Tag Archives: Child

Dominion – Sermon on Isaiah 9:2-7; 1 John 2:7-14; & Matthew 4:12-17 for Midweek Advent 2

Isaiah 9:2-7; 1 John 2:7-14; and Matthew 4:12-17

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

When Isaiah tells us that “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light,” what is the darkness he is referring to? The context of tonight’s passage from Isaiah 9 is the same as last week’s from Isaiah 7. Judah is being attacked by the armies of Syria and Israel, but instead of being firm in faith that God will deliver (Is. 7:9b), King Ahaz is buying help from the evil Assyrian empire (2 Kgs. 16:5-8). In other words, the days were definitely dark because of the enemies they faced.

But because of how the Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to mark the fulfillment of that Isaiah passage in our Gospel reading (Mt. 4:12-17), we know that this darkness is referring to a greater darkness than what covered Judah about 2,700 years ago. The darkness God is promising to deliver His people from is the darkness of sin and death. The light that shines even through that deep darkness is the light Christ brought when He began His ministry calling people to, “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mt. 4:17).

Isaiah here was inspired by God to write about something that would happen 700 years later as though the hour of light and redemption had already come. Isaiah spoke as though he was standing before Jesus’ manger, “For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given.” 

A Child, a Son, who will defeat the blackest darkness, becomes a humble, lowly Infant born and laid in a manger.

We love underdog stories. Whether it’s Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer getting the lead spot on Santa’s sleigh, Cinderella or Ariel marrying the handsome prince, Charlie getting the title to Wonka’s chocolate factory, the Mighty Ducks beating the Hawks, Kevin Malone repeatedly booby-trapping the Wet Bandits, or two hobbits destroying the Ring of Power. Even though those are all very different stories, they have the common theme: the outcast(s) overcome their sorrow, pain, and deficiencies to come out on top. The reason those stories captivate us is that they are echoes of the reality of our redemption and salvation that come through the Child who is born and the Son who is given.

This Child and Son Isaiah foretold is born and given for and to you. The Christ-child belongs to you. You are His, and He is yours. Your life depends on Him.

Unlike other under-dogs, He was powerful even from His birth, though it didn’t look like it. Our translation read, “The government shall be upon His shoulder.” I used to misunderstand this phrase. The summer between 3rd and 4th grade, my family drove out to visit my aunt and uncle who were stationed at an Air Force base near Washington D.C. We got to visit the Capitol, White House, and Supreme Court; we saw the Pentagon and the FBI headquarters. All of them are big, impressive buildings where I knew powerful people were making important decisions. After that trip, I would hear these verses from Isaiah and imagine those buildings actually situated on Jesus’ shoulder. Because of that, Jesus was big in my mind, not an infant.

“The government will be on [this Child’s] shoulder.” Each of us probably has a slightly different opinion of the ‘government.’ According to current polls, the government isn’t viewed favorably. Depending on which branch of government people are asked about, the government only has between a 20-40% favorably rating. (That isn’t intended to offene politicians here; it just is what it is.) Because of those different opinions of ‘government,’ probably a better translation of that word for us today would be ‘authority’ or ‘dominion.’ The authority and dominion of all the earth shall be upon this Child’s shoulder. Imagine that. All the authority and all the dominion of all the world (Mt. 28:18) – past, present, and future – is on the shoulder of the Infant in the manger.

The shoulders of the Christ-Child will also bear the entire weight of the world’s sin. He will bear that load to the cross, replacing the darkness of sin and death with His magnificent light. By His coming, spiritual oppression, slavery to sin, wrath, punishment, and judgment are ended, once and for all bringing a perfect and everlasting salvation.

Who is this Child? Isaiah gives us four names: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Each of these names is worthy of a library of sermons, but let’s briefly consider each one:

First, Wonderful Counselor. In this Child, the wonder of all wonders has taken place. In the eternal council of God, a Savior for humanity has taken on flesh to be born. This wonderful, unfathomable, wise counsel of God saves us. Even before the infant Jesus can open His lips, He is full of wonders and counsel.

Second, Mighty God. The Child in the manger is none other than God Himself. God became a Child. That is the greatest thing that could ever be said. Because of Jesus, a human being of flesh and blood is where God dwells among you. The Baby is your God, your Strength, and your Might.

Third, Everlasting Father. This might be the strangest name for a child. The fatherly love of God is demonstrated in this Child who desires to bring God’s love earth. Yes, this name demonstrates the unity between the Father and the Son (Jn. 14:9; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3), but even better than that is the fact that this name reveals that the Son of God takes all the love of His Father in heaven and delivers that love down to you here on earth.

Fourth, Prince of Peace. When this Child is born and this Son is given, peace is secured between you and God as well as between you and others. When you have conflict and strife with others, remember how God has become your brother out of His love for you. In a world filled with violence, the Prince of Peace brings His perfect peace that surpasses all understanding.

After giving these four names, Isaiah goes on to tell us about what kind of kingdom and dominion Jesus will have. His kingdom and dominion will continually increase until it fills all creation (2 Pet. 3:13). It doesn’t matter how great, mighty, and powerful this world appears. It is nothing compared to the dominion of justice and righteousness that Christ brings to you.

Jesus doesn’t fight and advance His dominion with weapons. He conquers and expands His dominion through words. His preaching is the iron rod which shatters the nations and the double-edged sword (Heb. 4:12) that converts hearts. And His dominion will last forever. He guarantees it. “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

Dear saints, God brings His plans to completion either with us or despite us, and He desires for you to be with Him. Children of God, your sins are forgiven for His name’s sake. Because of Him, you know Him who is from the beginning. Through Him, you overcome the darkness of the evil one. In Him, you know the Father and are made strong because His Word abides in you (1 Jn. 2:12-14).

For you, this Child – who is your Wonderful Counselor, your Mighty God, your Everlasting Father, your Prince of Peace – is given and born. Isaiah foretold it, and you live in its fullness. Amen.

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

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

Isaiah 51:9–16

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

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 3rd, 2011 at Bigwoods Lutheran Church in Bigwoods, MN. Brayden, you were born again as God connected His Word to water on November 16th, 2013 at St. Henry’s in Perham, MN. Maddie, same place, but for you on April 16th, 2011 that was when and where you were born as a child of God. Brady, July 7th, 2013 right there at that font, you became a child of God. And Asher, same font, on November 25th2012, 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.

The Ten Words – Sermon on Exodus 20:1-17 for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity

Exodus 20:1-17

1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 

3 “You shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. 

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. 

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 

13 “You shall not murder. 

14 “You shall not commit adultery. 

15 “You shall not steal. 

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Dear saints, you are familiar with this text – or, at least, you should be. We know these verses as “the Ten Commandments” – even though Scripture itself never refers to them as the Ten Commandments. (More on that in just a bit.)

We have grown used to thinking that God only gave the Ten Commandments to show us our sin so that we repent and believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sin. Saying that isn’t wrong – not in the least! Scripture says that one of the reasons God gave us the Law is to tell us what we must and have failed to do (Ro. 7:7-12). That’s how Luther uses them in his Small Catechism, and in his hymn on the Ten Commandments that we just sang, he does the same thing, “You have this Law to see therein / that you have not been free from sin, / but also that you clearly see / how pure toward God your life should be.” But God gave the Ten Commandments to do more than simply show us our sin.

Scripture calls this text “the Ten Words” (Ex. 34:28; Dt. 4:13, 10:4). The Bible refers to them as “the Ten Words” because only one of them is actually an imperative (command) – “Honor your father and mother.” All the rest are indicative (statements). A perfectly legitimate – and, admittedly, shorthand – way to understand these verses would be, “You will have no other gods before Me…. You will not misuse My Name…. You will keep the Sabbath holy…. Honor your parents. You will not murder, commit adultery, steal, lie, covet.”

As God’s people heard these words at the base of Mt. Sinai, they would have understood three distinct things at the same time. First, they would have understood that this is what God demands they do, which is how we normally understand them. Second, they would have heard them as a description of who they are and how God sees them. Third, they would have heard these as God’s promise to work in them to make them all these things (Php. 1:6).

Think of it this way: A boy might be pestered and bullied by a girl at school so much that he finally retaliates and shoves her to the ground. (You boys, don’t do that because that’s wrong.) They boy’s parents get called to the principal’s office and learn about the altercation. When they get home, the parents send the boy to his room as punishment. Afterwards, the father goes into his son’s room for ‘the talk’ and says, “We do not shove, hit, or be mean to girls.”

Notice what that speech from the father does. First, by saying, “we,” the father is still showing his son that they are in a relationship. The son hasn’t been abandoned or disowned; they belong together and are identified together as a unit. Second, the father is also saying that as a unit, they act and behave a certain way – they don’t use physical force against girls. Also, the boy knows that his dad is forbidding him to use physical force against a girl. All three of those things get communicated at the same time. The Ten Words here work just like that.

Let’s stick with that analogy about the boy and the girl bully to get one more thing about the Ten Words across. As soon as the boy pushed the girl to the ground and saw that she was dirty, dusty, and hurt, the boy’s conscience kicked in because he knew what he had done was wrong even before he pushed her. That rule or command, “Don’t hurt girls,” was already known by the boy even if he had never been taught it. The girl’s pain simply awakened his conscience. The same thing is true for these Ten Words (Ro. 7:7-8).

Cain knew it was wrong to kill Abel (Gen. 4:1-9) even though God hadn’t given the commandment, “Thou shalt not murder,” yet. Joseph knew not lie with Potiphar’s wife (Gen. 39:7-9) even though God hadn’t given the command, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Esau accused Jacob of cheating him (Gen. 27:36), and Jacob accused his father-in-law, Laban, of cheating him (Gen. 31:7) even though God hadn’t given the commandment, “Thou shalt not steal.” Abraham knew it was wrong to lie about Sarah being his sister (Gen. 12:11-20, 20:1-14) even though God hadn’t given the commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness.”

Everyone knows to not break the commandments because God has written them into the fabric of creation and on the heart of every person (Ro. 2:15). Everyone, even atheists (Ro. 1:21-25), know that we should love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mt. 22:37). Everyone knows that we should love our neighbor as ourselves (Mt. 22:39).

God didn’t give the Ten Words so that we would know right from wrong. People knew (and still know) right from wrong already. Some think God gave the Ten Words to limit our freedom. Not at all. They are given in the context of God having set His people free, bringing them out of Egypt and slavery (Ex. 20:2). Instead, the Ten Words show God’s people what it looks like to be the free people He has created us to be. In the world that God has made, we aren’t free to do or be anything we please. We are free when we become what we are. A caterpillar is free to become a butterfly not a walrus. The Ten Words guide us to grow up to be what we are, and what we are is the very children of God (1 Jn. 3:2; Gal. 4:1-7).

Now, in an effort to assist with that growth, here’s some advice from Luther. Take each of the Ten Words with you into prayer and ask yourself these four questions: 1. What does this teach me? 2. What does this give me? 3. What does this show me to confess? And 4. What does this teach me to pray for?

For the first, “You shall have no other gods before Me,” you could pray something like this: “Father, thank you that You teach me that You are my God. Thank you that, as my God, You give me all good things. Forgive me for the times I do not trust You to be my God. Grant me Your Holy Spirit so I would love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.”

For the seventh, “Thou shalt not steal,” you could pray: “Heavenly Father thank You for giving me so many good things. Everything I have is a gift from You. Forgive me for loving and pursuing stuff more than You. Help me to use what You have given me to serve my neighbor.”

Now, all of this is to say that what is most important with regard to the Ten Words is to believe them. Romans 14:23 says, “Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” As you believe the Ten Words, you see that God demands that you avoid certain sins and that you do certain good works. But you also see that God is accomplishing these things in you through faith. He has begun that good work in you when you were joined to Jesus’ death and resurrection in your Baptism (Ro. 6:1-11), and, again, He will complete that good work in you (Php. 1:6).

Dear saints, God promises that He is your God who has brought you out of slavery to sin by sending Jesus, who did not abolish the Law but fulfilled it. Through faith in Him, you have a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees. Because of Him and His work, you will enter the kingdom of heaven, and He invites you now to a seat at His table. Amen.

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

Infant Baptism – Sermon for Midweek Lent 5

Listen here.

Do children also believe? Are they rightly Baptized?

The Baptism of infants is pleasing to Christ, as is proved well enough from His own work. For God sanctifies many of those who have been baptized as infants and has given them the Holy Spirit. There are still many people even today in whom we perceive that they have the Holy Spirit both because of their doctrine and life. It is also given to us by God’s grace that we can explain the Scriptures and come to the knowledge of Christ, which is impossible without the Holy Spirit [1 Cor. 12:3].

For this reason let everyone value his Baptism as a daily dress [Gal. 3:27] in which he is to walk constantly. Then he may ever be found in the faith and its fruit, so that he may suppress the old man and grow up in the new…. [I]f anyone falls away from the Christian life, let him again come into it. For just as Christ, the Mercy Seat [Ro. 3:25], does not draw back from us or forbid us to come to Him again, even though we sin, so all His treasure and gifts also remain. Therefore, if we have received forgiveness of sin once in Baptism, it will remain every day, as long as we live. Baptism will remain as long as we carry the old man about our neck.

Martin Luther’s Large Catechism

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Many times, we Lutherans (along with Roman Catholics and others) are accused of doing something that is not biblical when we Baptize infants. Some well-meaning Christians will say, “The Bible never records an infant being Baptized.” And I have to admit that is correct. There is no verse that says, “Little two-week-old Bobby was Baptized,” or, “Timmy was Baptized as an infant.” The snarky side of me would like to point out that nowhere in Scripture does a woman explicitly receive the Lord’s Supper. If we would deny a child the gifts that God gives in Baptism just because there is no explicit mention of an infant being Baptized in Scripture, should we deny women the Body and Blood of Jesus? No!

Even though the Bible does not have a record of an infant being Baptized, the Scriptures certainly do imply that babies were Baptized. Look again at our first lesson (Act. 2:37-41). Peter has preached his great Pentecost sermon and closes with the horrific words of the Law, “Know for certain that God has made [Jesus] both Lord and Christ, whom you crucified.” The people are terrified, cut to the heart, and ask, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter answers, “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,” now listen closely, “for the promise is for you and for your children.” In other words, the gift of forgiveness and the Holy Spirit is for the people there and for their children. That doesn’t mean that their children get the promise eventually when they grow up. The natural reading of that text is that Baptism is for the people there and for their children and babies. Peter could have limited it to people who were of a certain age, but he didn’t.

Later, in Act. 16, there are two entire households that are Baptized. First the household of Lydia (Act. 16:11-15), and later the household of the Philippian jailor (Act. 16:25-34 esp. v. 31-33). Remember that in the time of the New Testament, the life expectancy wasn’t that much longer than normal, child-bearing years, and they didn’t have the methods of birth control that we do. Also, children were much more valued back then. It is highly unlikely that neither Lydia, who was a seller of purple goods (Act. 16:14), nor the Philippian jailor had households without any children.

And remember, when Jesus gives the gift of Baptism to the church as the method of making disciples, He says, “Make disciples of all nations (ἔθνος, ‘ethnicities,’ ‘all types of people’) by Baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (Mt. 28:19). If Jesus wanted to limit who is eligible to be Baptized, He would have made a limit there, but He didn’t.

Now, very briefly (I don’t want to spend much time on this because it is an absurd thought process): We know that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Ro. 3:23). Our Psalm tonight (Ps. 51) teaches us that we are brought forth in iniquity and in sin did our mothers conceive us (Ps. 51:5). Still, some people teach that God does not hold babies accountable for their sins until they reach some sort of ‘age of accountability’ (which isn’t a biblical term anyway). But just use a little logic: If God isn’t going to punish young children for their sins until they reach a certain level of understanding of their sins, then abortion and infanticide would be evangelistic tools. God forbit it! Enough on that thought.

Back to what Peter says in Act. 2:38-39, some will say that Peter requires things to be done sequentially. First, you have to repent, then you can be Baptized. Or first you have to believe and only after you believe then you can be baptized. First of all, salvation isn’t a three-step program. But also notice that argument implies that babies cannot believe, which is not in line with what Scripture teaches – not at all. The overwhelming teaching of Scripture is that babies can and do believe.

I included an insert in your bulletin tonight titled, “Infant Faith in the Scriptures.” For anyone watching or listening, I’ll include links to it in the description (click here). And I would like us to quickly walk through it.

First, let’s start with Ps. 71:5-6. “For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of you.”

One of the reasons this is such a great place to start is the variety of vocabulary used to describe a child. The verses start by saying that the Lord is my hope and trust ‘from my youth.’ In English, we use the word ‘youth’ for a very wide range of ages. Sometimes, churches have ‘youth group’ for middle-school through high school. East Grand Forks has ‘youth soccer’ for preschool through sixth grade. The Hebrew word translated as ‘youth’ here has a wide range of meaning too. One of the nice things about Hebrew poetry is that it’s very repetitive, and the repetition helps us see how expansive the term is. So, in v. 5 God is the object of hope and trust for the psalmist from his youth, and notice in v. 6 how it gets specific. The psalmist has leaned on God from before his birth. He recognizes that God was the one who brought him from his mother’s womb, and he continually (i.e. from before his birth and throughout his youth) praises God.

Those verses are very instructive, but let’s turn to the New Testament, and specifically what Jesus teaches about the faith of children. To do that, we need to understand some of the vocabulary of the Greek New Testament. In English, we have lots of words for a kid: infant, baby, toddler, tyke, little one, child, youth. Greek does the same. I’ve included five words (there are more) that deal with children. And I put them in different colors so they pop out in the verses that follow. Let’s quickly go through and define them:

βρέφος (brephos) – very small child; baby; infant; unborn baby in the womb

παιδίον (paidion) – a child below the age of puberty; it’s maybe the most basic words for ‘child,’ but it has a wide range of ages that it can apply to.

μικρός (mikros) – ‘little one’; one who is small; it’s even used to describe Zacchaeus

νήπιος (nēpios) – a very young child; infant; a minor not yet of legal age

θηλάζω (thēlazō) – v. ‘to nurse’; can also be used as a noun meaning ‘one who nurses’

So, let’s go through the verses on that sheet. First, Luke 18:15-17 which is the same account as our Gospel lesson tonight (Mk. 10:13-16). Now, to be fair, Mark only uses the word παιδίον when he records this, but that’s why I used Luke’s account here. According to Luke, the doctor, people are bringing even their βρέφος (infants) to Jesus to be blessed by His touch. The disciples didn’t like it, but Jesus says, “Let the children (παιδίον) come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child (παιδίον) shall not enter it.” Jesus here plainly says that the kingdom of God belongs to children to παιδίον – and notice that includes infants, βρέφος. And if we say that the kingdom belongs to children apart from faith, we are going to end up in a very bad place theologically.

Next passage, Matthew 18:1-6: The disciples want to know who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus brings a child (a παιδίον) into their circle and says, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children (παιδίον), you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child (παιδίον) is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child (παιδίον) in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones (μικρός ‘little guys’ and notice what Jesus says next) who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” According to Jesus, children, even little ones believe in Him.

Next verse, Matthew 21:15-16: This is after Jesus has entered into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the shouts of “Hosanna!” The chief priests and scribes get furious when they see all the things Jesus is doing, and they see children (παιδίον again) crying out, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” They want Jesus to get them to quiet down by asking, “Do you hear what these are saying?” And Jesus responds, “Yup! Have you never read,(then He quotes Ps. 8:2) “‘Out of the mouth of infants (νήπιος) and nursing babies (θηλάζω) you have prepared praise’?” Right praise of God is only possible through faith (Ro. 14:23b).

Chugging right along, Matthew 11:25-27: Jesus praises His heavenly Father, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children (νήπιος infants); yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” God is more than capable of hiding things from the wise and understanding and able to reveal the things of faith to the infants.

Two more, 2 Timothy 3:14-15: Paul tells pastor Timothy, “Continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it.” Pause for a second: remember from the previous verse, who does the teaching and revealing? God does. Continue at v. 15 “and how from childhood (βρέφος from ‘infancy’) you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” Since his infancy, and maybe even before his birth (as we’ll see in a minute), Timothy was acquainted with the sacred writings, the Scriptures, through which God makes even infants wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Finally, we see this actually happen in our final passage, Lk. 1:15, 41: This is about John the Baptizer. In v. 15, the angel Gabriel announces to Zechariah that he will have a son, that’s John. And that John will, according to v. 15, “be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.” Later on in v. 41, Mary visits Elizabeth, John’s mother and Mary’s relative. When Mary got to her house and greeted Elizabeth, the baby (βρέφος the pre-born baby, John) leaped in her womb. Elizabeth goes on to say that pre-born John leaped precisely at the sound of Mary’s greeting, which, if I remember rightly, was shalom, ‘peace.’

With that text in particular, we see that babies can hear in the womb. But even more importantly, that the Word of God, that proclamation and greeting of God’s peace, is effective to give the Holy Spirit and create faith even for pre-born babies. So, all you dads and moms, take note. Read the Scriptures to all your children, even before they are born. God works through His Word.

So, Scripture teaches that children, infants, and even pre-born babies can have faith. So, if someone objects to infant baptism based on the idea that infants can’t believe, they are arguing against Scripture.

And we can admit that it’s difficult to know how babies believe. How can infants who can’t talk or express themselves believe? But that’s the miracle of faith. How can any sinner, dead in their sin believe? Faith is always a gracious, life-giving gift of God (Eph. 2:8-9).

Think back to what we’ve covered the past five weeks and see what Scripture says that Baptism does: Baptism saves (1 Pe. 3:21). It forgives sins (Act. 2:38). Baptism delivers from death and the devil (Col. 1:13). It gives the new begetting from above (Jn. 3:3, 5-6). In Baptism, God joins you to Jesus’ death and resurrection (Ro. 6:3-11) and clothes you with Christ (Gal. 3:27). And nowhere does Scripture limit that work. All sinners, even infants, need God to do those things. And, God be praised, God promises that Baptism does all of these things, and God cannot and does not lie. So, continue believing what God has done for you in your Baptism.

I want to close with the second paragraph from the Large Catechism in your bulletin:

“For this reason let everyone value his Baptism as a daily dress [Gal. 3:27] in which he is to walk constantly. Then he may ever be found in the faith and its fruit, so that he may suppress the old man and grow up in the new. [I]f anyone falls away from the Christian life, let him again come into it. For just as Christ, the Mercy Seat [Ro. 3:25], does not draw back from us or forbid us to come to Him again, even though we sin, so all His treasure and gifts also remain. Therefore, if we have received forgiveness of sin once in Baptism, it will remain every day, as long as we live. Baptism will remain as long as we carry the old man about our neck.”

Even though we can (and, sadly, some do) walk away from the faith and deny the benefits of their Baptism, God remains faithful to His promises (2 Tim. 2:13). Those promises are always there for you to return to. Live in those promises trusting what God has done for you through your Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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