Tag Archives: Reformation Sunday

The Clash – Sermon on Matthew 11:12-19 for Reformation Sunday

Matthew 11:12-19

12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,

17 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; 
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Do you believe that God uses the plans and actions of violent men to accomplish His will? I hope you can answer, “Yes.”

We don’t normally think of it this way, but the cross is the greatest example of God’s will being accomplished through the actions of evil men. The very event that won your salvation was the height of mankind’s rebellion against God. The world planned, plotted, and schemed to put the Son of God to death (Mt. 12:14; Mk. 3:6; Jn. 11:47-53). Christ’s death on the cross was the most unjust act ever committed by mankind. Jesus, the only person to ever live a righteous and sinless life, was condemned and crucified. And it was through Christ’s death that death itself was undone. There, on the cross, God won your salvation.

So, if God can accomplish your salvation through the actions of violent men – which He has, He absolutely has – then you don’t ever have to fear any evil in this world. The plans and actions of evil men never stop God and His will. When we see all the violence, upheaval, and opposition in this world, it can be easy to fall into despair and think that God isn’t in control. But He is – no question He is. Christ is still ruling and reigning over all things. And God’s will is still done.

Still today, God destroys and brings to nothing every evil council and purpose of the devil, the world, and our own flesh. His Name is still hallowed. His kingdom still comes. God continues to strengthen and keep us steadfast in His Word and in faith. This is His good and gracious will that we pray would be done in the Lord’s Prayer.

So, believer, every night when you go to bed, you can close your eyes in the peace and comfort of knowing that your sins are forgiven because of what Christ has done. Even as the world constantly clashes against the kingdom of heaven, you have God’s comfort and peace that surpasses all understanding (Php. 4:7).

Ever since the Fall into sin, there has been a clash between fallen humanity and God. This clash is rightly described when theologians make a distinction between believers on earth and believers in heaven. Christian, as long as you are in this world, you are part of the “Church militant,” and when you are removed from this world – either when you die or when Christ returns – you are transferred to the “Church triumphant.”

In this text, Jesus teaches us how to live as members of the “Church militant.” And this is important and helpful instruction because the clash between this fallen world and you citizens of the kingdom of heaven, that clash can make us want to fight back against the world. But you don’t need to fight because Jesus has already won the war.

So, in this text – which is not an easy text – Christ helps you understand how to live when you face violence and opposition in this world. There are two portions of this text that I’ve always found confusing and somewhat difficult. The first deals with the violence the Church faces in this world. The second deals with the world’s opposition and ridicule of the Church. We’ll think our way through each of them; then, we’ll see how Jesus tells us to respond.

The first difficult part is right away in v. 12 where Jesus addresses the violence that faces the Church. Our Lord says, “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,” no problems so far. It’s what comes next, “and the violent take it by force.” What is Jesus talking about? Do the violent seize control of the kingdom? No. There’s something else going on. But we have to wade through all of this to get the full picture.

Both John the Baptist and Jesus came preaching the exact same message “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 3:2; 4:17). And the world didn’t like that message. It turns out – surprise, surprise – that people who don’t think they’re sinners, they don’t want to be told to repent. So, they violently attacked the messengers. John’s preaching got him arrested, and soon after this text, John will be beheaded (Mt. 14:1-12). At this point in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is still a couple of years from being crucified, but it’s coming.

That violence against the kingdom of heaven that John and Jesus faced continues to this day. It’s happening all over the world – even here in our country. The shootings at Annunciation School in Minneapolis, the Christian school in Nashville, Charlie Kirk’s martyrdom, and many other events are part of this clash. Today, in North Korea, China, Egypt, and all around the world, Christians are being violently persecuted. Just this week, I saw horrifying statistics from Nigeria. Since the year 2000, 62,000 Christians have been martyred there, and already in 2025, 7,000 have been martyred. Yes, the kingdom of heaven still suffers violence. Lord, have mercy.

So, what does Jesus mean with that last phrase, “the violent take it by force”? Again, it isn’t that the violent gain possession or ownership or control of the kingdom of heaven by force. Instead, they try to take it away by force. In other words, this world actively tries to prevent the coming of God’s kingdom. But they will never succeed.

The second part of the text that can be confusing starts in v. 16 where Jesus is trying to figure out how to describe ‘this generation.’ “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’”

In a way, this is a little parable. The generation Jesus is speaking about isn’t just the generation of His time. The children in the marketplace are the same violent people Jesus talked about in v. 12 – it’s the generation of sinners. Sinners aren’t happy with anything. Basically, they say, “We were happy, but you weren’t happy with us. We were sad, and you didn’t get sad with us.” And Jesus goes on to explain that little poem to illustrate how the world reacts to the kingdom of heaven. The explanation is seen in how this generation reacted to John the Baptizer and to Jesus Himself.

In short, neither John nor Jesus followed the world. John wouldn’t dance when the world wanted him to. He came eating locusts and honey, and he wasn’t feasting with them because he was too busy calling them to repentance. They thought John’s preaching was too pessimistic. They figured things weren’t as bad as John said they were. So, they tried to dismiss John saying, “You won’t dance to our flute? You must have a demon.”

But then Jesus came, and He did eat and drink. He went to many feasts throughout His ministry. He went to dinners at Pharisees’ houses (Lk. 7:36ff; 14:1ff). Jesus feasted with tax collectors and sinners (Mk. 2:15-17; Mt. 9:10-13; Lk. 15:1), and the world didn’t like that either. Christ wouldn’t mourn during their dirges and funeral songs. So, just like they did with John, they tried to dismiss Jesus saying, “You’re a glutton, a drunkard,” (both of which are ridiculous accusations), “a friend of tax collectors and sinners.”

In other words, dear saints, you can live a life of fasting that avoids all of the pleasures this world seeks because you know this world is not all there is. And people will respond by calling you evil and demonic. You can also live a life where you participate and eat and drink, and people will say that you are a glutton and a drunkard.

So, Jesus is saying you can’t win with the world. Yes, there is a time for fasting and saying that the things of this world don’t matter. And there is also a time for feasting and enjoying the fullness of the gifts God has given. But it doesn’t matter to the world if you fast or feast, the world is going to hate you – not because of your eating and drinking or your abstaining. The world is going to hate you, dear saints, simply because you are a citizen of the kingdom of heaven.

So, what should our response be? How do we live in a generation that violently attacks and opposes the Gospel?

Well, first, recognize that the kingdom of heaven advances through the simple, unimpressive Word of God that can be attacked and resisted. The kingdom of God advances through the preaching of the Gospel because faith comes by hearing (Ro. 10:17). In other words, listen. Jesus puts it this way, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Mt. 11:15).

One of the most important lessons from the Reformation is that we don’t need to talk as much as we need to listen. Christians are first and foremost hearers. You hear the Law which stops your mouth and makes you silently accountable to God (Ro. 3:19). Stop making excuses for your sin and be silent before God. Then, hear the Gospel, which forgives all your sin.

The other response to the violence and opposition from this generation is to patiently wait. Jesus says, “Wisdom is justified by her deeds” (Mt. 11:19). That means that the day is coming when your faith and your identity as a member of the kingdom will be proven true. No one will be able to deny the wisdom you had in confessing your sin and believing in Jesus. That right fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Pr. 9:10).

Christian, you do not need to try to make God’s kingdom come. God is, and He will, bring about the coming of His kingdom. In the meantime, He arms you with the sword of His Word (Eph. 6:17). The sword of God’s Word doesn’t function like any other sword because it is the sword that makes the wounded whole. Use that sword to heal this broken generation. And pray. Pray, “Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word.”

When this world is filled with wickedness, when violence surrounds you, when the evil people oppose you, and when all of this is clashing down around you, remember what Jesus says to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Lk. 12:32). Alleluia! Amen.

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

Slaves & Sons – Sermon on John 8:31-36 for Reformation Sunday

John 8:31–36

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus says, “If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Those words of our Lord have been rolling around in my mind this past month. What Jesus says there has a lot of implications both for individuals and, by extension, for congregations. To be a disciple of Jesus – in other words to be a Christian – means abiding, remaining, and staying in Jesus’ Word. Those who are saved love to hear their Savior’s words. And that does not only refer to the red-letter words in our Bibles. It’s the whole thing. From the words, “In the beginning,” in Gen. 1:1 through the final, “Amen,” of Rev. 22:21 are all Jesus’ Words.

And notice to whom Jesus says this – this is so important. Jesus is speaking to “the Jews who had believed in Him.” In other words, Christ is speaking to Christians (Ro. 10:17) – people who believe His words. So, what Jesus is calling them to do is to continue abiding and remaining in His Words because if they do notremain in Jesus’ Words, they will not be His disciples, they will not know the truth, and they will not be free. Dear saints, your life as a Christian is to continue to learn and grow in your knowledge and understanding of the Bible. To be a Christian is to be a student of the Scriptures.

Now, all of that is important to ponder and consider, but there is something even more profound here that I want us to consider today. Again, as Jesus speaks to people who believe in Him, He calls them to abide in His Word so that they will (future tense) be set free. In other words, those who believe in Jesus are waiting for a freedom that is still to come. That freedom is promised, and that freedom is the hope of every Christian, but it is still in the future.

Today, as Jesus’ disciples, let’s abide in these words of Jesus here for a moment because many other passages in Scripture say that we are free when we believe. Romans 6:22 says that you, believer, have been set free from sin. A little later in Romans 8:2, Scripture says that the Spirit of Life has set you free in Christ Jesus. Galatians 5:1 says that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Just like the people in this reading did, we might want to ask Jesus, “How is it that You say, ‘You will become free’? Aren’t we free already?” Well, Jesus is clear. “Truly, truly. Amen, amen, I say to you everyone who practices,” probably a better way to translate this would be ‘does,’ “everyone who does sin is a slave to sin.” To do sin is to be a slave to sin.

So, dear saints, consider this: Are you a Christian? Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe His Word? Yes. Then Scripture is clear, you are free – right now.

But also consider this: Are you perfect? Do you do things that God forbids? Do you not do things that God demands? In other words, do you sin? Yes. Then, your Lord is also clear – you are a slave to sin. And you can’t wiggle out of this. It isn’t just that you make mistakes or that you are programmed to do things that aren’t quite right. No. All of us deliberately sin. We sin on purpose, with full knowledge, and repeatedly. And by sinning, we place ourselves under slavery to sin and put our faith in danger. Repent.

Jesus knows when He says that those who do sin are slaves to sin is a devastating judgment. That’s why He continues speaking and offers us hope saying that even though, “the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Jesus doesn’t just leave you in slavery to sin. He is the Son who sets you free – both now and in the future. Romans 6 says that you have been joined to Jesus’ death and resurrection in your Baptism, and it goes on to say, “our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin may be brought to nothing, so that,” and listen carefully here, “so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin” (Ro. 6:6-7). 

Jesus tells us the truth. The one who does sin is a slave to sin, and He sets us free from the evil master of sin. These two clear truths from Scripture have to be one of the most difficult tensions in all the world. You are, for a time, both slaves (because you sin) and sons (because you believe and are redeemed). You are free, and at the same time you are a slave to sin. You aren’t one or the other or bounce back and forth. At the same time, you are sons of God and still slaves to sin. The last half of Romans 7 talks about this tension (Ro. 7:14-25).

You are simultaneously saint and sinner, or, as Jesus puts it here, simultaneously slaves and sons. The tension between those two teachings isn’t understandable or comprehensible. But that’s ok. The Bible teaches all sorts of things that are beyond our understanding like the Trinity; the two natures of Jesus, that He is both God and man; etc. We don’t hesitate to believe those things because Scripture clearly teaches them. Well, Scripture also teaches that you are a slave to sin and a redeemed son of God. 

This tension is what keeps you running back to Jesus. It isn’t your obedience or your consistency or the fact that you feel bad about being a sinner that sets you free. Yes, you should feel bad about being a sinner, but that isn’t what sets you free from your slavery to sin. It’s Jesus, the Son, and Him alone who sets you free now and will make you free forever.

Dear saints, when – not ‘if’ but ‘when’ – when you feel the weight of your slavery, when the shackles of your iniquities rub your wrists and ankles raw, when the whip of your transgressions has shredded your back, remember Jesus came for you. He came – not for the righteous because there aren’t any righteous – He came to call you, sinner, to repentance and faith (Mt. 9:13; Mk. 2:17; Lk. 5:32). Jesus sets you free, and if He sets you free, then you are free indeed.

Child of God, abide in Jesus’ Word, and you will remain in the house forever. Amen.

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

Salvation unto Us Has Come – Sermon for Reformation Sunday (Observed) 2022

The Scripture readings for our service today were Revelation 14:6-7; Romans 3:19-28; and John 8:31-36.

A sheet with Scripture verses that were used to compose the hymn “Salvation unto Us Has Come” can be found here.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

We are all slaves – every one of us. Romans 3:23 says, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” And here in v. 34, Jesus says, “Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.” And don’t misunderstand the word ‘practice’ there. It is a fine translation, but we might get the wrong idea if we think the word ‘practice’ means someone who does something over and over to get better at it. I don’t think anyone here is actively trying to get better at lying, stealing, cheating, etc. The word Jesus uses here that gets translated as ‘practice’ is simply the word ‘do’ or ‘does.’ We will say that a doctor ‘practices’ medicine because medicine is simply what the doctor does. Literally, Jesus’ statement here could read, “All who do sin are slaves to sin.” And because “all have sinned,” (Ro. 3:23), we all are slaves to sin.

Slaves do not remain in the house. Only sons do. That is why you need Jesus – the eternal Son of God – to set you free. Christ sets you free through His Word because His Word delivers to you everything that He has done and accomplished on the cross. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, you are delivered from your slavery, you are freed, you become God’s child, and, as God’s children, you remain in the house forever with Jesus.

Now, that’s a full sermon right there, but we’ve still got some time. So, I want to bring in a guest preacher to teach us the same thing. The name of the preacher is Pastor Paul Speratus. Pastor Speratus wrote the hymn that you have in your Scripture insert. This hymn, “Salvation unto Us Has Come,” ends up being a complete summary of the theology of the Reformation, and since today is Reformation Sunday, we’re going to sing it and let it preach to us. I know some of you will find this boring, but please give me just a minute to set the stage for how this hymn came to be written.

Speratus was a Catholic priest in Salzburg, Austria. You probably know Salzburg because of the movie The Sound of Music. Well, Speratus had read Luther’s writings that came after the 95 Thesis, and Speratus recognized how far the church had wandered from the teaching of the Scriptures. So, Speratus starts preaching Law and Gospel in Salzburg. Luther got condemned for his writings in 1521, but Luther was protected from that sentence of death – basically, by being kidnapped and hidden in a castle where he spends 300 days translating the Bible into German. Well, Speratus also ends up being sentenced to death for heresy in 1523 and was sentenced to be burned at the stake. Like Luther, Speratus gets rescued from execution. But during his time in prison, Speratus writes this hymn.

You might think that sitting in prison and waiting for execution, Speratus would write a hymn about God’s protection and provision. But no. Speratus writes a hymn about the theology of salvation. Speratus wrote this hymn because Luther had just started conducting services in German and called on German-speakers to write hymns that taught the truths of Scripture in the German language so the people would have good songs to use in worship. This hymn is one of those. Apparently, when Luther first heard it, he offered the singer all the money he had in his pocket for the lyrics. And the hymn ended up being included in the first German hymnal which only had eight songs in it. The history lesson on the hymn is now over.

Personally, I love how clearly this hymn teaches what the Bible teaches, and according to Scripture, that is what Christian songs should do (Col. 3:16). The nice thing about this hymn is that Speratus included the Scripture passages he had in mind when he wrote the hymn. Those passages are included on the insert in your bulletin. This hymn would be a good addition to your devotional time. If you don’t have a regular devotional, my suggestion would be to read the passages for the first verse then sing it. The next day sing the first verse, then read the passages for the second verse and sing it. The third day, sing the first two verses, then read the Scriptures for the third and sing it. Do that for ten days adding a new verse each day.

By the time you finish, you will be a great theologian because this hymn so clearly teaches Law, Gospel, and holy living. It clearly teaches how our good works don’t help or save us, which is what the church of Rome was falsely teaching. Instead, faith produces the fruit of good works which are good because they serve our neighbor.

So, we’re going to let the hymn preach to us. Because it’s a long hymn, we won’t sing all ten verses at once. I’ll give your voices a break and make brief comments here and there. Feel free to sing it from the insert, but if you would like to have the music, it is #410 in your hymnal. Let’s start with the first verse.

1. Salvation unto us has come
by God’s free grace and favor;
Good works cannot avert our doom,
they help and save us never.
Faith looks to Jesus Christ alone,
Who did for all the world atone;
He is our one Redeemer.

This verse summarizes everything that will come after it. God, by His free grace and favor given through Jesus, has set you free. Through faith in Jesus, you are a child of God. The last two lines of that verse tell us what Jesus has done. He made the payment for you. He is the one and only Redeemer.

Now, because the hymn was written in German then translated into English, some of the wording is slightly changed from the original to make the poetry work in English. But those last two lines in German say that Jesus, “has done enough for us all. He has become our Mediator.” Jesus has done everything you needed to be saved, and now He sits at God’s right hand interceding for you and governing all things for your good.

Now, the hymn goes on to elaborate what Jesus needed to do. Let’s sing verses 2-3.

2. What God did in His Law demand
and none to Him could render
Caused wrath and woe on ev’ry hand
for man, the vile offender,
Our flesh has not those pure desires
The spirit of the Law requires,
and lost is our condition.

3. It was a false, misleading dream
that God His Law had given
That sinners could themselves redeem
and by their works gain heaven.
The Law is but a mirror bright
To bring the inbred sin to light
that lurks within our nature.

Because of our sinful nature, we don’t even begin to do what God requires of us through the Law. And even though we falsely think that we’re better than others, the Law is a bright mirror that shows our desperately lost and sinful condition. Let’s sing verse 4.

4. From sin our flesh could not abstain,
sin held its sway unceasing;
The task was useless and in vain,
our guilt was e’er increasing.
None can remove sin’s poisoned dart
Or purify our guileful heart—
so deep is our corruption.

Apart from Jesus, we have no hope of salvation. The poison of sin continues to slowly kill and destroy us. The Law leaves us dead in sin. But that does not mean that we are without hope. We’ll sing verse 5.

5. Yet as the Law must be fulfilled
or we must die despairing,
Christ came and hath God’s anger stilled,
our human nature sharing.
He hath for us the Law obeyed
And thus, the Father’s vengeance stayed
which over us impended.

Jesus has fulfilled the Law for you. He is your substitute. The eternal Son of God took on your flesh to do all this for you. He perfectly obeyed the Law for you. He suffered the punishment your sins deserved. And because of that, God sees Jesus’ perfection when He looks at you, believer. God has no anger left for your sins because Jesus has taken it all. Verse 6.

6. Since Christ hath full atonement made
and brought to us salvation,
Each Christian therefore may be glad
and build on this foundation.
Thy grace alone, dear Lord, I plead,
Thy death is now my life indeed,
for Thou hast paid my ransom.

There is nothing left for you to do to be saved. Everything is done; it is finished (Jn. 19:30). The hymn takes a turn in that verse and addresses God directly. We ask God to apply everything Jesus has done to us. His death is your life. He has fully paid the ransom for your soul. Verses 7-8.

7. Let me not doubt, but trust in Thee,
Thy Word cannot be broken;
Thy call rings out, “Come unto Me!”
no falsehood hast Thou spoken.
Baptized into Thy precious name,
My faith cannot be put to shame,
and I shall never perish.

8. The Law reveals the guilt of sin
and makes men conscience-stricken;
The Gospel then doth enter in
the sinful soul to quicken.
Come to the cross, trust Christ, and live;
The Law no peace can ever give,
no comfort and no blessing.

Jesus calls to you, “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Trusting in that call, you will never ever be put to shame. Jesus has come so that you have eternal, abundant life. Verse 9.

9. Faith clings to Jesus’ cross alone
and rests in Him unceasing;
And by its fruits true faith is known.
with love and hope increasing.
Yet faith alone doth justify,
Works serve thy neighbor and supply
the proof that faith is living.

Faith in Jesus is the only thing that saves you, but faith is never alone. Christian, you do good works, but those works never save you. Those works are simply the fruit of the Spirit that serves your neighbor and shows that your faith is alive and well.

Now, the hymn closes with a doxology. We get swept up into the liturgy of heaven and join all the saints who have gone before us by praising God for what He has done for us in Christ. Let’s sing the final verse.

10. All blessing, honor, thanks, and praise
to Father, Son, and Spirit,
The God that saved us by His grace—
all glory to His merit!
O Triune God in heaven above,
Who hast revealed Thy saving love,
Thy blessed name be hallowed.

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

Sneaky Slavery – Sermon on John 8:31-36 for Reformation Sunday

John 8:31-36

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

The crowds answered Jesus, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone.” Right.

They must have completely forgotten their history. They had been slaves in Egypt until God delivered them from their slavery. Even when they arrived in the Promised Land, they were ruled by the Philistines, the Ammonites, the Midianites, and the Moabites. They were taken captive by the Assyrians and Babylonians. They had been under the Greeks and the Persians. And even when Jesus is talking to them here, they are under Roman authority. They had to pay taxes to Caesar and are worried that if people believe in Jesus, the Romans will come and take away their place and nation (Jn. 11:47-48). And remember, the chief priests wanted to kill Jesus, but they had to get permission from the Roman governor Pilate (Jn. 18:11). In fact, when you consider the 1,500-year history of the Jewish people, there is probably only a few hundred years where they were not in some sort of slavery to another nation or power.

But when Jesus says, “If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” they are offended. Even though these are words of comfort and Gospel, there is an implied bit of Law here. Since the truth will (future tense) will set you free, that means that you are in bondage.

We have to recognize Jesus’ audience. He is speaking to the Jews who believed in Him. I know our translation throws in the word ‘had’ in there – “the Jews who had believed in him.” But that implies that they believed at one time but have stopped believing in Him. That isn’t what the Greek is trying to get across. The verb makes it clear.

Jesus is talking to people who do currently believe in Him, but their faith is shallow and in danger. In fact, by the end of this chapter, the faith of these people will be gone. They are offended at Jesus’ Words of Gospel and freedom. They believed in Him, maybe because of the miracles or because He was interesting to listen to. But they don’t abide, they don’t remain, in Jesus’ Word. They are a prime example of the path in Jesus’ parable of the Sower and the Seed. The Word is sown there, but the devil and demons quickly snatched it away (Mt. 13:4, 19) because their hearts were hardened with pride.

“If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” These are gracious words, but there is also a warning here for you and for me. That warning is this: It is possible to fall away. If you do not abide and remain in Jesus’ Word, then you are certainly not Jesus’ disciples; you will not know the truth, and you will not be free. Only those who abide and remain in Jesus’ Word are true disciples and become free.

Dear saints, Jesus might as well be speaking these very same words to you here today. You also need to abide in Jesus’ Word. You also need to know the truth which sets you free. Whether you recognize it or not, you are in bondage worse than any slavery this world can throw at you. Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”

Sin has so infected us that we have a wrong sense of freedom. We think freedom means that we can do whatever we want whenever we want. We think freedom is a life without obligation or responsibility. That kind of existence, well, it doesn’t exist. Instead, we are captive and slaves to our sinful desires.

The Scripture readings you heard today have made this entirely clear. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Ro. 3:23). “Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin” (Jn. 8:34). We sin; therefore, we are slaves to sin. And you can’t just wiggle out of this saying, “Well we don’t really have a choice in the matter.” Our slavery to sin is at a higher level than that. We are slaves in our will. We deliberately chose to sin. It isn’t just weakness or mistakes. We have all ignored our conscience, and knowing exactly what we are doing, we have chosen to sin. We sin on purpose and repeatedly.

And even when we do fight against our sinful desires, which is good, we still are doing so out of slavery. Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk. 15:11-32) shows that there is a slavery when we rebel and try to live apart from our heavenly Father, and there is also a slavery when we try to win the approval of our heavenly Father by life of obedience.

 So, remember the younger son? He deliberately tells his father to drop dead so he can have his inheritance early. That son takes all that he has, quickly wastes it in reckless living, and has to hire himself out feeding pigs. Remember, he was longing to eat the slop he was feeding the pigs. What he thought would bring him freedom made him a slave to pigs. So, he concocts a plan to go and ask to become a servant in his dad’s house in order to get a little food in his hungry tummy. Now of course, you know the story. The father doesn’t even hear the offer of his wayward son. Instead, the father restores this little brat to be a son and throws a party.

But don’t forget about the older son. He didn’t do all the wrong things his younger brother had done. He didn’t tell his father to drop dead. He didn’t demand his inheritance be given to him so he could move away and blow it all. He didn’t end up in the pigpen. No, the older brother hadn’t done anything wrong. But that didn’t make him any less of a slave.

Instead, that older brother insists that he did all the right things. He was dutifully working in his father’s field when his despicable brother returned. And when his father came outside to compel him to come and join the party celebrating his brother’s restoration, he answered his father, “I’ve served,” notice that, “I’ve servedyou my whole life. I’ve never disobeyed your command. I’ve never wasted your money. But when this son of yours comes home, you go and kill the fattened calf for him.” And the parable ends with the father pleading with his oldest son to join the party.

We know that slavery can come from living contrary to God’s Commandments; that is entirely clear and plain as the nose on your face. But there is another slavery – a slavery that is more sneaky – and that is the slavery of the older brother and the people Jesus is speaking to in this text. That is a slavery of us trying to live in such a way that God owes us for all the good we have done. My fellow sinners, repent of that thought as well. God will never be in our debt.

In this text and in parable of the Prodigal Son, we clearly see that God doesn’t want slaves. He wants sons. Slaves don’t remain in the house forever – only sons do. 

That is why Jesus has come. The only begotten Son of God came to do His Father’s will. He came to fulfill God’s Law and to be the perfect sacrifice for your sins and free you from slavery. Yes, you sin, and that reveals your slavery. But at the same time you are also a son – redeemed, purchased, and adopted by the blood of Christ. At the same time, you are a slave and a son, a sinner and a saint.

Dear saints always remember what Jesus says, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”Christ has. You are free. Free from the condemnation of the Law. Free from the bondage of sin. Free from the fear of death. Free from the burden of having to earn your salvation. Free from the burden of having to complete your salvation. Free to serve God and neighbor without the nagging worry of whether you’ve done it well enough. 

Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, has set you free by His death and resurrection. He has freely given you the gift of new life, and that comes with a happy and joyful future that will last to all eternity. If the Son sets you free – and Christ has by His death and resurrection – you will be free indeed. So, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom,” (Lk. 12:32). Amen.

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

Unmoved – Sermon on Psalm 46 for Reformation Sunday

Listen here.

Psalm 46

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Winston Churchill is often cited as the one who coined the phrase, “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.” In a tasty bit of irony, the quote wasn’t original to Churchill. He was slightly altering a quote from a Spanish-born, American-raised, man named George Santayana, and the original statement was, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

Since today is the last Sunday in October, we remember with gratitude how God used Martin Luther to preserve His Church and the preaching of the Gospel for the world. So, today’s sermon is going to be slightly different than most sermons you will hear me preach. First, we are going to consider a little bit of Reformation history especially surrounding the writing of the hymn we just sang “A Mighty Fortress.” Then, we are going to consider the lyrics of the hymn by looking at the Biblical text the hymn is based on, Psalm 46. So first, the history.

As popular as “A Mighty Fortress” is, we actually know very little about it. The earliest hymnal that contains it is from 1533. Historians mostly agree that Luther wrote the hymn sometime during the years of 1527-1528, about a decade after he posted the 95 Thesis on the door of the castle church in Wittenberg.

Now during the first eight years after Luther posted the 95 Theses, Luther was fighting mainly against abuses in the Roman church. It is important to note that Luther wanted to reform the church and not break away from it. However, as Luther repeatedly tried to get the leaders in the Roman Church to return to the pure teaching of the Gospel, they decided to throw him out by excommunicating him. In April 1521, Luther refused to recant of his writings at the Diet of Worms where he famously stated, “Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me.” Luther was supposed to be executed for his teaching, but a nobleman hid Luther in Wartburg Castle for ten months.

When Luther finally returned to Wittenberg in 1522, he found that some radical reformers were taking his teachings too far. Some were destroying statues and art in churches. Some were teaching that the Lord’s Supper was only symbolic. Some claimed to be directly inspired by the Holy Spirit and that they had the ability to reveal God’s will apart from Scripture. So, Luther found himself fighting against these abuses as well.

Beyond that, Luther got very sick around this time. There were national threats as the Muslims were warring their way toward Germany. Catholic armies were threatening Lutheran areas. In August of 1527, a man who followed Luther’s teaching was martyred. That same Fall, a plague broke out in Wittenberg. During that plague, Luther’s wife, Katie, got sick and was quarantined twice. Just a few months later in December, Luther’s daughter, Elizabeth, was born and was always very sick. Things were so bad for Luther that he wrote to a colleague, “[I am] physically well, but outwardly the whole world and inwardly the devil and all his angels are making [me] suffer.” Luther spent the next six months praying that God would save little Elizabeth, but in May of 1528, she died.

Somewhere in the midst of all this, Luther wrote “A Mighty Fortress” based on Psalm 46. He wrote this hymn for himself, his family, and his church. A lot of times, this hymn is called ‘the battle hymn of the Reformation,’ but in one of his publications, Luther called it, ‘a hymn of comfort.’

So, today may we find comfort in the truths of Psalm 46 as they are expressed in “A Mighty Fortress” because we, like Luther then, face pandemic, upheaval, sorrow, uncertainty, and tumult. Follow along with me as we walk through this Psalm.

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and strength, 

a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, 

though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 

3 though its waters roar and foam, 

though the mountains tremble at its swelling. 

First, notice that this Psalm is mainly written in the plural. God is ‘our’ refuge,’ ‘we will not fear,’ etc. This will be very important when we get to v. 10. Also, did you catch the confidence we have? Because God is our refuge, because God is our strength, because God is a very present help in trouble – we will not fear. “We will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea.” 

The devil loves to cause us to fear. Satan loves to whisper into our ears that we should be afraid of all sorts of things. Satan says, “Cases of COVID are rising. You should be afraid.” “The economy isn’t doing well, and your retirement account is shrinking. You should be afraid.” “Trump might get re-elected; Biden might win. You should be afraid.” “There is a lot of violence going on around the country. You should be afraid.” “We found an abnormal growth in your scans and need to do more testing. You should be afraid.” “God hates sinners and judges the unjust. You should be afraid.” 

This is all the preaching of the devil. But God puts in our hearts and on our lips these verses. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” – any trouble. Even in the flood of the troubles of this life, even in the face of our ancient foe, the devil, who seeks to work us woe, God remains our mighty fortress who never fails us.

Why can we have this confidence and fearlessness? Pick up again at v. 4.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, 

the holy habitation of the Most High.  

V. 4 tells us about a river whose streams make glad the city of God. Now, the earthly city of God is, of course, Jerusalem. But that is not and cannot be the city that this Psalm is speaking about because there is no river in Jerusalem. So, the Psalm has to be pointing us to something else. In fact, the Psalm is pointing us to what Jesus says in John 7. In John 7, Jesus is in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles, and while He is there, He speaks about a river. Jesus says, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (Jn. 7:37-38).

Jesus is the fount, fountain, and the source of this river, and those who have faith in Him have rivers of living water flowing from their hearts.

It is never our strength or good works that provide the rivers of water that we need. It only comes from Jesus. If we confided and trusted in our own strength, no amount of our striving would do us any god. But Jesus, the Man of God’s choosing is on our side. In fact, He has set up His habitation (lit. His ‘tabernalce’) in our hearts (1 Cor. 6:19). He is the never-changing Lord of hosts. He will always win the battle.

We’ll pick up the pace now as we move on to v. 5.

5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; 

God will help her when morning dawns. 

God is in the midst of His people as a very present help which means that His people are unmoved. Think about that. God’s church, His kingdom, His people are unmoved while everything we see and know is wavering, tottering, and melting. V. 6:

6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; 
he utters his voice, the earth melts.

While nations rage and kingdoms totter, while the world is filled with devils threatens to undo us, God will triumph. The prince of darkness and all his forces and all his minions will be felled by one little word.

I’ve always wondered what that one little word was that Luther had in mind. What is the one little word that will fell the devil? There is no verse in Scripture that says what word destroys the devil. Certainly, Jesus is the Word of God in the flesh who defeats every craft and assault of the devil. I think in the context of the hymn combined with v. 6 here, any word from God will do. Everything God says exposes the devil’s lies and shows his emptiness. 

On to v. 7.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us; 

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

This verse will be repeated again in v. 11, and it is an echo of v. 1. The God who is our refuge and strength, a present help in every trouble is the Lord of hosts is with us as our fortress. Whatever threat faces us, we are eternally safe in the kingdom of God. 

On to v. 8-9.

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord, 
how he has brought desolations on the earth. 

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; 

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; 

he burns the chariots with fire. 

God has repeatedly shown that He can and will deliver His people from the mightiest kingdoms, powers, and forces on earth – from Egypt, Midian, Philistia, Assyria, Babylon, Rome, and on and on we could go. Every threat in this world is nothing for you, Christian, because of God’s might. 

Now, we need to slow down again as we get to v. 10.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God. 

I will be exalted among the nations, 

I will be exalted in the earth!” 

I mentioned as we began to consider the Psalm that it is written in first person plural. The Psalm is rightly said and prayed by any of God’s people. But v. 10 stands out like a sore thumb because here God steps in and speaks. And what does He say when we are surrounded by threats? “Be still.”

Most art that I’ve seen that includes this verse is a relaxing, beautiful, calm, tranquil, idyllic scene. A quiet forest, a pristine beach, a beautiful plain, or a majestic mountain. None of those scenes are anywhere to be found in this Psalm.

Instead, this is what God speaks to us when chaos and evil, when destruction and death surrounds us. And what is it that He speaks to us as we watch everything falling around us, as we see the cosmos melting? What does God speak to us as He fights for us, as He wins every battle, as He defeats all our enemies, as He we find our refuge in Him? God says, “Be still. Cease.”

The only other time God says this is when He speaks to Moses at the Red Sea while God’s people are pinned between Pharaoh’s army and the sea. God says, “Fear not, stand firm. I will fight for you, you have only to be silent” (Ex. 14:13-14).

When everything surrounding you says that you should be afraid, God days, “Stay still. I’ve got everything under control. I will fight for you.” And again, the repeated refrain of v. 11 closes out the Psalm.

11 The Lord of hosts is with us; 

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Dear saints, because Christ has died and risen again for you, God is on your side. Everything in this life can be taken from you by the devil and his minions, but the truth of God’s Word remains. Because Jesus is on the throne, you dwell in a kingdom that will last forever and ever. Stand strong. Take refuge in Christ. Be still in the midst of all the troubles of this world. You are safe and secure in His eternal kingdom. He will sustain you unmoved. Amen.

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