Category Archives: Historic One Year Lectionary

Unlocked – Sermon on John 20:19-31 for the Second Sunday of Easter

John 20:19–31

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Normally, I try to have one main theme or point in my sermons. Today, I’m throwing that out the window, and you’re going to get three mini-sermons. Yes, each of them is mini.

Sermon #1 – Jesus unlocks the New Creation. When God the Father created the world, He formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living creature (Gen. 2:7). Now in our Gospel text here, the resurrected Son of God stands among His disciples the very evening He rose, and He breathes on them saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any it is withheld” (Jn. 20:22-23).

The way the Holy Spirit inspired this to be written, we are supposed to see those two things – Jesus’ breathing on the disciples and also what He says about the Holy Spirit and forgiveness – as one action. In other words, Jesus’ statement is how Jesus breathes on the disciples. With the breathing of those words, Jesus is unlocking the new creation to you, believer. You who are in Christ through faith, you are a new creation; the old has passed away and the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17).

Sermon #2 – Locked doors don’t matter to Jesus. This text drops us into the room with the disciples Easter evening, so 1,991 years and seven days ago. It had been a chaotic day. Angels were appearing and talking to people. The resurrected Jesus has been popping up all over the place. Even with all of that going on throughout the day, the disciples and the women are gathered together in a house with the doors locked because they were afraid.

Luke in his Gospel also tells us about that evening (Lk. 24:36-49), and the way Luke records it, it seems like there is a disagreement between them all. It seems like some of them believe Jesus is raised, but some of them think something else is going on because Luke says that even when they see Jesus they think He is a ghost (Lk. 24:26-27). 

The way John words things here in v. 19, it makes it seem like Jesus invisibly goes through the locked door, but once He’s through He is suddenly visible. But listen to how Luke records it (Lk. 24:36): “As they were talking about these things, Jesus Himself stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you!’” The way that is worded makes it seem like Jesus was right there the whole time, and He suddenly appears – He makes Himself visible – while they are all confused and trying to make sense of everything that had been going on that day.

Then, Jesus asks for some food, and He eats a piece of broiled fish because, of course, ghosts wouldn’t be able to eat food. Then Jesus shows them His hands, feet, and side (just like He does here). The disciples touch Jesus. Not only do they see Him, they also feel Him hug Him. Who knows? Maybe they even gave Him high fives and fist bumps.

Now, here’s the point of mini sermon #2: Just because you can’t see Jesus with your eyes, that does not mean that He isn’t here. Jesus promised, at least a few months before His crucifixion, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Mt. 18:20). Dear saints, Jesus is really, truly, actually here with us this morning. If He wanted to, He could appear and ask for something to eat. Anyone carrying a can of sardines? But even better, He is here and will give you His Body to eat and His Blood to drink. Jesus is here. So, believe.

Sermon #3 – Jesus has some unlocking for you to do. When Jesus gives the Holy Spirit, He gives Christians the authority to forgive and to bind sin (Jn. 20:22-23). Remember when the lame man was lowered through the roof to be before Jesus (Mt. 9:1-8; Mk. 2:1-12; Lk. 5:17-26); what did Jesus say to him? “Your sins are forgiven.” The Pharisees grumbled because they rightly said that only God can forgive sins. Then, Jesus proves He is God and has authority to forgive sins by healing the man. Well, the one who has the authority to forgive sins extends that authority to His Church the same day He rose from the dead.

I’ve used this analogy about absolution before, but it’s helpful and worth hearing it again. Imagine you are found guilty of a crime and locked in prison. As you sit in your cell, a judge looks over your case and rules that you are innocent. He sends an order to the guard of your prison to set you free. The guard comes to your cell with the keys, unlocks the door, walks you out of the prison, and releases you back into society. Now who set you free – the judge or the guard? Honestly, the answer is both. The judge uses his authority to free you, and the guard uses his hands and feet to free you. Both things work together – the judge’s authority and the guard’s releasing because of that authority. 

When we gather together as God’s people here in God’s house, it is right for us to confess our sins together. And it is right for the man you have called to be your pastor – which is me – to proclaim God’s absolution and forgiveness for those sins. In the church, the pastors are the guys with the keys (Mt. 16:18-19). And please know that I wouldn’t have the guts to declare that forgiveness if Scripture didn’t clearly say that is what I, as the pastor, am to do. That is why the absolution is “by Christ’s command and authority.”

And this authority isn’t only given to pastors to announce over congregations. Jesus gives all believers this authority. You can announce this forgiveness. If someone comes to you and tells you about their sin and guilt and shame, point them to Jesus. Tell them that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. And tell them, “I forgive you of your sins because of what Jesus has done. And I do that because that’s what Jesus Himself would do.”

Dear saints, Jesus is way better at forgiving than you are at sinning. The absolution is a great gift that Jesus has given to the Church. That is the message Jesus has sent us into the world to announce (Jn. 20:21). That is the peace that Jesus gives when He says, “Peace to you.” It is the peace that declares those sins are gone. As far as the east is from the west, so far has Jesus removed our transgressions from us (Ps. 103:12).

Dear Ava, that brings me to you. Ava, today you are Baptized. Today, Jesus has joined you to Himself by placing His name upon you (Mt. 28:19) and clothed you with Himself (Gal. 3:27). In your Baptism, Jesus joined you to His death so that you have a Jesus-kind of death – in other words, a death that doesn’t last long and ends in resurrection (Ro. 6:3-11). Ava, you have been born of God; stay in the faith which overcomes the world (1 Jn. 5:4).

Our service today opened with 1 Pet. 2:2, “Like newborn infants long for the pure spiritual milk of the Word.” May all of us continually be fed and nourished by that Word that unlocks our sin and opens the way to eternal life. 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.

Change of Plans – Sermon on Mark 16:1-8 for the Resurrection of Our Lord

Mark 16:1–8

1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

That day began like any other day in that garden. While the city slept, daylight began to peek over the horizon. Birds began to rustle in the bushes and branches. They didn’t have any songs yet, just little chirps here and there. A light breeze rustled through the trees, but otherwise everything was silent and still.

For the women, any other day like this would have seemed utterly and completely normal. But everything that had transpired on Friday made this morning bitterly different. They had woken up early, well before the sun had risen. They walked out of the city walls in complete silence, each of them carrying a bundle of spices. They were returning to the place they had seen Him laid, and every step was agonizing but not because the path was difficult to walk. That wasn’t the problem. This trek was painful because His tomb was in the shadow of where they had stood for three hours watching Him die (Jn. 19:41). And those memories were still bitterly fresh and raw. But they had to go. They had a job to finish.

Their intention was to give Him a proper burial. It was something they had done for countless others back home in Galilee. But as they approached the garden, their plans were interrupted. They started to worry because they remembered the large, heavy stone that stood between them and their task. They had completely forgotten to calculate it into their plans. “Oh no! What are we going to do about that stone?” “We could go back and get some of the disciples to move it for us.” “No, that won’t work. The guards aren’t going to let them anywhere near His body.” “Ok then. What do you suggest we do?” “I guess we keep going. We’re almost there anyway. Maybe the guards will move it for us. If they won’t, we’ll just figure something else out.”

But then, as they came into the clearing, Mary saw something. The stone had been rolled back. It was laying there, face down. Somehow, the grave looked different. On Friday, the mouth of that tomb looked like the fierce jaws of a predator ready to snap shut. Now, it looked as weak and harmless as a limp, drooling mouth of someone who had unintentionally fallen asleep in a chair.

Those women had planned to anoint the body of a dead Man, but their plans were irrelevant. There was no dead man there. Those women were worried about the heavy stone, but their anxiety was a moot point. It had already been tossed aside by the angel who now sat on it in mocking it (Mt. 28:2).

All the plans of the women, all their worry and anxiety, all their calculations of how this day would go – all of that was thrown out the window because this was no normal day. It was the first day, and not just the first day of the week. It was the first day of something much, much, much greater. It was the first day of the new creation. It was the first day of the Resurrection of the dead. Jesus is the firstfruits, and the full harvest will come soon (1 Co. 15:20, 23).

It wasn’t just the women who had their plans changed and their worries wiped away that day. The guards had planned to watch over Jesus’ dead body to prevent the disciples from stealing it, but hose plans didn’t matter. One, they didn’t matter because Jesus wasn’t, still isn’t, and never for the rest of eternity done with His body. And two, they didn’t matter because the disciples were afraid and locked in the house (Jn. 20:19, 26). I imagine those guards were worried about getting this assignment. “They want us to guard a dead body? This must be some sort of demotion.”

The religious leaders had plans to destroy Jesus (Mt. 27:20), but all they could do was kill Him. And when the Son of God dies, He doesn’t stay dead. Those religious leaders planned to annihilate the Son of David, their King, and have no king but Caesar (Jn. 19:14-21). But now, Jesus is risen and ascended into heaven, seated at God’s right hand on the throne of creation with all authority in heaven and on earth (Mt. 28:18, Col. 2:10). The devil planned to strike Jesus, but he only got Christ’s heal. And now, the devil’s head is crushed (Gen. 3:15).

Christ’s Resurrection requires – even demands – a change of plans. It doesn’t matter if the plans are to do good things like the women, and it doesn’t matter if the plans are for evil like the religious leaders, the rulers, the soldiers, and the devil. None of those plans end up mattering because Christ is risen.

Now, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ever make any plans. Don’t let that be your conclusion. Instead, what it means is this: only what God plans matters. God’s plan is what is going to happen. God’s plan is what you can count on. So Christian, whatever plans you make, make them with your mind set on Christ your crucified, risen, ruling, reigning King. Every plan you make, make it by first setting your mind on Christ who is seated at the right hand of God because when Christ who is your life appears, you also will appear with Him in glory (Col. 3:1-4).

This also means that, whatever worries and anxieties you have, now they matter a whole lot less. Christian, because of Christ’s Resurrection, you can now look at everything – all the sin, evil, sickness, injustice, opposition, wickedness, and death in this world – you look at all of that through a different lens, the lens of Christ’s Resurrection.

That lens makes everything clear. That puts everything into its proper perspective. That is how things actually are in reality. The Resurrection has forever changed creation. Your sins are died for and forgiven. And Jesus is out of the tomb proving that God accepted His sacrifice. Death and the grave are defeated. Satan is crushed. And because Christ is risen, so will you.

Today and every day, celebrate that this morning, and every other morning of your life, is no normal morning. Every morning is another morning in the Resurrection. Your Redeemer lives. At the end, He will stand triumphant upon the earth. You will see Him with your own eyes (Job 19:25-26). You can plan on it. 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.

God of the Living – Sermon for the Vigil of Easter

Click here for the bulletin with the readings for tonight’s service.

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Now and always, our God is the God of the living (Lk. 20:38).

From the very beginning of Scripture (Gen. 1:1-2:3), God creates and gives life to everything that and lives and breathes. God forms Adam from the dust of the ground with His own hand and breathes into his nostrils the breath of life (Gen. 2:7) because He is the God of the living.

In the time of the Flood (Gen. 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13) when every intention of the thoughts of mankind’s heart was choosing death, God brings destruction to those who rejected Him as the God of life. But He would not make a complete end. He instructed Noah to build an ark to save Noah, his family, and the animals. God did this to preserve the life He had created because He is the God of the living.

When God heard the groaning of His people who were slaves in Egypt, He remembered His covenant with them. God saw their affliction, and God knew (Ex. 2:23-25). God did all those signs and wonders to bring His people out of that land of slavery and death. He opened a way through the waters of the Red Sea so His people could escape Pharaoh’s deadly soldiers, pass through the watery tomb on dry ground, and arrive safely on the other shore (Ex. 14:10-15:1). He did this because He is the God of the living.

When they were scattered and exiled, God promised to bring His people to their own land. He promised to sprinkle clean water on them to wash them from all their uncleanness. He would remove the sinful, dead hearts of stone and give them living hearts of flesh (Ezk. 36:24-28) because He is the God of the living.

When His people were dried up bones (Ezk. 37:1-14), God gave His prophet Ezekiel a promise to proclaim: “I will open your graves and raise you from your graves. I will bring you into the land, and you shall know that I am the Lord. I will put My Spirit within you, and you shall live.” God made that promise because He is the God of the living.

When Job was suffering, he knew that his Redeemer lives (Job 19:20-27). And Job had no doubt that his Redeemer would stand victorious on the earth. Job rightly confessed even after his body died and his flesh was destroyed that his own eyes would see God because Job knew that God is the God of the living.

Faced with a blazing execution, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to worship the pagan image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up (Dan. 3:1-30). They knew that God was able to deliver them from the burning fiery furnace and out of the king’s hand. But even if God didn’t deliver them they would not worship that dead, golden image. Even though they were bound and thrown into that inferno, they were not burned or singed because the God of the living walked with them both through and out of that fire.

The God of the living brings life to every corner of creation where we bring sin and, with our sin, death. The God of the living took on flesh and blood to take your place on Golgotha, the Place of the Skull (Mt. 27:33). Out of love for you who choose death, He willingly went to death to utterly defeat it. And when God dies, He doesn’t stay dead. He is the God of the living.

Jesus, your Savior, has and will come into your grave and bring you out. By His death, He has swallowed up death. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” Death’s only answer is, “I lost them. The God of the living has taken them away.”

Dear saints, because of the crucified, dead, buried, resurrected, ascended, and living Jesus, you now look for the resurrection of the dead and for the life of the world to come. 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.

Savior & Friend – Sermon on John 19:26-27 for Good Friday

John 19:26–27

26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

We might be a little hesitant to say it because it seems so blunt, but on this day – this Good Friday, 1,991 years ago – God died. Jesus, the almighty, eternal, only-begotten Son of God, died. And He died for you. The death that you and I deserve because of our sins is died by Jesus.

This, dear saints, is how God loves you. God Himself took on human flesh and blood so He could be beaten, mocked, scorned, crucified, and die for you and to win your salvation. And I wouldn’t be surprised if we spend all eternity contemplating and rejoicing in this fact. God died, and He died for you.

But we can’t forget that this is not only the death of our God and Savior. It is also the death of a Man, a Man who is also a Friend and a Son.

As Jesus was hanging on the cross, giving His life, and saving the world, our Lord’s mother, Mary, was standing there with some of the other women. All the disciples had fled (Mt 26:56), but apparently John couldn’t stay away. He was there to see the end (Jn. 19:35). You can imagine John inching his way out of the city, slowly stepping up the hill of Calvary, sneaking and threading his way through the crowds, closer and closer until he is there beneath the cross. And he stands next to Mary.

Then, Jesus looks down and sees His mother and the disciple whom He loves weeping. And Jesus says, “Woman, behold, your son,” and to John, “Behold, your mother.”

With these words, Jesus provides for His mother and for John. Christ gives His mother into the care and keeping of His beloved disciple. Throughout His entire life, Jesus perfectly kept the 4th Commandment to honor His father and mother. As a Child, Jesus was obedient to Joseph and Mary learning from them and submitting to them (Lk. 2:51). After the death of His earthly father, Jesus continued to take care of Mary, look after her, and provide for her.

And even as Jesus is dying, He is still blessing and serving His neighbor and mother. “Look Mary, here’s John. John, here’s Mary. Take care of each other. Love and bless each other. Don’t let each other go.”

By doing this even as He is dying, our Savior reminds us that we need one another. As He accomplishes the salvation of the world (1 Jn. 4:14), He also makes sure that His mom won’t be alone to fend for herself in the world.

As Jesus cared for Mary and John in this way, the God Man cares for you in every way.

Yes, Jesus goes to prepare a place for you in His Father’s house (Jn. 15:2), but He will also give you a bed and roof over your head so you can sleep tonight. Yes, Jesus promises to give you a seat at the eternal feast (Is. 25:6-9; Mt. 8:11), but He will also give you your daily bread today, tomorrow, and every day (Mt. 6:11, 31-32) until He welcomes you into His banquet hall.

Jesus is your Savior, and with this word, Jesus shows that He is also your Friend. Amen.[1]

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

[1] This sermon was adapted from a sermon by Pr. Bryan Wolfmueller.

Common Union – Sermon for Maundy Thursday

The Scripture readings for tonight’s service are
Exodus 24:3-11; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32; and John 13:1-15, 34-35.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

On this night, 3,470 years ago, God appointed a feast. God told His people to slaughter a lamb, take its blood, put it on the doorposts of their houses, and live. But the lamb wasn’t only used for its blood. God’s also told them to roast the lamb’s body and eat it. Those Passover lambs doubly provided for God’s people. First, the lambs’ blood marked the doors of God’s people which protected, shielded, and delivered them from the sentence of death. And second, the lambs’ bodies provided the strength and nourishment the people needed for what would happen the next day (Ex. 12:1-14). The morning after that first Passover, God’s people gathered themselves and all that they had and left Egypt to begin their journey to the Promised Land.

On this night, 1,991 years ago, our Lord Jesus celebrated the final Passover feast with His disciples. After that meal was done, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to His disciples saying, “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” Then, He took the cup, blessed it, and gave it to the disciples saying, “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

By doing this, Jesus put an end to the old covenant that His people had broken and established the New Covenant. In this New Covenant, He forgives your iniquity and remembers your sin no more. And this New Covenant does more than that. Because of this New Covenant, God promises to be your God and make you His people (Jer. 31:31-34; Heb. 8:8-13). Forgiveness and being God’s people. This New Covenant delivers forgiveness through the shedding of Jesus’ blood, but don’t forget that this meal also unites us together as God’s forgiven people.

In 1 Cor. 10:16-17, Scripture says that the Bread and Cup of the Lord’s Supper are, as the ESV translates it, a “participation” in the Body and Blood of Christ. Unfortunately, the way we use “participation” most often these days is simply showing up. In some competitions, simply showing up gets you a participation ribbon. Translating that word as “participation” might give the impression that Jesus does nothing more than show up in the Bread and Cup. I prefer the KJV which uses the word “communion.” The Bread and Cup of the Lord’s Supper is a “communion” in the Body and Blood of Christ. These elements unite us with the Body and Blood of Christ.

Because the Lord’s Supper is, according to Jesus, His true Body and Blood, it first unites us with Him. And second, since this Sacrament unites us with Jesus, it also unites us with one another. It makes us one body (1 Cor. 10:17).

We need this unity, this communion with one another. The first thing that God says about mankind is, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18). Man alone is not good. That doesn’t mean that man alone is bad; it’s just not good. To make mankind good, God creates a woman, a companion, a wife, a bride for Adam and this completes him. Then, not only is mankind good like the rest of creation; humanity is elevated above the rest of creation and is very good (Gen. 1:31). We were not created for ourselves to live in isolation. We are created for others.

In the Lord’s Supper, we become a united community, a holy and forgiven people who are bonded together with Jesus and with one another as the body of Christ. And as a body, we love and care for one another because we need each other (1 Cor. 12:12-27).

If one part of your body is hurt, the rest of your body compensates. If you cut one of your fingers, you use your other fingers to do what needs to be done while the injured finger heals. If you break an arm or leg, the other one picks up the slack. When Jesus gives us this new commandment to love one another, He is calling you to do the same thing for the other members, the other parts, of the body of Christ. And the love you have and demonstrate for your brothers and sisters in Christ is evidence to the world that you are truly Jesus’ disciples (Jn. 13:35).

On the same night, 1,991 years ago, when Jesus gave us Holy Communion, He also served His disciples by washing their feet. For several reasons, foot washing isn’t a Sacrament. One of the reasons is that Jesus says that washing was a lesson on how to love one another. He asks if they understand the lesson (Jn. 13:12) and says that what He did was an example of serving others (Jn. 13:14).

By that example, the Creator of all things makes the glory of His love shine by humbly serving His creatures. Jesus is the God of love, and He loves you by giving to you and serving you. This example of foot washing shows that we followers of Jesus are to give and to love and to serve each other as He does. Christ says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13:34-35).

What does this love look like? Jesus will say a little later, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (Jn. 15:13). Laying down your life for someone else can only happen once because you only have one life to lay down. The day may come when you need to lay down your life to save a friend’s life. But until then, lay down your life in the all the other little ways that you can. Lay down your pride and ambition and self-interest and ease and comfort to love and serve your neighbor. Lay down your lives to love and protect those for whom Christ has died because we are a holy communion, God’s blessed, forgiven community.

As you come tonight to receive this Sacrament, this Holy Communion, you receive Christ’s Blood that protects you from death. And you also receive the nourishment and strength that you need to love one another.

So, tonight, come to this altar, this table, at your Savior’s invitation. Come and behold God. Come and eat. Come and drink. Come and be united with Christ and united with one another. Then go. Show the world that you are truly Christ’s disciples by your love for one another as you journey to the Promised Land of His eternal kingdom. Amen.

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

Silently Accused – Sermon on Matthew 26:1-27:66 for Palm Sunday

Matthew 26:1-27:66

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

It doesn’t matter how familiar you are with a passage of Scripture, there’s always something more to see, to glean, to meditate on. That’s true for short, familiar passages, but it is certainly true for a long passage like this. While preparing this week, what struck me in a fresh way is what Matthew tells us in Mt. 27:20. The chief priests and elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

Of the four Gospels, Matthew is the sharpest on this. They don’t persuade the crowd to just kill, execute, or even crucify Jesus. They want Him destroyed. That’s their desire.

There is utter malice behind this. Jesus looks so weak. He had already been betrayed by Judas. The other eleven disciples fled when He was arrested. Peter denied even knowing Him. Jesus had been mocked, spit upon, beaten, bound, and whipped. And they still call for Jesus to be destroyed. The cruelty of wanting Jesus destroyed is absolutely astounding.

But through all of it, Jesus barely speaks. Jesus talks a lot at the beginning of this reading while He is with the disciples, but once He is arrested, He only speaks three more times before His death here in Matthew’s gospel. All these false accusations are thrown at Him, but He doesn’t respond to any of them. Jesus just stays passive and silent as He is accused. Again, He looks weak.

During His trial before Caiaphas, all sorts of false charges are brought against Jesus, but He simply stands there and receives them. He doesn’t say a word. He only talks when Caiaphas demands, “Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God” (Mt. 26:63). But then, Jesus says, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power coming on the clouds of heaven.”

It sure doesn’t look like Jesus is seated at the right hand of Power through the rest of His Passion. His silence looks like weakness, but that’s not how we should see it. It is powerful.

Jesus doesn’t speak again until Pilate asks Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” There, Jesus says,“You have said so.” But again, as the chief priests and elders accuse Jesus before Pilate, Jesus is silent (Mt. 27:12). Even though Pilate asks Jesus to respond to all these accusations, Jesus still gives no answer, not even to a single charge. In His silence, Jesus looks weak and passive.

All of this reminds me of the scapegoat. Do you remember what God had commanded His people to do on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16)? Each year, there were two goats. One was sacrificed and the blood of that goat allowed the high priest to enter the Holy of Holies. But the other goat, the scapegoat – it had a different purpose. The high priest laid both of his hands on the head of that goat and confessed all the iniquities, all the transgressions, and all the sins of the people. And God said that what happened there was that the high priest was placing all that sin on the goat’s head (Lev. 16:21).

And what do you suppose that goat did during that? It couldn’t object. The goat didn’t say, “Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” The goat remained passive and silent and simply received it. Once all those sins were placed on that goat’s head, it was led into the wilderness carrying all those sins away from the sinners (Lev. 16:22). The scapegoat and all those sins were destroyed, never to be seen again. Yes, the scapegoat was passive, but by it God powerfully removed those sins.

Pilate hears all these accusations and sees how Jesus is silent. He knows these religious leaders want Jesus destroyed for no good reason, but Pilate has an idea. Pilate has the notorious Barabbas in custody who had committed murder and started a riot and insurrection (Mk. 15:7; Lk. 23:18-19). Pilate puts Barabbas and Jesus forward as his nominees to potentially be released. It seems as though Pilate figured Barabbas was such a rotten individual and danger to society that the crowds would rather have Barabbas crucified for their own safety and protection. But the crowd calls out for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be crucified.

And that’s what Jesus wants too. So, Jesus stays silent, passive, and powerful.

It was God’s will that Jesus should be on the cross instead of Barabbas. By taking Barabbas’ place on that cross, Jesus also takes your place under God’s wrath against your sins.

God takes all this evil, malice, and injustice and uses it for your eternal good (Ro. 8:28). Jesus’ Passion isn’t a tragedy. It is God’s victory. In fact, this is the victory. Jesus’ silence in all of this isn’t weakness. It’s God’s power because this is God’s plan playing out. This is how God powerfully removes your sins from you as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12). Jesus is crucified and heaven rejoices to see God’s great, powerful love for His creation. This is how God loves the world. This is how God loves you.

Jesus silently takes all those accusations, He is loaded up with all your sins, and He is led into the wilderness of death as He is crucified and destroyed. But death will no power over Him.

Dear saints, welcome to Holy Week. Easter is coming. Amen.

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

Purified & Redeemed – Sermon on Hebrews 9:11-15 for the Fifth Sunday of Lent

Hebrews 9:11–15

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. 

15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

Thanks & Blessing – Sermon on John 6:1-15 for the Fourth Sunday of Lent

John 6:1–15

1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 

15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

I have a fresh appreciation for this miracle. Last Friday, I was one of the volunteers at Sacred Heart’s Fish Fry. For about three hours, I stood along the buffet line making sure there was bread, coleslaw, tartar sauce, butter, sour cream, and lemons for people who then waited for fried fish and a baked potato. When something on the line got low, I was ready to swap out the tray or bowl and have a full one ready so the line would keep moving. I one of 64 people working that night, and in those three hours we served 1,316 people their supper.

Now, think about that. Sixty-four people, who have been organized to do particular tasks, fed just over 1,300 people in about three hours. Here, Jesus and his twelve disciples serve 5,000 men plus women and children (Mt. 14:21). In all likelihood, this was a crowd of twenty to thirty-thousand people who are fed by thirteen men doling out five barley loaves and two fish that was brought by a boy. Every person in that crowd ate as much as they wanted. And, when it was all over, the disciples gathered up twelve baskets full of leftovers.

This is easily the ‘biggest’ miracle of Jesus recorded for us in the Gospels, which might be the reason all four Gospels tell us about it. The only other miracle that even comes close would be Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana (Jn. 2:1-11). Sure, there are times when Jesus will heal many sick people who are brought to Him, but those were still one at a time miracles (Mt. 4:23-25; 8:16; Mk. 1:33-34; Lk. 4:40). This one miracle provided for tens of thousands of people all at once.

It’s no wonder, then, that the people reacted the way they did. Here is a Man who can feed people bread without needing soil or seed or rain or the right weather conditions or combines or grain elevators or flour mills or factories or bakers or truck drivers or grocers. Jesus can feed people fish without boats or bait or poles or nets or processing plants or even water. Jesus is not a politician who spouts empty promises but never delivers. He just delivers. This is the kind of guy who everyone wants to be king. So, they planned to take Jesus by force and chain Him to a throne because, sure, they were full now, but they’d be hungry again later.

Notice what everyone in this account is focused on. Phillip looks at their checkbook balance and says, “Two-hundred denarii? That’s not nearly enough.” Andrew looks at the boy’s snack and says, “This isn’t going to do it.” And the crowds – even after they are fed – they know they would be hungry again. The food Jesus provided that evening wasn’t going to be there for them tomorrow. So, they think, “If this Jesus guy can feed us like this in the wilderness, imagine what He can do if He’s the king with advisors and soldiers and tax revenue.”

We sinful creatures always seem to be fixated on our lack and desire to get more than what we have. But even when we get more, we aren’t satisfied. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis says that the fact that we have desires means that satisfaction for those desires exists. Behind every desire – even sinful, evil desires – there is something good that is trying to be filled. The drug addict is trying to find the end of his pain or escape from sorrow. The sexually promiscuous are trying to find the good gift of companionship that God gives in marriage but fail to find it apart from marriage. Here, the crowds are doing the same thing. They want the gift of food but not in the way Jesus wants to give it.

You cannot force a gift to be given. Doing that is an attempt to twist gifts into wages, and that never works. All the things we long for and all desires we have are only filled by what God will give in the perfection of the New Creation. Because this world has fallen into sin, this world does not have the satisfaction of the desires we are seeking to fill. So, if you have unfulfilled desires, recognize you are made for another world. Stop looking to created things to fulfill your desires. Repent and instead, look to the Creator, and trust His promise to fulfill those desires. Then, be content with the good gifts God gives you in this life even as they seem to disappear.

In His infinite wisdom, God lets us see how things are used and depleted, but He doesn’t always let us always see how He supplies. None of the four Gospels tell us how the bread and fish are multiplied to feed this massive crowd. I doubt those loaves and fish grew into a massive pile that the disciples kept handing out – I think the Gospel writers would have included that. I like the suggestion that the disciples walk around with baskets of food, and each person reaches in to take some. While it appears to each individual that they are decreasing the amount of food in the basket, when the next person reaches in, there is still more. No matter how many people reach in and take, there is always more food in the basket.

Dear saints, your needs for food, house, clothing, money, health, etc. are things you can see and feel. But God doesn’t have to show you how He provides to meet those needs. He promises to meet them. So, trust His promises. You can see and feel hunger, but you can’t see the God who feeds you. You can see and feel sickness, but you can’t see the Great Physician who heals you. You can see and feel war and chaos, but you can’t see the Prince of Peace who has all authority in heaven and earth and governs all things from His throne at God’s right hand. But God supplies each of those things in ways you cannot see or understand. There are thousands of miracles that happen in your daily life. You’ve just gotten numb to seeing them because you experience them so often.

The fact that you work (in whatever job you have) and food gets to your pantry, cupboards, fridge, freezer, oven, and table is a miracle. When that food goes into your body and keeps you healthy, and when you do get sick but put nutrients, vitamins, or medicines into your body and recover, that is a miracle too. All those things – work, money, food, house, health – they are all good, miraculous gifts from God’s gracious hand. And what God gives He blesses. 

Here, we are told that Jesus gives thanks for the food before it is distributed to the crowd. In Confirmation class we recently went through the texts that recount Jesus giving the Lord’s Supper (Mt. 26:26-28; Mk. 14:22-24; Lk. 22:19-20; and 1 Cor. 11:23-25). In those texts, the Gospel writers use two phrases interchangeably. Jesus giving thanks for something is the same as Jesus blessing it. So, when you pause and take a moment to pray for your food, God is blessing that food to be a blessing for you. 1 Tim. 4:4-5 says that everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving because it is made holy by the Word of God and prayer. Receive with thanks the things that God gives and watch how it is blessed.

I’ll close with this: Jesus did not let the crowds take Him by force and make Him king that day, but He did allow them to take Him by force when a band of soldiers came and arrested Him. They forced Him to stand trial before Pilate and Herod. He wasn’t chained to a throne; instead, He was nailed to a cross where He shed His blood and gave His for you. Thanks be to God. Receive that gift with thanks and faith and watch how God blesses it. He blesses it and multiplies it to make you a blessing to others so that you can point them to Jesus, the One can and does fill their desires with the gift of Himself. Amen.

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

Keep Keeping – Sermon on Luke 11:14-28 for the Third Sunday of Lent

Luke 11:14–28

14 Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

24 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. 26Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first.”

27 As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed!” 28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” That is why the demons try to make our Lord mute after He opened the lips of this mute man.

Demons are persistent. They don’t just give up and throw in the towel. Jesus casts out a demon that stopped a man’s lips from declaring God’s praise. But as soon as Jesus loosened that man’s tongue, the demons regrouped because people started wondering if Jesus was the promised Messiah and Son of David (Mt. 12:23), the One whose kingdom and throne would be established forever (2 Sam. 7:12-13; Is. 11:1-10). The demons don’t want people believing that, so they quickly marshaled together. They influenced some of the unbelievers who surrounded Jesus to accuse Jesus of casting out demons only by the power of the prince of demons.

This gives us some insight into the tactics and strategy that demons still use today. Notice, they do notattack the reality of the miracle. They do not try to minimize what happened and say that Jesus is tricking everyone. “Well, Jesus planted that mute guy. They were working together. That guy could actually speak, and Jesus just used him to make it look like He had power over demons.” That’s not what they do. Instead, Satan and the demons flip things upside down by calling evil good and good evil (Is. 5:20). Here they take a good thing, casting out a demon, and call it “evil.”

We see this same demonic relabeling of evil and good all around us today. Today, people will say that if a woman can’t murder her baby in the womb, then that woman, somehow, isn’t equal to a man. That’s demonic. Today, people will say that the rioting and stealing that goes on at various times and places in our country is a good thing because those people are oppressed. That’s demonic too. People will say that having pornographic literature in school libraries for young children is necessary so other children with mental disorders don’t kill themselves. Again, totally, completely demonic. I’m not saying that people who are arguing for those things are demons, but they are being influenced by and are tools of the demons.

The cosmic powers over this present darkness (Eph. 6:12) continue to use these tactics to silence you, Christian. The spiritual forces of evil want to mute you and your tongue so they can be at peace and go about their malicious activities. That’s what they did with the crowds here in this text, and they continue to do that in our culture today.

Again, the accusation that Jesus only has power over demons is because He is in league with the devil is completely irrational, and Jesus highlights that absurdity. But the thing to notice here is that the demons’ goal with this accusation is still the same. They want to silence, they want to mute, they want to make Jesus shut His mouth and stop talking. Jesus has set this man’s lips free, so they can’t silence the man anymore. They acquire a new target and try to silence Jesus. But they couldn’t silence Him either. So, now, they try to silence you, Christian.

Today, demons still want to silence you – especially when it comes to making distinctions between what is right and wrong, what is good and evil, what is righteous and what is sinful.

Dear saints, God’s Word has always made distinctions. In creation, God’s Word made distinctions when He separated light from darkness (Gen. 1:4), when He separated the land from the sea (Gen. 1:9-10), when He made different plants and animals each according to its kind (Gen. 1:11, 21, 24-25), and when He set mankind over it all (Gen. 1:26-27). But remember that in those separations and distinctions that God was putting creation into order. Satan and the demons work to bring disorder and chaos to the places where God has created order. There is no peace when God’s Word is silenced. That is why God was at work through Jesus, the Word who became flesh, to put things back into order and in their proper place.

This fallen world resists the order that God’s Word brings because it is influenced by demons. One of the goals of the evil one is to silence, but God is the God who speaks. Because God speaks, His people also speak. God wants you to speak and confess boldly. And what should you speak and confess?

First, God wants us to speak to Him that we are poor sinners who are by nature, sinful and unclean in thought, word, and deed. God wants us to confess that we need saving. He wants us to confess that Jesus came to bring the redemption we needed through His death and resurrection. As we speak and confess that, God listens and forgives.

Then, God sends us out as those who confess His saving name to others. God wants others to know what you know, to believe what you believe, and to receive what you have received so more lives would be set right and put back into order again. God calls you to speak. 

So, how will you respond when the forces of evil throw their accusations at you? Will you remain faithful? Will you be willing, like Elijah was, to be called the troubler of his nation (1 Kgs. 18:17)? Will you confess Jesus before others as Jesus confesses you before His Father in heaven (Mt. 10:32)? I pray that is the case for all of us because there is no peace apart from the peace that God’s Word brings.

Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” Both of those are present tense. It could be translated, “Blessed are those who are continually hearing the Word of God and are continually keeping it.” Blessed are you who hold on to the Word of God and treasure it above all other things in this life. God’s Word not only puts everything into order, it gives life here and now (Jn. 5:24; 1 Tim. 6:12), and it also gives life in the world to come. 

Dear saints, hear God’s Word and keep it. Hold on to it. Continually hear and keep keeping it. Because Jesus promises that when you stand trial before anyone – even authorities, kings, and rulers in this world – you do not need to be anxious of what you are to say because the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you are to say (Lk. 12:11-12).

So, remember that this doesn’t depend on you. It depends on God and His Word. Jesus has set you apart and made you a member of His kingdom. He has made you holy and placed you in His holy family. And He invites you now to find nourishment for your journey through this world because the tasks are beyond your own strength to handle (1 Kgs. 19:7). So, God feeds you now with supernatural food. He gives you His own Body and Blood given and shed for the forgiveness of all your sins. Here, you have what you need to keep keeping God’s Word. And here you receive all the blessings that come with it. Amen.

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

Ingredients of Great Faith – Sermon on Matthew 15:21-28 for the Second Sunday of Lent

Matthew 15:21–28

21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

I want to start with an analogy that gets regularly used. Imagine two men who want to cross a frozen river with thick ice. One man doesn’t hesitate at all because he believes the ice is strong and stable. So, he gets in his ¾ ton pickup truck and drives straight across no sweat. The other man is terrified and trembling because he doesn’t trust the ice. He lays out as flat as possible to distribute his weight and crawls on his belly inch by inch and makes it to the other side. Both men had faith. The guy in the truck had a strong faith, and the guy wriggling on his belly had a weak faith. Was their success in crossing based on their faith? No. Obviously, one had an easier time than the other but they both succeeded in the goal of crossing.

Now imagine those same two men needing to cross the frozen river, but the ice is less than an inch thick. Again, the first man doesn’t hesitate at all because he believes the ice is fine, but he and his pickup plunge into the frigid river and are swept away. The other man is crawling because he’s worried about the thickness of the ice. But it doesn’t matter how careful he is. That thin ice cracks, and he’s swept away too. Now again, was their failure in crossing based on their faith? No. It was based on the thickness of the ice.

Here’s the point: Faith has an object; faith is in something. You can have a lot of faith, but if that faith is in the wrong thing it doesn’t matter how strong that faith is because the thing you believe isn’t right. The opposite is true too. You can have a tiny, little, weak faith in the right thing and that’s what matters because that thing can support that faith even though it’s weak.

For a long time now, you’ll hear people talk about being a “believer.” Ok, but a believer in what? That term is fine. The Bible uses it, but it needs more context. What is it that you believe? A newer term that seems to be gaining popularity is “a person of faith.” That one drives me nuts – as though faith is the thing that matters. Everyone has faith in something. A “person of faith” has faith in what? Honestly, an atheist is a person of faith. They are. An atheist believes that everything that exists came from nothing or believes that matter is eternal. An atheist believes, contrary to every observable fact, that the order and beauty we see in creation happened by mere chance. An atheist believes he knows enough to conclude that there is no designer or creator. Now that takes a lot of faith, but that faith is based on complete foolishness.

Christian, you can define your faith. The Creeds are excellent summaries of what you believe. The strength of your faith or the amount of your faith doesn’t matter as much because what you believe is solid, right, and true. The stronger your faith is, the better your life will be. Think back to the analogy of the two guys crossing the river: They both get across. The guy who has great faith gets across quickly and easily, but the guy who crawls still gets across.

We do want to grow in and strengthen our faith. Sometimes people will think that when Jesus calls us to have the faith of a child (Mk. 10:14-15) that He’s saying that a weak faith is fine. A child’s faith is not weak. Think about it. An infant can’t do anything on her own. But that infant has faith that simply crying will get her parents to spring into action to fix her problem – her hunger, need for a nap, or messy diaper. Infants actually have a strong faith that trusts the adults will take care of whatever needs that infant has.

Ok. All of that brings us to the text about the Canaanite woman. She is one of only two people in the Gospels who has a faith that gets praised by Jesus, “O woman, great is your faith!” (the other is in Mt. 8:10; Lk. 7:9). So, it’s good for us to consider what is it about this woman’s faith that makes it great enough that Jesus would praise it. Well, let’s consider the text.

The first ingredient of great faith is that it trusts that Jesus is the Savior of all mankind. This woman is an outsider – a Canaanite. She was part of the people that should have been eliminated because of their demonic worship. Psalm 106 talks about the failure of the Israelites to drive out the Canaanites and how that failure led to tolerating the pagan religious practices of the Canaanites. Because of that failure, the people were sacrificing their sons and daughters to the demons (Ps. 106:34-39).

It is no stretch to assume the reason this woman’s daughter was so severely possessed by a demon was because of her own actions and due to her pagan worship. If I’m wrong about that, I’ll apologize to this woman in heaven because we’ll meet her there. Now, despite all of that, this woman trusts that Jesus is herSavior and can help her and her daughter. So, she goes to Him and prays, which leads us to the second ingredient.

The second ingredient of great faith is that it is bold and persistent in prayer. This woman is unflinching. I know that it’s hard to hear how our Lord treats this woman. She cries out, and He ignores her. Jesus dismisses her and acts as though He doesn’t have anything for her. And, finally, Christ insults her by calling her a dog.

By the way, don’t let the way Jesus acts toward her make you think that Jesus is a misogynist or is racist. Look at the end of the account. Because He praises her faith, we know what He thought of all those prayers that came before. He loves this woman and her daughter. But in the middle of it the woman doesn’t know what Jesus thinks of her or her prayer. And despite the way she is treated, she keeps praying. She doesn’t let up. She keeps asking for relief and trusts that Jesus will deal with her according to His grace and mercy.

How many times have you prayed about something and it seems as though God is ignoring you or the situation gets even worse? That is not the time to stop praying. Great faith stays bold and steadfast even when it appears that God doesn’t care. Know that He does care and loves you.

The third and final ingredient of great faith is that it recognizes that God’s crumbs are more than enough. Now, getting rid of that demon was huge for the woman. It’s something she can’t do on her own. But her faith has such a high opinion of Jesus and His power that she recognizes that it’s no big deal for Him to conqueror that demon and expel it from her daughter. This woman recognizes that it is just a crumb for Jesus to completely defeat this demon who has crushed her soul, who has plunged her entire world into chaos and grief and suffering, and who has brought her all this pain and torment. It’s just a crumb. It’s no big deal for Jesus.

Dear saints, it’s nothing for Jesus to take away all your sins. He’s already done all the heavy lifting. So, it’s a simple task for Him now to forgive you, bless you, and grant you eternal life. He gives you better than crumbs. He gives you Himself to cure your soul and bring you unto eternal life with Him. Amen.

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