​Reformation Sunday (Observed)                                                                                                           October 28, 2018
Romans 3:19-28
 
Covered in Blood
 
v.20, 23-25a                  For by works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith.
 
          Beloved in Christ, blood is important.  Vital, in fact, for life.  Without enough blood in our bodies we will surely die, for blood carries important nutrients, especially oxygen to all of our tissues and organs.  Perhaps that is why the sight of blood, outside of our bodies, can cause such a panic.  Many people faint at the merest sight of a drop of blood.  Of course, at this time of year, Hollywood and other entertainment industries use spilled blood to strike fear into the hearts and minds of people with gruesome displays of people bleeding profusely, as we come upon this secular holiday of Halloween. 
          Well dear friends, Paul also understood the importance of blood—indeed, as a Jew, his entire religious upbringing was steeped in the flow of blood—as animals were sacrificed daily and often for the sins of the people.  So it is that St. Paul has much to say in his letter to the Romans about blood—and about its redeeming qualities.  Therefore, this letter of Paul has become one of the most clear proclamations of the Gospel of Jesus (He who shed His blood for us on the cross) and so very key for every Christian to study and to know.
          Indeed, Martin Luther had great regard for this epistle of Paul.  He writes, “This epistle is really the chief part of the New Testament, and is truly the purest Gospel.  It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.  We can never read it or ponder over it too much; for the more we deal with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes...”
          So, on this day in which we celebrate the Reformation of the church and the restoration of the Gospel—an event sparked by Luther’s careful study of this very letter—let us also come to ponder and appreciate the apostle’s words concerning the blessed hope that we have through the blood of Christ Jesus poured out for sinners.
          Paul shows us here that there is no hope for sinful human beings under the Law.  For the Law acts as a mirror to show us our sin.  In every way—at every time—the Law serves to condemn and kill those who do wrong by it.  Though the Law in itself is just and holy—coming from God Himself—yet we who are in bondage to sin—fail to keep it and break God’s perfect Law—thereby condemning ourselves to eternal suffering under God’s just judgement and wrath for sin.
          Our sin covers us—our guilt is terrible to behold—like the gruesome costumes that are popular today among children and adults alike—our sin is ever before God and is abhorrent in His sight.  There is no denying that this is our state of being—Paul is very clear here that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  There is no one who comes close in God’s eyes to the perfect life of love and service that He demands.  There are none who love Him truly and purely.  There are none who love their neighbours as selflessly as they love themselves.  All humanity stands justly condemned by God’s holy Law—awaiting His awful and final verdict of death and damnation.
          And so God sent His only-begotten—His beloved—Son—Jesus to take our sin upon Himself—to dress Himself up in our blood-guiltiness and take it to the cross to pay for it with His own suffering and death.  On the cross the full wrath and justice of God against sin was meted out not upon those who so readily deserved it—you and me—but rather upon Christ—the Innocent One.  Yet He willingly took our infirmities, shouldered our burdens, carried our sins, so that with His sacrifice—you and I might be saved. 
          For the Lord God Almighty demands payment for sin—and that payment must be made in blood.  Jesus took your sin—and then paid for it with His own blood sacrifice and death.  Redeeming you from the terrible judgement that awaited you because of your sin.  Though you were a slave to sin—though you were dead in your sin—yet Christ loved you so much He went to the cross to shed His blood on your behalf—to remove your sin and place it upon Himself—and then give you something in exchange—the gift of His blood and righteousness.
          Paul tells us here that Jesus’ blood is the propitiation for your sins.  The Greek word for propitiation is hilasterion, which in the Septuagint refers to the cover for the ark of the covenant where the high priest sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices to make atonement for sin.  Just as the propitiation covered the ark of the covenant, so Christ’s righteousness covers the sinner—for He is the sacrifice for sin.  Indeed, the ugliness, the vileness, and evil of your sin has been removed from you and instead you are covered with the redeeming and pure and holy blood of Christ Himself. 
          This blood of Jesus is God’s gift to you—to wash away your sin—to pay for your iniquity—to justify you in His sight.  For your sin has been fully paid by the blood of Jesus.  It is His guarantee to you of your salvation.  His promise of forgiveness, salvation, and life, has been signed, sealed, and delivered in the blood the Lamb who was slain on Golgotha, that those who believe might not perish but have everlasting life.
          So rejoice dear friends, rejoice and be glad on this Reformation Day as we celebrate with great joy and thanksgiving the clear proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ—that His blood was poured out for you—so that you might gain everlasting life—not by your works—but purely and freely by God’s grace.  And when those little goblins and witches and terrible monsters of every description come to your door this week to beg for a trick or treat—may their gruesome disguises serve to remind you of your sin—the despicable evil that resides in your heart and being.  Yet may you also be reminded then of the sweetness of the blood of Jesus that has been shed for you. 
          Indeed, not only has God covered you with Christ’s redeeming blood in Holy Baptism—completely wiping away all of your sin and granting you new and everlasting life—yet He also graciously provides you with Jesus own body and blood to eat and to drink that you might be refreshed in His goodness and mercy.  For His blood not only covers you outwardly, but works on you inwardly, giving you strength and peace of mind when assaulted by the forces of evil—when crushed by the weight of the despair brought on by your sin—when you are forced to face death square in the face—may you look to the blood of Jesus and rejoice.  For by faith in Him and His blood, which properly receives all that He has done, so you know that you will live.
          And so fear not!  Though Satan may storm and rage.  Though the world may crumble and fall.  Though your own flesh may whither and decay.  Yet you have been cleansed—fully covered and absolved—by the blood of Jesus.  May the sight of His blood outpoured, which is visible only to the eyes of faith, give you comfort and peace.  And may you boldly share this “bloody” good news with everyone, everywhere, that they too may hear and believe the joy of the Christian who has been covered in blood—Jesus’ blood.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

​Trinity 21                                                                                                                                               October 21, 2018
John 4:46-54
 
The Word Proves True
 
v.50   Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live."  The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.
 
          Beloved, we have as our Scriptures for today some rather incredible stories.  Stories, indeed, which are very hard to believe.  First, there is the creation account.  God speaks the universe and all of creation into being.  "Let there be…" rings out from the Lord God and there is…light…and sky…and plants…and animals…and man and woman…and it is all good and very good.  Of course, this simple, straight forward account of the origins of the world are mocked and ridiculed by many in our society—and even rejected by many Christians as well.  Christians who have fallen victim to the devil's lies and so doubt the truthfulness and veracity of God's holy Word.  "But just look at all the scientific evidence, pastor!  How can you expect us to believe in a simple six, 24 hour day creation, when almost the entire scientific community says the universe is billions of years old and that we slowly evolved over time from simpler forms of life?"
          To be sure, we ought not, as Christians, follow blindly, just because.  But we also ought to place our trust in the One who created all things—the only One who was actually there at the beginning to tell us what really happened.  We also do well to question the presuppositions and beliefs of those who claim to hold to objective scientific standards, but cannot explain via the scientific method how matter, life, and energy came from nothing.  Nor can science confirm any of Darwin's evolutionary theory of one species changing into another completely different species.  Indeed, the scientific data actually points away from such thinking.  So this story in Genesis provides us with a bit of a problem.  Are we going to accept God at His Word…or not?  To echo the Devil's tempting question of Adam and Eve, "Did God really say?"  "Can you trust His Word?"
          Well, it helps if you can trust the One who is giving you the word.  Jesus held a very high view of the Old Testament Scriptures—He talked about them as real history—even Adam and Eve in Genesis!  But here we are confronted with another problem.  Can we trust Jesus?  Look at the amazing story before us in our Gospel reading! 
          Jesus has returned to Cana in Galilee where He had performed His first miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding feast.  While He is in Cana, an official from the town of Capernaum, desperate to save his deathly ill son, comes in hot pursuit of Jesus.  He comes to Jesus, expecting to drag Him home to heal his son, if necessary.  This was not the type of man to take "no" for an answer.  He pleads with Jesus, "Sir, come down before my child dies."  This distance from Cana to Capernaum is about 16.5 miles or 26 kilometers.  In an age before automobiles, this would take some time—especially on foot! 
          Does Jesus rush off with this man?  Does He take off at a sprint—or call for a donkey or horse to ride so as to get to Capernaum more quickly in order to calm this troubled father and heal his ill son?  No.  Jesus simply responds with a word, "Go; your son will live."  Can you imagine what must have been going on in this man's head?  I mean, come on, Jesus, this is not what I asked for!  I wanted you to come and heal my son in person.  Lay your hands physically upon him and restore him to health.  Quickly, before he dies!  This official came expecting to bring Jesus home, and instead, left with only the Word of Jesus. 
          St. John records for us that "The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way."  Can you imagine what must have been going through his head on that long journey home?  Over the intervening hours—scary thoughts racing through his mind—what would he find when he returned home?  The anxiety that must have affected him.  But, "As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering.  So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, 'Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.'  The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, 'Your son will live.'  And he himself believed, and all his household."
          An incredible story to be sure.  How can we believe it?  It seems just as fantastic as the story about creation.  How could Jesus heal someone with but a word?  How indeed?  You and I can't do that.  Nobody on earth can do that!  Not even the best physician can heal a dying patient with a word.  No—it would be a miracle—it would have to be an act of God.  We would need to trust that God can do what He says He will do—simply because He is God Almighty.  And this is precisely what we find with Jesus.
          Now when you and I look at the Biblical text and doubt what we read there—we need to take note that this is not just our so-called rational mind at work, looking to poke holes in mythical stories.  Rather, these doubts are assaults from the devil himself, "Did God really say?"  And, as St. Paul mentions in our epistle reading, "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places…In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darks of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God…"
          We sin when we fall into the temptation of the evil one to doubt the sure and certain Word of God.  A Word of God to us that is built upon solid evidence of the truth.  We trust the Old Testament record concerning Creation and so many other things, because we trust in Jesus who proved Himself to be God in the flesh by performing miracles, like healing with a word, and especially rising from the dead after His death upon the cross, and who confirmed the O.T. Word as true.
          Dear friends, Jesus' word does what is says.  For He is the very Word of God made flesh.  The same Word by whom and through whom the whole universe was brought into creation, from the tiniest atom to the largest planet.  ALL of it has come by the Word of Jesus.  This same Jesus who spoke and healed an official's son from a deadly illness, while miles away.  The same Jesus who went to the cross to suffer and die in your place for your sins—your doubts—your failure to trust and believe in Him and His word.  This same Jesus who rose again from the dead three days later now speaks to you: in your Baptism, in the Absolution, and in the Holy Supper.
          Jesus comes to you and declares you forgiven for all of your sin on account of His own blood and righteousness.  When you doubt your salvation, Jesus directs you to your Baptism and says, "All who believe and are baptized will be saved."  When you are overwhelmed by your guilt and shame, Jesus directs you to confession and absolution.  For He breathed on His apostles and declared, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven…"  And when you struggle with your faith growing weak under the assaults of the devil, Jesus points you to His own Supper wherein He may feed and strengthen your faith, with His Word of promise attached to simple bread and wine, "Take and eat, this is my body, given for you.  Take and drink, this cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins."
          What joy, beloved!  What hope and peace!  To know that our God continues to come to us through His blessed Word.  A Word of power and great might.  A Word of mercy and peace through the forgiveness of sins, purchased and won by the Word of God made flesh.  So, even as we may pause this day, and reflect upon our sin—or even our own imminent death—or the death of another—we are comforted by the Word of God to us—"You will live."  You will live because you trust and believe in the Word of Christ who bled and died and rose again—all for you.  For His Word AWLAYS proves true.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.
 

​Trinity 20                                                                                                                                                     October 14, 2018
Matthew 22:1-14
 
Exclusively Inclusive
 
v.13-14       Then the King said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness.  In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  For many are called, but few are chosen.
 
Dear friends in Christ, as we begin our final approach to the end of the church year, we have as our text one of Jesus’ parables concerning the kingdom of heaven.  We have in this wedding tale a king—who is just trying to have a special wedding feast for his son.  Some of you know exactly what is involved in planning a wedding feast.  After all has been prepared—after every last detail has been attended to—the king finally sends his servants to call the guests to the feast.  But what happens?  No one comes.  The text indicates that the invited—the called ones—did not desire to come.  Ouch.
Maybe there was some sort of misunderstanding or mistake.  So, the king again sends out his servants—this time with a very clear proclamation to those who have been called—the dinner is prepared—the oxen and fattened calves have been sacrificed—everything’s ready!  Come!  Eat! For the wedding feast is free—all is taken care of.
But what happens?  They ignore/reject the call and go away from those who are calling them—one to his farm—another to his business—can you hear the door’s being slammed in the servants’ faces as they shout out the good news?  What’s worse, is that some of them seized his servants and abused them and then murdered them.
THAT is the last straw!  The king responds to these unworthy invitees with swift justice—he sends his soldiers to utterly destroy those wicked people and completely burn down their city that they took such pride in. 
Does this make you nervous, dear friends?  It should.  It’s supposed to.  Such is what happens to all those who reject the Gospel call of the Holy Spirit given through His appointed servants (pastors, missionaries, parents, children, etc.) who proclaim the Good News of salvation that is given freely through faith in Jesus Christ.  Those who ignore Him—those who turn away and shut fast the door of their hearts—those who reject and abuse the messengers of the Lord—will be utterly destroyed.  For a rejection/disregard for the Lord’s servants is the same as rejecting the King of kings Himself!  They will, ultimately, get exactly what they deserve—eternal suffering and damnation in hell.  So much for the “feel-good” theology that is so popular today telling people that God will always include everyone, no matter what, in His kingdom.  They obviously haven’t read Scripture.
But this is not the end of our text.  Nor can we simply point our finger and shake our heads at those who reject the call of the Holy Spirit as if we were so much better.  We are not.  We, too, are totally undeserving of anything that we receive by the hand of the Lord.  We are those who have been brought in off of the streets, as it were—those who are evil—those who daily sin much.  But that is just the point isn’t it.  The Gospel call/invitation is NOT based upon the qualifications of those who are called—but rather on the basis of the works and merits of Christ Jesus who lived, suffered, and died in your place and mine so that we might be saved—so that we might be able to enter into the great wedding feast in the Kingdom of heaven, which will have no end.
We see this very clearly in the final few verses of our text where the king comes into the wedding hall, which has now been filled with guests, and as he surveys those assembled he spots a man who isn’t properly dressed.  Perhaps there has been some mistake and this man didn’t receive his free garment before coming in.  “Friend, how is it possible that you got in here without a wedding garment?”  And the man was speechless.  He had nothing to say.  Why?  Because he had received one—just as everyone did—but he chose not to put it on—he chose to take it off and go in his own clothes—thinking that what he brought to the feast was better than what the king could ever possibly provide.
Such is the case with all those who despise the gifts of God in Holy Baptism.  Hear the Word of the Lord, where Paul writes in Galatians 3:27, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”  And Ephesians 5:25b-27, “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the church to Himself in splendour, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”
Dear friends, “all who believe and are baptized will be saved” as Jesus says in Mark 16:16.  Such is the graciousness of God that not only does He prepare the wedding feast of salvation in the body and blood of His Son Jesus, that gives forgiveness, life, and salvation, but He also calls and gathers us to His side as His bride, the church.  He even clothes us in Baptism with the robe of righteousness that Christ Jesus earned for us with His sacrificial life and death in our place. 
The Gospel call is completely inclusive—it is for all people—as God our Saviour, “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth [in Jesus Christ].”  (1 Timothy 2:4)  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24) 
Beloved, the danger comes from our own selfish pride that seeks to always go it our own way and do our own thing.  That is something that God cannot abide.  If we in some way think that we can actually do our part to save ourselves—to work out our own salvation—to earn an invitation and a seat by our Lord in heavenly glory at His banquet feast—we are disregarding and rejecting all that Christ Jesus has done for us to make that happen.  We are turning up our noses at the gracious gifts of our loving Saviour—saying “No” to His robe of righteousness that He seeks to clothe us in—and saying instead that we will wear our own good works/righteous acts/deeds.  Thinking, like Stuart Smalley, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and dog gone it, people like me!” as to why we should be receive heaven—we are in trouble.
For when our good deeds are measured up to God’s perfect standards in His Law—they don’t measure up at all—but rather come across as filthy rags.  For those who reject the all-inclusive Gospel call and promise of the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacrament—exclude themselves from God’s kingdom.
This is not what the Lord wants/desires.  Rather, He would have us turn to Him in repentance and faith—looking not to ourselves—but rather to Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead to give us our every good.  That is our hope—that is our joy.  In the cross of Christ we glory—in His call—His invitation to come to His kingdom.  For “[God the Father] chose us in [Jesus] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him.”  (Ephesians 1:4)  For the Lord God rejected His Son on Calvary’s cross—utterly destroyed Him—so that we might be called and gathered to Him in heaven, purified from all sin and death.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.
 

​Trinity 18                                                                                                                                          September 30, 2018
Matthew 22:34-46
 
One Quick Question
 
v.45   If then David calls Him Lord, how is He his son?
 
          Dear friends in Christ, our text for this morning takes place in Jerusalem during Tuesday of Holy Week.  Jesus has been questioned relentlessly by both the Pharisees and Sadducees.  They are constantly trying to trick Jesus--trap Him in His own words--so that they can turn public opinion against Him--and put Him to death. 
          Jesus, however, frustrates both groups of detractors by beautifully answering all of their difficult questions with poise and a wisdom that is beyond human understanding.  Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?  Render unto Caesar what is
Caesar's and to God what is God's.  In the resurrection, whose wife will the woman be who was married to seven different brothers?  What a hypocritical question asked by people who don't even believe in God's power to raise the dead!  Earthly marriages are no longer binding once one partner dies.  There is no marriage between people in heaven.
          The Pharisees and Sadducees have been publicly humiliated by Jesus' incredible answers to their questions.  They are losing face in sight of the people and are becoming desperate.  They send in one last man--an expert in the Law of Moses--to pose one final question to Jesus.  "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"  While this question may seem rather easy on the surface, remember that in Jesus' day the Jews were to follow three distinct codes of Law:  the political law of Israel; the ceremonial law relating to sacrificial worship practices; and the moral law.  Which is greatest of all these different laws?
          Of course, Jesus answers quickly--and correctly--summarizing the entire Old Testament Law, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it:  You shall love your neighbour as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."  Wow.  The people are impressed at Jesus' teaching.
          But now, after suffering many questions from His enemies, Jesus turns the tables on His opponents.  He asks them a final question, "What do you think about the Christ?  Whose son is He?"  They respond correctly that the Messiah is, "The son of David."  Ah!  "How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord?...If then David calls him [the Christ/Messiah] Lord, how is he his son?"
          You see what Jesus has done?  He has given the Pharisees and Sadducees and all the people something important to think about.  How could David, the greatest King in Israel's history, speak of his future descendant (someone thereby younger/lesser than himself) as his Lord?  It doesn't make any sense.  Any descendant of David should be looking up to David and honouring him--not the other way around.  Jesus has asked this question to help the people see how truly little they really understood the Scriptures--how they have been blinded to the truth of what God has revealed in His Word concerning the Messiah.
          David calls his future son--the Messiah--Lord.  Why?  Because David knows that one of his future sons will be much more than just a man--that He will be God in the flesh.  That the Christ--the Messiah--will be both true God and true man.  You see, only the incarnation--God taking on human flesh in the womb of the virgin Mary--can truly answer Jesus' own question.  He is teaching the people--just days before His death and resurrection--exactly who He is--the Divine God-Man--Second Person of the Holy Trinity--and thereby what He has come to do.
          Now we may ask, "So what?  I mean, that's great and all, but what does that have to do with me today?  What does it matter if Jesus is both God and man?  What does it matter that David called Him Lord hundreds of years before He was ever born?"  Well, the answers to those questions lay in Jesus' response to the lawyer's question about the greatest commandment.
          You see, God's Law is very clear--He requires absolute obedience to Himself at all times and in all places--to worship Him alone and love Him completely with heart, soul, and mind.  God further demands that we not only show perfect love and adoration toward Him at every moment in our lives, but that we also love our neighbour as ourselves.  However, it is utterly impossible for a sinful person (like you and me) to keep these two commandments.  We cannot keep or perform them.  We cannot do it.  Only God can.
          Therein lies the importance of the answer to Jesus' question.  You and I are sinful.  That is, we have been corrupted by sin to the very core of our being and so no longer love God or neighbour perfectly as we ought.  As a result, we are guilty before God and deserving of His judgment and wrath.  James writes, "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it."  Paul writes, "the wages of sin is death." 
          You and I are abundantly selfish and so fail to love God and neighbour as we should.  We treat our Lord God with disdain in how we think, how we speak about Him, how we act toward Him in His house of worship.  We show a lack of perfect love to our neighbour too!  We are justly condemned, therefore, before a holy and righteous God.
          But Jesus has come.  Jesus--the Son of David--the Son of God--who is both God and man--100%.  He alone has kept all of God's Law perfectly.  He alone has loved God with His whole heart, soul, and mind, even as He has perfectly loved His neighbour as Himself. 
          Jesus' selfless love is seen most clearly in His work on the cross.  You and I are sinners--deserving of God's wrath--but Jesus went to the cross so that He may suffer your death in your place.  In both His perfect life--and in His sacrificial and bloody death--Jesus has fulfilled the Law of God for you.  As true man--Son of David--Jesus actively kept all of God's Law for you--He thought, said, and did all the right things that God demands of His people.  As true man--Son of David--Jesus suffered and died horribly on the cross--for your sins and the sins of the whole world. 
          As true God--Son of God--all of Jesus' work in both life and death counts for more than just Himself--it counts for all people--it is beneficial to all people--because His life was no ordinary life--and His death no ordinary death.  His precious blood--the blood of the God-Man--is so pure and holy that one single drop can atone for the sins of the whole world.  And He shed it all on the cross.  For you and for me.  So that we can have abundant hope in His promises and blessings of forgiveness, salvation, and life in His name. 
          God is faithful toward you in His own beloved Son, Jesus.  He has washed you clean in His blood when you were cleansed in the waters of Holy Baptism--and as you feed on His true body and blood in the sacrament of the altar this day.  The Holy Spirit has called you to faith in the Son through the Gospel Word and Sacraments that give you Jesus of Nazareth--He who is not only David's Son--but his Lord--and by grace, yours and mine too.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.       
 

​Trinity 17                                                                                                                                          September 23, 2018
Luke 14:1-11
 
It's A Matter of Choice
 
v.7     Now He [Jesus] told a parable to those who were invited, when He noticed how they chose the places of honour, saying to them…
 
          Dear friends in Christ, we have in our text for this morning Jesus responding to a situation that we could easily find ourselves in today.  There was a wealthy Pharisee who had dinner party.  While they guests were assembling, Jesus noted how those who were invited tended to choose the places on honour.  Maybe it even looked something like a bunch of kids fighting over who gets to sit next to the birthday boy or girl at a party nowadays. 
          Choice is very important to us.  In fact, the freedom to make our own choices is like the mantra of our society.  "I can choose anything and everything I want."  Some of the time this matter of choice is no big deal--like choosing what clothes to wear to come to church or what to eat for breakfast.  We relish the idea that our choices matter--like who we choose to vote for in upcoming elections.  "My choice is important."  In the democratic process it certainly is.
          The problem with choice begins to crop up, though, in other areas.  When we believe our choices should reign supreme over the needs of others--and particularly over the Word of God.  "I don't want to be married to you anymore because you brush your teeth funny--it's my choice."  Or, "I don't want to get married at all--we can just live together--it's my choice."  Worse yet, we think this way about choices regarding life itself:  "I want to be a woman, even though I was born a man--it's my choice.  I should be able to have an abortion--kill the child within--it's my body--it's my choice.  I don’t feel like I want to live anymore--I should be able to have the right to kill myself--and have a doctor help me do it--it's my choice."
          Sadly, this carefree, reckless attitude concerning the paramount importance of personal choice ends up wreaking havoc on relationships and lives.  It leads to confusion, depression, and to suffering and death by countless people.  We don't only end up hurting ourselves, but others too, by placing ourselves at the top of the decision ladder--making ourselves into our own little gods and goddesses that seek to have full control over every aspect of our lives. 
          The fact that we think and act this way is astounding--especially because it is so utterly illogical and nonsensical.  Really, who has freedom to make every choice about every aspect of their lives?  Nobody does.  We don't get to choose lots of things on our own:  speed limits to follow; whether or not we make the sports team; we don't even get to choose what family we're born into or what day we're born on.  Those things are not our choice.  And when we think we must have absolute control over all of our choices in order to live a rich and full life, we are deluding ourselves and falling victim to the insanity that is so widespread in our society. 
          We sinful human beings take this obsession with choice even a step further when we think we get to choose God.  "I chose to be His follower--as I chose a place of honour in His kingdom.  Okay, okay, maybe not precisely at Jesus' right hand, where the apostles are, but pretty close.  I choose to be there.  I deserve to be there."  Please remember that pride comes before humiliation.  "Do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place."
          Beloved, you do not choose God as you would choose a pair of socks to wear.  You do not choose a place in His kingdom, as you might a seat in the movie theatre.  Rather, God chooses you.  Jesus says in John's Gospel (15:16, 19), "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He may give it to 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."  Or, as St. Paul writes to the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 1:4), "For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you."
          You can take no pride in your place in the kingdom of God because it is purely by God's grace and mercy that you are saved and brought into His kingdom in the first place.  Say someone falls into a well on the Sabbath and are rescued--what do they have to boast of?  "Well….I really know how to fall in a well.  Boy, if there were awards for falling in wells, I'd win gold!" (Examples of rescue from Hurricane Florence it recent days).  Don’t be ridiculous.  Of course not.  The person who is rescued can boast only in the mercy and work of the one who rescues them.
          So it is with your place--your right standing--before the Lord God.  It has nothing to do with your choice to follow Jesus or believe in Him.  He is the One who has granted you such faith to believe in the first place.  The only thing you bring before God is your sin and death in which you were conceived and born and have lived all the days of your life.  Rather, it is God's eternal choice--His election of you--by His grace through Jesus Christ that makes you right with God--that washes you clean by Jesus' blood and righteousness.
          In the end, it is God's choice that really matters.  Jesus chose to go to the Last Spot--the least spot--to suffer death and hell on the cross--in your place--for your sin.  It is by His incredible work for you that you are elevated--raised up out of your sin and death to new and glorious life everlasting through the forgiveness of sins He purchased and won for you by His blood shed on the cross.  His blood forgives you for all the terrible choices you have made in your life that have resulted in pain and suffering of others--of yourself--and in separating yourself from Him. 
          God chose you.  Ephesians 1:3-4, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him."  You see, your place in the kingdom of heaven--your salvation--IS a matter of choice--just not yours.  You have been chosen by God from before the world was ever made.  God chose you in Christ to receive His blessings and forgiveness and life. 
          You have been chosen in your Baptism to be His child and heir.  The greatest promotion you could ever receive was when the heavenly Father called you His child--when you were baptized.  You need not fear what the world, the devil, or your own sinful flesh can do to you.  Indeed, what does it matter what the world thinks, says, or does?  You have received a place of honour at the never ending feast of God in the life of the world to come.  After all, it's a matter of choice.  And God chose you.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen. 

​Trinity 15                                                                                                                                          September 9, 2018
Matthew 6:24-34
 
Worried About Finding What You Need?
 
v.31-33       Therefore do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?”  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
 
          Dear friends in Christ, what worries you?  What it is that keeps you up at night, staring at the ceiling?  What is it that causes you to frantically search your house and your life, seeking for that special something?  What are you anxious about?  What is it that causes you to nervously bounce your leg or twiddle your thumbs?  Is it your finances?  Worried about having enough money at the end of the month.  Is it your health?  Anxiously awaiting the test results from the doctor.  Is it your family?  Wondering if your kids/grandkids are gonna turn out all right—attend church—and continue to believe in Jesus.  Or is it something else entirely?
          Beloved, we all have things that we worry about.  Jesus here in our text talks to us about the problem and the nature of worry itself.  That plague of our modern society that causes so much heartache and grief as people become overly stressed about all the things in their lives and whether they will be OK and succeed in taking care of not only themselves, but also their families.  And this text follows on the heels of Jesus’ preaching in the Sermon on the Mount regarding greed of earthly possessions and money that is worship of the false god mammon. 
          You see, you cannot serve both God (the true God—the Lord Jesus Christ) and mammon (money—possessions).  Why not?  Why can’t I have my cake and eat it too?  Why can’t I work my whole life to earn as much money as I possibly can to buy the things I want and give to the people I love, while at the SAME time trusting and believing in Jesus?  Why?  Because they require two contrary forms of service. 
          Worrying is nothing else than worship given to the false god of mammon, an unbelieving anxiousness and focus on the things of this world.  When it comes right down to it worry is a failure to trust in the loving provision of God to take care of us in all things.  Faith, on the other hand, is worship of the true God.  A confident trust that He is a loving Father who will care for all our needs in both body and soul.  Faith knows how useless it is to worry about things because we have the rock-solid promise of God in Jesus Christ that He loves us and will work out all things for the good of those who believe in Him.  Faith trusts that He who so generously feeds the birds of the air and clothes the grass of the field so richly, will certainly provide for our daily needs as we are worth far more to Him than birds or grass.
          Indeed, beloved, faith clings to the promises of God in His Word to us concerning His Son Jesus.  The very Son of God who gave up the vast riches of heaven to take on human flesh for your sake and mine.  The very Word made flesh who lived in poverty, fully trusting in His Father to care for Him always, is the very same One who lived and died for you on the cross and who now comes to you in His Word and Sacrament to feed and clothe you in His own righteousness through the forgiveness of all of your sins. 
          Your loving Master and Lord—the Kyrie—Jesus Christ has already provided for your eternal needs.  In Baptism you have been washed clean and robed in the pure holiness of Christ Himself.  In the Holy Supper He comes to you again to feed you richly with His own body and blood in bread and wine—granting you full pardon and forgiveness—thereby bestowing salvation and life eternal.
          He who has so generously provided for us in this way will also provide for our daily needs.  Though Satan attempts to rob us of the comfort and assurance that Christ has earned with His suffering, death, and resurrection.  Though the world tantalizes us with its many promises of comfort and pleasure here and now.  Though our own sinful flesh worries about seeking after all these things.  Yet, unmoved we stand.  Confident in Christ our Saviour who bled and died for us on the cross to set us free from such worries and cares of this life. 
          We have heaven!  We have the glorious riches of eternal life with God—everlasting communion with Him and all who believe in Jesus!  The promise of life without end—a perfect life with no hunger, thirst, nakedness, danger, pain, suffering, hatred, or any other evil.  For Christ has taken care of it all for us in His own flesh on the cross.  What have we to worry about now?  We who have received Jesus by faith already enjoy every good thing from the gracious hand of our loving Saviour. 
          Of course, this faith does not come naturally to us.  It is—and must be—given only by the Holy Spirit.  God Himself works faith in your hearts to trust in Him.  Though your faith may be weak—though you are beset by doubts and worry—God promises to continue holding you in His arms of mercy and love.  He promises to uphold you through the forgiveness of sins so that you may trust in Him unto life everlasting.  Because faith is His work—and not yours—you may firmly believe that your faith is secure and solid.  For your faith rests not on your own efforts of will, but on the cross of Jesus Christ who bled and died for you.
          With such confidence we are liberated from worry and now, finally, by God’s grace, we are freed to do good with our material resources—especially to those who are of the household of faith.  We receive this confidence not through our own wills or works—but rather by the Word of God, which speaks to us of Christ and His provision for us in His blood.
          We have received His righteousness, though by nature we would never seek it on our own.  The righteousness of God has come to us in Christ through Word and Sacrament—bespeaking us righteous with the very righteousness that rightly belongs to Jesus.  It now covers us—clothes us.  Having received this most perfect gift, we also look only and always to our loving Father to provide for our other needs this side of heaven—to give us our daily bread at the proper time.  He so often does heap blessing upon blessing upon blessing upon our unworthy heads.  Yet He delights in giving His children gifts of food, clothing and so much more.
          This Word of Jesus not to worry does not apply just to teenagers who stand anxiously in front of mirrors for hours wondering what they are going to wear to school; it applies not just to struggling moms wondering how they are going to feed their children with no support from the dad; it applies not just to those who are sick and struggling with the cares of this life.  Rather, it applies to all of us.  For no matter what situation we are in—whether in want or in plenty—whether in sickness or in health—whether in life or in death—we have a loving God who has given His all to us and for us. 
          This Jesus who was crucified is the be all and end all of all things.  Though we may indeed struggle mightily at this time with all sorts of issues—though Satan threatens to take away from us the blessings of the Father in our “goods, child, or spouse”—we tremble not, unmoved we stand—he cannot overpower us—one little word subdues him.  Indeed, the Word of Christ Jesus—His absolution that makes you righteous—also promises all other blessings as well.  If not in this life—then surely in the life of the world to come. 
          So, don’t worry.  Christ is with you to give you His strength and mercy all the days of your life—until that time when He calls you to be by His side in everlasting glory where there will truly never be a need to worry ever again.  For the evils of this world—those things that trouble us so deeply that are a result of sin in this broken world—will all be gone.  Taken care of by the bloody wounds of Jesus sacrificed on the cross for you and me and all people—overcome by the power of His resurrection.  The Father knows exactly what you need—and has given HIM to you—the Lord Jesus.  Thanks be to God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.