Monthly Archives: May 2022

Enthroned – Sermon on Luke 24:44-53 for the Ascension of Our Lord (Observed)

Luke 24:44-53

44 Then [Jesus] said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 

52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.

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

And today, we will add.

Alleluia! Christ is ascended!
He is ascended indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Back in our epistle reading (Act. 1:1-11), Luke gave us a few more details about Jesus’ ascension than he gave us in this Gospel reading. I still have some questions about how this took place. How fast did Jesus ascend? Was it a constant speed from start to finish, or did He accelerate? If so, how fast did He go from 0-60, and what was His top speed? Of course, those details don’t really matter; if they did, Scripture would have told us. Once Jesus is out of sight, both Acts and this account of Jesus’ ascension shift our focus to the disciples.

As the disciples watch Jesus ascend, they gaze into heaven as a cloud takes Him out of their sight (Act. 1:9). Even though Jesus’ isn’t visible, they continue to stare into the sky. This leaves us with more questions. How long did they stare, was it minutes or hours? Did they talk with each other? Did anyone pass by and look up with them trying to see what they were gazing at? Again, we don’t know, and Scripture leaves us to have a holy, sanctified curiosity about those details. What is important is what the angels say when they arrive, “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven.” Then, the disciples return to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the Temple blessing God.

For three years, they had followed Jesus, enjoying His presence and teaching. They had watched Him heal the sick and raise the dead. Now, He is gone, and they didn’t know how long He will be away. But there they are in the Temple filled with joy and blessing God. You would think that the disciples would have felt lonely, abandoned, or even afraid – similar to how they felt between Jesus’ crucifixion and when He appeared to them after the resurrection, but they aren’t. They aren’t because their minds have been opened to understand all the Old Testament (Lk. 24:44-45), so they know Jesus’ ascension means that He is enthroned over all creation.

Jesus doesn’t ascend to heaven because He is leaving or abandoning us. He ascends to take His rightful seat next to God the Father on the throne of creation. Dear saints, right now your Savior rules and reigns over all things. But too often, we think that Jesus’ ascension is similar to how sleazy dads will say they are going out for cigarettes but never return. That isn’t the case. The ascension is not a farewell, it’s a coronation. Jesus has not left you as orphans (Jn. 14:16-18). When Jesus ascended, He didn’t desert you and vacate the world; instead, Christ was enthroned as King of all creation with all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt. 28:18). This is true even though it doesn’t always feel like it.

Down here on earth, we see Christians being persecuted in China, Egypt, and all over the planet. We see churches that used to proclaim the forgiveness of sins but now abandon every single doctrine of the Scriptures and even actively promote sin. We see all this and ask, “What kind of a king would allow this to happen?” And the devil whispers in our ear that the reason these things happen is because Jesus is an absent king.

We see wars and hear rumors of wars. We watch as economies and cultures crumble and collapse. We see a large portion of our nation fighting with all their strength to be able to kill their own children in the womb. We see evil, violent people shooting in our cities and schools in Buffalo and Uvalde. And the devil lies to you saying, “If your King Jesus were still here, this wouldn’t be happening. He would whip these wicked people into shape. But He’s gone and I get to have my way down here.”

You see and feel your sins. You dive back into those transgressions of lust, greed, pride, and covetousness. You know that you should joyfully bow your head in thankfulness for all the gifts God has given you. You know you should open your Bible and bathe in God’s promises of mercy and grace. Yet, you’re perpetually unhappy and dissatisfied. You know you should be at peace, but you are always filled with anxiety because it appears as though Jesus isn’t listening to your prayers. And in all of this, you think, “If Jesus were here, I wouldn’t be struggling with these things. If I could just see Jesus, I wouldn’t give into these temptations and fears.”

Dear saints, repent. The truth is that even if Jesus were physically present and visible on earth, your life wouldn’t be any different. During His earthly ministry, Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, and raised the dead. Jesus preached the Gospel to the lost souls of this world. For three years, God in the flesh proclaimed His kingdom to those under the devil’s power. And yet, they still didn’t recognize or acknowledge Him. Instead, they persecuted Him, spit on Him, and put Him to death. And during that same time, Jesus’ own disciples, who stood next to Him and touched Him, they denied Him, betrayed Him, and fled from Him.

Even though your doubt and sorrow scream otherwise, and even though the devil pushes you to discontentment and nudges you toward the cliff of unbelief, know that you wouldn’t be any better off if Jesus were standing right here in front of your eyes. And that is why Jesus ascended into heaven and went to His coronation and is, even now, enthroned over all things.

Jesus, the eternal Son of God, has ascended and brought His human flesh into God’s presence. Through faith, you are a co-heir of His glory and a brother to the King Himself. Christ is seated at God’s right and is telling His Father that you are worthy of eternal life because He has buried every sin you could ever commit through His death and resurrection. Jesus has fulfilled His promise to send the Holy Spirit, and whenever you hear His Word, the Holy Spirit is present with you. Now you, Christian, bring evidence of the saving power of Jesus wherever you go, tearing lost souls out of Satan’s grip.

As the Gospel spreads throughout the earth in every generation, Christ has been and continues to be present with His church. Even though He is hidden from our eyes, He is here claiming us as His own and delivering us into His kingdom. In the Absolution, Jesus is shredding and destroying the devil’s claim over you. Christ is present in His Supper healing and restoring you with His true Body and Blood (1 Cor. 10:16, 11:29-30). And because of His ascension, Jesus is able to do this in more than one place at one time. Because Jesus is ascended, He can unite every patch of His kingdom throughout the world and all time. Through His Word and Sacrament, Jesus brings you to Mt. Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem. He unites you with innumerable angels in festal gathering and with the whole assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven (Heb. 12:22-23). And from His throne, Jesus, your Savior, is the King who hears every one of your prayers.

So, when the devil and the world are screaming at you that Jesus is absent, come to your church, and here you will find your King. Come, receive His gifts, and stand in His promised, though invisible, presence. Whenever you see evil and darkness, remember it isn’t happening because Christ has abandoned you; it is happening because He is with you and has claimed you as His own. This makes you a target for the devil, but Satan will always fail in his futile, vain attempts to snatch you from the nail-scarred hands of Jesus, your Savior.

Dear saints, you have been raised with Christ, so seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, when He appears, then you also will appear with Him in eternal, splendid glory (Col. 3:1-4).

Jesus, your Savior and brother, ascended with His hands raised in blessing, and He still blesses you from His eternal throne. And He will return again in blessing to usher you into His eternal kingdom.

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

Alleluia! Christ is ascended!
He is ascended indeed! Alleluia! Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Ask & Receive – Sermon on John 16:23-33 for the Sixth Sunday of Easter

John 16:23-33

23 [Jesus says,] “In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

I’m a complete sucker for advertisements. My wife will confirm this. If I hear about a product, a service, or food on one of my favorite podcasts or on social media and the ad makes that thing even slightly appealing, I’m probably going to give it a try. Well, in this text, Jesus gives the best advertisement for prayer in all the Scriptures. Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

Jesus means what He says here. Whatever you ask of God the Father in Jesus’ name, God will give it to you, so ask and you will receive. But we sinful humans take this statement from Jesus and tend to fall into one of two errors.

Some fall into the name-it-and-claim-it error. Some will preach that this statement of Jesus means that God will give you whatever you want. All you have to do is ask and believe enough. And it’s no wonder that those types of preachers are popular on television and make a lot of money preaching that. They’re wrong. And if you want that type of preaching, you’ll have to find another preacher because that isn’t what Jesus is teaches.

Jesus says that whatever you ask of the Father, in Jesus’ name, God will give it to you. This does not mean that throwing a quick, “in Jesus’ name,” to the end of your prayers is the magical “abracadabra” that gets God’s attention and make Him your slave so He must do your bidding. No. We have a sinful nature that does not desire the right things. So, if you pray for $500 M, if you really want it, and if you ask for it in Jesus’ name, that doesn’t mean that God is obligated to give it to you. (More on this later.) To pray in Jesus’ name is to pray according to Jesus’ will.

That leads us to the other error. And, in my opinion, this is more common among us (myself included). Too often, we have a fatalistic approach to our prayer, and here’s what I mean by that. We know that God is omniscient. He knows everything; He knows everything that will happen – past, present, and future. And we know that God is omnipotent, or all-powerful, and He rules over everything. Those are important truths that the Scriptures teach. But when we take those doctrines with us into prayer, we can come to the wrong conclusion that our prayer isn’t going to do any good or change anything because God has already determined what He will do and will do it no matter how we pray. But that line of thinking makes prayer pointless because our prayers won’t change anything. Well, that view is also just plain wrong.

The Bible teaches the opposite. Christian, when you pray, you pray as a child of God, and God reacts to your council and input on what is going on in the world. Picture it this way: When a president or king is fighting a war, he has advisors. They sit around a table and strategize, consult, and plan together. Those advisors are important, and the person in charge values their input and alters his plans based on that discussion.

Scripture teaches that you, Christian, you, child of God, are at that table. When God commands you to pray, He is inviting you into His war room to give your input as to how things should be handled on the battlefield. God wants your thoughts and ideas on how situations should be handled. God turns to you and asks, “My beloved child, what do you think we should do?” And your prayers are your response.

For your sermon homework today, you can chose one of three optional assignments (you’ll get extra credit if you do all three): The first would be to read Gen. 18:22 to the end of the chapter. There, God lets Abraham know about the judgment He is going to rain down on Sodom and Gomorrah. And Abraham intercedes for those cities and negotiates with God in prayer. Through Abraham’s intercession, God agrees to not destroy those cities if He finds ten righteous people there (Gen. 18:17-33). Prayer works.

Your second optional assignment is to reread our Old Testament lesson (Num. 21:4-9). There, God’s people sinfully complain about being in the wilderness and about the mana and quail that God daily provided for them. When God sends the fiery serpents to punish and judge them, the people ask Moses to intercede and pray for them. And God answers Moses’ prayer by providing the bronze serpent. And if anyone was bitten by the venomous snakes, they could look at the bronze serpent and be saved from death. Moses’ prayer worked and saved lives.

Your third optional assignment is to read Jonah 3. There, the people of Nineveh have heard Jonah preach about God’s impending judgment for their sins. After they hear that sermon, the king of Nineveh orders all the Ninevites to pray as a last resort. The king says, “Everyone needs to fast, pray, repent, and stop being evil. Who knows? Maybe God will relent of the disaster and judgment He is bringing upon us.” The Ninevites pray, and God responds by changing His mind. Jonah 3:10 says that prayer worked, “God relented of the disaster that He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it.”

I could have you look at a whole bunch of texts, but the reason I mention those three is because of the different degrees of proximity between the one praying and those being prayed for. Abraham prays that God would be merciful toward the people of Sodom and Gomorrah even though Abraham has no connection to their sin, and God responds. Moses prays for God to be merciful to the sinners all around him, and God responds. The king of Nineveh prays for God to be merciful to him (and, yes, the sinners around him), and God responds.

It is true that God always knows what is best to do, but when we pray, we are at the table as God’s advisors and counselors. He desires your input through your prayers. Now, I promised you that I’d come back to this. Again, God hasn’t bound Himself to answer every prayer exactly how we pray for it.

As a congregation, we’ve been praying for our dear sister, Phyllis. We’ve asked God to heal her and give her strength. Nine days ago, she died and is now with the Lord. But God has answered and is answeringour prayers. When Christ returns, Phyllis will rise again. Her body and soul will be put back together, and she will live eternally with no more pain, sorrow, tears, fatigue, etc. We have prayed and interceded for her. We have asked in Jesus’ name, and we are receiving the answers to those prayers. Maybe it isn’t the timing we wanted or in the way we wanted. But God always works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Ro. 8:28). He has promised!

Remember, even Jesus had one of His prayers denied initially. Jesus prayed to not go to the cross, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me” (Mt. 26:39). That prayer from Jesus, your Savior, was the most futile and impossible prayer that has ever been prayed or will ever be prayed. Jesus’ death was the only answer for our sin. But God listened to Jesus’ prayer, and He loved to hear it. Jesus prayed that prayer without sinning, and God still answered Jesus’ prayer because Christ also prayed, “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Dear saints, don’t ever be embarrassed about praying to God for trivial and simple things. If you want something, it doesn’t matter how small or silly it is, pray for it. Whenever you ask God for something, you’re going to the right Source! You are asking your merciful, loving, generous, and kind heavenly Father for what you want. God will listen to your prayers and answer them to mold and shape what happens in this world, and He will use your prayers to help mold and shape you. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” When the Lord is what you want and desire, when His good gifts are the object of your delight, you have everything you want and desire.

So, pray. Prayer is your ultimate weapon against evil. Prayer is your defense spiritually and physically. Your prayers spring God into action with His divine power. So, be people of prayer, and if you haven’t been praying, start.

Before I conclude here, I want to give you three quick and easy prayers to put in your back pocket. I’ve preached this before, but it bears repeating. I think one of the best ways to be more regular and faithful in prayer is simply to do it more often, and these three little prayers can help with that. It might not feel like these prayers are important, but they absolutely are.

The first little prayer is for whenever you see something good happen. Pray, “God be praised.” It is good and right for you to verbally and mentally acknowledge and recognize that that good thing, whatever it is, has come from God.

The second little prayer is for whenever you see something bad or evil. Pray, “Lord, have mercy.” This is a perfect prayer in the face of any evil or disaster because God always desires to give you His mercy.

The third and final little prayer is for whenever you are making plans or looking to the future. Pray, “Lord willing,” or “If the Lord wills” (see Jam. 4:13-15). I think one of the most important lessons God was teaching us through COVID was a reminder that we are not in control. And I sincerely hope and pray we all take that lesson seriously. That prayer will help you remember that everything is in God’s merciful hands.

Dear saints, you have the ear of the One who created and rules all things. Jesus promises that whatever you ask in His name, God will give to you. So, pray and watch how God acts for your good and for the good of others. Amen.

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

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Shout & Sing for Joy – Sermon on Isaiah 12:1-6 for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

Isaiah 12:1-6

1 You will say in that day: 

     “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, 
for though you were angry with me, 

     your anger turned away, 
that you might comfort me. 

2   “Behold, God is my salvation; 
I will trust, and will not be afraid; 

     for the Lord God is my strength and my song, 
and he has become my salvation.” 

3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. 4 And you will say in that day: 

     “Give thanks to the Lord, 
call upon his name, 

     make known his deeds among the peoples, 
proclaim that his name is exalted. 

5   “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; 
let this be made known in all the earth. 

6   Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, 
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.[1]

The day of salvation that Isaiah speaks about is today (1 Cor. 6:2). Because Christ has died and risen for you, now is the day of salvation. God was angry with you because of your sin, but now His anger has turned away. Jesus lives and reigns in heaven. He is your salvation. God is your strength and your song. And here, today, you will draw water from the wells of salvation which will never run dry.

So, “Sing praises to the Lord, for He has done gloriously. Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,” (i.e. you Christian), “for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” The Scripture readings today have called you – in fact, they have commanded you – to sing to God five times (Ps. 98:1, 4; Is. 12:5, 6).

Now, why does God command us to sing; isn’t speaking good enough? Apparently, no. There is a great passage in Zephaniah 3:17, listen to this, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” It is an absolutely beautiful picture. But the reason I mention this passage is that this is the one place in all the Scriptures where God sings, and the reason He sings is His joy over you. When God expresses His joy over you who have been redeemed by His beloved Son, God sings. He sings because nothing else will do.

Music and song is the only thing capable of expressing the joy that God has because of you. God sings in joy over you, Christian. So you join with God and sing back to Him for joy. This is why we sing in church. We don’t have music in our services to make them more interesting or entertaining. The music may do that, but it isn’t why we do it. Instead, we sing because music and song is, in fact, a form of spiritual warfare that fights back against the sin, the devil, and demons.

Remember how God removed His Spirit from Saul because of Saul’s disobedience. In place of the Holy Spirit, Saul was regularly tormented by a harmful spirit. Some of Saul’s servants suggest that someone come and play music to drive that harmful spirit away. One of Saul’s servants is familiar with David and suggests that he come to play music for Saul. And whenever the harmful spirit tormented Saul, David would play, and the evil spirit would depart (1 Sam. 16:14-23). And this isn’t the only place in Scripture where music and singing is a weapon against the enemies of God’s people.

In 2 Chronicles 20, faithful King Jehoshaphat is ruling in Judah, and his kingdom was threatened by the armies of the Moabites and Ammonites. The king doesn’t know what to do, so he calls all the people of Judah to come to the Temple to pray. While they are praying, a prophet comes in and says that the people don’t need to be afraid of the armies that are coming to fight against them. That prophet says that Judah’s army won’t even need to fight because the Lord will fight for them. When the people hear this, they all bow down with their faces to the ground. Suddenly, two clans of priests, the Kohathites and the Korahites, stand up and begin singing loudly. Those two classes of priests had been appointed by King David years earlier to be the singers in the Temple. Basically, they had been appointed to be the church choir.

The next morning, the battle lines are formed. And Jehoshaphat appoints the front line to be – guess who – the Kohathites and the Korahites, the choir. Since the Lord was going to fight for them, why not have the singers be the first into battle? The army marches out behind the choir and listen to what Scripture says, “And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon [and] Moab… who had come against Judah, so that they were routed” (2 Ch. 20:22) Through singing, God defeated the enemies of His people.

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas have been beaten with rods, arrested, and thrown into prison for preaching about Jesus. While they are there in that dark, dank, stinky dungeon, guess what they do. Of course, they prayed, but then they began, you guessed it, to sing hymns (Act. 16:25). Now, they wouldn’t have had a hymnal with them, so this impromptu hymn sing would have been from memory. They weren’t worried about the other prisoners hearing them sing. In fact, Acts tells us that the prisoners were listening to this powerful witness of song in the dungeon. Paul and Silas sing, and God acts. God sends an earthquake that opens all the prison doors, and the shackles of all the prisoners in that jail fall off.

So, we have several examples of singing as a means through which God’s power is active, and Scripture says similar things about music. The end of Psalm 96 says this, “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it!” and listen carefully now, “Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness” (Ps. 96:11-13). Here, and several other places in Scripture, give us a picture all creating singing at the return of Christ to make all things new.

I included a quote in your Scripture insert from Peter Leithart about music and musical instruments.[2]Leithart says something there that I think is very insightful; he says that musical instruments are a foretaste of when Jesus will come and make all things new because, at His return, all creation will be turned into an instrument of praise to God for what Christ has done through His death and resurrection. Remember how the Pharisees asked Jesus to rebuke His disciples for singing His praise as He rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, but Jesus responded, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (Lk. 19:40). Every time a musical instrument plays, it is a sign and reminder of the New Heavens and Earth becoming an instrument of praise. Now, when a guitar or cello or piano or flute is crafted from wood and metal and makes music, it is a foretaste of your eternal life with God in the new heavens and earth because creation is being turned into an instrument of praise.

Dear saints, I hope you see from Scripture that music and singing is powerful in the fight against the devil and the demons. So, it isn’t surprising that Satan uses all sorts of tricks to keep all of us from singing and making music. He uses our culture to get men to think that singing in church is for women and children. Men, don’t believe that lie. The most important thing you can do for your family is to daily spend time with them in God’s Word. And it is good to have that time in God’s Word also include both prayer and singing. And let your singing be songs that are richly filled with the very Word of God that speaks clearly and powerfully of Jesus and the victory He has won on the cross because that is what the Bible says our Christian songs and music should do (Col. 3:16).

If Satan tries to get you embarrassed of your voice or ability to sing, get over it. God doesn’t care how good of a singer you are. He gave you the voice and ability you have. He’s not looking for Grammy winners or finalists from American Idol or The Voice. Just sing.

Sing when you are happy. Sing when you are depressed. Sing when you are apathetic. Sing of Jesus. Sing of His victory. Sing of His deliverance and forgiveness. Sing how His right hand and holy arm have rescued you. Sing because the battle belongs to the Lord, and He has won the victory over Satan, sin, and death. Sing and watch the devils flee. Amen.

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

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] This sermon was reworked from 2019.

[2] “A musical instrument is a real presence of the eschaton, an effective sign of the destiny of all things, creation transformed into an instrument of praise.” – Peter Leithart

Never-Ceasing Mercy – Sermon on Lamentations 3:22-33 for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

Lamentations 3:22-33

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; 
his mercies never come to an end; 

23 they are new every morning; 
great is your faithfulness. 

24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, 
“therefore I will hope in him.” 

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, 
to the soul who seeks him. 

26 It is good that one should wait quietly 
for the salvation of the Lord. 

27 It is good for a man that he bear 
the yoke in his youth. 

28 Let him sit alone in silence 
when it is laid on him; 

29 let him put his mouth in the dust— 
there may yet be hope; 

30 let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, 
and let him be filled with insults. 

31 For the Lord will not 
cast off forever, 

32 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion 
according to the abundance of his steadfast love; 

33 for he does not afflict from his heart 
or grieve the children of men.

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

I mentioned the name of this Sunday at the beginning of the service; does anyone remember what today is called? (Yes, “Make a joyful noise,” Sunday.) So, why, on a day where we are making joyful noises, are we listening to a sermon from Lamentations, the book of the Bible whose name contradicts the name of the Sunday? Why even bother with Lamentations? I’m glad you asked.

The book of Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah and is basically a funeral hymnal with five dirges; each chapter is its own song. But whose funeral is Jeremiah writing about? It is the funeral of God’s people. The Babylonian empire has come. Jerusalem has been destroyed. The leaders of Judah have been taken into exile. The Temple has been torn down and left in charred ruins. And the Ark of the Covenant, the place where God had promised to meet with His people, was gone. God’s punishment of His people has been severe.

Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, begins the book, “How lonely sits the city that was full of people!” (Lam. 1:1). He says that Jerusalem had been “the perfection of beauty” but is now the laughingstock of the world (Lam. 2:15). God’s punishment against the sins of idolatry, wickedness, and injustice that were so prevalent among His people has come, and it stinks. And Jeremiah calls on the people to recognize that God’s intention with this punishment is to bring the people to repentance. God longs for His people to confess their sins and be forgiven. All this punishment isn’t just to make God’s people uncomfortable and miserable; instead, this suffering is meant to heal and restore them.

So, Jeremiah paints this pathetic picture about the suffering of God’s people. He asks that God would see all their suffering under the punishment of their sins. Then, Jeremiah just sits back and waits….

Jeremiah can wait because he knows, “though [the Lord] cause grief, He will have compassion according to the abundance of His steadfast love; for He does not afflict from His heart or grieve the children of men” (Lev. 3:32-33). Dear saints, the only rescue from God’s wrath against sin is found in the very nature of God Himself. Let me say that again in case you missed it:

The only rescue from God’s wrath against sin is found in the very nature of God Himself. That is why there is hope throughout the funeral songs of Lamentations. The reason for this hope is that God’s steadfast love never ceases, and His mercies never – never ever – come to an end. They are new each and every morning. Great is His faithfulness (Lam. 3:22-23). That is why Jeremiah can wait for God, and that is why, in the midst of suffering and sorrow, you can too. “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lam. 3:25-26). “[God’s] anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Ps. 30:5).

Dear saints, whenever you face suffering, whether it is because of your sin and God’s punishment or whether you are suffering because of the devil’s attacks or whether you are simply suffering because of this fallen, broken world, whenever you face suffering that is not the time to run from God; that is the time to run toHim. His steadfast love, mercy, faithfulness, and compassion is your hope.

Whenever you face trials, tribulations, hardships, and suffering, it is always, always, a call to faith. When we suffer, we try to look for answers, answers to questions like: Is God punishing me for some sin; if so, what is that sin? Is Satan tormenting me? Am I suffering because of the evil that surrounds me? We look for answers to those questions, but in the midst of suffering, both the cause of our suffering and the answers to those questions are often hidden from us. Remember Jesus, even in the midst of His suffering on the cross, asks the why question. “My God, My God, why? Why have You forsaken Me?” (Mk. 15:34).

In the book of Job, we see Job looking for those same answers. Job’s friends are all insisting that Job must have some secret sin that he needs to confess. But we know that isn’t the case. Repeatedly in the book of Job, God says that Job is righteous, blameless, and upright (Job. 1:8; 2:3). But God does allow the devil to cause Job great suffering – the loss of all his property and even the death of his children. God knows that Job can handle and navigate all of that and still retain his faith (Job 2:6). And of course, Job does. He continues to trust in God’s mercy and grace. And at the end of it all, Job is restored (Job 42:10-17), and his faith is strengthened.

Now, in the case of God’s people in Jeremiah’s day, God’s people were suffering because God was sending the punishment for their sins and calling His people to repent. Even when you are suffering because of your sins, it is a call to faith. Repentance always requires faith. You don’t repent or bring your sins to God, unless you know there is the possibility of forgiveness. Otherwise, you simply try to hide your sins, pass the blame to others, or ignore them all together. But none of those options ever work.

To repent and confess your sins is always an act of faith. Both repentance and confession is simply believing and saying what God says about your sins. First, you say that those sins have angered God and harmed your relationship with Him. They have brought God’s anger and wrath. Typically, we don’t have a problem with that part of confession and repentance. We know that. But the other part of repentance and confession is to continue saying what God says about those sins – that they are taken by Jesus (Jn. 1:29). That the wrath those sins deserve has been poured out upon Christ as He hung on the cross (1 Thess. 1:10). That those sins are removed form you as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12).

So, again, whenever you face trials, tribulations, and suffering, faith and trust is always the proper response. In suffering, God doesn’t always give you answers to all the questions you have, but He does always give you promises.

Most importantly, God has given you the promise of His grace and mercy. God has sent His own Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus bore the yoke of our sins (Lam. 3:27; Is. 53:6, 12). Jesus put His mouth in the dust (Lam. 3:29) when He took on your humanity. He gave His cheek to be struck (Lk. 22:63). Christ took the insults that belonged to you. And on Good Friday, as darkness covered the face of the earth, Christ cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mk. 15:34). There, in that moment, God forsook His own Son so you could be accepted as God’s own child. But God did not reject Jesus forever.

When Jesus cries out, “It is finished,” (Jn. 19:30) on the cross, God’s wrath against sin was done, completed, and ended. The resurrection proves that God accepted the offering Christ made for you.

Dear saints, God’s anger has an end. God’s anger ended with the death of Christ. The only way God’s anger could continue against your sin is if you continually reject what Jesus has done for you. Those who are lost in their sins and spend eternity in hell are those who reject God’s mercy in Christ.

But, dear Christian, that isn’t you. You trust in God’s mercy. You repent, confess, and receive forgiveness for all your sins. For you, God’s wrath and punishment, what the theologians call God’s ‘alien work’ – in other words, what God doesn’t naturally do – has come to an end. You live and abide in His mercy.

 And His mercy is even more certain than the rising of the sun. Mercy is who God is and how God is toward you who believe in Christ.

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

Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Shepherd & Overseer – Sermon on John 10:11-18 for the Third Sunday of Easter

John 10:11-18

11 [Jesus says,] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus isn’t giving us any compliments here. He describes us as sheep. Dumb, stupid sheep. Sheep who get themselves in all sorts of trouble, who are stalked by hunters, who are dependent. Sheep who keep falling into the same pits of sin. “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned – every one – to his own way” (Is. 53:6), but Jesus, our Good Shepherd, has taken the iniquity of us all. He has voluntarily laid down His precious, holy, innocent, perfect life for us all.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and God the Father loves Him, because He lays down His life for the sheep (Jn. 10:14-15, 17). This statement is shocking. This isn’t the actions of a good shepherd. Shepherds keep sheep for wool and meat, so normally, a good shepherd is defined by being successful and profitable in doing that. Immediately after our text here, many of the people who heard Jesus say this figure He has a demon and is insane (Jn. 10:19-20). But Jesus is good because He is the shepherd who gives His sheep what they need – His holy and precious blood. Now, ‘good’ is a legitimate way to translate what Jesus says when He calls Himself the ‘Good Shepherd,’ but the word Jesus uses is deeper than our word ‘good.’ In Greek, Jesus calls Himself ‘the καλός Shepherd.’

Yes, kalos does mean ‘good’ but not in a subjective sense that is open to anyone’s interpretation. Kalosmeans ‘right, fitting, true, beautiful, and competent.’ Jesus is uniquely qualified to be the Shepherd of sinful sheep. Christ is the ‘good for you’ Shepherd. Jesus, the kalos Shepherd, does what is unimaginable. He overcomes, defeats, and destroys the wolf by filling the wolf’s mouth with His own Body and saving you from being lost and devoured.

Hear this, you wandering sheep: When you had cut yourself off from God by your sin, Jesus, the kalosShepherd, came down to die on the cross for you. Jesus could have run away like the hired hand, but He didn’t. And, if Jesus didn’t run away then, what would cause Him to run away from you now? The answer is nothing. There is nothing that will make Him throw up His hands and say, “Well, I’m done with that sheep.” Jesus is with you. He is for you and is completely invested in you. And for that, God be praised.

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday, but it is also Confirmation Sunday. So, Nolan, Josh, and Leah, you dear sheep, God be praised for each one of you today. You have done a lot of work. You have read, studied, memorized, and learned a lot to get to today. But none of this would have been possible without Jesus, your Good, Kalos Shepherd leading and guiding you, and He has done that through the work of others.

I hope that each of you confirmands recognize how Jesus has used your parents in His shepherding of you. Matt and Lisa, Joel and Marilyn, Jon and Mel, you have all been faithful to the promises you made to nurture and raise your child in the faith when they were Baptized. God be praised for that, and I hope that each of you confirmands thank God for your parents’ faithfulness. Not all children have parents who faithfully raise their children in the faith, but you do. You can also thank your Baptismal sponsors (or godparents, if that is what you call them). They also have been faithful in their prayers for you and supporting your parents in their duties.

So, today is a day to celebrate. It is a day to celebrate all the work that you and your parents and sponsors have done. Even more so, it is a day to celebrate because you will receive Jesus’ very Body and Blood for the forgiveness of your sin. But I do want to caution you. Just because you have come to this day of your confirmation, that doesn’t mean that you are done being shepherded.

The beginning of Hebrews 12 talks about the life of a Christian as a race. And everyone, listen carefully. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” The Christian life is a marathon; it’s a race that requires endurance. Nolan, Josh, and Leah, each of you are off to a good start, and you are running well. But none of us can say exactly how far along you are in the race. Today isn’t time to slow down. Keep up the pace. Keep pressing on; keep learning; keep growing in your faith. You aren’t at the finish line – not yet.

And to some of you Christians here today, maybe you have been slacking and slowing up in the race of faith. Repent. Consider this your reminder to keep running. Maybe you’ve gotten lazy and started walking. Maybe you have quit running all together. Maybe you have gotten completely off the course. Now, today, is the time to come back to the race. Put your past failures of loafing, slacking, and being lazy behind you. Start running again (Php. 3:13-14).

Now, whether you are being confirmed today, were confirmed years or decades ago, or are not yet confirmed, it is good to remember what Confirmation is. Confirmation is simply a recognition of God continuing to work in your life through the faith He gave you in your Baptism. When Jesus, your Good Shepherd, instituted Holy Baptism, He said that disciples are made by Baptizing and teaching (Mt. 28:18-20).

So, today, you confirmands are simply confirming and publicly confessing that the work that God began in you when you were Baptized has continued and that you have kept the faith that God gave you in your Baptism. In your Baptism, you were born again (Jn. 3:3, 5) and clothed with Christ (Gal. 3:27). So, just briefly:

Nolan, you were Baptized on August 7th, 2011 at Christ the King Lutheran in Wilson, WI by your grandpa, Pr. Les Johnson. And your sponsors are Les, Dawn, Dale, and Jeanette.

Josh, you were Baptized December 7th, 2008 here by Pr. Gary Jorgenson. And your sponsors are Carson, Heather, Evan, Joye, and Ginny.

Leah, you were Baptized April 12th, 2009 here by Pr. Gary Jorgenson. And your sponsors are Roger, Lisa, and Mikal.

In the waters of your Baptism, Jesus shepherded you to still waters and restored your soul. Through His Word, He leads you in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. And Jesus leads you through the valley of the shadow of death. He can do this because your Good Shepherd knows the way through that deathly valley. He went down it Himself and has come out of the grave. Now, Christ is risen from the dead. Jesus had the authority to lay down His life, and He had the authority to raise it up again. Your Baptism joined to Jesus’ death and resurrection (Ro. 6:3-11). Now, because He lives, Jesus is the living Shepherd and watchful Overseer of your soul (1 Pet. 2:21-25). And I love how each of you have picked verses that confess that.

Nolan, you chose Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand.” Jesus, your Good Shepherd laid down His life, but He will always be with you to strengthen you and uphold you with His almighty, righteous hand.

Josh, you chose 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “Pray without ceasing,” which I love because that was a portion of my Confirmation verses as well. You can pray to and through Jesus, your Good Shepherd, because He lives forever and is always watching over you. He hears you every time you call to Him and gives you what is best.

Leah, you chose Proverbs 3:5-7, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.” Jesus is and always will be with you in all your ways. Your life, and the life of every Christian here isn’t just the story of your life. It is the story of Jesus’ walking with you, leading, guiding, directing you, and making your paths straight.

My dear, fellow sheep: Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and you are His sheep. You are not called to stand toe-to-toe with the devil. Satan, sin, and death are the wolves, and you are the sheep. Hide behind Jesus. Christ, your Good Shepherd and Overseer of your soul, places Himself between you and every danger to rescue you from every threat that you face. But even as you hide behind your Good Shepherd, you do not cower in fear. You stand confidently behind Jesus knowing that He has overcome the wolf. He has won the victory, and His victory is your victory because you belong to Him. Amen.

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

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.