Sinner and Saint

“King: Now and forevermore”

Christ the King Sunday, 2006

John 18:33-37

“King: Now and forevermore”

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

            How would you describe a King? In England the King is a member of the royal family; they gain kingship and royalty based on their heredity. Today the ruler of England is just a shadow of what the King was historically in England. One may think of Henry VIII who was a king. Although he was constrained by a growing English law and harassed by papal legalities, he got what he wanted by execution or intrigue. He killed many wives and named himself the head of the EnglishChurch. Charlemagne was a king. He unified his kingdom by the sword. The greatest kingly line was that of the Caesars. They ended the RomanRepublic, but, oh, did they rule with power and might! In the eyes of the world, a king, good or bad, uses power and sword to rule. But God, incarnate in Jesus Christ, did not use the power or sword to ascend an earthly throne. Jesus is the King who looked and acted like no other king before or after Him; His rule is very “un-kingly” in the eyes of the world. More than anything else, this disappointed the expectation of his nation. They wanted a King to rule…not to serve!

             Jesus is indeed THE King! But not a king that people desire. Jesus simply failed to live up to the Sanhedrin’s demands of what they thought their King, the Messiah, should be. Many times we may resent our political leaders, but we still want all of them to act with dignity. The Jewish leaders resented Jesus because He chastised them but they were even more upset because Jesus didn’t act the part of an earthly king.

Jesus didn’t seem to have an army, at least not a visible one, and that was unheard of in the world of kings. Jesus had no iron fist in a velvet glove, one that would only tolerate rebellion until able to smash rebels into pieces. He had no royal court trimmed in royal attire, studded with the spoils of conquest and taxation. He forced none to grovel at his feet. Instead, this Jesus, served everyone including his own servants. Jesus simply failed to measure up to the earthly expectations of kingship.

            Jesus couldn’t really be a king…his own people rejected him. “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” (John 1:11) The people rejected Jesus’ claim to be King when he failed to meet their desires for temporal security. Jesus refused to become a “miracle worker” king. He brought an eternal kingdom, not a temporal rule. We are no different then the people of Jesus’ time. We want Jesus to do our bidding. We want Jesus to give us a life without problems. We want Jesus to make everything perfect. We want Jesus to give us what we want when we want it. But sinful desire only follows Jesus to get what it wants. We should love Jesus, not because He can give us all our wants, but because He is our King and Savior!

            The religious rulers of Israel rejected Jesus as the Messiah when he failed to restore the Davidic monarchy and defeat the hated Romans. Despite the mighty signs that Jesus gave, the Pharisees and Sadducees demanded Jesus to conform to their interpretations and desires. When Jesus refused, they preferred the rule of Caesar to the eternal grace of God’s Son. “But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" "Shall I crucify your king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered.” (John 19:15)

             In our sinful desire, we try to force Jesus into our religious expectations, and we betray him if disappointed. I cannot tell you how sad I was to see people rejecting Christ after 9/11. They claimed that a god that would allow such destruction and pain as what occurred on that dreaded September day could not be a god…at least not one they would believe in. Often we come to Jesus in our darkest days; often we come to Jesus when we are in want and we quickly abandon him when things don’t go our way and many times even when they do.

Even the civil government in the person of Pilate rejected Jesus as a spiritual King by spurning his truthful witness. Pilate despised God’s Word in order to preserve political position. Temporal preservation was favored over the eternal kingdom and even civil righteousness. This sounds very similar in our own society. The 10 commandments are banned from the courts, the saying “In God we Trust” on our currency has been taken to court, Schools are taking “under God” out of the pledge, Christ is being taken out of Christmas also. “Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar." But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" "Shall I crucify your king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.” (John 19:11-12, 15-16) Sinful desire compromises truth for what is easy, safe, and respectable; it rejects the witness of the heavenly kingdom.

Because he failed to fulfill earthly expectations for kings, Jesus was rejected by those he came to save. Because he didn’t meet felt needs and because he challenged the deceptive values of power, Jesus was perceived as an enemy of his subjects. His rejection is universal. Like the Jewish nation, religious leaders, or Pilate, you and I have proven to be traitors. We have not loved God with our whole heart.

Yet our Father in heaven willed to establish the eternal Kingship of Jesus through the cross and bring us into the kingdom of heaven through Jesus self-sacrifice. Jesus was born a human being in order to save us. Jesus had to be a human just like us, be tempted just like us, live life just like us, and live it perfectly; without sin because we couldn’t in order to save us. Jesus, in his humanity, was raised to the highest authority. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11)

No human king was ever so humble, yet the Son of God assumed a mortal body that we might inherit the kingdom of God in our lowly bodies. The Son assumed a human nature in order to die. He bore our rebellion in his divine-human person, suffering the traitor’s penalty of death.      

This was the purpose of Christ; the reason He came into the world. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

Jesus came to witness the truth to the world without destroying the rebel. He came to transform our false earthly expectations of kingship into true heavenly life. He came as a servant, his glory veiled, that we might see God, hear his holy voice, and live. Unlike earthly kings, who do not hesitate to destroy traitors, Jesus died for those who rejected their heavenly King. He came for the rebellious; those deserving execution. He came to witness the truth, that some might repent and be restored to the kingdom.

Jesus, the King of Truth, is King now and forever. The world asks the same question as Pontius Pilate “What is truth?” and is confronted by the Truth Incarnate. While the world believes that truth is relative and subject only to self, Jesus shows that He is THE TRUTH and the Life.

The ancient kings of this world dressed in purple, which they forbade their subjects to wear. Yet the transcendent Son became least of all in order to reveal the kingdom. This King was veiled in flesh to declare his eternal reign in glory. In Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God is truthfully revealed in grace upon grace. In Jesus we see what is true, and we see truth.

His life and death expose the kingdom of the world as a ludicrous tragedy of shadow and darkness. The cross exposes sinful love for power, fame, and wealth as the taste of destruction. Jesus fulfilling the Father’s will reveals that the kingdom of God reigns not by ruthless power, but in righteousness expressed through the compassion of the cross. Against the absurdity of self-exalting philosophies, the cross declares the truth.

As proven by the world’s universal rejection of its rightful King, the King himself turns us from error to truth. Jesus speaks a true word, bringing sinners to repentance. Jesus shows the rebellious sinner his love and patience. Like monarchs of old, he extends his bloody scepter, but not in judgment, not inflicting punishment but in forgiveness. Touch the scepter and live. Receive pardon and be restored to the kingdom. The scepter touches our ears and is placed upon our heads or within our mouths. His Word gives eternal life, not as serfs enduring Caesar, but a life sharing in the very reign of the Christ.

Heaven’s infinite kingdom came to earth, born in humble suffering, hidden within the kingdom of this world. By submission to the Father’s will, Jesus fulfilled and displayed the glory of heaven upon a seemingly futile instrument, the cross. His Kingship reigns on earth as it does in heaven, calling those who hear the word of pardon into the true kingdom. His death for your sins has lifted you from the kingdom of this world into the very presence of the Father unto life everlasting in the kingdom of heaven. Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

“Why Give Thanks?”

Thanksgiving 2006

Luke 17:11-19

“Why Give Thanks?”

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

          Why should I give thanks? With all the troubles we are faced with daily and knowing how good others seem to have it…why should we give thanks?

            The hymn “Now Thank We All Our God” was written by Martin Rinckart, who was born in Eilenburg, Germany, in April 1586, forty years after Martin Luther’s death. His hymn has been called the German Te Deum and is considered by many as second only among German hymns to the Reformer’s magnificent “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” Rinckart was a Lutheran Pastor in Eilenburg during the terrible Thirty Years’ War. Eilenburg was a walled town and therefore a place of refuge for thousands who had lost everything in the war. The overcrowded condition of the city brought on famine and pestilence. At times Rinckart was the only Pastor in the city. To serve thousands suffering from hunger and dying from disease was a Herculean task. Often he read the burial service for forty to fifty persons a day. At last the number of dead each day was so great that it became impossible to bury them singly, and they were interred in groups in trenches.

             Altogether, 8,000 persons died in Eilenburg during thit time, including Rinckart’s wife. At the same time Rinckart suffered several financial losses and failed to receive the proper consideration at the hands of the authorities of the city in spite of his unselfish and tireless efforts in behalf of the sick and the dying. And yet he wrote during this time that wonderful hymn of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord.

            Why give thanks? Because our Father in heaven gave up His Son to die for you! We give thanks for all that God gives to us daily; things like food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, self control, good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like. God certainly takes good care of all our needs. We give thanks also that God takes those who depart this life in the faith to Himself and pray that we may be added to that number when we also depart this life. Give thanks unto the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever. God be with you this Thanksgiving and every thanksgiving as we joyously celebrate all of the blessings we have received.

Our Gospel lesson speaks about a group of 10 lepers. These men were on the outskirts of the city. They were despised and mocked. No person dared approach them in fear that the disease might spread. These men were outcasts of the town…and nobody was willing to help them…except for Jesus. These men were physically alive but emotionally dead. They were unable to go to church. They were unable to see their families and friends. They lost everything.

            Our world today continues to struggle on with life. We struggle also…don’t we? There are broken families throughout the world that don’t celebrate such things together such as Thanksgiving. There is death all among us. There are lives that are cut short. There is famine and floods and all kinds of disasters. And while we see these things happening to others…we ignore the problems until they strike us.

            It seems that it takes personal loss and heartache for us to come begging our Lord for help. The lepers in the Gospel were at this point of loss. They were willing to do anything to be healed…they were looking for anything that would help. Then came Jesus, the Messiah…the healer of many. Surely this Jesus could help them. They called out “Jesus, Master, Have pity on us!” You could imagine seeing them tremble before their master…with tears in their eyes asking for help. If Jesus couldn’t help them…nobody could.

            “When Jesus saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.” This verse…so simple…so straight-forward…and so loving. Jesus certainly had pity on them. Notice, that Jesus never asked them to do something for him… Jesus never demands anything from us…for his love is so great. “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.” Just one person gave thanks to Jesus…just one.

            Yet this is how the world acts toward Jesus. This is how we act toward our Lord and Savior. Disaster strikes and we come kneeling before our Lord asking…no begging for help. Oh the things our Lord does for us even without our asking…and we go running back to our happiness without thanking Jesus for what he gives us.

            Since the beginning of August I have buried 7 faithful believers in Christ. I buried men and women who were loving parents, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters and friends. Funerals remind us of our own brushes with death and how we too are thankful to be alive and overwhelmed with joy at seeing those we love…and yes we even thank God. But as time passes we lose that thankfulness; that joy. As time passes we forget how God protects us and watches over us…we forget the joy we have in Christ Jesus.

            Instead we go around complaining when things don’t go our way. We covet what others have. We do everything we can to get things that we want. We forget about the gifts we are given and focus on the things we don’t have yet. We forget about the things that really matter in life…we forget about the things God has given and done for us.

            Tomorrow marks the National Day of Thanksgiving. Today is the number one travel day in the country. Tomorrow we will feast with our families over a whopping 46 million turkeys as some 90% of our households will be feasting on this bird. Many of us will over-eat and spend the rest of the day watching football on TV or sitting around remembering the past with family members.

            Thanksgiving Day is a blessing from God…it is a day that we are reminded of all the wonderful things God has given to us. We are with God’s gift of family. We eat food from the harvest that God blessed. We eat food that God created. We celebrate the life we have and the memories of those that have gone before us.

            Yet there is something better…something greater for us to give thanks for on Thanksgiving and every day. It is the gift of life. It is the gift of living not just here and now on earth but in heaven with God. It is the gift of salvation that Jesus won…by death on the cross. It is the gift of paradise with all of our loved ones…the banquet feast… the greatest Thanksgiving there will ever be.

            Let us rejoice this Thanksgiving with all our families and friends and remember all the gifts that God gives to us. Let us remember always the gift that God gives that is far more important then any of our complaints…that is forgiveness of sins. As we remember these things let us joyfully praise our Lord in the face of all trials remembering the words of the great Thanksgiving hymn Rinckart wrote “Oh, may this bounteous God Through all our life be near us, with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us and keep us in his grace and guide us when perplexed and free us from all harm in this world and the next.”

            As we go from this place to our joyful Thanksgiving feasts tomorrow hear the words of Jesus to his faithful people “"Rise and go; your faith has made you well." Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

On your mark, get set, GO!

2^nd Last Sunday of the Church Year, 2006

Hebrews 12:1-2

“On your mark, get set, Go!”

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

            In the sporting world there is always the temptation to cheat in order to win. Far too often we hear of different athletes that take performance enhancing drugs, bribes, or find other ways to ensure a victory for themselves. It is unfortunate how all of these games (football, basketball, baseball, hockey, and others) have been tarnished by scandal. Just think of all the hall of fame players that worked so hard to be the best players they could be with the talent God gave them who are now in the shadows. Many risk their dreams for the wrong reasons.

            We too, like so many others, have risked our dreams and goals; our race for some small insignificant lust. We give up on God because of our problems. We give up on those we love and turn to alcohol, sex, and drugs. We give up on marriages and commit adultery or get a divorce. We don’t want to deal with the results of sex and have abortions. We have many dreams and wants in life that we never achieve. Many times we forfeit our dreams for something easier to achieve or for some new want. We often lose focus of our original wants and dreams; we lose focus of the race ahead of us. When you take your eye “off the prize,” you risk losing it forever.

            “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

Just like athletes that tarnish the games that they play and that of all the many hall of fame athletes before them; we too have tarnished our race and the “hall of fame players” that have come before us that finished their race to heaven. All the saints that have died in the faith before us are “hall of famers” in the Great Race; these great and loved people have shown us how to be victorious.

While many professional athletes have and will continue to get away with cheating in all its forms none of us is able to cheat God. God knows each of our hearts and there is no way around Him.

Like professional athletes, we have a prize that our eyes must be focused on at all times. As Christians we have a race to run that demands that we keep our eyes on Christ. Unlike many other races and prizes, our race and prize is not flimsy or a vain perishable desire; it isn’t some trophy or medal it is salvation and eternal life in heaven with Christ our Lord. In more frightening terms; if we lose focus in our race and fail to win the only reward is eternal punishment. This race is the race of our eternal lives.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

As Christians running a race we must focus on the salvation won by Christ. We must keep our sin in check; in fact we should not sin at all. We must do away with all of the unnecessary things in our life. Unfortunately as Sinners we abuse the gifts that God gives us and we do not live our lives without sin. For us, it is impossible to live without sinning. We are bound to sin and on our own we will not win the race; in fact we won’t even come close to finishing the race.

            St. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:1 “For I would not, brethren, have you ignorant, that our fathers were all under the cloud.” Paul cites a terrible example from Scripture to prove that not all who run obtain the prize. He says there were about six hundred thousand of them, all of whom walked in the way of God and enjoyed His Word and His confidence so completely as to be protected under the cloud and miraculously to pass through the sea; yet among the vast number who ran at that time only two, Joshua and Caleb, obtained the prize. Of that entire multitude they alone reached the promise land.

             How many great and noble men may have been among the six hundred thousand, men to whom we would have been unworthy to hand a cup of water! They included the twelve princes of the twelve tribes, one of whom, Nahshon, Matthew (ch. 1:4) numbers in the holy lineage of Christ. There were also the seventy elders who shared the same spirit as Moses, Eldad and Medad in particular (Num. 11:27). All these, mark you, strove in the race. They did and suffered much. They witnessed many miracles of God. They aided in erecting a grand tabernacle. They were full of good works. Yet they failed, and died in the wilderness. Who is so daring that he will not be restrained and humbled by so remarkable an example of divine judgment? Well may it be said, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Cor. 10:12)

             Thanks be to God that Jesus Christ has already won the race for us. He has carried our burdens to the Cross. He has defeated the sin, death, the grave, and the devil. He will carry us home to Heaven to live with Him in Eternal Bliss. Jesus is the only person that could win the race and He has. He lived a sinless life here on earth. He was tempted by the Devil just like we are. He was tempted by earthly lusts and overcame them. He died on the Cross with the weight of all of our sins on His shoulders. He leads us on our Christian race. He gives us the strength through His own body and blood so that we might win the race. Unlike any other race that is known to man; we are all winners of the prize through Jesus Christ. Through Baptism and faith we will be raised again as Victors of the Race with Jesus Christ.   

“Jesus, lead thou on till our rest is won; and although the way be cheerless, we will follow calm and fearless. Guide us by thy hand to our fatherland. If the way be drear, if the foe be near, let not faithless fear o’er take us; let not faith and hope forsake us; for through many a woe to our home we go. When we seek relief from a long felt grief, when temptations come alluring, make us patient and enduring. Show us that bright shore where we weep no more. Jesus, lead thou on till our rest is won. Heavenly leader, still direct us, still support, console, protect us, till we safely stand in our fatherland.” (718 LSB) Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Signs

3^rd to Last Sunday of the Church Year, 2006

Mark 13:1-13

“Signs”

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

            All feelings aside about Chicago and its politics…if you ever get the chance to go to Chicago or if you have ever been there…one of the most magnificent sights in Chicago and the world are Chicago’s skyscrapers. It is simply amazing to look up and see how tall the buildings are and even more amazing to go up the Sears tower and look out on a clear day for miles. At the time of Jesus, Jerusalem was one of the grandest cities. The focal point was the temple and people came from all corners of the world to see it.

             As we saw with shock and dismay followed by tears at the sight of the Twin Towers falling in New York we know how magnificent and marvelous buildings can be turned to rubble in mere moments. “As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!’ ‘Do you see all these great buildings?’ replied Jesus. ‘Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’”

             You can imagine the feelings that the disciples had after being told this. Their eyes had been feasting on the magnitude and beauty of the temple and all of Jerusalem. Jesus had a tremendous announcement in telling of the temples total destruction. This must have shocked the disciples very much as it appears they walked in silence with Jesus up to the Mount of Olives where they sat down. They were now sitting on a mountain opposite the temple which must have been a magnificent place to view Jerusalemand the golden temple. Looking across at the splendid city the questions began to mount in the disciples.

             “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?’”

             The world has not changed. People all over the world are looking for the signs of the end times. People read Nostradamus for his prophecy. Others will look to the Bible for some type of code. The New Age movement believes that the Mayan calendar predicts the world will end in 2012. Nostradamus incorrectly thought the world would end in 2000. Mary Baker Eddy, who founded Christian Science, said the world would end no later then 2001. The “Bible Code” said the world would end June 6, 2006. Jehovah’s Witnesses, who recently left a tract here at Church saying the “end of false religions is near” [which they consider us part of] predicted the world would end in 1914 and then in 1915 and in 1925 and 1975.

             All of these predictions are made and written because the world is looking for a sign and answer. We joke about those that believe in such “nonsense” but millions of people read the horoscope as if it were God’s word. Horoscopes can even be found in most major newspapers.

            “Jesus said to them: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you.’ ‘Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many.’” The disciples ask when and how and Jesus answers them by telling them to watch out that nobody misleads you. The sinful flesh loves error. The procession of deceivers will go on until the end of time. They all use the revelation of Christ as their sheep’s clothing. The sad thing is that they shall actually succeed in deceiving many. Many will make false claims in the name of Jesus that appear to be true…and many will believe them and be misled. [Many believe tabloids, books, strange religions and cults, television shows, and even Christians that teach strange end time ideas.]

            “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.”

            Wars and rumors of wars did not end with the fall of Jerusalem. There have been hundreds of wars in Europe since the death of Christ. Not any single war could ever give anyone the right to make predictions to the last day.  Jesus tells us that these wars must come; they come because of sinfulness of mankind. Wars are indeed awful but they are not the end.

             The disciples had asked Jesus for just one sign which would indicate the end of the world; but Jesus mentions many signs: “false christs”, wars, talk about wars, earthquakes, famines, and genocide. None of these can determine when Jesus will return. All of these signs, things that are beyond our control, are warning for us to repent. These things are just birth pangs…just the beginning.

            Jesus goes on to warn the disciples and each one of us: “You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them.”

            However disunited the world may appear, it is one in its hatred of Jesus and His disciples. The persecution of God’s children is nothing new. The disciples indeed were persecuted with most being martyred for their faith. We know the history of Rome’s persecution of Christians. Jesus warns us to be on guard…not to hide from persecution but to stand firm in the faith. We are called to stand firm in our faith and give account before governors and kings just as the Disciples were called to do.

             “And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” The word “must” denotes the necessity caused by the will of God. The Gospel must be preached to everyone for all are in need of God’s saving grace. This is the clearest statement in the Gospel concerning the actual time of the end. This is also very comforting for believers. Whatever needs to be said will be given to you at the proper time. The Holy Spirit is and will continue to be active in the Christian.

            “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Christians will be hated and despised because of their faith in Jesus. This is indeed the most comforting of verses. Those that have faith and remain in faith until the end will be saved. Jesus will indeed save his people. Our hope is not in being loved by all people; it is not in this world…it is in Christ; it is knowing that we shall be with Christ in heaven with all that have departed in the faith.

Do not worry about when and where or how the world will end. Remain faithful and you shall have no worry. The victory over death, sin, and the devil has been won by Jesus who died on the cross. Jesus is coming soon; stand firm in your faith in Christ “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Saints alive

All Saints Day, 2006

Revelation 21:9-11, 23-27, 22:1-5

“Saints alive”

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Today we celebrate the Festival of All Saints. All Saints Day is the festival that we remember all who have died in the faith. A Saint is one who is “holy” (from the Latin Sanctus). All Saints Day is a very important festival that enriches the worship of all who celebrate it. It is a day when we are edified by the lives of the saints.

But who are these saints? Our Epistle text from Revelation gives us some insight on this question. “One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” The saints are truly the Bride of Christ. We remember that the Bride of Christ has been made spotless in God’s sight…for “nothing impure will ever enter [heaven], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. God declares everyone who has been baptized and believes the promise of the Gospel to be justified, holy, and blameless. The communion of saints therefore includes both the faithful still living on earth and those who have died in the faith who are now living in heaven with Christ.

All persons who have been redeemed by Christ, whose sins have been forgiven, who have faith in Christ Jesus as Lord whether living or dead are saints. The dead are not the only saints but you and I are saints as well for we have been clothed in our baptism [just as Peyton has been this morning] with the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

Yet today we remember the saints that have died before us…the saints that are now in glory. Yes, our loved ones remain with us and live in our hearts and memories. But where do those that have died in the faith go? Do they just wander around as ghosts in this world? Do they sit in a waiting room for us to join them for the end of the world? Are they reincarnated? We speak of Christians mourning with hope and being joyful at times of death…but what could be so good and happy about death.

The saints are with our Lord in heaven. All of our loved ones that have died in the faith “see [Jesus] face, and his name is on their foreheads.” Once again we recall the baptism of those who have died in the faith. We recall how the pastor held their baby head and made the sign of the cross both upon the forehead and upon the heart to mark them as one redeemed by Christ the crucified.

Our text also tells us what is so good about dying and being in heaven with our Lord. “No longer will there by any curse!” Think about this. In heaven there will be no more curse of sin; no sickness or disease, no suffering, no hatred, no heartache, no problems. In fact, heaven will be nothing but pure joy!

I don’t know about you, but when I think of pure joy, I think of paradise. And that is what God would have us think about today. In every circumstance of life He would have us rejoice in the simple truth that our names are written in the book of life. This was done at our baptism. And that one day we will also see what (Matthew Huff, Mildred Hembreiker, Theresa Imig, Jean Stoll, Harold Sasse, Oliver Maske, Michael Drake, Mary Drake and all of our departed loved ones that have died in the faith) are seeing. At each of their appointed times, they saw the HolyCity, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven. They found themselves no longer living by grace but now in glory. They saw that there was no temple in heaven, just the Lamb of God in full splendor. They now see that the gates of heaven are never shut because saints are filing in one by one. They know fully what we only know in part. They see now what we can only imagine – a river of life clear as crystal flowing from the throne of God down the middle of the great street. On either side of the river stands the tree of life bearing fruit in every season.

All Christians that have died before us are in perfect peace yet we must still struggle. The saints in heaven don’t have to contend anymore with troubles or tempests and temptations. We do! They don’t sit in nursing homes or trailer homes gasping for every breath. Some of us do. They don’t have to drive to the hospital for chemotherapy and radiation and treatment for a thousand and one ailments. Some of us do. They don’t live with arthritis and old age and aches and pains and broken marriages and broken hearts and broken fences. Many of us do.

            The blessing that we have as Christians is that every Sunday we share in being with Christ. Every Sunday in worship we are lifted up to heaven. We speak the words “with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven…” What do these words mean to us. It is with joy and emotion that I may say that I worship with all my loved ones that have passed away. When we worship with all the company of heaven we worship with all the Saints that have left this world to be with Christ.

While Lutherans do not pray to the saints in heaven as some other churches do, we do honor the saints. The Lutheran Confessions teach us of three ways that Christians should honor the saints: We give thanksgiving to God for he has shown us great examples of His mercy through the work of the saints. Our faith is strengthened when we see the love of God for those he has called to be with Him; we have seen Jesus forgiveness of Peter’s denial and know that grace truly abounds over sin. We also learn to imitate the faith of those that held so dearly to Jesus.

God has blessed us with many important and loving persons in our lives and has called many of them home. While we remember and celebrate these wonderful people and what they have done and the love they have shared; we must also remember God’s faithfulness to all the Saints both in heaven and on earth. As Saints, our victory is solely in Christ crucified and risen. Jesus lives the victory is won! In the name of the Father, and of the Son [+], and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.