Feast & Famine – Sermon on Luke 16:19-31 for the First Sunday after Trinity

Luke 16:19–31

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. ²⁰ And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, ²¹ who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, ²³ and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. ²⁴ And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ ²⁷ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— ²⁸ for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ ²⁹ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ ³¹ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’ ”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 37:16 says, “Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked” (see also Pro. 15:16).

Today, Jesus puts before us two men. One is fabulously rich, the other pitifully poor. One wears royal clothes, the other painful sores. One feasts sumptuously every day, the other craves crumbs. Jesus makes sure to highlight these major differences between the two men, but Jesus also makes sure that we know what they have in common.

First and most obviously, both die. Both face an eternal existence after death. And that existence is something that all the powers of this world have no influence to change or control. After his death, the rich man is no longer rich, and he is powerless to modify that. After his death, Lazarus is no longer poor. He has eternal riches and gifts that he didn’t earn and cannot be taken away.

But there is something else that these two men have in common with one another. Both men are passive. In other words, things happen to them. Now, this can be easy to miss, but once you see it you can’t ignore it.

To see it, let’s start with Lazarus. Jesus says that Lazarus is located at the rich man’s gate. But notice how Lazarus gets there. Jesus says that Lazarus is laid there. In other words, someone or something puts him there. Lazarus doesn’t intentionally go to the rich man’s gate day after day after day. If you were a destitute beggar but could move on your own, you’d go places where you would get help. And it would make sense to go to a rich man’s gate, but if you saw that rich dude feasting every day and he never gave you crumbs that fell from his table, you’d probably move somewhere else and hope to get noticed and helped in that new location. So, Jesus is clear that Lazarus is laid there (v. 20), but Jesus doesn’t say exactly who put Lazarus there, so let’s keep investigating.

Jesus says that the dogs came and licked Lazarus’ sores. Where did those dogs come from? They weren’t people’s personal pets that are sent to Lazarus. They were likely wild dogs. Psalm 50:10 says that every beast and the cattle on a thousand hills belong to God. Again, it isn’t directly stated that God sent the dogs. So, let’s keep looking.

When Lazarus dies, what happens? Jesus says that the angels are standing there, waiting to carry him to heaven. Now, there’s an important clue. Psalm 103:20 says that the angels are the mighty ones who obey God’s Word. Here, these angels are commanded to not only escort Lazarus to heaven, they are also the ones who carry him there. They wait for God’s command and direction. And in God’s timing, those angels carry Lazarus to heaven but not one moment before God decides.

Now, if God is in total, complete control of the end of Lazarus’ life, it would make sense that God was in control of everything leading up to that as well. No sparrow falls to the ground without God knowing it. Scripture promises that the hairs of your head are numbered (Mt. 10:29-31). The Bible is clear that God was in control of everything happening to Lazarus during his entire life (Ps. 139). God was governing all of his steps and movements. So, Lazarus, poor and sick though he was, was being taken care of by God throughout his entire life. God was the one who laid him at the rich man’s gate. God sent the dogs to comfort him by licking his sores. God sent the angels to carry him to heaven. And after he dies, God comforts Lazarus in paradise. Lazarus is passive. Things happen to him at God’s direction.

Now, consider the rich man. When Abraham is responding to the rich man’s request for Lazarus to give him a drop of water (more on that in a bit), Abraham says, “Remember that you in your lifetime received your good things” (Lk. 16:25). That tells us a lot about the rich man and his riches. All the things he enjoyed in his lifetime were given to him as gifts. His royal, purple clothes were a gift. His sumptuous feasts, a gift. His house and gate, a gift. Even the beggar Lazarus lying at his gate was a gift from God. Lazarus was a God-given opportunity for the rich man to share all the good things he received. But the rich man didn’t see any of his blessings as a gift. By all appearances, the rich man imagined those gifts were all things that he had earned, and he saw Lazarus as an inconvenient nuisance. But from heaven’s perspective, they were all gifts that were given.

That doesn’t mean that the rich man wasn’t a hard worker or a savvy investor. What it means is that He was a recipient of all the good things he enjoyed during his life. God gave it all. Everything he had – even the things he had earned – was given to him by God. But this rich man didn’t receive them as God’s good gifts. Instead, he saw everything revolving around him. If it was good, it was for his own pleasure and use. If it was inconvenient – like a beggar at his gate, it was a hurdle to his pleasure. He never gave thanks to God for the gifts, so he never thought to share the gifts God had given to him with others. He was foolish in his thinking and life (Ro. 1:21-22). All of this meant that he couldn’t enjoy the gifts he had been given. Even his feasting was a famine because he received it in isolation. He didn’t share his bounty with others.

In the end, it didn’t matter how little Lazarus had, and it didn’t matter how much the rich man had. What mattered was faith. Lazarus had faith that was credited to him as righteousness (Gen. 15:6). The rich man didn’t have faith, and when he stood before God to be judged (Heb. 9:27), he lacked the righteousness God demands (Mt. 5:20).

Now, we might feel sorry for the rich man as he’s suffering in hell. It is a pitiful thing to see someone think that a drop of water is merciful. And we certainly don’t want anyone to go to eternal condemnation. But the rich man’s torment doesn’t lead him to repentance. Look at how the rich man acts in hell. It doesn’t seem like the rich man has changed at all. He doesn’t ask to leave hell. He’d rather have Lazarus leave his comfort. Even in torment, the rich man is bossing people around. He still doesn’t talk to Lazarus; instead, he tries to tell Abraham what to do. The rich man thinks it is unfair that he is in hell. Underlying his desire to have Lazarus rise from the dead and warn his brothers is an attitude that arrogantly says that he knows better how to evangelize unbelievers. The rich man is basically saying, “If someone rises from the dead, then there will be a lot more people in heaven and fewer in hell. If I had seen someone rise from the dead, I wouldn’t be here.”

But in the end, the rich man hadn’t listened to the Scriptures. He hadn’t believed God’s Word. He hadn’t repented. He hadn’t believed in God’s mercy. Instead, he neglected God’s Word, and because of that, he was poor. On the other hand, Lazarus had the eternal treasure of God’s Word which made him rich – even in his earthly poverty. In Lazarus, we see the truth of what Pro. 15:15 says, “All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.”

Now, where does this leave us? We aren’t as wealthy as the rich man, and we aren’t as poor and destitute as Lazarus. All of us are somewhere in the middle, but that doesn’t change the fact that everything we have – whether it is a feast or a famine – is given to us from the hand of God.

God has given you two hands with two palms which are created to receive the things that God gives. And those hands have five fingers with space between them, which allows the good gifts of God fall through your hands to others. Because He is the Creator of all things, God has an infinite supply of gifts to give to you. He gives you everything freely, and He desires that you receive it as a gift so you don’t clutch at it and try to keep it for yourself. You, dear saints, are a conduit that receives from God and passes His bounty on to others. Proverbs 19:17 says, “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.”

Most importantly, you were poor miserable sinners. But Jesus saw you in your poverty. He left His feasting and became poor for your sake so you, through His poverty, would become rich (2 Cor. 8:9). Christ has come to give His own Body and Blood unto death for your sake. Now, He is risen forever and invites you not to have just some crumbs that fall from His plate. He invites you to have a seat at His table. Leave the famine of your sin and greed. Come and feast in His presence. Amen.

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

From, Through, & To – Sermon on Romans 11:33-36 for Holy Trinity Sunday

May26

Romans 11:33–36

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches
and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are his judgments
and how inscrutable his ways!
³⁴ “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
³⁵ “Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
³⁶ For from him and through him and to him are all things.
To him be glory forever. Amen.

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

Who has seen the ocean? Probably everyone has seen the ocean. If you haven’t, I can show you a picture or video after the service and, technically, you will have seen the ocean. But a picture or video doesn’t do the ocean justice. It isn’t the same as seeing it in person with your own eyes. So, how many of you have been to the ocean and have seen it, smelled it, and felt it?

Now, which ocean(s) – the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, Antarctic? Maybe you have seen each of them, but how much of them have you seen? Did you see a bit of it from a beach? Have you been on a boat where no land is in sight? “Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.” Even then, you only saw just shy of three miles of ocean before the curve of the earth pulled the rest of it away from your sight. And your field of vision only allowed you to see so much without turning your head or spinning around in circles, which, if you are prone to seasickness, is not something I would recommend. And even if you’ve been so far out to sea that no land was in sight, you can only say that you’ve skimmed the surface of the ocean – literally.

Have you seen what’s in the ocean and on its floor? Have you been able to snorkel or scuba dive to see what’s down there? How deep have you gone? Twenty, fifty, one-hundred feet? I have one friend who has dived to somewhere near that depth. As far as I know, I don’t know anyone who has been 1,000 feet below the surface of the ocean. The average depth of the ocean is about 2.3 miles deep. Some people have gone that deep. But think about the deepest part of the ocean, Challenger Deep, which is nearly 7 miles below sea level. Twelve people have walked on the moon, but only three have ever been down there.

Many people have gone up into space, orbited the planet hundreds of times, and have seen the majority of the oceans’ surface. But they haven’t been through all the oceans at all the depths to see what lies underneath the surface. So, I ask again, have you seen the ocean? Ultimately, no one can claim to have seen the oceans in their entirety. The best anyone can accurately say is, “I’ve seen a tiny fraction of the ocean.” The oceans are too big, too wide, too deep for anyone to see very much of it. But still, we wouldn’t call someone a liar if they said that they have seen the ocean. To see part of it is to truthfully say that you’ve seen it.

All of that is to set this up: These verses come at the tail end of Paul’s main theological treatise in Romans. In the first eight chapters, Romans is a thorough skimming of the surface of theology. It has dealt with the fact that no one is righteous in the way that God demands. Because of that everyone deserves death and condemnation. But God, in His mercy, has delivered the very righteousness He demands to those who have faith in Christ. By believing that God has come in the flesh of Jesus; believing that Christ suffered, bled, and died; and believing that He rose again for you, you are righteous – as righteous as Jesus is righteous.

Then, Paul dives deeper into the depths of the theological ocean. He writes about how God delivers that faith through His gracious choosing of you. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Paul talks about the doctrines of election and predestination. Believer, you are saved exclusively because of what God has done. Jesus has done the work to deliver, rescue, and save you from your sin. The Holy Spirit has called you through God’s Word, given you faith to believe, and will sustain your faith as He works through the Scriptures (Ro. 10:17). Your salvation is entirely based on God’s mercy (Ro. 8:29-33) and the fact that He chose you to be in Christ from before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4-5). The culmination of Paul’s short dive into the doctrine of predestination comes in the verse just before this text where his conclusion is, “God has consigned all to disobedience, that He may have mercy on all” (Ro. 11:32).

Now, the doctrine of predestination is a huge topic, and I’m not going to go into it today. I have preached on it the past. And if you ever have questions about it, please feel free to talk with me. (I enjoy having any theological conversations.) The only reason I mention predestination here is to set up the context of the praise that we heard in this reading. God’s mercy in delivering salvation to us unworthy sinners leads to this doxology, this song of praise that is our reading: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways!”

Whenever we study theology, no matter what branch of theology is being studied, we come to a point where we realize the simple truth that God is bigger than us. God has revealed much to us in His Word, but He hasn’t revealed everything. His riches, wisdom, and knowledge go to a depth that we cannot reach. His ways are inscrutable and inconceivable. It isn’t just that they are hard to understand they are far, far beyond our comprehension. Just like how you’ve only seen a small sliver of the ocean, but you haven’t seen the whole thing. The more I study theology and the Bible, the more I realize there is to learn. It’s a regular occurrence for me to be reading a passage and suddenly realize, “I’ve never noticed that before.” Christian, there’s always more to be learned and meditated on when it comes to theology and the Bible. More and more and more and more. And it is always a joy and delight to discover more.

Today is Holy Trinity Sunday which ends the festival half of the Church year which began in Advent. The Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost seasons focus on God’s work for us by coming, declaring, suffering, dying, rising, ascending, and sending the Holy Spirit. Now, on Trinity Sunday, we recognize that the work of our salvation is exclusively brought about by the plan and efforts of the one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So, Trinity Sunday is a fitting time to pause, step back, and simply praise God for all He has done, accomplished, and delivered to us. Even though we’ve spent the past six months considering what God has done to save us, we’ve just barely scratched the surface. Even when we do it again and again, there is still more.

We can’t know God’s mind. We can’t advise Him. We can’t give or offer anything to Him. That’s why Paul closes in v. 36 with this doxology, “From Him and through Him and to Him are all things.”

Consider each of those in order. “From Him,” God the Father is the source and Creator of all things. “Through Him,” God the Son has set all things in order and gives them to us. “And to Him,” the God the Holy Spirit directs all things so they find their end and meaning in this one God.

Rejoice because this One unfathomable, inscrutable, inconceivable God took it upon Himself to create, redeem, and sanctify you. So, “to Him be glory forever.” In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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

The Lasting Legacy of Pentecost – Sermon on Acts 2:1-21, 36 for the Day of Pentecost

May19

Acts 2:1–21, 36

¹ When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

⁵ Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷ And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, ¹¹ both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” ¹² And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. ¹⁵ For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. ¹⁶ But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷ “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
¹⁸ even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
¹⁹ And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
²⁰ the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
²¹ And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

³⁶ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

With all the amazing things that happened on the Day of Pentecost, it’s easy to miss the most amazing thing God did when He poured out the Holy Spirit on all flesh (Act. 2:17; Joe. 2:28-29). Our attention is so quickly and easily grabbed by the wowie-zowie things, that we get distracted from the lasting gift that God bestows with this giving of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is about the sounds, not the sights. It’s about the audible rather than the visible. The work of the Holy Spirit is not so much in what is seen as in what is heard.

Yes, there are tongues of fire that rest on those believers, but as best as we can tell, those tongues of fire were only seen by the 120 Christian believers who had gathered together in one place (Act. 1:15). Notice, there is the sound of a mighty, rushing wind (Act. 2:2), but curtains aren’t flapping, dust isn’t flying, hats aren’t blowing down the street. It’s only the sound, and that sound fills the house where they are gathered. These 120 believers are filled with the Holy Spirit and are given the ability to speak in languages that represented every nation that existed, but they hadn’t ever learned those languages (Act. 2:5, 8-11).

It is that sound of wind that draws the bewildered multitude to the apostles (Act. 2:6). The people from all those nations weren’t drawn like moths that saw a flame; no, they were drawn by the sound. And those people heard something even more amazing. They heard those believers declaring the mighty works of God in their native languages. For some, that message led to further curiosity, “What does this mean?” But for some, it led to mocking, “They are drunk and filled with wine” (Act. 2:13).

Now, consider that accusation as I slightly modernize it. Imagine you are there in that crowd. All the people from Italy are standing around someone who’s speaking Italian, and they’re listening intently because they can understand. All the Brazilians gather around the guy speaking Portuguese. All the people from France, and 22.8% of the Canadians who speak French, are listening to someone speaking French. You hear the guy who’s speaking American,^[1] and you can understand everything because it is being spoken fluently. You hear the Gospel. You are told that God came in the flesh of Jesus. You hear that He suffered, bled, died on the cross, rose again from the dead, and ascended into heaven. And you hear that Christ did all of this to forgive you of your sins and give you eternal life.

After hearing that message in American, you go over to the people who speak Portuguese (because, of course, people who speak French are rude) and you ask in one of the ‘commercial, business’ languages – either Greek, Latin, or Aramaic – what they heard. And it’s the same Gospel message. The only difference was that they heard it in Portuguese – fluent, articulate Portuguese. So, it’s clear that these Galilean hillbillies are speaking languages they didn’t know. Your conclusion would probably not be, “Oh, they must be drunk.” Getting drunk doesn’t endow a person with fluency in another language. In short, it probably wasn’t the act of speaking in other languages that elicited that accusation; instead, it was probably the content of what was being said. “You’re saying that God came to earth as a human. But He did it to die, and by that death I’m forgiven? You must be drunk.”

But the sounds of Pentecost still aren’t done. Peter stands up, and here is where we see the most amazing thing about Pentecost. Peter doesn’t stand up to perform a visible sign. He doesn’t heal the sick, cast out demons, or raise the dead. Peter stands up to speak and preach a Holy Spirit-inspired sermon to the entire crowd. That should be astounding to us.

We know Peter and what kind of man he was just fifty-three days before Pentecost. A young servant girl had simply asked Peter if he knew who Jesus was, and that led to Peter denying Jesus three times (Mk. 14:66-72). But now Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, preaches to a crowd of over 3,000 people. And it is a bold sermon. He doesn’t hold back. He does point to Jesus with the sermon, but not with loud Gospel overtones.

I’ll just summarize his sermon. “Men of Israel, Jesus was here just a short time ago. He did all sorts of miracles, and you know about them. You know He was sent by God, yet you put Him to death. Now, we have seen Him raised from the grave. This Jesus has now ascended into heaven. He has all authority in heaven and on earth, and He will use that authority for the sake of His Church until He has put all His enemies under His feet. That’s a big problem for you because you put Him to death and are His enemy. You’re in trouble. Amen.”

It’s a sermon that would have been highly criticized in seminary because it doesn’t really contain any Gospel. How does a guy like Peter preach like that, especially because he preaching that accusation against himself? Peter knows his own guilt. The only explanation is that Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and emboldened in a remarkable way. The sermon itself is a miracle. But then, the response to that sermon is even more miraculous.

Over 3,000 people ask, “What can we do?” Before this, the crowds had heard some amazing things and wondered what it all meant, but now? Now, they are cut to the heart (Act. 2:37), and they recognize their guilt. This is amazing because most of them probably were not present in the crowd on Good Friday crying out, “Crucify, crucify Him.” The foremost expert on the history and practices of this time, a guy named Alfred Edersheim, says that there may have been some overlap but the majority of the people there for the Day of Pentecost weren’t there for the Passover. So, Peter is addressing a crowd of hardened sinners who could have offered all sorts of excuses arguing for their innocence of Jesus’ death. But over 3,000 of them don’t. They confess and repent with a simple, “What shall we do?” (Act. 2:37).

And Peter adds a postscript to his sermon and tells them, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Act. 2:38). That very day, 3,000 souls were saved.

They were given faith. They were also given and filled with the Holy Spirit. But that filling of 3,000 people with the Holy Spirit is so understated. Luke doesn’t tell us about another mightier wind that rushed even louder. No. They confess, repent, get Baptized, and are filled with the Holy Spirit. They are saved. How were they saved? Through the Holy Spirit’s work of pointing sinners to Jesus in simple preaching and through the Holy Spirit’s working through water and the Word. And through those means, the Holy Spirit creates faith.

Dear saints, that same miraculous work of the Holy Spirit through preaching continues today. In fact, that is what is happening even now. It is through God’s Word proclaimed by the mouth is this sinner that the Holy Spirit is creating, strengthening, and sustaining your faith. Right now, through God’s Word, the Holy Spirit is filling this place and pointing you to Jesus (Jn. 15:26).

Don’t think for one minute that the Holy Spirit isn’t working just because you don’t see whatever you think might be evidence of the Holy Spirit. The lasting legacy of Pentecost is that the Holy Spirit points sinners to Christ. Jesus Himself said that’s the Holy Spirit’s work (Jn. 15:26). Right here, right now, the Holy Spirit is calling, gathering, enlightening, sanctifying, and preserving you in the one true faith. He is here abundantly forgiving you of your sin. And the Holy Spirit invites you now to Jesus’ table where He will work through other means, through bread and wine which are Jesus’ Body and Blood. Come, receive, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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

^[1] Yes, I know ‘American’ isn’t an official language.

A Covering of Love – Sermon on 1 Peter 4:7-11 for the Easter 7/Sunday after the Ascension

May12

1 Peter 4:7–11

⁷ The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. ⁸ Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹ Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: ¹¹ whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

When something is coming to an end, there is often a sense of urgency. The last month of my senior year of high school, my class of twelve got together more often than we did the years prior. At Bible camps, kids will goof off at the campfire, but the last night they will share about their life, reflect more on what they have learned, and talk about how they hope to be different and better when they go back to their regular lives. When a family member is in their last days, every moment, every word, every interaction carries more weight to it. As the end draws near, little things become even more insignificant, and the big things become even bigger.

In this epistle reading, Peter says that the end of all things is at hand. Because Jesus has died, risen, and ascended into heaven, His work as the Savior of mankind is complete. Everything necessary for your salvation, redemption, and restoration has been accomplished. Now, your Savior and Brother sits on the throne of all creation. At any moment, Jesus can return and bring an end to all things. All of this is to say that we are living in the end times. Peter said this nearly 2,000 years ago, so it’s at least as true now as it was then. The end, the completion, the finishing of all things is at hand.

And that has a different ring to it than if Peter had written, “The end of all things is coming soon,” doesn’t it? “Soon” presupposes and anticipates a delay – even if it is only a short delay. But Peter doesn’t talk about Christ’s return as coming soon. It is “at hand.” That gives an extra ‘umph’ of urgency and immediacy. But the fact that the end of all things is “at hand” doesn’t excuse us to be worried and get frantic. Peter here doesn’t allow us to be the Christian version of Chicken Little running around and yelling, “The sky is falling; the sky is falling.” Not even close.

Instead, we are called to be self-controlled and sober-minded. In other words, we are to be in control of all our actions. Yes, of course, this refers to not getting drunk with alcohol. It includes that, but Peter means more than that. This call to be self-controlled and sober-minded is an echo of what Jesus says in Mt. 6:25-34, “Do not be anxious,” because when we are anxious, we do all sorts of ridiculous things. There is a myriad of awful, evil, horrible things going on in the world, but Jesus hasn’t given you permission to worry about it or run around all frantic and anxious.

The danger of anxiety and worry is that it would distract us from our prayers. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that our worry will change what is going to happen. But more often worry distracts us from prayers. Take your worries and anxieties and turn them into prayers (1 Pet. 5:7). In a very real sense, worry is just a form spiritual drunkenness. Worry can distort the truth and the reality that Christ is in control of all things. To be self-controlled and sober-minded here is to let the fact that Jesus is ascended to the throne of all creation, that He has promised to hear your prayers, and that He promises to answer those prayers, let those truths keep you calm, clear-headed, and focused. Don’t get drunk with worry and the cares of this world. Be self-controlled and sober-minded because the end of all things is at hand.

Instead of being worried, Peter gives us three instructions of what we are to do as we live in the time of the end. We are to love, show hospitality, and use our God-given gifts. Each of these instructions could be its own sermon. But today, I want to focus on the first one because Peter says it is the most important of the three. He says, “Above all love one another,” and he tells us why we are to love one another, “because love covers a multitude of sins.”

Now, we have to be clear on a couple things here. First, Peter isn’t equating this love that covers a multitude of sins with forgiveness. Yes, forgiveness is a loving thing that releases sins. God’s love for us, which is manifested in Christ’s death, that love has forgiven and removed our sins from us as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12). Other places in Scripture call us to love others by forgiving their sins, but Peter is doing something different here when he talks about covering a multitude of sins. We are to have a love that makes the sins of others invisible. We are to have a love that hides the sins of others.

That brings us to the second thing that needs to be clear. This does not mean that we don’t call sin what it is – sin. Sin is sin is sin. To say anything different is not loving. It isn’t loving to say that it’s ok for someone to be addicted to drugs because that is just the way God made them. That’s not love. Sin needs to be brought to the surface so it can be repented, confessed, and forgiven. So, what does it mean that love covers a multitude of sins?

It means that when others sin against us – especially our brothers and sisters in Christ – we are called to love them in such a way that overlooks, ignores, buries, and covers those sins. Holding grudges just isn’t worth it. The 8^th Commandment and its explanation in the Small Catechism is especially helpful here: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” What does this mean? “We should fear and love God so that we do not deceitfully lie about, betray, backbite, nor slander our neighbor, but defend him, speak well of him, and put the most charitable construction on all that he does.”

It is extremely easy for us to put the least charitable construction on the actions of people who sin against us. Someone cuts you off in traffic or budges in front of you, and you assume, “That guy is an idiot,” or, “She’s rude and inconsiderate.” But you know what is just as easy? Maybe it’s slightly more difficult because of our pride – it’s just as easy to put the most charitable construction on their actions. “That person just made a mistake. Maybe, they have something going on in their life that I don’t know about.” The danger for us is that when we are always ascribing the worst motives to others, it’s easy to assume and imagine that they do the same to us. That is a dangerous place to be.

Of course, when someone sins against you and you point it out, that person should repent and ask for forgiveness. That’s how things should work. But what happens when you point out someone’s sin and they say, “I didn’t do anything wrong,” and they don’t ask for forgiveness? What do you do then? Is the relationship over? No. It shouldn’t be. That is where this passage comes in. “Love covers a multitude of sins.” And this is what we are to keep doing. Keep loving one another earnestly and fervently because love covers a multitudeof sins.

This covering up of sin through love is a distinct virtue of Christians that does not exist in the world. But the world will notice when you do this, Christian. They will see it and be drawn to it. This kind of love for one another isn’t always going to be pleasant for you. But it will be attractive to those who aren’t Christians. Having this kind of love that covers sin might be the most important evangelistic work that you do. Repeatedly in the book of Acts, this kind of love between Christians is what attracted others to see what was different about believers. So keep loving one another earnestly, since that love covers a multitude of sins.

Now, I know that was a lot of law. I recognize that. I’ll just point out that this text is full of law, so that’s what I have to preach. But I will close with this: your heavenly Father hasn’t only covered your sin and pretended that it isn’t there. No. Because of Jesus, He has removed it, forgiven it, trampled it under His foot, and cast it into the depths of the sea (Mic. 7:19). Because of that – because your sins are gone, taken away, and forgiven – you can more easily cover the sins of others in Christian love. 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.

Keep Asking – Sermon on John 16:23-33 for the Sixth Sunday of Easter

May5

John 16:23–33

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

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

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

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

In this Gospel reading, Jesus gives us a command to pray. On the night He was betrayed, Christ said to the disciples, “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (Jn. 16:24). So, according to Jesus if you want full joy, ask. That’s the command. ‘Ask’ in other words, pray. And the grammar there has a durative aspect to it. It is what you are to continually do. “Keep asking.” That has a different nuance to it than the way the ESV translates it here with just the word ‘ask.’

I don’t particularly like running. I know some of you here do, God bless your soul. I don’t, but when I was in junior high and high school, I ran cross country to help get me in shape for swimming season. At meets, people would stand along the course and cheer us runners on, and it would have been very frustrating if they said, “Run.” That’s what I was already doing. Instead, they would cheer, “Keep running.” Here, Jesus is doing something similar. He’s cheering you on by commanding you to keep asking and keep praying. And we need this encouragement because prayer is work.

Lately, the devil has doubled his efforts to discourage the work of prayer. That attack of Satan comes in many ways, but I’ve noticed it most often after someone commits an evil, heinous crime, politicians and pagans will say, “Prayers aren’t enough. We need to actually do something.” And we Christians, myself included, hear that and start to get at least a little shy about what prayer does. I know I’ve been guilty at times of saying things like, “Well, all we can do is pray.” God, forgive me.

Your prayers work. They work powerfully. They are not a waste of time. In Col. 4:2, 5, Scripture says, “Continue steadfastly in prayer,” and that call comes in the middle of several instructions which Paul says are, “making the best use of the time.” Christians are to use their time wisely and prayer is a good and wise use of your time because prayer does stuff. When you are praying, you aren’t wasting time. Praying isn’t setting aside important things to take a break. Prayer is the important thing. Christian, prayer is the most powerful, impactful thing you can do. A few verses later (Col. 4:12), Paul talks about a man named Epaphras who is “always struggling on your behalf in his prayers.” Does that sound like he’s taking some time off and relaxing? Nope! He’s doing something mighty and powerful by praying.

James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person,” and, yes, that is you, Christian, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” Prayer accomplishes things because of the power of the One to Whom you are praying. C.S. Lewis might be the most brilliant Christian thinker of the last hundred years, but he gets something wrong about prayer. He said, “[Prayer] doesn’t change God. It changes me.” Sure, yes, prayer changes us, but prayer changes God as well. Scripture teaches that God changes course because of prayer. He does something different than what He was going to do.

James 5:17-18 says that Elijah prayed fervently that it would not rain, and for three and a half years there was no rain. Then, he prayed that it would rain, and it did (1 Kgs. 17:1; 18:42-45). God told King Hezekiah to get ready to die. But he prayed, and God added fifteen years to his life (Is. 38:1-6; 2 Kgs. 20:1-6). Through the prophet Jonah, God told the people of Nineveh that they were going to be destroyed in forty days. But they prayed, and God changed His mind and did not do it (Jon. 3). In our Old Testament reading (Num. 21:4-9), God’s people were complaining about the bread that God was literally raining down from heaven for them to eat, so He sent fiery serpents to kill them. They prayed, and God delivered them because of their prayer. I could go on, but those are all crystal-clear examples of prayer changing what God was doing.

Picture God up in heaven. He is sturdy, calm, cool, collected. He’s got all His plans laid out of how He’s going to conduct the affairs of the world for the benefit of His people. When He Baptized you and made you His child (1 Jn. 3:1-3), He invited you into His “situation room.” There He is looking over His plans, and He asks you, “What do you think we should do here? How should this be handled?” You’d respond, “Um, well, I don’t know. You’re God. Shouldn’t You have this all under control and know how to run everything?” But God says, “Come on, now. I want to know what you think. What do you suggest?” So, you say, “Well, maybe You could move that thing over there. Send someone to preach Your Word over here. Heal this person. Bless that one.” And God says, “Ok. I like it. That’s the plan.”

Now, this doesn’t limit God in any way. The effectiveness of your prayers and the foreknowledge of God is a mystery that we cannot comprehend – similar to the doctrine of the Trinity and the two natures of Christ. How can there be one God yet three Persons? How can Jesus be 100% God and 100% man? We can’t understand or comprehend those things. But Scripture teaches them, so we believe them. The same thing is true about your prayer. Well, Scripture teaches that God is sovereign; He knows what will happen and isn’t your slave. And Scripture also teaches that your prayer changes what God will do. Just because you can’t fit those two things together logically, don’t throw one of them out to make it make sense to your logic.

Instead, see these two seemingly incompatible teachings of Scripture – God’s sovereignty and the power of prayer – see them as a further proof of God’s great love for you. The reason you ask and God responds is His love for you. Back to our Gospel reading, Jesus says in v. 26-27 (I’ll paraphrase a little bit), “Ask in My name. I don’t need to ask the Father for you because the Father Himself loves you.”

This is why God wants you to pray and brings you into His situation room. When you love someone, you permit them to affect and influence your actions, decisions, and directions. Think of a father who comes home from a rough day at work where everything went wrong. He’s frustrated and discouraged. He gets home and just wants to sit in his chair and watch the game. But he gets home, and his son asks, “Daddy, can you read this book to me?” That might not fit in with the father’s plans, but he loves his son and gladly sits on his bed and reads to him. And they spend time laughing and joking together.

When you love someone, you permit and even prefer to let them change what you want to do. Instead, you do what they want. And in that sacrifice, you and the person you love find joy.

Well, God is your perfect, loving Father, and He never tires of your asking. He loves you. He knows your sin and failures. Yet, the Father loves you because you love Jesus and have been forgiven much (Lk. 7:47). So, keep praying. Keep asking. 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.

Spirit-Guided – Sermon on John 16:5-15 for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

Apr28

John 16:5–15

⁵ “But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ ⁶ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. ⁷ Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. ⁸ And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; ¹⁰concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; ¹¹ concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

¹² “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Our expectations rarely match reality. Often times, it’s not even close. When I was 15 years old, I was eagerly anticipating being in a sailboat race across Lake Superior in July. Thanks to Gordon Lightfoot, I knew that “gales of November” don’t come that early. My expectations for that race were largely shaped by movies of majestic boats efficiently gliding across rolling waves driven by strong winds. But I also worried that there would be 10-15 ft. swells that would toss our 25 ft. boat around like a leaf making me seasick and struggling to stay on the boat. The reality ended up being two and a half days of cold, drizzling rain, and barely a whisper of wind, and the only thing that made me sick was the inescapable fumes of fiberglass varnish which sent me and the other crewmembers to the side of the boat more than once.

We plan and prepare for things to be a certain way, but then the moment or event comes and is completely different than what we imagined. Sometimes, the reality is better; sometimes, it’s worse; and sometimes, it it’s just different. As a kid, you probably expected that being an adult would come with the independence and freedom to do whatever you wanted whenever you wanted. Then, reality came. Now, you realize being an adult can mean the autonomy to do what you want, but most often it means carrying out the responsibilities God has given you. Even if adulthood isn’t the total freedom and independence you thought it might be, it’s still very fulfilling.

In this Gospel reading, we don’t know exactly what the disciples expected as Jesus talks about His departure and going away to the Father. We just know their reaction – they are sorrowful (Jn. 16:6, 20, 22). They don’t know what to expect. That’s why Jesus comforts them and us by teaching about the Holy Spirit.

The first thing we need to get straight is that, when Jesus says that He has to go to Him who sent Him and that it is to their advantage that He goes away, He doesn’t mean that He is going to be completely absent. Jesus had already promised His abiding presence. He guarantees, “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them,” (Mt. 18:20), and before He ascends into heaven He says, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mt. 28:20). Yes, Jesus has gone to the Father who sent Him, but He is also truly, physically present with us – especially in Holy Communion. When Jesus says that He is departing, He is saying that He must go to the cross, pay for our sins, and ascend into to heaven where He continually presents His work on your behalf to God the Father (Heb. 9:24; Ro. 8:34).

That’s the reason Jesus is departing. It isn’t that He’s leaving and is gone. No. His departure is the fact that He goes to work your salvation, and to continually present His work to God the Father. Christian, your life is hidden with Christ where He is seated (Col. 3:1-4). That’s why the Holy Spirit comes. The Holy Spirit is constantly present with you to be your Helper, Advocate, and Comforter constantly pointing you to all the things Christ has done for you. The Holy Spirit comes to point you to all the benefits that Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension give you. The Holy Spirit comforts you with the gifts of Jesus.

That is why we need Jesus’ teaching here about what the Holy Spirit does. So many Christians have wrong expectations about the Holy Spirit. Throw out all of those expectations and listen to what Jesus teaches about the Holy Spirit’s work. The Holy Spirit works to convict us concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. And don’t get put off by that word ‘convict.’ Most of the time we use the word ‘convict’ today, it means to find guilty. And when Jesus talks about the Holy Spirit convicting concerning sin and judgment, we tend expect this will be a bad thing. But being convicted isn’t always a bad thing.

We will talk about a person having deep convictions, meaning they are sure and certain about what they believe. They are convinced of the truth of something. That’s how we should understand this as Christians. Jesus goes on to summarize the Holy Spirit’s work as guiding us into all the truth. The Holy Spirit is guiding us to be convinced of certain things concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. When Jesus tells us why the Holy Spirit convicts or convinces of each of these things, each of the why’s isn’t what we naturally expect. Let’s take each of these in order.

First, when Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning sin, we would expect Him to say the Holy Spirit does that because you people are so bad and evil. But that’s not what Jesus says. The Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning sin because they do not believe in Jesus. I’m guessing Paul had these very words of Jesus in mind when he wrote in Ro. 14:23 that says, “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” In other words, you can do the best, most merciful work, but apart from faith in Jesus, it is of no benefit; in fact, Scripture says the mercy of the wicked is cruel (Pr. 12:10). Confessing your sins is an article of faith. It is the Holy Spirit who has taught us to confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean in thought, word, and deed. And the Holy Spirit guides us to continue our confession by saying that we flee for refuge to God’s mercy freely given through Christ.

Second, when Jesus says that the Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning righteousness, we would expect Him to say, “Because they don’t have any righteousness and need to do better.” But that’s not what Jesus says. The Holy Spirit convicts concerning righteousness because Jesus goes to the Father. When you consider this in the context of the rest of Scripture, this is stunning. The Man Jesus has opened the path to heaven so you can follow Him and be brought there too by the working of the Holy Spirit.

Imagine being in a line waiting to stand before God’s judgment. How would you feel as you wait in that line? Probably pretty nervous – especially because that judgment will determine where you will spend eternity. But now imagine that you’re standing in that line and Jesus is standing right next to you waiting for His turn to be judged. Do you think He would be nervous? No, Jesus isn’t going to be worried at all! He’s confident and knows He is perfect and hasn’t committed any sins. Well Christian, you need to know, you need to be convinced, that through faith you occupy Jesus’ place in that line. His righteousness is yours. God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin, so that in Him you would become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). To believe that takes the working of the Holy Spirit.

Third and finally, the Holy Spirit convicts concerning judgment. We would expect this is needed because judgment is coming. Again, that’s not what Jesus says. The Holy Spirit convinces you that the ruler of this world, Satan, is judged. Think of that! Satan, which means accuser, is the one who is judged. The one who tries to accuse you before God has absolutely zero credibility in God’s courtroom. The devil isn’t losing; he has lost. Satan is utterly defeated and conquered. Yes, this takes faith. But the Holy Spirit will continue to point you past what you may see in this world back to these words of Jesus which clearly state that the devil is judged.

Sable, that brings me to you. Sable, today you are Baptized. God has placed His name upon you, claimed you as His own, and has given you Jesus’ righteousness. And from this day forward, the Holy Spirit will continue to guide you into these truths and convictions, convincing you of your sin so you will believe in Jesus. Convincing you of the righteousness you have been given. And convincing you of the judgment of the devil.

Sable, and all of you here, it’s hard to know what to expect for your future. But know this: the Holy Spirit will continually guide you into all the truth, convicting and convincing you that Jesus’ work for your salvation is perfect, complete, and finished. 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.

Now & Not Yet – Sermon on 1 John 3:1-3 for the Fourth Sunday of Easter and Confirmation Sunday

Apr21

1 John 3:1–3

¹ See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ² Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. ³ And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

We live in a noisy world. On any given day, all sorts of things are constantly trying to grab your attention. We get dings and vibrations and taps that let us know who sent a message, what news story is breaking, or who liked that thing you posted. If you have to spend even ten minutes in a waiting room or a restaurant, you’ll find televisions turned to a game or news channel with the constant crawl of information that isn’t important enough, at least at that moment, to be on the main part of the screen. You’re watching the news about what’s going on in the Middle East and get the latest OJ Simpson’s death. Or you’re watching the NBA playoffs and learn about some guy’s hot take on what the Vikings are going to do in the first round of the NFL draft. And on and on it goes.

Now, this isn’t a sermon about how pointless and exhausting this barrage of information is. It’s just an acknowledgement of the conditions in which we live. Our attention is being constantly pulled in a myriad of directions, and all sorts of things shout at you, “Pay attention to me!” Well, this epistle reading (1 Jn. 3:1-3) is calling for your attention. In fact, it’s commanding you to pay attention. So, for the next few minutes, don’t be distracted, don’t be pulled, don’t be thinking about what’s going to happen this afternoon or this week or next summer. Right now, God, through His holy Word, calls you to focus and see. See this.

See the kind of love the Father has given to us. It is the kind of love that calls you, believer, a child of God. It is a love that calls all y’all, Christians, children of God. That is who you are – a child of God. Look around at the believers surrounding you here today, people whom you love and who love you, see that they through faith are also children of God.

See the kind of love that turns sinners and enemies of God into children. See the kind of love that isn’t earned or deserved. See God’s love for you that is demonstrated in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Ro. 5:8). This is the purest kind of love. It’s God’s love that is not based on the lovableness of the individual. It’s a love that is freely given because, in spite of our unloveliness, God determined to seek your highest good and make you His child.

God’s own child, that is what you are, believer. That is what God has called you, and what God says creates reality. Everything in this world – including your own thoughts, opinions, and experiences – will try to convince you otherwise. It will attempt to get you to believe this isn’t true. Don’t listen to any of that. See. Behold. God’s love has made you His child.

Christian, God’s love has given you a new birth. In his Gospel, John says this explicitly. To all who did receive Jesus, those who believe in His name, He gives the right to become children of God (Jn. 1:12), and this right came when you were born again of water and the Spirit (Jn. 3:3, 5-6).

You confirmands, you have this new birth as a child of God. Logan, you received this new birth when you were Baptized on July 3^rd, 2011 at Bigwoods Lutheran Church in Bigwoods, MN. Brayden, you were born again as God connected His Word to water on November 16^th, 2013 at St. Henry’s in Perham, MN. Maddie, same place, but for you on April 16^th, 2011 that was when and where you were born as a child of God. Brady, July 7^th, 2013 right there at that font, you became a child of God. And Asher, same font, on November 25^th2012, God declared that you are His child. The rest of you here, I’m sorry, but I don’t have your exact information in front of me.

This command to see this kind of love is in the present tense. That means it is a command that you always and continually see this kind of love. That love is to color everything else in your life. Keep holding on to that love because it is the most precious thing you could ever have. That love makes you God’s children now. Right now. What will we children of God be when we grow up? We don’t know, not yet.

John admits that even he doesn’t know exactly what glorious things are in store for us children of God. Think of that. John had seen some glorious things. He saw Jesus’ miracles and transfiguration. John saw the empty tomb. It was so glorious that he kept bragging about the fact that he outran Peter and was the first disciple to see it (Jn. 20:2-5, 8). The evening of Jesus’ resurrection, John had seen Jesus’ resurrected hands, feet, and side (Jn. 20:19-20; Lk. 24:36-43). As best as we can tell, John wrote this epistle after he had seen the vision of recorded in Revelation. That means John had seen Jesus clothed in a robe with a golden sash. He saw Christ’s eyes like a glorious flame of fire. John saw Jesus’ face shining like the sun in full strength (Rev. 1:13-16). And still John says here, “I don’t know what we children of God will grow up to be. I haven’t seen it yet because it hasn’t appeared” (1 Jn. 3:2). “But,” John says, “But we know that when Jesus appears we will be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is.”

You confirmands and everyone here today, it can be dangerous to look to the past. And it can be troubling to think about the future. If you do look to the past, look at it through the lens of being God’s beloved child. When you consider your present, keep this command and see the constant love God has for you. When you look to the future, have in mind that you, through faith, are a child of God. And keep longing and hoping for that moment when Christ, your Savior, returns knowing that then you will be like Jesus.

That faith, that hope is what makes you pure – pure as Jesus is pure. God wants to orient you to the present reality that you are His child. Because of His love, you have a seat at His table where He gives you His Body to eat and His Blood to drink for the forgiveness of all your sin. You have a seat at His table. Child of God, as you wander through this world, know that you belong among God’s family. Welcome home, children of God. 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.

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

Apr7

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

Mar31

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

Mar31

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.

Pastorsamwise

"Don't the great tales never end?"

Category Archives: Historic One Year Lectionary

Feast & Famine – Sermon on Luke 16:19-31 for the First Sunday after Trinity

From, Through, & To – Sermon on Romans 11:33-36 for Holy Trinity Sunday

The Lasting Legacy of Pentecost – Sermon on Acts 2:1-21, 36 for the Day of Pentecost

A Covering of Love – Sermon on 1 Peter 4:7-11 for the Easter 7/Sunday after the Ascension

Keep Asking – Sermon on John 16:23-33 for the Sixth Sunday of Easter

Spirit-Guided – Sermon on John 16:5-15 for the Fifth Sunday of Easter

Now & Not Yet – Sermon on 1 John 3:1-3 for the Fourth Sunday of Easter and Confirmation Sunday

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

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

God of the Living – Sermon for the Vigil of Easter