Sinner and Saint

In the face of death is the promise of paradise

Christ the King Sunday, 2013

Luke 23:27-43

“In the face of death is the promise of paradise”

 

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

 

            Today is the last Sunday of the Church Year. Can you believe that next Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent? Before we begin to prepare for the birth of our Savior…we celebrate this day Christ our Lord as King of all creation. It is a marvelous day. It is a joyful day. It is a day that we rejoice that our Risen Lord is seated in heaven as our King. Christ has been victorious and now reigns forever and ever. That is news to shout from the rooftops.

          But the text appointed for this day is the crucifixion of our Lord. It seems to convey nothing but sadness. “But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23:28-31)

          “Don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves.” “Blessed are the barren.” “Mountains…fall on us!” Our Lord is warning the women that gathered about the coming judgment. While this is indeed a sad event with our Lord dying on the cross…this was exactly what our Heavenly Father had planned to save His people. But the judgment to come down upon Jerusalem was one that came due to unbelief.

          Before our Lord’s triumphal entry into the Jerusalem on Palm Sunday our Lord wept over the city and its people. “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” (Luke 19:41-44)

          That visitation was at hand. The Savior of the world had been born…He was there with them in the Holy City…The Prince of Peace had finally come…but they rejected Him. Jesus warns the people…that their judgment was at hand. If God would allow His innocent Son to die on the cross…what would He allow to happen to those that rejected Him? If the Romans would allow this Jesus to die on the cross…even after finding Him innocent…how would they treat those deemed guilty? If the leaders of the Jews would kill Jesus who came to bring salvation…how would they treat those who deserved punishment?

          Our Lord tells the women that the crosses they must bear…the punishment the people will endure will be so bad; so brutal…that "they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’” (Luke 23:29-30) It will be so bad that mothers would wish their children weren’t born. It will be so bad that they will wish for the mountains and hills to kill them quickly rather than bear the wrath that will come.

          These words are a warning to our generation as well. “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6) “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.” (John 9:4) When death and judgment come…then it is too late to seek salvation. The work we have before us as Christians is to share the Gospel…for time is of the essence.

          But often we don’t think time is of the essence. We live to enjoy what this world has to offer. We love to eat, drink, and be merry. We love to celebrate and have good times. We love the sinfulness of this world.  “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!” (1 Corinthians 6:13-15)

          Last Sunday was a horrific day for many in our state. Hundreds of homes were destroyed. Possessions were strewn across hundreds of miles of farmland. Many were hurt. Some died. Tragedies happen on a daily basis. They happen in the Phillipines…and they happen here at home. While we don’t wake up each morning thinking “I might die today,” that is certainly the reality. “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)

          We have been given the Gospel. The Savior has been born, has lived, has died for us, and has risen from the dead. Christ Jesus is the King of all Creation. We have that wonderful news recorded for us in Scripture. We have been given the gift of the Gospel. But how do we live. Do we weep for Jesus when we should be weeping for ourselves? Do we blame God for our troubles when we should be admitting our own guilt? Do we look to God as a miracle worker calling for Him only when tragedy strikes or do we truly have faith in a God that loves us and forgives us daily? Do we seek the Lord in Church while He may be found…or will we wait till it’s too late?

          In the midst of tragedy; in the midst of hardship; in the midst of persecution; in the midst of death itself is wonderful and joyful news! It is the joyous news heard by a condemned criminal; a man that deserved the death penalty he was receiving: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

          What beautiful words from our Lord’s lips. Hanging on the cross…dying for the sins of the people…suffering God’s wrath…Jesus absolves this sinner and He absolves us; sinners who believe. By faith, the same faith that this thief had, we may come to our Lord begging forgiveness. And our Lord doesn’t withhold…in love…in the rejoicing of heaven…Jesus forgives us and declares to us that forgiveness…and gives us His very body and blood for the forgiveness of sins and strength.

          When the scenes of this earth fade from our mortal vision, may our eyes be fixed on Christ as our only hope and comfort and may our lips whisper by faith the heartfelt petition: “Lord, remember me and take me into Your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42) The same cheering and precious response will greet you: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

          Christ Jesus is the King of all Creation and that is wonderful and joyous news…because our Lord came to save sinners…and save us He did as He died on the cross for that thief and for you. Paradise is yours. 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.

            

Keep up the good work

Pentecost 26, 2013

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

“Keep up the good work”

 

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

 

 

            Much to my chagrin Christmas decorations are springing up. Stores have displayed Christmas trees since the beginning of October. Thanksgiving isn’t even here yet! Are you ready? Are you filled with joy and excitement? Or are you thinking about all the work that still has to get done in preparation for Christmas? Big events take a lot of work and preparation.

          We have almost completed another Church year. Our focus is now on the end of the world and the coming of Christ on the last day. There is nothing coming in the future that is as important as the end of the world. Is there still work to be done for that event? Are we ready? Are we looking forward to that day with excitement and joy?

          What many Christians think they should do in preparation for our Lord’s coming is to “clean up their act,” “get right with God,” and make sure friends and loved ones get saved. Yes, we should stop doing sinful things and do good things. But neither we nor unbelievers ever truly clean up our act or get right with God because we are sinners. In fact there is nothing we can do to be saved!

          But there is good news. Christ has already fulfilled the law. Jesus lived perfectly and kept God’s law…the law that we break daily. Scripture proclaims, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19) That holiness is simply given to us. As Scripture says, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” (Rom. 3:23)

             Not only did Jesus live the perfect life that the law demands…but He took upon himself all of our sin and the punishment that we deserved.  When Jesus died on the cross, he did not say, “I’ve done my part. Now you do yours.” He said, “It is finished.” With Scripture and the Lutheran reformers, “we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” (Rom. 3:28) Salvation therefore isn’t about what we do…it’s all about what Jesus has done for us. That is the Gospel message. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) The faith which Jesus says God desires, God gives as a free gift. Many of us first received that gift in Holy Baptism. Some first received that gift by hearing the Gospel preached, taught, or shared.

             Not only does God give us faith as a gift, He also gives us gifts to nourish and strengthen that faith. Our faith is built up and strengthened by the Word of God when we hear the Word of God in the Divine Service; when we study the Word of God in Bible Class; and when we read the Word of God in our homes. Our faith is fed and nourished with the very body and blood of the Word made flesh – Jesus Christ – when we come to His altar for Holy Communion.

             So what is there left for us to do? Maybe it’s to be involved in serving God. There are offices to fill on the Church Council. You can help with the Sunday School. There is a budget to be met. There are Bible Studies you can attend. You can pray. You can share Christ within your vocation…vocations of parents, siblings, farmers, teachers, builders, nurses, and the like. This is the work we can be doing as we wait for the return of our Lord. But maybe that doesn’t sound like much. Maybe you might adapt the attitude which Lutherans are famously known for: since I can do nothing, I won’t do anything. Is that what the Scriptures teach? Not at all.

             Lutherans are not the first ones to think this or be accused of it. It was the problem with some of the members of the church at Thessalonica in our Epistle reading for today. Apparently, some of the Christians in Thessalonica believed that, since Jesus was coming soon, they could just quit working and wait around. They had an “irresponsible attitude toward the obligation to work.” They felt they didn’t have to work because Jesus was coming. As a result, they started sponging off their neighbors. Instead of being busy at work, they become busybodies.

             Paul is pretty strong here in his response to this. He commands and encourages the people in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work. He even warns them, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10) Why does Paul do this? It is more than simply a moralistic lesson on the virtue of hard work. There is an authentic place for the work of a Christian in waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ to return. Paul writes, “As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” (2Thessalonians 3:13) This reminds us of Paul’s words to the Galatians, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:9-10)

             Our “work” (if you want to call it that) is to “do good”. We are to do good “to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Why would we ever become weary of that? If we are trying to earn our salvation or better our position with God by doing good things, then we could easily become tired because we would never know if we have done enough. We might become weary because of our sinful nature’s self-centered attitude.

             However, Christ’s death on the cross forgives us all our sins of selfishness. His perfect life of righteousness frees us from the need to serve God. He doesn’t need our service, but our neighbor does. That’s not only why we feed the hungry, help the poor, clothe the naked, but also why we serve in church offices, teach Sunday School, give our monetary offerings, visit people, preach and teach. We do all those things to serve our neighbor, both inside and outside of the church without question or hesitation.

              “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10) We have been created in Christ Jesus, that is, baptized into His life, death, and resurrection, to do good works. And where do those good works come from?  God has prepared them in advance for us to do. Opportunities to do good work for your neighbor will come your way. Be observant and seize those opportunities when God presents them. For this is truly joyful work.

             What a joy and privilege it is to share Christ. I know this joy because it is my privilege. And I know that each of you can share Christ as well…because as horrible of a sinner I am, as often as I stumble and fail, as often as I fall short…not only as a Christian but also as a husband and father…and Pastor…God still works through me. He works through you too. What a joy it is to share Christ with those you love…friends, neighbors, and family.

             “O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8) As the Potter shapes the clay, so the Lord forms us into His image through the waters of Holy Baptism. May God bless each of you as you share the good news about Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in you. 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.

The God of the living hears our cry

Pentecost 25, 2013

“The God of the living hears our cry”

Exodus 3:1-15 & Luke 20:37-38

 

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

 

              “Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph….Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves…Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.” (Exodus 1:8, 11-14, 22)

          The people of Israel were slaves in a foreign land. They were forced by the whip, punished with beatings, and deprived of dignity by the Egyptians. Their numbers kept rising and the people grew stronger even in the face of brutality…and so Pharaoh ordered that the sons of the Hebrews be murdered by being thrown into the Nile.

          Conditions were terrible for the people of Israel. They had no rights. They were unable to defend themselves in the midst of severe persecution. Many would die under the extreme hardships the Egyptians placed upon them. No doubt many of the Israelites turned away from faith in the true God. Yet many cried out to God for help.

          “During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.” (Exodus 2:23-25)

          You know the story. Did God abandon His people? Of course not. He appeared to Moses in the burning bush. “Then the LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:7-10)

          God heard the cries of His people. He pitied them. More than that He loved them. He called upon Moses to be His representative and sent him to Pharaoh. After all of the plagues, after watching over and protecting His people, after causing the water to divide for His people and drowning Pharaoh’s army, after leading the people in the wilderness for 40 years…God gave His people the land of Cannan. After all that time…after protecting His people…after answering their prayers…God rememberd His covenant with Abraham, Issac, and Jacob and gave them the land of Canaan…the land of milk and honey. God kept His promise. Not only did He give the Israelites a land of their own…He kept His promise of sending a Savior…Jesus Christ our Lord.

          Today there are Christians in foreign lands who are killed for their faith. There are Christians around the globe that are abused, beaten, tortured, raped, and killed for their faith. There are Christians in our own country that are mocked for their faith or called bigots, racist, out of touch, homophobic, and hypocrites for standing up for what they believe to be true and calling other things sin. Abortion is murder, homosexuality is a sin, pre-marital, extra-marital, or any other form of sex outside of marriage is a sin. The love of money, possessions, status, title, or anything else more than God is a sin. God hates sin. We should hate sin. But that does not mean that I or Christians and certainly not God…hate people. We hate sin because sin damns. We call sin...sin and call sinners to repentance... not because we despise them, but because we love them. Yet the world hates us for calling sin that which it is…and for calling people sinners. So Christianity is mocked and the rights of Christians are questioned.

          Last week’s Gospel lesson reminds us “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)

          Christians have and will continue to suffer until the last day. Christians are oppressed by many who deny Christ Jesus as Lord. This world…Satan…and all who reject Christ oppress the Church and call for its demise. The Church herself is even oppressed by sin and Satan. We are reminded of this in the hymn The Church’s One Foundation with the words: “Though with a scornful wonder Men see her sore oppressed, By schisms rent asunder, By heresies distressed, Yet saints their watch are keeping; Their cry goes up, “How long?” And soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song.” (TLH 473) Christians are even oppressed by their own sinfulness. No matter how hard we try we keep falling back into sin; we keep falling back into being slaves of our sinful nature…of our sinful wants and desires.

          My brothers and sisters in Christ. God hears your cries. God sees the oppression of His people and His Church. He has not abandoned you. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob hears your prayers and has made a promise to you. What promise has God made to you? “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” (Mark 16:16a) “Baptism saves you.” (1 Peter 3:21a) “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4)

          God promised each one of you salvation. Through Baptism you have been given faith and the gift of salvation. Through baptism you are made a child of God and an heir of heaven itself. Through baptism you are forgiven. Through baptism you are promised life…even when all you see is death. For our God is not God of the dead…no…He is the God of the living. “But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.” (Luke 20:37-38)

          Eternal life is yours. It has been won for you by Christ on the cross. It was given to you at your baptism. Though you may suffer…from disease or persecution…sickness or tempest… know that God has heard your prayers. He sent you a Savior. Eternal life in paradise is yours. 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.

Communion of Saints

All Saints Day, 2013 (observed)

Revelation 7:9-17

“Communion of Saints”

 

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

 

             Today we celebrate the Feast of All Saints’ Day. It is a special day. It is a sacred day. It is a wonderful day filled with hope. But what is All Saints’ Day really about. It can be quite confusing. The night before All Saints’ Day was once called All Hallows Eve…and now called Halloween. It is a night when scores of children dress up in costume…from angels, devils, monsters, and ghosts…to super heroes, princesses, firefighters, and police officers…maybe even a few dressed up like a pastor! But what does that have to do with All Saints’ Day? In reality…not much.

          All Saints' Day is one of the great festivals of the liturgical year.  This is a day on which we who still struggle with temptation, sin, and all the hardships and tragedies of this world find hope and joy in the lives of the saints.  We look to the faithful men and women of the Bible and praise God for their examples.  We also commemorate the Christians who lived throughout history, some well known to us, but the vast majority known only to the Lord.  And we especially remember the saints we have known personally and loved dearly. 

             On All Saints' Day, we thank God for the faithful departed, those who were called to be with the Lord in recent years, particularly in the last year.  Above all, we thank God on All Saints' Day not only for the faithfulness of the saints, but for His faithfulness to the saints.  This festival reminds us that our heavenly Father is gracious and full of loving kindness, that He sent His Son to die for the sins of all.  It is only by the blood of Jesus Christ that we are made saints in the sight of God.

             As we give thanks to God for making us saints through the blood of Christ we also give thanks for our Lord calling our loved ones home that have died in the faith. While we continue to struggle with sin, sickness, disease, and troubles…they do not. While we are in a world of sin they now live in heaven. As we think about those we love who have died…we are bound to miss them. While I still get tears thinking about my grandparents…and friends…and neighbors…and members of this congregation that have died…I still have hope and joy. I have hope and joy even in the midst of tears because of the Communion of Saints.

             Remember the words you have spoken in the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in the Holy Ghost/Spirit; The holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting.” But what is the Communion of Saints? Where is the Communion of Saints?

             The true Church…both in heaven and on earth…is the communion of saints. All true believers make up the communion of saints. All of our loved ones that have died in the faith…as well as all true believers in this place make up the communion…or even better…the congregation of saints as Luther refers to it in his Large Catechism.

             The Communion of Saints is found in God’s house: the Church. The Communion of Saints are all of God’s people gathered around Jesus in worship. In worship God allows us to share in the paradise of heaven with all our loved ones that have died in the faith.

             You see, in Divine worship we are lifted up to heaven by God to worship our Lord. We worship the same Lord at the same time with the faithful departed. It is a blessing and a comfort to know that in worship…in Church…we are with our faithful loved ones. This we confessed in the Apostles Creed. We are reminded again in the Divine Service of this truth as the Pastor concludes the Proper Preface with the words: “Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Thy glorious name, evermore praising Thee and saying…” The congregation in heaven and on earth  lift up their voices as one in singing the Sanctus.

             The Sanctus comes directly from Isaiah chapter 6. “In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:1-5)

             We sing the song of the angels…right before we, like the prophet Isaiah, see God in the body and blood of Christ. This is also why we sing the words of Simeon following the reception of Jesus’ body and blood. “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32) As God promised…Simeon did not die until he saw Christ. Now in the Lord’s Supper we have seen Christ and may depart in peace…having worshiped around the same Christ Jesus as our loved ones in heaven worship around…after eating our Lord’s flesh and drinking His blood.

             “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen. Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-14)

             Just as the Israelites were taught to worship God…by going to the temple…by sacrificing and receiving God’s absolution through the priests…by hearing God’s Word…and then being blessed by Aaron with God’s own name…so we continue to worship this day…as we come before God confessing our sins and receiving absolution…hearing God’s Word…and partaking the final sacrifice of Christ Jesus as we eat and drink the body and blood of Christ. Then we…as the departed saints in heaven do this very moment…approach the throne of God and worship him. For they washed their robes in the blood of the lamb…they have been baptized into Christ, fed God’s Word, and been forgiven with Jesus very body and blood. And so have we.

             The comfort of the Communion of Saints…is that in worship we are with all of our loved ones that have died in the faith…worshiping around the same Jesus Christ…singing the very same words that are sung by the angels and saints in heaven. This form of worship that we do…it isn’t just old fashioned…it’s not outdated…it is a reflection of the worship the saints of old were taught in Scripture…and a reflection of worship in heaven. What a joy. What a comfort that is. We worship Jesus…just like our loved ones did in years gone by; just like our loved ones do this very moment. 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.