Tag Archives: Trials

Name-Calling Savior – Sermon on John 20:1-18 for the Resurrection of Our Lord

John 20:1-18

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes. 

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Just as a ‘heads-up,’ I’m going to set the scene and fill out some details about Mary Magdalene as well as the events of morning of Jesus’ resurrection. I’m not making stuff up; I’ll be pulling from Scripture. If you want the references for things that I mention that aren’t in this text, ask me after the service, and I can print out the sermon with all the references.

Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb before light dawns the morning of the Resurrection, but she isn’t seeing, hearing, or thinking clearly. She is still filled with grief and sorrow from watching Jesus’ crucifixion. Mary Magdalene stood and witnessed the sad events of Good Friday at the foot of the cross (Jn. 19:25; Mk. 15:40). And the last time she had seen her Lord, He was wrapped in burial cloths before the sun set on Friday (Mt. 27:61; Mk. 15:47; Lk. 23:55-56).

But now, it’s Sunday, the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene was one of several women who went to the tomb (Mt. 28:1; Mk. 16:1; Lk. 24:10). As the women approached, they began to ask each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they got there, they saw that the stone had already been rolled away by an angel who was sitting on it (Mk. 16:1-4; Mt. 28:2). It seems as though Mary Magdalene immediately ran back to the disciples as soon as she saw the open tomb.

For Mary Magdalene, the empty tomb was, initially, another reason to grieve because she thinks that someone has stolen Jesus (Jn. 20:13, 15). She runs back to tell Peter and John about it. She returns to the tomb with them while they investigate her claim (Jn. 20:3-9). They see the empty tomb and the neatly-folded burial cloths (Jn. 20:5-7). But these two disciples can’t comfort Mary because they didn’t believe that Jesus had risen; at least not at this point. In fact, the disciples won’t believe the resurrection until later that evening (Jn. 20:8b-9; Lk. 24:36-49).

Peter and John leave the tomb, but Mary stays there. And sorrow again fills her. She sees two more angles dressed in white robes sitting inside the tomb where Jesus had been laid, and she even has a conversation with them. They ask her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” And you can hear the pain in Mary Magdalene’s voice as she answers, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” This conversation with the angels doesn’t help Mary believe in the Resurrection.

And I wonder what the angels thought about this conversation with Mary. They might have been a bit confused by her reply because, as Mary said this, Jesus is standing behind her.

Mary turns around and sees Jesus standing. But seeing the resurrected Jesus doesn’t give her faith. She thinks He is the gardener. And Jesus, patient Jesus, asks her the same question the angels had asked, “Woman, why are you weeping?” But Jesus adds another question, “Whom are you seeking?”  It’s almost like Jesus is saying, “Hey, it’s Me, I’m right here.” But Mary still doesn’t believe Jesus is raised. She says, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Even this conversation with the resurrected Jesus doesn’t give her faith.

But then, everything changes when Jesus speaks her name, “Mary.” I wonder what intonation Jesus used. Did He say it with a mild rebuke, “Mary”? Did He say it with a snicker, “Mary”? Maybe, He said it with utter compassion, “Mary.”

No matter how Jesus said her name, she believes. That one word – and not just any word, but her very own name spoken by the lips and voice of her resurrected Savior – pulls her out of her grief and sorrow. This is so magnificent.

The same voice that called seven demons out her (Lk. 8:2; Mk. 16:9) now expels the demon of unbelief. The last time she had heard the voice of Jesus was when He cried out on the cross “It is finished,” (Jn. 19:30) and, “Father into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Lk. 23:46). Now, that same voice, filled with life and peace, speaks her name, “Mary.” Jesus – who had drunk the cup of God’s wrath, had all the sins of the world laid on Him, and had passed through death and the grave – He calls her by name. And Mary believes and latches herself on to Jesus as though she will never let go. But her grip on Jesus isn’t as important as His grip on her.

Jesus sends her with a message to give to the disciples, “Go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’” Jesus can call the disciples, “My brothers,” and say this because something new has arrived. All who believe in Christ, all His disciples, all Christians, are welcomed into a new world where they are Jesus’ siblings, where God is ‘your God’ and Jesus’ Father is now ‘your Father.’

So, that very moment in the garden next to the empty tomb, Mary experienced the fulfillment of Isaiah 43:1-3. “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

I’m going to give you some Easter homework: Before you send your kids out hunting for Easter eggs, as a family, read Isaiah 43:1-3 and v. 11-18 of this text, then read Isaiah 43:1-3 again to see the parallels.

Dear saints, what Jesus did for Mary Magdalene the morning of the Resurrection, He does for you. He calls you by name. In John 10, Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (Jn. 10:11). In that passage, Jesus also says that He is the shepherd who, “calls His own sheep by name and leads them out” (Jn. 10:3). Jesus, your Shepherd, is the name-calling Savior. He calls you by name in your Baptism and places His name – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – upon you (Mt. 28:19). 

Jesus is your God, your Savior. You, Christian – this could be said to each and every one of you by name – you will always have the risen Jesus. He will never leave you or forsake you. He died for you and has forgiven all your sin. Christ leads you through every trial and tribulation you face in this life. And He leads you to the resurrection. Nothing in this world will overwhelm or consume you. You belong to Him. Jesus is your Savior, Redeemer, and Brother, and God is your God.

You are His. You belong to Him. He has bought and purchased you with His holy and precious blood by dying on the cross and rising again for you.

And now, He invites you to come to His table where you will again see Him in Bread, which is His resurrected Body, and in Wine, which is His life-giving Blood. Come, taste, and see that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8).

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

Amen.

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

Rise & Go – Sermon on Luke 17:11-19 for the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity

Luke 17:11-19

11 On the way to Jerusalem [Jesus] was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Leprosy wasn’t simply a skin disease. Scripture repeatedly equates leprosy with punishment for sin and a sign of God’s wrath. In Dt. 28(:15, 27) Moses says, “If you will not obey the voice of the Lord your God,… [He] will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with scales and [leprosy] of which you cannot be healed.” We see this happen several times in the Scriptures.

When Moses’ sister Miriam spoke against Moses (Num. 12:1-10), she became a leper. David’s general, Joab (and later Joab’s descendants), were struck with leprosy after he unjustly killed Abner (2 Sam. 3:29). After Naaman was healed from his leprosy, Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, took a bribe from Naaman and became leprous (2 Kgs. 5:20-27). King Uzziah of Judah contracted leprosy when he offered incense in the Temple even though he was not a priest (2 Chr. 26:16-21). The rabbis in Jesus’ day taught that leprosy was never contracted by people who lived moral lives. (I don’t think we can or should go that far, though.) There is little doubt that these ten lepers concluded that their condition meant they were being punished by God.

In desperation, they cry out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy upon us.” What were they asking for? Did they know that Jesus had cleansed lepers before, so they were crying out to Him for healing? Did they want food or money? Honestly, we don’t know, and it’s possible that the lepers didn’t know themselves. Notice, they don’t call Jesus ‘Lord’ as many other people do when they call out to Jesus in faith. Instead, they call our Lord, ‘master,’ which opens the door to all sorts of possibilities. Jesus simply responds, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”

Now, this statement from Jesus was probably not received well by the lepers. They already knew that the priests were supposed to examine people with skin diseases and declare them to be clean or unclean, and, since these ten have leprosy, they are unclean. Going to the priests would be a pointless exorcise for lepers. The best-case scenario for a leper being examined by a priest would be for them to be declared unclean again. Because we know the end of the story, we know that Jesus has a hidden word of promise here. We know that their leprosy would be gone by the time they got to the priests. But some have argued, and I think convincingly, that these lepers heard the opposite. Instead of hearing the hidden promise, they heard a hard, “No, I won’t help you,” from Jesus.

Let me explain. I frequently and regularly get phone calls and people coming in to the church asking for help. I listen to their story and ask questions to discern how we as a congregation can best help them. Nine times out of ten, the individual is simply looking for one more excuse to continue some type of sinful, destructive behavior.

A few years ago, a man came here telling me that he was homeless and wanted money to buy food. I listened to his story, prayed with him, offered him some godly advice, and told him, “We have some food I can give you in the basement.” (And just so you know it was perfectly good food that I ate a couple days after he came.) But he didn’t want what we had, so I told him that he could go to Northlands Rescue Mission or to the Food Shelf because we support those ministries monthly, but he wasn’t interested in that either. He wanted money to get something from the store. I simply told him, “Listen, we are happy and willing to help you. You can have this food here, you can get a meal at Northland, or you can get something from the Food Shelf.” He became very upset, and as he left he yelled at me, “[Bleep] off.”

I’m very glad that we, as a congregation, send monthly support to different ministries in our community that can assist probably 95% of the people who come to our congregation asking for help. Those ministries serve as a clearing house to make sure people aren’t abusing the generosity of Christians and can come along side of people to help teach them to make better decisions. And I want to be clear, we still help many who need assistance through our Deacons’ Fund, but some people refuse to receive the help they actually need.

I think the nine lepers were like that man. He was offered three ways to get food, which is what he said he wanted. But he only heard the refusal to give him money as a refusal to help him. These lepers probably heard Jesus’ statement, “Go and show yourselves to the priests,” in a similar way. It was as if Jesus was saying, “I’ll only help you if you are declared to be clean by the priests.”

The other thing we have to consider is the timing of all this. When were these lepers healed, and when did they discover that they were cleansed? I’ve typically imagined that the ten lepers start marching off to Jerusalem, and after they had walked for a couple hours, discover that they were healed. Nine of them continue journeying to the Temple, but the Samaritan hikes his way back to the village, back through the streets, back to Jesus’ feet where he falls down and gives Him thanks. The thing about this is that the text doesn’t actually supply any of those details. It’s certainly possible that it happened that way, but the grammar that Luke uses actually seems to imply something different.

The way the verbs work seems to suggest that the healing happened more or less immediately, or at least while the ten are still within earshot of Jesus. Imagine if their cleansing happened immediately, basically just as they turned away. The Samaritan, unlike the nine, turns back and praises Jesus with a loud voice. He recognizes both his healing and the source of his healing – which came from the Word of Jesus. In faith, given by the Holy Spirit, the Samaritan believes that Jesus is the good God who has good things for him. He receives the gift of healing, but even better, he believes in the healing Savior, who also gives salvation and eternal life, which is exactly what he gets. Those last words of Jesus in our text are better translated, “Your faith has saved you.”

In the end, the nine ungrateful lepers didn’t expect God to be good to them. And Jesus’ statement, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?” would be a direct rebuke of them – something along the lines of, “Are you nine going to ignore when I have just done? I’ve given better than the mercy you asked for, and I have even more to give you.” But even if that isn’t the case, when the nine are healed, they refuse to recognize their Healer. The fact that they are cleansed is a wonderful thing, but it is only temporary. Their skin is restored, but their souls were still leprous in sin. They are the embodiment of the un-thankfulness that Jesus talks about in Mt. 5:45 where He says, “[God] makes the sun rise on the evil and on and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Dear saints, how often does our merciful God gives good things to draw us to Himself, but we fail to recognize it?

But the Samaritan sees God’s goodness and comes back for more. He returned to Christ from whom all blessings flow.

It’s one thing to be grateful, but it is a different thing to be thankful. There is little doubt that the nine lepers were grateful that they were better, but they didn’t recognize how they had been healed. But the one, the Samaritan, the doubly outcast, was thankful. He was not only happy for the gift of healing; he was also thankful for and to the Giver of the gift. That is why he returns to Jesus and gives Him thanks and praise.

I’m going to abruptly change gears here, so bear with me. The church has commonly used Psalm 116:12-13 as a prayer before receiving the cup during Holy Communion. Here’s that prayer: “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord,” which fits perfectly with what this Samaritan leper does. Jesus is good to him by healing him. So, what thanks and service does he offer to God? He goes back and receives more. He receives the salvation of his soul which is even better than being cleansed from leprosy.

So, let’s bring this to us today. Too often, we are like the nine. We see and feel our suffering and think that God has forsaken us. We pray and ask God to remove whatever crosses we bear, but in our impatience, we think that any delay of relief is a hard, “No,” from God which makes us doubt God’s goodness. As that sinful doubt creeps in, we grow less and less thankful, and even when God does remove that suffering, we do not recognize His goodness and mercy. May we repent.

Dear saints, even in our most difficult times, we can wait on the mercy of God. Yes, we suffer in this life, and “Our sufferings are not trivial, but neither are they eternal” (Rev. Petersen). We can wait on and trust in God. We can praise Him even in times of sorrow because He has bought us with His blood and will never leave nor forsake us.

And from this Samaritan, let us learn to always return to Jesus. When Jesus tells him, “Rise and go,” He doesn’t give him any direction. The man can go wherever he wants. But notice where he did go after being healed, he went back to Jesus, back to the goodness of God for more. And the interesting thing about Jesus’ command to ‘go’ is that the Greek word is a little ambiguous. At its root, it means ‘journey’ which means that It doesn’t necessarily mean, ‘go away,’ it could also mean ‘come with me.’ And it doesn’t make much sense if Jesus praises the man’s faith and tells him to go away. Faith always returns to Jesus in thanks to receive more of what Jesus has to offer. That is why Ps. 116 answers the question, “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?” with, “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.”

Dear saints, we can expect God to be good wherever we journey. And we always desire to come back to Christ because He has more good things to give to us. Faith wants to be with Jesus and continue to receive His gifts. He is our Temple. He is our Priest. And He is here now to cleanse us and freely give us His forgiveness.

God has given you every good thing. So, what will you do to repay Him? Come and get more. Come now to His table and lift up the cup of salvation. Come, eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ for the salvation of your soul. Amen.

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

Whom Shall I Fear? – Sermon on Psalm 27 for the Seventh Sunday of Easter & Confirmation Sunday

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Alyssa, Isaac, Annalise, and Naomi, God be praised for each one of you today. You have done a lot of work. You have read, studied, memorized, and learned a lot to get to today. This is good, and we praise God who has given you the ability to complete all that work. I hope that each one of you also recognize the work that your parents have done to help you. Matt and Lisa, Jon and Mel, Sam and Sarah, you have made sure your child was in class and have helped your child study and memorize. In other words, you parents have been faithful to the promises you made to nurture and raise your child in the faith when they were Baptized. God be praised for that as well. And I hope that each of you confirmands thank God for your parents’ faithfulness. Not all children have parents who faithfully keep those vows, but you do. You can also thank your Baptismal sponsors (or godparents, if that is what you call them). They also have been faithful in their prayers for you and supporting your parents in their duties.

So, today is a day to celebrate. It is a day to celebrate all the work that you and your parents and sponsors have done. Even more so, it is a day to celebrate because you will receive Jesus’ very Body and Blood and all the promises Christ gives with that.

But I do want to caution you. Just because you have come to this day of your confirmation, that doesn’t mean that you have finished the race. The beginning of Hebrews 12 talks about the life of a Christian as a race. And for everyone here who isn’t being confirmed today, you listen very carefully too. Heb. 12:1-2 says, “Let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The Christian life is a marathon; it’s a race that requires endurance. Alyssa, Isaac, Annalise, and Naomi, each of you are off to a good start. There’s no question about that. You are running well. But none of us can say exactly how far along you are in the race. As important and momentous as your Confirmation is, it isn’t time to relax a little bit and rest your legs. Keep up the pace. Keep pressing on; keep learning; keep growing in your faith. You aren’t at the finish line – not yet.

And to some of you Christians here today, maybe you have been slacking and slowing up in the race of faith. Repent. Consider this your reminder to keep running. Maybe you have been a bit lazy and started walking or even stopping to smell the roses. Maybe you have gotten completely off course. Now is the time to come back to the race. Put your past failures of loafing, slacking, and being lazy behind you. Start running again and forget them. St. Paul says in Philippians 3:13-14, “[Forget] what lies behind and [strive] forward to what lies ahead. Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” 

Now, whether you are being confirmed today, were confirmed years or decades ago, or are not yet confirmed, it is good to remember that there are two other days that are more important than your confirmation day. The first is the day of your Baptism. It was at your Baptism that were begotten from above (Jn. 3:3, 5), joined to Jesus’ death and resurrection (Ro. 6:3-11), and clothed with Christ (Gal. 3:27). That is why the day of your Baptism is more important than today. So, just briefly: 

Alyssa, you were Baptized June 10th of 2010 at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Wilson, WI. God used the hands of Pastor Les Johnson, your grandpa, to Baptize you. And your Baptismal sponsors were Stephen, Frieda, and Jodi.

Isaac, you were Baptized August 14th, 2007 here at this font by the hands of Pastor Gary Jorgenson. Your sponsors were Mark and Melissa. Many of those who are here today were present that day as well.

Annalise, you were Baptized February 15th, 2009 at St. Ansgar’s Lutheran Church in Salinas, CA. You were Baptized by the hands of the pastoral intern, Sam Wellumson. Apparently, his supervising pastor thought he needed some experience doing a Baptism. Your sponsors are Abby, Nathen, Andrew, and Matt.

Naomi, you were also Baptized at this font on August 1st, 2010 by my hands. Abby, Nathen, and Andrew are your sponsors. Just like Isaac, many here today were witnesses of your Baptism. And Naomi, you are the first person I’ve confirmed whom God has put under my pastoral care for your whole life. While I rejoice in that, I also feel like I owe you an apology. But I trust God knows what He is doing.

Now, each one of you, know that your confirmation today is actually tied to your Baptism. Jesus says that disciples are made by Baptizing and teaching (Mt. 28:18-20). So, today, you are simply confirming and publicly confessing that the work that God began in you when you were Baptized has continued, and you have kept the faith that God gave you in your Baptism. And by God’s grace, you will continue in that faith.

The other day that is more important than today is still ahead of you and is the day you will cross the finish line when Jesus returns. On that day, by God’s grace, Christ will say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Mt. 25:21, 23). So, again, keep pressing on until you reach that day. Keep learning God’s Word. Keep gathering with your fellow believers to be encouraged, sing God’s praises, be strengthened by God’s Word, and be fed by Christ’s Body and Blood for the forgiveness of your sins.

Today is not your completion of learning and studying God’s Word. Confirmation is not a graduation from Sunday School or Church or something like that. As hard as you have worked and as much as you have learned, you have just begun to explore the depths of the riches of God’s Word. Keep it up your entire life.

Ok. To the sermon proper. (Don’t worry, I know how long I’ve gone already).

Today’s sermon is titled “Whom shall I fear?” which comes mainly from our call to worship from Psalm 27. But this idea also fits with all three of today’s readings (Ezk. 36:22-28; 1 Pet. 4:7-14; Jn. 15:26-16:4) about being a believer in Christ and the dangers that surround all Christians. It also fits with the verses each of you picked as your Confirmation verses which are all related to faith triumphing over fear (Josh. 1:9; Ps. 46:10; Ps 4:8; Dt. 31:8).

I’d encourage everyone to open a Bible to Ps. 27. You already heard about one-third of it from our Call to worship. But I want you to see the progression of the Psalm as David originally wrote it. Most of the Psalms are pretty Lutheran in their structure (which is, admittedly, putting the cart before the horse). Most Psalms begin with a complaint or confession of sin and move toward hope and the promises of God, but Psalm 27weaves around a bit differently. And in a lot of ways Ps. 27 follows the pattern of the Christian life of faith.

In v. 1-6, David starts out very confident in his faith. V. 1 – because God is David’s light, salvation, and the stronghold of his life, he has no reason to fear. V. 2-3 – when enemies assail him, they are the ones who fall. V. 4-6 – all David wants to do is be in God’s temple and worship. In those first six verses, David has a lot of excitement and energy and enthusiasm.

But then in Ps. 27:7, there is a shift to earnest prayer. We don’t know specifically what it is, but something is causing David to suffer. He’s crying aloud to God (v. 7). He’s pleading his case. God wants David to seek His face. David is earnestly doing that (v. 8), but God still seems hidden (v. 9a). David isn’t doubting God; he hasn’t fallen away. David still recognizes that God has been his help and salvation, but David really needs God’s presence and salvation now (v. 9b-10).

It seems as though David is realizing that the life of faith is more difficult than he thought, and he wasn’t as prepared as he assumed he would be for the trials that have come his way. He begs God to lead him on a level path and deliver him from his enemies (v. 11-12).

Finally, the last two verses (v. 13-14) come back full circle. David recognizes that he cannot manipulate or control the world, so he sets everything in the Lord’s hands. God has made promises, and David will patiently wait for those promises to be fulfilled.

So, the Psalm opened with excitement and braggadocios faith that a young Christian (or confirmand) might have. Then, after getting beaten up by the world, that faith matures into a calm, quiet, peaceful trust and patience on God.

You confirmands, and all you Christians, there are times of great joy and excitement in the life of faith. Those “mountaintop experiences” are good, and we can praise God for them when they come along. But don’t be discouraged when those experiences fade. Don’t despair when life is hard. When it seems that evil and all sorts of danger surrounds you, remember that Jesus has promised to be with you forever (Mt. 28:20). Because of those promises:

Alyssa, as your verse (Josh. 1:9) said, you can be strong and courageous. God is with you wherever you go.

Isaac, as your verse (Ps. 46:10) said, when times get tough, be still and know that the God who is exalted over all creation is by your side.

Annalise, as your verse (Ps. 4:8) said, even in turmoil and tribulation, you can lie down and sleep in peace because God makes you dwell in safety.

Naomi, as your verse (Dt. 31:8) said, you have nothing to fear because God will never leave you or forsake you.

You can know all of this because of what the church celebrated this past Thursday. Thursday marked 40 days after Easter, which means it was the celebration of when Jesus ascended into heaven. Jesus, the eternal Son of God who became man, is now seated as the ruler of all creation. That means the one who died and rose again for you is ruling and reigning over all things. In other words, Jesus, your Savior, is in control of all that happens.

And even though you still live in a fallen world full of sin hear what Scripture promises you. Ephesians 2:4-7 says, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

And in a few moments, your Savior invites you to receive those immeasurable riches of His grace and be His guest at His table. Come. Join in the feast. Receive Jesus’ Holy Supper of His very Body and Blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins.

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

Amen.

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

The Heart & the Helper – Sermon on Ezekiel 36:22-28; 1 Peter 4:7-14; John 15:26-16:4 for the Seventh Sunday of Easter and Confirmation Sunday

Listen here.

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

The sermon today is from all three texts read: Ezekiel 36:22-28; 1 Peter 4:7-14; John 15:26-16:4

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Dear Confirmands and dear Christians,

I have good news and I have bad news. First, the bad news: Being a Christian is difficult.

According to Jesus, to be a Christian is to be on the narrow path (Mt. 7:13-14), and Christ promises, “In this world you will have tribulation” (Jn. 16:33). In our Epistle text, Peter says, “Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Pe. 4:12). God doesn’t promise that Christians get a detour around problems in this life. Instead, Scripture promises the exact opposite. In fact, in today’s Gospel text, Jesus says that there are people who are willing to kill you thinking that they are worshipping God by doing so (Jn. 16:2).

No, you don’t get a detour around problems in this world, but don’t be discouraged – here’s the good news. You do get a Guide through them. This past Thursday marked the Ascension of Jesus to the right hand of God the Father. Christ ascended into heaven in order to help you with the help you need the most. You, Christian, have been given the Holy Spirit who helps you in every trial, temptation, and tribulation.

Your Savior sends the Holy Spirit to be your Helper, your Aid, your Defender, your Comforter.

Andrew, Stephanie, Josiah, and all you saints, though you have enemies attacking you from the outside – the devil and the world – and enemies attacking you from the inside – you own sinful flesh and desires – you are not without help. You have the comfort of the Comforter and the help of the Helper.

When you are discouraged because of your constant sins and failure to keep God’s Law, the Holy Spirit is right there helping and comforting you with the Word of God. He says, “Yes, your sins are great. That is why you have a greater Savior, Jesus Christ. God is not disappointed with you. He is totally and completely pleased with you because of what Jesus has done for you.”

When the devil accuses you and throws your sins in your face, the Holy Spirit, your Comforter and Advocate, stands between you and the devil saying, “None of that, Satan! Those sins were already thrown in Jesus’ face, and He has taken the punishment for all of them.”

When the world calls you a hypocrite saying that you do not live the way you should, the Helper reminds you, “You bear God’s holy name. You have been Baptized in to Christ, so you have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27).

Did you hear what God said in our Old Testament lesson? Were you listening? God promised that He would act for the sake of His holy name which you bear. Because God has defined Himself as a God who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness (Ex. 34:6). God will make sure you have that mercy, grace, love, and care. God has sprinkled clean water on you, His people, and He has cleansed them from all your sins and idols. Holy Spirit New HeartGod given you a new heart and a new spirit. God has put His Holy Spirit within you, and He has caused you to walk in His statutes and rules. Again, God promised to do this for the sake of His name, His reputation, and your benefit because you are His.

God promised all of this, and because of what Christ has done, it is finished.

God acted. You were in desperate need of help. You weren’t just dying, you were dead in your trespasses and sins. And, even worse, you were dead and still actively and stone-heartedlyrebelling against God. But He gave you what He promised in our Old Testament lesson. Christ came and removed your heart of stone and gave you a heart of flesh.

Christian, you will struggle your entire life – Scripture promises it. Yet, there is a comfort in Christ saying that you will struggle because those very trials, tribulations, and persecutions mean that you belong to Him. Just a few verses before our Gospel text began, Jesus said this: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (Jn. 15:18-19).

And know this, know this: You have help in your trials. The same Jesus who died and rose again for you is the same Jesus who helps you by ascending to the right hand of God the Father with all authority in all creation having been given to Him. And He has given you a new heart and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter and the Helper.

Each of the verses our Confirmands picked are Holy Spirit-sent to help and comfort you now and forever.

As Andrew’s verse (Jn. 3:16) promises: God loved you so that He sent Jesus to die and rise again for you. Believe in Him and you will never perish but have eternal life.

Josiah’s verse (Prov. 3:5) encourages you to trust in those promises of Christ and to not lean on your own understanding. Your own understanding will lead you nowhere. God’s ways and thoughts are higher than your ways and thoughts. Trust in those.

And Stephanie’s verse (Jer. 29:11) reminds you that God’s plans for you are for your welfare. God’s plans for you are to give you a solid future and hope for all eternity.

Christian, you have a new heart and the Helper. Go from here in that comfort and that certainty. God has promised, and He is faithful.

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

Amen.

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

A Little While – Sermon on John 16:16-22 for the Fourth Sunday of Easter

Listen here.

John 16:16-22

16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’;and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.”

19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”

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

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus says, “I’m here, but in a little while I won’t be here. Then, a little while later I’ll come back.”And the disciples are confused. They whisper to each other about this and none of them knows what this ‘a little while’ means. So, Jesus explains it to them.

First and foremost, this ‘little while’ refers to what would happen in a couple of hours. Jesus is soon to be betrayed and arrested. He will be tried, crucified, killed, and buried. Somewhere in that sequence, all of the disciples will no longer see Jesus. For most of them, it is when Jesus is arrested. For Peter, it is during Jesus’ trial while he is out by a bonfire denying he knows Jesus the third time (Lk. 22:61). And for John, it is either at the cross or at the burial. The disciples don’t see Him anymore, and they weep and lament because Jesus is dead, buried, and sealed behind the stone in the tomb.

But it is only for a little while – Friday evening and night, all day Saturday, Saturday night through Sunday afternoon before they see the resurrected Jesus once again. Again, first and foremost, this is the ‘little while’ Jesus is referring to.

But Jesus also alludes to something more. He is also speaking about His ascension, which is what Jesus was referring to when He said He was “going to the Father.” Don’t miss that part of our text. The morning of the Resurrection, Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene. When she recognizes Jesus, Mary falls at His feet and embraces Him (Mt. 28:9), but Jesus says to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

So, yes, He is referring to the time that the disciples weep and lament and have sorrow between His burial and resurrection. But here, in this text with this ‘little while,’ Jesus is also referring to the time while you have sorrow between His ascension and return in glory on the last day, which means, you, dear saint, are even now living in the ‘little while’ Jesus refers to.

A Little While WaitingThis ‘little while’ has lasted nearly two thousand years and counting. Yet, two thousand years is nothing when you compare it to everything that lies ahead for you in eternity. And it is even more miniscule when you realize that it will only be a few short years before you meet Jesus face-to-face – even if you live to be one-hundred-twenty. But we still have a problem. During our pain and anguish, our difficulties and seasons of tribulation, time seems to stand still while we suffer. But we can take heart and be encouraged. Jesus says it will only be ‘a little while.’

This little phrase from Jesus – ‘a little while’ – is meant to be comforting in the midst of sorrow, pain, anguish, trials, and tribulations. First, it lets us call that trouble what it is – it is suffering and not something that God ever intended you to experience. When you suffer, you don’t have to put on a brave face and say things like, “I know other people have it worse than I do.” No. No matter how great or small, call suffering what it is – suffering. The second reason this is comforting is that you can know that your God and Savior promises that your suffering can only last ‘a little while.’

Mothers, you understand Jesus better than anyone else which is why He uses you as an example here. As a man who has never and will never give birth, and as a father who has been present at the births of all four children, I hesitate to speak too much about this – especially on Mothers’ Day. But as a pastor who has been called to preach God’s Word, I must echo what Jesus says.

Kids, your mom suffered to bring you into this world. The pain and anguish of a woman in labor is real – there is no denying it. And, mothers, Jesus knows the pain you have been through, not because He ever gave birth, but because He is the one who said that a woman’s pain in childbirth would be greatly increased after the Fall (Gen. 3:16). But when a mother has delivered the baby – and remember this is according to Jesus – she no longer remembers the anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.

It is not as though her memory is erased and she forgets the pain of labor – that is not what Jesus says. Instead, her anguish is swallowed up by joy that she now has a child to love and cherish. This is the main thing Jesus is teaching us in this text. Sorrow and suffering is temporary for you, Christian. It can only last ‘a little while’ and no more.

Grace is Sufficient, suffering, new creationNow, there is no denying that your suffering is real. Some of you are currently enduring that suffering in severe ways right now. We pray that your relief will be soon and swift. But know this: God is working through those sorrows. He is using your trials to keep you close to Himself, to work virtue in you, to teach you to trust in Him. This does not mean that you should rejoice because of trials and tribulations. Instead, it is a reminder that you can rejoice in spite of and in the midst of that suffering. Like buds on a tree indicate that full blossom is coming, those troubles, trials, sorrows, and crosses are harbingers of the joy that is to come.

And if you aren’t currently going through trials right now, you will. Jesus says that you will weep and lament, and you will be sorrowful. Jesus has called you to take up your cross and follow Him. Good Friday always comes before Easter, but Easter joy always overcomes Good Friday sorrow. Resurrection always defeats death.

Christian, the crosses you have borne in the past, the crosses you bear now, and the crosses you will bear in the future will and must give way to Resurrection joy because – already and now – Christ is risen.

Pain, sorrow, trial, and tribulation is real and there is no getting around it. A slave is not above his master. If Jesus is persecuted and suffers, you will be persecuted and suffer (Jn. 15:20). And Jesus promises, “You will weep and lament, and you be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. And no one will take your joy from you,”because Jesus has promised it will only be ‘a little while.’

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

Amen.

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

Rebuking the Storm – Sermon on Matthew 8:23-27 for the Fourth Sunday of Epiphany

Listen here.

Matthew 8:23-27

23 And when [Jesus] got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?”Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

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

After hearing this Gospel lesson, I want you to consider again these words from our call to worship because I think it sheds a beautiful light on this text:

“Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! They saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. For He commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed” (Ps. 107:24-25, 28-29).

Jesus Calms the Storm Asleep in SternImagine Matthew in this storm. Remember, Matthew – unlike Andrew and Peter and James and John – Matthew wasn’t a fisherman. He was a tax collector when Jesus called him to be a disciple (Mk. 2:14). Typically, he had hands stained from handling coins all day not clammy, saltwater-drenched hands. Matthew was used to sitting in a tax booth not on the rail of a boat bailing water so that it doesn’t sink. Matthew had seen Jesus rebuke demons, rebuke sickness, and rebuke the Pharisees and religious elite. But now, in the middle of a storm that threatened Matthew’s life, the Man who had called him saying, “Follow Me,”lay peacefully sleeping and undisturbed in the back of the boat on a cushion (Mk. 4:38).

In this text from Matthew, the disciples cry out to Jesus, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” But in the Gospel of Mark, the disciples collectively ask Jesus, “Don’t You care that we are perishing?” (Mk 4:38). The folk singer Gordon Lightfoot wrote a song about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. One of the lines from that song is, “Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours?” Those are the types of thoughts going through Matthew’s mind and the minds of the other disciples.

Now, hold on to that thought while I change scenes.

Remember the story of Job? Job was a man who was blameless and upright. Job feared God and turned away from evil. This was what God said about Job (Job. 1:1,8). There was a day when God asked Satan what he thought about Job. And the devil replied, “Does Job fear You for no reason? Haven’t You put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has on every side? Just stretch out Your hand against Job, and he will curse You to Your face.” And God basically says to the devil, “Go for it,” (Job. 1:9-12). Then, one day Job’s servants came one after another to tell him that all his sheep, oxen, donkeys, and camels were all destroyed. Finally, another servant comes and says, “Your seven sons and three daughters were feasting together, and a great wind,” catch that, “a great wind came and struck the corners of the house and killed your children” (Job 1:18-19).

Now, who sent that wind? The devil did. Satan took control of the wind and used it to bring down the house where Job’s children were. But, and you have to remember this, Satan could only do that because God had given the devil permission to do so.

One more scene change. Bear with me.

Think back to our Old Testament lesson (Jon. 1:1-17). Jonah was told to go and preach to Nineveh and call them to repent of their sins. But Jonah turned tail and went the opposite direction. He boards a boat in order to flee from God’s presence. Verse 4 says, “But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.” God sent that wind. God sent the storm. God sent those waves.

So, God can send a wind to come after Jonah, and God can allow the devil to send a wind to do harm. Now, the question is this: who sent the storm in this Gospel text? Was Satan sending this storm to try to drown Jesus or to cause the disciples to doubt Christ? Was God sending this storm to cause the disciples to trust in Jesus more than they had before?

Well, honestly, we don’t know. But that, dear saints, is the point. Either way, whether the devil was behind this storm or God was, God was in control of the whole situation even though it seemed like He didn’t care and was sleeping. At a simple word from Jesus, the winds and waves stopped, and there was a great calm. And this miracle causes the disciples to marvel, “What sort of Man is this, that even the winds and sea obey him?”

In the midst oFranticf that storm, in the middle of the wind and the saves and terror, Jesus asked the disciples, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” This question from our Lord’s lips confronts us today. What are you afraid of? The devil may be behind the things you fear. Satan may want you to enter “emergency mode,” “crisis mode,” “God doesn’t care and is sleeping mode.” The devil wants nothing more than to rob you of the peace and security that comes from being a child of God. So repent. The devil is very cunning and dangerous, but he is also totally and completely predictable.

But what is God doing in allowing you to experience those things that you fear? Why is God permitting Satan to do these things to you? That is an unanswered question in the Bible. If there was an answer in Scripture, I’d be more than happy to tell you, but the Bible seems to be more interested in keeping that answer from us. We know why the devil knocked the house onto Job’s children, but we aren’t told in the whole book of Job why God allowed the devil to do it. We might think that God sent the storm upon Jonah in order to get Jonah to Nineveh to preach and call those people to repent, but there may have been even more reasons that we are completely unaware of as well.

We aren’t told what God is doing when we are in the midst of trials and tribulations. But we can know with confidence, that whenever God sends storms and trials our way or when He allows Satan to send us trouble and tribulation, we know that God has nothing but our best interest in mind. We know because Scripture tells us that God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Ro. 8:28). Scripture says, “Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (Ja. 1:2-3 see also Heb. 12:6-12, 1 Pet. 1:7, Rev. 3:19).

Here’s the main point. When you are faced with trials, temptations, and crosses you are tempted to think that God is sleeping. You are tempted to think that He doesn’t care and is totally apathetic toward you and your plight. Don’t look at your troubles and try to gauge what God thinks about you.

Jesus Cross Heaven & EarthIf you want to know what God thinks about you, you need look no further than the cross. While you were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for you (Ro. 5:6,8). If you are going through a storm of sickness, a storm of family strife, or whatever it might be, look at it through the lens of Christ crucified and risen for you. And know that God is in control and He will never leave you nor forsake you.

The sailors that Jonah was using to flee from God’s presence had to wake Jonah up and throw him overboard to still the storm. Jesus only has to speak, and the waves are stilled and the storm is hushed. And even though Jesus wasn’t thrown out of the boat in this Gospel text, He was thrown overboard in a much more important way.

On the cross, Jesus was thrown into the place of God’s judgement against your sin and the sins of the whole world. Jesus wasn’t swallowed by a great fish, He was swallowed by death in order that He might defeat death for you. As Jonah was in the belly of that fish for three days, Jesus was in the grave for three days. And He is risen again.

Today, you have different storms, different winds, and different waves tempting you to fear. But you have the same Jesus who slept in the boat, who woke up, who rebuked the wind and the waves and they listened to Him.

Whatever storms you face in this life, bring them to your God. Let those trials teach you to pray. And marvel at the wonderful answer of your God and Savior. Cry to Him in your trouble, and he will deliver you from your distress (Ps. 107:28). Amen.

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