Category Archives: Historic One Year Lectionary

Discern – Sermon on Romans 12:1-5 for the First Sunday after Epiphany

Romans 12:1–5

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

You will be changed. Please note how that was worded. It isn’t, “You will change,” even though that’s true. It wasn’t, “You must change,” as though this is all up to you. According to this text, you will be (passively) changed. Here, you are given a passive command, which we can’t really translate well into English. What we have there in v. 2 could be translated, “Do not become conformed to this world, rather become transformed by the renewal of your mind.”

In other words, there are things that are going to mold, shape, and change you. But there are some things that should not do that, and there are some things that should.

First, don’t allow the world to change you. The word there is, actually, ‘age.’ “Do not become conformed to this age.” This age isn’t only this world; it’s also the demons, forces of evil, and the culture that pull on you. Our age seeks to conform you to itself. We’ll talk about things like peer pressure and, maybe, even societal pressure. We are to resist those. But we are also to resist the demonic pressure and self-imposed pressure to fit in with this evil age. All those things of this age try to press, pull, form, and mold you like you’re Silly Putty. 

Hopefully, enough of you have played with Silly Putty for this analogy to work. You can easily make Silly Putty do all sorts of things. My siblings, cousins, and I would play with Silly Putty at my grandparents’ home in Faith, SD. We’d take it out of the red egg container and roll it into a bouncy-ball and play catch. When we got tired of that, we’d smoosh the puddy into a flat oval, press it onto the newspaper ink, peel it off, and stretch out the letters and pictures left on the putty. You can make Charlie Brown’s head look even more ridiculous with a blob of Silly Putty. When we got tired of manipulating a particular smudge of ink, all we had to do was simply push, roll, and re-flatten the putty, and it was ready to do another one. The ink from each image never actually left the putty; instead, it just got absorbed into it.

A lot of Christians have allowed this age to work on them like putty. And there are all sorts of reasons they allow it. Maybe they don’t want to be laughed at, so they’ll go along with the theory of evolution and try to make it fit with the account of creation. It doesn’t. It can’t, but they try anyway. Maybe they don’t want to be considered a fundamentalist, so they will compromise on all sorts of things like marriage, sexuality, abortion, and whatever. Here, Paul says, “Don’t. Don’t do that!”

When you allow this age to press and pull and stretch you in different ways, you are in a dangerous place. Just like I’d get bored bouncing a Silly Putty ball around, this age will try to conform you into all sorts of things for all sorts of uses. And just like the ink never really leaves a blob of putty, some of the ways this age will play around with you will stick with you your entire life. Christian, don’t let this age play around with you as though you’re a blob of Silly Putty.

I just need to add here: This world does change you in ways that are fine. There are plenty of lessons to learn from people and organizations that aren’t necessarily Christian, but be careful with them. Have your filter up. Keep in mind what Php. 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

All that being said, you are to allow change to come from other places. “Be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” What does that mean? We might wish that Paul had said, “Be transformed by keeping the Ten Commandments,” or, “Be transformed by praying at such-and-such a time.” That would be a lot easier to understand and do. But that’s not what Scripture says here. You aren’t given a set of instructions to do or accomplish. Instead, you’re given the result of this transforming. This transforming results in the renewal of your mind, and it results in an ability to discern the will of God. God wants you, as time goes by, to get better and better at testing and figuring out His will, which is good, acceptable, and perfect/complete.

Sometimes, we’ll talk about the Ten Commandments as God’s will, what He desires us to do. And that is true. God’s will is that you have no other gods, use His name rightly, keep the Sabbath, honor your parents, not kill, not commit adultery or steal or lie or covet. That’s God’s will – plain as day. But none of that takes discernment to figure out. God has clearly said it. “Thou shalt not murder.” When you get angry at someone and want to harm them, you don’t have to discern if you should or not. Don’t do it!

When Scripture says here that you should allow yourself to be transformed so that you can discern God’s will, it’s saying that there are times when God’s will is for you to do something or not do something, but He hasn’t clearly, explicitly said what His will is. Instead, you’re going to have to discern what you should do. Yes, the Commandments are there to help and guide you, but the Commandments don’t address every decision you have to make day by day.

For example. Let’s say your kids are behaving poorly. What should you do? There isn’t a Commandment that definitively addresses that. So, should you discipline them and make sure they feel your wrath? Do you go by Pro. 13:14, “Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him”? Maybe. That might be the most godly, loving thing you can do. Or, should you be patient with your kids? Should you follow Col. 3:21, “Do not exasperate your children, lest they become discouraged”? Should you pause, take a step back, patiently talk with them, try to understand what’s going on? Again, maybe. That might the godly, right thing to do.

How do you know which to pick – discipline or patience? The Bible says both are good. How do you navigate it? God has a will for that situation, but He hasn’t explicitly spelled it out in the Bible. God hasn’t said, “When thy child flips out after you deny their request for candy at Hugo’s in East Grand at 12:34 PM on Jan. 12th, 2025, here’s how you handle it. But if it’s at Ace Hardware, here’s how you handle it.” God has ways He wants you to live, but it might be difficult to know how to handle each particular situation that comes up moment by moment, day by day.

Should you give money to that person on the corner by Sam’s Club? Should you watch that show or movie? Here’s a good one: Should you engage with that comment on social media? Ha! Proverbs 26:4 says, “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.” But in the very next verse, the Bible says, “Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.” You’ve got two verses back-to-back saying, “Don’t do it,” and, “Do it.” So, how do you know what to do?

I can’t tell you. No one can. In His wisdom, God has made these decisions challenging for us and require us to grapple and test and discern what we are to do. In other words, God wants us to do the difficult work of gaining and growing in wisdom. This is what it is to be transformed by the renewal of your mind. This renewal of your mind happens as you read the Bible. The Holy Spirit takes God’s Word and works on you, renewing and transforming you into what He wants you to be.

2 Tim. 3:16-17 says that all Scripture is inspired by God and is there to train you in righteousness that you may be complete, equipped for every good work. In other words, the Bible trains you and renews your thinking and mind. It transforms you. More and more, as time goes on, you are to be filled with God’s Word and bring it to bear in the decisions that are constantly coming at you each day.

This doesn’t mean you have to listen for a voice from heaven and have God directly speak to you. No. Don’t expect God to spell it out like that because that doesn’t take any work. Again, in His wisdom, God has made this more difficult, but that struggle is good for you and for me.

God wants this to be the rhythm of your life. Go about your life, make those decisions, and read the Scriptures. Evaluate how you made those decisions. Maybe, you’ll realize that you did poorly and didn’t do God’s will. Then, repent. Receive God’s forgiveness for that sin. Learn from your mistake. Do better the next time.

Maybe, you’ll realize you did well and that experience will make you better equipped to handle an even tougher decision in the future.

Then, armed with that experience and filled with wisdom from God’s Word, go, live a bit more. Make more decisions, and return again to the Scriptures. Live. Read the Bible. Live. Read. Constantly weave your life and God’s Word together. That work leads to godly discernment. It transforms and renews your mind.

Know that this transforming doesn’t happen very well if the only time you hear the Scriptures is when you’re here at church. Discerning God’s will is a life-long process. It takes work. But don’t forget that this is good work, and it is how God wants to be about His business of continually transforming you. And He isn’t treating you like a blob of Silly Putty. He’s sculpting you, or, even better, He’s metamorphosizing (that’s the word here translated ‘transform’) you into a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God (Ro. 12:1).

Finally, I want to make sure we anchor all of this to the context – both of this passage and the whole book of Romans. Remember this is an appeal, an appeal that is based on the mercies of God. In other words, only Christians who have been freely and completely forgiven of their sins because of what Christ has done – only they can be transformed in this way.

Even with all the discernment you gain from God’s Word, even with a mind that is filled with biblical wisdom, there will be times where you fail to do God’s good, acceptable, perfect will. That’s when you flee again to His mercies, which are new every morning (Lam. 3:22-23). And remember what Scripture said just a few chapters earlier in Ro. 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” None. Zip. Zilch. Nada. No condemnation.

Yes, grow and be changed by God’s Word. Don’t be conformed to this age. Instead, grow in wisdom, be metamorphosized, and discern. And always know and trust that Christ’s mercy covers you, now and forever. Amen.

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

Pleased – Sermon on Luke 2:1-20 for Christmas Eve 2024

Luke 2:1–20

1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. 

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 

14 “Glory to God in the highest, 
and on earth peace among men, with whom he is pleased!” 

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Grace, mercy, and peace is yours this night from God our Father and from our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The one thing you should learn from Christmas is that God’s greatest, most earnest desire and purpose is to be with you. That’s the “true meaning of Christmas.” Hollywood will give all sorts of other answers about what the “true meaning of Christmas” is – hope, joy, giving, family togetherness, whatever. To one degree or another, those are only related to God’s desire to be with you. Each of those things is only on the fringe of the purpose of Christmas. The birth of Jesus proves that God doesn’t want to be far away or disconnected from you. He wants to be with you. Each day. Every day. God wants to be with you, as close as possible – even within your own heart (2 Co. 1:22).

I say that because of how Luke records the event. The actual birth of Jesus only takes up a tiny fraction of the reading from Luke 2:1-20. In the first five verses, Luke tells us about the census that Caesar Augustus decreed. All the details in those verses – about Augusts, the fact that it was the first registration while Quirinius was governor in Syria, the fact that Joseph was from Nazareth but had to go to Bethlehem, etc. – all of that seems to be there because Luke wants you to know that what he records has been carefully researched. He’s paid attention to the details. He wants you to know that he got all of this exactly right.

Then, Luke simply records Christ’s birth. It is while Joseph and Mary are in Bethlehem that the time came for her to give birth. She gave birth, wrapped the Infant Jesus in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in the only place available – a manger – because there was no other place for them to be, except in that stable.

It’s remarkable, the way God inspired Luke to write this. The most important thing that has ever happened or will ever happen in all of history – the birth of Jesus – is simply stated. “She gave birth.” That’s it. The thing that gets the most focus, and what we will focus on tonight, is the announcement Jesus’ birth, which starts at v. 8.

Some shepherds are nearby watching over their flocks that night. It was an otherwise normal night for these shepherds. We don’t know how many shepherds there are, but we do know the number of angels that appear to them. At first, it’s one. One angel appears, but that angel isn’t the only thing that appears. The “glory of the Lord” also shines around the shepherds. And because of this, the shepherds are afraid. They are filled with a great (the word in Greek is μέγας), a mega fear. Why?

The source of their fear wasn’t that single angel. No, they are afraid because the glory of the Lord was shining around them. That’s the closest reference to their fear. Why would they be so afraid of God’s glory shining around them? Well, they’re afraid because even though God’s glory is a beautiful and wonderful thing, but it is only wonderful if sin isn’t part of the equation. When there is sin, we can’t stand in God’s presence. In Scripture, sinners are always terrified when they find themselves in God’s presence (Ex. 20:18; Jdg. 13:22; Is. 6:5).

Now, I’ll admit that the text doesn’t mention sin. God didn’t inspire Luke to tell us that the shepherds were filled with mega fear because they remembered that they were sinners. Sure enough. But Luke didn’t need to tell us they were afraid on account of their sin because he records what the angel tells them.

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great (there’s that word μέγας again). Good news of mega joy that will be for all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk. 2:10). 

This angel gives two reasons for the shepherds to not be afraid – the two “for” statements. The first because the angel gives to not be afraid is, “Because I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.” The source of this great joy is now (present tense) for these shepherds, but it’s not for the shepherds alone.

The angel makes it clear that this great joy that will be (future tense) for all people. That includes you! The good news was given to those five or ten or however many shepherds then, but the good news of mega joy continues to be given throughout the millennia. What the angel said then still echoes to all mankind, even right now, even as you are hearing it.

The second reason the angel tells them to not be afraid is, “Unto you is born this day a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Remember that the shepherds fear because God’s glorious presence makes them keenly aware of their sin, but the angel is quick to announce to them that there is a Savior from sin. So, let’s shorten the entire message from the angel. “Don’t be afraid; you have a Savior. He’s just been born.”

That proclamation is the solution to the shepherds’ fear. For the shepherds, the message was that very night that their Savior is born. For you here tonight, you also have nothing to fear because your Savior was born, about 2,021 years ago.

Every one of you here has a Savior. Maybe, you have believed that as long as you can remember. God be praised! Maybe, you used to believe that, but don’t believe it anymore. Maybe, you’ve never believed it. Your belief or unbelief doesn’t change the fact that your Savior is born, and I’m here tonight to tell you to believe it. Believe it because that’s how it benefits you.

Next, this one angel gives the shepherds a sign as proof that their Savior is born. They’ll find a Baby swaddled up and lying in a manger. And at the end of the text (Lk. 2:16-17), the shepherds find exactly that. There, swaddled up in a feeding trough, was the Savior of the whole world. What the angel announced to those shepherds and what that angel is announcing to you now is true. The sign proves it.

We need to go back, though, to what happens just after the shepherds hear this good news of mega joy. Right after the angel’s announcement, there appears with that one angel a huge army of the heavenly host.

The text doesn’t say that they this angel army came, arranged themselves into a choir, and began to sing. Instead, this army of angels appeared to the shepherds. From this, we are to understand that that massive troop of angels was there in that field the whole time. They just weren’t visible to the shepherds for a period, but now they are. This angelic host was present because they wanted to be there and listen to that one angel announce to the shepherds this good news of mega joy.

Angels aren’t like God. God is everywhere all the time. But angels aren’t; they aren’t omnipresent. But it is true that there are angels all around us even though we can’t see them. The Bible has all sorts of examples of angels being around people, but those people can’t see them (Num. 22:31; 1 Kg. 6:17). The night of Jesus’ birth, that angelic army choir wanted to watch as all humanity receives her King.

That angel army sings, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men, with whom He is pleased!”

This song reveals that God is pleased with all mankind. The Greek word there for ‘pleased’ is εὐδοκία. It’s two words combined together. The first part is εὐ, which means ‘good,’ and δοκία, which means ‘thinking.’ In other words, the birth of Jesus proves that God is thinking good toward all humanity – every man, every woman, every boy, every girl. You. Everyone. God is pleased with you, and you can know this because He has sent a Savior to become one of you. That is your peace. Your peace is that you have the goodwill, the good-thinking of God in heaven.

Now, I don’t know all of you here tonight. I don’t know if all of you believe this or not. But I’m here tonight to tell you from God’s Word, from the mouth of God Himself, this message: The eternal, almighty, holy, all-powerful, all-knowing God has come to dwell among you in your flesh and blood to save you from your sin. You can believe it without a doubt.

God thinks good things about you. Even though you have sinned against Him and others whom He loves, God isn’t disappointed with you. God should be. Without a doubt He should be, but He isn’t. He isn’t shaking His head and regretting that He created you. No! He is pleased with you. He loves you. That’s why He comes to save you.

Jesus, God in the flesh, your Savior, has come to you, and that is why the angel choir sings.

Again, each one of you here tonight, if you know anything, know this: God doesn’t want to be far away or disconnected from you. He wants to be with you. Each day. Every day.

Your Savior is born. He is born to shed His blood, to redeem, to ransom, and to rescue you from your sin. God is pleased to save you, to remove your sin and my sin. He has come to remove your guilt and my guilt. That is why and how you can know that God is pleased with you. Amen.

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

The Bearing Lamb – Sermon on John 1:19-29 for the Fourth Sunday of Advent

John 1:19–29

19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 

24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

The first few verses of this text are a little frustrating. A bunch of priests and Levites come to John the Baptizer and ask him, “Who are you?” John answers with a negative statement, “I am not the Christ.” I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation similar to this.

Imagine you’re at, say, your spouse’s company Christmas party. You don’t know many of the people there. You know a lot of names because your spouse talks about all those coworkers, but you don’t really know them. Imagine your spouse is off in a corner talking to those coworkers leaving you with the other spouses of those coworkers. Things are a little awkward, so you try to strike up a conversation with someone. You lean over and ask, “What do you do for a living?” and get the reply, “I’m not the President of the USA.” You’d probably be looking for another conversation. 

That is how John replies. But these priests and Levites have come on a mission. They’ve been sent to figure out just who John is. So, they start aiming at all sorts of targets. “Are you Elijah?” “I am not.” “Ok. Are you the prophet?” “Nope.” “Argh. Who are you? Give us something. We have to give a report.”

Finally, John opens up, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said” (Is. 40:3). There, John is doing what he was sent to do; he points people to Jesus. And John keeps talking about Jesus like an excited kid, “Among you stands One you do not know, even He who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” Then, the next day, John really gets going. He sees Jesus coming toward him and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

That is the most beautiful sermon you could ever hear, but I want to press in on it a little bit more. The words are familiar, but just like all the words of Scripture, there is always more to learn, more glean from those simple words. Today, focus on two of those words “takes away” (in Greek is actually only one word). That translation is a bit vague and nebulous.

You might think that is referring to what Jesus does on the cross, and in a sense, that is right. Jesus brings your sins to the cross and buries them by His death. But what John the Baptizer says here is a lot more specific than our translation makes it sound.

Nearly every English translation uses the phrase, “takes away.” The word there is a common one, and in a lot of places it’s a slam dunk that it means “take away.” In Luke 6:29-30, Jesus uses this word twice. He says if someone ‘takes away’ (same word) your coat, give him your shirt as well, and if someone ‘takes away’ your goods do not demand them back. In the parable of the Sower and the Seed, Jesus talks about the seed that falls along the path and the birds come and take it away (Lk. 8:12).

But this word also can clearly mean ‘to carry’ or ‘bear’ something. Jesus uses it in that way in Mt. 16:24 where He says, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up (there’s the word) his cross and follow Me.” There, Jesus isn’t saying that you should first take away your cross and then follow Him. He means that you pick up your cross, that you bear the weight and load of your cross, and you follow Him. That’s the idea of what John is saying here.

And John uses this word in the present tense. John points to Jesus and says, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who is bearing the sin of the world.” Jesus is the sin-bearing Lamb of God. For about three and a half years, starting at His Baptism and ending on Good Friday, Jesus bore and carried the weight and load of the guilt and sin of humanity.

The Bible talks about your sin and my sin in a lot of different ways: darkness, death, blindness, slavery, debt, alienation from and animosity toward God. The Bible talks about your sin being dirty, stinky, rotten. But here sin is described as heavy, as a weight bearing down on your soul (see also Heb. 12:1). The sins you and I have committed and the sins that have been committed against you, Jesus bears and carries them all.

Maybe, you remember the third verse of the hymn “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.” 
“And ye, beneath life’s crushing load
whose forms are bending low,
who walk along the climbing way,
with painful steps and slow,
look now, for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing;
O rest beside the weary road,
and hear the angels sing.” 

I just wish that verse was a little more clear about why those glad and golden hours come. They come because Jesus, the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world, has lifted that crushing load. He has taken those sins and carried them.

That load of sin, that crushing burden, is taken from you by Christ. If you read on after our text, you’ll hear why John can say this. John saw the Spirit descend like a dove and remain on Jesus at His Baptism (Jn. 1:32). From that experience of being the one who Baptized Jesus, John knew that Jesus was the One whom God had promised would crush the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15). John knew that Jesus was the scapegoat who would bear and carry the sins of all humanity into His grave (Lev. 16:21-22), which is now and forever empty.

John knew Isaiah’s message that God would send One who would bear our griefs, carry our sorrows, and have the iniquity of us all laid on Him (Is. 53:4-5). That One is Jesus. He is the Lamb of God who bears and carries the sins of the whole world.

This call from John is for all of you, for your hears to hear, “Behold the Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world.”

You see, your sin, my sin, all sin, has a place, a location. Sin is either on you, and you have to bear and carry its guilt for all eternity, or that sin is on Christ, the Lamb of God, who has already borne it for you. Why, why, would you keep carrying it? You can, sadly, you can continue to carry your sin. If you refuse to believe in Christ, that burden can remain on you. But that would be, frankly, foolish. Jesus has carried it for you. Believe that, and be unburdened. Through faith, your sin is on Christ, and you are saved.

Dear Iris, today you are Baptized. Today, Jesus has joined you to Himself by placing His name upon you (Mt. 28:19). Iris, Jesus, the sin-bearing Lamb of God, has lifted that burden and has now clothed you in His righteousness (Gal. 3:27), and you have been born of God (Jn. 3:3, 5). Iris, continue believing that.

Iris and all you here, know and believe that God is for you. He is on your side. Christ has done what you could not do for yourself. He has borne your sins. He bore, carried, and dealt with them once for all, for you. 

So, be unburdened, Jesus has come to save you by being the sin-bearing Lamb for you. Amen.

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

Successful Steward – Sermon on 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 for the Third Sunday of Advent

1 Corinthians 4:1–5

1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

In these days leading up to Christmas, gifts are probably taking a lot of your time, energy, and mental space. Maybe, you’re still looking for that perfect present that evens out the number of gifts and the amount you’ve spent on each individual. You might be struggling to find a spot to hide everything until you can get it all wrapped, or you’re closely following the tracking information so you can intercept the packages before they are discovered on your front step.

In this season of giving gifts, it’s good to remember that everything you have is a gift. Just two verses after this reading (1 Cor. 4:7), Paul rhetorically asks, “What do you have that you did not receive?” Everything we possess has been graciously given to us by our God and Father (Jn. 3:27). Our houses and vehicles, our food and clothing, our families and jobs are all good gifts freely given by the hand of God. He has given you your time, your talents, your body, your energy, and strength. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you have earned anything you have. God has given it. The epistle of James says, “Every good and every perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of lights” (Jam. 1:17).

Because everything you have is a gift, that means you are a steward or manager of those gifts. It all belongs to God, and God wants and expects you to use everything He has given you to love Him by loving your neighbor (Mk. 12:28-31). Stewards know that what they have will all eventually be returned to their Owner, and on the Last Day, you will give an account to God for how you have used those gifts (Heb. 4:13). The issue that Paul is dealing with here is about being a successful steward.

Here, Paul is specifically talking about his stewardship of his office, his vocation, of being an apostle. God made Paul a steward of the mysteries of God. That means that Paul is to preach God’s Word and write the sacred, Holy Spirit-inspired Scriptures. He recognizes that he needs to be faithful in that. But this text extends far beyond just Paul.

All stewards are required to be faithful with what they are given. Paul writes, “It is required of stewards that they be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:2). In other words, faithfulness is the one standard by which stewards are judged. And there is great comfort in this. Stewards aren’t judged by numbers or growth or success or fame. Faithfulness is the one, and only, standard by which a stewards’ success will be determined. And the only One who can and does judge by that standard is God, the Giver of the good gifts that we have.

As Paul writes about himself here, he says, “with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court” (v. 3a). It doesn’t matter how they judge him. And it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. In fact, Paul says that it doesn’t even matter what his own estimation is; he says, “I do not even judge myself” (v. 3b). The only thing that matters is what the Lord God judges (v. 4). In God’s timing, He will bring to light the things that are now hidden in darkness and disclose the purposes and intentions of the heart. Then, and only then, will each one receive his commendation and praise from God (v. 5).

Dear saints, there is such freedom for you here. It can be incredibly easy to get discouraged in life. We make our plans, and they don’t pan out. We struggle through our tasks at work and don’t seem to make any progress. We do our best to teach our kids and train them how they should act, but they keep disobeying. We try to provide financially for ourselves and our families, but we always seem to be behind. In all those moments, we start judging ourselves and our work by metrics that – honestly, in the end – don’t really matter.

Now, that does not mean that we shouldn’t use those metrics to improve and do better as stewards. I’m not saying that. We should always strive to be better stewards of what God has given us.

What I am saying, though, is this: At the end of the day, at the completion of a task, when we consider how well we’ve done at anything, the question we should ask is, “Have I been faithful?” In other words, “Did I do what God has given me to do? Did I use the resources and means that God provided in the best way I could?” If the answer to that is, “Yes,” then that is enough. But remember that your estimation doesn’t matter. Only God’s does.

This standard of success for stewards applies to all areas of your life. It applies to your schooling, your marriage, your career, your time, talents, and treasures because, again, all of it is a gift from God. Some of you think far worse of yourself than you really are. And, yes, some of you think far better of yourself than you actually are. The day will come when God will reveal all sorts of hidden obstacles and struggles – as well as blessings and gifts – that we didn’t have any idea were there. And then, He will be the Judge who commends or condemns. So, don’t you go jump the gun. Don’t bother with rating or grading yourself. God will take care of it when He comes.

Another pastor put it well when he said that this text gives us a “blessed uncertainty” as it concerns our success, our failure, our progress, or our lack of progress. And there are at least two reasons God wants you to have this uncertainty.

First, God wants you to be uncertain about your success because if you were confident in either direction – either how well or how poorly you had done – that becomes a distraction to you remaining faithful. If you’re always looking around to see how well or how poorly you’re doing, you’re probably not paying enough attention to what you are actually doing. God wants you to be focused on the thing He has given you to do. All you have to do is to be faithful.

Second, and more importantly, God wants you to be uncertain about your success because He wants you to be certain of only one thing – just one thing. And that is the certainty of your position in Christ alone. God wants you to be certain that you are justified because Christ Jesus has died for you. Through faith in Him, your sins are not and will not be counted against you. You have a future and a hope in Christ that is immovable. Keep your focus and attention on that because, again, that is certain.

Dear saints, the Lord, and the Lord Jesus Christ alone, judges you. And, through faith, you already know what that judgment is. You heard it in the Absolution. Jesus Himself says, “I entirely forgive you all of your sins because I have died for them.” Rejoice in that, my fellow stewards of God’s gifts. Amen.

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

Shaken & Stirred – Sermon on Luke 21:25-36 for the Second Sunday of Advent

Luke 21:25–36

25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

We’ll get to this text, I promise. But first, I want to make a quick comment on our liturgy. Right away, the term or word “liturgy” might seem dull or dry. But the word ‘liturgy’ is a biblical word that simply means ‘public service.’ It seems less common now, but people used to talk about a church either being ‘liturgical’ or ‘contemporary.’ But that isn’t a helpful distinction because every church has a liturgy. In some churches, that order looks like singing for a long time, hearing a sermon, singing again, and leaving the building. You know what the service looks like here. And in other churches you may have attended, it looks different. When Christians gather together in church, they do things in a particular order, and that order is the liturgy.

I’m not sure when, but sometime in the not-too-distant future I’m going to take the time during a Sunday morning service to explain the different parts of our service and why we do what we do when we do it. But that’s for another time.

‌Today, I want to highlight one of the parts of our liturgy which is the Collect. It’s that short prayer that is offered right after the Confession and Absolution and before the Scripture readings. The Collect changes every week, because it takes the different Scripture readings we hear during the service and collects (hence the name) them into a prayer that we offer to God. What the Collect does is it sets the theme for what we will hear from God’s Word each week. People have traced the origins of these prayers far back through Church history. They have been used by Christians since the 400-500’s.

‌I printed the main part of today’s Collect there for you in the Scripture insert, and I want to draw your attention to it again right now. “Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Your only-begotten Son, that by His coming we may be enabled to serve You with pure minds.” It’s a good prayer because we need to have our hearts stirred up by God, and Jesus certainly does that in this Gospel reading. Jesus says that the day is coming when, “The powers of the heavens will be shaken” (Lk. 21:26).

‌Shaking the heavens is no problem for God. God created all the celestial bodies on the fourth day of creation by simply speaking (Gen. 1:14-19). All the planets, solar systems, stars, and galaxies didn’t get where they are by accident. God did it with precision. Earth is about 91.6 million miles from the sun. If it were a tiny fraction closer to the sun, the whole planet would fry; a tiny fraction further, and it would freeze. And it isn’t just Earth’s proximity to the sun that sustains life. It is tilted in just the right way as well. Also, God created the other planets of our solar system in the right sizes and set them at the right distances to keep our orbit just right and protect us from asteroids. Our moon is just the right size and distance to sustain life on the planet by causing the high and low tides. And I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Milky Way galaxy is the perfect distance from other galaxies and black holes too.

‌You probably know the rule In carpentry, “Measure twice; cut once.” I’m not sure how to state a similar rule for creating the universe. Maybe, “Measure twice; carefully place all the powers of the heavens in their positions once.”

‌Well, Jesus tells us that all of it is going to be shaken. Normally, when things are shaken, it’s a violent and chaotic thing. You shake something and stuff goes all over the place and ends up in random positions when the shaking stops. But the same precision that God used in creating the heavens will also be used when God shakes them. Yes, everything is going to be shaken, but that doesn’t mean God isn’t in control of what’s happening.

‌Shaking the heavens is no problem for God. The bigger problem is stirring our stubborn hearts. That’s why Jesus tells us to “stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Lk. 21:36). In other words, don’t get in a tizzy when the powers of the heavens are shaken. Instead, pray that as the universe shakes that God would strengthen you to stand before Him when He returns.

‌This past Thursday, a news alert came on my phone that there had been an earthquake off the coast of central California and a tsunami warning had been issued. I said a quick prayer for the people and cities. (I’d encourage you, when you get an alert like that or when you hear sirens, the first thing to do is pray. At least send up a, “Lord, have mercy.”) About half an hour after I saw that alert, I took a break to check Twitter – I still can’t call it ‘X’ – to see if there was a tsunami since I know people who live in that area. I found a bunch of posts from people who lived in that area, and most of them were saying that they were more startled by the alert from their phone than they were worried about being swept away. I was fairly shocked. Even though a tsunami could still have been coming, people were complaining that the buzzing and noise from their phone was too loud.

‌Now, I know those emergency alerts are very shocking, but they’re supposed so they grab our immediate attention. But I found it remarkably interesting that people were scared more by their phones than they were about the possibility of their cars, houses, workplaces, and city being completely swept away in an instant.

‌But then, I realized that all those comments of misdirected fear is what I and, probably, most of us do. We get riled up about all sorts of things, but the things that get us riled up aren’t what is most important. Especially this time of year, we focus more on what gifts to buy, how much money we are spending, rushing around for all the parties and get-togethers, and the final exams or papers. But are we preparing to stand before Christ, the Son of Man? Our concern for temporary tings often leads to complacency about eternal things. Remember what Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words will not pass away” (Lk. 21:33).

When you listen to the world, what do you hear them talking about? You hear about wars and rumors of wars. They talk about the atmosphere and “catastrophic global climate change.” And they’re definitely perplexed about all of it. Many of the signs Jesus speaks about in this text are the constant chatter of our day and age.

‌Dear saints, God would have you speak differently than the world speaks. You can see the different calamities happening in our world and use them as an opportunity to share the joy and hope you have of the Savior’s return. Yes, it is clear that creation isn’t going to last forever. This world will not endure because of the sin we have brought into it. But you know that Christ is risen. You know that His death and resurrection was to save the world. You know that your Redeemer promises to make all things new, and again, His words will not pass away. What He has promised will surely happen.

‌Jesus, your Savior, is coming again for your redemption. That puts a new perspective on all the evil and chaos of this world. You have Christ’s promise that the things you struggle with and have to endure in this world will cease and be replaced with the joy of living in God’s eternal kingdom.

‌Even as the powers of the heavens are shaken, we pray that God would stir up our hearts to be ready for Jesus’ coming. The cares of this life are certainly real, but they are nothing compared to the redemption that is coming and drawing near.

Dear saints, in the midst of the evil of this broken world, straighten up. Raise your heads. Your redemption is coming, and it is drawing near. Amen.

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

Determined – Sermon on Job 14:1-6 for the Twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity

Job 14:1–6

1 “Man who is born of a woman 
is few of days and full of trouble. 
2 He comes out like a flower and withers; 
he flees like a shadow and continues not. 
3 And do you open your eyes on such a one 
and bring me into judgment with you? 
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? 
There is not one. 
5 Since his days are determined, 
and the number of his months is with you, 
and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass, 
6 look away from him and leave him alone, 
that he may enjoy, like a hired hand, his day.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Seasons change. This year, we’re having a particularly long Fall. We’ve been hitting 50°F regularly. The forecast says we’ve got a couple more days of that, but it’s definitely Fall. The sun is lower in the sky, and it’s getting dark earlier and earlier each day. Your grass might still have some green in it, but the brown is steadily progressing. Most of the leaves have fallen off of the trees, and you’re probably ahead of me in getting them off the lawn.

We’re used to these seasonal changes in this part of the world. During the months that end with ‘-ber,’ we start smelling autumn in the air. And I know some of you are already eagerly waiting for March and April when you get those first, faint scents of Spring. This portion of Job is like those brief whiffs of new life. But, because of his suffering, Job is deep in the declining days of autumn, and yet he is determined to smell the sweetness of Spring again.

To get the context of where we are in Job 14, remember: Three times in the first two chapters, Job is described as a man who is blameless, upright, one who fears God, and turns away from evil (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3). In other words, Job is a Christian. But God allows Satan to cause him all sorts of suffering, both in material and physical ways. Job’s suffering puts him in this autumn season of death.

As he suffers, Job’s three friends come to talk with him. Well, we call them “friends,” but that’s using that word extremely liberally because, honestly, they’re really, really bad friends. Each of them thinks he’s wise enough to know why Job is suffering and tries to explain it. The problem is that their ideas of why Job is suffering only make Job’s suffering worse. In fact, the conversation Job’s friends have with him is, basically, a third round of suffering inflicted on Job.

The first friend, Eliphaz, basically tells Job, “You’re suffering because you are being punished for some sin. But you should be thankful because this suffering is going to make you a better person” (Job 4-5). The second one, Bildad, basically says, “You’re getting what you deserve. Just repent, and your pain will go away” (Job 8). The third, Zophar, basically says, “Actually, Job, you deserve a lot worse. Make yourself worthy to stand before God and then your life will get better” (Job 11). It’s almost like each one of those friends is actively trying to be worse than the previous at explaining why Job is suffering.

Job had responded to each of those friends’ claims, but our text today is the second part of Job’s reply to the three of them collectively. The summary of what Job says in Job 13 is, “This suffering isn’t because God is punishing me for some particular sin. You guys can say whatever you want, but I have no problem insisting that I am righteous before God.” And remember, Job is right when he says that. Job hadn’t heard it, but God Himself declared Job to be blameless and upright. And even though Job is in the autumn of suffering, he stands righteous before God through faith (Hab. 2:4; Gen. 15:6).

Now, here in Job 14, Job longs for Spring and the season of new life. But he speaks about it in ways where we only get the faintest whiff of it. He’s still deep in the autumn of his suffering. That’s why Job talks about the few, troubled days of all mankind (Job 14:1). Job rightly says that all of us are like a flower that sprouts up but then withers (Job 14:2).

Look again at in v. 5. Job says, “[Man’s] days are determined, and the number of his months is with You, [God]. You have appointed his limits that he cannot pass.” Yes, Job is in a very dark place. He’s enduring a suffering that is hard for us to fathom. He’s lost his all of his income, and his children have died. But Job still recognizes that God is the One in control of all his days. Job knows that God determines both the beginning and end of a person. Because of sin, all of us are mortals. We all die, and each person has a God-determined number of days (Ps. 39:4, 139:16).

But then, in the verses that follow immediately after our text (Job 14:7-9), Job says that he longs for Fall to be over and Spring to come again. He says that there is still hope for a tree that is cut down because it can sprout again. Job acknowledges that roots grow old in the earth and the stump dies in the soil, but it will still put out branches at the first scent of water.

In other words, Job believes that, in spite of his current condition, God hasn’t and won’t abandon him – even after Job has breathed his last. Job believes in the Resurrection. In spite of his suffering, Job knows that he will rise again, and his own eyes will see his Redeemer standing victorious on the earth. That will become crystal clear in what Job says in ch. 19:25-27. But here in ch. 14, Job is still mostly in his “Fall funk.”

Now, I want to dig into v. 6 here a little bit. Listen to it again, “look away from him and leave him alone, that he may enjoy, like a hired hand, his day.” When I was initially reading this text to prepare for this sermon, that verse reminded me of other verses of Scripture like Ecc. 2:24 which says, “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil.” The way I understood it was that Job was asking God to look away from him and leave him alone so he could just enjoy the rest of his days. But after doing more study on the text, I realized that’s not what is going on here. Not at all!

If you look in your pew Bible, you’ll see that the ESV (which is what is printed for you) has a footnote that says the way we should probably read that first line of v. 6 is, “Look away from him that he may cease.” In other words, Job isn’t asking God to leave him alone. Instead, Job is saying that, as soon as God looks away from us, we die. Now, it might not seem like it at first, but there are actually two bits of comfort there.

The first comfort is that Job recognizes God is not ignoring him or looking the other direction. Even though Job is suffering, God is looking at him and is aware of his situation. Since God knows Job’s suffering, He also knows your suffering. God sees. God is alert to all the causes of your pain. That’s precisely why He sent Jesus to rescue and deliver you.

The second comfort is a little harder to recognize – like the first scent of Spring. What Job is saying here is basically, “Look away from me so I can come to the end of my days and die because I know there is a resurrection where there will be no more suffering.” Now, Job isn’t suicidal here. Instead, Job recognizes that his life is like the changing of seasons. He’s in the Fall of suffering and decay. The cold, dead of winter will come when God decides it will come. But after winter comes the new life of Spring and resurrection. That’s what Job is longing for.

In context, that first line of v. 6 is Job saying, “God, I know that I’m not going to live forever. I know that this suffering is temporary. Eventually, I will die, but You will raise me again. Even now in this suffering, my life is in Your hands. But I also know that my eternal future is in Your hands. And my preference right now is to move on and get to the resurrection stuff.”

That understanding gives us a better picture of what the second line of v. 6 says where Job talks about a hired hand enjoying his day. During the sweat and toil of work, a hired hand looks to the end of the day when he will rest and receive his wages. That’s what Job longs for. Through faith, Job knows that God will reward him when his life has ended, and he will have eternal rest.

So, dear saints, let’s apply all of this to you. You aren’t suffering like Job is here, and may God grant that none of you ever do. But everyone suffers to one degree or another in this broken world. Like Job, you can confidently place yourself in God’s hands. Yes, you are a sinner, but God can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing (Job 14:4). Your God brings life out of death. God cleanses, restores, and forgives. No matter what you suffer in this life, God still and always loves you because of what Christ has done on the cross for you.

We suffer many things in this broken, sinful world. Whatever we suffer points to the fact that this world is ending. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus will mention several signs of the end of the world, and they are all some form of suffering. But Jesus wants you to take courage. Every war and rumor of war; every earthquake and hurricane; every corrupt government and politician; every sickness, disease, death, and threat – all of them are only signs that this world is broken and will not last. But know that even in the midst of all those signs, God hasn’t forgotten you.

Jesus lives, and He is returning for you. You belong to Him. Through Jesus, God has delivered you and declared that you are His people. Christ is determined to rescue you. He brings life out of death, and He will lead you in green pastures and beside still waters (Ps. 23:2).

Jesus is your God and Savior, and He is absolutely determined to bring you safely through the autumn of this broken world into the eternal Spring of the New Creation. Amen.

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

Return to Comfort – Sermon on Isaiah 51:9-16 for the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity

Isaiah 51:9–16

9 Awake, awake, put on strength,
O arm of the Lord; 
awake, as in days of old, 
the generations of long ago. 
Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, 
who pierced the dragon? 
10 Was it not you who dried up the sea, 
the waters of the great deep, 
who made the depths of the sea a way 
for the redeemed to pass over? 
11 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return 
and come to Zion with singing; 
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; 
they shall obtain gladness and joy, 
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 

12 “I, I am he who comforts you; 
who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, 
of the son of man who is made like grass,
13 and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker, 
who stretched out the heavens 
and laid the foundations of the earth, 
and you fear continually all the day 
because of the wrath of the oppressor, 
when he sets himself to destroy? 
And where is the wrath of the oppressor? 
14 He who is bowed down shall speedily be released; 
he shall not die and go down to the pit, 
neither shall his bread be lacking. 
15 I am the Lord your God, 
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— 
the Lord of hosts is his name. 
16 And I have put my words in your mouth 
and covered you in the shadow of my hand, 
establishing the heavens 
and laying the foundations of the earth, 
and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’ ”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

When a little girl wakes up in the middle of the night because she’s scared, worried, or thirsty, it’s completely natural for her to wake up her parents. Tired as those parents might be, one of them – in our house it’s usually the mom (Thanks, hon!) – one of them will get up to help that child with whatever she needs. It doesn’t matter if that girl’s need is silly, like the fear of a monster under her bed, and it doesn’t matter if her need is justified like a dirty diaper or a horrible cough. That parent will go and help.

The parent will reassure the child, “No, I looked and there isn’t a monster under your bed.” “Yes, ants are strong, but you don’t have to worry about them carrying our house away.” “Even though you’re perfectly capable of getting your own drink, I know you’re scared to go into the dark bathroom, so I’ll get a cup of water for you.” “I’ll steam up the bathroom to help you with your croupy cough.” If a child doesn’t ask his or her parents for help in that moment of fear and need, it’s strange. Something is wrong or off. Parents are able and willing to help their children. That’s part of the job description.

As kids grow and mature, they become capable of doing things on their own so they need their parents’ help less often. And that is a good thing. Parents want that for their children, so parents teach their children to zip their coat, tie their shoes, and pour a bowl of cereal for themselves. To be a functioning person, you need to be able to do those sorts of things. But there is a sadness that comes along with children becoming more capable and independent. One day, you’re walking your son into his first day of pre-school. Then, what feels like two seconds later, he’s able to drive himself everywhere. But that independence comes with a cost. It means that, instead of being home, he’ll be at practice or work or going out with friends. And when you do see him and ask how his day was, all you get is a quick, “Fine.” Part of a parent’s job is to get their kids to the point where they don’t need parents to do things for them.

Again, this independence isn’t a bad thing, but it comes with a danger. The danger is that it can lead to becoming disconnected from others. We don’t ask others to help us even though they are able and willing to. And this goes beyond asking mom or dad or whomever to help us. It also extends to asking our heavenly Father for help.

As we become more independent and capable, we also get better at lying to ourselves. We wrongly think that we reach a point where we don’t need God’s help with the little things in life, like tying our shoes or driving to work. And those lies tend to snowball.

The lie starts with thinking, “I’m mature enough that I don’t need God’s help to tie my shoes,” which leads to, “God doesn’t help me tie my shoes.” Then, that leads to thinking that God doesn’t help as we go about all the other business of our day, whether it’s commuting, studying, working, eating, and all the other daily things that make up our life.

Of course, none of that is actually true. God does help us in all of those things. He has given us brains that send messages through the nerves He has given us so the muscles and tendons He has also given us so we can tie our shoes. God is the One who created the laws of physics and gravity that cause our shoelaces to move in consistent, repeatable ways. In reality, it’s not an overstatement to say that God tied your shoes this morning. Sure, He did it through you, but God did it. It is sad how we so quickly and easily forget God’s care for us over the entirety of our lives and actions.

Another thing that causes us to forget God’s care for us is fear. Usually, we think danger causes either a fight or flight instinct in us, but what might be even more common than fight or flight is for us to freeze and do nothing. When our brain can’t calculate if it’s better to fight or flee from the danger, we freeze. And when we freeze in the face of fear, we are the most vulnerable. It’s better if that fear causes us to flee toward God, our heavenly Father, just like a child going to her parents in the middle of the night.

The reason a children wake up their parents at night is they have a fear and instinctively flee to their parents to get the help they need. And it doesn’t matter if the fear is reasonable or not. That child’s fear drives him to his parents who love, care for, and help him because he either can’t or won’t fight the monster under his bed.

It’s that kind of good and right, childlike fleeing that is going on here in Isaiah. Isaiah is running back to God his Father in the middle of the night because God is the only One who can help him. Isaiah is saying, “Wake up, God. Wake up. I need Your help. You slew the dragon before and made a highway through the sea. Wake up and help me now.”

There is a beautiful honesty in Isaiah’s prayer here. He knows what he needs, and he’s asking his heavenly Father to give it. But even as Isaiah makes this request, he doesn’t know exactly what God is going to do. None of us mortals know what God is going to do. But Isaiah honest enough to pray to God and say that he wants God to do more than He’s currently doing. Isaiah wants God to do mighty things. He is like that little kid waking up his dad, and he is confident enough to know that God is his loving Father who will take care of him and give him exactly what he needs.

Dear saints, we need to become like children again, as Isaiah does here.

It’s easy for us to spot danger. For example, we think about the future and all of the unknown things the future holds and we are filled with fear and anxiety. Stop doing that.

Scripture would have you do the opposite. Throughout Scripture, people look back to the past and think about what God has already done for them. Those mighty things God did in the past help them trust in the present that God will do similar things in the future. And that is a much better approach than thinking we have to help ourselves by molding and shaping the future on our own.

To put all this into the words Isaiah uses here: If God made everything in the beginning, can He take care of everything now and in the future? Yes, He can. If God stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, can He do something about your life next week? Of course He can! He who made all things throughout all creation simply by speaking can certainly take care of the small fraction of creation that effects your life today, tomorrow, and sixteen years from now. In fact, He promises to. Hear again what your heavenly Father says, “I, I am He who comforts you.”

So, you children of God, return to Him. God wants you to be childlike in your trust in Him (Mt. 19:14). Because He is your heavenly Father, He is able and willing to take away both your stupid fears and your justified fears. God wants you to have that simple faith like the child who runs to his parents in the middle of the night with whatever is causing you trouble. Just like a parent’s job is to check for monsters under the bed and get a drink for her child in the middle of the night, it’s God’s job to care for every big or small, justified or silly thing that troubles you.

You are God’s children. You can be fearless in your prayers. God isn’t going to be surprised at any of them. You aren’t going to ask for something He’s never heard. You aren’t going to confess some sin that He hasn’t already forgiven for someone else. God knows how to do it, so wake Him up and ask Him for what you need.

You don’t have to be like the woman in our Gospel reading (Mt. 9:18-26) who tries to sneak something good from God. You can be much bolder than that. He is the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth. None of the things that cause you worry or fear are greater than the one who comforts you, so return to Him.

In the Small Catechism, Luther offers us two prayers, one for the morning and one for the evening. Both of those prayers include the following statement that fit so well with this passage from Isaiah. The statement is this, “Into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things.” Our family uses those prayers during our drive to school and in our devotions in the evening, and those words have been rolling around in my brain this past week. And I would encourage you to consider using those prayers as well.

You can confidently place everything about yourself and all the things around you into God’s hands. Because God is your loving Father, He’ll take care of it all. And you can do this boldly. Your heavenly Father has already given you His only begotten Son to forgive you of all your sin, what other good thing would He ever withhold from you? Nothing.

As Ro. 8;31b-32 says, “If God is for us,” and He is, “who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with [His Son] graciously give us all things?”

Children of God, return to Him, and He will comfort you. Amen.

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

The Host – Sermon on Revelation 7:9-17 for All Saints’ Day (Observed)

Revelation 7:9–17

9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 

13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 

15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, 
and serve him day and night in his temple; 
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. 
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; 
the sun shall not strike them, 
nor any scorching heat. 
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, 
and he will guide them to springs of living water, 
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Dear saints of God. Has anyone ever shown you a photo and said, “That’s a picture of me when I was younger”? The snarky, obvious reply would be, “Isn’t every picture of you a picture of when you were younger?” It doesn’t matter if the picture is almost immediately available on the screen of your phone or if the picture has been sitting in some dusty photo album for years. They’re all a picture of you when you were younger.

Photos are a great way to preserve memories and pass along the stories of our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Even though those pictures captured just one moment in time, they remind us of so much more than the fraction of a second that it took for the shutter to open and close. They are a window into the lives of people in them, some of whom are no longer with us. Those pictures of the past have tremendous value.

When you take the time to look at old photos with family, you learn more about the people you love and can connect with them in a deeper way. You might find out that your quiet, tough, deer-hunting grandpa played the clarinet his freshman year of high school. You get the opportunity to tell your kids about the time you visited Mt. Rushmore as a kid just like they did. But when you went in 3rd grade, Aunt Jane got carsick on the drive up there. Two years ago at Thanksgiving, I learned that a pastor friend of mine has an uncle who was a groomsman for my father-in-law. Without looking through a photo album, I never would have known that my family was already tied to his.

With Thanksgiving coming up, I’d encourage you to do this. I know some of you kids might think it’ll be boring, but maybe you can make a game of it. See if grandma says, “That’s a picture of me when I was younger.” Just don’t make fun of her if she does.

In our text today we get to see an old picture, nearly 2,000 years old. But it is still a vivid, vibrant picture. It’s especially magnificent and spectacular because, even though it’s an old picture, it’s a picture of you in the future. The Apostle John sees the entire church – every Christian being welcomed into God’s presence. It’s a picture of the Church triumphant.

Now, before we look at the details of this picture, something needs to be crystal clear. This is not something in a galaxy far, far away. Nope! What is contained in this picture is right here and all around us. Hebrews 12:22-24a says that when you are here at church, “[Y]ou have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.” Can you see it? No. But does that mean it is any less real? Not at all!

Now, to the picture. The major details of the picture are a great multitude – more than anyone could count. People from every nation, tribe, and language. They stand before the Lamb who is on the throne. They wear white robes, wave palm branches, and sing, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.” That’s what you see with a quick glance at the picture.

Next, our text gives the caption that’s under the picture which lets us know the identity of this multitude. One of the elders asks John, “Who are these people clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” Maybe John could have mustered up a good guess. Already in Revelation, John has seen a lot of awesome, amazing, wonderful things. But he’d rather hear the elder say who they are, so he punts the question back to him, “Sir, you know.” And the elder gives the caption, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation.” 

Now, that’s a good, accurate translation so long as we see that this is a present, ongoing thing – a continual process. To get the idea gets across, it could be translated, “These are the ones who are coming out of the great tribulation.” In other words, this already massive crowd keeps growing bigger and bigger all the time as believers leave this life and enter the next, and they are leaving the great tribulation.

Now, there are some very smart Christians who disagree with me on this, but because of how Scripture uses the word for ‘tribulation,’ I do not think this is some future thing. In the opening verses of Revelation, John writes that he is our brother and partner of the tribulation and the kingdom (Rev. 1:9). Jesus, in Jn. 16:33, says, “In this world you have tribulation.” The word for ‘tribulation’ is θλῖψις (thlipsis) and it can be translated tribulation, affliction, trouble, and suffering. Different translations will tend to favor using one of those words more often than others. But when you look at all the different places the word is used, you can see that it is a description of our life in this broken, fallen world. It is to be in this veil of tears. The people in this picture John puts before us are coming out of this tribulation.

If you look back at the previous chapter (Rev. 6), you see that this multitude has come out of war, famine, sickness, economic hardship, persecution, and political turmoil. But now they are standing before the Lamb and singing His praise. What this means is that all the believers we love but have died, they are still singing God’s praise. They are all there in the great host. They made it.

They’re holding the palm branches, singing the songs, standing in the presence of Jesus, the Lamb who shed His blood and was slaughtered to forgive them all of their sins. Jesus, the Lamb who died and rose again is now their Shepherd. All of them are in this picture because they are the saints who have gone before us. God be praised.

But, dear saints, remember that this is All Saints’ Sunday. You are part of that host too. You are also coming out of the great tribulation. Yes, you’re still in it, but you are in the process of coming out of it as you hold to faith in Christ. It is a picture of you when you are older, and because you have this picture, your life in this great tribulation becomes a little more bearable.

The troubles and trials of this world that leave your robes tattered, torn, stained, and defiled, they will all be plunged into the blood of the Lamb and come out dazzling white. The afflictions and persecutions you endure now will go away because you will be sheltered by and in His presence. You know that your hunger and thirst for peace and security will be satisfied. The tribulations that make your pillow wet with tears, they will all be wiped away.

Yes, you, dear saint, are part of this endless, uncountable crowd, but you aren’t lost in the host. For you, for each and every one of you, God will wipe away every last tear. The whole host is there. Not one is missing. Yet, every individual is intimately cared for by the Lamb.

This is true because Jesus, your Savior, has come and made you His saint. He has and will make everything sad come untrue. Everything that has been broken because of sin will be all the more beautiful because it has been redeemed and made new by the blood of Christ. 

You, believer, are part of that host. Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

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

The Righteous Live by Faith – Sermon on Habakkuk 2:1-4 for Reformation Sunday

Habakkuk 2:1–4

1 I will take my stand at my watchpost 
and station myself on the tower, 
and look out to see what he will say to me, 
and what I will answer concerning my complaint. 

2 And the Lord answered me: 
“Write the vision; 
make it plain on tablets, 
so he may run who reads it. 
3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; 
it hastens to the end—it will not lie. 
If it seems slow, wait for it; 
it will surely come; it will not delay. 
4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, 
but the righteous shall live by his faith.

Redeeming the Time – Sermon on Ephesians 5:15-21 for the Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

Ephesians 5:15–21

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.