Tag Archives: Son

Silenced – Sermon on Matthew 22:34-46 for the Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity

Matthew 22:34-46

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,

44 “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, 
“Sit at my right hand, 
until I put your enemies under your feet” ’?

45 If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Arrogance was behind that question, “What is the great commandment in the Law?” We know this was arrogant because the lawyer is asking this question in order to test Jesus. This text is at the end of a conversation Jesus has been having with the religious leaders. If you look back to the beginning in Mt. 22:15, you’ll see that the religious leaders are trying to entangle Jesus in His words. The Pharisees had debated which command was the greatest for centuries, but they couldn’t come up with an answer because picking one would imply that something God commanded isn’t important. Or, at least, not as important. And, of course, that can’t be true. Every word that comes from the mouth of God matters because He is the One whose powerful voice spoke all things into existence.

Imagine a student who is studying to be a heart surgeon. I don’t actually know how heart surgeons are trained, but I see them getting something similar to a recipe. It’s got a list of all utensils and ingredients needed followed by instructions on how to use them. Imagine a student seeing that recipe. Step 1: Scrub up. Step 2: Make the incision. Step 3: Find this artery. And so on, going through the whole process. If one of those students asked which step is the most important, how would the instructor reply? I imagine the instructor saying, “They’re all important! Do everything correctly – from scrubbing up to closing. You have to get it all exactly right. Don’t leave anything out, or you’ll kill your patient!”

Basically, that is what Jesus says here. Everything God has commanded is important. All the Commands are good, right, and true. That’s what Jesus communicates when He summarizes God’s Law as, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself”(Mt. 22:37-39). Everything command of God is important, and everything He requires falls into two categories of either loving God or loving neighbor. In Ro. 13:10, the Law is summarized even further, “Love is the fulfilling of the Law.”

But sadly, this summary the Law is twisted. The devil has used countless false teachers say that the word ‘love’ is God’s only command. And when they do that, those false teachers utterly corrupt love. Yes, the command to love summarizesGod’s Law, but it doesn’t replace God’s commands. Today, to combat that devilish twisting, I want to make six points about God’s Law. I’ve done this before, but it’s been seven years since I last did it. So, it’s worth reviewing again.

First, while the command to love summarizes the Law, the word ‘love’ doesn’t replace the Law. We sinners will do all sorts of things that go against what God has commanded in the name of love. But you don’t get to steal food from a store because you love your children and want to feed them. Instead, loving your children requires you to keep the Command against stealing by getting a job to buy food for them. Committing adultery is not suddenly ok just because you love someone. That leads to the second point.

Second, the Law defines how to love your neighbor. There’s a 4th Command love that honors parents. There’s an 8th Command love that does not bear false witness and tells the truth. In each Command, God is telling us, “Here is how you love Me and love your neighbor.”

The third point about the Law is closely related to that. While the Law shapes how you love your neighbor, the needs of your neighbor also shape your love for them. The 7th Command about stealing will take one shape if you are an employee. It looks like working hard, not wasting time, and doing good work. But if you own a business, the 7th Command takes a different shape. It means that you are generous and pay a fair wage that rewards the work and skills of your employees. Same with the 4th Command to honor parents. When you are a child, honoring parents means obeying them. When you’re an adult, honoring parents means respecting them.

Fourth, you show love for God by showing love for your neighbor. 1 Jn. 4:20 says, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” If you want to demonstrate love for God, you do that by loving your neighbor, according to the commandments and according to your neighbor’s need.

And with this fourth point we see that there is an order to your love. You are to love the people God has placed closest to you first, then love everyone else. 1 Tim. 5:8 says that a person needs to provide for all his relatives, but especially the members of his household. And Gal. 6:10 says, “As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” So, it is loving to give to the Feed My Starving Children offerings, but it is not loving for you to put your entire paycheck in there and not be able to feed your family or to let your brothers and sisters in Christ go hungry while you feed people you haven’t met.

Fifth, and this is the most important one: The Law always accuses. There’s no time in your life where you can say that you have kept God’s Law perfectly. As long as you have a pulse, you can’t check off the boxes to love God and your neighbor because you still have strength. Those boxes are always on your to-do list. And you and I are sinners and always fall short when it comes to the command to love. So, the life of a Christian is always filled with repentance and receiving the forgiveness that comes only through Christ.

Finally, the sixth point: Even though the Law always shows you that you are a sinner, don’t fall into the temptation of giving up in your attempt to keep God’s Law. Christian, even though you are going to fail to love perfectly, you need to strive to do it. Pray for strength and wisdom. Pray that God would open your eyes and ears to your neighbors’ needs. Then, be God’s hands and feet to meet those needs.

Changing gears and getting back to Mt. 22. We know that the Law is not the only word God has spoken to you. God also speaks His comforting words of Gospel. After Jesus summarized the Law, He turns the tables. Now, He has a question for the religious leaders about the Gospel. “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”To their credit, these Pharisees know their Bible. They know that in 2 Sam. 7, God promised that the Christ would come through King David’s lineage, and He would reign as King forever and ever.

But Jesus wants to draw them further into the Gospel and into a further knowledge of the identity of the Christ by asking, “If the Christ is David’s son, how can David also call him, ‘Lord’?” (Ps. 110:1). The Pharisees can’t figure out this riddle because they figured the Christ was going to be a man who would set things right and save them. They didn’t understand that the Christ would be fully God and fully Man. But Jesus wasn’t trying to trick them. There He was, the Christ, standing right before them. The God-Man and Messiah, talking with them, calling them to Himself. Sadly, their only response was silent ignorance.

Dear saints, this question from Jesus silences you too, but in a very different way. You aren’t silenced into the shame of the Pharisees; instead, you are silenced in a holy wonder. Your silence is an awe that realizes that, to save you from the condemnation of the Law, God has located Himself in the body of Jesus. Because of Jesus’ birth, part of God’s nature is that He now has a human body. He took on that body so He could suffer for you, shed His blood for you, die for you, rise again for you, and rule as King until all your enemies are placed under His nail-scarred feet. Your Christ, your Savior, and your God has united Himself to you.

Lucy, today, we rejoice with you that you are Baptized. You are now clothed with Christ (Gal. 3:27) and joined to Him in His death and resurrection (Ro. 6:3-4). Remain in Him. Lucy and all you Baptized saints, we will never fully understand the unity that we have with God because of our Baptism. And yet, we, in silent wonder, can bask in the glory that God Himself has loved us in this way.

God came to you. He took on your flesh. He lived a perfect life and died an atoning death. Now, He is risen and rules as the Lord of all creation. Your Savior from sin is David’s Son and David’s Lord. He is your Lord and King, and yet He is your brother Who now invites you to His royal banquet to receive His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of all your sin and failure to love God and neighbor. Come and receive Him. Amen.

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

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

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Romans 11:33–36

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Depend – Sermon on Matthew 22:34-46 for the Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity

Matthew 22:34–46

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,

44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord, 
“Sit at my right hand, 
until I put your enemies under your feet” ’?

45 If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” 46 And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

This Gospel reading takes place on Holy Tuesday. In other words, it is just a few days before Jesus will be crucified, and what we heard is Jesus’ last public teaching until He preaches the seven last words from the cross. The Pharisees and Sadducees are asking our Lord three questions to try to entangle Him in His words (Mt. 22:15). They want Jesus to say something they can use against Him and kill Him. The first two questions they asked were about paying taxes and the resurrection. But Jesus answers both questions so skillfully that they can’t find a way to accuse Him.

Our text begins with their third and final trick question that comes from a sleezy lawyer. “Teacher, what is the great commandment in the Law?” It seems as though the intent of this question is to get Jesus to put one of the Commandments above the others, and when He does that, they will say that He teaches that the other nine aren’t as important. But they end up looking like fools. It was Jesus’ finger that carved those words into the stone tablets and His voice that spoke them on Mt. Sinai. Jesus is the Author of the Commandments, and they are all important.

So, Jesus answers the question, “The great Commandment is this: love God with everything you’ve got and love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” In other words, Jesus is saying, “All the Commandments matter. All of them are the greatest. They all demand that you love God and love your neighbor. All the Commandments depend on these two.” Jesus is clear here, and Scripture is clear elsewhere that what the Commandments require of us is to love. Love is the fulfilling of the Law (Ro. 13:10b). In every situation, you are to love God and love your neighbor. And it is important to spend some time on this because there is a lot of unnecessary confusion about what love looks like. A pastor friend of mine (Pr. Bryan Wolfmueller) put together a list that helps to define and shape what love looks like. And this list is biblical and, I think, very helpful.

First, love is shaped by the Ten Commandments. Love does not mean that there are no other Commandments. No, the Commandments define what love is. Love depends on the Commandments. If you are fornicating and committing adultery, you cannot presume to say that it’s ok because, “We love each other.” Adultery is always unloving.

Second, love is shaped by our vocation or our station in life. Everyone has several vocations, so I’ll use myself as an example here. Some of my vocations are husband, father, pastor, a child of my parents, a friend, etc. In each of those vocations, I am called to love. But what that love looks like depends on those different vocations. For example, part of my love as a father includes providing for my family. So, I earn a living so my wife can go and buy socks for our kids. As a pastor, my love looks different. It looks like faithfully preaching and teaching God’s Word to you, the flock that God has entrusted into my care. My vocation as a pastor does not require me to buy socks for all of you. Pastors are not called to provide socks for their congregations. But that, then, leads us to the third thing that shapes our love.

Our love is also shaped by the needs of our neighbor. If one of you, who aren’t part of my family, needs socks and can’t get them for yourself, my love for you would be to give you socks. Even if the only reason I know you and your need socks is that I’m your pastor, I’m not giving you socks because I’m your pastor. I’m giving you socks because I am your brother in Christ. And if I needed socks, I would want one of you to give me socks if you have the means and resources to provide them. In that instance, I’m loving you as I would love myself. (I think this is the most I’ve ever used the word ‘socks’ in a sermon, but I’m done now.)

That leads us to the fourth thing that shapes our love which is the gifts God has given us. God gives us stuff, skills, and talents so we can use them to love and serve our neighbor. If God has made you successful and given you a lot of money, use those resources to love your neighbor. If God has given you the talent of being good at cooking, you love your neighbor by cooking. If God has given you good mind for math, you can love your neighbor as an engineer or an accountant. The beautiful thing about this one is that the gifts God gives you can help you love your neighbor across different vocations. A person who is good at math can be a good accountant. He can earn a good living and provide for his family and, at the same time, love and serve his clients who need someone to keep their books.

Just briefly here, our neighbor’s need might mean that we have to love our neighbor in a way that we aren’t gifted. Imagine a meteor hit the church during this service. We don’t have an ER doctor here, but we do have an optometrist, a medical student, nurses, and EMTs who are gifted in knowing how the body works and how to heal. They should be the ones who go to the people who are most injured and help them. And if more people are injured, those of us who aren’t gifted in that way are called to do the best we can even though that kind of love is usually reserved for doctors and nurses. Our neighbor’s need trumps how we are gifted. Especially in an emergency, we love and serve others based on their needs rather than our love depending on our gifts. And when the ambulances get here, we who don’t know as much about first aid should step aside and let the professionals use their gifts to serve the people in need.

So, the first four things that shape our love are: 1) the Ten Commandments; 2) our vocation; 3) our neighbor’s need; and 4) our gifts. All of that is fairly obvious and reasonable. But there is another thing that shapes our love, and this last one is one that our culture fights against (for several reasons). But this one is also important to consider. The fifth thing that shapes our love is our neighbor’s sin, and this is where things can get tricky and difficult. But this is also where Jesus’ summary of the Ten Commandments – love God with everything and love your neighbor as yourself – is helpful. And God gives you wisdom to help navigate this.

Imagine you know someone who is addicted to fentanyl, your calling is still crystal clear: you are called to love that person. But now what is that love going to look like? Is it loving to just step aside and let them keep killing themselves by using that fentanyl? No, it isn’t. Their sin against themselves might even mean that you need to break one of the Commandments in order to love them. You might need to steal their fentanyl even though stealing is sin and a violation against the 7th Commandment.

Now, please recognize that the Ten Commandments are still the primary thing that shapes and defines our love. But because of your neighbor’s sin, you break the 7th Commandment about stealing in order for you to keep the 5th Commandment which calls you to do your neighbor no bodily harm, but help and defend him in every need. This is why knowing the Commandments is so important. And, again, your vocation still plays into this too. You aren’t called to travel to San Francisco, Seattle, or Portland and steal fentanyl from all the addicts in those places.

Our neighbor’s sin can hinder the ways we love them. Parents, when your children are breaking the 4thCommandment and not obeying you, your love for them looks like disciplining them; it isn’t what you want to do, but you are called to do it (Pro. 22:15; 23:13; Heb. 12:11). If you have abusive parents, you are still called to keep the 4th Commandment and honor them, but their sin could mean you have to disobey them if they demand you do something contrary to God’s Word. If your cousin, Stacy, is getting married, your love normally looks like going to her wedding and celebrating with her. But if she is breaking the 6th Commandment by trying to be married to another woman, your love for her means not going to the wedding because that would embolden her in her sin against the 6th Commandment. Yes, this is hard and difficult. Yes, this is uncomfortable. Yes, it is even confusing. You are always called to love, but sin can put constraints on love.

And that brings us to the second part of our text which is the question Jesus asks the people who are trying to trip Him up. Jesus turns the discussion to the identity of the Messiah. The Savior is David’s Ancestor and also David’s Lord. The way this is possible is that Jesus is the fully Divine, eternal Son of God and fully human. Christ is God and Man.

Your Savior’s love for you was fully shaped by the Ten Commandments, which Jesus kept perfectly. His vocation was to be the Messiah and shed His blood and bear the punishment for the sins of all humanity because that was our need. He was gifted with everything necessary to be the Savior. And He navigated our sin in such a way that He perfectly loved God by loving us and bearing our sin to the cross. Now, He is risen and lives and reigns on the throne of all creation for eternity. 

Your eternal life totally depends upon what Jesus, the Son of God and Son of David, has done. God be praised that He has done all things well (Mk. 7:37). Amen.

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

Charismatic Vocation – Sermon on 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity

1 Corinthians 12:1–11

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Paul began this letter to the Christians in Corinth by saying that God had given them all knowledge, speech, and every spiritual gift they needed. Paul said that Jesus would sustain them guiltless until He returns (1 Cor. 1:4-8). With this glowing opening, you would expect the Corinthian congregation to be getting along splendidly. But you would be wrong.

There were divided groups that claimed loyalties to different former pastors causing dissension in the congregation. The members were suing each other in civil, secular courts. They were neglecting the poor. A man was having an illicit relationship with his father’s wife and bragging about it. Some members were getting drunk at Communion. On top of all that, there were even disputes about who was more holy based on the spiritual gifts they had received. So, the context of these verses is Christians fighting with each other over spiritual gifts and who was better because of them. That’s what the text is addressing. Now, I’m not preaching on this text because there is fighting here at Christ the King over who is more spiritual or less spiritual.

The reason I’m preaching on this text today is to encourage you to use the gifts the Holy Spirit gives you in your everyday lives. There is a tendency for all of us – please note that I’m including myself here – to be timid when it comes to living out our faith. I think a lot of that timidness has to do with ignorance about spiritual gifts. Paul begins by saying that he does not want us to be ‘ignorant’ about spiritual gifts. I know our translation says ‘uninformed,’ but the word there isn’t so much about a lack of information, rather it is about a lack of understanding, so ‘ignorant’ is probably better. So today, we want to grow in our understanding of spiritual gifts: what they are, how they are received, and how God uses them.

First, what are the spiritual gifts? The New Testament uses six different words or phrases to talk about spiritual gifts. I’m not going to go through all of them, but the Greek term χάρισμα is the most common and Paul uses that word twice in this text (v. 4 & 9). Yes, it is where we get our word ‘charisma.’ Χάρισμα means ‘gift of grace’ or ‘gracious gift.’ 

Scripture has two different lists of these gifts of grace, one is here in 1 Cor. 12:7-11, 27-30, and the other list is Ro. 12:6-8. The interesting thing is that the two lists aren’t the same. And there are many other verses throughout the New Testament that talk about other χάρισμα even though they aren’t included in a list. Many theologians suggest, and I tend to agree, that the lists are different and other χάρισμα are mentioned elsewhere because these lists aren’t intended to be comprehensive. In other words, there are more spiritual gifts than the ones listed.

There are some things that Scripture calls χάρισμα that we wouldn’t expect to be called ‘spiritual gifts.’ Here’s some of the surprises: service (διακονία where we get our word ‘deacon’); teaching; encouragement; generous giving; leadership; being merciful; a word of wisdom, guidance, or knowledge; faith (not what we would call ‘saving faith’ but an abundant trust and confidence in God’s provision); discernment of spirits; being an apostle; helpful acts; even chastity within marriage and outside of marriage – all of these are spiritual gifts, they are all χάρισμα. A lot of them aren’t so spectacular, but Scripture still calls them χάρισμα.

Second, how are the spiritual gifts received? According to our text (v. 4-7), these gifts are given through the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit doesn’t ever work alone. Instead, the entire Trinity is involved. These various gifts are given by the Spirit; the varieties of places to serve are given by the same Lord (i.e. Jesus Christ, the Son). And the varieties of activities are empowered by the same God (think God the Father). We don’t determine what gift or gifts we receive, it’s up to our Triune God. And God will provide whatever gift we need to fulfill our Christian duty to our neighbor.

One of the ways we are ignorant when it comes to spiritual gifts is that we tend to confuse spiritual gifts with natural talents. I think one of the reasons we confuse the two is that there have been spiritual gift tests and inventories for decades that focus more on where we think we have talents and interests. Natural talents are certainly gifts of God, but spiritual gifts are what God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit gives you as you carry out the various callings God gives you in life.

Another problem that makes us ignorant of spiritual gifts is that we confuse the order of things. We think the talents we have should determine the callings we pursue. But repeatedly in Scripture and in your own life, it ends up being the opposite. You are called to do something, and the Holy Spirit equips you with the spiritual gifts you need to do it. You’ve probably heard the phrase, “God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called.” It’s a little trite, and that phrase can be wrongly interpreted to mean that we don’t need to train or prepare ourselves – i.e. the phrase can be used as an excuse to be lazy. But with a proper understanding, it’s not a bad saying.

You Christian parents, even if you planned on when you would begin having children, you probably quickly realized that there were a lot of things you didn’t know and skills you didn’t have to be a good parent. But the Holy Spirit has given and will give you what you need when you need it. Most often, God doesn’t equip us with gifts in advance. Instead, He gives us exactly what we need exactly when we need it to minister to others as we serve in our vocations. Wherever God calls you, He will give you whatever you need to minister to that person in that situation (Mt. 10:19-20).

Finally, how does God use the spiritual gifts He gives us? Paul will go on after our text to use the analogy of our bodies (1 Cor. 12:12-26). Your body has many different parts that all need each other. Eyes need ears and toes and noses and hearts and livers and kidneys. No part of the body can say that is doesn’t need the others. In the same way, each Christian is part of the body of Christ and is dependent upon the other members. Just as all the parts of your physical body work together to do one common thing – keep you alive – all the parts of the Body of Christ work together to do one common thing – proclaim the Gospel, the forgiveness of sins through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

I know I’ve used the term ‘vocation’ quite a bit in the past, but it is good to revisit it and be clear about what a vocation is in a theological and spiritual sense. When we talk about ‘vocation’ in the Scriptural sense, it means your office or your relationship to the person or people God has placed in your life at any given moment. Every moment of every day God puts you into a relationship with another person where you have different responsibilities. Those are your vocations.

As a silly example, if you find yourself in a moving car, you have one of two possible vocations. Either your vocation is to be a driver, which means your tasks are to drive safely, follow the traffic laws, don’t cause danger to others, and get to your destination safely, or, if you aren’t the driver, your vocation is to be a passenger and your responsibilities are to not make the driver’s vocation more difficult than it needs to be.

Here is the good news, God gives you all the gifts you need to fulfill your vocation every moment of every day. So, rather than filling out inventories and reading books to try to discover your spiritual gift, or your χάρισμα, simply ask yourself, “Who is my neighbor right now, and what is my vocation to that neighbor? How does God want me to serve this person/people?” and Scripture promises that everything will fall into place.

We should expect the Holy Spirit to give us what is needed in each situation we encounter. We should expect and pray that the Holy Spirit will give us what is needed based on whom and what God presents to us. Be attentive.

If you are talking with someone who is going through a lot of problems, the Holy Spirit is calling you to the vocation of being a supportive brother or sister in Christ. Then, pray for the spiritual gifts, the χάρισμα of encouragement, wisdom, knowledge, and compassion depending on the situation. If you are struggling in your marriage, pray for the χάρισμα of chastity, faith, and service. If you are playing with your kids, pray for the χάρισμα of joy and generous giving of your time and energy. If you are at work and have a difficult task, pray for the χάρισμα of service, leadership, or helpful acts. I could go on, but I think you get the idea.

Constantly let your vocation shape your prayers for the spiritual gifts you need in that moment, and watch God act. God loves to hear those prayers. He has promised to answer them. And God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit will gift, equip, and empower you as He freely gives you the gifts you need to love and serve your neighbor. Amen.

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

In This Way, God Loved the World – Sermon on John 3:1-17 for Holy Trinity Sunday

John 3:1–17

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Sometimes, broad, general statements are more comforting than pointed, specific statements. I heard a church historian tell the story about Martin Luther being asked if he wished that John 3:16 read, “For God so loved Martin Luther, that He gave His only Son…” And Luther said, “No! I’d be searching my entire life for another guy named ‘Martin Luther.’”

Does God love you? How do you know? “For God so loved the world,” and you are part of the world, “that He gave His only-begotten Son that you who believe in Him will never perish but have everlasting life.” Yes. God loves you. He loves you. Yesterday, God loved you. Three months ago, God loved you. Five years ago, God loved you. While you were a sinner, God loved you (Ro. 5:8). Before you were born, God loved you. Two thousand years ago as Jesus carried His cross out of the gates of Jerusalem, God loved you. Before the foundation of the world, God loved you. Christian, according to Revelation 13:8, God wrote your name in the Book of Life even before He said, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3).

John 3:16 is probably the most familiar verse of Scripture in our day and is the “ABC’s and 1, 2, 3’s” of the faith. Today, we’re going to graduate “Christianity 101” and consider John 3:16 as “Christianity 201.” We’re going to dissect two words of the verse – the words ‘for’ and ‘so’ – because those words help us understand the context and meaning of the verse.

We’re going to spend most of our time on the word ‘for,’ so bear with me. Because the verse starts with the word ‘for,’ we have to consider the context. That word ‘for’ ties John 3:16 to what comes before it, which is Jesus recalling how Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness (Num. 21:4-9), which was our Old Testament reading three weeks ago.

There, God’s people had been sentenced to forty years of wandering in the wilderness (Num. 14:28-35). During that time of exodus, the people become impatient and said the only reason Moses lead them out of slavery in Egypt was so they would die in the wilderness (Num. 21:5). They complained about the food God was miraculously and faithfully raining down upon them each day. So, God sends fiery serpents to bite the people, and many of them die. Finally, they ask Moses to pray that God would take away the serpents. God answers their prayer, but not by taking the serpents away. Instead, God gives them the cure for the venom. God instructs Moses to make a bronze serpent, set it on a pole, and tell the people to look at if they are bitten and they would be cured of the venom and live.

This God-given cure seems odd, but consider it for a minute. The dead, bronze serpent lifted up on the pole is the God-given sign that God is destroying their enemy and killing it. By looking at the serpent, they believe that God is defeating their enemy and that He is in control. That faith is what saves them. Now here in John 3, Jesus says that just as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, so must He be lifted up. In other words, the people were saved in the wilderness by looking at an image of their defeated enemy.

Now, this is a little more challenging to grasp, but it’ll be worth it. When Jesus is on the cross, He quotes Psalm 22:1, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34). Psalm 22 is one of the most vivid descriptions of the crucifixion – almost more vivid than what the Gospels record for us. The Psalm says, “all who see me mock me… they wag their heads” (Ps. 22:7) which we see happening in Mt. 27:39 and Mk. 15:29. The Psalm says, “They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots,” (Ps. 22:18; Jn. 19:24). The Psalm says, “They have pierced my hands and feet,” (Ps. 22:16). I could go on, but you should just read Ps. 22 with the crucifixion in mind today.

The verse from Ps. 22 we need to focus on today is Ps. 22:6 which says, “I am a worm and not a man.” When Jesus quotes Psalm 22 from the cross, He is stating He is a worm and not a man. Now, stick with me here. Satan’s lies in the Garden deceived the woman; she ate (Gen. 3:13; 1 Tim. 2:4), and Adam also ate. Our first parents sinned, and their sin brought the poison of death and corruption to all mankind. So, on the one hand, Jesus crucifixion places the sins of the world on Jesus, the new Adam, and punishes those sins there.

But, ultimately, the source and origin of that sin is the devil. The serpent’s deceiving poison brought sin and death into the world. That is why God promises to crush the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15). This is why John 3:16 is tied to Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness. When we look to Jesus’ crucifixion, God wants us to see that Christ is defeating sin at it’s source which is the serpent. Most cultures and languages, including our own, make a connection between worms, serpents/snakes, and dragons. Here in John 3, Jesus says that He is the serpent who is hung on the cross for the salvation of the world. In other words, Jesus utterly defeats sin at its source.

When you look upon Jesus who is crucified for you, you believe that Jesus has taken the punishment for all sin and all evil. God made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin so that in Jesus you might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21).

That brings us to the other word, ’so.’ The word there in Greek isn’t a magnifier or amplifier. It does not mean, “God loved the world so much.” The Greek word there means, “in this way.” God loved the world in this way, that He gave His only-begotten Son to utterly defeat sin and the origin of sin on the cross. Now, you who believe in Him will not ever perish, but have everlasting life. This is the way God loved the world.

God is love (1 Jn. 4:8, 16), but that can only be true because of the Trinity. For there to be love, there must be something to love. If God were one, He could not have love as part of His essence. Love would not be essential to His existence. A god who is only one could think highly of himself, but that isn’t love. Only with the Trinity it is possible for God to be love. There is an eternal love of the Father for the Son and Spirit, a love of the Son for the Spirit and Father, and a love of the Spirit for the Father and Son. This perfect relationship of love has eternally existed in the one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In God Himself, there has always been an object of love. No other religion can say that love is essential to who God is because no other religion confesses the Trinity. Ever since the creation, that perfect, eternal love that has always existed between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit now flows from God to us, His creatures. And we know that because God gave His Son to save and forgive us on the cross.

The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is God. The Son has done for us what we could not do for God. Jesus has come and was perfectly obedient to all of God’s commands. Because He is God, Jesus can render His perfect obedience back to God on our behalf. And the Holy Spirit creates faith in that work of Jesus.

Dear saints, all of this is to say that because God is Triune, He can perfectly love and save you by grace. Because God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are not simply His slaves or pets. No. You are the object of His love. God the Father has created you out of pure love. God the Son has redeemed you out of pure love. And God the Holy Spirit has sanctified you out of pure love. You are saved and redeemed to be God’s children.

Jesus, the eternal Son of God, has come into the world not to condemn you, but in order that you might be saved through Him. Blessed be the holy Trinity. Amen.

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

Triune Forgiveness – Sermon on Isaiah 6:1-7 for Holy Trinity Sunday

Isaiah 6:1-7

1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: 

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; 
the whole earth is full of his glory!” 

4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” 

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Today, I have five observations to consider from this text.

1. What Isaiah sees is remarkable but not unique. Isaiah had this vision of God when he was in the Temple. But it’s important to note that Isaiah was not the high priest, so this vision didn’t take place while Isaiah was in the Most Holy Place. Isaiah wasn’t even a priest, so this vision couldn’t have been when Isaiah was in the Holy Place either. Isaiah was a prophet called by God, but he was normal guy. In other words, Isaiah would have been in the courtyard of the Temple with all the other regular worshippers. You can basically think of this vision as what Isaiah sees when he goes to Church. He’s normal guy in a normal place at a normal time, but what he sees is extraordinary. 

Dear saints, there are things going on around us right now that we cannot see or hear. But just because our senses don’t pick them up doesn’t mean they are any less real than the things we can perceive with our senses. The Bible teaches that there are angels all around us all the time protecting us and ministering to us. Jesus Himself teaches us that He is present with us and seated on His throne with all authority in heaven and earth (Mt. 28:18, 20; 18:20). And that is always true whether you are at church or not. 

But when you are in church, the same things Isaiah saw in this vision are here and present with you. Hebrews 12:22-24 says, “You have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant.” In other words, here in this sanctuary you are in God’s domain. The angels and archangels, the seraphim and cherubim are all here. Surrounding you are all God’s people, Christians from every time and age, present here worshipping, glorifying, and praising God with you. You can’t see them, but that doesn’t make their presence any less real.

What Isaiah sees here is always true when God’s people gather together. In other words, it isn’t as though God was normally far, far away, but then, one time, He came close enough for Isaiah to see Him. No Isaiah simply is allowed to see the reality of God’s presence which was and is normally invisible. Dear saints, when you come into this place, see with your ears. The triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – along with all the angels and all the saints of all time are present right here with us.

2. Notice this reality that Isaiah sees. Isaiah sees the Lord sitting upon a throne. And Scripture leaves us no doubt. Isaiah sees Jesus. The Gospel of John spells it out. Isaiah sees Jesus, the eternal Son of God and the second Person of the Trinity (Jn. 12:36-41). Above Jesus, Isaiah sees the seraphim. These are one of the types of angels that Scripture tells us about. Their name means ‘burning ones.’ These angels have six wings. Two of the wings are used to cover the seraph’s face; two cover the seraph’s feet; and two are used to fly. Now, the interesting thing is that these seraphim are already holy. The don’t have any sin, but even they need to cover their creatureliness before the awesome holiness of God.

That brings us to their song. The seraphs sing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of armies; the whole earth is full of His glory.” Their song is repetitive, three holy’s. It is true that the Hebrew language will use repetition for emphasis. God is holy, holy, holy. But those three holies could also be translated as, “Holy One, Holy One, Holy One.” Three holy Ones – again, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The angels are praising one God, but three distinct holy Ones. Now, Isaiah can only see the Son, but he hears the praise of each Person of the Trinity. And we know that all three persons of the Trinity are there because just after our text, the triune God asks, “Whom shall I [sg.] send, and who will go for Us [pl.]?”

3. Look at Isaiah’s response. Standing in the presence of the holy Trinity, Isaiah is terrified. Isaiah says, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips.” We need to dissect this a little bit. Notice that Isaiah starts with a conclusion before moving to his confession. Isaiah’s conclusion is, “Woe is me! For I am lost.” That’s his understanding of the situation and what he thinks is going to happen to him. But his conclusion is wrong. It’s wrong not only because that isn’t what happens, but it’s also wrong because it is a denial of who God is.

When Isaiah says, “I am lost,” thinks he is about to be cut off and damned. He figures God has finally come to judge him and condemn him to hell. This is wrong and, frankly, disappointing. Remember Isaiah was in the Temple. The Scriptures clearly teach that the whole purpose of the Temple, the reason it was there, was so God could dwell among His people and forgive their sins (2 Chr. 6:21, 27). God had defined Himself as the God who is merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness… forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin (Ex. 34:6-7).

Imagine coming to church. You hear the absolution. In the sermon, you are pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away your sin. You receive the Body and Blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. Then, you have a vision like Isaiah’s and your response is, “Well, I’m going to hell.” That’s ludicrous, but that’s Isaiah’s conclusion here! Dear saints, the whole point of everything we do here at church is to remove any doubt and increase your faith that God has forgiven all of your sins – every last one of them – for the sake of Jesus’ death and resurrection. As disappointing as Isaiah’s conclusion is, we would probably do the same. Repent. God isn’t lying to you when He delivers His grace and mercy to you here in this place. You are forgiven, made holy, continually given the perfect righteousness of Christ. Amen?

Now, Isaiah’s confession and recognition is right. He is a sinner. He does have unclean lips, and the people around him have unclean lips. This means he deserves God’s wrath and judgment, but His conclusion is still false.

4. Isaiah’s guilt has a location. Sin isn’t just floating around as some nebulous, philosophical idea. No. Isaiah recognizes his sinful lips. But didn’t Isaiah have sinful feet? What about corrupt eyes? A lustful groin? An idolatrous heart? So, why does Isaiah focus on his lips?

The best guess is that the devil somehow knew God was about to call Isaiah to be a prophet. To be a prophet requires the use of your lips and mouth to speak the Word of God. So, Satan probably made extra effort that day to point Isaiah to how he sinfully used his lips to make Isaiah feel guilt and shame with the very instrument God would use Isaiah to minister.

The devil does this all the time. He will point out the sin and iniquity of the very gifts God wants us to use in fulfilling our callings and vocations in service to Him and our neighbor. This is true for all Christians, but today I want to address you fathers since I won’t be here next week.

Fathers, first of all, happy Fathers’ Day a week early. You fathers, the devil will do this to you. Satan will try to point you to your failures as a husband and father. And it will be easy for him to do this because you do fail. Sometimes, you are too harsh; other times you have been too lax in disciplining your children. You don’t show the kindness and love you should, and you have not been the father God intends you to be. But those sins do not disqualify you from being a father to your children. One of the most important things fathers can teach their children is confessing when you sin and asking for forgiveness. Again, your failures do notdisqualify you from being a father. Fathers, if you are still alive and still have children, God calls you to be a father. And God will equip and enable you to be exactly the father that your children need. Which brings us to the fifth and final observation.

5. The glory of the triune God is His forgiveness and mercy. Because there is one God and three Persons – because God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – God is both just and merciful, both just and loving. If God were only one, this couldn’t be the case. But because God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God the Son can satisfy God’s just demands, and He has. Jesus has done for you what you could not do for God. Jesus renders His perfect obedience to the Father, and the Holy Spirit delivers to you the peace of forgiveness in Christ as He works on you through the Scriptures. Just don’t think that the Father is the only member of the Trinity who is just, that the Son is the only member who is loving and merciful, and that the Holy Spirit is the only member who works out your salvation. That isn’t the case either.

Dear saints, what God did for Isaiah, He does for you as well. It wasn’t the coal that removed Isaiah’s sin. It was God’s promise. Yes, God attached that promise to the coal which made it the instrument that delivered that promise to Isaiah. But God’s promise is attached to more things than that one coal that burned up millennia ago. God has attached His promise of mercy and forgiveness to the water of your Baptism. When those waters touched your body, your guilt was taken away, and your sin atoned for. When you heard the absolution earlier, those words entered your ear, and your guilt was taken away, and your sin atoned for. When you eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ, your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.

God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is here today to bring you His mercy and grace freely given because of Christ. You are clean, and God sends you from here back out into the world with a free, spotless conscience (Heb. 10:19-25). Amen.

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

Triune Love – Sermon on John 3:1-17 for Holy Trinity Sunday

John 3:1-17

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

John 3:16 might be the most recognizable verse of all Scripture. It has, rightly, been called “the Gospel in a nutshell.” That being said, there is a common misconception about one little word of the verse – the word “so.” Most of the time, we understand “so” to mean “so much,” so we read into the verse, “God loved the world so much that He gave His only-begotten Son….” However, the Greek word that gets translated as “so” has a different nuance. It actually means, “in this way.” Here’s how it comes across in Greek, “For God loved the world in this way, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

God the Father loved you by sending His only-begotten Son to die and rise again for you. It is one thing for a person to love you by sacrificing his own life for you. But your God goes further by giving His eternally beloved Son so that you might be saved through Him. In other words, if you ever have doubts about God’s love for you, you only need to look to the cross and empty tomb. By the concrete, historical, provable action of God sending Jesus to shed His blood, die, and rise again for you, God has loved you. That love has not, will not, and can not ever change.

In a lot of ways, that’s enough of a sermon right there, but you’re going to get more.

Today is Trinity Sunday. Scripture teaches that there is one God in three Persons and three Persons in one God. So, as Christians, we worship one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

It’s easy for us as Christians to think that there is the God we know and love, but then there are a bunch of guys on the fringe of Christianity called “theologians.” These stuffy guys dress weirdly, have no social skills, and like talking about this thing called “the Trinity,” while go about the important things of real life. I hope this sermon is a beginning of seeing how doctrine – and specifically the doctrine of the Trinity – sparks a joy and wonder in our God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The doctrine (or teaching) of the Trinity is the first mystery of the Christian faith. The doctrine of the Trinity is not a secret. A secret is something that you keep to yourself, and if you tell it to another person it isn’t a secret anymore. A mystery is something that, even if you say it and confess it, is still a mystery and above our comprehension.

Let’s start with a quick overview of the Trinity.

Even though the word “Trinity” is never used in Scripture, it is a concept that Scripture presents, so we believe, teach, and confess it. And the word “Trinity” is a helpful term that has been used by Christians going way back to the late 100’s AD. “Trinity” smashes two words together – tri meaning “three” and unity meaning “oneness.” This week, I came across how “Trinity” is communicated in sign language, and it is absolutely beautiful. You hold up three using your thumb, index, and middle finger on one hand behind your other hand; then, you move those fingers underneath and to the front of your other hand to hold up your single index finger.

First, let’s talk about the unity of the Trinity. In the Old Testament, God gave His people a creed to confess, and it opens like this, “Hear O Israel the Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Dt. 6:4). We Christians worship one God, yet the testimony of Scripture is that this one God is also three Persons.

The Trinity is taught in the opening chapter of the Bible (especially when we understand creation in light of the rest of the Scriptures). The very first verse of Scripture says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” The Hebrew word for “God” is אֱלֹהִים (Elohim) and is the most common Old Testament name for God. The interesting thing about the Hebrew word Elohim is that the word is plural in form, but throughout the Old Testament the verbs that follow Elohim are singular.

Also, at creation, you have God the Father creating, God the Holy Spirit hovering over the face of the waters, and God the Son being the Word of God that creates as it is spoken. Admittedly we only rightly understand this when we know what is taught in Jn. 1[:1-3, 14], “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made…. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” We also get to hear the Trinity having a conversation before the creation of Adam and Eve. God says (and listen to the pronouns), “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Gen. 1:26). Then Scripture goes on to say (again listen to the numbers in the nouns and pronouns), “So Elohim (pl.) created man (sg.) in His (sg.) own image, in the image of Elohim (pl.) He (sg.) created him (sg.); male and female He created them (pl.)” (Gen 1:27).

This is an aside, but part of the way that mankind bears the image of God is to have more than one person of the same nature and essence. Humanity has a plurality – male and female. This is why so much of the current push to normalize transgenderism is demonic. There is no other way to say it. The transgender movement isn’t a just a rejection of the way God created a person with boy parts or girl parts. It’s also a rejection of the true God who is plurality in unity. On the one hand, I hope this gives us more compassion toward those who have been deceived by the transgender movement. And on the other hand, I hope it helps us recognize the wickedness of the satanic nature of those who promote transgenderism. As the Church, we need to start preparing ourselves now to welcome back those who have undergone hormone treatments and mutilating surgeries because many of them will eventually realize how they have been deceived. In the next five to twenty or so years, we Christians will need to be ready to give the Gospel in loving, kind ways. I know there is a lot to explore there, but we’ll leave that for another time.

Back to the Trinity.

Now, there are some who will say that the three Persons of the Trinity are simply different ways that the Bible will talk about God. In other words, they say that in the Old Testament, God is depicted as the Father, in the Gospels as the Son, and ever since as the Holy Spirit. This error was given a name, “modalism.” Modelists wrongly say that there is just one God and Father, Son, and Spirit are just different titles for that one God. However, that can’t be the case. Already, we have seen all three Persons in creation, but we also see all three Persons distinctly and individually show up at the Baptism of Jesus (Mt. 3:13-17; Mk. 1:9-11; and Lk. 3:21-22). There you have Jesus, the Son, in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus in the form of a dove, and God the Father saying, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

Now, everything said so far is pretty basic, and you have hopefully heard all of that at some point in your life. But I wanted to review that before we take it a step further. Because it is only with a right understanding of the Trinity that Scripture beautifully teaches two essential, joyful, wonderful things. First, that God is love. And second, that God is just and merciful.

Scripture teaches that God is love (1 Jn. 4:8, 16), but that can only be true because of the Trinity. If God were one, He could not be love. Here’s how that works: God is eternal and has always existed. And for God to be love, there has to be an object of His love. If God were one, He could not have love as part of His essence. Love would not be essential to His being. A god who is one and not triune could think highly of himself, but that wouldn’t be love; it would be pride. But with the Trinity it is possible for God to be love. There is an eternal love of the Father for the Son and Spirit. A love of the Son for the Spirit and Father. And a love of the Spirit for the Father and Son. This perfect relationship of love has eternally existed in the one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

So, in God Himself, there has always been an object of love. Islam and Judaism cannot say that love is essential to who God is because they do not confess the Trinity. Now after creation, that perfect, eternal love that has always existed between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that love flows from God to us, God’s creatures. God shares that love with us. And, again, we see this most clearly in God giving His Son to save and forgive us.

And because God is love, the blessed Trinity can be merciful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I’m going to pick on Islam to make this point. The false god of Islam is Allah, and the Koran radically teaches that Allah is one. In fact, the Koran intentionally makes fun of Christianity for teaching that the true God is Triune. But again, a god who is one cannot have love as part of his essence. So, for Muslims, Allah has always existed from all eternity, but he existed as a solitary being and cannot have love as part of his essence. A false god like Allah can only be just; he cannot be merciful and loving toward sinners. In short, if god were only one, the story of that one god and his creatures is the story of an all-powerful master with naughty slaves. Maybe that false god could get his slaves back into his service, but he cannot love his slaves and they certainly cannot be his children.

But the true God is Triune. That means that God is perfectly just, but He is also merciful. Because God is Triune, God can provide Himself the sacrifice for sin as Abraham tells Isaac in Gen. 22:8. Salvation can only be by grace if God is Triune. If anyone but God Himself had to provide the sacrifice and satisfaction for sin, first, it wouldn’t be enough – it would not be sufficient. And second, it wouldn’t be by grace.

And if the Holy Spirit were not God, what possible right would He have to bring us into a relationship with God. If the Holy Spirit isn’t God and just a creature, He doesn’t know the mind of God. If the Holy Spirit isn’t God, He is no more use to us than an angel.

But the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit is God. The Son has done for us and in our place what we could not do for God. Jesus has come and been perfectly obedient to all of God’s commands. Because He is God, Jesus can render that perfect obedience to God on our behalf. And the Holy Spirit works faith in that work to the Father and Son.

Dear saints, all of this is to say that because God is triune, He can perfectly love and save you by grace. Because God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are not simply His slaves or pets. You are the object of His love. God the Father has created you out of pure love. God the Son has redeemed you out of pure love. And God the Holy Spirit has sanctified you out of pure love. You are saved and redeemed to be God’s children.

Jesus, the eternal Son of God, has come into the world not to condemn you, but in order that you might be saved through Him. Blessed be the holy Trinity. Amen.

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

When You Want to Know the Unknowable God – Sermon on Romans 11:33-35 for Trinity Sunday

Listen here.

Romans 11:33–36

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”

35 “Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

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

If someone asked you to summarize who God is, how would you do that? How long would it take; how many words would you need? Maybe you would answer with one of the three Creeds. Hopefully you have at least one (the Apostles’) or two (the Nicene) of them memorized. The Athanasian Creed, which we just confessed, is probably the best summarization of who God is according the Scriptures, but I don’t know anyone who has that beast memorized. To answer the question, “Who is God?” with one of the three Creeds is probably the most concise way, and still, to be honest, it is only arrogance that says, “I can tell you exactly who God is.”

God’s judgements are unsearchable and His ways are inscrutable, or, as one of my favorite characters from The Princess Bride would say, “Inconceivable.” Thanks, Vizzini. 1 Timothy 6:16 says that God dwells in unapproachable light. So, to say we have a handle on Him is nothing short of arrogance.

We heard in our Old Testament text (Is. 6:1-7) when Isaiah saw God in the Temple the day he was called to be God’s prophet. Later, in Isaiah 40[:22], Isaiah gives us another image of what God is like. In that text, God isn’t high on the throne surrounded by seraphim and glorious in His holiness. No, there Isaiah tells us that God sits on the circle of the earth, and all the inhabitants are like grasshoppers.

As a kid, I remember catching many grasshoppers during recess on the playground at Rickard Elementary in Williston. Back then, my fourth-grade mind wasn’t very philosophical, but I wonder what those grasshoppers knew about me. At best, they knew two things. First, that I was strong and powerful enough to hold them, and second, that I could – if I wanted to – crush and destroy them. No, I didn’t do that. How much more can we, who are like grasshoppers before the triune God, know about the nature of God?

Isaiah continues on about us grasshoppers in ch 40, “Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created [everything; God has] brought out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of His might and because He is strong in power, not one is missing” (Is. 40:26).

The God who spoke into the void and created the universe bringing light and life is much more vast and powerful and complex than we could possibly imagine. One glance at the night sky shows God’s power; one peer at a blade of grass shows His intricacy. It’s no wonder that Isaiah concluded about God, “The nations are like a drop from a bucket and are accounted as dust in the scales…. All nations are as nothing before Him, they are accounted by Him as less than nothing and emptiness” (Is. 40:15, 17).

If this is true of all the powerful nations, vast kingdoms, and mighty empires of history, how much less significant are we singular individuals who get pushed and pulled along in the crowds and throngs of people throughout history? For most of us, the past three months have been the biggest reminder that our lives are constantly threatened. We have always guarded ourselves against things that would overwhelm us. When the threats of war, a global pandemic, murder hornets, riots, and random, violent acts are part of the daily and hourly news, we are reminded that our times are not in our own hands. Our times are in God’s hands.

Every person knows that there is a higher power (Ro. 1:20-21), and that we will have to give an account to our Creator. Our conscience constantly reminds us that we are answerable to our Maker, and before Him we all stand guilty. We rightly have every reason to be afraid of God because He expects more from us than we can ever give. God calls us to be holy as He is holy (Lev. 19:2). When we hear that, we, like Isaiah, cry out, “Woe is me; for I am lost!” Repent. Repent, but do not despair.

My fellow grasshoppers, God became a grasshopper just like you. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, shows you who God is and how God is. He came claiming to be God. He said things only God can say, did things only God can do, and accepted worship that belongs only to God. The Son of God came and confronted you as a Man. “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:14). The eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, everywhere-present God was seen and heard and touched (1 Jn. 1:1-2).

So, fellow grasshoppers, to know Jesus is to know God and to know what God is like – at least as best as we can possibly know Him. God became a man, went to the cross, and took the wrath and punishment that you deserve. Jesus died for the ungodly; He died for you.

In Jesus, we see best what God is like. He loves you. Even though there was nothing lovable in you and me as sinners, He loved you so that He gave His only-begotten Son. That is love. God loves the sinful and unlovable who could do nothing in return is the truest and purest form of love. God died so that your sin, which separated you from Him would be set aside and forgiven so that you could be His own children.

Through Jesus, and through Him alone, God is your Father. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to God the Father except through Christ (Jn. 14:6). God is not your Father because He is your Creator. Even though atheists reject Him as Father and Creator, they still have Him as their Creator.

The good news for us grasshoppers is that God only has forgiven children. And through Jesus, the Son of God, we have forgiveness. To reveal this knowledge to us, God the Father and God the Son have given and sent God the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit doesn’t point you to Himself. He gets behind you and swings you around to behold Jesus in faith. As 1 Cor. 12:3 says, “No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit does His work through the Scriptures. Through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit is always active, getting hold of you, pointing you to Jesus, and making you the children of the Father.

So, to know God and know what the Holy Trinity is like is to see what God does. If you want to know the unknowable God, look to His actions. That’s the best way to get to know Him. See His actions, and most importantly see His action of redeeming you through Christ.

God is bigger than our understanding and bigger than His revelation of Himself to us. We understand Him even less than grasshoppers understand the fourth grader who holds them. Even though we are often confused and baffled by God, we are not in complete and fearful ignorance. Even though God has not shown us all of Himself – how could He? – He has shown us enough of Himself to show us that there is mercy and forgiveness for us sinners.

God makes Himself known to us through His Word and delivers Himself to us in His Sacrament. There He shows us what He is like and gives to us what we need because He gives us what Christ won and purchased for us.

Even though we cannot fathom all that He is, He has shows us enough of Himself and His nature that we can know that we have been saved through and by Him. God has shown us that in Him is mercy and forgiveness for us sinners. God is only found by His revealing of Himself. We cannot go to Him, but He comes to us – to you. He shows us what He is like and gives us what Christ has achieved. And we receive Him with thankful and faithful hearts. From Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.

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