Sermon -- Easter (April 1, 2018)

1 CORINTHIANS 15:19-26

THE RISEN JESUS GIVES

PEACE FOR THE BROKEN.

In the name + of Jesus.

Alleluia!  Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

     If you have come to church today, it is because you want to hear good news.  And chances are, you could use some.  The world is broken.  That is proven by daily headlines.  We hear about violence and killing—and not just in war zones; in schools!  We hear about wars and rumors of wars.  People are hurting, suffering, grieving, and dying.  Sin has corrupted the world, it announces its presence every day.  Sometimes it is breaking news.  Other times it comes in a jaw-dropping, heart-rending phone call from a loved one.  So, if you are here today, it is because you are longing for peace—peace in the midst of a broken, violent world; peace to soothe a broken heart; peace to mend a broken, messed up life.
     Jesus understood that this world was broken, and that the lives of people in it are broken, messy, and difficult.  Jesus witnessed injustice, violence, grief, betrayal, and death.  In fact, Jesus was a victim of injustice, violence, grief, and betrayal.  And as far as death is concerned, you may have noticed that Easter has its beginning in a cemetery.  Jesus both witnessed death, and experienced it.  But Jesus did not come just to witness how broken the world is.  Jesus did not come to experience the corruption of the world and its citizens.  Jesus came to restore all things to their right order, to reconcile people to God, and to rectify all that had gone wrong once sin entered into the world.  The risen Jesus gives peace for the broken.
     When Paul wrote his letter to the Corinthians, he was writing to Christians who were still somewhat worldly.  Some sneered at the idea of the resurrection from the dead and the life everlasting.  They wanted a better world and a better life now.  I guess, to some degree, you can't blame them.  We see people assembling together for marches, rallies, and protests, hoping that somehow they can make this world safer, cleaner, happier, and better.  And if that is what you are hoping Jesus will do for you, you will be disappointed.  That is why St. Paul writes, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:19)  
     The fact is that Jesus does not stop people from being sinners.  People will go on lying about people, cheating people, and using other people for their own selfish aims.  We still have to face sickness, natural disasters, plane crashes, political strife, and terrorism.  The world is broken, and lives are often broken because of it.  Since the world will continue to be broken, the Christian hope is not to create a perfect world here and now.  It is to be delivered out of the brokenness of the world.  That means you need to be delivered from sin and death.
     You can lament and rage, march and protest because the world is corrupt, but you also need to recognize that you have contributed to it.  You are sinful yourself.  It has come out of your mouth in rude words and it is felt by others in your impatient and self-absorbed attitude.  And of course, you alone know the bitterness that you keep hidden in your heart.  If you are appalled at the brokenness that you see in the world and in others, you also ought to be appalled by your own.  In fact, you ought to be more alarmed by your own sin.  You don't have to answer for the sins of others or for the way the world is messed up.  But you do have to give an answer for your own sin.
     The risen Jesus gives you an answer.  He has taken your sins away and has suffered for them for you.  He died in your place, accepting God's judgment for you.  Jesus was condemned so that you, in turn, would be pardoned and set free.  So, even though you are broken, Jesus reconciles you to God the Father.  He presents you as one who has been washed clean in baptism.  Therefore, God does not despise you because you are broken; he declares you to be blameless.
     Jesus not only rescues you from your sin, he even delivers you from death.  All that is broken by sin, Jesus rectifies.  St. Paul wrote: “In fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.  But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23)
     The risen Jesus gives peace to the broken.  Jesus has undone all that has been done by Adam.  Adam sinned and brought death into the world.  By his death, Jesus has taken away your sins.  By his resurrection, Jesus puts an end to death.  Jesus is risen from the grave.  He has conquered death.  He lives, and he cannot die again.  What is more, Jesus is the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.  Jesus is the first man who has risen out of the grave, but he will not be the last.  On the Last Day, when Jesus comes to judge the living and the dead, he will raise up all the dead from their graves.  And those who believe and are baptized into Christ will be raised up to live forever with him.  Each comes in his own order.  Today, we celebrate that Jesus Christ is the first fruits from the dead, risen from the grave.  But we also know this means that we will be raised up too.  The grave is not your home; for you are Christ's.
     The risen Jesus gives peace to you by rescuing you from everything that has been broken by sin.  Jesus delivers to you the resurrection.  It is not a reincarnation where you continue through an endless cycle of coming back to a broken world, over and over again.  The Lord does not delight in watching people suffer, and he certainly does not give you multiple lives in which you endure pain and sorrow, shame and regret, disease and disasters and death over and over again.  The Lord Jesus restores everything which has been broken by sin.  At the resurrection, you will be raised up with a body that will never again experience weakness, sickness, sorrow, or death.  You will never know shame or regret.  And God's Paradise will be free from war, violence, pestilence, poison ivy, and paper cuts.  While people in this world march and protest to demand a better world, Jesus will give you one—and not merely better, but perfect.
     The risen Jesus gives peace for the broken.  “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1 Corinthians 15:19)  The hope we have in Christ is for a perfect, everlasting life.  The last enemy to be destroyed is death (1 Corinthians 15:26), and Jesus will put death to death at the resurrection of the dead on the Last Day.  But the hope we have in Christ is not limited to what will come.  The risen Jesus gives you peace here and now as you cope with a broken life, a broken heart, and a broken world.
     The risen Jesus gives peace to the broken by forgiving you of all your sins.  You do not have to bear the burden of shame or guilt over your sins.  Neither denial nor excuses take guilt away; only the blood of Jesus Christ does that—which he pours onto you through holy baptism and which he pours into you through holy communion.  Jesus also gives you peace in this broken world.  While there are certainly wonderful blessings in this world, we can all be honest about its problems.  You may bear scars from the pains of this world, but God does not forget about you.  He continues to uphold his promises.  He bestows his mercy and love.  He reminds you that your current troubles are momentary, but your glory will be everlasting.  Even if the whole world hates you, Jesus Christ does not.  And his judgment is the only one that matters.  Finally, when our last hour comes, we need not fear.  Jesus Christ has overcome death, and he will be our Savior through death and into eternal life.  When that day comes, we will be able to say, “Good riddance” to the broken world and all its problems.  For Jesus will usher us into everlasting glory and unending peace.

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

Sermon -- Easter Dawn (April 1, 2018)

GENESIS 1:1 – 2:3

GOD BRINGS FORTH A NEW CREATION.

In the name + of Jesus.

     It was not only the first day of the week; it was the first day ever.  In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  Prior to the beginning, there was nothing.  But out of nothing, God brought forth life.  Out of darkness, God brought forth light.  Out of chaos, God brought forth created order.  God created heaven and earth for mankind, and then God added mankind to the earth.

     While God had simply summoned everything into being throughout the week of creation, God invested himself in the creation of man and woman.  The LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. (Genesis 2:7)  And later, the Lord took a rib from the man's side.  And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman (Genesis 2:22)  The man and the woman were the crown of God's creation.  They were created for him to love them, and for them to love him.

     But man's love turned away from God to himself.  To this day, man lives for himself.  He despises God for his word.  He uses other people for his own pleasure.  He lies to cover his sins.  He schemes to take what is not his.  He even desires to be God, making his own rules and crafting his own version of truth.  For this, every man who is alive must die.  His heart and mind have been darkened.  Even the world has been subjected to chaos.  Though man tried to make himself lord of everything, he ends up with nothing.
     When the Lord was done with his creation, God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)  God loves what he has created; therefore, God did not destroy it.  God sought to reclaim, rectify, and restore everything which was corrupted by sin and death.  Rather than obliterate his creation, God invested himself into it once again. 
     Just as the Lord did not simply summon man into being but personally and intentionally formed him, so the Lord personally and intentionally took on the form of man.  The Lord became a man so that he could take into himself all that corrupted mankind.  Even though he was true God, Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.  Rather, he bore the guilt of mankind who exalts himself over God.  Even though Jesus is obedient and innocent, he made himself sin for us—smeared with every accusation.  The Lord invested himself in saving us by becoming one of us, by assuming the guilt that is ours, and by dying the cursed death we deserve.
     That was on Good Friday.  The Lord rested on the Sabbath.  But today is the first day of the week, the first day of the new creation.  Today, Jesus Christ is risen from the grave.  Out of death springs forth life.  God brings forth light to those who dwell in darkness.  Out of the chaos of sin and death, God brings forth a new created order. 
     Jesus Christ is the first man, a creation of flesh and blood, to rise from the grave to live forever.  He who is your Savior is a man just like you are.  And now through Jesus, mankind has victory over death.  The body which God has created is now reclaimed and will be restored to the life it was supposed to have.  Mankind, whom God created to love, God has now redeemed.  The Lord has invested himself not merely in creating mankind, but also in redeeming mankind.  Your humanity is exalted, and at the resurrection of all flesh on the Last Day, God will raise you up with a glorified body to live without sin forevermore.  God has brought forth a new creation.

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

Sermon -- Good Friday (March 30, 2018)

In the second part of the Triduum, Good Friday, we focused on the seven words from the cross.  While there was a brief homily following each word, I am posting just two.


The First Word -- Luke 23:26-34

     Jesus' prayer sounds strange: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34)  The soldiers who were on crucifixion detail were fully aware of their assigned task, and they carried it out dutifully.  They did not know that they were putting to death the Lord of glory.  Their ignorance, however, did not excuse them from their sins.
     The Psalms teach us to pray, “Declare me innocent from hidden faults.” (Psalm 19:12)  It is a prayer that ought to alarm us.  By it, we are reminded that we sin and we are not even aware that we are offending God and our neighbor.  Our sinful nature has blinded us so that we do not even recognize some of our faults.  Others might be wounded by ours sins, but we don't see it.  We are too absorbed in our thoughts and schedules.  We can walk over other people and not even know it.
     What's more is that we are also victims of our age and our culture.  We have blind spots so that we accept as normal what God speaks against.  If I knew what those things were, I would urge you to repent of them.  But as I said, they are blind spots.  We don't see them.  But ignorance is no excuse.  God does not give us a free pass because our culture has influenced us or because we do not know better.  We are still accountable to God for all sins, whether we do them intentionally or not, whether they are obvious or we are oblivious to them.
     But the Lord Jesus Christ has come to win forgiveness for every trespass, whether they are open sins or hidden faults.  Jesus shed his blood to atone for all sin and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.
     The Lord calls us to repent of sins of commission—when we do what is evil, and from sins of omission—when we fail to do what is good.  The Lord exposes the evil we are to flee from, and he directs us to the good we are to do.  But it is hard to flee from hidden faults.  Fear not.  Jesus does not condemn you, nor does he leave you to wonder if you have made enough corrections to be saved.  Jesus acquits you from sins committed in anger, from sins committed in weakness, and even from sins committed in ignorance.
     “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34)  Jesus not only prays for forgiveness for the sinner, he provides it.

The Fifth Word -- John 19:28-29

     “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:6)  If you hunger and thirst for something, that means you don't have it.  You crave it because you need it.  

     Blessed are you if you hunger and thirst for righteousness—for that means you recognize you do not have it.  If you crave it, you also recognize that you need it.  And you do.  You need it if you are going to have life.

     The Lord Jesus Christ declared, “I am the Bread of Life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)  Jesus is the Righteous One who satisfies our need for righteousness.

     But at the cross, it was Jesus who thirsted.  Crucifixion drains its victim and saps the body, so Jesus thirsted.  Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” (John 19:28)  Jesus craved not just a drink, he especially craved your salvation and your righteousness.  That is what brought him to earth.  That is what drove him to the cross.  That is what had him fulfilling even the most miniscule of prophecies.  What might seem irrelevant to us was necessary for Jesus.

     Jesus had celebrated the Passover with his apostles.  They partook of the lamb, the unleavened bread and bitter herbs, and the cups of wine.  Before they drank the final cup, however, they left the upper room.  For Jesus, the Passover had not been completed.  The final cup still had to be drunk.

     At the cross, the final cup was consumed.  Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” (John 19:28)  The cup of God’s wrath was drained.  Every drop was consumed.  The Passover was now completed.  Jesus has fulfilled all righteousness.  And so now God is pleased.  And so now death passes over you.  And so now heaven is opened.

     Blessed are you who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for you shall be satisfied. (Matthew 5:6, paraphrase)

Issues Etc -- Pondering the Passion

If you are interested in a treasure trove of Holy Week meditation, check out the Issues, Etc. podcasts from this Holy Week.  There are a number of podcasts which will give you hours of interviews to listen to and consider. 

You can find Issues, Etc. here. 

I hope you can also find the time.

Sermon -- Maundy Thursday (March 29, 2018)

HEBREWS 8:6-13

JESUS, OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST, IS MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT.

In the name + of Jesus.

     The old covenant between God and his people was very straight forward: “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way that I am commanding you today...” (Deuteronomy 11:26-28)  The Lord had promised incredible blessing and continual favor upon Israel.  He promised to be their God, and he was pleased to call Israel his people.  However, the old covenant was flawed—but not because God was incapable of keeping his promises or unwilling to do it.  It was flawed because of one word: “If.”  If the Israelites would serve him exclusively, they would forever be the Lord's people.  If the Israelites devoted themselves fully to the word of the Lord, he would continually bless them.  There would be peace, comfort, and blessing if Israel would be faithful to the Lord.  If.
     When God blessed Israel so that life was cozy and cushy, Israel quickly forgot about the Lord.  They turned aside to selfish pursuits.  They deceived themselves with their worship rites which became empty gestures to God.  Only when the Lord gave them over to their enemies or afflicted them with problems did they return to the Lord.  You might think you would do better under the old covenant and collect all the blessings God promises.  But you and I are no better.  The old covenant does not prove how much good we should expect; it proves how much we are not good.  If you devote yourself to doing all the good God demands, you will discover that even with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, you can't do it.  If only our minds and our motives were not corrupted by sin.  If only our sinful weakness would not be our downfall again.  If only.  If.
     The old covenant reveals our sinfulness to us.  It does not bring blessing; it results in a curse.  Therefore, God resolved to establish a new covenant through his Son, Jesus.  But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. (Hebrews 8:6)  The first thing we recognize is that the new covenant is not a conditional covenant.  It is not based on laws that we have to keep in order to get God's blessing.  It is based on better promises.  In fact, it is based completely on God's promises.  God had promised that he will do all the work to establish his covenant.  And since God does all the work, it will not fail.  There will be no “if's” attached to it.  It will be complete and perfect and flawless.
     Jesus, our Great High Priest, is mediator of the new covenant.  Since Jesus is both God and man, he is able to represent both parties in the covenant.  As man, Jesus stands in for us.  He keeps God's Law with his holy, innocent life.  God's Law is good, and it shows us what a good person does.  Since Jesus has kept all of God's Law, it shows that Jesus is good.  In fact, flawless.  When Jesus stood on trial before the Jewish courts, no one could find fault with him.  When Jesus stood in the Roman court, many accusations were hurled at Jesus.  But none stuck.  Pilate announced Jesus' innocence no less than four times.  But even more than that, God the Father found no fault in his own Son.  This man lived the perfect obedient life which God demands.  But since Jesus is true God, that innocence is rendered on behalf of all mankind.  For, Jesus did not live for his own gain, but for yours.
     Jesus, our Great High Priest, is mediator of the new covenant.  Throughout the Old Testament, every covenant was ratified by blood.  Animals were severed and the parties in the covenant passed through the blood trail to confirm the covenant between them.  Jesus, who is both God and man, ratified this covenant by his own blood.  The man, Jesus, was nailed to a cross where he shed his blood as one who is cursed for failing to keep the Law.  As man, Jesus died under God's curse for sinners.  But as God, Jesus' bloody death counts for all people.  The innocent blood which Jesus shed answers for all our sins.  Therefore, all your sins are covered.  All your guilt is blotted out. 
     Jesus, our Great High Priest, is mediator of the new covenant.  There are no “if's” attached to this covenant so that you would ever have to doubt whether you have kept up your end of it.  There are no conditions.  You cannot fail and mess it up.  The writer to the Hebrews quoted the prophet Jeremiah to show that this was always God's plan.  “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.” (Hebrews 8:10-11)  
     Jesus, our Great High Priest, is mediator of the new covenant.  In this new covenant, the Lord creates in you a clean heart which has been purified in Jesus' blood.  He renews a right spirit within you which God enlightens and directs.  When the Lord declares, “They shall not teach, ... saying, ‘Know the Lord’” (Hebrews 8:11), that does not mean we no longer need to devote ourselves to the word of the Lord.  People who stop hearing the word of the Lord end up being deceived because they end up crafting a god which appeals to them and agrees with them.  Their worship becomes an empty gesture to an imaginary god.  Just as a builder needs to keep on looking at his plans to get his building right, so also we need to keep on hearing the word of the Lord to be sure we are focusing ourselves on the true God.  The word of the Lord is necessary so we can know the Lord.  That is where the Lord reveals who he is, what he desires, and what he does.  Because God has given you his word, you know the Lord.  He is Jesus, God in the flesh.  He has established the new covenant by his innocent life and sacrificial death.  He pledges, “I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)  These are the works of our Great High Priest, and these are the terms of the new covenant.
     One of the major festivals under the old covenant was the Passover.  It was an annual reminder that the Lord is the God who saves his people.  Israelite families would feast together and remember that the blood of the lamb caused the angel to pass over their homes.  By the blood of the lamb, death did not come to them.  Many generations of Israelites knew that deliverance only as a story.  They had not participated in that deliverance; they could only reminisce. 
     Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night he was betrayed, served as the mediator of the new covenant.  It is no mere remembrance.  This feast is the new covenant.  By partaking in it, we receive all the benefits our Lord won for us.  The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?  The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 10:16)  We do not reenact a meal.  We feast on the body and blood of Christ, given and shed for the forgiveness of sins.  In this way, we participate in the body which bore our sin and in the blood which purifies us from all unrighteousness.  We ingest the promise of God: “I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)  
     Jesus, our Great High Priest, is mediator of the new covenant.  In this new covenant, Jesus does all the work: He pays for our sins.  Jesus makes all the promises: He pardons our offenses.  Jesus Christ does not put God's covenant into question with the word “If.”  He makes God's covenant a sure declaration.  He punctuates God's promises with “Amen!” and ratifies it with his precious blood.

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

Private Confession & Absolution (Today, 6:00-8:00 PM)

PRIVATE CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION


On Monday, March 26 (THAT'S TODAY!) from 6:00-8:00 PM, you are able to make use of Private Confession & Absolution to acknowledge the sins that grieve you and to be absolved of them.  Why do this?  Luther's Small Catechism answers this way:

What is Confession?
     Answer: Confession has two parts: the one is that we confess our sins; the other is that we receive Absolution, or forgiveness, from the confessor, as from God Himself, and in no way doubt, but firmly believe that our sins are forgiven before God in heaven by this.

What sins should we confess?
     Answer: Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even of those that we do not know, as we do in the Lord's Prayer.  But before the confessor we should confess only those sins that we know and feel in our hearts. -- Luther's Small Catechism, Part V

There is no need to schedule an appointment for today.  Come when you like.  The pastor will be prepared to explain the rite further to you and to absolve you of all guilt.

Palm Sunday leftovers

Yesterday's palms.

Next year's ashes.