Tag Archives: Death

Call to Keep – Sermon on John 8:42-59 for the Fifth Sunday of Lent

John 8:42-59

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

We’re going to focus on what Jesus says in Jn. 8:51, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My Word, he will never see death.”But before we do that, I’m sure you noticed as the text was read – Jesus is in the middle of an ugly, heated debate with this group John simply calls “the Jews” (Jn. 8:48). That simply means that Jesus was talking with a group of people that likely included scribes and Pharisees (Jn. 8:3), but it also included regular, everyday people who followed the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees.

We jumped into the middle of it, but this confrontation has been building for several verses. Back in Jn. 8:23-24, Jesus said, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. You will die in your sins unless you believe in Me.” In Jn. 8:40, Jesus exposes their plot to kill Him (Jn. 5:18, 7:1), “You seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.”Jesus knows their secret plans even six months before they kill Him (Jn. 11:53; Mt. 26:3-5; Mk. 14:1-2). In this reading, you heard Jesus tell them, “You are of your father the devil who has always been a murderer” (Jn. 8:44), and, “You are not of God” (Jn. 8:47).

This is not what they teach in the evangelism class at seminary. Jesus isn’t being nice or winsome or polite. He isn’t trying to maintain the relationship just in case they change their minds someday. He isn’t being ‘nice’ for the sake of future possibilities. Maybe the books on evangelism need to be rewritten. Jesus’ main concern here is clarity. He isn’t being mean. Not at all! We’ll see that plainly in just a minute. He loves these people dearly. He just wants to be clear – crystal clear. He wants to tell the truth clearly. And the truth – hard as it is – is that these people are in a dire situation. Their eternal destiny is at risk. It would be unloving to not say these things to them.

Imagine you’re cooking supper on the stove, and you briefly step away to reach into the cupboard for the next ingredient. You see your four-year-old about to touch the burner. You wouldn’t quietly say, “Oh, my sweet, darling boy. Your hand should not go there.” No! You’d yell, “STOP!” You might not even get a “don’t touch that” out of your mouth. It might startle the kid so much that he starts crying, but those tears will dry long before any burn would ever heal, long before the blisters would go away.

Dear saints, I hope this encourages you. One thing you should take away from this text is that some people will simply be angry when you tell them the truth. They got angry at Jesus when He told them the truth, and they’ll get angry when you tell them the truth. In this whole conversation, Jesus isn’t being mean. He’s simply and clearly speaking the truth. He’s warning these very people of the dire danger they are in. And He’s doing it out of love for them.

How do they respond? “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” (Jn. 8:48). They start name-calling Jesus. This isn’t just a slur against Samaritans. It’s probably meant as an insult against Jesus’ mother, Mary. People knew that Mary was pregnant before she and Joseph got married (Mt. 1:19). Here, these people are implying that Mary slept around with Samaritans. They’re saying the sort of thing you’d hear in a locker room. To keep the sermon PG, they’re saying that she was ‘loose’ and that Jesus was an illegitimate child, a title that begins with a ‘b.’ On top of that, they accuse Jesus of having a demon and operating as an agent of the devil himself, trying to drag people into hell.

Look how Jesus responds to that, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My Word, he will never see death” (Jn. 8:51). Do you hear that? He’s holding out a promise for them. After all the filth they just hurled at Him and His mother, Jesus shows them how much He loves them. Just the fact that He doesn’t throw up His hands and walk away is remarkably gracious by itself. But that He gives them this promise – the promise that they will never see death if they keep His word. Do you see how much Jesus loves them, even though He’s said some clear and difficult things to them? Despite their insults, Jesus is giving this promise to them. “If anyone keeps My Word.” He doesn’t say, “The people who keep My Word.” No! Anyone. The people He’s speaking to are included in ‘anyone,’ and so are you.

So, what does Jesus mean when He tells you today, “If you,” you listening to Jesus right now, “If you keep My Word, you will never see death”?

First, just to be clear, Jesus’ Word – the thing Jesus tells you to ‘keep’ (‘keep’ is a good translation; some translations will use ‘obey’ but that’s too narrow) – you are to ‘keep’ all of the Bible. Jesus doesn’t just refer to the red letters. Jesus says that all the Scriptures testify about Him (Jn. 5:39). Christ is the Word who became flesh (Jn. 1:14), the One who came not to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them (Mt. 5:17). So, if you keep the Lord’s Commandments, you will never see death.

That might get you squirming a bit. Rightly so. That’s what God’s Law is designed to do. But, Christian, you do keep God’s Commands. You do. Now, that doesn’t mean you are perfect or that you never sin. You do not always perfectly obey God’s Commands, but you do keep them. You order your life around them and conduct yourself according to them. When you sin, when you do what God forbids and fail to do what God demands, you keep Jesus’ Word by running back to Him. You confess your sin and trust His promise of forgiveness, mercy, and compassion.

And that faith, that trust, is the greater ‘keeping’ of Jesus’ Word (Jn. 8:24). Jesus’ Word, the Bible, is both Law and Gospel. You keep Jesus’ Word by striving, working, and obeying. You keep Jesus’ Word by repenting and confessing. And you keep Jesus’ Word by trusting and believing. They all go together. And that isn’t a high bar that you have to clear. This call to keep Jesus’ Word is simply a call to faith. And by the working of the Holy Spirit, He gives you that faith that keeps His Word (Eph. 2:8-9).

Here’s the promise Jesus gives to you who keep/believe His Word: You will neversee death. Never. In Jn. 11:26, Jesus puts it this way, “Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” And He means it. That sounds strange, doesn’t it? How many people that we know and love, people who once sat in this sanctuary and were part of our lives, how many of them have we mourned? Links; Malms; Karin, Carol, John, Verdie, Harlen; Jim and, recently, Jeremy; Jim, Phylis, Clara, Ros; and your own dear family members. How can Jesus say they never saw death?

While it’s true that hearts stop beating, brains and bodies stop functioning. And the bodies of those saints have now been laid to rest. But Jesus simply says they have fallen asleep (Jn. 11:11-14; Mt. 9:24). They didn’t die. They live now with Jesus and wait for their souls that God created to be rejoined with their bodies that God also created.

When you keep Jesus’ Word, your merciful God gives you eternal life. Eternal life, by definition doesn’t stop. You always have it – even if your body dies. In Romans 8:38-39, Scripture promises that death will not separate you from Jesus.

If Jesus returned today, our bodies would be immediately perfected (1 Co. 15:51). But let’s say that you go and find your loved ones who did die in the faith and ask them, “What was it like to die?” – you know what their answer will be? “I don’t know. I never died. Jesus was there with me the entire time.”

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me” (Ps. 23:4). Jesus is there. Right beside you. All the way through. This is Christ’s promise to you, believer. Keep Jesus’ Word and truly, truly you will never see death. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Php. 4:7). Amen.

Timing – Sermon on Matthew 17:1-9 for the Transfiguration of Our Lord

Matthew 17:1-9

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

The Transfiguration is unique. It is the only time that the curtain gets pulled back and Jesus’ glory, His divine splendor, is allowed to shine through His human nature. Sure, the night Jesus was born, the glory of the Lord shined, but it was in a field outside of Bethlehem to a bunch of shepherds (Lk. 2:8-9). But when the shepherds found newly-born Jesus, the glory of the Lord wasn’t radiating from baby Jesus. Instead, He was surrounded by animals, wrapped in swaddling cloths, and lying in a feeding trough. In last week’s Gospel lesson, Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding at Cana, and John says that miracle is how Jesus manifested His glory (Jn. 2:1-11). But it was with and through the sign. Jesus didn’t start shining like He does here in the Transfiguration. Probably, the bride would’ve been upset by that. Brides don’t want to be one-upped in appearance at their wedding.

The amazing thing about the Transfiguration isn’t that Jesus gets all shiny and glorious. Instead, the amazing thing is that Jesus wasn’t always like that during His time on earth. Jesus is the only-begotten Son of God, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, and He was able to conceal His glory when He came to earth. That’s miraculous, and unfortunately, we (myself included) are a little numb to that. The infinite, eternal, glorious God wrapped Himself in human flesh so thoroughly that He looked like a normal 1st century Jewish son of a carpenter (Mt. 13:55).

Jesus only let His glory shine forth once, and it’s here before the small audience of Peter, James, and John. If I were God (and thank God I’m not), I probably would have timed the Transfiguration differently.

Maybe, I would have done it when the 5,000 men plus women and children are surrounding Jesus in the wilderness (Mt. 14:13-21). That’s when Jesus was at the height of popularity and had the most people following Him. There, the day is coming to an end, and the crowds have been listening to Him teach all day. They are hungry and far from home. To me, that seems like a good time for Jesus to get shiny. Pull back the curtain and let everyone in that massive throng see Jesus’ divinity before He feeds them. But Jesus didn’t time His Transfiguration then.

Maybe, I would have had it happen during the trial before all the religious leaders (Mt. 26:58-68). Seventy of the most important priests and leaders, who were all legal experts and oversaw civil matters. It’s like a presidential cabinet meeting; they’re all gathered together. It’s like a presidential cabinet meeting. And the high priest says, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” To me, that seems like good timing for the Transfiguration. That seems like a good time to shine brighter than the sun. But Jesus didn’t time His Transfiguration then.

Maybe, I would have done it when Pilate was asking whom he should release instead of crucify (Mt. 27:15-23). Pilate walks out on the balcony of the palace with Jesus and Barabbas there standing before the crowd, and Pilate asks, “Which of the two do you want me to release for You?” And the crowds keep crying for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be crucified. To me that seems like a good time to show the hidden glory and have clothes as white as light. But Jesus didn’t time His Transfiguration then.

Maybe I would have timed the Transfiguration to happen right before the beating and whipping. Or, maybe, while Jesus was laid on the cross and right as the soldier held the nail in one hand and raised the hammer in his other hand. Imagine that for the timing of the Transfiguration. The soldiers would’ve dropped the hammer and nails and run for the hills. But Jesus didn’t time His Transfiguration then. In all of those instances, Jesus keeps His majesty concealed.

Well, I’m not God. You and I can be thankful for that because, if any of those instances were when Jesus was Transfigured, people would have ran away from Him. In God’s infinite wisdom, Jesus’ Transfiguration happens here in Mt. 17. He does it when only three of the twelve disciples are with Him. Jesus chooses this as the timing of His Transfiguration so we sinners can approach Him unafraid.

Let’s get a little more context for the timing. Later today, go back and read the last half of Mt. 16. There, Jesus asks the disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” The disciples answer, “Some say John the Baptizer, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” Then Jesus turns the question, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter makes his great confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus goes on to promise that upon Peter’s confession He will build His Church, which the gates of hell will never overcome (Mt. 16:13-20).

Right after that, Jesus starts telling the disciples that He must go to Jerusalem to suffer, die, and rise again. Then, Peter takes Jesus aside and rebukes Him saying, “That will never happen to You.” But Jesus rebukes Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to Me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man”(Mt. 16:21-23). That’s the context for the Transfiguration.

Peter’s just been praised for confessing Christ as the Son of God. Then, Peter is harshly rebuked for saying that Jesus isn’tgoing to die and rise again. So, the disciples are wrestling with these two things that seem to contradict each other. On the one hand, they have heard that Jesus is the Messiah, and on the other hand, they’ve heard that He’s going to die. So, the disciples are probably starting to wonder if all the Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah wasn’t going to be nearly as great as they thought. They’re wondering if all that talk about glory and triumph and thrones and scepters is totally wrong. Well, if that’s what they were thinking, they were wrong.

To be the Christ means to suffer. To be the Christ means that God comes to bear the sins of the world (Jn. 1:29). To be the Christ means that God comes down to be rejected (Jn. 1:9-13). To be the Christ means that God comes down to go to the cross, shed His Own blood, die, and rise again. That is how the Christ enters into His glory (Lk. 24:26) and through that suffering Jesus grants to sinners, who believe in Him, the same glory that He had in the Transfiguration (Jn. 17:22; Ro. 8:17, 29-30; Php. 3:21; 1 Jn. 3:2).

All of this is to say that the timing of the Transfiguration is exactly when it needed to be, and it occurred before the exact audience who needed to see it. Peter, James, and John needed to see it then so they would know that while Jesus suffered all those horrific things in His Passion, God was working to redeem them (Act. 2:36; 3:14-15; 1 Co. 2:8).

This is also why the church has decided to place the Transfiguration on this Sunday to prepare us for Lent and Holy Week. Starting next week, the names of the Sundays orient our hearts and minds toward Easter. Today as we turn our focus toward the Resurrection, we are grounded in the fact that Jesus is God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God who suffers the wrath of God that should have been reserved for us. But Jesus has humbled Himself to be our Friend and Savior.

Dear saints, Jesus hid His glory for most of His ministry, but it was always there. Yes, it was hidden, but it was certainly there. Just because something is hidden doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. Remember that. Remember that especially when you face difficult times, when you are suffering, when you feel distant from God. Jesus still has that full glory that is revealed in the Transfiguration – which is the same glory that He had throughout His time here on earth. The day is coming when He will once again put it on full display at the proper time. And that day is the same day when you will share in His glory.

Your glorious Savior is coming again soon. Until then, listen to Him and hold fast to His Word. In 1 Tim. 6:14-16, God encourages you to cling to His Word until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ who will be revealed at the proper time. The text goes on to say that Christ is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light. 

And dear saints, you share that glory. As you wait for Christ’s return, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you (1 Pet. 5:6). Know that God’s timing is always good. When it fits God’s purpose, when it will benefit others, and when it will benefit you most, God will pull back the curtain again. Jesus promises that the day is coming when you who are righteous by grace through faith will shine like the sun in the kingdom of your Father (Mt. 13:43). May that day come soon. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Php. 4:7). Amen.

At the Gate – Sermon on Luke 7:11-17 for the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

Luke 7:11-17

11 Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

One of the great mysteries of Scripture is that Jesus is fully God and fully Man. Saying that isn’t hard; you’ve probably grown up saying it. But believing that Jesus is both 100% God and Man is hard to believe – especially when it comes to Jesus’ life here on earth. As the Son of God, Jesus is eternal, all-powerful, and all-knowing, but as a Man, Jesus didn’t always fully use His divine rights and attributes. As God, Jesus all-powerful, but as a man, He still had to eat (Lk. 4:2), His body got tired and needed sit after a long walk (Jn. 4:6), and He had to sleep (Lk. 8:23). Because Jesus is God, He is all-knowing. He had known from all eternity that He would meet this funeral procession at the gate of Nain. But as a man, it wasn’t as though Jesus woke up that morning thinking, “Oh, today’s the day I’ll raise that boy in Nain.”

The way Luke records this event, he makes it clear that Jesus didn’t intentionally go to Nain for the purpose of raising this boy from the dead. Instead, Luke gives us the impression that Christ just happened to be going by the city at the precise moment this boy, widow, and funeral procession was exiting the city gate. This resurrection is very different from what we see in John 11, when Jesus raises Lazarus.

In John 11, Christ does use His divine omniscience. Jesus is a long way from where Lazarus lived when He gets a message that Lazarus is sick, but He doesn’t move an inch. He stays put. He says that Lazarus’ sickness would not end in death and that it was for the glory of God (Jn. 11:4). Then, Jesus waits two more days before He finally decides to go to Lazarus’ house because He knows that Lazarus has died, but our Lord says that He is going to wake Lazarus from the sleep of death (Jn. 11:14, 11). By those statements before Lazarus’ resurrection, we know that Jesus did plan on going to Lazarus’ grave for the purpose of raising him even though no one told Jesus that Lazarus had died.

But this resurrection miracle is different. No one had summoned Jesus to come and help like they would for some of the other miracles (Lk. 7:1-10; 8:40-56). His presence wasn’t requested at the gate of Nain. He just happens to be at the gate at that very moment. But even though Jesus intended to pass by the city, His compassion for the mother means that He has to stop and raise her son.

Dear saints, your Savior is no priest or Levite who passes by and leaves someone for dead in the ditch (Lk. 10:30-32). No. Your Savior is the Good Samaritan. He sees the widow and her dead son coming out of the gate, and He has compassion. He interrupts that march toward the grave. He pours on the medicine of His Word by telling that mother to stop weeping, and He raises her son. In that moment, the gate of Nain was more than just a way to enter or exit the city. It was much more significant than that. The gate was the threshold between life and death, and it was the place where the citizens of Nain encountered and recognized the God who had come in the flesh to visit His people (Lk. 7:16).

Throughout the Bible, gates were always incredibly important places. Generally, when we think about a gate, we only think about its purpose. A gate exists to be either a barrier to block entrance or a doorway to grant it. Gates separate insiders from outsiders, allies from enemies, friend and family from foe. That’s probably all we imagine when we think about gates. But in the ancient world, gates were much more significant than that. In the Bible, gates were important places for commerce, politics, and justice.

The city gate was where citizens would typically meet (Pr. 1:21). The gate is where business deals and transactions were made (Ru. 4:11). Leaders would have people assemble at the gate so they could make important announcements (2 Ch. 32:6; Neh. 8:1, 3), which is why prophets and priests would proclaim God’s Word at the gates (Is. 29:21; Am. 5:10; Jer. 17:19-20). Instead of courthouses like we have today, trials took place at the city gate (2 Sam. 15:2). The gate was where you would learn about everything that was going on in the city (Gen. 19:1; Ps. 69:12; Est. 2:21).

So, in this reading, it’s likely that almost the entire town of Nain was there, at the gate. The gate would have already been busy and crowded just because of the normal, day-to-day things that took place at the gate. And it would have been even busier than normal because this boy’s funeral. The mother and the mourners were carrying her son through the gate to lay him to rest outside of the city, away from the living. So, again, that gate was the threshold between life and death. But there, at the gate stood the Author of Life (Act. 3:15), and Jesus does not let death cast this boy outside.

Now, before I go on here, I need to say that this miracle is an actual, historical event that really happened. Because it happened, it reveals that Jesus is the long-promised prophet (Dt. 18:15) and that God has visited His people (Lk. 7:16). But even more than that, the Holy Spirit inspired Luke to record this event for your comfort because this resurrection miracle is a glimpse into your story.

When God created all things, He gave Adam and Eve a home in the Garden of Eden. But when they chose to sin and rebel against God by eating the forbidden fruit, they were cast out of Eden. Now, Eden is never described as having a gate, but it is described as having borders made by four rivers. And when Adam and Eve are expelled from Eden, God, in His mercy, sent a cherub with a flaming sword to protect the way to the Tree of Life to prevent mankind from living forever because we would have lived forever in sin (Gen. 3:23-24). So, even though Eden is never mentioned as having a gate, the idea of a gate is certainly there. It is right to say that the cherub shut the gate to Eden and to an eternal life in sin and death.

God did not want the path to life to be forever blocked by a gate, but He had to do something before the gate could be reopened. God had to send Jesus to pay the penalty for your sin, my sin, and the sin of all mankind (1 Jn. 2:2). By Jesus’ death and resurrection, the gates to Eden, to paradise, and to eternal life free from sin are now open for you.

And even better, now that Christ is raised and ascended, He always and fully uses His divine attributes. He sees your sorrow and has compassion on you. He sees you when you are lost and outside of the gates. He runs to embrace you and bring you unto Himself as His child (Lk. 15:20-24). Christ uses all of His divine power to bring you back to Himself through the gates that He has opened for you.

One of the most beautiful scenes in all Scripture is the new heavens and earth in Rev. 21. The New Jerusalem is described as having twelve gates, three gates on each side of the city, and all twelve gates are made out of a single pearl (Rev. 21:12-13, 21). And the most wonderful thing about those gates is that they stand wide open – never to be shut (Rev. 21:25). They can remain open without any danger because when Christ returns, all your enemies are utterly defeated and cast out forever.

In that blessed, eternal city, every tear is wiped away. Mourning is turned into dancing (Ps. 30:11; Jn. 16:20). There will be no more pain because this fallen world will have passed away (Rev. 21:4). In that city, all the children of God dwell together because they are raised, never to die again (Ro. 6:7-11).

So, you who are dead in sin, know that God is able to do far, far, far more abundantly than all you ask or think (Eph. 3:20). Hear your Savior’s call. Rise from your deadness. Christ, who is the Resurrection and the Life, has given you to the rest creation to be a blessing.

Dear saints, you have been raised to new life. So, enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. To Christ Jesus be glory in the Church throughout all generations, forever and ever (Eph. 3:21). Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Php. 4:7). Amen.

Enoughness – Sermon on 2 Corinthians 3:4-11 for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity

2 Corinthians 3:4-11

4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 

7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Imagine that you received an invitation to a banquet. You get yourself ready and put on your best suit or dress. You drive to the location and enter the building to find that this banquet is a lot fancier and way more formal than you realized. The crystal chandeliers and candles cast a golden light over an exquisitely decorated room. The tables are set with fine china and crystal flutes. You look at all the other guests and discover that they are wearing either designer tuxedos with cufflinks and cummerbunds or sparkling gowns and jewelry. There you are sticking out like a pigeon in a peacock parade.

You try to mingle with the glittering guests, but they mostly ignore you. The only acknowledgement you get are cold smiles and people saying, “Oh, I love your outfit,” as they turn away laughing and asking each other, “Who’s that guy?” You pull out the invitation, and, sure enough, it’s got your name and address. But you’ve had it. It must have been a mistake. So, you start looking for an exit, one that will allow you to avoid as many people as possible.

As you’re leaving, the host of the gala approaches and calls you out by name saying, “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve got all sorts of people I want to introduce you to.” You try to explain that you should probably leave because you don’t fit in. You point out that you aren’t as polished as everyone else there and mention how the crowd has already rejected and made fun of you. But the host simply says, “You aren’t here to be fancy. You’re here because I invited you. My choice is enough to make you belong. Just stick with me.” The rest of the evening, he takes you around the room showing you off, bragging about you, and highlighting how important you are to him. He seats you next to himself at the head table. The rest of the evening, your confidence grows. Now, you are treated with respect and honor by everyone else – not because you’ve won them over. Your importance is rooted in the host’s attitude toward you, and his opinion carries a weight that no one can challenge. It is enough.

Dear saints, such is the confidence you have through Christ toward God.

In this text, Paul is defending his office of being an apostle. There were some false teachers in the congregation at Corinth who were saying that Paul didn’t have the authority to say anything in the church. They questioned the sufficiency of Paul’s preaching. They were saying that Paul’s preaching of God’s grace through Christ was not enough. That’s why he says that God had made him sufficient to be a minister of the ‘new covenant’ of the Gospel that points people to Jesus as the Messiah (2 Cor. 3:6). And that’s why Paul goes on in v. 7-11 of this text to compare his ministry of the Gospel to Moses’ ministry under the old covenant.

Now, this would be a really good text to preach at an ordination service as a man is called by God to be a pastor. All pastors, myself included, need to recognize that when they preach, they aren’t doing it by their own authority but by the authority that God has given (1 Pet. 4:11). When God puts a pastor into a congregation, he is there to deliver God’s gifts to God’s purchased and redeemed people.

Pastors are called to speak two different words to their congregations. First, pastors are to preach ‘the letter that kills’ also called here ‘the ministry of condemnation.’ In other words, pastors are to preach the Law. And second, pastors are to preach ‘the ministry of righteousness,’ the Gospel. God sends pastors to declare that people are sinners so they can be pointed to repentance and faith in Christ. That’s the main point of this passage. But what Paul says here can be applied to other callings and vocations as well.

Dear saints, you have been called out of the darkness of your sin into God’s kingdom. You are called to be God’s hands and feet to the people around you so you can render service to them. And you can have confidence as you serve and carry out those vocations. You are not sufficient on your own. God Himself has made you sufficient. In this text, the word translated ‘sufficient’ means enough.

There are all sorts of places we might look to build confidence and find our enoughness, but there is only one legitimate source of confidence. Any other source will lead to bad outcomes. The most common place we look is inside ourselves – our abilities, our eloquence, our strengths or skills. There are certainly productive, able people who are successful at many things. The problem is that when those moments of success come and we think it’s because we’re sufficient in ourselves, pride sneaks in. We start comparing ourselves to others and look down on them. We get puffed up, and when that happens, we’re setting ourselves up for a big fall. Even when you are successful and humble, the devil will attempt to draw your attention back to yourself and your humility, and again, pride sprouts up.

If you to think that you are strong and capable on our own, you will start to think that you can handle the challenges in life by yourself. When that happens, you’ll quickly find that your own strengths and abilities fade and fail. And when you fail, it’s easy to fall into despair.  The devil wants you to be constantly looking at yourself because there you’ll see that your strength and ability isn’t enough to do all that God has called you to do. Any setback or misstep can be used by the demons to paralyze you.

But when God is the source of your confidence, and He is, then, you lack in nothing. Look at the sheer holiness and privilege of your callings – spouses, parents, children, teachers, friends. When you first recognize the massive, holy responsibilities that God has given you, you realize that these things are beyond you. And you aren’t adequate to carry those vocations out. You can’t claim anything – any ability, any strength, any eloquence, any skill – as coming from you. But God Himself has given you everything. He has won and purchased you by giving His Son, Jesus to die on the cross as your Savior. Everything you are, everything you have, every calling and responsibility has been given to you as a gift. And what God has given you is enough.

As citizens of God’s kingdom, recognize that God has given you more than enough, more you can imagine. He has given His gifts in full measure, pressed those gifts down into you to make room for more and His gifts are always running over (Lk. 6:38).

The same Holy Spirit who blew through the upper room at Pentecost now fills you with everything you need to carry out the tasks entrusted to you. The Holy Spirit who abides in and with you is like that host at the gala. He accompanies you and makes you worthy to be in His kingdom. Anyone who questions that worthiness insults Him directly and isn’t worth listening to. God Himself has made you sufficient and enough. 

By His calling, His redeeming, His grace, His sanctifying, He has made you enough. And that is enough. Dear saints, your enoughness is from God, and from God alone. So, go; boldly carry out the tasks that He has given you. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Php. 4:7). Amen.

Live Man Walking – Sermon on Ephesians 2:1-10 for the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity

Ephesians 2:1-10

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Dead man walking!” That phrase originated just over 100 years ago. It was called out when a death-row inmate was being marched through the prison halls to the execution chamber. When that phrase was shouted, the inmate was, obviously, still alive, but he was as good as dead. The inevitable was soon to happen, and judgment would be carried out. Imagine how lonely that soon-to-be-executed inmate would feel hearing that phrase, “Dead man walking.” Yes, he is still breathing, still has a beating heart, still alive, and still a part of humanity. But his demise is mere moments away.

Here, in the first three verses of this text, Paul might as well be calling out, “Dead man walking!” about each of us as he describes our former life in sin. Because of our sin, every one of us was marching to our imminent demise. Hopeless, doomed, and lonely.

God created us in such a way that we are connected to each other. We have all blossomed from the root of Adam. Since the poison of sin ran through his veins, it has spread through the entire plant of humanity. And it isn’t just the fact that you and I inherited Adam’s sin and are charged with a crime that he committed. No. We all willingly march straight forward into the deadness and rebellion against God that we have inherited from Adam.

We do not become sinners by sinning. We sin because we are, by nature, sinful and unclean. We sin against God in our every thought, word, and deed. We were born revolting and fighting against every notion that we should submit ourselves to the will of God, against every idea that we should serve our neighbor. In other words, we fight against what God created us to be. That’s a losing proposition. And yes, our life in sin is that broad road that has been traveled by every member of the human race. But it is still a long, lonely road.

But – that word can be so beautiful – “but God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive” (Eph. 2:4-5). God saw our lonely, helpless, hopeless state, and, in His great love for us, He did something about it. God be praised!

The ESV does a very good job with its translation here through v. 5-6; I just want to highlight it a bit further. Notice all the withs in v. 5-6. God, because of the great love with which He loved you, has made you alive together with Christ, raised you with Christ, and seated you with Christ in the heavenly places. God saw your situation, and He has joined you to and with Jesus. Now, you are alive with, raised with, and seated with your Redeemer and Savior who is the Lord and King of all creation.

Your place in heaven is secure because what is true of Christ is now true of you who have become incorporated into and joined with Him. Dear saints, Jesus became what you are, so that He could make you what He Himself is (St. Irenaeus).

Because of Jesus, no longer are you a lost, lonely “dead man walking.” Now, you are a “live man walking.” All this is yours by God’s grace, through God-given faith. It isn’t because you have made the right sacrifices or have done enough good works. It isn’t because of your efforts, your desiring, your deserving, your trying, or even your deciding. Nope! It isn’t because of your actions or work at all.

It’s only because God has worked faith in you so that you now cry out, “God be merciful to me, the sinner” (Lk. 18:13). Through Jesus, God Himself has made you alive with Christ, raised you with Christ, and seated you with Christ. Normally, when Scripture talks about Christ being seated, it adds that He is seated at God’s right hand. Over and over again, it does this (Ps. 110:1; Mt. 26:64; Mk. 14:63; 16:19; Act. 7:56; Ro. 8:34; Eph. 1:20; Heb. 1:3).

That’s why, when we confess the creed (either Apostles’ or Nicene), we confess that Jesus is “seated at the right hand of God the Father [Almighty].” But notice here in v. 6 that when Paul announces that you are seated with Christ, he doesn’t add the phrase “at God’s right hand.” That is because God’s right hand isn’t so much a place or location. Instead, it is a position of authority and honor.

Christ has been raised from the dead and has ascended into heaven where He is seated at God’s right hand with all power and authority in heaven and on earth. You are seated with Christ in the heavenly places, and yet you remain here on earth – but still in a position of authority because you are seated with Christ. No, you aren’t all-powerful or everywhere-present like Jesus. But, you do have a share in His authority as you live here on earth. Christian, you have risen with and are seated with Christ not in such a way that you are removed from this world. Instead, you are exalted here – in this world, in this life – with the divine honor of being God’s child.

God intentionally leaves you here to exercise that authority in His creation through your good works. That’s why God has prepared those good works for you to walk in. And – this needs to be abundantly clear – the good works that God has prepared for you to walk in are not some secret thing that God hasn’t revealed to you. You don’t have to go around searching for these good works as though they are hidden. These good works are all around you. And you find them in the people that God puts right, smack dab in front of you.

You have been raised from your deadness in sin to be living men who walk in the love for both God and your neighbor that He created you to have. God has made you His ‘workmanship,’ His work of art, shining His light in a dark, evil, lonely world that is following the prince of the power of the air.

God has made you alive, raised, and seated you with Jesus so that in the coming ages He can show you the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward you in Christ Jesus.

I just have to say here that a text as beautiful and full and rich as this one is barely needs anything added to it. You can just read it over and over and it is enough. But let me preach a little more and change gears here:

The shooting this past Wednesday at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis that left two dead and 18 wounded is a sober reminder to us: this world is very, very evil. The devil, the prince of the power of the air, is constantly at work in the sons of disobedience (Eph. 2:2). Satan along with his demonic forces of evil constantly tempt everyone to live out the passions and desires of our flesh, and it often appears to us as though the devil’s reign of evil has no limits. But God doesn’t and won’t let the devil roam unchecked (Job 1:10, 12; 2:6; Mt. 12:29; Col. 2:15).

Even though it seems as though we are entering into a new era of martyrdom in our country and that the persecution of Christianity is increasing and inevitable, God has not given Satan free reign. Jesus is still on the throne and the Head of all things (Eph. 1:22). Jesus is still in control – even in this dark age (Eph. 1:21). Whatever the future holds, God’s grace is, and will remain, constant.

God does not change. He knows what He is doing, and He uses martyrdoms, as painful as they are, for good (Ro. 8:28).

God has delivered those two saints, those two young martyrs, to Himself in mercy, and they are free. God has also made them an example to us that some things are more precious and valuable than living. May God, in His mercy, give us all a measure of their spirit.

We were dead, but now we are alive because of God’s grace given to us by faith. Jesus Himself is our risen and living Savior. Even if we die, we live because Jesus lives, and in Him we live too. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Php. 4:7). Amen.

Gift & Assignment – Sermon on 2 Peter 1:2-11 for Ash Wednesday

2 Peter 1:2–11

2 May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11 For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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

Mark 16:1–8

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

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God of the Living – Sermon for the Vigil of Easter

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

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hebrews 9:11–15

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

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

Transferred – Sermon on Matthew 9:18-26 for the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity

Matthew 9:18–26

18 While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

This world is filled with sin and uncleanness. But Jesus, the Lamb of God, has come and taken the sins of the world into Himself (Jn. 1:29). Christ has shed His holy and precious blood to wash away all the uncleanness of this sin-stained world, and He has done that to transfer you from the domain of darkness to His eternal kingdom (Col. 1:13).

To understand this Gospel text, it is important to have a basic understanding of the Old Testament’s teachings on the concept of uncleanness. Through Moses, God declared that if you engaged in certain behaviors, if your body was sick, or if you were going through different natural processes, you were unclean and couldn’t be around other people or the things of God because that uncleanness is like a virus that spreads from one person to another.

Both degree of uncleanness and the length uncleanness depended on certain factors. For instance (because these things are related to this Gospel text), a dead body was unclean, and if someone touched a dead body, that person would be unclean for seven days (Num. 19:11). When a woman was in her “womanly cycle,” she was unclean for seven days, and if someone touched her while she was in that uncleanness, that person would be unclean for one day (Lev. 15:19).

So, when this father asks Jesus to help him by laying His hand on his dead daughter, he is asking Jesus to become unclean for seven days according to God’s law given through Moses. And even though this woman needs Jesus’ help because she has been bleeding non-stop for twelve years, she is too timid to ask Jesus to become unclean by touching her. But she knows who Jesus is. So, she thinks it’s worth a shot to try to sneak a healing from Jesus by touching just the fringe of His garment in order to secretly get relief. Her plan works, but it doesn’t stay secret.

Now, the difference between the father’s boldness and the woman’s timidity is something to meditate on. The next time I preach this text, we might consider how the ruler – his name is Jairus (Mk. 8:22) – Jairus is desperate enough to boldly ask Jesus to become unclean while this woman isn’t confident enough to ask. And yet both Jairus and this woman get help and relief from Jesus – the results end up being identical. Well, that will have to be its own sermon.

Anyway, back to this idea of uncleanness transferring to and defiling things that are clean. Ponder these questions: does Jesus become unclean when He shows mercy to this man by grabbing the dead hand of the daughter? And does Jesus catch uncleanness from that woman when she touches Him? Well, the answer to these questions is both ‘yes’ and ‘no.’

First, the ‘yes.’ Strictly speaking, the Law of Moses says Jesus becomes unclean. He has contact with both a corpse and an unclean woman. In both instances, the uncleanness of the dead girl and the woman are both eliminated because Jesus takes them into Himself. Jesus absorbs the illness of the woman, and He takes death out of the girl and into Himself. On Good Friday, Jesus suffered all of God’s punishment, judgment, and wrath against sin and uncleanness. But Jesus starts loading Himself up with that sin and uncleanness long before He goes to the cross.

It was shortly after Jesus’ Baptism that John the Baptizer says that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29). Also, just a few verses before our text, Jesus heals a bunch of people of their sickness and demonic possession, and Matthew tells us that Jesus did this to fulfill Isaiah 53:4, “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases” (Mt. 8:17). In His miracles and ministry, Jesus takes the illness, disease, and uncleanness of those He encounters. So, yes. Strictly speaking, according to the ritual laws of God about cleanness and uncleanness, Jesus becomes unclean.

But also, no, Jesus doesn’t become unclean because He can’t become unclean. Jesus is God in the flesh and the source of all cleanness, health, and life who has come to drive all sin and uncleanness out of this world. Jesus can’t be defiled. Just like how you don’t wash a bar of soap by the sink or in the shower after you use it so that bar will be clean for the next person. You don’t do that because it is the very thing that cleanses. Infinitely more, Jesus’ purity can’t be corrupted because He is purity embodied. Light cannot be overpowered by darkness. Darkness always loses its battle with light (Jn. 1:5, 12:46).

In a very real way, Jesus isn’t able to touch a dead body because whatever lifeless corpse He touches is restored to life the moment His clean, pure fingers touch it. Christ is Life embodied (Jn. 14:6), and He transfers from death to life. In a real way, Jesus can’t touch an unclean person because at the moment of contact, the things that are categorized as unclean are transferred to clean. Christ came into this world to take away the sin and sorrow that fills this world.

So, dear saints, know that when you feel your uncleanness; when you know the vile, evil things you have done; when you recognize the sins that have utterly defiled you in body and soul; know that Christ has come for you (Mt. 9:13). When you are filled with guilt and shame and begin to doubt that God could actually love and forgive you, remember that Christ came to save you who sit in the filthy, mucky darkness (Is. 9:2) and to bring His light to banish the darkness and obscenity around you and in you.

On the cross, Jesus stretched out His hands, which could not be defiled by sin, and those nail-pierced hands ripped all your sin and corruption from you. Because Jesus never became unclean when He did this for you, He promises that no matter how filthy you have made yourself, you can come to Him and plead for His touch which gives you the mercy you need.

In this Gospel text, you see two examples of the “Great Exchange.” Jesus absorbs this woman’s uncleanness, and in its place, she receives Christ’s healing love. Jesus gives His life to this girl and takes her death upon Himself. And while seeing these things is helpful and encouraging, Jesus has more for you today. Today, you also receive the transfer. 

You confessed earlier that you are, by your fallen, human nature, sinful and unclean, and that is completely true. Scripture teaches that because all of us are descended from Adam. But Jesus, the new Adam (1 Co. 15:45) is here. He comes to you today with His Body and Blood which He gave and shed for you. The resurrected Jesus who has defeated sin, death, and the devil comes to touch you and drive away all your uncleanness and death with His purity and life. He comes to you who still live in the domain of darkness to transfer you into His eternal kingdom (Col. 1:13). Amen.

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