sermonguy

: sermonguy; May 19th, 8:09

The Pentecost Exordia

Fellow redeemed: On this day those who first beheld the mighty words of the Holy Apostles were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Attend now the answer to the wondrous hope they heard was in that holy band given to them– and to you!– by Saint Peter:

“Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him,

“‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

With these bold, true, good Words yet ringing in our ears, let us rise and join in our Pentecost Exordia Hymn, as the Choir gathers now to lead us in singing:

Exordia Hymn with Choir– O Light of God’s Most Wondrous Love (hymn 399)

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The Sermon

Grace to you and Peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus.

“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

This is Your Word heavenly Father. Sanctify us by Your Truth. Your Word is Truth. Amen.

Fellow redeemed: The devil excites your sinful nature with the lurid notion that this one or that fellow has some new understanding or revelation from God. Hundreds of millions have been so beguiled away from the source and comfort of their salvation, from the supposed new scriptures delivered to self-declared prophets to the fatuous claim that the result is so important that is is even another Testament to the Bible to the false prophecies of the so-called Latter Rain, or the outright misnamed movements which misappropriate the name of this very feast intertwined with the fantastical dreams on which the teaching of the Dispensationalists with their Rapture and seven-year Tribulation (which are nowhere to be found in God’s Word), to say nothing of all the supposed additional prophecies of the Virgin Mary to children in Spain or the Balkans or Mexico. We must regard all of this as the result of the twisting of the plain word of Jesus, and not at all what He has actually promised.

In today’s Gospel Jesus promises the Apostolic band that He would send the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit would accomplish a unique task through these particular fellows. For these men have followed and been instructed by our Lord for at least three years. They have received a blessed theological education. But like any other bunch of fellows who have spent time learning, the Apostles surely had forgotten more than they remembered. This is the condition of our fallen human nature, and one with which any student may sadly sympathize all too well– especially now as the Spring term draws to a close with its exams! So to the Apostles our Lord says “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

As I say, the devil has twisted Jesus’ words to mean that any flim-flam artist, any confidence man with a pretense to piety, any con-artist with a clerical collar can puff himself up like a buffo toad and solemnly declare that he has received an additional, new, and exciting testimony from God Almighty! Without delay we thrust the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and pop such toadish, such devilish nonsense.

Jesus did NOT say the Spirit would bring to mind what He would additionally teach. Muhammad and Joseph Smith, and Joyce Meyer, and Kenneth Copeland, and Tim LaHay and all that train of fools have not been proclaiming the Word of God but the farts and turds which the devil stuffs through their mouths, which a fallen world filled with itching ears always demanding novelty and excitement have been too easily convinced are the best thing since sliced bread. Well, it’s thick enough to slice, but I wouldn’t make a sandwich out of it!

Jesus did not say the Spirit would bring to mind what men would teach. No. Jesus said that the Spirit would bring to the Apostle’s minds all that He has taught. As St. Paul declares that there should be an end to prophecies in the sense of new teachings, and as Jesus is rightly acclaimed as having done all things well, and as Jesus has ascended to be seated at the Right Hand of the Father so that He is now resting, having done and delivered all that He would do, for Jesus meant what He said from the cross, crying that it is indeed finished, so there are no further revelations of God’s Word and Will except what Jesus has already given, taught, and done. Which teachings have faithfully been related to us by those He selected, the Holy Evangelists and Apostles.

There’s no room for further holy books, revelations, or the blatherings of gurus, enlightened masters, prophets, televangelists, or boogums, snoogums, seers, sachems, or swamis. Our Lord Jesus has delivered His teaching once and for all to His Disciples. The Holy Spirit came to them to bring to mind all that He had already then taught them, which in their frailty and sinful weakness they may have forgotten or misunderstood. The Word of the Lord must be certain and sure, inerrant and infallible, and the Holy Spirit saw to it that the Apostles and Evangelists would write the Scriptures as Jesus had already taught. No more and no less.

And we have heard a prompt example of this in the proclamations of the Apostles on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit arrived in their midst. and St. Peter’s sermon served as our exordium today. And what did Peter say? Nothing new! He quoted David twice and Joel once as they are recorded already in the Old Testament, applied these things to Jesus’ work and teaching, and then applied it to his hearers that they believe Jesus is the Christ, repent, be baptized, and be saved from their wicked generation, adding simply that this blessing in Jesus through Baptism is for them and their children and for all who are far away (and that includes you, fellow redeemed!). Nothing new, but everything is perfectly right. And the Word of the Lord is sufficient now and forever for your forgiveness, life, and salvation.

Let the false teachers all go teach under the ocean where their great stench might be covered and their words only so much gargling. We will hear the great good News of Christ for us, and will not be beguiled away by flashy promise of something new. We will stick to the old and narrow paths which lead to our salvation. This is the true gift of the Holy Spirit, and meaning of Pentecost.

As the children of Israel once were led through the wilderness by a pillar of cloud and fire, and as the holy Apostles were graced as by flames of that uncreated fire of God the Spirit, so are you now led and enlightened by the Word of Jesus made sure by the Holy Spirit through their writings, which is delivered to you here and now in the promised means of Grace, the Word and Sacraments.

Jesus has done all things well. He has taken your sin and in His living and dying He has satisfied Righteousness so that in Him you are reckoned righteous, your sin forgiven, and you are given peace now and forevermore with God.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your heart and mind through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

The Feast of the Ascension (obs.) – Mark 16:14-20

: sermonguy; May 12th, 12:47

Grace to you and Peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus.

So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.

This is your word heavenly Father, sanctify us by your truth. Your Word is Truth. Amen.

Fellow redeemed: When man sinned, his fall was very great. When man sinned he was no longer living, but only ever dying forever. When man sinned, he orphaned himself from his Creator God, and had no home, in the Garden, nor even upon the Earth which has been rejecting him ever since, so that the desert burns and the glaciers freeze, the ocean seas are not for drinking, and the brightest fruits are poison to him, so that man has no place at all forever, and has loneliness as his eternal companion in the gloomy prisons made for the fallen demon hoard as the utter offscouring of all Creation. The dread you feel, the misery which has too often been your companion, the pains and aches and sicknesses you’ve endured, oh child of man, are only your rightful due, a tiny deposit on your inherited doom of death. And you know there is no escaping, and no climbing yourself from it.

When man sinned, his fall was very great. And you have since your borning cry known only this alien, lonely condition.

Into the Garden on the day of sin, the Creator came calling. He did what man could not do, replacing the leafy rags of Adam and Eve with clothing fit to cover their shame.

And your Lord and God has been clothing you to cover your shame ever since, for He would love and keep you, oh misbegotten child of sin! Though your sin should by right forever keep the Holy One away for your offense before Him.

But the Lord your Creator suffered Himself to be emptied of His native glory and entered for you His creation, and became, for you, your Brother. Born as you are, fully man, indeed the more fully man than you, for He had no sin. Satisfying the demand of holiness against the sin of fallen man, Jesus lived perfectly, and gave Himself into death, having taken the sin of mankind entire on Himself. The Creator made Himself creature, gave Himself into the death of your sin, and satisfied once and for all the demand of righteousness for you and in your place.

Then Jesus, your God and Creator burst the bonds of death, for He is the Living One. And He dwelt forty days more to show Himself to many, that He who publicly had died, as publicly is now demonstrated by many proofs to be living. And so living and showing Himself to many, Jesus taught the ones He set apart to send out on His behalf for the sake of mankind, the Holy Apostles. And finally commanded that as they would go, they baptize, that is wash, all nations, ethnicities, languages, races, you can say it as you wish but the command is to go and reach all humanity without exception, all the sons and daughters of fallen Adam and Eve, and washing them to be teaching them all that He has taught– bringing just what He taught, every promise delivering what is promised: forgiveness, eternal life, salvation from death and damnation.

And to call us in that coming day, to our true Home, to where we once and for all finally belong. No longer alien to the world, no longer the offscouring of Creation assigned uncomfortable sojourn forever in hell, but to be brought Home, to the Garden made new. Behold, He makes everything new! To that New Heaven and Earth that New Jerusalem not made with hands, that Garden Paradise where the brothers and sisters of Jesus grafted into His family by the wounds cruelly opened by the scourging whip and the nails and the thorns and the spear, for by His stripes we are healed. And behold, Jesus has made everything new! In the washing and the Word He has commanded the Apostles, the work and merit of Jesus are applied to you personally, and you are made His own, your sin and shame eternally and perfectly covered in His righteousness for you. The pelts in which the Creator once covered Adam’s shame being a distant echo of this greater garment, this festive and perfect royal wedding feast garment which now covers you forever without spot or wrinkle, for you are become the beautiful and perfect Bride of Christ, washed in the blood of the Lamb, and made fit and right to abide with Him in this Paradise of eternal life.

So in the fulness of time, Jesus, the perfect and fully God and man One is taken up publicly, before the eyes of many witnesses, a sign that you also shall be raised on the Last Day. For when Jesus ascended, His human nature fully and forever participates in His divine nature. All that Jesus is and does, He is and does as fully human, and fully God. So it was a man who ascended to the right hand of the Glory of the Father. It is a man who now seated in the Glory of God forevermore intercedes on behalf of men, and intercedes on your behalf, oh child of man. Your Creator has made Himself creature, human with you, He so loves you! And Jesus has done all things well, and is bringing you, with the saints of old, the prophets and apostles, the fathers of the people He made His own in ancient time, and the children born today, to be in Him His own greatly loved family, fellow heirs of the Glorious true God and Father of us all for Jesus’ sake.

You shall live, for Jesus lives. And you shall not be alone, for you belong to Christ and are in Him, and you are together with His own, the Bride, the one Holy Church, now hidden, seen only indirectly through the presence of His Word and the Means of Grace where it is gathered, and in the hope that is in you which you express in gentleness and love to those who wonder and ask; and then (and then!), face to face in the resurrection and never-ending glory. And you shall be raised to eternal life, for Jesus is raised. And you shall greet in great joy and love all who are in Him, for Jesus is ascended. And you shall one day soon be clothed, your flesh now corrupt and mortal in immortality and incorruption. You have been made clean by the blood of the Lamb, and His Word abides forever, your sin is forgiven you. You are no longer dying, in Jesus, who is seated at the Father’s Right Hand, your flesh too is being delivered to eternal joy. And He shall wipe away your every tear. You are the beloved child of God for Jesus’ sake forever.

The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your heart and mind through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

6th Sunday of Easter – St. John 16.23-30

: sermonguy; May 5th, 19:08

Grace to you and Peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus.

"In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

This is Your Word, heavenly Father. Sanctify us in the Truth. Your Word is Truth. Amen.

Fellow redeemed: Jesus is made Incarnate, the Word made flesh and born of the Virgin Mary for you. He was made man for you. He was tempted for you. He hungered and thirsted for you. He endured every affliction in your place. He was faithful to His Father. Even during His trials, Jesus wouldn't acknowledge the gods of this fallen world. He suffered and anguished because of your sins. He died on the cross to earn your salvation. He pronounced His victory in Hell. He rose again from the dead on Easter morning. Jesus did all of this for you because of His love for you and His Father.

In Holy Baptism, Jesus took you, washed you, saved you, forgave you all your sins, and wrote His Name upon you claiming you and making you an heir of His kingdom. The Holy Spirit regenerated you, gave you life, and created faith in you thus revealing the Trinity to you.

Jesus gives you His promise in the Gospel today that "whatever you ask the Father in His Name, He will give it to you." Jesus gives you this promise because He knows you still have sorrows, labors, disappointments, and tribulations. Jesus says ask in My Name and it will be given you.

When Jesus invites you to pray to the Father “in His name,” He is inviting you to pray based on who He is and what He does. It’s praying based on His cross, atonement, and redeeming work.

The words “in the name of Jesus” aren’t magic. Those words mean that we have access to God the Father through His Son. Those words mean that God hears your prayers because of what His Son, Jesus, has done--and continues to do--for you. Praying in Jesus’ name means that when you are praying, it’s as if Jesus Himself is doing the praying. That’s what praying “in Jesus’ name” means.

You pray. You ask the Father for joy and deliverance and it seems you do not receive. Your joy is not yet full. Your loved ones and friends get sick and die. Your body may be failing. You may suffer betrayal by your closest friends or husband, wife, son, daughter, father, mother, or another precious and dear to you. Yet, you have joy in the Christ who suffered, died, and rose again from the dead; for you believe in Him who has saved and rescues you from sin, death, and the power of the devil.

Everyday your life is tortured with temptation. You are riddled with sin. You are haunted by guilt, shame, regret, sadness, despair, and uncertainty. You continue to pray. You continue daily to howl into the ears of the Almighty Father for deliverance and relief. Yet, it seems you only receive a portion of fulfillment from the heavenly throne.

You live in the now and not yet. Now, you suffer and yet there is nothing need because the Father is merciful toward you for the sake of His Son, Jesus Christ. One day soon, there will be the day when you will suffer no more. Blind eyes will see. Mute tongues will sing. Ears will hear. Legs will walk. The dead will rise from the earth and join in the song of the seraphim, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.

In the meantime, as you continue your pilgrimage through this vale of tears, call upon the Name of The Lord in the day of trouble. Pray. Praise. Give thanks. Ask God the Father for everything you need in your life. Ask Him without shame as a child would ask their earthly father, always trusting in His mercy that He will give you what is good and best for your you in your life.

Prayer is speaking back to God what He has already spoken to you in His Word; same-saying His promises back to your Father. Prayer is grounded in the suffering and death of God's Son, Jesus Christ. Prayer in Jesus' Name prays for mercy and deliverance just as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane. Prayer in Jesus' Name is the only prayer heard by the Father. All other petitions fall on the deaf ears of the gods of this world, which are not gods at all, and only idols.

As Luther said, pray without ceasing. Sound forth the trumpet of your lips into the ears of your Heavenly Father with your prayers of thanksgiving and need. Do not stop. Pray incessantly in Jesus' Name.

Know this: For the believer, there is always a YES before the throne of God in Jesus' Name. Jesus instructs you, and you may rely on His promise that the Father himself loves you. You believe in Jesus, the Father will never disregard your prayer for Jesus’ sake, for He loves you today, and always.

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

4th Sunday of Easter – 1 Peter 2:11-20

: sermonguy; April 21st, 12:33

Grace to you and Peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus.

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Father, sanctify us in your truth; your word is truth. Amen.

Fellow redeemed: It is God’s will that you live as He created you. That is to say, you are to be good. You are to do good. So ask yourself, are you good? When you do good things, is it always really and truly from a purely good motivation? In other words, when you are being good– are you really being good, or is there sin mixed into your goodness?

What does it matter, you may well ask yourself. Ask yourself this: what if a loaf of bread I am using to make sandwiches is 99% pure, and only 1% plutonium– would you like to have one of my sandwiches? Would you like to eat it? After all, with all the good stuff I pack into a sandwich, there’s not even half a percent of plutonium in every bite. Perhaps 99.8% is wholesome and good. Does it matter? If you don’t want to die from the toxic effects of plutonium you’d better believe it matters. Even 2/10 of a percent will give you terrible radiation sickness!

God is holy. He will not abide the presence of sin. And let’s say that your being, thoughts, words, and deeds are nearly pure and good. Is that last little bit of sin going to be a problem? You’d better believe it will. A little evil, a little death, a little sin is still sin, and that makes you not holy, not clean, not fit at all in the presence of a completely holy God. Your sin, no matter how inconsequential it may seem to you, means disaster between you and the Giver of Life.

Repent of the sin which has woven itself deeply into your being, and which inevitably emerges through your thoughts, words, and deeds. It makes you unfit to stand before God, and it further ruins even the common good thing you may offer your neighbor, like one of my sandwiches with just the teensiest smidge of deadly poison. Your sin makes you unfit for God, and unfit for your neighbor too. Repent. That is, turn from it. Turn, and abandon even your efforts to make yourself what you cannot be due to your sin. Turn away from that endless self-rationalization how it’s not really that bad, it’s not really your fault anyway, how you’re really pretty darned good if you think about it. Turn away from that. Repent. Turn, and see how God is before you.

See how God is before you, and so long as you bring your excuses and your works, you will see His anger. But abandon your rationalizations and drop your defenses. Just come empty-handed. And in so turning, which we call ‘repentance and contrition’ you will see God lift His countenance upon you, and you will be greeted with His work.

After all, if you had one of those toxic plutonium sandwiches, wouldn’t it be best to drop the thing and have a thoroughly wholesome, delicious one given you in its place?

So God, considering you in your deadly condition, which you cannot improve through your own toxic self, or poisoned works, has taken your place, made Himself man, done what you cannot do for your sin, for He has no sin, and then, taking all the poison of your sin upon Himself, He has set you free through His death in your place. That’s what Jesus is all about. Now in repentance you turn to Him. You are by your sin unfit and unworthy. But Jesus has already taken your sin. It has all gone on Him, and He paid for it. And He gives you in its place, His own righteousness, holiness, goodness, and merit. It is acceptable to God, for it is God’s doing, from God, all gift to you.

In repentance, you stand empty, and the one true God who took your place is there, filling you in the righteousness of Jesus. And now even though you may continually stumble and fall, your righteousness is not your doing, but that of Jesus for you. What is in your hand, the good you would do, is no longer mingled with the poison of sin, for it is the gift of Jesus. And though you daily have reason to repent, He regards all that you are and do as from Him, as all gift.

Now, made to receive His justification, Jesus calls you through today’s reading to live as one set free from his own labors, nature, and death. Live as one released from the impossible prison of sin. Your sin is lifted from you. It’s gone. Jesus took it and died with it. You have no claim to it any more. And He gives you His gifts, forgiveness, life, salvation, and places in you love toward Him, and toward one another. So love for Jesus’ sake the person He has justified. Love yourself, and love your neighbor too, for whether he knows it or not, Jesus has lived and died in his place too. Love the unlovely, those whom the world cannot love. God’s love is big enough, and that’s just what you have now.

How shall you love? Take what comes to hand, and do good to the one who comes to hand. Love your fellow Christian. And love your neighbor who still struggles on in his shame. You cannot lose God’s favor by giving it away. For the sake of Jesus in whom you are free, do good, show honor, even to your political ruler, and consider the tyranny Peter lived under in those days as a subject, not even a citizen!, of the Roman Empire. Our Republic may not be as you would wish, but certainly we have not been called to endure the insanity of an emperor Nero or Caligula, nor the hatred toward God’s folk of a Claudius. So our text certainly must apply to you, in that you too honor those who rule over us.

The world may look at the news, at political corruption and bad actors and rage. But in Christ you frankly may honestly give honor and do good even and especially toward such neighbor as may give great reason for offense. For you have nothing to lose, and that neighbor in the end has nothing you truly desire. All you have is God’s gift, and He sustains you. You are free to be kind and do good without regard for the worthiness of those around you. For Jesus, you see, is worthy. And Jesus has given you such grace and such good that you may freely and without any thought to ration it, share His good and grace in your own gracious doing, dealing, and speaking toward one and all.

This good acting, the moreso where it is obviously in the face of those even the fallen world reckons to be unworthy, must astonish and give pause to those who yet dwell in the dark tumult of sin and death. They will wonder at your kindness, at your mindful disregard for what you ought, but don’t usually get in return. And wondering, dear one, wondering, they may even be moved by your example, which will be God’s Word to them, through which the Holy Spirit shall enable them to ask for the remarkable hope you have within. And in respect and love, you will have opportunity to bring them with you to your Savior Jesus, and invite them to hear with you His Good News as sets sinners free forever in His love and life.

You’ve nothing to lose but your sin, and your sin is forgiven you. Love the Lord, love the brethren, love your neighbor, and rejoice as Jesus works in and through you to your world here and now. It’s all His gift and grace, and He loves you, and your neighbor too.

The peace of God which passes all understanding mount guard and keep watch over your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. Amen.

2nd Sunday of Easter – St. John 20.19–31

: sermonguy; April 7th, 8:34

Grace to you and Peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus.

“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.”

This is your word heavenly Father, sanctify us by your truth; your word is truth. Amen.

Fellow redeemed: The disciples were on guard. Their Teacher, Master, and Friend had been brutally tortured to death, and with very good reason they were afraid. These were dark days indeed, and though it was only early evening, around suppertime, the fear they knew caused them to bar the door as one would do only at bedtime.

You are not afraid of the Jews– those high priests and members of the council, now long dead– who once rejected Jesus, I suspect. But you know fear. The consequences of sin are horrible to behold, and you have suffered some of them already. The sickness and disease you have borne in your own flesh, and which you have seen ravage your loved ones, terror, criminal violence, and war in an unholy alliance with natural disaster threaten you. When these may be put out of mind for a moment, peace is not yours, for your neighbor soon enough reminds you of dangers unconsidered. And so with the disciples you isolate yourself, barring yourself against all external threat. And you are left with the evils which may well up within your own flesh. Though it was evening, not yet full night, the doors are barred for fear. The only sensible thing to do, really.

And the bar against that door was doubtless stout and strong. That little band doubtless had fortified themselves with care. Even so, Jesus came and stood among them.

Lately I’ve seen that the urge to barricade oneself into a safe spot has obsessed some whom the press calls ‘preppers.’ Men seeking their safety against deadly threat have spent their fortune building strong bunkers– bolt holes into which they have poured every sort of provision and tool so that they might survive whatever coming storm they fear. How dreadful it is to realize that time and again such fortification has come to nothing. Europe is littered with broken castle walls. Anything man can build, surely man can tear down. This is understood, and so men live walled off somewhat from the fear that no matter what, their works in the end will be undone, and they shall be destroyed.

So it is with the preparations we commonly undertake to fortify ourselves against the greatest, darkest danger– eternal death and hell. Know this well– there is not one work, not one virtue, not one moral strategy available to man which is not undone by the unyielding Law’s demand. Spiritual preppers are no better at truly fortifying themselves than those who see their bunkers and castles ruined at the hand of another.

But it was no dire threatener who overcame their barricade that evening to address the disciples, though evil and death surely were close at hand in those lengthening shadows. Unbelievably (literally unbelievably, for none of them had expected it, not even Peter and John who that very morning had seen the burial cloths laid upon the shelf of the empty tomb) the One who overcame their fortification was not the One who was yet given to judge and doom and damn, but the One who in His flesh had received the judgment, doom, and damnation of mankind entire upon the cross. Here suddenly, and yet it was in the fulness of time, as indeed He does all things, stood the risen Teacher, Master, Friend and Brother, Jesus!

You are right to be filled with fear and dread for the threat from without, and from the threat unseen from within, which are the result of your sin, and which your works, your thoughts, words, and deeds have merited. Behold! Into the midst of your dread dying life, Jesus stands!

The disciples were sore afraid– as those shepherds of old, keeping watch over their flocks by night had been years before– when into the midst of their dark fears appeared suddenly Jesus. But Jesus speaks. And mark it well, when God speaks, you shall hear Him. With a word would He strip their defenses all away and show their doom forever? Shall this Jesus now pronounce your eternal damnation for your own sin? Hear Jesus! “Peace be with you.” He says! He is not wishing you peace. He is not engaging you in your fear with a positive thought. No, He Himself announces that your Peace is indeed before you, present in your midst. Jesus isn’t about kind thoughts and sentiments. He IS peace. And by His Word, He is with His own.

But what is the sign to the disciples, their overwhelming fear now being overwhelmed itself? “When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” Jesus’ Word creates what He says, for He is the Word of God by whom all things are made. He shows the signs of Peace, His nail-pierced hands, His lance-pierced side. The Signs which are the Peace of the disciples are physically given.

Now behold, to this historic event, Jesus adds your Peace too! For Jesus speaks to you, through the disciples, “Jesus said to them again, ‘“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”’ Jesus gives the Holy Spirit– the word for breath is also in Greek the word for spirit, and Jesus gives the disciples the Holy Spirit by the physical, sacramental means of breathing Him into them. And He sends them. Here’s precisely where Jesus sets the disciples apart, ordains them, if you will, in a specific establishing act, into the Holy Office which henceforth identifies them. They are no longer to be disciples only, that is to say the faithful hearers and followers of Jesus, as every baptized Christian is henceforth identified, but in addition, they are to undertake a specific vocation and Office established by Jesus and maintained and empowered by the Holy Spirit here given. When Jesus says “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” He uses a phrase recorded in the Greek “ἀπέσταλκέν” which is familiar to you in the anglicised form ‘apostle’– ‘to send out’ the Apostles are the ones sent out particularly to preach and teach and administer the Means of Grace, even as Jesus taught and graced these disciples. This is at the heart and function of the Holy Ministry which serves the Church to this day. It is a grand Office, but expressed in service for Jesus’ sake to all who would hear and receive His gifts through the means of such men set apart as pastors, ministers, shepherds under Christ, receiving from the Apostles what Christ handed to them and faithfully handing it to all the baptized disciples, adherents, devoted hearers and followers of Jesus.

Jesus empowers His Word through them and those who would come after in the Apostolic Office of the Holy Ministry, bringing His own forgiveness, grace, and life to all who might hear it. Here Jesus gives them, and through them, us, His Keys by which you are unchained from the guilt of your sin and heaven’s gate is opened! But take care, for those who would reject the Word of Jesus, the sin remains bound, and heaven is shut tight. God forbid any should despise the Word of the Lord and His means of Grace! Pray you never should fall into such demonic madness, but rather are returned daily in contrition and prayer to face the One True God, and find Him your Savior– the King of Kings who for your sake has borne upon Himself the penalty and wrath of your sin, and in whose stripes and wounds you are redeemed from death, grafted into His Life and Being, and given your eternal healing.

In ministering to the Church, Jesus gives His gifts always by definite means. You can know your pastor and pray for him as he seeks to serve, even as you can know your fellow Christian and pray for him too as he works in whatever vocation he finds himself, and know that these are praying and supporting you in your vocation too. Jesus works through means. He has not left you alone in some individualistic ‘just Jesus and me’ spirituality, but has established you into His body of the Church through this specific pastor and congregation of sinners made saints through His grace given.

Jesus establishes His grace and Spirit by definite, physical, sacramental means. Keep this in mind as you hear what happened next:

Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Thomas is too easily derided as ‘doubting Thomas.’ But how could it be otherwise? The remaining ten had seen the Lord, had received His gift of the Holy Spirit, and were thus enabled to believe. Thomas had not. He was not with them. And their apostolic office, though established, was not yet quite complete. Jesus was still about on His earthly ministry. Even as a deputy has authority but certainly not when the sheriff is on the scene, but only when he is sent out on patrol to act on the sheriff’s behalf in policing the county, so the other ten, though receiving their office were not yet ‘on patrol’ yet while the Lord was walking in their midst. That would have to wait until after forty days with them Jesus further establishes them and gives them definite directions as apostles and then He ascended to the Right Hand of the Father, and even another ten days after that, till the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, and henceforth they were empowered to act in the Office Jesus had established and given them. So they could tell Thomas, but while Jesus yet tarried, it was His privilege to create the faith and bring the Holy Spirit in and to the missing disciple.

Note this well: All that Jesus establishes is in decency and good order. The procession from the Father to the Son to the Spirit is ordered, and so from the earthly ministry of the Son of God made flesh to the disciples set apart for the Apostolic Office, and so on to all whom follow in their train in the Office of the Holy Ministry as pastors and teachers, missionaries. And all of this is done according to His Word, and through His designated means and order. As you recognize this order, it is no wonder that Thomas must for a while doubt, for it is not our doing, but God’s gracious gift that we should believe and have faith in Him! And Thomas too, is provided the definite physical means to receive this gift of faith as Jesus bids him thrust his finger into the wounds in His nail-pierced hands and to thrust his hand (that’s how the Greek reads, there’s nothing half-hearted about it!) into the Savior’s side where the lance was so recently thrust into Him, till the water and the blood had poured out. Thomas here, as the ten before, were grafted as branches into the grafting wounds of the Vine, our Lord Jesus.

God works Faith in you through means. And the primary means through which God works this Faith is the Word in which He has inspired the Holy Spirit to bring you such Faith. The conclusion thus reads:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you have life in his name.

What more is there to say? You have heard God’s Word. You believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and you have eternal life in His name. Your sin is forgiven. You are at peace.

The peace of God which passes all understanding now guard over your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. Amen.

Easter Sunday – St. Mark 16:1–8

: sermonguy; March 31st, 12:20

Grace to you and Peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus.

And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”

This is Your Word heavenly Father, sanctify us by Your Truth. Your Word is Truth. Amen.

Fellow redeemed: Christ is risen... but where is He? The women arrive at the tomb and it’s empty. Where’s Jesus? Peter and John run up to the tomb and they only see the burial cloths. Where’s Jesus? This morning all over the world all sorts of ideas about where Jesus is are being suggested.

That’s not good enough. I am a dying sinner. You are too. Jesus has died in our place to undo the power of sin and death. But unless you and I are able to get together with Jesus, we will be no better off. An empty tomb, and grave clothes are compelling evidence of Jesus’ resurrection, but at the end of the day I need Jesus, and you do too, or sin and eternal death is going to have its way.

Where’s Jesus? If you listen to a lot of what passes for religion these days, you should look for Jesus in your heart. Really? Have you taken a look in your heart lately? I mean, really poked around? You discover to your dread and horror that the Scripture is true. In Genesis 6 it says “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

Many suggest that Jesus can only be with you if you make a decision to accept Him as your Lord and Savior, reach out and invite Him in. Really? How good are you at making perfect decisions? How able are you to reach out to Jesus and invite Him in? Do you know how God describes your good deeds? And if making a decision for Jesus isn’t a good deed, I don’t know what is! Isaiah gives us God’s verdict on that, saying “all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.” Let’s put this notion of how we find Jesus away once and for all. Paul writes ‘“as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”’

That’s clear, isn’t it? You can’t find Jesus by seeking Him in your heart, or by inviting Him to come in. Others suggest that Jesus is found in the poor. But the poor are lost sinners just like the rich.

It’s obvious if you think about it. Jesus isn’t where the women, Peter and John, or the world thinks to look. So if He isn’t in any of the places we think to look, where is He?

When my boys were little, they enjoyed the ‘Where’s Waldo’ books. These books had page after page of large, detailed drawings of crowds of people. The boys loved searching through these drawings until they discovered the lone ‘Waldo’ with his striped cap and shirt hidden somewhere in the mob. I’m afraid this Easter Sunday a lot of the world is doing what I did one day, when I saw an open picture book with a huge crowd scene, and started looking for Waldo. I’m afraid I wasted an awful lot of time looking, before I thought to check the title and realized that I wasn’t looking at a ‘Where’s Waldo’ book at all. Where’s Waldo? Well, even though the picture was very detailed and complex, no matter how hard I looked, I wasn’t going to find him at all! I was in the wrong place.

In our sin, we are in the wrong place to find Jesus. None of us are going to find Him at all. Unless, that is, Jesus shows us, comes right out and tells us plainly where He is to be found. And you know what? That’s just what Jesus has done.

Jesus tells you where He is. In our Gospel reading today the angel reminded the women of that fact. And it is very precise: “But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” They could look where they’d thought to seek Him till they were blue in the face. But it didn’t matter whether it was the women, or the apostles, or the Temple guard posted at the tomb, Jesus would only be discovered just where He had said He’d be found.

Of course, Jesus can be wherever He wants to be, can’t He? Sure, of course! But unless He reveals Himself, identifies Himself for you, you won’t even know it. Remember how Mary lingered at the tomb that day, and Jesus came to her? Yeah, until He called her by name, she thought He was the gardener! The disciples that afternoon on the road to Emmaus didn’t recognize Jesus either, did they, until He revealed Himself in the breaking of the bread. Even if Jesus were to come down the aisle and plop down right on your lap, how on earth would you know Him? You simply wouldn’t, unless He tells you.

Where’s Jesus? I had stand back and just take it in a few years ago, when I saw another one of those ‘Where’s Waldo?’ illustrations. This was another large image of a big crowd. What made this one different is, every single figure on the poster was Waldo. Where’s Waldo? On that poster you simply couldn’t miss him.

Where’s Jesus? Here’s good news: Jesus tells you. In the Gospel the angel reminds the women that Jesus told the disciples He would go before them to the Galilee. They went to the Galilee. They went fishing on the lake. Jesus called them from the shore and gathered them to Him. Jesus tells you where He is to be found.

Where’s Jesus? Jesus tells you where He is. And you won’t have to work at it. That’s the thing about the grace of Jesus. He does the work, not you. Any work you do is the result, and not the cause of His coming to you. Any work you do is in thanks and praise of His Gifts already doing their thing, delivering forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation from sin and death. Any work you do is fueled and guided by the grace of Jesus and the abiding presence of His Holy Spirit which He gives, that you live in joy and speak and serve and benefit your neighbor for the sake of Jesus, who first loved you.

So, where does Jesus say He is? Is He still cooking bread on the shore of the Galilee? No, He was only there for the sake of the Twelve’s finding Him. But Jesus makes you some promises about where He is for you. He is wherever two or three are gathered together in His Name. That’s where Jesus is. And that gathering? That’s the Church. To be gathered in Jesus’ Name? That’s His Word. Just as the first New Testament Church was gathered around the teaching of the Apostles, as they spoke and wrote Jesus’ Word, so we gather around that Word, to hear who Jesus is, and what He has done for us.

Where is Jesus for you? He’s in the water, making disciples of all nations, washing you into His promise of salvation through Holy Baptism.

Where is Jesus for you? He’s on the lips of those He sends out as His ministers. For to hear them is to hear Him, and whatever sins they remit on earth are remitted also in heaven. Mind you well– to reject His called servant as he is faithfully serving up the Word and administering the Sacraments is also to reject Jesus. You may be certain that Jesus is here for you, baptizing, teaching, forgiving, albeit through the mask of your fellow forgiven sinner.

Where’s Jesus? He took the bread and He took the wine and Jesus says to you ‘Take eat... take drink... this is my body given for you... this is my blood shed for you, for the remission of sins...’ Where’s Jesus? He’s right here, under the bread and wine.

You don’t have to search. You don’t have to be uncertain. Jesus is just precisely where He promises to be for you.

Jesus once was lifted up upon the cross to give His life into death for your sake. Death is dead, and He is risen. Now Jesus brings you His gifts according to His promise and you can find Him just where He promises. Jesus is in the gathering around His Name, that is, His Word which declares you forgiven. You are forgiven! Jesus washes you in the watery word of Holy Baptism. You are clean! Jesus speaks His Word into you, and places His Holy Spirit upon you, that you breathe out His Word of love and joy and hope and forgiveness to your neighbor. Jesus feeds you His Body and Blood and again, your sin is forgiven you. Again, you have life and peace forever in His Name.

Where’s Jesus? He’s right where He promises to be for your sake. And He is bringing you even now, to be forever with Him.

The peace of God which passes all understanding now guard over and keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.

Palm Sunday – St. Matthew 21:1-9

: sermonguy; March 24th, 16:41

Grace to you and Peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus.

Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

This is your word, heavenly Father. Sanctify us by your truth. Your word is truth. Amen.

Fellow redeemed: “On [that day], the Jews entered Jerusalem with shouts of praise, the waving of palm branches, the playing of harps, cymbals, and stringed instruments, and the singing of hymns and canticles because a powerful enemy had been crushed and cast out of Israel.” That sounds a lot like Palm Sunday, doesn’t it? But I just quoted a bit of the account of the victory over the Greeks and Antiochus Epiphanes who had defiled the Temple by sacrificing a pig upon the altar, and the establishment of a revived and independent Judean kingdom. This happened a century and a half before Palm Sunday.

But it does sound a lot like Palm Sunday, right? The Jews were only able to hold onto their independence for a few decades following their victory in the Maccabean Revolt before another, even more powerful invasion out of Rome swept their brief liberty away once more.

The palm branches the Jews once waved became the symbol of the independent Jewish kingdom. Coins were minted bearing the image of palms. How bitter it must have been to trade the coins of a free Jewish state for the coins bearing the images of the symbols and heroes of the Roman overlords!

But the dream had smoldered through the generations. The Judean independence movement even took on various forms, from the separatist essenes to a party which gave us a new word for radical commitment– the zealots. The Jews had not forgotten.

When a man fed five thousand, and then another group of four thousand; when that man taught with authority as none had ever heard before (save only the Baptizer, who counted himself not the one, but his herald); when that man gave sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the mute, cast out demons though they were as numerous as a military legion, caused pigs to plunge to their death in the Galilee; and who even raised Lazarus to life, who had been dead four days; and now was advancing upon the holy City itself, mounted in the fashion of the ancient kings of Israel upon a beast of burden....

Well, the headline wrote itself, didn’t it? Here is a new Son of Thunder, a greater Hebrew Hammer (so the heroes of the old revolt had been known), and the City could not deny Him. The Roman authority itself would surely crumble and retreat as an outgoing tide, as the Greeks had gone before! So fetch your palms, and hie thee to the road to herald this Jesus. For this is not merely a journey, in the eyes of the masses Jesus is mounting a triumph, a parade of victory over the hated enemies of the people!

Over the past couple of weeks now we have seen a vast host of people being very religious. A fellow from Argentina has been made pope, and all sorts of folks you would never have suspected of being Christians have been stumbling over each other to put in their two cents worth on the matter. A rather odd television entertainment has also been drawing much attention to itself, and millions have decided they must get on this band wagon too, to fashion God’s Word in their own image. As we now are being drawn into this time of celebration and hear again the wondrous stories of all that happened that Passover week so long ago which begins with Jesus triumphal entry with palms, and are brought to the feast of the Resurrection and victory over death and sin of our Lord Jesus for us, many again will join in all the commotion.

As the people couldn’t have been more off-base in reckoning that Jesus was entering Jerusalem to wage war on the Romans, so I put it to you that we ourselves must be on guard against mistaking the sizzle for the steak, for making the error of fixing our attention on the falderal of the Easter Parade instead of on the very real Jesus who for your sake gave Himself into death to set you free now and forevermore!

The entry of Jesus truly was a moment to note and celebrate, but not because he was going to relocate some Italians or make Himself the sort of king people expect. The victory Jesus came into the City to obtain was a victory won through His own suffering and lifeblood. All that Jesus brought into Jerusalem that Palm Sunday He would willingly lay down so that you should be set free from your own damnation.

The people of Jerusalem remembered the great celebration when they gained a momentary independence. But they hardly recalled their own failings, their own sin and faithlessness toward God and toward one another which doomed the revived kingdom from the start, so that when the Roman troops hit the shore, it was almost a relief to be set free from the perpetual and worsening corruption which had run rampant in Judea. If Rome took Judea, nobody could say the Judeans didn’t deserve such a fate. When the religious of our own time rush to enjoy the sights and sensations of the Easter parade, I dare say they hardly recall how it is that through our own perpetual failing, sin, and outright evil doings we have each deserved what we’ve got coming to us apart from an undeserved act of kindness and perfect grace from our Creator. If hell should now overtake you, just whom shall you blame but yourself? And your heart accuses you all too well of it, when you pause in that moment of sudden reality and would despair.

But Jesus comes, though the people– then and now– have gotten it all wrong. He comes to lift the undeserving out of our own mess in sin and eternal death. Jesus comes– and we do well, most truly so! to herald His appearing– precisely because we are sinners and our doom is the unending fire of hell. Jesus comes to rescue us, though in our sin we hate Him. He comes to twist our heads up out of our own self-consideration and self-justification and filth, and to turn our eyes to Him. Jesus came into Jerusalem because the haling crowd didn’t even understand how they needed Him. Jesus came precisely because you in your sin would never never take even a baby-step toward reconciliation with your Creator.

Jesus came that day long ago, and He comes now to you through His Word and by His promised means of Grace to do for you what you couldn’t even imagine to do, and could never even lift a finger to accomplish yourself, for in your sin you have been dead from the beginning, a hater of God, and you would reject Him now. Except that Jesus, knowing our wretched state, has set His face toward that work which none else might do, and has emptied Himself to endure for our most ungrateful sake’s the pain and death of the cross.

Jesus has breathed the Holy Spirit into His Word, who has come to you as you have heard it. And He has created faith to believe and receive the promise of the God who loves you. Jesus has given Himself at the end of that triumphal way to take your place and by His lifeblood to redeem you. And you have been made new. Jesus has undone you in your sin, and raised you through the washing of your redemption, as in His own most precious blood your robes have been rinsed of every evil and sin and death and been made whiter than the snow. You have been turned from death to life. And Jesus has transformed you by His good gifts and Spirit from one who perpetually runs from and despises God, into one held forever in His love, and who even may by His grace begin to learn to love Him, and for His sake to love one another.

The Triumph of the old Maccabean Revolt was tarnished and swept away as so much rust by the turning tides of history. The unlikely Triumphal Entry of Jesus is forever new, and His victory for you stands now, and forevermore. You did not earn His grace. You did not even want His favor. But Jesus has given them perfectly too you. And now in the Faith He gives, you stand and rejoice. Your sin is forgiven forever. You are at peace with God forever. You are going to live forever. Love the God who makes such eternal Peace. And for His sake love one another.

The peace of God which passes all understanding now guard over your heart and mind through Christ Jesus. Amen.

Christian Meditation - 5 of 5 conclusion

: sermonguy; March 20th, 16:47

Matthew 28.20 “…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
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We conclude this Lententide series on Christian meditation where such things properly begin; with Jesus’ sending of the holy Apostles, instructing them to go and make disciples, and telling them just how to do it – baptizing them into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and flowing from that moment on, teaching them to observe all that He commanded, all that Jesus first had taught them. Today we look at Christian meditation as Jesus teaches it. It begins with the washing you have received into the name and identity of the Triune God. You are watermarked into Christ. The Holy Spirit attends you with His good gifts: faith to receive the promises, and the grace, wisdom, forgiveness, and life God’s Word brings. It all begins in baptism. And it goes on and on, in this life and time, and on through death, into the resurrection of your body, and on and on forevermore.

Everything Jesus did in taking your place under the load of sin and guilt, satisfying the demands of the Law in every way so that you are set free, this is all given in the washing you received into Him when you were baptized. From that moment onward, whatever goes for Jesus now also goes for you. Shall you know suffering, sorrow, and death? Know that this Jesus has endured too. But if death, then what goes for Jesus, goes for you. And Jesus rose, triumphant over death and the grave. You shall be raised as He is raised. Immortal, incorrupt, all things made new, forevermore.

And so you are commended to have and know all that Jesus has done and taught as you receive it in the teachings of the Apostles, the Holy Scripture. Observe these things, know, and learn to keep as your dearest Treasure the Word of the Lord, and especially the Good News that Jesus has brought you through His own Body deliverance forever from the bondage and terror of sin and death, and has given you eternal life in the undying light of God’s good favor.

So we can sum up all that we have learned in this way:

The discipline & practice of Christian meditation isn’t inward, empty, self-illuminating. It is: outward-focused on Christ, filled with God's Word, which informs, reveals, through which the Holy Spirit illumines.

As Jesus has commanded the holy Apostles, so receive His Gifts in this way:
1. Read God's Word; and consider it without distraction. It may prove helpful to read aloud.
2. Quietly reflect now, and think what you have just read. Consider its context and what threads it tugs elsewhere through Scripture, in your life, and in the world.
3. Let the Word, its meaning, and God's presence through it settle in through quiet contemplation.
4. Using this Word, form a prayer. Pray back to God what He has here spoken to you. Samesay His Law in repentance, always turning to Him; and His Promise, in repentance, always turning to Him who saves and loves you so well.
5. Turn again to your daily affairs and live, loving the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself, in the sure and certain hope of Christ.

Do these things in the sure confidence borne of the faith that Jesus is for you, and the gates of heaven are open to you. Jesus concludes saying, “Listen! I am always with you. To the eon of eons, as long as you shall live, and to the day of your rising, and forevermore. I shall never leave you, nor forsake you. You are mine. I love you. Amen.”

Christian Meditation – 4 of 5

: sermonguy; March 13th, 18:44

Acts 2 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

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Why do we say that Jesus was a carpenter? Simply because the Scripture describes Jesus as the ‘Son of the carpenter.’ Jesus was known as Joseph’s son, and Joseph was a carpenter. So it would be natural that Jesus would have imitated Joseph, and that Joseph would have instructed Jesus even as a little boy how to handle lumber, and how to use the tools of his trade. Perhaps the sainted protector of the Holy Family even fashioned a little toy hammer, saw, and plane for the toddler Savior to play with. It’s a charming image, and we relate to it well. I recall fitting my entire leg into my millwright grandpa’s work boot, and trying to lug my salesman dad’s briefcase. Imitation is a good thing for little ones to do. Habits and skills which otherwise might take years and years of trial and error are naturally adopted as one’s own. As one is well warned not to imitate evil, it is very wise indeed to eagerly imitate good.

So the first New Testament Church was filled with imitators. Imitators of Jesus, certainly! But many never personally knew Him prior to Pentecost. But they imitated those who did know Jesus. Hear the Scripture again: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”

Here’s where we learn meditation in the way of the Church. You fill yourself with the things of Christ, which you receive in the Divine Service. Let’s tick off the items as presented in the devotion of the church of the second chapter of Acts:

The ‘apostles’ teaching’ is precisely what they in turn were taught by Jesus. He taught them the books of the Law and Prophets, and the Psalms, in other words, the Old Testament. And Jesus taught them all about who He is and what He was doing. They wrote these things down for your benefit too. We call these writings the New Testament. Reading and preaching God’s Word, with Jesus the very heart of things, and every part of God’s Word connected to Jesus’ taking away the penalty of your sin and redeeming you to eternal life and reconciling you to God is essential. Devote yourself to God’s Word; hearing and meditating on it.

The fellowship is their gathering together regularly, it’s literally ‘going to church’ and recognizing we aren’t on our own. Meditate on the fact that the Holy Spirit has knit you together with your fellow believers in this assembly. Neglecting this assembly is to cut yourself off from your Lord’s gifts, and leaves you nothing for your prayer and meditation. The breaking of bread and the prayers are simply the Lord’s Supper, in which you prepare for as you examine yourself, repent, receive God’s forgiveness anew, and receive the Body and Blood of Jesus given for you. And it’s ‘the prayers’ not just any old spontaneous praying. The prayers are the set order of saying back to God what He has promised. This is the liturgy, the order of worship, which is nearly all quotations from God’s Word, or, the apostles’ teaching.

Imitate Jesus, be devoted to the apostles’ teaching, and follow the example of proper life and Christian meditation set by the Church, from Acts 2, to this little church you belong to here and now. Here is the true comfort of Christ, and God-pleasing imitation, giving you unity, life, forgiveness, and salvation. Amen.

Lent 4 – John 6:1-15

: sermonguy; March 10th, 9:18

Grace to you and Peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus.

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.

This is Your Word heavenly Father. Sanctify us by Your Truth. Your Word is Truth. Amen.

Fellow redeemed: This week it was shocking to witness the presidential administration’s hesitancy in affirming that they have no authority apart from active warfare to target citizens in the United States with a deadly hellfire rocket from a drone as they were perhaps sitting in a coffee shop. We are now engaged in an ongoing legal struggle to retain our freedom of religion, which some in power suppose we only have when we go to church, but not as we live our lives and so would dictate that we must give abortion coverage in the benefits we extend to the employees of businesses owned by persons who are opposed to this easy murder of the unborn. The last few years have shown many that the foundation of their trust is crumbling. For those finishing school, the prospects of employment are bleak. Nearly half of all university graduates in recent years are unemployed and living with their parents. The powerful joke about the disadvantaged, the politicians break their promises, and the people around us disappoint. Even in church, we can let each other down, losing our temper, not following through on what we promised. What then can we trust?

Today’s Gospel is set in the context of false trust. John 6 begins, “After this.” After what? Jesus has just said to the Jews, “Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust.” They trusted in Moses, that is, they trusted in the books of Moses—the Torah, the Law: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Their trust was in the belief that they were good people, keeping God’s Law. Do you think you are a good person? Then you also trust in Moses, that is, you trust in the Law to make you good. You imagine that on the last day God will add up your merits, deduct your demerits, and if the tally is more good than bad, then all will be well. “But,” says Jesus, “Moses—the Law—will actually be your accuser.”

The Law that you trust in will accuse you, showing you that: you have, by your lustful thoughts and actions, committed adultery; you have borne false witness with your lies, slander, and talking behind the backs of others; you have coveted and desired what God has not given you; you have despised the authorities God has put over you; you have been unfaithful in your worship and prayers, placing the hearing and reading of God’s Word below so many other things you consider more important; you have not feared, not loved, and not trusted in God above all things.

The Epistle today (which is one of the more peculiar ones), speaks about the covenant that comes from Mount Sinai. What happened on Mount Sinai? There God gave the Law, the Commandments. And what comes from Mount Sinai? The Epistle says, it bears “children for slavery.” The Law will only make you a slave—it can never set you free, you can never keep it to God’s satisfaction; it will always accuse you and send you to hell. You cannot trust it, just like all those other things in which we trust—they will always fail us.

How self-centered we can be! How materialistic we can be! Look at these people in today’s gospel. Why were they following Jesus? Was it out of love for God? Was it because they wanted to hear the preaching of God’s Word? No; they “followed Him because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.” They followed Him because they thought He would satisfy their personal desires. They were self-absorbed.

What about you? Why do you follow Jesus? What do you hope to gain? Some follow Jesus out of fear of death and hell; they want to escape God’s wrath. But that is not yet true love of God. Others follow Jesus and come to church only in hopes of a reward. But neither is that yet true love of God. Whether it’s to escape punishment or to receive a blessing, both are self-centered; both say, “What can I gain from following Jesus?” So I will ask you again: Why are you here? Do you wish to follow Jesus for His own sake? In what do you trust?

That’s the true question Jesus asks Philip, when He says, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” How does Philip answer? He starts talking about money: “We would need two hundred denarii.” Jesus has really asked Philip about where he places his trust, and Philip answers with a dollar figure. So Jesus will show Philip that the answer is not a dollar or denarius amount, and that Philip does not yet believe in God as he ought. What about you? Do you believe God? Is the real answer to your problems to be found in doctors or with dollars? Do you believe God? Why then do you fret, worry, despair, become frustrated, angry? Jesus said to Martha, who questioned the wisdom of removing the stone from the tomb of her dead brother Lazarus, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

Where is your trust? In the days when the Law was actually given, as the Lord led the children of Israel into the wilderness, having freed them from slavery, the grumbling people had lost their trust in God, and in their pastors, Moses and Aaron. “Give us bread and meat, and we will trust that! Ah, how we long for the flesh-pots of Egypt!” And the Lord gives them bread, and tells them that He is giving them their daily bread, even us He teaches us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” And giving them bread for one day, He promises that there will be more tomorrow. You would think that by now, after rescuing them from one crisis after another, they would have learned to trust their Lord. Yet even in this small matter, they do not trust Him. So they gather more bread than they were told, and hoard it overnight. What does this mean? The people did not trust their Lord, did not believe His Word.

When Jesus questions Phillips, He is testing him. “Does he trust Me?” He is asking you that question: “Do you trust Me?” Do you? Where is your trust?

Jesus says to His disciples, “Make the people sit down.” Jesus is teaching His people trust. To anyone observing this scene, it appears to be the epitome of folly. “Why should we sit down and prepare to eat? No one has any food! Will Manna rain down from heaven as it did on our fathers of old? These people will turn into an angry, grumbling mob if we tell them to get ready for a meal, since we have only a few loaves of bread and a bit of fish.” Yet sit they do. They sit down and wait patiently, expectantly, even though there is no earthly reason for hope, no rationality to their expectation. All they have to trust is Jesus’ Word. So they sit, and they wait. It is written, “Blessed are all those who wait for [the Lord].”

What will Jesus do? He is not merely going to fill their bellies. Jesus “will respond to all their real needs in the ultimately satisfying way.” Only in Jesus should we trust, for only Jesus can satisfy our real needs. Not only our bodies, but our hearts are hungry until He gives us food. Our souls are thirsty until He gives us drink. Our hearts are restless until they rest in Him. Our lives are lonely until He welcomes us into His fold. Our hearts are downcast until He gives us joy; for “the joy of the Lord is our strength.”

Where is your trust? Trust in Jesus’ true body, the bread from heaven, multiplied for us now, hidden under this bread, yet no less miraculous. You have not trusted. But again, did not Jesus say to Martha, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” When the people were seated, waiting patiently for Him, Jesus “took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples.” The words are nearly identical to words we find elsewhere, words you know very well: “Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: Take, eat; this is My body…”

The bread that the grumbling Israelites greedily grabbed and hoarded overnight, what happened to it? “It bred worms and stank.” So will your bodies, when they are buried in the earth, be wormy and reek. But receive this bread, the bread that Jesus gives, and you have this promise from Him, as He says shortly after He fed the 5,000: “Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.… Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” That is the promise you should trust; it is the only thing that matters.

When the Lord meets your needs, He does so not according to your expectations or even awareness of just what your needs are, but according to His good and perfect knowledge, so that along with the common stuff of daily bread, He most abundantly and freely also gives you the forgiveness of sin, eternal life and salvation. Rely not on your own understanding or feeling of wellbeing and security. Your feelings can lie, your understanding may be in error. But rely instead on Jesus, who is for you, has done all things, and behold, is making you new again in His grace and mercy.

The peace of God which passes all understanding now guard over your heart and mind through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

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