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Matthew 5:13-20—“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. ¹⁹ Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

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

People talk. People talk differently. Some people talk more than others, and some less. Some people talk and cannot help but be funny, and some can’t be funny no matter how hard they try. Some people talk so vividly that they paint pictures in your brain, and some talk blandly. Some people talk timidly and shyly, and some people talk with authority. When someone talks with authority, you tend to listen. But people can talk with authority even though they have absolutely no idea what they are speaking about.

I’ll admit that I have found myself talking as though I had authority about something. But I learn that the person to whom I am speaking actually is an expert. In those instances, I have learned that foot fits in my mouth very well.

In today’s Gospel text, Jesus is preaching what is known as “The Sermon on the Mount” and we will be considering the first chapter of this sermon (Mt. 5) over the next three weeks.

Before we get into the sermon, I want you to consider for a moment how the crowds of disciples respond to Jesus’ sermon. Matthew records (Mt. 7:28-29), “When Jesus completed these words, the crowds were being astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them with the conviction that He had authority, and not as their scribes taught” (trans. Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs). Jesus speaks with authority because Jesus knows what He is talking about. Jesus could speak with authority on any subject. But in this particular portion of the sermon, Jesus is speaking about His disciples. Jesus is speaking about you, believer.

When Jesus says something about you, it is important to listen. So what is Jesus saying about you, believer? Well, to understand our text today, we need to go back a few verses to the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount – to the Beatitudes.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus gives you blessings. Listen to what He says.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” In other words, Jesus says that people who have nothing to offer God and can never get their act together, these people are blessed. They are so blessed they are saved – the reign of heaven is theirs. All the gifts of the King – forgiveness, life, identity, community – all belong to people who have nothing to give God.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Jesus says that people who are sad because they see that the earth is rotting and dark, they are blessed. They are blessed because, one day, God will take all their sadness and mourning away.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” People who are powerless are blessed because they will get to live forever in God’s new heaven and new earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” People who know things are not right in the world are blessed. They are blessed because God will one day make it right.

Do you hear this? Well, keep listening. Jesus goes on.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Merciful people are blessed because they will get God’s mercy on the last day. God will cover their sins.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” People who have their hearts set on God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and on no other false god will be blessed. They will see God face to face.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” People who make peace will be called God’s sons and daughters because God gives them peace.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus says that when this world hassles you and persecutes you, you are blessed. Then to make sure you know that all these blessings are for you, Jesus adds, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you.” You are blessed because God’s eternal, kingly gifts belong to you.

Do you hear this? Jesus is talking to you. Jesus is talking about you. Believe Him. He speaks with authority. God does not lie. When God speaks, He only speaks the truth. Jesus, the Son of God, speaks about how things really are. In fact, God’s Word creates reality.

So now, we come to v. 13-14 and Jesus is still speaking with authority. He says, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” Notice, this is not a command. This is not an exhortation. This is not a scenario you are to make happen. Jesus simply says what is. Believe Him. Jesus is not yanking your chain. He is not trying to make a fool out of you. Jesus is simply saying what is. He says, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.”

The earth is in bad shape, it leaves a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. The earth needs salt. Jesus says that you, believer, are that salt. The world is a dark place. This world needs light. Jesus says you, believer, are that light.

Even though Jesus speaks with authority you can, of course, chose to not believe Jesus. You can chose to deny the truth. But then things become pretty absurd. Jesus addresses this. He postulates, “What would happen if salt lost its taste? Well, then it is good for nothing but to be cast out and be trampled by people.” That does not sound good.

Jesus says, “You cannot hide a city on a hill.” Being residents of the Red River Valley, you may not know what hills are. They are places where the ground actually rises up kind of like the dike, but even bigger. If you built a city on one of those, it would be pretty hard to hide, right?

Jesus goes on, “How silly would it be to light a lamp in a dark house and then put a bucket over it?” Well, that would be dangerous. It would be foolish and dumb.

So, don’t be absurd. Believe Jesus when He says, “You are the salt of the earth.” Don’t be foolish and dumb. Believe Jesus when He says, “You are the light of the world.”

Jesus says you are salt and light in order to make a difference in the world. Jesus says that your good works are like light in the darkness of this world. Those good works give the world light to see what God is like. When people, believers or unbelievers, see your good works, they will give God the glory.

Jesus doesn’t give you any parameters of what good works to do. Jesus doesn’t give you any specific works to do, so the door is wide open. You don’t have to look far to find places to do good works. Maybe it will be in your own home, maybe it will be in your job, maybe it will be for a friend, maybe it will be for a total stranger – you can find good works to do all around you no matter where you are.

Jesus does give a command here. Our translation renders Jesus’ words in v. 16, “Let your light shine.” That translation makes the word ‘let’ or ‘allow’ the command. It puts the command on you. But do not think that it is somehow up to you to somehow allow your light to shine. No, Jesus’ command here is not to you – the Greek is very clear. The command is “shine,” literally “Shine the light of you.” It is a good thing that Jesus speaks His command to your light because you already know that light obeys the voice of God. When God created the world He said, “Let there be light,” and there was light (Gen. 1:3). Here Jesus, the Son of God, commands the light within you to shine, and it does.

So, even though you are part of this dark world and even though you are part of the problem, Jesus’ words still have authority. Even though your sin casts darkness all around you. Jesus is the true light who comes to the darkness of this sin-filled world (Jn. 1:4-5). Even though you love the darkness rather than the light because your deeds are evil (Jn. 3:19), Jesus says that you, believer, are the light of the world.

It is pretty easy to despair when you hear Jesus command your light to shine. It is easy to hunger and thirst for your light to shine because so often you see that it does not. It is easy to mourn and weep because you cast such long and dark shadows. It is easy to realize that you fail precisely because you are poor in spirit.

But when that happens, remember Jesus’ words. “You are blessed. You are blessed because I give you forgiveness, life, and salvation.” And believe Jesus when He declares, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” Amen.

May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, now and forever. Amen.

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Luke 2:22-40—And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” ²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, ²⁸ he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

²⁹ “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,

according to your word;

³⁰ for my eyes have seen your salvation

³¹          that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and for glory to your people Israel.”

³³ And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. ³⁴ And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed ³⁵ (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

³⁶ And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, ³⁷ and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. ³⁸ And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

³⁹ And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. ⁴⁰ And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

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

What have you been doing the last 40 days? Today is the 40^th day after Christmas, so we celebrate the purification of Mary and Jesus. And we celebrate it by hearing the Song of Simeon, the Nunc Dimittis.

Simeon knew he was going to die. He knew that because of his sin, he was subject to a life of slavery to death (Heb. 2:14-15). However, God revealed to Him that he would not die until his eyes saw the Messiah. So, when 40-day-old infant Jesus came with Joseph and Mary to the Temple, Simeon rejoiced. Simeon saw the baby Jesus, and knew this was the Lord’s Christ.

Maybe, if God told us that we would not die until we saw something, we would pretend like we didn’t see it even though it was right before us. Maybe we would fight against seeing God’s promise because we would not want to taste the sting of death. But instead of fighting against death, Simeon embraced the Child and welcomed his death.

Simeon took the infant Jesus in his arms and held Him knowing that now he could die in peace. Simeon says, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

Simeon goes on to speak of Jesus as a “sign that is opposed.” Luke has already spoken of Jesus as a sign. The shepherds are told, “This shall be a sign for you – you will find a baby” (Lk. 2:12). Forty days later, the same infant Child of Mary and Joseph, was a sign of Simeon’s death. Yet, Simeon does not see his death as something to avoid. Instead, he sees it as God allowing him to be “set free” in peace.

The church has incorporated Simeon’s song into the evening service called ‘Compline’; in that service, Simeon’s song is the final prayer before going to sleep. That is a beautiful picture isn’t it? God gives his beloved sleep (Ps. 127:2). Recognizing that God has led you through your day and brought you to your place of rest is fitting.

Another place where the church has incorporated Simeon’s song is in response to receiving Holy Communion. After receiving the true body and blood of Christ it is right and good to join your heart with Simeon’s words. As Simeon received the infant Jesus in his arms, you too have received the fulfillment of God’s promise on your lips and in your mouth.

Just like Simeon was told that he would see the Messiah who would save Israel, you too see the Savior. Jesus says that you receive Him as Savior in His Supper, “This is My body; this is My blood of the new covenant shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins.”

Simeon did not see an impressive Messiah, but only a 40-day-old Child. You do not see a grand spectacle either, rather bread and wine.

In that Baby, Simeon saw God’s salvation. In Communion, you too see God’s salvation which is prepared for all people. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He is the only Savior, and the Good News of Him is good tidings for all people. We, and all people of the world, need to be saved because we are helpless. We are in bondage to sin. We are dead in sin.

In the Lord’s Supper, Jesus the Savior comes to us. Communion is not some sort of spiritual energy drink that revs you up. The Lord’s Supper is not just a different way to end a worship service. Instead, the Lord’s Supper is sustenance for sinners in their walk through this dark and sinful world. Sinners need this Supper; sinners need this food. Every time you come for Communion, Jesus gives to you His body and His blood for the forgiveness of your sins.

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace.” We sinners need that peace. Left to ourselves, we will never have peace. But having been justified by faith, we have peace with God only through our Lord Jesus Christ (Ro. 5:1).

Because of the Lord’s Supper, you can join with Simeon and embrace, yes embrace, death. You can embrace death because you are joined with the One who conquered death. Where is death’s victory, where is death’s sting? It is gone because of the victory of Christ which He gives here to you.

Come, taste with your own mouth and see with your own eyes that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8). Then depart in peace for your eyes have seen the salvation which the Lord has prepared before the face of all people. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and shall be forever world without end. Amen.

May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus now and to all eternity. Amen.

Listen here.

Matthew 4:12-25—Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. ¹³ And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴ so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

¹⁵ “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gen-
tiles—

¹⁶ the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,

and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”

¹⁷ From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

¹⁸ While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. ²¹ And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. ²² Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

²³ And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. ²⁴ So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. ²⁵ And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

You have heard the saying, “It’s always darkest before the dawn,” but is it true? It often seems so. I graduated from seminary, but four months passed, and I still had not taken a call to a congregation. Needing to do something to help our dwindling bank balance, I traveled to Williston to work the potato harvest while Sarah and the kids stayed back in Minneapolis.

I woke up at about 4:00 AM to drive out to the farm where I would be staying. Once I was out of the city and in the country, it was pitch black. The loneliness of being away from family and the darkness of those pre-dawn moments mirrored how I felt – alone and without a job and without a prospect. However, after driving for about 15 minutes, a faint light started to break. The light grew quickly, and soon the sun creeped over the horizon and blasted my sleepy eyes. I couldn’t have gotten away from the blinding light even if I had wanted to.

I wish I could say that the quickness of that dawn inspired me. It didn’t. However, the darkness of being alone and unemployed did disappear as quickly and inescapably as the darkness of night. As I worked that potato harvest, I got a call from John to come and interview here at Christ the King.

The early church father, St. John Chrysostom, wrote, “For in truth the condition of men was at the worst before Christ’s coming.” The last two verses of Isaiah 8:[21-22], just prior to our Old Testament text which is also the portion quoted by Matthew, speak about the condition before Christ came, “They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward. And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness.”

But then Christ comes. When He arrives, the people dwelling in the darkness and in the shadow of death are unable to escape the light which is dawning upon them. Jesus bursts over the horizon announcing, “Repent, for the reign of heaven is at hand.” The announcement that God is beginning to work banishes the darkness and causes the shadows to flee.

The light comes. Jesus, Christ the King, announces the end of the darkness. But His first actions are different than what we would expect of God when He comes to bring His reign to earth. Jesus goes fishing for fishermen. As the light of the reign of heaven dawned upon the first disciples, Jesus speaks, “Come after Me.”

Andrew and Peter, James and John have no option but follow the Light and do as the Light of the world commands – they come after Him. That word of Christ calling out, “Come after Me,” is so powerful that it confiscates the disciples. In this way, the light overcomes and overwhelms the darkness.

No matter how dark and large a room is, if a small match is lit, the light will be noticeable from anywhere in that room. So it is with Jesus’ message, “Repent, for the reign of heaven is at hand. Come after Me.” The message has grown brighter and brighter throughout the centuries of church history. New voices are proclaiming the same message given first to the disciples. Those disciples became the apostles who took Christ’s message entrusted to them into all nations. They baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They have taught us all that Christ has spoken. And Christ’s promise, “Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age,” remains true.

I do not know what darkness surrounds you today. Maybe it is a darkness that has plagued you for decades, maybe the shadows of darkness are lengthening and just now creeping upon you. But whatever that darkness is, it is not stronger than the Light of Christ. Jesus is the true Light who gives light to everyone (Jn. 1:9). The Light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not and cannot overcome it (Jn. 1:5).

And even when it appeared that the darkness had fallen so thick and so black that even the apostles doubted, the Light shines again. Not even the death could extinguish the light that Jesus brings to this dark world.

Jesus is the light of the world who overcomes all darkness. His call to come after Him is for you, and you have no choice but to follow. To remain in the darkness is death and hell.

Jesus is not an accessory to make your life better or easier or more flashy. No. Jesus brings the reign of God to earth. Jesus has come and broken into this sinful world to reclaim and save it – He claims you through His Word and Sacraments. And Jesus will come again for the kingdom, the power, and the glory are His now and forever. Amen.

May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen.

Listen here.

John 1:29-42—The next day he [John the Baptizer] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ³¹ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” ³² And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. ³³ I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

³⁵ The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, ³⁶ and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” ³⁷ The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. ³⁸ Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” ³⁹ He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. ⁴⁰ One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. ⁴¹ He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). ⁴² He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

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

Dear saints, you could contemplate the first words out of John the Baptizer’s mouth for the rest of your life, for the rest of eternity, and still not exhaust them. “Behold, Jesus, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world is Jesus.

We look around this world, and we find sin. We look at the news, and we find sin. We look at the internet and our Facebook pages, and we find sin. We look at our home life, and we find sin. We look at how we treat our families and friends, and we find sin. We look at our marriages, and we find sin. We look at how we raise our kids, and we find sin. We look at how we spend our time, and we find sin. We look inside ourselves, and we find sin.

Sin and evil and death are all around us. But wherever we find sin, we are to find Jesus.

Jesus is this Lamb who took upon Himself the sin of the whole world. But we refuse to believe this. We insist on taking this honor – yes, honor – away from Jesus. We think it is dishonorable for the holy Son of God to bear all the world’s sin. However, when we do this, we become even worse. We take hold of our sin that sin becomes even stronger. We try to justify ourselves and the sin we have committed. We hold up a shabby bit of improvement in whatever area of our lives even though we have ignored all the other ways in which we have sinned against God.

To show us our sin, God has given His law. God has told you how you should live. God has shown you what you should do and what you should not do. God has given His Commandments to show you what you are, and here is the verdict: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Ro. 3:10-18).

God’s Law lays a heavy burden upon you. Your sin is at your throat. The Law has saddled you with your every failure. No amount of good works or pious living will lessen the load of your sin.

Like Isaac, you ascend the mountain with Abraham (Gen. 22:1-14). The wood of your sin is laid on your back, the fire of judgment is in hand, but there is no animal for the sacrifice. And so you ask your heavenly Father, “I see the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” You are bound, set upon the wood, and the knife rises over you.

But just as the knife comes down to kill, there is Jesus. You unexpectedly find the Sacrifice caught in the bush. You discover the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Jesus says to you, “You are no longer a sinner, but I am. I am your substitute. You have not sinned, but I have. The entire world is in sin. However, you are not in sin; but I am. All your sins are to rest on Me and not on you” (Luther). He is willing to become your servant, willing to be your sacrifice. Jesus was slaughtered, roasted on the cross, and eaten (Luther).

Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, is the Holy Thief. He takes what is not His, the sin of the world, and claims it all as His own.

Jesus sees the sin of the world, and He does not, He cannot, remain idle. Jesus confesses all the sin of the world before God, and God lays on Christ the iniquity of us all (Is. 53:6). The Lord strikes Jesus for those sins (Is. 53:8).

Brother and sister, do not doubt that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is the Gospel message. This is your salvation.

The Law says that sin lies upon you. But when you see sin surrounding you, overwhelming you, and engulfing you, remember Jesus says that your sin is His.

When Satan comes to accuse you, remember this. Tell him, “I admit that I deserve death and hell. What of it? Jesus says that He has taken those sins from me. Go talk to Christ about those sins; they are His now. The Lamb has stolen my sin.” Amen.

May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Listen here.

Matthew 3:13-17—Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. ¹⁴ John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” ¹⁵ But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. ¹⁶ And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; ¹⁷ and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

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

Jesus keeps doing unexpected things. Last week, we saw the twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple. Mary was upset that He had stayed behind in Jerusalem putting herself and Joseph through torture. Jesus responds, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my heavenly Father’s business.” With such a response, you would expect Jesus to leave Mary and Joseph behind, begin living on His own, and starting His ministry. Instead He does the unexpected. He returns to Nazareth and is submissive to Mary and Joseph.

Now in Mt. 3, we fast-forward to thirty-year-old Jesus. Maybe, He has matured to be more conventional and predictable, but no He continues to do the unexpected.

John has been preaching out in the wilderness, “Repent for the reign of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 3:2). All sorts of crowds were coming to John the Baptizer confessing their sins and being baptized. And John points the people away from himself and to Another, to Jesus.

John preaches, “I am baptizing you with water for repentance, but the One who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; He Himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing shovel is in His hand, and He will cleanse His threshing floor and will gather His wheat into the barn, but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire” (Gibbs’ translation of Mt. 3:11-12). But what happens next is unexpected.

Jesus arrives in the wilderness. He comes to the banks of the river Jordan, the place where the sinners are coming in response to John’s preaching, “Repent.” Does Jesus come to baptize with the Holy Spirit? Does He come bringing with His winnowing shovel and that unquenchable fire? No. Instead, Jesus unexpectedly comes for the same reason all those sinners are coming – He comes to be baptized by John.

This is shocking because Matthew has told us that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecy, “’Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us)” (Mt. 1:22-23). The angel tells Joseph that the Child’s name shall be Jesus, “for He will save His people from their sins.”

This Jesus, Yahweh with us to save us from our sins, appears among sinners, and what does He do? It’s not what John expected, and it’s not what we would expect God to do either. Jesus stands side by side with sinners in order to be baptized.

John is appalled. John tries to prevent Jesus. “Hang on here Jesus, I am the one who needs to be baptized by You, yet You are the one coming to Me?”

John’s preaching was directed to sinners who needed to repent of their sins. The sinners needed to be baptized in order to enter into the community of God’s people. Why does Jesus come? Does Jesus need to repent? Does Jesus need to be converted? Does Jesus need to be brought back into the people of God? Of course not! And John knows all of this.

Jesus, in essence, tells John, “Allow it, let it be, for now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” What righteousness is Jesus talking about? Many places in the Old Testament, but especially Ps. 71 equates God’s righteous acts as the saving deeds of God. Ps 71:15 ¹⁵ My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day (also Ps. 71:2, 16, 19, 24). Jesus, the sinless Son of God, comes to be baptized for sinners to fulfill all righteousness because He is your Savior who bears your sins.

Jesus’ baptism works backwards compared to yours. In your baptism, your sins were washed away (Act. 22:16; Heb. 10:22). But Jesus’ baptism put your sins upon the Son of God. Jesus entered the waters of the Jordan which were filled with the sins of the people who had been baptized by John. Jesus took a bath in your dirty bath water. Jesus does the unexpected; He comes to you, sinner.

As sinners, we have this false conception that we need to move up because God cannot move down. We think that the separation caused by God’s holiness needs to be bridged by us. We think we need to clean up our act and get our life straightened out so we can come to God. But that will never work.

Covered in the slime of our sins, we will never be able to clean up enough. Filthy rags of works-righteousness don’t clean the piles of dung that are our sinful lives.

Jesus does the unexpected; He comes to you. Jesus choses to identify with sinners instead of with God. Jesus comes to us in the likeness of sinful flesh (Ro. 8:3). He does not count equality with God a thing to be grasped and empties Himself.

Jesus takes everything that has gone wrong with us – our sins – upon Himself. Jesus, the pure Son of God becomes the greatest sinner. He does this to fulfill all righteousness to bring salvation to you.

Jesus is the Servant of God described in our Old Testament text (Is. 42:1-9). Jesus brings justice to the nations without breaking a bruised reed or quenching a faintly burning wick. He will not be thwarted until He establishes justice on the earth. He comes to us sinners as a light. He opens our blind eyes; brings us prisoners out of the dungeon and the prison of darkness. Isaiah goes on to tell about this Servant of Yahweh: Though Jesus does no violence, God’s will is to crush Him. Jesus bears our iniquities to make us accounted righteous (Is. 53:9, 11).

As Jesus comes up from the sin-filled waters of the Jordan River, the heavens are opened, and the Spirit of God descends and rests upon Jesus. The voice of God speaks, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

God is certainly pleased with His Son, Jesus. But how can you know if God is pleased with you? Sinner, you stand naked before a holy God in all your sinful ugliness and He in all His perfect holiness with no buffer in between. It is not a pretty picture.

However, at the right hand of the Father, sits Jesus. Jesus doesn’t beat around the bush. He doesn’t give you a list of things to do to make your nakedness less appalling. Instead, Jesus looks down at the nail holes in His hands and feet and says to the Father and the Spirit, “This is what gives him holiness before Us. He is mine. In his baptism, he was with Me in My death. Therefore, He will never die again.” Amen.

May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, now and forever. Amen.

Listen here.

Luke 2:40-52—And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

⁴¹ Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. ⁴² And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. ⁴³ And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, ⁴⁴ but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, ⁴⁵ and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” ⁴⁹ And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” ⁵⁰ And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. ⁵¹ And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

⁵² And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

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

Before we really dive into this text, I believe it is incumbent upon me to make one very important observation: Parents, this text proves that even if your kids were perfect and sinless like Jesus, you would still be stressed out. Press on.

This text is unique as it is the only time in all of the Gospels where we are given a glimpse into the life of Jesus as a child. The vast majority of the four Gospels deal with about 3.5 years of Jesus’ 33 years on earth, and a significant chunk of that focuses on one week – Holy Week. So why does Luke, inspired by the Holy Spirit, include this account that is at least mildly embarrassing for Mary and Joseph, the parents of the Messiah? Well, this event becomes the theme of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

For twelve years, Jesus has lived with His parents being perfectly obedient to them. He listened to the Scriptures in the synagogue and became filled with wisdom. This Passover is significant for Jesus because He is twelve years old; in other words, Jesus was considered to be spiritually mature. On top of that, twelve years old also places Jesus on the threshold of becoming an adult.

The family journeys up to Jerusalem. Large groups of people would travel together to go to the feasts. After celebrating God’s deliverance, Mary and Joseph’s caravan of friends, neighbors, and relatives leaves Jerusalem. They would all be spread out, some traveling more quickly and others more slowly. People in the caravan knew where they would meet and camp. But when everyone assembled at the meeting place, Mary and Joseph don’t find Jesus.

I would guess that every parent knows the panic of not knowing where your child is, even if it is only for a few seconds at a playground or in a store.

Imagine traveling for a whole day and realizing your child is not with you. And this is not any child; Mary and Joseph both know that this Child is the Son of God who will save His people from their sins. They had been entrusted with raising Him, and now He is lost. Though it was only for a moment, even Mary and Joseph failed at being parents.

Jesus is gone. Mary and Joseph experience the hellish terror of losing a child. They are apart from Jesus. To be without Jesus is hell, even when that Jesus is only a twelve-year-old boy. He is the Savior of the world. Whenever we are without Him, we are in hell – eternally suffering in our sin, eternally dying.

Mary and Joseph lost Jesus, and we do too. We lose Jesus often. We take our eyes off of Jesus and become distracted with many things. We worry and fret about what we see in the news. We fuss about our bank and credit card statements. We pester ourselves with planning for the unforeseeable. And we stew about our health problems. We focus on how we are doing in every area of our lives – our social skills, our parenting, our mariages – we look at all these things and we see our many failures. We let the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh distract us and lead us far, far away. We lose Jesus.

But Jesus is never lost. He is always right where He has promised to be.

After three days, Mary and Joseph find Jesus in the Temple. They are amazed and in wonder at finding Jesus sitting among the teachers listening to them and asking them questions. Imagine their shock and amazement and joy at finding their Child, not playing baseball or video games, but sitting and talking with pastors and spiritual leaders.

Even in her joy, Mary is somewhat dumbfounded. In her emotional mix of relief and irritation she says, “How could You do this to us? Your father and I have been torturing ourselves searching for you.” And Jesus, you have to love this especially from a twelve-year-old boy, calmly answers, “Why were you looking for Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?”

Now, this translation is debated. Literally, Jesus says, “I must be in the things of My Father.” Jesus doesn’t say exactly what ‘things’ of His Father He needs to be in. Every translation fills in the blank for us. Most English versions will translate this, “in My Father’s house.” But the King James does a better job I think when it translates Jesus as saying, “in My Father’s business.”

Jesus is never lost. He must always be doing His Father’s business.

Even Jesus’ word must here is significant, especially in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus talks a lot about the things He must do: “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God” (Lk. 4:43); but most importantly five times Jesus either directly or indirectly says that He must suffer, die, and be raised on the third day (9:22; 13:33; 17:25; 22:37; 24:44). Even when Jesus does what He must do and “gets lost” in death, He is right where He has promised to be.

You see this event of Mary and Joseph losing Jesus is very similar to the scene Easter morning (Lk. 24:1-11). A small caravan women arrive at the empty tomb expecting to find Jesus, but He is nowhere to be found. For Mary and Joseph, Jesus was lost in Jerusalem for three days, and for the women, Jesus was lost in death for three days. Mary and Joseph are asked why they were searching for Jesus, and the women are asked why they are searching for the living among the dead.

But Jesus is never lost. Jesus is always where He has promised to be. And He is always asking us, “Why were you looking for Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s business: dying and rising and forgiving your sins?”

Jesus is still doing His Father’s business, working in His Word and Sacraments. When you lose Jesus, remember that it’s not Jesus who is lost. Jesus will always be found where He has promised to work. That means Jesus is here through His Word. He is here in this bread and here in this wine doing His Father’s business of removing your sins from you.

If it is possible for Mary and Joseph – the people chosen by God to care for Him – to lose Jesus  than you certainly can lose Him too. Too often we assume that we can bring Jesus with us on our own business. And eventually we get the sense that we are far from Him, but it is not because He has moved.

Go and search. When you look in the right places – His Word and Sacraments – you’ll always find Him. Amen.

May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, now and forever. Amen.

Matthew 1:18-25—Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. ²⁰ But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

²³ “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us).

²⁴ When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, ²⁵ but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Our Gospel lesson today is a Genesis story. It is the story of the beginning of Jesus Christ. In fact, Matthew uses the word genesis; he literally writes, “the genesis of Jesus Christ took place in this way.”

The story told in Genesis 1-4 is very different from the genesis of Jesus.

Adam and Eve, the first husband and wife, began in holiness and perfection. God gave them a place to live and work to do. God provided their food and they had no need of clothing. But Adam and Eve fell into the devil’s temptation of getting more. Satan held out the illusion of being more than just God’s creatures. He held out the illusion of being like God. And Adam and Eve fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

Because they fell for Satan’s lie, sin came. Sin brought death. And ‘the rest is history’ as we say. The rest is a tragic, death-filled history.

Sin and death are on display throughout God’s creation. From the news of the day to the dining room table to your every thought and action, sin is evident. Mankind has created and displayed sin in every imaginable place, and we aren’t done creating and displaying our sins throughout God’s creation.

Into the mess of humanity, God comes to live among His creation. God initiates restoring His relationship with a sinful, fallen humanity. God descends to be with us.

Our text is the genesis, the beginning, of Jesus told from Joseph’s perspective. In typical male fashion, the birth of Jesus is told briefly and simply. In fact, it is mentioned so fast you could easily miss the fact that Jesus is born in the last verse of the text.

Joseph is engaged to Mary. Now, engagements worked differently in those days. An engagement was legally binding and could only be broken by death or divorce. But the couple did not actually came together as husband and wife until the marriage took place.

So, when Mary tells Joseph that she is pregnant, imagine the bombshell that was. Joseph knows how babies are made. Human babies have human fathers. He knows that Mary is not pregnant with his baby. The only logical conclusion is that Mary has been an unfaithful fiancé and is an adulteress.

But Mary knows what is going on – the angel Gabriel told her (Lk. 1:26-37). Now, Mary tries to reassure Joseph, “I’m pregnant, but it’s not what you think. This is God’s child. And I am still a virgin.” That would be a tough pill to swallow – so tough, in fact, that it is impossible.

The carpenter Joseph knows the commandments. Through Moses, God had given laws for when the sin adultery took place. “If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death” (Lev. 20:10). That sounds pretty foreign in our promiscuous society.

Joseph is a just man. Just men keep God’s just law. To take Mary as his wife would mean that society would see Joseph as guilty by association of fathering a child outside of the marriage bed.

Yet, Joseph is a gracious man. He is ‘unwilling to put Mary to shame.’ He doesn’t want to put Mary in the place where she would be publicly labeled as an adulteress.

So what is a just and gracious man to do? Does he give law or grace?

Joseph resolves to attempt a middle road. He does not want to take on the sin of his fiancé, but he does not want to be ungracious either. He resolves to divorce her quietly in an attempt to retain his integrity before the community and his graciousness toward Mary.

God intervenes. God sends His angel to speak to Joseph, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Joseph does as the angel commands him. He takes the shame of Mary’s pregnancy upon himself and makes her his wife. Mary gives birth, and Joseph calls His name Jesus.

Emmanuel – God with us.

Jesus – Yahweh saves.

God begins again. God proves that He loves creation by getting mixed up in mankind’s mess.

In Jesus, God comes in the flesh to save His people from their sins. God is here with us. The holy, holy, holy God enters His creation. He does this not to give us what we deserve, but to give us what we do not deserve. He comes to fix what we have broken.

God with us to save us sinners from ourselves. God with us to save us from our desire to supplant His rule and be our own gods. God with us as we wallow in the midst of our sins.

In Jesus, justice and grace meet. God’s wrath against your sins and the sins of all humanity are spent and poured out on Christ. On the person of Jesus, your sin is punished.

God is with you to give you undeserved grace. Jesus took your suffering; Christ took your shame. God is unwilling to put you to shame, but He does not plan to put you away in secret. No, God does not work that way. He openly puts Jesus on the cross, the Just for the unjust.

All of this is done to give you a new beginning, a new genesis. God restores the relationship that you by your many and manifest sins have broken.

I said earlier that the Genesis of Jesus is very different from Genesis 1-4. It is different because it is the  same story, but in reverse. In Gen. 1-4, all humanity in Adam and Eve moves from perfection to sin, but the Genesis of Jesus, the New Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), humanity moves from sin to perfection. 1 Cor. 15:22 says, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”

When you were dead in your sins, at the right time, Christ died for you. Though you have been adulterous toward God, He gives you a new and perfect beginning. Jesus takes your sins. Now, believer, you stand on God’s holy mountain. For God has given you clean hands and a pure heart.

Now, whenever you hear the name Jesus, remember that God has come into your mess to be with you and save you from your sins. Through Jesus, the Son of David according to the flesh, God has given you grace.

God has bound Himself up with you and all creation to save you from your sins. Amen.

May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, now and forever. Amen.