​Septuagesima                                                                                                                                         February 5, 2023
Exodus 17:1-7
 
You Can’t Get Blood From a Stone! Right?
 
v.6     Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.
 
          Dear friends in Christ, you’ve all heard the saying, “You can’t get blood from a stone,” right?  We usually use this phrase when talking about economics and financial hard times to indicate that you can’t get more money from someone who doesn’t have any, just like you can’t get blood from a stone that doesn’t have any blood.  Well, today in our OT reading we see the Israelites confronted with a slightly different problem.  Following their exodus from Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea, they are traveling through the Wilderness of Sin.  This is dry, desert area—not a lot of water—and the people grow thirsty.  What does God have Moses do?  Get water from a stone!  Graciously, the Lord provided for the needs of His people, even though they didn’t deserve it.
          You see, the Israelites' real problem was not a lack of water, but rather a lack of faith.  Though God had led them out of the land of slavery and death in Egypt—though God had very recently begun supplying them with Manna from heaven for them to eat during their journey—yet now, in this remote wilderness—their lips were dry, cracked, and bleeding—their livestock suffering from the burning of the relentless sun—their families wilting under the scorching heat—they doubt God—doubt His promises—doubt His care—doubt His provision.  And whom do they take their frustration and anger out on?  Moses, of course.
          As Moses points out for us in v.7, the Israelites' problem was that of “testing the Lord” by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”  Even after His many miracles—even though He travelled with them by day as a pillar of cloud and by night as a pillar of fire—signifying to them and all others, His gracious and permanent presence among them—yet they doubted Him still. 
          Now we may be rather quick to judge the Israelites in our text.  We may be ready and willing to point and shake our finger at those silly, backward, people, believing that we are so much better—so much more trusting than they—but are we, really?  How many times have you found yourself questioning the gracious promises of God—doubting His presence in your life (even as a baptized child of God)—even after just having received His body and blood in His house for your salvation?  How many times do we receive His gifts here in this place and then immediately go back to worrying and wondering how this or that problem is ever going to be solved—whether we will receive health and vitality in the face of illness—whether the money will hold out to the end of the month—whether God is really with us and actually cares about us.
          There are times, dearly beloved—many times—when it seems as though God has abandoned us to the scorching heat and devastation of this sinful world.  There are times when our souls are dry, cracked, and bleeding—and we wonder if God can or even will do something to help us.  There are times no doubt when we have even taken out our anger and frustration on God’s called servant because he was close at hand, throwing stones of false witness, slander, and hurt his way or someone else’s way, while we are really frustrated and angry with God, wondering why He would allow certain things to happen to us and treat us in this way?
          In fact, much of the time, we act very much like the Israelites in Exodus 17—or the labourers in the vineyard of Jesus’ parable in our Gospel—complaining that God is being unfair toward us in some way.  How quickly we forget that God is unfair—He doesn’t treat us the way we deserve—rather He treats us graciously in mercy and compassion.  In our rebellion and sin we deserve to be treated with punishment and hell by God, yet instead, miraculously, He treats on the basis of His abounding grace in Christ Jesus!
          For you see, you CAN get blood from a stone—as long as that stone is Christ the Lord, as St. Paul makes clear in our Epistle for today.  Indeed, as the Psalmist (19:14) declared, and as we pray together before each sermon, “Let the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” 
          Scripture calls Jesus the Rock of our salvation.  He is the chief cornerstone of our faith because He was struck by the rod of God’s Law and wrath in our stead.  He was broken on the rock of Golgotha—His body beaten and bloodied—His life given up into death—for your sin and mine.  He has given Himself up in this way that we might eat and drink of His own holy body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins and the strengthening of our faith.  You want to know if God really cares for you—really loves you?  Then look no further than the cross.  For there the innocent Lamb of God was struck down for your sin and mine.
          Think back on Christ’s crucifixion, dear friends.  Remember what happened after Jesus gave up His Spirit and died?  As St. John records it for us (19:34), “one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.”  So you can plainly see, how it IS possible to get both blood and water from a stone—as long as that stone is Christ the Rock of our salvation.  The blood and water that poured forth from His side flows to His Holy bride, the church, in the Sacraments to sustain her and give her life as she travels the wilderness of sin in this life.
          St. Ambrose reminds us that as water flowed through the rock at God’s command to Moses, so also for you blood and water flowed from Christ.  The water that the Israelites drank in the desert satisfied only for a time, but the water of Holy Baptism and the Blood of Jesus in the Supper that flowed from His pierced side at Calvary’s cross, satisfies for all eternity.  For it is in His Word and Sacrament that the Gospel comes to you, dear friends, to forgive, lift up and restore your parched and dry, dead souls.  With the water of Baptism He brings a renewing flood of His grace and mercy that forgives every sin—removes all guilt—and breaks through the hardness of your own unbelieving heart—to create and sustain a living faith for all eternity in Jesus your Lord and Saviour.
          What is more, the body and blood of His Supper refreshes you in your own journey in the wilderness of sin—that the temptations of the devil, the world, and your own evil flesh—may not consume you and send you to the eternal fires of hell.  In this Sacrament Jesus very plainly shows you that He is with you—not in wrath and punishment as you deserve because of your doubt and rebellion—but rather in mercy and grace—clean, cool, and refreshing righteousness.
          Drink deeply from the well of His salvation, given to you this day and every Lord’s Day.  For the Lord Jesus Christ Himself comes to you each week in this place to serve you with His own divine goodness and mercy.  In the Words of the Absolution that I proclaim—hear Christ speaking to you—declaring you free from all guilt of sin and death.  In the Invocation—be reminded of your Baptism—that it is for your ultimate good that Christ came and washed you clean—anointing you with His own Holy Spirit and putting His mark forever upon you and writing your name into His book of life.  In the Supper you eat this day—rejoice in the full forgiveness of sins that Christ earned on the cross with His bloody death, and which He now gives to you under bread and wine His very own body and blood—that you may eat and drink and be restored to fullness of life everlasting.
          When tempted to doubt God’s gracious will for you—when wrestling with sin and guilt—when fearful of death and dying—remember that the rock hardness of the Law and of sin and death have all been broken asunder by the power of Jesus’ cross from which we receive forgiveness, healing, and life everlasting—in His Word and Sacraments.  These are His visible signs of His testimony of love for you—signed and sealed in His blood shed on the cross—and delivered to you through water, bread, and wine along with His Word of promise and hope.  And there is absolutely no doubt about it.  For you can indeed get blood from a stone—the Rock of our Salvation.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.
          

​Epiphany 2                                                                                                                                                    January 15, 2023
John 2:1-11
 
The Hour of Power
 
v.4                   And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me?  My hour has not yet come.”
 
Dear friends in Christ, I am sure that many of you have heard of, if not actually seen, the television program called The Hour of Power.  It was begun by the notable Rev. Dr. Schuller, but is now hosted by his grandson, Bobby Schuller.  This program which grew prominent under Dr. Schuller’s prosperity gospel preaching, has suffered some decline in recent years.  Indeed, this iconic “hour of power,” which for so long seemed so strong, so impressive, with its beautiful building—the Crystal Cathedral, magnificent choir, charismatic preacher, etc. has shown signs of weakening and eroding.  Quite a contrast with our Lord in talking about His hour and the power that He revealed. 
Our text takes place following Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist, wherein as we heard last week, Jesus was confirmed in His public ministry by the sign of His Father’s voice from heaven proclaiming His pleasure in the Son, as well as the anointing of the Holy Spirit, who came upon Jesus in the form of a dove.  Now, however, Jesus will confirm His ministry among sinners with this first sign of His power—at this very hour.
Now, this is certainly not the way in which you would expect our Lord to first demonstrate His power to the people He had come to save.  It takes place at a wedding celebration and involves saving the bride and groom from some embarrassment in not having provided enough wine for their guests.  At first, Jesus attempts to avoid this situation claiming His hour has not yet come, but His mother simply instructs the servants to do whatever He tells them.
We see at this wedding feast the elements of a fallen creation run short.  Jesus, as the One who has come to make all things new, steps in to restore creation, and miraculously changes water into an abundance of the very best wine, thereby fulfilling one of many Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah.  With this sign Christ does indeed manifest His glory.  However, again, it is not as we would do.  For only the servants and Jesus’ own disciples knew what had happened—furthermore, this miracle occurred in a small town in the back country of Galilee.  Not the most auspicious of beginnings for such a powerful ministry. 
This hour, where Jesus first manifested His power and glory at Cana in Galilee pointed ahead to a greater hour of power—though one not adorned with what we would consider great displays of power—His cross at Golgotha.  There Jesus showed His glory by taking all of creation’s curse into His own flesh to release us from its power.  Paul describes this great hour for us in our epistle reading where He speaks of Jesus as the bridegroom who gave His life for His bride.  This Christ has done with His own suffering and death on the cross.
Jesus' greatest “hour of power” was in taking your place upon the cross—suffering shame, humility, agonizing pain, and death—unjustly—for your sin and mine.  He gave Himself up to the judgement and wrath of God so that you and I might be spared—saved from damnation and hell—and given a place at the great wedding feast of the kingdom of God in everlasting life. 
Just so it is today that Christ continues to use the fallen elements of this creation to bring abundant blessing and life and to manifest His power and glory this side of heaven.  We see Jesus’ power at work in each hour of worship here in His house.  For Christ has chosen to combine the power of His redeeming Word with common elements—water, bread, and wine—that in them—lowly though they may appear—Christ’s great power is manifested for sinners like you and me. 
Apart from Christ’s Word the water is just plain water, but with His Word it is a Baptism—that is a washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit—forgiving sins, creating faith, pouring out life and salvation where before there had been only death and decay.  This is His gift to you, dear friends.  That you may always look back to the hour of your Baptism as the moment when God made you His own dear child—showering upon you the power of His grace and mercy—that you might be washed clean and so receive entry into the kingdom of heaven.
Similarly, in the Sacrament of the Altar, again Christ took simple, everyday elements, bread and wine, and combined them with His Word of promise to give us a foretaste of the great feast to come.  For, under the power of Christ’s own creative and salvific Word, Christ’s body and blood are present with the bread and wine.  His body and blood given up for you at the hour of His death on Calvary’s cross come to bring you His holiness and purity—wiping out every stain and wrinkle of sin in your life—pledging you His eternal life and salvation.  This gift He gives to you each hour we come together to celebrate Him and His Word.  The mighty and powerful benefits of His hour of death become fully yours through faith as you believe and trust in Him and His sacrifice for you.
Indeed, the whole hour of this Divine Service is one in which God is at work serving you, dear friends, with His powerful Word and Sacrament.  From the beautiful words of the liturgy that speak back to God what He has already told us in His Word, to the words of the Creed, the hymns and the prayers.  Indeed, in the absolution and the preached Word of the sermon God’s powerful and redemptive Word comes to you to lift up and restore your weary souls.  To pull you from the depths of the darkness of your sin-shrouded lives and bring you to His glorious light. 
As you come and hear—as you come and receive—the water and blood that flowed from Christ’s side at Calvary—you are able to rejoice!  For the bridegroom has given His life for the bride—to wash her and sanctify her—purifying her from all unrighteousness—through His own shed blood.  You are the bride dear friends, and Christ is the groom.  He has given Himself up to death, even death upon a cross—so that He might take creation’s curse into His own flesh to release you from its power—thereby manifesting His glory in a most unusual way—in suffering and death. 
Yet through His tremendous sacrifice—through His glorious resurrection and triumph over the grave, Satan, and all our enemies—you are promised a seat at the great wedding feast in the kingdom of heaven where there will be no sorrow—no pain or suffering—where death and darkness will be a distant memory, for Christ our Light and Life will shine upon us always in glorious splendor. 
This is His great promise to you, dear friends, that at the hour of trial and tribulation—at the very hour of your death—you may be comforted in the sure and certain knowledge that the benefits of Christ’s hour that came upon Him at the cross—have been given wholly and completely to you.  May this hope bring you all comfort and joy in this hour, now and forever.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.
 
 

​Epiphany 1 – The Baptism of our Lord                                                                                                 January 8, 2023
1 Corinthians 1:26-31              
 
Foolish Christians!
 
v.26-27       For considers your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong…
 
          Dear friends in Christ, the world looks at us and our belief in Jesus as the Saviour of the world as though we are a bunch of fools.  In our postmodern western society, the notion that there is a singular powerful deity who created all things and to whom all people are responsible for their moral shortcomings seems to be utterly ridiculous.  This scorn is, of course, nothing new for us Christians.  Indeed the second century Greek philosopher, Celsus, was an outspoken advocate against Christians—considering them to be supremely stupid people.  He wrote of the Christians:
Their injunctions are like this: "Let no one educated, no one wise, no one sensible draw near.  For these abilities are thought by us [Christians] to be evils.  But as for anyone ignorant, anyone stupid, anyone uneducated, anyone who is a child, let him come boldly."  By the fact that they themselves admit that these people are worthy of their God, they show that they want and are able to convince only the foolish, dishonourable and stupid, and only slaves, women, and children.
          Of course, dear friends, this a gross mischaracterization of the Christian Gospel.  For Paul does not say to the Corinthian Christian congregation "none of you were wise according to worldly standards, none of  you were powerful, none of you were of noble birth," but rather "not many."  To be sure, all people are welcomed by our God into His holy family, the church, including both the foolish and the wise, the weak and the powerful, the ordinary and the noble.  And the great good news is that He does so, even though we are completely unworthy.
          The fact is that many of the Corinthian Christians were either slaves or freed slaves, and so were looked down upon by most of the society around them.  We, too, today are looked upon by the world as foolish, ignorant people for believing the Scriptures' account of God working in and through Christ Jesus to save us from our sin.  Sometimes, they will say that if we were more educated then we would know better.  Sadly, you and I know that the statistics for Christians retaining their faith after entering the hostile secular realm of the university education system are rather grim.  Many young Christians have had their faith shaken, and worse yet, even destroyed, by the hounding of their professors and classmates who challenge their faith.
          Does this mean that we should steer clear of university education for our children?  Of course not.  But it does mean that we need to do a better job of preparing them prior to sending them away, and make sure that while they are gone (if they are far from home) that they are connected to a local church where they can hear and receive God's gifts and be strengthened in their faith.
          And when we are tested, we need to remember St. Paul's words here.  That God specifically chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise.  He chose the seemingly idiotic idea of sending His own beloved Son to suffer and die on the cross in order to redeem those who are enslaved to sin and death.  God chose His Son to be the wisdom that we need.  This is why "no human being might boast in the presence of God."  For our wisdom and power and achievements earn us nothing toward our salvation.  Only clinging to the cross of Jesus grants us forgiveness for our sins and everlasting life and salvation.
          There simply is no room for boasting before God because the Christian has received their whole existence in Christ from God in the first place.  For He "became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, and sanctification and redemption…"  And, as Paul says in Galatians (3:26), "for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith."  Beloved, what joy and comfort and peace this gives to us.  In Christ, we have received everything from God.  Through our Baptism into the body of Christ—He is our wisdom—all the treasures of divine wisdom are bound up in Christ and on display in the foolish and weak act of His crucifixion—and our preaching about it.
          Beloved, through faith, you have received the righteousness of Christ—the Passover Lamb who covers your sins with His blood.  All that you have done against God's Word and God's will—is wiped clean by this precious blood of Jesus outpoured for you on the cross.  Furthermore, you have received the sanctification (the holiness) of God in Christ.  Your guilt has been taken away and your sin atoned for—received freely in your Baptism into the triune name of God.  But none of these gifts could have been given to you without the gift of redemption.  You have been redeemed (bought back from sin and death) by the spilling of the blood of Jesus. 
          Therefore, instead of boasting of your own wisdom or intellectual achievements—the Christian is directed to the wisdom of Another—Jesus Christ.  Only by being in Christ and having that alien wisdom conferred on you as a cover for your own foolishness and sin, do you, the Christian, gain the wisdom that is actually God pleasing—the wisdom that is faith in Jesus' work on the cross to forgive your sin and grant you life.
          Nowhere is this foolish and weak act of God toward the Christian more on display than in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism—particularly for infants.  Anyone can see how Baptism is not the baby's own doing—they cannot walk, they cannot talk, they cannot move or do anything of their own will.  They are completely passive.  Yet in Baptism (of both children and adults) God works a mighty miracle: He cleanses from all sin, bestows the gift of the Holy Spirit (creating and sustaining faith in Christ), and grants the treasure of eternal life to the baptized.     Who, then, is doing the action or the work in Baptism?  It is not the one being baptized, but rather God Almighty.  He alone has the power to remove the devil from your stubborn heart.  He alone has the ability to grant you the grace to believe and trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.  He alone can change your heart from an unbelieving, scorning stubborn heart of dead stone, to one of living flesh—alive with the Spirit of God through faith in Christ. 
          So thanks be to God, dear friends, that "God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong…"  For in so doing, God has demonstrated His great love and care for us in Christ Jesus—He who was baptized into our sin in the Jordan and carried it to the cross for us.  We sinful human beings cannot boast in the presence of God.  As Christians we would never dare to do so.  For we know and trust and believe that our salvation from start to finish rests securely in the nail-pierced hands of Jesus.  And so we who boast, boast only in the Lord.  And if the world mocks and ridicules us for our faith—so be it.  We will continue to reach out to them in Christian love and charity so that they too may hear the "foolish" wisdom of God that has so dramatically impacted our lives with the saving grace of Jesus.  For by God's grace, we ARE fools.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

​Christmas 1 – The Circumcision and Naming of Jesus                                                                           January 1, 2023
Luke 2:21
 
The Everlasting Day
 
v.21   And at the end of eight days, when He was circumcised, He was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
 
          Dear friends in Christ, today we are celebrating an interesting festival in the church year—the circumcision and naming of Jesus, which is observed on January 1st.  Joseph and Mary, as devout Jews, waited until the eighth day to circumcise their newborn son, Jesus, in fulfillment of Old Testament Law—which was done to incorporate the new child into the life and covenant of the Jews, in remembrance of the great covenant that God had made with Abraham so many years before in Genesis 17.  Circumcision was a very important religious ritual in Jewish life as it served to daily remind the Jews, particularly the males, of their status as people set apart by God for God and of His manifold blessings and promises that He gave to them. 
          Furthermore, as Abram received his new name, Abraham, at his circumcision, so also from that time forth, Jewish males received their names on the occasion of their circumcision.  For people in Bible times names held great significance—either as hopes/dreams of the parents for their children—or, to signify a person’s character or destiny.  This also carried on into Christian tradition as people were given their “Christian names” at Baptism—for those who encounter God will never be the same—and a new name was a great way of symbolizing this important truth.
          Jesus, at His circumcision, was already working to fulfill the whole Law of God for His people.  He began His work very early in life, taking up the mantle of sinful humanity, being born under the Law, so that He might truly carry it out for us.  The Lawgiver was making Himself subject to His own Law.  This is the beginning of His work of redemption for the whole world.  Already, at only eight days old, our Lord shed His blood, beginning the task that would be the salvation for all people. 
          There is, of course, great significance to the number eight in the Bible, and the eighth day in particular.   God’s whole work of creation took seven days.  On the seventh He rested—the eighth day, therefore, was the beginning of something new—another week—another time.  This is carried forward into Jesus’ own atoning sacrifice on the cross.  He died, completed His work of redemption, on the sixth day, resting in the tomb on the seventh day, He was raised to new and everlasting life on the eighth day—the first day of the new creation—which He promises will also be given to all those who believe in Him.  This brought the world into a new covenant of grace and mercy—forever sealed in the blood of Jesus that was shed.
          How appropriate that Jesus also received His name on this eighth day—the name that already told the story of what He had come to do—Jesus--the Lord saves.  For truly, in Jesus the Lord God almighty has come to save.  He has come in the weakness of human flesh—born of woman—born under the Law—to redeem all those who were under the curse of the Law—you and me—on account of our sin. 
No doubt Jesus cried as His foreskin was cut off, foreshadowing how He would cry out on Calvary as He would be cut off from His Father in heaven because of our sin.  Giving up His body and His blood into death—even death upon the cross.  But He knew that no ordinary human being could ever have fulfilled the Law of God perfectly as He Himself demands.  Therefore, He went about doing that great work for us—and then, in an act of unimaginable mercy—even took into His own flesh the horrible punishment for sin that was our due. 
How does all of this apply to you, personally?  Well, St. Paul in His letter to the Colossians provides the link for us when he says (2:11-14), “In Him [Jesus] also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in Baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised Him from the dead.  And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands.  This He set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
Wow.  In Baptism, St. Paul says, there is a link to circumcision.  Just as circumcision pointed ahead to an even greater covenant relationship with God, so now in Holy Baptism it has been fulfilled.  For in Baptism your sin is cut off from you—removed by the blood of Christ outpoured for you—who nailed your sin to the cross and left it there forever—paid by His shed blood.  Though you were dead in your trespasses—in the uncircumcision of your hearts—your unbelief—yet God, in His grace, has raised you from the dead—breathing new life into your soul through faith in Christ Jesus.  This is His gift to you in your Baptism. 
For in Baptism, you receive many things:  forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation.  You also rejoice in the reception of the Holy Spirit who comes to dwell within your heart to keep you in the one true faith by always pointing you to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. 
Remember, whatever name you have been given by your parents, in Baptism you have been given another name.  A name like no other.  The name that is above all names—the name of the Triune God Himself—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  His name is upon your brow—setting you apart as one for whom Christ has died—and one for whom there is a place in the kingdom of heaven. 
This means that whatever you encounter in this life—whatever heartaches and sorrows you endure—whatever accusations Satan and the world might throw your way—you need never despair.  They might call you names in mockery and derision—they might besmirch your name all around town with lies—or, you might even mar your own name by your sinful words and deeds.  Despite all these things—the Lord’s name remains and abides with you and upon you through it all.  In your Baptism His name was placed upon your brow and no one and no thing can ever remove it.  For Christ has placed it there Himself—sealed it unto you with His own blood—claiming you as His own dear child and heir.  Though Satan and the world may rage against you—yet you have Jesus Christ and Him crucified—you have the name of the Lord of Life and the Redeemer of all etched into your life through faith in Jesus.  So, even now, you remain—and will abide in forever—the Everlasting Day—the Day of grace, mercy, and peace—the eternal Eighth Day of the New Creation.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.  

​Christmas Day – Rev. Scmidt                                                                                                            December 25, 2022
John 1:1-18
 
This Is My Son: Jesus
 
v.14   And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
 
          Dear friends in Christ, a father’s relationship with his children is incredibly important to their emotional and social well-being. The negative effects of a child without a father can be seen in countless studies and reports. The statistics show the importance of a father figure in the majority of children’s lives.
According to “What Can the Federal Government Do to Decrease Crime and Revitalize Communities?” from the United States Department of Justice, children from fatherless homes account for:
63 percent of youth suicides
90 percent of all homeless and runaway youths
85 percent of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders
71 percent of all high school dropouts
70 percent of juveniles in state-operated institutions
75 percent of adolescent patients in substance abuse centers [1]
Children do best when they know and are raised by both a father and a mother.
But even when dad is present, it doesn’t mean that everything will go well. Authors and screenwriters have often recognized the complex relationship that often exists between fathers and sons and have used those tensions to create powerful stories.
When Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back revealed to Luke Skywalker while they were fighting that he was, in fact, Luke’s father, it was the most shocking father-son moment since . . . well, probably 2,000 years beforehand in the Jordan River when Jesus was baptized, and God himself announced, “This is My Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
How many other movies can you think of that revolve around the relationship between fathers and sons? I can think of The Godfather, a story really about sons trying to not disappoint fathers, Finding Nemo, a story about an overprotective father and a wayward son; The Tree of Life, a story that explores the generational effect of how fathers raise their sons; and The Lion King, another story about a son who feels like he can’t live up to his father’s expectations.
Based on our own storytelling, we humans know both how important fathers are and how difficult our relationships with them can be.
          In our midweek Advent series this year, we have explored three different father-and-son relationships found in the Old Testament, all of which ended in disappointment and often in tragedy.
Cain, the son of Adam, was not the promised Savior that Adam and Eve hoped that he would be. Rather, he continued in his father’s sin, becoming the first man among many who would strike out and kill his own brother, Abel.
Ishmael, the son of Abraham, was not the promised son either. Abraham and Sarah thought that they had to take matters into their own hands in order to produce an heir for Abraham. But they soon learned the folly of not trusting fully in God and trying to produce on their own what only God could do.
Absalom, the son of David, despite his father’s great love for him, ended up disappointing his father as well, rebelling against him and losing his life in the process.
All of these stories, both biblical and modern, help point us to the most complicated father-son relationship of all time. It’s the story of God the Father, Creator of heaven and earth, and the children He created, the sons of men.
This is our story.
Though we desperately need the presence of our loving heavenly Father in our lives for our wellbeing, we have rejected Him time and time again through our sinful and foolish ways.
Like Cain, we have not lived up to the expectations given to us in the Ten Commandments and have become murderers through our sinful thoughts and words and actions. Like the story of Ishmael, we have tried to take matters into our own hands, thinking that our good works will earn God’s love and favor. But our efforts are doomed to fall short and drive us further away from God. Like Absalom, we have rebelled against our heavenly Father and King, wanting to rule our own lives instead. But this will only lead to death and condemnation.
Rather than trust in our heavenly Father’s guidance, which is always wise and good, we prefer to place our trust in political figures, or military might, or in ourselves to find salvation in this life. Rather than listen to the truth that our heavenly Father speaks to us, we prefer to listen and place our confidence in the opinion of others.
          Our story is a story of wayward and stubborn children who have a Father who is even more stubbornly pursuing us out of His great love.
It is a story perfectly captured by Jesus in His parable of the prodigal son. 
I’m sure you know this story well. The younger son of a wealthy and generous father demanded his share of the inheritance. He may as well have said to him, “I wish you were dead already so I can have your stuff!” With his words, he murdered like Cain. With his actions, he rebelled like Absalom. Yet even more shockingly, the father gives his son what he wants. He allows him to walk away and out of his life.
Yet the father never stops looking for his son and hoping and praying that he will return. Though he had every reason to be, he was not angry at his son. He simply wanted another opportunity to show him how much he loved him. And finally, when the son had wasted all of his father’s money and found himself at the end of his rope, his father got the chance to demonstrate just how great his love was for his son.
The prodigal son knew he did not deserve his father’s love or even a spot in the family again. He merely wanted to return as a servant. Perhaps he could work his way back in. With his focus on his own works, he became like Ishmael.
But his father would have none of it. Before he can even speak, the son is embraced tightly, clothed in the finest robe and sandals, and given the family ring, a symbol of his status as a son of the father. A celebration is planned, a fattened calf is sacrificed, and the son who once was lost has been found, the son who once was dead is alive again.
This story begs the question: how could the father love his son like this? How could he just receive him back as if he had done nothing wrong? And would God do the same for us? These are questions that are answered by the story of Christmas.
The Christmas story tells the story of the only perfect Father-Son relationship that has ever existed. This relationship has existed since before time began. It will continue to exist throughout eternity.
It is a relationship that is proclaimed in many of the Christmas songs we sing:
“Of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds began to be, He is Alpha and Omega, He the source, the ending He” (Of the Father’s Love Begotten, LSB 384:1).
“Silent night, holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light” (Silent Night, Holy Night, LSB 363:3).
 “Son of the Father now in flesh appearing!” (O Come, All Ye Faithful, LSB 379:2).
“Now through His Son doth shine the Father’s grace divine.” (Now Sing We, Now Rejoice, LSB 386:3).
It is a story that is told in the first chapter of John’s Gospel:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . . No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known. (John 1:1–2, 14, 18; emphasis added) 
God the Father knows how much we need Him, despite our rejection of Him. We need to know our Father. It is the only way to find true joy, peace, hope, and life. And in order to make us children of God, God sent His only-begotten Son into the world—the Son of Man and Son of God—to be the perfect Son that we could never be.
“When the fullness of time had come,” Paul explains, “God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4–5, emphasis added).
Jesus is the true Son of Adam who is the promised Seed foretold in Genesis 3 and who committed no murder with his thoughts, words, and actions. Rather, he was murdered that we might live.
Jesus is the true Son of Abraham, the One who would bless all nations, by taking our salvation into His hands and giving to us His righteousness.
Jesus is the true Son of David, the King of kings, who remained perfectly obedient to His Father, and yet became a curse for us by hanging from a tree.
Psalm 146 reminds us: “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish (Psalm 146:3–4). But Jesus is both the Son of Man and Son of God, the Prince of Peace, and when His breath departed, God’s plan of salvation was complete—God and sinners reconciled.
          Because of the gift of His Son, God reveals to us, in a shocking twist, that He is, in fact, our Father, who loves us and forgives us and gives us the right to become children of God. God adopts you and makes you part of His eternal family through your Baptism into Jesus. What God said to Jesus at His Baptism, God now says to you through yours: “This is My son. This is My daughter, with whom I am well pleased.”
You are not a fatherless child. You do not have an absentee Father. Though you don’t deserve it, you have a perfect relationship with your Father who has given up His only-begotten Son for you and who will always love you and care for you and shield you with His presence, just like a good Father should do.
“All this for us our God has done granting love through His own Son. Therefore, all Christendom, rejoice. And sing His praise with endless voice. Alleluia!” (We Praise You, Jesus, at Your Birth, LSB 382:7).  Truly, thanks be to God our Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
 


[1] Office of Justice Programs, “What Can the Federal Government Do to Decrease Crime and Revitalize Communities?” https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/172210.pdf, 1998. 

​Christmas Eve                                                                                                                                    December 24, 2022
Isaiah 9:2-7
 
The Light in the Darkness
 
v.2     The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.
 
          Dear friends in Christ, welcome to one and all this very joyous night in which we celebrate the birth of Jesus—our Saviour.  Our text for this evening is taken from our Old Testament reading according to the prophet Isaiah who prophesied some 700-800 years before Christ was actually born in Bethlehem.  He speaks to the people of Israel who were themselves facing some very dark and dangerous times with the oppression of their not-so-nice Babylonian neighbours.  He speaks of hope in the face of despair—light in the midst of darkness.
          Have you ever been in the dark?  I mean truly in the dark?  In our modern world of convenience with powerful flashlights and electric lights in the home, in our cars, on our streets, we are very rarely left out in the dark.  I remember when I was in grade 8 in Edmonton, Alberta, my class went on an extended camping trip to the mountains near Jasper.  One activity we did was to go spelunking.  What is that?  It is when you go and explore caves.  After we had worked our way deep into a cave, our teacher had us all find a spot to sit in the cool dampness and then turn off our lights.  Talk about dark!  You couldn’t see your own hand waving in front of your face, let alone a friend who was only a couple of feet away.  The darkness was so deep as to be almost tangible—it was heavy and oppressive—kind of scary.  After several minutes we were all quite relieved to put our lights back on and get out of there.
          Though we may know deep down that there is no reason to be truly afraid of the dark, yet we also know that bad things can and often do happen in the dark.  Otherwise, why would we spend so much time and money on interior and exterior lighting for our homes/businesses/public places?  This world is a dark and dangerous place.  Don’t believe me?  Turn on the news once in a while and see what kind of terrible things happen every single day.  What time of the day do most bad things happen?  In the middle of the night—when things are at their darkest.
          The darkness of the world outside of us is symptomatic of an even greater darkness that is within.  A darkness that affects everything we are, think, say, and do.  “No way!  Not me!” you may be thinking.  “I’m a pretty good person and all is going pretty well in my life—not much darkness here—maybe a few shadows is all, but nothing too bad.  It’s pretty much all sunshine and roses for me!
          The darkness of which I speak, however, is a part of you—Yes!  YOU!  For the darkness is that of sin and death.  Sin that has been inherited by every human being on the planet and that blinds us all to its own presence and deadly effects.  The sin that resides in each of your hearts is dark, dangerous, and deadly.  And I don’t just mean deadly in the sense of dropping dead after choking on a bone from the Christmas turkey or from arteries clogged with butter from all the Christmas goodies.  No, I mean dead in the sense of eternal death and damnation in hell—the just punishment by God for your sin. 
          This is the world in which we find ourselves.  This is the web of darkness that has trapped us with no escape on our own.  We are caught and dead in our trespasses and sins before a holy and righteous God who must punish sin with death and hell, according to His Word.
           Though we may turn a blind eye towards it.  Though we may try and wish it away—our sin clings to us still—breaking down relationships—sapping our life—our energy—killing us—inside and out.  Though things may be going well, right now.  Though we may have a good job, a wonderful family, a nice cabin, a new boat and two cars, the latest i-pad, the newest gaming system—what happens when all that is gone?  What happens when all that is taken away—robbed by the passage of time and death?  Where will you turn in the darkness?  Where will you go when you can’t see the way?  Where will you turn when you are blinded to the truth?  Where will you go when you die?
          Heavy questions, indeed, for this Christmas Eve, but necessary ones.  For Isaiah, the prophet of old, has the answer for us.  He speaks to those like you and me who are caught in darkness—who walk and dwell in darkness!  He speaks of a light that has shined.  A light that brings joy and peace everlasting to those who look upon it.  What is this light?  Perhaps the better question to ask is “Who is this light?”  Isaiah answers in v.6, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
          Did you hear that?  The Light—this glorious light that lightens up our dark world of sin and death and brings healing, forgiveness, and life—is a child—a son—more than that He is Mighty God—the Prince of Peace!  This is He of whom the angels spoke to the shepherds—announcing to them the great and glorious good news that the long-awaited Saviour of the world had been born.  “And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.’”
          Beloved, the Good News for you this evening is the same that was given to the shepherds long ago and the people of Israel through Isaiah even before that!  This news is of God who came to dwell among us in our own flesh.  Taking all our sin into His own innocent and sinless body—He would carry it to the cross to thereby suffer the dark and dreadful judgment of God for our sin.  He would suffer and die—endure the fires of hell—in your place and mine—so that in Him and by His light we might be freed from the darkness of sin and death that shrouds us—thereby moved to finally live in Him forever.
          For in Christ, the Light of the World, all of your many sins are fully and completely forgiven.  In Christ and His Light the darkness of your sin and the shadow of death has been burned away—removed by the Light of His own redeeming love and faithfulness.  And this Gospel—this Good News—is not something that you can hear just anywhere.  You won’t hear about it on the 6 o’clock news—you won’t see it in the majesty of nature as you go ski-doing or ice fishing—you won’t see it in the wider universe as you marvel at the planets and stars.  For this is truly news!  News that must be proclaimed—announced! 
          As the angels first shouted out with joy the Good News to those lowly shepherds about the Saviour’s birth—so it is the church’s job today to continue to proclaim this wondrous Good News to all people in all places and times.  This is what the church is truly all about.  This is why it is so important for you to attend church regularly—not just once or twice a year—but as often as possible—so that you may rest secure in the Light of Jesus’ Gospel that assures you of His forgiveness and mercy.
          Those who separate themselves from the Light of Christ are like those who would throw away their flashlight in the deep, dark cave and try to walk around blindly as though nothing was wrong or dangerous.  Therefore, I encourage you, I plead and exhort you to come to the Lord’s service as often as possible.  Come!  Hear this good news for you over and over again that you might be strengthened and encouraged in your faith when the darkness of the world, the devil, and even your own sinful flesh seeks to pull you down into the blackness of sin and despair.
          Jesus is your victory!  Jesus is your light, shining brightly in the darkness as a beacon to show you that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one comes to the Father—no one gets to heaven—except through Him.  He has purchased and won your soul with the sacrifice of His own body and blood on the cross.  He longs to soothe your troubled minds and hearts with His comforting Word.  He desires to wash you clean of your sin in Holy Baptism and to feed you with His own body and blood in His Holy Supper.  These are His gifts to you the whole year through.  Gifts that give you all the wonders that the Christ child won for you with His perfect life, death, and resurrection.
          Beloved, as you travel home this evening in the darkness—each time you pass a light on the street—each time you turn on the lights in your home—when you look upon the lights of your own Christmas tree—remember.  Remember with joy and thanksgiving the great things that God has done for you in His own beloved Son, Jesus, the Light of the World to come.  The light of Jesus’ love and mercy shines down on you through His blessed Word and Sacraments whereby the Good News of the Gospel of forgiveness is announced to you again and again.  Reassuring and comforting you and giving you peace and life and light.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

​Advent 4 (Rorate Coeli)                                                                                                                    December 18, 2022
Luke 1:39-56
 
Leaping for Joy!
 
v.41a    And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb.
 
          Dear friends in Christ, it's almost time—it's really close now—Christmas!  Christmas is nearly here!  We grow excited with anticipation as the day draws ever nearer.  Family is arriving.  Decorations are up.  Last minute presents are being bought and wrapped.  Baking is ongoing—and being enjoyed!  Christmas music fills the air.  The lights brighten up even the darkest of days.  As the excitement builds, so does our joy.  Nowhere is this more clearly evident than in the reactions of little children.  Often, they look with wonder around them at the sights, smells, and sounds of Christmas.  Sometimes, you can practically see them dancing or shaking with expectant hope as the time of Advent gives way to Christmas.
          Would it surprise you to learn that this veritable explosion of joy among children at Christmas goes all the way back to the very first Christmas?  In our text we are blessed to hear of the encounter between the Virgin Mary and her cousin, Elizabeth.  Elizabeth, you will recall, was the wife of the priest, Zechariah, who was pregnant (at her advanced age) with John the Baptist, whom we heard about last week.  Mary had no doubt travelled there to assist Elizabeth in her preparations to give birth as her time drew closer. 
          When Mary enters the house, St. Luke records that she gave a greeting to Elizabeth.  We don't know the exact words she used, but Elizabeth's (and the unborn John's) response is astonishing.  John leaps for joy in Elizabeth's womb.  The Greek word used here is often used for that of calves being released from their barn stall—scampering around the countryside in exuberant play.  Elizabeth herself is filled with the Holy Spirit so that she can give great praise—not only to Mary—but to the Child in Mary's womb—the unborn Jesus.  She exclaims that Mary is blessed—to be spoken highly of—eulogized if you will—among all women.  Why?  Well, because the fruit of Mary's womb (who also is to be spoken of very highly) is the Lord!  The long-awaited Messiah—the Christ—who will set His people free from sin, as prophesied of old.  Elizabeth further elaborates to Mary that at the mere sound of her voice in greeting, her unborn son, John, leaped for joy in her womb!  Amazing!  Such is the response of God's people to the presence of their Lord and Savior—even if He is but a tiny baby in His mother's womb.
          Beloved, this is the effect that the Gospel—the Good News of Jesus—has on God's people: unbelievable joy!  Joy that might even result in leaping about like children in great excitement.  For those who believe the Word of the Lord—His promises that He gives to us through Jesus—are necessarily filled with joy and peace.  This is what results in our ultimate blessing, as Elizabeth says to Mary, "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
          Just a few verses earlier in Luke 1, Mary had been approached by the angel Gabriel who told her that she was to be the mother of the coming Messiah.  Even though this announcement caused her some fear and trepidation, especially as she was yet a virgin—how could she possibly conceive a child?—yet in the end, Mary's deep faith is evidenced as she simply responds to Gabriel, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."  Elizabeth was also given to conceive in her old age—not quite as miraculous a conception as Jesus, of course, but one still worth noting.  While Zechariah had questioned the angel's announcement to him concerning this event, apparently his wife, Elizabeth, accepted it with good grace, as did Mary.  The belief and trust in the Lord's amazing promises always leads to joy and peace in the believer's heart.
          Now, dear friends, we certainly have many things that bring us great joy in this life.  We are recipients of many First Article gifts of Creation from the Lord that we do well to rejoice in: family, friends, house and home, food and clothing, government, health, etc.  We rightly recognize that our loving Father in heaven—the Creator of all things—graciously gives us (and all people on this earth)—such tremendous blessings—and we do well to thank and praise Him for them.  Indeed, sadly the Christmas season has largely been taken over by the secular world's emphasis on such gifts that are given at this time of year—be they toys, sweaters, or the latest electronics. 
          But for you and me, beloved—for us Christians—there is a much greater gift that we do well to receive with joy:  the Good News of Jesus.  Jesus—the Savior—born of the Virgin Mary—the Christ—whose birth the Christian church has been celebrating with a special Mass (or worship service) for nearly 2000 years.  Christmas gives Christians great joy because it is all about Jesus.  Indeed, we continue to lift up our voices with the Virgin Mary in singing her beautiful song, the Magnificat each week in our midweek Vespers services.  How does Mary lead us in song?  "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…"
          So we respond with great joy at Christmas—no matter what—for we have a loving God who has acted in real history—in actual time and space—to save us from our sin—to deliver us from death—to drive off the devil with His Word of peace.  For Jesus comes to bring mercy to those who fear Him—have faith in Him—trust in His blood shed on the cross to wipe away their sins.  He exalts the lowly who have faith in His promises—He fills those who hunger and thirst for righteousness with His own goodness and mercy.  He helps His people as He remembers His mercy—the promise He made to Abraham and to his seed forever.  The promise of Jesus.
          So, beloved, you too may have great joy in your heart this Adventide, leading up to Christmas.  For you have heard the Words and promises of your God.  You have heard the story of Christ's birth, His suffering and death on the cross, His glorious resurrection and ascension into heaven, and you know that He is coming again to usher in His everlasting kingdom.  You have heard, and by God's grace, you have believed.  By looking to Christ who was born in the manger and who would later hang on the cross in payment for your sins—you are blessed.  You are blessed with comfort and joy.  Does this mean you will always feel happy?  Does this mean you will always be dancing and prancing around like excited children?  Does this mean you won't experience pain or suffering?  No, of course not.  But it does mean that there will always be a joy deep down in your heart—a joy rooted in the Christ Child born of the Virgin Mary—who has saved you from your sins.
          And this same Jesus is the very One who promises that as He has been raised from the dead, so too shall all who believe in Him and His Word that He has spoken through the prophets, apostles, and evangelists like St. Luke. 
          At times, beloved, we Christians can sometimes be a little reserved, not very expressive of the joy that our faith in Christ gives.  Let us take the opportunity this coming Christmas season to be a little more open in expressing the joy that is in our hearts.  Joy that does not come from what is found under the tree or in our stocking, but the true joy that comes from knowing and believing in the Lord Jesus—the fruit of Mary's womb—who as God in the flesh—came to take our sins away and pay the price for them with His own suffering and death. 
          That means it doesn't matter in the end how terrible fuel prices are—or food prices—or wars or rumors of wars—or disasters—or sickness—nor even death!  For you dear Christian have believed that there will be a fulfillment of what was spoken to from the Lord: Words of forgiveness for all your sins; words of washing and renewal in Holy Baptism that have made you God's own children; words connected to bread and wine that give you the very body and blood of Jesus so that you are fed with the righteousness of Jesus; words of peace in the face of distress; words of life in the face of death.  All these words of our Lord you have believed—and you know that they will be fulfilled for you on account of Jesus' cross and resurrection—and so you are truly blessed with a peace and a joy that surpasses all human understanding.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen

​Advent 3 – Gaudete                                                                                                                                       December 11, 2022
Matthew 11:2-10 (11)
 
A Time of Preparation
 
v.10   This is he of whom it is written, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you."
 
          Dear friends in Christ, the Latin name for this Sunday in Advent is "Gaudete" or "Rejoice!" Sunday.  On this Sunday we light that peculiarly colored candle—some name it "Rose," but let's be honest—it's pink.  A color meant to reflect joy and happiness.  And we certainly have much to rejoice in today, don't we, beloved?  For on this day we are free to come together in God's house—hear His Word—receive His Sacrament—without fear—without danger.  We are particularly blessed at St. Paul this morning to hear our Sunday School children lift up their voices in song and praise to our Savior Jesus. 
          There has been a lot of preparation that has had to happen to make this day possible.  We have had weeks of practice with the children: learning the words and melody, etc.—just ask our Sunday school teachers how much labor went into today!  A lot!
          And this is not the only kind of preparation that is going on right now.  We have many things to do: shopping, baking, decorating, parties to plan and attend, gifts to buy and to wrap, special meals to cook and enjoy, family get-togethers, concerts and pageants to rehearse for and attend, etc, etc. etc.  It's exhausting.
          Yet with all the things we have to prepare for—there is one above all others that we should not neglect.  For it is more important than family dinners and Christmas presents under the Tree.  Indeed, during the season of Advent we are called to prepare for the true meaning of Christmas—the coming of the Lord Jesus.  The Lord Jesus who is God in human flesh come to save the world from sin.  If we fail to prepare for His coming—we may find ourselves on the wrong side of heaven at His return—not somewhere we want to be.
          In our text for this morning, Jesus is speaking of His cousin, John the Baptist.  John had been put in prison for preaching the uncomfortable truth to the king of Judea that he was sinning by taking his brother's wife for himself.  Now in  prison, John asks of Jesus, "Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?"  Jesus responds to the question by instructing John's disciples to return to John and tell him what they have heard and seen.  "The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them."  In other words, Jesus points to His words and deeds as confirmation and proof of Who He is—God in human flesh—for all to believe.
          Then Jesus speaks to the crowds concerning John the Baptist.  They had all come out to see John when he was preaching at the Jordan river—and baptizing people into repentance for the forgiveness of their sins.  Jesus says that John was no ordinary prophet.  Indeed, John was the last prophet of the Old Testament era—the prophet who was prophesied in the Scriptures to come before the Christ—the Messiah—in order to prepare the way before Him.  Jesus quotes the prophet Malachi, saying of John, "This is he of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.'"
          John was the forerunner of the Christ—the Messiah.  John's job, given to him by God, was to preach of the coming of the Son of Man—the One whom God would send to free His people from bondage to sin, death, and hell.  John was the final preacher in a long list of preachers dating back to the beginning of time when Adam and Eve fell into sin in the Garden of Eden, and were told by God that He would send One who would crush the head of the serpent devil, and undo the harm that had broken His good creation. 
          John had been teaching and preaching along the banks of the Jordan river.  He had been speaking to people concerning the Christ—that He was coming—One whose sandal John was unworthy to stoop down and untie—One who is the Lamb of God come to take the sin of the world away—One who would increase, while John himself would decrease.  This Jesus is the One about whom John had been preaching and teaching.  This Jesus is the One whom John was preparing the people to meet and to receive.
          How?  How does one prepare to meet their Maker—to meet their Redeemer—their Lord and Savior?  Through repentance.  A turning away from sin and a turning toward God's mercy in Christ Jesus through faith.  This is how people are prepared to meet the Lord.  By repenting of our sin—confessing it as wrong and evil—contrary to God's holy Word and will.  And then looking to Jesus—the Lamb of God—for mercy and forgiveness through His shed blood on the cross.
          This turning to Christ Jesus in faith is what brings great joy and contentment to sinners in need of grace and peace.  For Jesus' words and deeds proved He is who He claimed to be—God made flesh.  He healed the sick—raised the dead—and proclaimed good news to those in need.  Good news to those weighed down with guilt over their sin.  Good news to those fearful of death and the grave—for He is the resurrection and the life!  This Jesus, whom John proclaimed to be the Christ—is the Lord and Savior of all.  And He is coming soon to usher in His everlasting kingdom of joy and blessedness. 
          How can we be prepared for Jesus' coming—even today?  How is the way before Him prepared?  In ways we may not always recognize, at least not at first glance.  It looks like people being baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit—being cleansed from all sin and made heirs of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.  It looks like children singing hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God, while telling the story of Jesus' birth.  It looks like all those instructed in the faith humbly coming to kneel before this altar and receive the body and blood of Jesus into their mouths for the forgiveness of their sins.  It looks like the whole congregation of saints at prayer—humbly confessing their sins before God and one another—and then hearing with joy and thanksgiving the sure and certain absolution—forgiveness—for all their sins in the name of the Triune God!  It looks like Christians simply spreading the message of Christ's salvation to friends, family, and neighbors by the words that they speak.  It looks like Christians offering forgiveness toward their fellow sinners when they have been wronged—or going to a neighbor to confess their own sin and seeking forgiveness.  It looks like families gathered around the Word of God in their homes—reading and studying it together—and then offering up prayers of intercession and thanksgiving for all whom they love.
          Beloved, the Lord God has sent messengers ahead of you—to proclaim to you the Good News of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ who died and rose again for you.  Perhaps, it was your parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles, maybe even your own children.  Now it is your great joy and privilege to be a messenger to someone else.  To go forth from this place with the message of peace and salvation you yourselves have received and heard—to speak that glorious Good News to others.  For Christ has come!  There is no need to look for another!  So now turn in repentance to the One true God and look to Him for your forgiveness and peace—for Jesus has come to set His people free.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.
 

​Advent 1 – Ad Te Levavi                                                                                                                  November 27, 2022
Jeremiah 23:5-8
 
The Coming of the King!
 
v.5     Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
 
          Dear friends in Christ, this past September we witnessed the coming of the new King of England—Charles III.  After reigning more than 70years as queen, Charles' mother—Queen Elizabeth II—died and went to her Lord and Savior Jesus.  Much has been said about how Charles III will conduct himself as the new King of England.  Of course, only time will tell.
          The prophet Jeremiah in our text also had much to say about various kings of Judah.  The Lord had scathing words of rebuke to those who were to shepherd and guide His people—but who shirked their duty—casting off the works of the Lord and using and abusing the people for their own greed and gain—and leading them to do the same.  So the Lord promises that the kingdom of Judah will ultimately suffer for their lack of faith—that they will be overtaken by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar—taken into exile—and there die outside the Promised Land. 
          Yet the Lord did not leave His people with a word of utter disaster and despair.  Indeed, for here in our text we read of the promised coming of a new king—a righteous king—a just king.  One who would shepherd and guide the people aright according the Word of God—one who would actually save His people—uniting the kingdoms of Judah and Israel—declaring them righteous in His sight—and returning them to the sheepfold of the Lord in the Promised Land.  This king would be for David a Righteous Branch—of the line and lineage of David (ancient Israel's greatest king), but would surpass David in every respect.
          Boy, don't we long for a king—or any ruler—like that?  Someone who will do right by the people they are pledged to govern.  One who will care for them.  One who will execute justice and truth according to God's Word.  One who will actually sacrifice for the people—giving them of Himself—rather than taking from the people, and offering them unjust and crooked laws that benefit the rulers.  One who will advocate for the needy and oppressed, and teach the people to do likewise.
          In the democratic processes of our country, we are blessed to be able to vote for those who govern us, but we have to be honest that even when the people we actually want to see elected are elected, the results still leave much to be desired.  For our rulers—even the very best ones—are still human beings—sinners—and so are fallen creatures—susceptible to all the temptations that plague each and every one of us.  This is why the Scriptures readily declare in abundance (Psalm 118:9), "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes."
          Not so, however, with the king described by the prophet Jeremiah.  Why?  Because this king is no ordinary king.  This king—the Righteous Branch for David—stems from God Almighty—IS God Almighty in the flesh—our Jesus—whom the people welcomed with great joy on Palm Sunday—hailing Him as their prophet king.  Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah—the King of Judah, Israel, and ALL creation.  He is the One who will truly be the Good Shepherd of His people—dealing with them in truth and justice—pouring out upon sinners His own blessed righteousness.  For, as Jesus says (John 10:11), "I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."
          The Lord Jesus—the true King of the world—has come to lay down His life for us on the cross—dying the death we deserve for our sins—our unrighteousness.  He sheds His blood that we might be forgiven, cleansed, restored—brought back to the sheepfold of our God to dwell forevermore in safety and peace—fed and nourished by His strong right arm. 
          This King Jesus is not swayed my man's opinion.  He cannot be bribed.  He cannot be deceived.  He knows all and sees all.  He knows your darkest, deepest secrets—those things of which you are most ashamed.  He knows the sins that keep you up at night, guilt plaguing your dreams.  He knows them all—and He has died for them all—to set you free from your guilt and shame—to rejoice in His salvation—His righteousness.  That you might shout, "Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!"  For Hosanna is a prayer crying to God for help and salvation.  This is what Jesus brings!  This is what Jesus has accomplished!  His blood purifies us from all sin—washing away our unrighteousness—which is why He is called, "The Lord is our righteousness!"
          What a glorious confession, beloved!  What a wondrous truth!  That the Lord God Almighty has deigned to come in human flesh to save us—to be our righteousness!  That we may look to Him—trust in Him alone—as our refuge and strength.  Sure, we participate in the political processes of our nations, because it is good for us to do so.  It is a tremendous privilege and duty we have as citizens of our earthly nations.  But we never forget as Christians that our true citizenship lies in heaven with our true King—Jesus. 
          Indeed, we are not surprised when our fallen earthly rulers sometimes act and behave in ways that are contrary to the truth and justice of God.  We are saddened by it—as we are at any instance of sin—but we are not surprised.  Nor are we demoralized—thinking that all is lost because our earthly rulers act in unjust ways, taking advantage of the people they are to govern.  Instead, we lift up our eyes to our heavenly King—knowing that He will come again to Judge both the living and the dead, as we confess in the Creed.  Jesus is—and always will be—King of all.  As such, we have supreme confidence that in the end, all will be made right—all will come under His just and righteous reign and judgement.  And we need not fear His judgement for our sins, for we know that He has already paid for our sins with His own life's blood. 
          And so, beloved, we join in lifting up our souls to He who is our King of kings and Lord of lords!  Our goodly king who has served us with His perfect life, suffering death, and glorious resurrection.  Our King who will come again on the Last Day to set all things right—to make all things new—to usher in His new creation where there will be no sin, suffering, sorrowing, or dying of any kind.  Where truth and justice will reign forevermore—for our Lord Jesus is Truth and Justice incarnate—made flesh—and the Father has placed the entire universe as His footstool for Him to rule and govern.
          What have we to worry about if our earthly rulers cause us harm or distress?  Our hope is not in them—in some sort of utopia on this earth.  That is an impossibility—an absurdity in this fallen and broken world.  Rather, we trust in our heavenly King Jesus—our Good Shepherd—the Lord who is our righteousness.  In Him we will not be shaken.  In Him we shall forever dwell in the Promised Land of Paradise.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

​Trinity 22                                                                                                                                           November 13, 2022
Matthew 18:21-35
 
Forgiving the Unforgivable
 
v.32-33       Then his master summoned him and said to him, "You wicked servant!  I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.  And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?"
 
          Dear friends in Christ, hold on to your hats, because it's going to get real here, very quickly.  This text before us today cuts to the quick.  It teaches us in no uncertain terms what, and how, and how often, we, as Christians, are to forgive our neighbour who sins against us.  For with hard-hearted refusal to forgive a fellow sinner comes some of the harshest words our Lord ever spoke, "In anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt (which would never happen--this is hell--for all eternity).  So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
          Ouch Jesus!  Couldn't you have given us something a little bit easier to do?  Something more manageable, like cut off our finger or something?  But to truly forgive our neighbour from our heart--for every sin--every time?  Now that's tough!
          But this is so very important for us Christians to deal with, isn't it?  After all, what is the Christian church all about?  Social programs and soup kitchens?  What about Bible study?  How about organ music during worship services?  No, of course not.  As important as some of these may be, at its heart and soul, the Christian church is, of course, about the Christ, Jesus--and the forgiveness He brings to the world through His suffering, death, and resurrection.
          As usual, we have someone to blame for this hard teaching of Jesus--St. Peter.  Yeah, that's right, him…again!  After hearing Jesus finish talking about how we are to deal with someone who has sinned against us--by going to them, privately and personally, and then bringing a couple of witnesses, before bringing it to the church--Peter can't just leave well enough alone!  No, he's always asking questions.  Ugh.  "So, Lord, when my brother sins against me, how often do I have to forgive him, up to seven times?"
          To be fair, Peter is asking a good question--an important question. We know that we daily sin much, not only against God, but against each other.  Therefore, we also ought to think about how often we are to forgive those who sin against us.  But Jesus' response to Peter's question is a killer.  "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times."  That's Jewish code-speak for an unlimited number of times--thanks a lot Peter!
          Seriously, however, Peter asks a good question, but he is expecting a much more reasonable answer--a limited answer to the amount of times one must forgive one's neighbour.  He wants a solid, concrete, easily-within-reach answer that we can wrap our brain and our hearts around.  But this is not the way Jesus operates.  He deals in holy truths--He gives an unbelievable answer--77 times!--an answer that is hard both on our brains and on our hearts--that makes no sense because it is so radical in its scope.  We are to forgive without limit--fully and freely.
          To drive His point home, Jesus then tells the parable of the unmerciful (unforgiving) servant.  A master had a servant who owed an enormous debt--like bigger than the Gross Domestic Product of most nations kind of debt--in our terms today 10 000 talents was akin to trillions of dollars!  This worthless servant crumbles before his master and begs him to have patience with him so that he might repay the debt.  Yeah, right, this master didn't just fall off the turnip truck!  There was no way that this man could ever hope to repay even the smallest portion of what was owed.  Yet, in seeing this man's plight, his desperation, hearing his pleas for mercy, the master is moved to have compassion and pity upon him (splangthnizomai).  Rather than just reducing the debt--making it more manageable--the master simply forgives it all!  Every last penny!  Forgiven.  He and his family are now free and clear!  It is unbelievable!  It is pure grace.
          But when this forgiven servant went out and encountered  a fellow servant who owed him a few hundred bucks, he demanded what was owed of him according to the law.  No one is surprised.  No one is aghast--yet, even though he began by choking him!  Now when this fellow servant speaks up and uses the exact same words that this forgiven servant had used to the master, the forgiven servant refused to have mercy and threw him into prison until the debt should be paid. 
          It is here where things go sideways.  Those witnessing this exchange are deeply distressed and run to the master to tell him what has happened.  The master calls the forgiven servant into his midst and declares him wicked for he did not show mercy, as he had been shown mercy.  He then is delivered to the jailers and Jesus warns us that the same will happen to us if we fail to forgive our brother from our heart.
          The point here is that our debt of sin before God, the Master of heaven, is massive--beyond calculation.  Yet God, in His compassion, has had mercy on us--and forgiven us the entire debt--free and clear--all because of Jesus and His shed blood on the cross.  Therefore, we, too ought to forgive our neighbour who has sinned against us (which in comparison to the sins we have committed against God, are relatively minor in comparison).  But therein lies the problem.  We don't see it that way.  And so this is far easier said than done.
          As we have been redeemed by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we are to forgive, without number--without limit--no matter what was done--no matter how many times it was done--fully and from the heart.  And yet, even though we are God's people--even though the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts--boy do we struggle with this!  Our frail flesh holds up the sins of others before us and our hearts harden and we desire to lay hands upon them and cause them to suffer for the hurts and the wrong that they have inflicted upon us or those whom we love!  "It's only just!" we cry to ourselves.  "It's only fair and what is right!"
          That may be true, but it is not mercy.  It is not grace.  And that is what we have received freely from the hand of our heavenly Father.  He did not deal with us according to justice (by which we would all end up in hell), but rather according to His undeserved favour and kindness.  Nonetheless, we look at the sins that have been committed against our neighbour--and we think to ourselves, "How can God expect us to forgive people who do wicked things to others?  That's unforgivable!" 
          Or, to make it even more real, what about those who have sinned against your family--your loved ones?  What about the man who assaulted your daughter?  Turned your son into a quadriplegic while drinking and driving?  What about the person who stole your car?  Beat up your sister?  "How can God expect us to forgive such a person?  That's unforgivable!"
          What about the sins committed against our person?  The gossip in the lunch room?  The spouse who cheated on you?  The friend who betrayed you?  The parent who abandoned you?  The person who abused you as a child?  "How can God expect me to forgive that person?  That's unforgivable!"
          And so you see, beloved, that by our very response to these situations and so many more, we prove ourselves to be the wicked servant of the parable.  We are the ones who refuse to forgive--who enjoy inflicting pain upon those who have hurt us so deeply and profoundly.  We fail to forgive because, ultimately, we fail to believe that we ourselves have been fully forgiven as God's Word tells us.  We don't believe the radical nature of God's grace and so imprison people in their sin against us, even as we believe we are imprisoned by our own sin.
          But this is not so!  You have been set free by the blood of Jesus.  Your sins have been fully and completely forgiven by Jesus' work on the cross to redeem you and all others--even those who have so hurt you by word and by deed.   Your sins are unforgivable--according to earthly standards.  But with God all things are possible.  And in Jesus Christ's shed blood you are forgiven and the debt is eliminated.  You have been forgiven because the Father has sent His Son, Jesus our brother--to forgive us from His spear pierced heart.  Not only did Jesus die for the sins you have committed against Him and your neighbour, but He has also suffered for the sins that your neighbour has carried out against you.  Jesus bled for them, too.
          Now, don't get me wrong.  I am not saying that there are not earthly, temporal consequences for sin--for example, the sin of infidelity can often lead to divorce and the breakup of a marriage; drunk driving causing bodily harm can lead to jail sentences, as can theft or any other number of sins/crimes.  But, this does NOT mean that we are not to forgive.  Though forgiveness be granted, there may yet be consequences this side of heaven.
          Yet we are to be mindful that from the heart of Jesus hanging on the cross flowed blood and water.  The water flows into the Baptismal font wherein each of you has been washed clean of all sins and bathed in the blood of Christ.  The blood trickling from His side has flowed into the chalice from which you drink on the Lord's day.  A cleansing tide that changes your hearts from hardened stone, to softened flesh, delighting in the mercy of God, and in extending that mercy to others, as hard as that is, at times.
          Chief of sinners though you are--Jesus Christ has died for you.  He has forgiven the unforgivable--through the unbelievable act of His sacrifice in your place on the cross.  Redeemed by His blood. Changed by His mercy.  You, too, may now in humility, learn to forgive, even as you have been forgiven--and live freely in His radical grace.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.