earlier, the Lord demonstrated the curse of sin and the reality of death in all their ugliness.  The Lord had put Ezekiel in the middle of a valley of bones.  What had once been a population of vibrant and energetic people was now reduced to skeletons upon skeletons.  And the Lord asked Ezekiel, “Son of man, can these bones live?” (Ezekiel 37:3)  Ezekiel deferred to the Lord and answered, “O Lord God, you know.” (Ezekiel 37:3)

     The Lord assured Ezekiel: These bones will live!  The Lord himself would impart life back to them.  The Lord would raise up their bodies from their graves fully intact—revived, rejuvenated, and renewed with sinews and flesh and skin.  The Lord would restore them to living, breathing, vibrant, and energetic beings again.  The Lord would restore them to their own homeland.  Three times, the Lord followed up these promises by saying, “Then you will know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37:6,13,14)  This is how the Lord reveals himself.  He is the God who delivers from exile and despair, from death and the grave.  He is the one who gives life, and who gives life back and restores all good things to you.  This is how you know he is the LORD: These bones will live. 

     This is your hope at the funeral of everyone who dies in the faith, and it is your hope has you face your own impending death as well.  You know that your body has a future like the dry bones Ezekiel saw.  Ezekiel himself has joined those dry bones he had seen in the valley.  For, everyone will die.  That is the price of your sins. 

     That is not what God had made man for, however.  God had not made man to die.  Man was not designed to have the soul separate from the body.  Man was not designed to have his flesh fail and his skin decay.  Man was not created to be dry bones.  But then again, neither was man created to look at a girl and scheme how he might have his way with her.  Neither was man created for lying to his employer so that he can get paid for work that he did not do.  God did not create man to abuse the gifts he has given so that he is a glutton, gets drunk, or becomes an addict.  God did not create people to cheat, to use, or to curse each other.  And God certainly did not create us to pit our wisdom and our desires against his.  But we have surely done these things.  Sin is rebellion against the Lord of Life.  Sin, therefore, can only lead to death.  Since we have sinned, we certainly deserve the death we have coming. 

     Ezekiel wrote: The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. (Ezekiel 37:1)  Though the scene was horrible, it is no horror movie.  The Lord does not tell us anything for the sake of shock value.  He tells us plainly the way things are.  And if we would be cast off and cursed for our sins, it is because that is what sins deserve.  The wages of sin is death.  There is no sugar coating that.

     The Lord tells us the way things are, plain and simple.  The Lord had told the disciples the way things would be when he made that journey into Jerusalem.  He was going to suffer and die and be raised on the third day.  Jesus’ sufferings and death were to redeem those who had been cut off because of their sins.  Jesus went into death for you.  He bore the curse in your place.  Your flesh and blood and bone Savior went to the grave for you, and he conquered the grave for you.  Jesus rose before his body saw any decay—still as your flesh and blood and bone Savior.  His resurrection is not to some mystical, spiritual realm.  Jesus arose as God intends man to be.  He is body and soul.  He is righteous, innocent, and blessed.  And he lives and reigns forever.

     The disciple Thomas doubted it.  Thomas knew what death was.  He knew what laying someone to rest in a grave meant.  People don’t come back from death, and certainly not from a brutal and bloody crucifixion.  One week after he had risen and appeared to the other apostles, Jesus appeared also to Thomas.  He invited Thomas to inspect his body and his wounds.  It was not the spirit of Jesus which lives.  It is not the teaching of Jesus which lives.  It is Jesus who lives.  God, who had become man and had taken his place with us, took our place in death.  This man has conquered death, and he assures you that you, who are man, shall arise too.  All who believe in him and are baptized into his name are united with Jesus and will have this victory with him.  These bones will live!

     The Lord told Ezekiel that death is not the end for those who are the true Israel, the Church of God.  Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.  Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’  Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people.  And I will bring you into the land of Israel.  And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land.  Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:11-14) 

     These bones shall live!  Jesus not only tells you that you will live, but he tells you how.  Life was given and restored to these dead by the Lord’s prophet preaching the word of the Lord.  As Ezekiel prophesied, the Holy Spirit went forth with the word of God.  In this way, the Lord and Giver of life gave life to those who were dead.  The blessings of Jesus were given as the words of Jesus were preached.  And this is no mere spiritual condition.  God has not created you to be mere spirits.  He has created you to be body and soul people who live in peace and joy before him forever.  He has created you to be joyful in serving one another and seeking each other’s good.  He has made you to partake in the blessing of the family of God’s household, and he tells you to go out and confess his name before others so that others may partake with you in this peace and joy and victory.  Though you may complain of hurting bones and bodies and hearts, you have a Savior who grants complete healing.  These hearts are soothed.  These bodies shall be raised.  These bones shall live.

     Jesus even has enjoy this blessing already.  The Holy Spirit that gave life to the dry bones when Ezekiel preached is the same Holy Spirit that comes to save and to heal you.  Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them… (John 20:21-23)  When you are absolved of your sins by the Lord’s ministers, the Lord forgives your sins and bestows his salvation on you.  He takes away your guilt and soothes your conscience.  He tells you that you are no rebel, but his redeemed.  This is the first resurrection in which the Lord grants you new life.  “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in this first resurrection!  Over such the second death has no power….” (Revelation 20:6) 

     Eternal death and hell cannot touch you.  Though you shall sleep for a while in the dust of death, you shall be awakened by Jesus.  He shall summon you from your graves, and these bones shall live.  You shall be raised to everlasting life.  You shall be exactly what God had always intended you to be—a glorious body and soul person and a permanent resident in the house of God.  All this [Jesus] did that you should be his own and live under him in his kingdom and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as he has risen from death and lives and rules eternally.  This is most certainly true. (Luther’s Small Catechism, Apostles’ Creed: 2^nd Article)

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

Road Trip -- Cincinnati

The kids' Spring Breaks have been scattered all over March and April, but I wasn't able to get a breather until after Easter.  Caleb, Philip, and Peter were off all this week, and obviously Laura too.  Laura and I were itching to get out of town, so off we went ... to Cincinnati.

We were there 2 years ago and didn't get to Union Terminal, an old railroad terminal that, thankfully, was not destroyed as soon as its use had ended.  The very appearance of the building demands that it be visited.  It now houses several museums.  We spent all of Wednesday there.

Some photos....

The next day, we went to the Creation Museum in northern Kentucky.  I have to say that they did a nice job with the museum.  It was, more or less, exactly what I had expected it would be--neither overwhelming nor underwhelming to me.  Would I recommend it?  As much as I would recommend most museums.  Then again, I am just not as enamored with dinosaurs as many other people are.  Some photos.....

Adam names the animals

A bonus sermon

A bonus sermon for Good Friday.  Brilliant!

From Rev. William Weedon.

http://weedon.blogspot.com/2014/04/st-romanos.html

Sermon -- Easter Day (April 20, 2014)

MARK 16:1-8

GO AND TELL: JESUS IS RISEN!

In the name + of Jesus.

Pastor:                        Alleluia!  Christ is risen!

Congregation:            He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

     It began as a dark, miserable, cheerless morning.  The women began their day, already in the grey of the morning, taking a walk to a grave.  They were not up to plant flowers or to sing songs, but to pay homage to a corpse and to weep.

     It was no better for Jesus’ disciples.  They had scattered.  They were hiding from temple guards, from Pharisees and scribes, and from the priests.  It was no secret that these eleven had been Jesus’ disciples.  If the Sanhedrin managed to kill Jesus, would they be rounded up next?  But there was another dark cloud that hung over the eleven.  Each one was bearing his own burden of guilt.  Where was all that big talk now of standing firm with Jesus, even being willing to die with him if they must?  And Peter had it worst of all.  He was the first to shoot off his mouth about his allegiance to Jesus.  But later, when asked if he were Jesus’ disciple, Peter shot off his mouth to save his life.  He denied that he had any part with Jesus.

     They all knew that Jesus had been crucified.  They heard the reports.  John could verify it; for he had stood beneath Jesus’ cross.  Their rabbi, their Lord, their Messiah was dead and buried.  They stone was rolled in front of the tomb on Friday.  On Saturday, they all observed their Sabbath rest, but their hearts were never at rest that day.  They were plagued by fear and grief, guilt and sorrow. 

     You have also known your share of fear and grief, guilt and sorrow.  You have known the grief of burying a loved one.  You have known the sorrow of a relationship fractured, if not by death, then by some squabble.  You have known the guilt of some horrible, regrettable deed you did or word you said.  And all the “I’m sorry”s in the world could not take away the deed or the guilt.  And you have known the fear that grips your heart when you ponder all of the uncertainties in your life.  And worse—the fear of the one thing that is certain: you are going to die.

     But now, Easter changes all of that.  The women were on their way to the tomb.  They wondered how they could roll back that large, disc-shaped stone from the tomb.  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.  “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid him.  But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee.  There you will see him, just as he told you.’” (Mark 16:4-7) 

     Go and tell: Jesus has risen!  And this changes everything.  It changes everything for the women who were grieving the loss of their beloved friend, rabbi, and Messiah.  As they ran from the grave in fear and bewilderment, their Savior appeared to them on their way back to the city.  They immediately fell to worship him and grabbed on to his feet; for they did not want to lose him again.  But they could not possibly lose Jesus again.  He has risen!  Death cannot claim Jesus again.  On the contrary, it is Jesus who has claimed death!  He has conquered the grave and he now has authority over it! 

     Go and tell: Jesus has risen.  Go and tell those who grieve the loss of a loved one who has died in the Christian faith.  Though they grieve, they do not grieve like people who have no hope.  Our hope remains no matter how tragic the death.  Though we may have to lay someone to rest in a grave, we know that that grave holds no fears.  Jesus has left death lying in the dust, and he gives life and immortality to all who have been baptized into his name.  When you depart this world, your soul does not die, but you go to be with your living Savior.  Your loved ones may be unseen, but they are not dead.  On the contrary, those who rest in Christ are the unseen guests with us at Holy Communion.  For, this is the communion of all the saints who partake in the heavenly feast and who hope in the resurrection of the dead.   Just as Jesus rose from his grave, so you too shall rise from your graves to life everlasting.  Now it is your fears which have been laid to rest.  Death is done.  Jesus lives, and he turns weeping into joy.

     Go and tell: Jesus has risen.  The disciples were not at the tomb to see the fulfillment of Jesus’ promises.  They had scattered and were in hiding.  No doubt, they mulled over the last week’s events.  And every replaying of Holy Week inflicted more guilt, more “I could have done more”, and more “I have failed my Lord.”  But Easter changes everything.  The angel at the tomb told the women: “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid him.  But go, tell his disciples and Peter….” (Mark 16:6,7) 

     Go and tell: Jesus has risen!  Go and tell those who are burdened by guilt that their guilt has been atoned for.  Go and tell those who were derelict in their duties that their sins are forgiven.  Go and tell those who failed their Lord that he has not failed them.  He has taken your sin and guilt and laid down his life to pay for them.  He has taken your shame and your regret and has poured his blood upon them.  You have been covered in Jesus’ blood—purified of all unrighteousness and reconciled to God the Father.  Your Lord does not put you on some kind of probation period to see if you can do better this time.  No, your guilt is pardoned. 

     And if you think you have been too wicked, too fickle, too lazy, or too worldly, then hear the words of the angel again. “He has risen! …Go, tell his disciples and Peter….” (Mark 16:6,7)  Peter, who had denied his Lord, was singled out by the angel.  Yes, go and tell Peter: Your sorrow over your sin is good.  You are right to repent for your sins—for they are evil.  But it is not you sorrow that saves you.  Your sorrow will only lead to self-loathing and despair.  But now Jesus has risen!  Your sins were not too big and your evil too bad for Jesus.  He bled and died to atone for the worst of sinners.  He takes away the heaviest guilt.  Jesus was neither wicked nor fickle nor lazy nor worldly.  Jesus saves you from these things by taking them into death for you.  But now Jesus has risen!  Your sins are gone; but Jesus lives.  And he lives to deliver to you peace and pardon.  Do not doubt him; for his word stands.  Do not worry if you don’t feel forgiven; Jesus says you are, and his words are not based on your feelings.  His word stands because Jesus stands victorious over sin, death, hell, and Satan.

     Go and tell: Jesus has risen!  He lives to put an end to all grief and guilt, fear and sorrow.  In place of these, Jesus gives you forgiveness of sins, new life, and salvation.  If he forgives your sins, then there is no fear of death or judgment.  If he grants you new life, then you are already set apart as one of God’s own.  You are free from a life that is ruled by fear and grief, guilt and sorrow.  You are free from a life of malice and wickedness which lead to death.  You strive for what is good and decent for the glory of God and for the good of your fellowman.  New life in Christ cannot mean cheating and using and despising people, but loving, serving, and helping them.  This is how Jesus displayed God’s love to you, and this is how you show God’s love to others.  If Jesus grants you salvation, that means he will make all things new again.  At the resurrection of all the dead, Jesus will raise you from your grave with a body that is holy, glorious, incorruptible, and imperishable.  You will receive a place in the new creation, the home of righteousness, where there are no fears or sorrows, no grief or guilt, no pain, no problems, and never a dark, miserable, cheerless moment again.

     Go and tell: Jesus has risen!  Easter changes everything.  Jesus reconciles you with God the Father, relieves you of all fear, remits all your sins, restores you to life, and will raise you from the grave to everlasting holiness, perfection, peace, and joy.  Go and tell: Jesus is risen.  He is risen indeed.  Alleluia!

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

Sermon -- Easter Dawn (April 20, 2014)

Within the cross, you will notice the
Greek word, NIKA, which means victory.

MEDITATION ON THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD

THE FLOOD

In the name + of Jesus.

     God is good.   He is also the giver of all that is good.  When God had completed the creation of the world, God assessed all that he had created, and it was very good.

     Even after sin had entered the world through Adam, God was good.  He was still the giver of all that is good.  He had promised the man and the woman that he would send a Savior to save all mankind from death and from the curse of sin.  And if this Savior would take away the curse of sin, he would even restore the goodness back to God’s good creation.  God would make a new creation, and once again, everything would be very good.

     But man loved his sins too much.  Sin had taken hold of the hearts of all mankind, and man no longer was interested in fighting against his sinful inclinations.  The intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5)  Man could not obey God, but neither did he want to.  So the Lord was grieved that he had made man.  The Lord determined to destroy the world.  He would send a flood which would scrub the entire world clean.  He would wipe out all the wicked from the face of the earth. 

     But the Lord had made a promise.  His Savior would still come to make all things right, to remove the curse of sin, and to conquer death so that death would no longer reign.  Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.  The Lord commanded Noah to build an ark.  The ark would hold Noah, his family, and pairs of each kind of animal to repopulate the earth when the flood was over.  It would be a new creation, of sorts.

     Unlike much of mankind in those days, Noah listened to the word of the Lord.  Noah believed God and built the ark.  Then Noah and his family, with all the animals which God had sent, entered the ark.  And the flood waters came.

     The entire earth was re-formed, scrubbed clean.  All mankind and all animals—everything that had the breath of life in it—perished in the flood.  Only Noah and his family and the animals with him—only those which were in the ark—were delivered from death and destruction.

     St. Peter wrote, “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Christ Jesus…” (1 Peter 3:21)  It is baptism which unites you to the death and resurrection of Jesus so that you are saved.  He united you to the crucifixion of Jesus and put you to death.  For, in baptism, the Lord wiped out the sin which condemns you.  Your sin was killed off so that it no longer claims you, condemns you, or controls you.  Rather, your Lord has made you a new creation with a clean heart and a right spirit.  You have been set apart as God’s chosen one to live as God’s beloved child, now and forever.

     The Flood waters which destroyed what was wicked also saved.  Those waters lifted up the ark above all the death and destruction so that those who were in it were saved.  In the same way, you have been delivered into the ark of the Holy Church where you are now safe.  You are lifted above the death, destruction, and judgment that is due to fall upon this world for its continued wickedness—for man has not learned his lesson and still will not repent.  But you have been rescued, saved by your baptism.  You have been crucified with Christ and put to death in the water of baptism, and you have been raised up a new and righteous person just as Jesus was raised up from the dead.  And daily, the Lord continues the cycle in you.  The Lord daily works repentance in your heart so that you continue to drown your sins in your baptismal waters.  And daily the Lord raises you up, as if back from the dead, to renew you in your status as saint and in your life as saintly people.  And so you are God’s people, now and forever.

     God is good.  God is the giver of all that is good.  He was faithful in sending the Savior who was crucified and has risen to bring you forgiveness for your sins and deliverance from death and destruction.  He was gracious in uniting you with Jesus so that you are a new creation.  He blessed you by bringing you in the ark of the Holy Church where you will be saved from all death and destruction.  Baptism saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  He is risen indeed, and so you are saved indeed.  Alleluia!

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

Sermon -- Good Friday (April 18, 2014)

Our Good Friday service, the second portion of the Triduum, focused on the seven words from the cross.  The following homily followed the seventh word.

THE SEVENTH WORD — Luke 23:33-46

            For us men and for our salvation, (he) came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.  He suffered and was buried. (Nicene Creed, TLH p 22)

            Our Creed confesses why Jesus came and what Jesus did.  We confess what happened, just as the Apostles declare.  Jesus accomplished it just as he had learned it, just as the Prophets foretold.

            Jesus did not have his life taken from him.  He laid it down of his own accord.  He had accomplished his work.  He had completed his mission.  And finally, he surrendered his spirit.

            With his last breath, Jesus again recited his Psalms: “Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit.” (Luke 23:46; Psalm 31:5)

            In his final word, Jesus does not address “God,” but his “Father.”  Jesus is a faithful son who had completed his assigned task; therefore, he presented himself to his Father and submitted his work certain of his Father’s good pleasure.  Jesus willingly put himself into his Father’s hands.  He willingly gave himself into death.  He confidently awaited his resurrection.

            Now you also are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26)  Therefore, you, like the Son of God, can face death with equal comfort and confidence.  The God who gave you life has also secured your eternal life.  The Savior who conquered death remains your Savior even when death comes to you.  There is nothing to fear.  You can go into death as a beloved child who has completed the task God has given you to do.  You can commend your body and soul and all things to your Father, confident that he approves of you and loves you as his own child; for, that is what you are.  You can lay down confidently awaiting your resurrection.  Death is but a sleep for you, and your Lord will awaken you from it.

            So, when your last hour comes, you can recite your Psalms as Jesus did: In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8) “Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit.” (Luke 23:46; Psalm 31:5)