Easter 7 – Exaudi May 21, 2023
John 15:26-16:4
Listen Up! – There are No Surprises Here
16:4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.
Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Dear friends in Christ, today not only marks the Seventh and final Sunday of our week-of-weeks long celebration of Easter (Exaudi—Listen Sunday), but also the commemoration of Emperor Constantine and his mother, Helena. Why would the church seek to honour and remember a secular ruler and his mom? Because of the profound impact they had on the Christian church and western civilization. You see, prior to Constantine, Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire. Indeed, the previous Emperor, Diocletian, had undertaken one of the most severe persecutions of Christians the church had ever faced.
However, Constantine received a vision prior to the great battle of Milvian Bridge in which the Lord Jesus spoke to him, giving him a sign of victory for the coming battle—the sign of the cross. After Constantine's victory over his rival, Maxentius in 312 A.D., he converted to Christianity and even passed the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D., which made Christianity a legally recognized and protected religion of the Roman Empire. The church historian Eusebius notes that Constantine's mother, Helena, had long been a Christian and prayed for her son to convert. Constantine's becoming the first Christian Emperor, who also sought to assist the church in various ways, paving the way for Christianity's explosion of growth in the west, is why he and his mother are remembered on this day.
For before this time, Christianity was illegal, and underwent periodic times of severe persecution. This should come as no surprise, since this is precisely what Jesus was warning about in our text for today. John 16:2-3 records Jesus saying, "They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor Me." So Christianity actually has a long history of widespread persecution throughout the world. And while we currently enjoy living in a country with a goodly amount of religious freedom, yet Christians remain persecuted both here in our society, as well as other countries.
But "Why?" you may ask. "Why are Christians so often targets of oppression?" Well, Jesus gives us the cold hard truth just a few verses before our text in John 15:18-19, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." Furthermore, as Jesus says in our text, John 15:26, "But when the Helper comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, Who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me."
So, why does the world attack Christians and the church? Because first of all, the world attacked and hated our Lord Jesus. Since they hate Him and His message, they also necessarily hate those who love and follow Him, spreading His message. Secondly, Christians are bearers of the Holy Spirit whom they have received through Holy Baptism in God's Triune name. The Holy Spirit testifies to the Truth—God's own truth as revealed in His Word and His Son Jesus. For the Spirit testifies of Jesus constantly. And because we as Christ followers and Spirit bearers also bear witness to the truth of God's Word and beauty of salvation through Jesus, we too are despised and attacked by the world that does not want to hear this truth, nor receive this Jesus.
As disciples of Christ, we speak the truth in love—no matter what—no matter the consequences—for we are called to faithfulness. Faithfulness to Christ Jesus and His Word of truth—and the world hates us for it. It hates that we hold to an objective moral standard of living based in natural law and God's revealed Word. We hold to the truth of biological reality that distinguishes male from female, even while looking with compassion on those who are truly suffering confusion in their hearts and minds on this matter.
We reserve sexual intercourse for the marriage bed between one man and one woman, no exceptions, for this is good in the sight of God, and of benefit to our world and society, so that children can be raised within a home that consists of both their mother and father, whenever possible. And we call all people to repent who step outside of this, whether inside or outside the church. In a world that embraces all forms of sexual expression, this view cannot be tolerated, and so all those who support this truth must be stamped out and silenced in the public square.
Christians also recognize and rejoice that God created the world and all that is in it. That human beings are specifically created in God's own image, having then a special dignity set apart from all the rest of creation, not occurring through grand evolutionary processes, but rather that we were shaped and formed by God's own hand; that He breathed into us the breath of life, making us a living soul; and that all human beings, from the tiniest embryo in the womb to the oldest most feeble adult, and everything in between, is precious and holy in God's sight, and so human life should be honoured in every way. In a society that sees children as inconveniences rather than blessings (inconveniences that can and should be eliminated)—in a society that sees the elderly and infirm as drains on society, rather than precious family members to be nurtured and cared for—the Christian truth cannot abide. And so Christians and their views must be put down.
Christians believe all these truths and so many more—and the world hates us for it. Indeed, in just a couple weeks' time we will suffer through yet another explosion of LGBTQ+ pride for the month of June. The secular world declares "Woe to you or your business or your family if you don’t fully participate in this celebration of sexual confusion and licentiousness." You may be cancelled if you speak the "wrong" words—if you don't show proper "tolerance" by which they mean full blown acceptance. Some may lose their jobs. Peoples' businesses may suffer for not displaying the rainbow flag on their storefronts. Dirty accusations of bigotry and hatred follow the Christian who simply desires to be faithful to God and His Word—who speaks the truth—no matter how gently and lovingly.
What are we to do, dear Christian friends? For the world hates us even more for how we, along with the Holy Spirit, bear witness to them of Jesus the Saviour. Jesus, the only way of salvation. Jesus, the only true and living God who bled and died for the sins of the world, including you and me. This Jesus who speaks truth—this Jesus who bleeds, suffers, and dies—cannot be accepted by a world intent on rejecting His truth and denying their sin for which He came to die. How do we bear up under these attacks? How do we have strength to resist? From where does our comfort and help come?
Jesus says, "But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me…I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away…But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you."
Beloved, Jesus warned us that all these things would come upon His church. Of course, that doesn't make it any easier to endure. Nevertheless, we are not alone. For Jesus and our loving heavenly Father have sent us help—the Helper—the Holy Spirit. How does He help you? By bearing witness about Jesus.
When tempted to fall away due to the threats of persecution—when tempted to fall into despair over the state of the world and the apparent weakness of the church—look to Jesus! Heed the voice of the Spirit who calls to you in the Word! Direct your gaze to the cross of Jesus and there behold your living and merciful Saviour. In all trying times the Spirit points us to Christ. Whether we are "cancelled" by the culture around us—despised by family and friends for holding fast to God's Word of truth—lose our jobs—threatened with lawsuits under SOGI laws—yet we remain faithful—and unsurprised.
For Jesus told us all these things would happen. He told us the hour would come when those who persecute us would think they are offering an act of genuine worship to God. But they "do these things because they have known the Father, nor [Jesus]." And so we lift them up in prayer, as we talked about last week. We lay them before the feet of Jesus—before the mercy seat of God—pleading for the Holy Spirit to work mightily in their hearts and minds—that they might cast off the works of darkness, and receive Jesus and His marvelous light of forgiveness and life. That they may come to know the Father through Jesus and so be forever changed and blessed with His grace and joy by the working of the Spirit.
And when you are down and out, feeling as though you have nothing left to give—nothing left to hold on to—look to Jesus. Listen up!—hear His voice calling to you in His Word. Remember that you are a baptized child of God—one for whom Christ has died to set free from sin and death, from guilt and shame, from fear and trembling.
The Spirit of the Living God dwells within you! You cannot be shaken. You cannot be overcome. You have been washed in the blood of the Lamb—fed and nourished with His own body and blood. The accusations and threats of the world cannot touch you—for you have the gift of eternal life even now. You belong to God. He is your Father. Jesus is your brother. And the Holy Spirit lives in your heart. By looking to Christ's cross and empty tomb you will NOT fall away—you will NOT be overcome. And this is no surprise, for Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.
John 15:26-16:4
Listen Up! – There are No Surprises Here
16:4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.
Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Dear friends in Christ, today not only marks the Seventh and final Sunday of our week-of-weeks long celebration of Easter (Exaudi—Listen Sunday), but also the commemoration of Emperor Constantine and his mother, Helena. Why would the church seek to honour and remember a secular ruler and his mom? Because of the profound impact they had on the Christian church and western civilization. You see, prior to Constantine, Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire. Indeed, the previous Emperor, Diocletian, had undertaken one of the most severe persecutions of Christians the church had ever faced.
However, Constantine received a vision prior to the great battle of Milvian Bridge in which the Lord Jesus spoke to him, giving him a sign of victory for the coming battle—the sign of the cross. After Constantine's victory over his rival, Maxentius in 312 A.D., he converted to Christianity and even passed the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D., which made Christianity a legally recognized and protected religion of the Roman Empire. The church historian Eusebius notes that Constantine's mother, Helena, had long been a Christian and prayed for her son to convert. Constantine's becoming the first Christian Emperor, who also sought to assist the church in various ways, paving the way for Christianity's explosion of growth in the west, is why he and his mother are remembered on this day.
For before this time, Christianity was illegal, and underwent periodic times of severe persecution. This should come as no surprise, since this is precisely what Jesus was warning about in our text for today. John 16:2-3 records Jesus saying, "They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor Me." So Christianity actually has a long history of widespread persecution throughout the world. And while we currently enjoy living in a country with a goodly amount of religious freedom, yet Christians remain persecuted both here in our society, as well as other countries.
But "Why?" you may ask. "Why are Christians so often targets of oppression?" Well, Jesus gives us the cold hard truth just a few verses before our text in John 15:18-19, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." Furthermore, as Jesus says in our text, John 15:26, "But when the Helper comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, Who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me."
So, why does the world attack Christians and the church? Because first of all, the world attacked and hated our Lord Jesus. Since they hate Him and His message, they also necessarily hate those who love and follow Him, spreading His message. Secondly, Christians are bearers of the Holy Spirit whom they have received through Holy Baptism in God's Triune name. The Holy Spirit testifies to the Truth—God's own truth as revealed in His Word and His Son Jesus. For the Spirit testifies of Jesus constantly. And because we as Christ followers and Spirit bearers also bear witness to the truth of God's Word and beauty of salvation through Jesus, we too are despised and attacked by the world that does not want to hear this truth, nor receive this Jesus.
As disciples of Christ, we speak the truth in love—no matter what—no matter the consequences—for we are called to faithfulness. Faithfulness to Christ Jesus and His Word of truth—and the world hates us for it. It hates that we hold to an objective moral standard of living based in natural law and God's revealed Word. We hold to the truth of biological reality that distinguishes male from female, even while looking with compassion on those who are truly suffering confusion in their hearts and minds on this matter.
We reserve sexual intercourse for the marriage bed between one man and one woman, no exceptions, for this is good in the sight of God, and of benefit to our world and society, so that children can be raised within a home that consists of both their mother and father, whenever possible. And we call all people to repent who step outside of this, whether inside or outside the church. In a world that embraces all forms of sexual expression, this view cannot be tolerated, and so all those who support this truth must be stamped out and silenced in the public square.
Christians also recognize and rejoice that God created the world and all that is in it. That human beings are specifically created in God's own image, having then a special dignity set apart from all the rest of creation, not occurring through grand evolutionary processes, but rather that we were shaped and formed by God's own hand; that He breathed into us the breath of life, making us a living soul; and that all human beings, from the tiniest embryo in the womb to the oldest most feeble adult, and everything in between, is precious and holy in God's sight, and so human life should be honoured in every way. In a society that sees children as inconveniences rather than blessings (inconveniences that can and should be eliminated)—in a society that sees the elderly and infirm as drains on society, rather than precious family members to be nurtured and cared for—the Christian truth cannot abide. And so Christians and their views must be put down.
Christians believe all these truths and so many more—and the world hates us for it. Indeed, in just a couple weeks' time we will suffer through yet another explosion of LGBTQ+ pride for the month of June. The secular world declares "Woe to you or your business or your family if you don’t fully participate in this celebration of sexual confusion and licentiousness." You may be cancelled if you speak the "wrong" words—if you don't show proper "tolerance" by which they mean full blown acceptance. Some may lose their jobs. Peoples' businesses may suffer for not displaying the rainbow flag on their storefronts. Dirty accusations of bigotry and hatred follow the Christian who simply desires to be faithful to God and His Word—who speaks the truth—no matter how gently and lovingly.
What are we to do, dear Christian friends? For the world hates us even more for how we, along with the Holy Spirit, bear witness to them of Jesus the Saviour. Jesus, the only way of salvation. Jesus, the only true and living God who bled and died for the sins of the world, including you and me. This Jesus who speaks truth—this Jesus who bleeds, suffers, and dies—cannot be accepted by a world intent on rejecting His truth and denying their sin for which He came to die. How do we bear up under these attacks? How do we have strength to resist? From where does our comfort and help come?
Jesus says, "But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me…I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away…But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you."
Beloved, Jesus warned us that all these things would come upon His church. Of course, that doesn't make it any easier to endure. Nevertheless, we are not alone. For Jesus and our loving heavenly Father have sent us help—the Helper—the Holy Spirit. How does He help you? By bearing witness about Jesus.
When tempted to fall away due to the threats of persecution—when tempted to fall into despair over the state of the world and the apparent weakness of the church—look to Jesus! Heed the voice of the Spirit who calls to you in the Word! Direct your gaze to the cross of Jesus and there behold your living and merciful Saviour. In all trying times the Spirit points us to Christ. Whether we are "cancelled" by the culture around us—despised by family and friends for holding fast to God's Word of truth—lose our jobs—threatened with lawsuits under SOGI laws—yet we remain faithful—and unsurprised.
For Jesus told us all these things would happen. He told us the hour would come when those who persecute us would think they are offering an act of genuine worship to God. But they "do these things because they have known the Father, nor [Jesus]." And so we lift them up in prayer, as we talked about last week. We lay them before the feet of Jesus—before the mercy seat of God—pleading for the Holy Spirit to work mightily in their hearts and minds—that they might cast off the works of darkness, and receive Jesus and His marvelous light of forgiveness and life. That they may come to know the Father through Jesus and so be forever changed and blessed with His grace and joy by the working of the Spirit.
And when you are down and out, feeling as though you have nothing left to give—nothing left to hold on to—look to Jesus. Listen up!—hear His voice calling to you in His Word. Remember that you are a baptized child of God—one for whom Christ has died to set free from sin and death, from guilt and shame, from fear and trembling.
The Spirit of the Living God dwells within you! You cannot be shaken. You cannot be overcome. You have been washed in the blood of the Lamb—fed and nourished with His own body and blood. The accusations and threats of the world cannot touch you—for you have the gift of eternal life even now. You belong to God. He is your Father. Jesus is your brother. And the Holy Spirit lives in your heart. By looking to Christ's cross and empty tomb you will NOT fall away—you will NOT be overcome. And this is no surprise, for Alleluia! Christ the Lord is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus. Amen.