Category Archives: Sermon Manuscript

Unto Eternity – Sermon on Psalm 23, Revelation 22:1-21, and Luke 12:35-40 for Midweek Advent 3 2020

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In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Dear saints, what will eternity be like? Through these Advent services, we’ve considered the comfort of Christ’s coming and what it means for us now and on the Last Day. But what does it mean for us beyond that? What does Jesus’ coming mean unto eternity? Even though we don’t get a ton of details, the overwhelming picture of Scripture has one common theme, and throughout the all texts tonight (Ps. 23; Rev. 22:1-21; Lk. 12:35-40), God serving you has been that theme.

First you heard how God serves you throughout your life. In Ps. 23, God serves you as your shepherd making you lie down in green pastures, leading you beside still waters, protecting you through the valley of the shadow of death, and finally preparing a table before you in the presence of your enemies anointing your head with oil, and overflowing your cup. Indeed, God’s goodness and mercy follow you all the days of your life. Really, the translation there is too weak. ‘Follow’ is not nearly strong enough.

The Hebrew word there is almost always a military term to pursue. It gets used when Pharaoh had his army chase the Israelites to the edge of the Red Sea (Ex. 14:4, 8-9, 23). It is what Israel’s army did to the Philistine army after David defeated Goliath (1 Sam. 17:52). At the end of Ps. 23 – the picture is so beautiful – God’s goodness and God’s mercy pursue you and hunt you down all the days of your life. No matter how often you try to flee, God is coming after you with His goodness and mercy. And that care and compassion of God will continue because you will dwell in His house forever.

In our Gospel lesson, we have another picture of God serving us. And it is so interesting. Jesus opens that text by commanding us to, “Stay dressed for action.” Literally, the phrase is, “Let your loins be girded.”Now, I’m sorry to do this to you on a Wednesday night, but the grammar is too important to not do it. This is a perfect imperative. In other words, it is a command to already be in a certain state. So, Jesus is commanding you to have your loins girded – which doesn’t mean much for us today. But in Jesus’ day this would mean that men would lift up the heavy robes from around their feet and ankles so they were ready work or travel. This is important because God gave the same command to Moses on how the people were to eat the original Passover meal (Ex. 12:11). They were to eat the Passover with their belts fastened (that’s the girded loins idea), sandals on their feet, staff in hand, and eat it quickly.

Now, remember during the original Passover, they had to put the blood of the lamb around their doors to keep the angel of death from entering their household. And this was the final plague which brought God’s people out of slavery. But in this text, Jesus bringing about a beautiful reversal. He gets our minds to be thinking about the Passover with the command to gird our loins, but, dear people of God, we aren’t waiting for the angel of death to pass over. Instead, we are waiting for our Lord and master to come home from the wedding feast He has attended.

So, here’s the picture: Jesus has died, risen again, and ascended to God’s right hand in heaven where there is a joyful celebration going on. But Christ has promised that He will come back for us, and He wants us to be ready for His return. And those who have heeded Jesus’ command to be ready to work when He returns find the most amazing thing upon His return. Instead of us, Christ’s servants, serving Him, Jesus serves us. In other words, Jesus will go to work while you recline at the table and feast for eternity.

Dear saints, Jesus, the Son of Man, came on Christmas day not to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for you (Mt. 20:28). And Jesus is returning not to be served but to serve you and shower you with His eternal love.

Finally, we have the most beautiful picture of this in our Epistle text (Rev. 22:1-21). Christ Himself will be your Lamb who shepherds you by the still waters of the river of life which flows from the throne of God. He will feed you in the eternal green pastures from the tree of life which bring healing for the nations. No longer will there be anything that is cursed. You will see God’s face, and His name will be on your forehead. There will be no more night. God Himself will be your light, and you will reign forever and ever.

Dear saints, throughout these Advent services, you have been reminded of the urgency to be ready for Christ’s return. Jesus could come back before this service ends, so be ready. It could be months from now, so do not grow weary, but be ready. It could be millennia before He returns, so ingrain the faith in your children and pass on the faith to ensure others will be ready as well. We need to heed Jesus’ warnings about being ready for His return.

But then we need to take a deep breath and let it out with a laugh because what we are waiting for an eternal party. Christ has already come winning your salvation. Jesus continually comes bringing you His forgiveness. And your Savior is returning bringing eternal joys. 

Ultimately, know this: Jesus isn’t returning like a picky mother-in-law inspecting the china she gave you as a wedding present to see if it’s been chipped or damaged. Instead, Jesus is returning like your favorite uncle with treats in one hand and a pile of fireworks in the other. Yes, we do need to watch and be ready for His return but mainly because it would be such a pity to miss all the fun. 

Come, Lord Jesus. Come quickly. Amen.

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

At the Last – Sermon on Matthew 25:31-46 for Midweek Advent 2 2020

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In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Your Savior, whose first coming was humble and lowly yet announced by the angels, is coming again in glory, and every eye will behold Him. His swaddling clothes will be exchanged for royal robes, and instead of lying in a manger, He will sit on His glorious throne.

Your Redeemer, whose birth was celebrated by the shepherds, is coming again for you as your Good Shepherd.

Growing up, I remember fearing the day of Christ’s return and standing before Him to be judged. I think it started as a dream, but I would often replay the scene in my head. In my mind, the final judgment consisted of Christ setting up a tent (I don’t know why it was a tent) on 8th Ave. East in Williston, North Dakota. I pictured myself waiting in line to go in that tent which opened right in front of our mailbox situated on a wagon wheel.

In my mind, I entered that tent and there was a makeshift projector screen on one of the walls. Jesus invited me in and began to replay my life on that screen, and the replay lasted just over one second. Afterward, Jesus peppered me with hundreds of questions about my conduct and actions – especially regarding my sinful behavior. Sadly, I had no answer, no excuse to offer for my sins, iniquities, and shortcomings. Sadly, the end result of this was that I was terrified of the return of my Redeemer.

God be praised, that is not how Scripture depicts Christ’s return! There will be no replay of your life, no grand inquisition, no need to offer excuses. In fact, the only thing that I can’t disprove of my imagining of the final judgment is that it won’t take place on 8th Ave. East in Williston.

Our Gospel text tonight is typically known as “The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats.” However, there is no indication that this is a parable. The way Jesus talks here, we can expect that this is exactly how it will happen.

Christ will return in His glory. All the angels will be with Him. He will sit on His glorious throne. All people will be gathered before Him, and He will separate people as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. Sheep to the right. Goats to the left.

Christian, you will hear the sweetest, kindest, most merciful and beautiful words your ears have ever heard. “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Then, Christ will divulge before all people your good works and honor you for what you have done. Jesus will confess that you have been merciful even as God Himself is merciful. Christ will declare that you have given as you have received.

Now, we need to be clear. None of these works are the cause of God’s love for you. In fact, God loved and chose you from before the foundation of the world before you had done any good works. In His love for you, God prepared a place for you before you were born. You do not earn salvation and a place in His kingdom by works. Entrance into the kingdom is not a wage that is paid; instead, it is an invitation to be an heir.

The works that God will honor at the final judgment are simply the proof of your faith. 

God does reward good works in this life. He uses those rewards to strengthen and encourage you to continue to put off your sinful flesh. But most of His rewards are dispensed in the life to come so that you don’t grow complacent and lazy. But know this: even when God defers and delays His rewards, God takes notice of the good works because they are good and God loves them.

Dear saints, the infant Jesus who came to save you from your sins is the same King who does not and will not count your sins against you on the Last Day.

At the last, Christ will say to you, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” What a day that will be. Amen.

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

Father, Forgive Them – Sermon on Luke 23:34 for Good Friday

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Luke 23:34a

34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Whenever I read the passages about the crucifixion, I get frustrated. There is a big part of me that wants to enter into the story, grab people by the shirt, and tell them, “You don’t know what you’re doing!”

But imagine saying, “You don’t know what you are doing,” to the chief priests and Pharisees when they put Jesus on trial. Likely, they would have responded, “We know exactly what we are doing.” They had intentionally sought out gathered people who they knew would give false testimony against Jesus (Mt. 26:59-60), so they could put Him to death. In fact, for the majority of Jesus’ ministry, they had been trying to find a way to destroy Jesus (Mk. 3:6; Jn. 5:18).

Imagine saying to the crowds, “You don’t know what you are doing.” They probably would have said, “That man, Jesus, is dangerous. The chief priests and elders told us just how dangerous He is. It’s better for us to have murderer Barabbas freed and wandering the streets than to have Jesus leading people astray. We want Him crucified.”

Imagine saying to the soldiers, “You don’t know what you are doing.” They would have likely said, “Yes we do. We are experts with whips and hammers and nails. We know how to whip, beat, and flog a prisoner. We have been trained to know exactly where to put the nails in the hands and feet to avoid the arteries and maximize the suffering to make death on a cross as excruciating as possible.”

It seems as though everyone responsible for putting Jesus on the cross knew exactly what they were doing. But Jesus prays, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Was Jesus wrong?

No. In His mercy, Jesus looks on them from His with compassion, and absolves them. He forgives their sins. And He blesses them. Because that is exactly why He is dying. He is dying to forgive them, and He is dying to forgive you.

When we see Jesus dying on the cross, we are sorry for our sins. We know our sins are bad, but when we see how Jesus suffers for our sins, we know just how bad they are. We see what the cost is for our sins. We know how angry God is at our sins.

We know that it was because of our sins that Jesus was dragged around all night to the different trials. We know that our sin caused Jesus to be spit upon, beaten, and whipped. Because of our sin, Jesus was pinned to that splintered piece of wood and lifted up to hang there and suffocate to death. Because of our sin, Jesus endured the wrath of God as He hung in darkness, abandoned and deserted by His Father. All of it is sad, and it should make us sorry. There is no more severe preaching of God’s Law than the cross of Jesus because on the cross of Jesus we see what we deserve (FOC. Ep. IV. 9).

But know this: Jesus is not just suffering because of you; He is suffering for you and in your place.

Jesus wants to be on the cross. Now, it isn’t as though Jesus enjoyed being on the cross. Hebrews 12:2 says Jesus despised the shame of the cross. He wants to be there. He wants to pay the price. He wants to rescue, redeem, save, and forgive you all your sins.

Yes, Jesus suffers because of you, but even more wonderfully Jesus suffers for you. And Christ would have it no other way.

Remember when Peter says that he doesn’t want Jesus to go to the cross (Mt. 16:21-22), but Jesus rebukes Peter saying, “Get behind Me, Satan.” Jesus is determined to be up there on the cross because it is the only way for you to have the gifts that He will win. To be on that cross is what Jesus wants.

Jesus wants to be crucified for you so that you can have His joy and His peace.

And this is why we call it “Good Friday” because Jesus is dying for you.

And He isn’t mad about it. Jesus isn’t upset or angry at you. He loves you and prays from the cross for you, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Amen.

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

The Church: Gathered & Sanctified – Sermon on the 3rd Article of the Apostles’ Creed for Midweek Lent 5

The Scripture readings used for tonight’s service were Psalm 50; Acts 2:22-47; and John 17:17-26.

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I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

What does this mean?

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith; in like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in this Christian Church, He daily forgives abundantly all my sins and the sins of all believers, and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead and will grant everlasting life to me and to all who believe in Christ. This is most certainly true.

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

The Holy Spirit works to call, gather, enlighten, and sanctify the whole Christian Church on earth. One of the greatest records of the Holy Spirit doing exactly this is what you just heard from our Epistle lesson Acts 2[:22-47] which occurred on the day of Pentecost.

But to see the whole picture we have to go back to fifty days prior to Pentecost when Jesus was crucified. Remember the first recorded words of Jesus when He was nailed to the cross? “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Lk. 23:34). But after Jesus says this, the silence is deafening. No one is there to proclaim God’s forgiveness. No voice from heaven announces, “Yes, I forgive them.” Instead, Luke just continues to record how the soldiers cast lots to divide Jesus’ clothing and how the crowd mocks, scoffs, and jeers at Jesus. If we only had Luke’s Gospel, we wouldn’t know the answer to Jesus’ prayer, “Father forgive them.” But, thanks be to God, we know how God answered Christ’s prayer because the Gospel of Luke has a sequel – the book of Acts.

In that Epistle lesson, Luke records how Peter preaches to the people on the day of Pentecost. In that sermon, Peter points his finger to those gathered around him and rightly says that they were the very ones who delivered Jesus into the hands of evil men to be crucified. They delivered the Lord of Life unto death. But God raised Jesus from the dead. When they heard this, the Holy Spirit led them to cry out, “What shall we do?” And Peter responds, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

That very day, the Holy Spirit worked through the Word of God, and 3,000 people repented, were baptized, and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. They were baptized, and they were forgiven. Just fifty days after Jesus’ death, some of the very people who placed Him on the cross are given salvation. As Peter says, they were saved from that crooked generation (Act. 2:40), but what were they saved to?

This is an extremely important thing to recognize. To be saved means that you are taken fromsomething and transferred to something else. You get saved from a sinking ship, to a floating ship (or to land). You get saved from quicksand to solid ground. You get saved from a burning house to a place that isn’t on fire.

A lot of Christians today think they are saved from this crooked generation of the world to a solitary life with just themselves and Jesus. But Jesus was crucified, dead, buried, and is risen to create His holy Christian Church. The Holy Spirit doesn’t save us so that we can be with Jesus alone.

Some Christians think they are saved from their old, sinful way of life to a less sinful life. A lot of churches cater to this idea and offer different series of self-help sermons: “Five Tips to be a Better Parent,” “Seven Steps to Improve Your Marriage,” “Four Habits of Being a Good Employee,” etc. Of course, there are many passages of Scripture that give us good, godly instruction on each of those things. God cares about how you raise your children, treat your spouse, and work at your job. But those are not the only passages of Scripture, and that is not the main focus of Scripture. The Holy Spirit has much more for you than being a better person.

To be a Christian is to be saved from this crooked generation, but Luke, in that passage from Acts, tells us what those first Christians were saved to. They were saved to be the Church led by the Holy Spirit. And what is it the Holy Spirit leads them to?

The text tells us exactly what they are led to. “And they [the first believers] devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Act. 2:42).

Let’s take each of those in order:

First, the Holy Spirit led them to devote themselves to the apostles’ teaching. The only place these first Christians could get the apostles’ teaching was by going directly to the apostles themselves. They would need to be where Peter, James, John, Matthew, or Thomas etc. was to get that teaching. The first Christians would gather around the apostles to hear them preach and teach Jesus crucified, died, risen, and ascended for the forgiveness of their sins. And as time went on, believers could read and hear the apostles’ teaching in the letters that have been accepted as Holy Spirit-inspired Scripture.

Today, you can go to all sorts of churches that do have God’s Word, but they don’t actually teach what the Scriptures teach. Instead, many churches try to explain away what God’s Word says. Some are blatantly and obviously departing from the Scriptural teaching that a sinful, immoral life is fine with God. Some are less obvious and teach things that are nothing more than what you could get from a life coach or motivational speaker. Christian, the Holy Spirit leads you to devote yourself to the apostles’ teaching. And if any preacher or I ever start to explain away what the Scriptures clearly teach, run away from me as though I were a foaming-at-the-mouth, rabid wolf.

Second, the Holy Spirit led the first believers to be devoted to the fellowship. Christians desire to be together. They desire to share common things. These things included one faith, one Lord, one Baptism, one God and Father, one Spirit (Eph. 4:4-6). But it also included their stuff. They were very generous in showing mercy and giving to the needy. They were a people who, led by the Holy Spirit, bared one another’s burdens. And, dear saints, that is something we desperately need today.

Third, the Holy Spirit led the first believers to devote themselves to the breaking of bread. They celebrated the Lord’s Supper as Jesus instituted it. Jesus gave the gift of Holy Communion for His Church to gather around and receive the blessing of His life-giving Body and His forgiving Blood.

A quick note on this during this time of pandemic and quarantine: From God’s hand, we have been given a chance to repent. Maybe, we have gotten lazy and thought that the holy things of God were normal. Maybe we assumed we would always have access to them. Let’s repent of that and remember how precious and gracious God is in giving them to us. But, please, also remember that even though we cannot receive it together as a congregation, I am happy and delighted to serve you as your pastor with the gift of Christ’s Body and Blood here or at your home. Just let me know. And pray that the day when we can receive the Sacrament together once again may come soon!

Fourth, and finally, the Holy Spirit led the first believers to devote themselves to the prayers. They interceded to God on behalf of others. They prayed with thanksgiving for the gifts that God had given them. They prayed in worship to the God who is merciful and gracious. These prayers characterized their life together.

Dear saints, Jesus forgave the very ones who crucified Him. By the working of the Holy Spirit through the preaching and teaching of the apostles, God called, gathered, enlightened, and sanctified them just as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies you. The Holy Spirit calls you out of yourself and your own self-interests to be the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). By the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through you, let your light sine so that others may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven (Mt. 5:16).

To close out this series on the Creed, dear saints, know that you have been created by the Father, redeemed by the Son, and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. The holy, blessed Trinity loves you and has made you His own. Rejoice in His eternal lovingkindness toward you. Amen.

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

Sanctified by the Holy Spirit – Sermon on the 3rd Article of the Apostles’ Creed for Midweek Lent 4

Sermon for the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed for Midweek Lent 4. The Scripture readings used during tonight’s service were Psalm 51; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; and John 14:15-21. Another important text is John 16:8-11.

Listen here.

I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

What does this mean?

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in the true faith; in like manner as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in this Christian Church, He daily forgives abundantly all my sins and the sins of all believers, and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead and will grant everlasting life to me and to all who believe in Christ.  This is most certainly true.

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

In this series, we have seen first, how the Father creates and sustains us; second, how the Son redeems us through His humiliation and exaltation; and now tonight, we will begin to consider the Holy Spirit and how He sanctifies us.

Sometimes, Lutherans are accused of not talking about the Holy Spirit enough. People today think the Holy Spirit is at work when they get a particular feeling or emotion because of things going on around them. Scripture is very clear that feelings are not a good gauge to determine whether or not the Holy Spirit is at work.

Now, maybe it is a fair assessment to say Lutherans don’t talk about the Holy Spirit very often. But it should be noted that the Holy Spirit is very content not being talked about. In fact, Jesus says that the work of the Holy Spirit is to point us to Him as our Savior. In John 15:26, Jesus says that when the Holy Spirit comes, “He will bear witness about Me.” In other words, whenever you hear about Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of your sins, you can know without a doubt that the Holy Spirit at work in you creating faith.

We learn most about the Holy Spirit in John 14-16, some of that you have already heard. In that section Jesus repeatedly calls the Holy Spirit the ‘Helper.’ The word Jesus uses means ‘advocate, intercessor, or mediator.’ In John 16:8-11, Jesus tells us how the Holy Spirit helps, advocates, intercedes, and mediates for us.

Open scene with video and verses.

Listen to those verses, “When [the Helper, the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” As we begin to consider the work of the Holy Spirit, we should think about each of these.

Flip verses slide

First, Jesus says the Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning sin “because the world does not believe in Me” (Jn. 16:9). Notice that Jesus doesn’t say that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin because they are so horrible.

We think that the opposite of sin is good works, and without the Holy Spirit, we wrongly think that our sin is something we can manage on our own. We imagine we can hide the stains of our sin by being kind to those around us. We think we can distract God from our lust, anger, pride, and selfishness with a few good works here and there.

But the opposite of sin is not good works. Romans 14[:23] says, “Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” The opposite of sin is faith in Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

So, as the Holy Spirit convicts us concerning sin, He shows us the depths of our sin, but He also points us to Jesus who has taken all our sin and punishment. The Holy Spirit shows us that we are fools if we think our sin can be taken away by anything other than the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin showing us that we need Jesus to be our Savior. But when the Holy Spirit has convicted us of our sin, He isn’t done. There is still more Spirit convicting to do.

Flip verses slide.

Second, Jesus says the Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning righteousness “because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer” (Jn. 16:10).

The Holy Spirit uses the Scriptures to convict you concerning righteousness. In other words, because Jesus has died, you are righteous. You are completely freed from those sins which should separate you from God for eternity.

Satan, the accuser, comes along and tries to tell you that God doesn’t love you. He lies saying that Jesus’ death and resurrection isn’t enough. He comes along and tries to tell you that you aren’t really a Christian and have been fooling yourself. Or if you call yourself a Christian you aren’t a ‘true Christian’ or a ‘committed Christian’ or an ‘on-fire Christian.’ But the devil’s whispers to you are all hogwash.

Listen to what the Spirit says to you in the Scriptures: The Holy Spirit says Jesus became sin for you so that, through faith in Christ, you have become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). You have been made perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect (1 Pet. 1:16). The Holy Spirit promises that there is no condemnation for you who are in Christ Jesus (Ro. 8:1). The Holy Spirit shows you that the righteousness you need has been totally and completely provided for you by Jesus who went to His Father saying, “It is finished.”

And the Holy Spirit still isn’t done.

Flip verses slide.

Jesus says the Holy Spirit convicts the world concerning judgment, but notice He convicts concerning judgment not because you are judged, rather “because the ruler of this world is judged” (Jn. 16:11).

Christian, when you suffer, when bad things happen to you, you might think that God is judging you. But the Holy Spirit comes and says to you that you are not the target of God’s judgment. Satan is, and he always has been.

When God confronted Adam and Eve in the Garden, the first judgment He gave was to the devil. God promised that He would send Jesus to crush the serpent’s head. Jesus has come and done just that.

The Holy Spirit’s work is to bring all this out into the open. Because of what Christ has done for you, you are not God’s enemy. God demonstrates His love for you that while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you (Ro. 5:8). And even when you were God’s enemy, here’s how He treated you – He reconciled you to Himself by the death of Jesus (Ro. 5:10).

Go to regular video.

All of this is the Holy Spirit’s work. The Holy Spirit convicts you concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit takes all the work of Jesus and declares it to you (Jn. 16:13-15). He is your Helper, your Comforter, your Advocate. Through Spirit’s working, He opens the Scriptures to you creating, sustaining, and strengthening your faith while He guides you into all the truth.

So, dear saints, believe. Believe that your sin is paid in full by Christ’s shed blood. Believe that Christ’s righteousness covers you. And believe that you are judged worthy of eternal life because of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is at work right now through God’s Word so that you can discern and understand the mind of the Lord. As you listen to the Spirit speaking and guiding you through the Word of God, you know what is on God’s mind – your redemption and sanctification. Through all of this, you are given the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16). You are not left as an orphan. The Holy Spirit is with you and working within you to sanctify you and all Christians as God’s own child (Jn. 14:16-17). Amen.

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

Exalted for Your Redemption – Sermon on the 2nd Article of the Apostles’ Creed for Midweek Lent 3

The Scripture readings used for tonight’s service were Psalm 8; Hebrews 2:5-18; and Luke 24:44-53.

Listen here.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit; born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven; and is seated on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from where He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

What does this mean?

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true Man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord; Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, bought me and freed me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with silver and gold, but with His holy and precious blood and with His innocent sufferings and death; in order that I might be His own, live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness; even as He is risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity.  This is most certainly true.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Last week we considered the 2nd Article of the Apostle’s Creed and Jesus’ humiliation. Tonight, we continue to consider this article, but in the light of Jesus’ exaltation. Jesus, who is God and Man, is now seated at God’s right hand where He rules, governs, and directs all things in creation. This is great news, and we’ll finish by dwelling on that.

But first it is good to recognize where we confess Jesus’ humiliation and where we confess Jesus’ exaltation in the Creed. Jesus’ humiliation includes His conception by the Holy Spirit; His birth of the virgin Mary; His suffering under Pontius Pilate; His crucifixion, death, and burial. Two things should be mentioned at this point:

First, and this will be important later, the fact that the eternal Son of God took on human flesh – the term for that is the ‘incarnation’ – is not part of Jesus’ humiliation. The way or manner in which Jesus took on flesh shows His humility, but the incarnation itself is not part of Jesus’ humiliation. We have to confess that because Jesus is still truly Man. When Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father, He didn’t lay aside or set down His body. No, He ascended physically into heaven. Jesus still has and will forever have His body. So, again, the fact that the Son of God took on flesh is not part of Jesus’ humiliation because He keeps His body in His exaltation. Tuck that into the back of your mind because, again, it will be important later.

The second thing to mention here is Jesus’ descent into hell. It might seem foreign to us, but Jesus’ descent into hell is the first step of His exaltation when we confess the Creed. We are so used to being told about the horrors of hell that we probably think that going there must be terrible, and that is absolutely true for us. However, when Jesus descended into hell, He did so for an important reason.

The only Scripture text that teaches that Jesus descended into hell is 1 Pet. 3:18-19 which says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison.” Notice that this text teaches that Jesus is made alive in the spirit, in which, He goes and proclaims to the spirits in the prison of hell. As Jesus wins the victory over death by rising again, He descends into hell and proclaims His victory over the devil and the souls of those who refused to believe. Think of it as a victory lap when Christ preaches even to the devil and those who persisted in unbelief that by the shedding of His blood He has won the victory over sin and death.

So, with all of that in mind, when we confess the Creed, Christ’s exaltation begins with His descent into hell then continues with His resurrection from the dead on the third day; His ascension into heaven; and His continued sitting at God’s right hand to this day. Jesus’ exaltation will culminate when He returns in glory to judge the living and the dead on the Last Day.

So, what toes all of this mean for you now?

Well, in our Gospel lesson (Lk. 24:44-53), we got to hear Luke’s shorter account of Jesus’ ascension. Luke gives a longer view of the ascension with a few other details in Acts 1[:6-11]. But I want you to notice two particular details from the end of Luke’s Gospel. Jesus leads the disciples out to Bethany. Ascension 2He lifts up His hands and blesses them. And while He is blessing them, He is carried up into heaven. The last time Jesus was seen on earth, He is lifting up His hands in blessing. And Jesus continues to lift up His nail-pierced hands in blessing over you, dear saints.

The other detail to consider briefly is that the disciples worshiped Him. Imagine you walked around a corner and saw these disciples. Some of them are standing with their arms raised in praise and gazing into heaven. Some are kneeling with their faces to the ground praising Him. Maybe they are singing one of the Psalms. To someone who didn’t know what had just happened, seeing all this would look pretty ridiculous.

But it isn’t. Jesus was gone. He had ascended to God’s right hand. But the disciples knew that Jesus was not gone in a way that means that He is now absent from them. So, they return to Jerusalem with joy – with great joy. And they were continually in the Temple blessing God. And we join them.

Because Jesus has physically ascended into heaven and is exalted, we have an eternal High Priest who is crowned with glory and honor. As our Epistle text (Heb. 2:5-18) says, He has been made like us, and still is like us, in every respect, so that He is a merciful and faithful High Priest in the service of God. He is the one who carried our griefs and sorrows (Is. 53:4). He knows the struggles you faced today, and He endured the trials you will face tomorrow. Because He suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help you who are being tempted.

Dear saints, Jesus is exalted. Christ is risen, and He is ascended into heaven, but He is not gone. He is still with you. In fact, He has promised to always be with you. Jesus promises, “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am among them” (Mt. 18:20). Jesus promises, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me…. And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Mt. 28:18, 20). We see Him with the eyes of faith. We see Him even though our eyes do not behold Him. We see Him because He has promised to be with us in His Word and Sacrament. We see Him in our brothers and sisters in Christ. And we see Him in our neighbor who needs our help because as we do good to the least of our brothers, we do also unto Jesus.

We see Jesus, and we watch for Him. We watch for Him because this same Jesus promises that He will return to dwell with you for all eternity. As God’s people we say, “Amen. Amen. It will be so. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.” Amen.

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

Humbled for Your Redemption -Sermon on the 2nd Article of the Apostles’ Creed for Midweek Lent 2

The Scripture readings used during tonight’s service were Psalm 71; Isaiah 52:13-53:12; and Philippians 2:1-11.

Listen here.

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit; born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;  He ascended into heaven; and is seated on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from where He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

What does this mean?

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true Man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord; Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, bought me and freed me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with silver and gold, but with His holy and precious blood and with His innocent sufferings and death; in order that I might be His own, live under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness; even as He is risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity.  This is most certainly true.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

There are too many lords in here tonight. I’m a lord. You are a lord. You are a lord. Everyone sitting on this side of the sanctuary is a lord. Maybe you don’t feel like much of a lord. You don’t have a castle. You don’t have lands or titles or pedigree. You can’t control the economy. You can’t even control if your house has toilet paper because all the other lords have gone and purchased it all before you could get to the store.

Probably most of us don’t think we are guilty of seeing ourselves as lords. Each of us usually thinks that we are the low man on the totem pole while there is somebody else up there – in the school office, in Washington D.C., or wherever ‘there’ is. But guess again. You are a lord, and there are too many lords here and too many lords out there.

Haughty PrideA lord is not simply someone who has the final say or ultimate authority over a situation. A lord is anyone who exercises power over someone at any time. For example, you are a lord when you get into your car and drive 32 mph instead of the posted 30 mph because your time is more important than the safety of others. By the way, you are also a lord when you slow down to 27 mph in a 30 mph in order to teach a lesson to that guy driving 40 mph behind you. You are a lord when you sit down after a long day and your spouse or kids ask you for something, but you don’t feel like giving them the time or attention they desire. You are a lord when you go to the store or click your mouse to spend your money on yourself or family while ignoring the hungry and needy. Kids, you are a lord when you decide that your sibling has done something you don’t like, so you turn around and do something to them that they don’t like. Yes, there are too many lords today.

The question tonight is this: “What kind of lord are you?” In the Epistle text you heard earlier (Php. 2:1-11), Paul doesn’t ask the question directly, but the Holy Spirit would like that text to have us each answer the question, “What kind of lord am I?” And that Scripture text would have us consider ourselves in light of the Lordship of Jesus who is King of kings and Lord of lords.

As we consider the 2nd Article of the Apostles’ Creed this week and next, we are going to divide it in two parts – Jesus’ humiliation tonight and Jesus’ exaltation next week. Tonight, know this: because Jesus is Lord, the kind of Lord you have is a humble Lord.

Here is the first thing we have to understand about our Lord Jesus’ humiliation. To be humiliated or humbled, you have to start with some status. The higher you start, the more you can be humbled. So, consider Jesus. Jesus is the eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere-present Son of God. You can’t start higher or more lord-like than that. But Jesus didn’t count equality with God a thing to be grasped or held on to.

Jesus’ lordship stands opposite to what Adam and Eve did. Remember in the Garden, Satan aroused Adam and Eve (who were given dominion [i.e. ‘lordship’] over all creation) to eat of the tree which God commanded them not to eat so that they would be like God. They took the bait and fell. Even though Jesus didn’t need to be like God (because He already was God), Jesus is patient and waits to be given that glorification, that lordship, until it pleases God to give it to Him. So, Christ chose to humble Himself.

Even though Jesus was true God and equal to God in all respects, as a man, Christ did not fully make use of His divine powers and attributes. If Jesus wanted to go somewhere, He didn’t teleport. Jesus didn’t sustain Himself by His divine power; instead, He ate food. Jesus took naps, and His feet got dirty. Yes, there are times where Jesus uses His divine power, but almost always it is for the benefit of others by healing them.

good-friday-jesus-comes-to-rescueJesus, the Son of God, emptied Himself by taking the form of a servant. He was formed and woven together in His mother’s womb, just like you were. Jesus was born just as you were born, but in a stable. The shepherds and wise men saw Him as an infant. As a helpless infant, Jesus entrusted Himself to the care of His parents who had to flee the violent, wicked hands of Herod, the lord of Jesus’ land. Jesus learned to walk, talk, and eat in Egypt. He was even potty trained there. He learned His letters and how to read after His parents moved Him to their hometown of Nazareth. Jesus grew up learning carpentry, the trade of His (earthly) father, Joseph. Lord Jesus made friends with the neighborhood kids, and He had siblings who didn’t always treat Him with kindness (Mk. 3:31-32, Jn. 7:1-5).

Jesus knew tiredness after a long day of travel (Jn. 4:6). He got hungry (Mt. 4:2). Jesus experienced disappointment of friends who betrayed Him (Lk. 22:47-48). He felt the pain of friends and family dying (Jn. 11:32-34). Jesus experienced the lure and enticement of every temptation that you face. Yet, Jesus still did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. He did not use His divine power to remove Himself from any of those situations.

Instead, your Lord Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death, and not just any death. He humbled Himself to a cross-type death – the most painful and humiliating death ever devised for the lowest of criminals. To illustrate how humiliating Jesus’ death was, it is interesting to note that Muslims believe that Jesus was a prophet, but they don’t believe Jesus died on the cross because dying on a cross is below the dignity of a prophet. And finally, Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb.

Dear saints, your Lord Jesus humbled Himself. You have a truly humble Lord, and Jesus, your Lord did all of this for your redemption. Yet, Christ is most God-like when He is on the cross. With all power and authority at His disposal, He lays it all aside to shed His blood for you, to die for you, to redeem you, to give you His grace and mercy, and to become your Lord.

Christian, that is the kind of Lord you have. Because you have been redeemed by your humble Lord, you are children of God and lords – with a little ‘l’ (1 Cor. 9:19, Ro. 13:8). And this world desperately needs little lords that have the humble mind of Christ. Amen.

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

Created by the Father to Love and Serve – Sermon on the 1st Article of the Apostles’ Creed for Midweek Lent 1

The Scripture readings used during tonight’s service were Psalm 104; Genesis 1:1-2:3; and Matthew 6:22-34.

Listen here.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.

What does this mean?

I believe that God has created me and all that exists; that He has given and still preserves to me my body and soul, my eyes and ears, and all my members, my reason and all the powers of my soul, together with food and clothing, home and family, and all my property; that He daily provides abundantly for all the needs of my life, protects me from all danger, and guards and keeps me from all evil; and that He does this purely and out of fatherly and divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me; for all of which I am in duty bound to thank, praise, serve, and obey Him. This is most certainly true.

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

Tonight, we begin this little adventure of considering the Apostles’ Creed and the God who has created, redeemed, and sanctified us. From the moment I began thinking about this series, I knew that preaching the 1st Article would be the most difficult sermon to write because there are so many possibilities. I thought about preaching against evolution and atheism. Or preaching about the wisdom of God and the wonderful care and detail He used when He situated all the parts of creation for us to live on this little speck of dirt traveling through the universe. I thought about preaching how God our Father and Creator graciously continues to sustain and preserve creation even after the Fall into sin. There were too many possibilities. But my main concern about preaching the 1st Article was to make sure that as we consider the fact that God created us that it also fit with preaching Christ. So tonight, you are going to get a little of all that.

The poisonous theory of evolution that says the entire universe happened by a chance, chaotic explosion, that caused life to accidentally form in a violent world, and that life continues to exist only because of death and Galexysurvival of the fittest. But the more scientists discover and learn, the more it becomes impossible to believe that we are the product of a series of random events.

We live on a big earth, but when you compare our solar system to the size of the universe, our entire solar system is incredibly small. Yet, our solar system is placed in the perfect spot in the Milky Way Galaxy that protects us from radiation. The number and size of other planets in our solar system protect us from asteroids hurtling through space that would destroy Earth. Our planet is just the right distance from the Sun – move us much closer and everything would be too hot, much further and everything would be too cold. The axis of Earth is tilted just the right number of degrees to regulate heat on the planet. The size of our planet means it has enough gravity to hold on to the gasses of our atmosphere, but it is not so large that we become a gaseous giant like Jupiter. The chemistry of our planet is in perfect balance to sustain life. Our moon is just the right size to regulate tides that sustain life in the oceans. And the magnetic field surrounding us is perfect to shield us from the sun’s radiation. Each of these details show that you believe in an Almighty Creator.

That’s just the big picture, macro stuff. Let’s get tiny and consider the micro stuff. Your body is made up of somewhere around 35 trillion individual cells that serve various functions. If the DNA strands in those cells were laid out end to end, it would travel from here to the sun and back 100 times. DNAFrom the moment you were conceived, the information in your DNA would fill 600,000 pages with information. And right now, in each of the 35 trillion cells of your body, biological “machines” are copying the volumes of information in your DNA into amino acids which are taken by other machines and folded in specific and precise ways into proteins. (So, don’t let anyone tell you that you are lazy.) But with all those minute details, you believe in an intricate, sophisticated, wise Maker.

Yes, you believe in God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And we could continue to consider all sorts of other facts about the universe and the size of the sun and the necessity of solar flares on the large scale. Or, we could consider the miracle of trillions of bacteria that line your intestines so you can digest the wonderful soup, sandwich, and desserts traveling through your gut right now on the small scale. And that would be time well spent marveling at the wonders of creation. But we would be missing what might be the most important word in the 1st Article – the word ‘Father.’

Every detail – both large and small scale – shows that you have a Creator who cares about everything large and small. Your God is the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. He cares for you and governs all creation to make sure that you have everything you need for life. Matthew 6_26 Birds Father ProvidesYour heavenly Father created and gives you everything. Your body and soul, your eyes and ears, all your members, your reason and senses – everything you have is a good gift from God your Father who daily provides for all the needs of your life. And He promises to continue to provide those things for you without any merit or worthiness in you. So, you don’t have to go running around worrying about what you will eat or drink or wear. God makes the sun to shine on the evil and the good, and He sends rain to the just and the unjust (Mt. 5:45). Everything that God provides for your life in His creation continues to be given as His good gift. The theological shorthand for all these things needed for life in God’s creation is called “1st Article gifts.” So, if you don’t mind, I’ll use that term again in a bit.

Now, the church has been fighting against atheism and the false theory of evolution for so long that we have forgotten to think about two important questions related to the 1st Article: How do we, as God’s creatures, view our neighbor? And what is our relationship and responsibility to creation? The answers to these questions are bound up together.

First of all, everyone you meet is one of God’s creatures intricately created and lovingly preserved by God. Every child from the moment of conception to the oldest person alive is a precious creature of God the Father. Every individual – no matter their skin color, their culture, their political views, or their ability – is valued and prized by the God who created them. So, treat them as such.

Your relationship and responsibility to them is to use all the 1st Article gifts God has given you to love them, to care for them, and to help and assist them. Sometimes, that means changing diapers, feeding, and cleaning up after them. Sometimes, that means holding a door, shoveling a sidewalk, or letting them merge into your lane. Sometimes, that means listening, assuring, encouraging, warning, or protecting them.

So, protect the blessings of creation. Care for this world and protect the blessings God has given both to you and to others. When you look at others, remember that they too are created by God, and He loves them as His creatures.

Rest in the knowledge that God your Father continues to protect you from all danger and guards and keeps you from all evil. He does this because He is your Heavenly Father. He knows what you need. He knows that you need to eat and drink. He knows every last one of your needs, and He will provide every one of these 1st Article gifts because He is your Father.

How can you know this? Because He sent what was most important in Him to provide for your deepest lack.Hebrews 4_12 - Word of God Sharp Sword

God the Father Almighty who made you has sent Jesus, His beloved Son, into creation, into this 1stArticle world, to redeem you. And to that redemption, we turn next week. Amen.

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

Faithful & Just – Sermon on 1 John 1:5-10 for Ash Wednesday

Listen here.

The Scripture readings for tonight were Jonah 3:1-10; 1 John 1:5-10; and Matthew 6:16-21.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but I was definitely old enough to know better. It was a cold, wet, Spring day. A friend from church, my sister, and myself were probably driving our parents crazy, so our parents dropped us off at the Williston Recreational Center to burn off some energy. The Rec. Center had two basketball courts, a few racquetball courts, and a hockey arena that still had the boards up but no ice. When we paid the fee and signed our names in, the employee told us that the empty hockey rink was off limits to the public that particular day, so we went to the basketball courts to play horse and lightning. But it didn’t take long before we got bored and decided we needed a little more excitement. So, of course, we went to the forbidden hockey arena.

I don’t remember exactly how we got past the front desk unnoticed, but we did. And we proceeded to have a grand time playing inside the boards. But not for long. I remember seeing the employee approaching the glass windows and door that separated the hockey arena from the lobby, and he didn’t look happy. I warned my friend and sister that we had been caught and were about to get in trouble. But my sister had a plan. She insisted that if we closed our eyes, the employee couldn’t see us. She said that it worked once for her friend. Now, I’m three years older than she is, so, again, I should have known better. But I did it. I closed my eyes as tight as I could and assumed the fetal position against the boards. I can only imagine how foolish we looked to that employee. Even as he hollered at us for being in there, I didn’t open my eyes until he tapped my shoulder.

Dear people of God, “If we say we have no sin,” (Notice that this is present tense. No matter how long you’ve been a Christian, not matter how much you’ve improved, no matter how much good you do, you still have sin.) “if we say we have no sin we deceive only ourselves,” and we look like a foolish child cowering with our eyes closed. We cannot flee from or escape the watchful eye of the God who created us. He knows your actions. He knows the words that come out of your mouth. He knows the thoughts of your mind. And He knows the hypocrisy of your heart. If we say we have no sin, the truth is not in us.

Repent because there is another way. Repent because that is the only way!

Scripture is clear that our God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. This is one of if not the most common descriptions of God. In fact, this is how God Himself defines who He is (Ex. 34:6). Repentance of Ninevah by John Martin c 1840When Jonah preached to the sinners of Nineveh in our Old Testament lesson (Jon. 3:1-10), they repented from their evil, violent ways. And for them, it was as crazy an idea as closing their eyes to enable invisibility mode. The king says in his proclamation, “Who knows? God may turn aside from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” In other words, “Let’s try repenting. It might work.” Dear saints, we do not have to wonder how God will respond to humble, contrite sinners. Our Epistle Lesson (1 Jn. 1:5-10) says, “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Make sure you catch all of the words there in v. 9. The text doesn’t just say “If you confess your sins, God will forgive and cleanse.” No. The text says that God is faithful and just to forgive. We would expect to hear different words there – words like merciful, gracious, kind, generous, or even lenient. But that is not what Scripture says. God is faithful and just to forgive you of your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

Dear saints, God’s forgiveness delivered to you is right and just. That’s saying it in a positive way. And it is true in a negative way (or the opposite way): God would be unjust to withhold forgiveness from you who confess your sins. Your sin, your shame, your unrighteousness, your guilt was all laid upon Jesus on the cross. He has taken all of it and endured the punishment that you deserve. For God to give you any of His anger or displeasure because of your sin would not be right or just. He would be removed from the bench, disbarred, and thrown into prison if He didn’t forgive you.

Dear Christian, be comforted. God faithfully and justly and willingly and delightfully forgives you all your sins because of what Jesus has done for you. Amen.

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

Living in Holy Light & Being Holy Light – Sermon for Midweek Advent 3 2019

Listen here. (The first 30 seconds of tonight’s sermon were not recorded. The missed portion was simply a summary of the previous weeks’ messages.)

The texts for tonight’s service were Isaiah 60:1-5; 2 Corinthians 4:6-12; and John 1:1-14.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Tonight, we are continuing the theme from 1 Timothy 4:4-5, “Everything is made holy by the Word of God and prayer.” In the first of these Advent sermons, we considered how God, the Holy One, makes us holy through His Word which cleanses and sanctifies us (Jn. 15:1-5; 17:17). Last week, we saw how God initially created all things good, but nothing created was holy by itself – nothing is inherently or intrinsically holy. So, God places His holy name upon us in our Baptism which makes us holy so we can be in His presence. This not only gives us access to God’s presence, it actually makes us a temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us (1 Cor. 6:19). This means, Christian, that you are no longer common. Now, you are sacred.

Tonight’s sermon will give us the picture of what our sacred life looks like according to Scripture especially from the Epistle lesson (2 Cor. 4:6-12). Paul is using imagery that was very common in his day, lamps. In the verses leading up to that text, he says that the Gospel – the good news that our sins are forgiven because of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection – is a light (2 Cor. 4:1-5). Then our text picks up that image. Look at those verses while I read and comment on them:

The God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone (Where?) in our hearts. (Why?) To give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God. We have this treasure – the treasure of God’s glory – in jars of clay.

These jars of clay are the lamps people used in New Testament times. Back then, houses were lit up, not by flipping on a switch but by little clay lamps filled with olive oil. Those clay lamps (or jars) had a small hole for a wick that floated in the oil and fed the flame.

So, God’s holy presence is in us. We have the treasure of His glory and power, but that holiness, that sacredness, that power, and that glory is hidden. You can’t see it just like you couldn’t see the oil inside of that clay lamp. But you know that oil is there as long as the wick continues to burn. If you lit a wick that didn’t have any fuel feeding it, that wick would burn up quickly. But when that wick has fuel, it will burn for hours and hours. Imagine that you didn’t know about the oil in the lamp, you would be surprised at how long the wick can burn.

Back to v. 7, we have this treasure hidden in jars of clay (Why?) to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. To close out this picture, Paul says that the life we have in Christ is reveled and shown in our suffering. Listen to v. 8-9, “We are afflicted but not crushed. Perplexed, but not driven to despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Struck down, but not destroyed.” When we endure suffering, others are able to see this surpassing power of God because of how it is manifested.

Afflictions do not crush us. Instead, they cause us to run to God (Ps. 129:2). Things that are perplexing and confusing do not cause us to despair (Ps. 37:32-33). When we have trials, we don’t need to wonder if God loves us – He does! When we are persecuted, we can know that we are suffering the very same things that Christ did. Jesus said, “If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you” (Jn. 15:20). When we are struck down, we turn the other cheek (Mt. 5:39) because we know that our enemies cannot destroy us – Christ has promised (Mt. 10:28). We have died and our life is hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:1-4).

You see, dear saints who have been made sacred, God’s glory and power given to you is manifested to this world in your weakness for when you are weak, then you are made strong by God’s power (2 Cor. 12:9-10). Our problem is that this is the opposite of what we normally think. In every other aspect of our lives, growing up means that we move from depending on others to becoming independent. When a child can feed herself, walk, is potty trained, able to dress herself, tie her shoes, etc., we see that she is growing up into an independent woman.

The exact opposite is true of spiritual growth. Growing up spiritually means that we become more dependent upon Christ for everything in every situation. As we mature in faith, we learn to borrow all that we need from Christ which means that we grow in holiness.

As God shines the light of the Gospel into you, that light shines out of you so that you are a light to others. Jesus puts it this way Mt. 5:14–16, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

God put the light of His Gospel into you so that you would give light to the dark house of this world. Jesus commands that light within you to shine. English cannot do justice to what the Greek does there. Jesus commands the light He has placed within you to shine so that the people of this world would see your good works and give glory to your heavenly Father.

I want to conclude tonight with one more image of what living in this light looks like by considering. Proverbs 3:5-6 (and I’m going to use a translation that might be different from what you are used to[1]), “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways know Him, so that He will straighten your paths.”

These verses picture traveling, but it isn’t the normal traveling from one place to another. It is traveling through life. Throughout your life, you travel on many different roads and paths that seem to have little or nothing to do with each other and it can feel like you aren’t getting anywhere. You go from one thing to another, but it feels like you have no destination.

But these verses invite to you to know the Lord in all your ways. What does that mean? It means that He is present with you in everything. Wherever you go, He is there with you. He is your invisible partner and companion. When you woke up this morning, He was there. When you traveled to work or school, as you ate lunch, while you drove here, He didn’t abandon you. He was right there beside you. You have had lots of little journeys today, and the Lord was with you the whole time.

All the paths of today and yesterday and six months ago, and all the paths of tomorrow and every day of your future are all one journey because God is with you every step of the way. In all your ways, know Him, see Him, expect Him. He is there walking with you leading you along the way. You don’t have to map out your own journey, you can simply trust Him because He is there making your path straight.

The biggest problem you have and that I have is that we think we are traveling by ourselves. We don’t even bother to look for Him because we don’t expect Him to be there. But there He is giving us His light, leading us, guiding us, directing us along our paths. This means that all our paths are sacred because of God’s presence.

All the little paths and bits and tasks of your life are not the story of your journey but the story of Jesus’ journey with you. Live your life in His holy light as you radiate that holy light. Amen.

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

[1] Translation from Rev. Dr. John Klienig.