Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. The text for the sermon is the Gospel, which was read earlier.

It’s time to take a quiz. It’s just a single question: On a scale of 1-10, how needy are you? I bet it’s not the question you get asked everyday. Let’s face it, we’re pretty needy people. We want to make sure that all of our needs are taken care of, that all of our wants are taken care of, and all desires that our little hearts can think of are taken care of. That’s just who we are, needy people, but what can expect from sinful man after all? Throughout history, there is only one person who is not needy, and that is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

On the night before He gave the supreme sacrifice of His death, our Lord Jesus Christ poured out His heart to God His Father in prayer. We have the record of that prayer in the Gospel of St. John. Our Lord not only prays for Himself, that He would not waiver from the task of redeeming the world by giving His life, but He prays for His disciples and for those who would believe in Him through their word. He prayed that they would all be one.

Jesus had one desire here in His last hours: that the people would be one in and through His Word. The prayer of Jesus is for all peoples, that they would be joined to Him and the Church through the word of the apostles, which is really the Word of Jesus. Our Lord’s prayer is “that they may all be one.” Christ speaks of all of them, for there are indeed many. They will be gathered from all nations, from the ends of the earth and they shall be one in Him and through Him. Christ speaks of a perfect union into one body. In fact, it is a union as perfect as the union existing between the Father and Son. As the Father and Son are perfectly united in themselves, so they are also perfectly united in the believers. This unity is from God. It is a miraculous gift given by God through Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is a unity that comes to people who hear and believe the message of the Gospel. And Jesus states that we are the ones who have been given the privilege of sharing that Gospel.

What Jesus prays here in our text for the faithful and effective witness that we as the Church give to others. Jesus prays to the Father about out witness as He speaks of “those who will believe in me through their word.” Our Lord gives us the privilege of being the vessels by whom the Word, which brings unity with God and with one another, can come. Jesus prays to the Father about our witness that the Good News of the Gospel would be heard and believed by all who hear its sweet message. If the Church is to find unity, it is to be found only in Jesus, in the Word of God made flesh.

Our Lord rejoices in the unity that comes to us through the Word. This is a unity that comes from above, as seen in the relationship between the Father and the Son. Unity is a good thing, especially for the Church and Her work, but disunity is always at hand. It first reared its ugly head in the Garden of Eden. Disunity continues through every aspect of creation today because of sin. Only a miracle will destroy this disunity in creation and bring about God’s perfect unity. For us, we have that miracle – the Lord Jesus Christ!

From the moment of man’s sin, God made a promise that unity would be restored. The promise was kept in the form of a babe born to meek and lowly parents. The promise was kept as that babe grew into a man who gave His life upon a cross to forgive the sins of all and bring about unity between God and His creation. The promise was kept as He rose victorious from the dead, ascending to heaven to prepare a place for you in the restored order.

By the miracle of the cross, unity was restored. There, the sin-caused fracture between God and His creation is healed. On the cross, the very Son of God, who is one with the Father from all eternity, is in some astounding way separated from His Father. The Son of God, who is one with the Father, experiences on our behalf a terrible disunity with the Father, so that we might be brought back into unity with the Father.

All of this is done with you in mind, that you would be brought into union with God the Father and Jesus the Son once again. This is a present reality for you now, accomplished for you on Calvary’s cross. This comes to us through the grace of God in Christ Jesus. It is not something that is acquired my means of agreeing to be different, by something that you do or by something that you earn. This is something that is present for you here and now, with no work needed on your part.

It is our privilege to live out this unity so that others will know that Jesus and His message of salvation are indeed true. He’s given you His Word, and His Word makes and keeps you one. Faith comes by hearing His Word, which He gave to us through His prophets and apostles. By His Word, He has called you by the Gospel to be His child, to be one with His body and one with Him. His Word is the means to gather us together, and His Word is His means to keep us together, one in Him. That is why we gladly repent of our sins of ignoring His Word in favor of our sinful, divisive desires, for it is in His Word that He forgives our sins and keeps us one with Him.

Jesus has given you His glory. He prays to His Father, “The glory that You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one.” The glory of Jesus is foremost the cross, for that is the ultimate act of love for us. He has given His cross to you—He’s joined you to it in your baptism. He’s joined you to His death and resurrection. Without that, you would have to die your own death for sin, isolated from God forever. But because He’s shared the glory of His cross with you, you are now one in Him. That is why we gladly repent of our sins that would separate us from His life and lead us to death, for Christ has opened to us the way of salvation.

Jesus has given us His Word, His glory and His name. It is by these gifts that He has made us one. It is by these gifts that He keeps us one. This unity may not be the most dramatic or exciting at times. This is all the Lord’s doing, and so you can be sure: you are one with His body, the Church, and one with Christ: for His Word, His glory and His name are all summed up in these words to you: you are one with Christ, because you are forgiven for all of your sins. In the name of Jesus, amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus, amen.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. The text for the sermon is the Epistle, which was read earlier.

Throughout the years, I have seen a number of churches, both Lutheran and non-Lutheran alike. Some are very ornate while some are very plain. Some are very well kept while others look like they could fall down any moment. Some look like a church while others look very secular in nature. All share one thing in common with one another: they are the Church, the Bride of Christ.

When you and I gaze upon the Church, we see people who are tainted with sin to their very core. We see people who by their very nature are sinful and cannot do anything about it. We see Satan trying to pick off the very saints of God at any and every chance available. As we look at the Church on earth, the Church Militant, we ask ourselves, “Is this all that there is? Is this the best we have to offer?” The Church Militant doesn’t always look pretty, it doesn’t always play nice with each other. It is often found to be lacking something. However, the vision of the Church that St. John has is not the vision of the Church that you and I have.

By means of a revelation from God, St. John writes, “And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.” John is shown in detail the Bride of Christ as she will live in the new heaven and earth. He sees the Church reflected in the glory of God, which is her radiance. It bears the glory of God because of Jesus Christ. Now after the resurrection and the restoration of heaven and earth, the Church is adorned with this glory for all to see.

You and I have been made a part of the Church through the work of the Holy Spirit. We are brought in through faith and made clean by the blood of the Lamb. We share in the life of Christ and His glory. Notice what John says here: it is the glory of God. He doesn’t say that it is the glory of the people. There is a reason for that: the people of the Church are sinful. It is by Christ’s life, death, and resurrection that the Church reflects the glory of God because we have been clothed with Christ’s righteousness. In other words, it’s not by our doing but by Christ’s doing. That is the way it should be and the way that it has to be.

The way for the Lamb to adorn His Bride, the Church, is done at a precious price. In order for her to be adorned with precious jewels, our Lord sacrifices everything, even Himself to purchase and win His Bride. In the fullness of time, the Bridegroom comes to secure the wedding day. He visits His people during the reign of Caesar Augustus. He cloaks His glory in human flesh as He is born to the Virgin Mary. He has come to save His bride: “To give Himself for her, to sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.”

The Bridegroom comes, and His people believe in Him; but the world has no use for such a Savior. Rather than honor Him, they do their best to make Him look as little like the Savior as possible: they scourge Him, beat Him, crucify Him. It is the ultimate act of rebellion and infidelity to God, for they kill the Son of God. Truly, His glory is never more hidden than when He hangs upon the cross. But truly, on the cross is when the Bridegroom redeems His Bride, dying for the sins of the world.

The Bridegroom lays down His life for His Bride. He rises again three days later –victorious but with His glory still hidden. He ascends into heaven, but not before promising, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

His Bride is so precious that He protects her with “a great high wall.” It protects her from the enemies of God, wherein He gathers the saints in safety. It sets the Church apart, making her holy through “the washing of water with the word.” She is kept pure and clean, and no unclean or false thing can enter her. Because of Christ, you are kept pure and clean and have the right and privilege to enter the gates of heaven and partake of the riches which Christ our Lord has prepared for us.

As John goes on describing the new Jerusalem, he makes notice that there is no temple in the city. The reason being is because “its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb.” The temple is where you would bring your offering to the priest in order to be sacrificed for your sins. Now, the great High Priest has made the ultimate sacrifice, for He has sacrificed Himself, and so there is no need for a place of sacrifice, the temple. Because of His sacrifice, we now participate in the death of Christ because we are united by His death and resurrection.

And so John’s revelation of the holy city is focused right where it should be: on the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The full glory of God is reflected in precious jewels, gates of pearls and streets of gold. Christ shines as the light of the world and leads His people forth in worship of the Father of creation and of Himself, the world’s redeemer.

For the Church Militant, for those saints on earth, we ought to reflect God’s glory on earth, but we don’t always do so. Instead of letting the light of Christ shine, we like to let our own light shine, let the light of our sinful nature shine forth. When our light shines brighter than the light of Christ, we diminish the work of Christ, make that secondary to that of our own. The problem here is that it is not our light that will save us, but the light of Jesus Christ. His light pierces the darkness of sin, defeating Satan and restoring creation to its rightful place as the beloved of God.

Our true glory is seen in none other than Christ. By what He has done, His light reflects through the Church and so we as the Church are reflections of who Christ is and all that He has done for us. Like precious jewels, we reflect the glory of the Father, sharing in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His radiance shines upon us, His Bride, glorifying us before men, protecting us from the darkness and evil of God’s enemies and making us a holy people.

As St. John reflects for us the new Jerusalem, we are given a glimpse of our eternal home, a home that is nothing short of the full glory of God. We reflect that light of Christ as His Church. At times, we may not look churchly, we may not look like much, but we are indeed special, for we are the Bride of Christ, His Church. In Jesus’ name, amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus, amen.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. The text for the sermon is the Gospel, which was read earlier.

As we turn to today’s portion of John’s Gospel, the time for Jesus to be betrayed, arrested, tried and crucified is quickly at hand. Jesus is running out of time to tell the disciples everything that He must tell them. Of course, being the disciples, the ones who were most intimate with Jesus, being a part of His inner circle for three years, they didn’t get what He was saying. Unfortunately, this sounds like the everyday thing for the disciples. Just once, you would hope that the disciples would get the message of Jesus, but today is not that day. They are still missing one thing in their disciple arsenal: the full work of the Holy Spirit, for it is by the Holy Spirit that all things regarding Jesus will be revealed.

Throughout his Gospel, John frequently describes the work of the Holy Spirit. Here, the Holy Spirit is referenced as the Spirit of truth. The spirit of falsehood, at work in the sinful hearts of humanity, would deceive the disciples. It has been running rampant since the Fall into sin and leaving a wake of sinful destruction in its path. It has lead people to disbelieve, to doubt, to question God and what He does through His Son. Therefore, Jesus sends the Spirit of truth to guide the disciples into all truth. The truth is nothing short of God’s divine plan of salvation that is meant for His creation. The truth is of Jesus Christ, and His salvation of us through His life, death, and resurrection. The work of the Holy Spirit is to create faith in a person. Note that the Spirit does not speak on His own but rather He speaks on behalf of the Father and Jesus and testifies about Jesus. It’s all about Jesus. For the Holy Spirit, It has to be all about Jesus because Jesus is the sole means of salvation.

The Holy Spirit comes to glorify Jesus by introducing Him to people as the crucified and risen Christ. That is what He comes to do for the disciples and that is what He comes to do for us. The Holy Spirit comes to introduce us to what the truth is about: Jesus. The disciples weren’t prepared for all Jesus has to say, as He tells them, for they were too worked up over Jesus’ impending departure. But He wasn’t going to leave them empty-handed. He leaves them the Holy Spirit who will testify of Him and what He has done.

We aren’t all that different from the disciples. We’re not ready to listen to the true message of Jesus, though we are quick to fill ourselves with the false message that the world brings. Even in the church, we don’t pay attention to the message of the Holy Spirit. We don’t always give attention to the Word of God read and preached in the Divine Service. We go through the motions of the Divine Service, counting down the minutes until it is over so that we can have our Sunday afternoon all to ourselves. We spend little or no time outside of Sunday morning in God’s Word. The world would tell you that that is perfectly fine, because Jesus isn’t going to save you, you’re going to save you by any number of ways, such as by good works and the like.

If there is a single message that we need to hear and take to heart, it is that of Jesus Christ, for that is our sole means of salvation. In this Word, the Holy Spirit introduces us to “the things that are to come.” For the disciples, that would be revealed in the death of Christ, when they would finally understand what Jesus had been preaching and teaching the last three years. Jesus would rise triumphant from the grave and return to the Father, to prepare a heavenly mansion for all those who are in Him.

But even for the disciples, they would face hardships in the days ahead. Tragedy lay ahead for the disciples, great pain and grief at the arrest and execution of Jesus. They would cry and lament while the world would rejoice. The event that would crush their spirits would elate the unbelievers. Even so, their sorrow would not last but be turned to joy.

Here enters the Holy Spirit, to reintroduce us to our Savior, Jesus Christ. In a few hours, Jesus will be arrested, tried, crucified, and will die on a cross. Even as tragic as all that sounds, this will be Jesus’ greatest glory. Jesus Christ is the Word become flesh, the only-begotten Son of the Father, who has come out of love that people might believe and have life. For our joy, we need look no further than the words of Jesus here in our text: “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”

We will indeed find joy again, just as the disciples did – in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our joy comes in the truth that because Christ was raised from the dead, so we too will be raised from the dead. That’s the joy that Jesus’ death and resurrection bring. That’s why believers to this day remain joyful, no matter what else is going on around them. He who died lives, and because we believe, so we too will live.

By introducing us to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit gives to us that joy, a joy that passes all human understanding, for it is not joy in earthly terms, a joy that will come and pass away. Rather, the joy that we receive from the Holy Spirit is a joy that is centered upon the glories of heaven, of life eternal in the presence of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We have the joy of sharing in Christ’s death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit keeps that joy alive by constantly feeding us through Word and Sacrament, forever reintroducing us to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

There is only one name that you and I must remember: the name of Jesus Christ. We know Him as our crucified and risen Savior, for the Holy Spirit has introduced Him to us in Holy Baptism and continues to declare Him to us in Word and Sacrament. All of this brings joy, a joy that can never be taken away from us, for it is joy in knowing that we have God’s name placed upon us and that we are a part of Him. In Jesus’ name, amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus, amen.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. The text for the sermon is the Gospel, which was read earlier.

What is in a name? Parents give their children a name, indicating that you belong to someone. That was something we had to do that this last week, and it was no easy task. Trying to find a name that we could mutually agree upon was difficult. But eventually, a name was agreed upon. This name identified her as our child. You and I have been given a name, not only by our parents, but a name given to us by our Heavenly Father as well.

In Holy Baptism, we are given the name “child of God.” This name marks us as a member of His family. Today, on what is commonly known as Good Shepherd Sunday, we have Jesus, our Good Shepherd, identifying Himself once again as the Son of God and what it is that He comes to do.

As Jesus is going about His own business during the Feast of Dedication, the people found Jesus and asked one question: “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” John has already identified Jesus as the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus has already performed His first miracle of turning water into wine. He has already predicted His death and resurrection on multiple occasions. He has healed people and fed over 5000 people with limited provisions. He has walked on water and even said that He is the bread of life. All of that takes place within just a few chapters of John’s Gospel. Needless to say, Jesus has established who He is. Unfortunately, the people have not grasped what He has said or done to this point as establishing credentials.

Jesus’ response is one that sounds harsh at first glance, but is actually one that is meant to bring them to believe in Him. He responds to them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not part of my flock.” Sad to say, those Jews didn’t really want to know the truth. What Jesus had already told them, what He had already done, and the way He had lived in the Father’s name were clear evidence that He was the Christ, but they did not believe.

Just as there were people in the days of Jesus who did not believe, so there are still those today that claim to want to know who Jesus is but ignore who He says He is. Oh yes, there are many who claim to know who Jesus is, but it is a Jesus of their own making, a Jesus that approves of all that they do, whether it is sinful or not. There are those who claim to know Jesus, but this Jesus says that everyone will go to heaven because they’re a good person at heart. However, there is one problem with this Jesus: He doesn’t exist! The real Jesus is the one who tells the people that because of their disbelief, they will not inherit the kingdom of God. The difference between the real Jesus and the made-up Jesus is that the Good Shepherd Calls His sheep by name and keeps them safe in His Father’s hand. That is something that only the Jesus in the Scriptures can do.

Our Lord knows that His sheep will always be under the attack of the world and all that it offers. This world brings so many challenges against the community of Jesus’ disciples. The world is hostile to Jesus, His message and His disciples because they don’t like the message that Jesus does bring. Instead of a message that says that only believers will be saved, the world wants a message that says that all people will be saved, regardless if they believe or not. The world wants to hear a message that says it doesn’t matter what you believe because all roads lead to the same god and the same eternal destination. What is tragic in all of this is living in that world without a true shepherd.

Without having a shepherd, the sheep would have no sense of direction. The voice of strangers would lead them astray. Without a shepherd, the sheep would have no safety net. The thief would steal the sheep and the wolf would easily snatch them away. Without a shepherd, the sheep would only wander the way of death. The thief would kill and destroy the sheep.

Jesus is that Good Shepherd, the one who promises to always keep us under His care. Through His Word, the Good Shepherd calls His disciples by name. He knows us, and we know His voice and follow Him. He gently leads and guides us in green pastures, to His blessings of salvation and eternal life. Our Good Shepherd does something that no other shepherd, no thief, no hired hand could ever do: He lays down His life in order to protect us to the utmost extent possible. Our Lord tells the Jews who are gathered there in the portico: “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

For you, He goes to the cross of Calvary, with all of your sin and the sin of the world upon His shoulders, willingly, so that you would have eternal life. He goes where only the Good Shepherd will: to death. And He does this with you in mind because you are the reason He goes to the lengths that He does. Everything He does, from birth to death to resurrection is for you, His precious sheep.

As our Good Shepherd, the Son speaks to us the Word, love, and care of His heavenly Father for us and for our salvation. By speaking to us through His Word, the Good Shepherd knows us and we know Him, just as the Father knows Him and He knows the Father. That is because we both share the same name: child of God. While Jesus Christ is the true Son of God, we are made God’s true children by virtue of our Baptism, where we are given His name, making us His beloved sheep.

You have been given a name at your birth. This name identifies you as a member of that family and you are taken care of and protected. That name is indeed a special name for us, for it shows to us the love of our earthly parents. As important as that name is, there is one name that is even more important than that name, the name given to us when we are baptized into Christ: Christian. Christ Jesus, our Good Shepherd, knows both of our names. He knows our given name, knowing each of us personally. But He also knows our baptismal name, and that’s even more personal because it means that we are in Him, for Christ knows each person who is in Him. In Christ, we are chosen as members of the family of God. In Christ, we are protected and cared for by our heavenly Father, for we have Jesus, our Good Shepherd. In the name of Jesus, amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus, amen.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. The text for the sermon is the First Reading, which was read earlier.

How many of us enjoy their job? I mean when the alarm clock goes off, you’re excited about getting up and going to work each and every day of the week? I doubt that there are many who truly enjoy their job that much. While you and I might not fall under that category, there was at least one man who did: Saul.

At the time of Saul, the Church grew to the point that the Jerusalem congregation had to call additional men to the public ministry in order to carry out the affairs of the Church. At the same time, the Sanhedrin continued to search for a way to stop the spread of the Gospel. According to Luke, “every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.” Stephen was among the seven chosen by the congregation in Jerusalem. Unafraid to proclaim the Gospel, Stephen did great wonders and miracles. But opposition soon arose. When the unbelieving Jews accused Stephen of blasphemy, he was seized and brought before the Sanhedrin. With Saul giving his approval, Stephen was stoned.

Saul, a self-appointed crusader for Judaism, continued the persecution of the Christian Church that began with the martyrdom of Stephen. The threat he offered to the Church was real and murderous. He woke up each morning ready to stamp out this heretical teaching by the followers of Christ and each night he went to bed with the blood of the saints on his hands. This is what Saul lived for and he enjoyed it to no end. He even would go to the high priest and ask for letters which would not only allow him access to the synagogue at Damascus, but also the authority to speak there. This gave him the opportunity to go after all those who were members of “the Way,” that is, all those who were followers of Jesus.

This is what Saul lived for and he took great delight in purging Christianity from the world. He was good at what he did, probably one of the best at the time. But all of that would change in a flash of brilliant light.

While on the road to Damascus, Jesus appeared to Saul and asked one question: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” This literally was the life-changing event for Saul. Coming into the presence of Christ, Saul falls to the ground. He learned that day in persecuting those who belonged to the Way, the followers of Christ, he had also been persecuting Jesus Himself. From this point on, Jesus would be giving the directions in Saul’s life and telling him what to do, all for the sake of the Church.

Saul thought that his vocation was to destroy Christianity. Instead, Jesus saw fit to use him to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth. When Saul meets Ananias, Ananias tells him that the Lord had sent him to Saul that he may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is Saul’s call into the ministry to be a servant of Christ. From that moment on, he sought to promote Christianity so that all peoples would know of the love that we have in Christ Jesus, a love which took Him to the cross in order to die so that all who call upon His name would have everlasting life.

Paul becomes the Lord’s foremost missionary to the Gentiles, to kings, and to the Jews. He will preach to Jews in the synagogue wherever his travels take him. He will spar with the intellectuals of Athens about their many gods. He’ll testify before rulers and even Caesar himself. He’ll even set his sights on the far reaches of Spain. He will proclaim Christ to different races and different social classes. And throughout his preaching and his epistles, the message is the same. He proclaims Christ crucified and risen. He emphasizes the importance of pure doctrine and Holy Baptism. He writes about the Lord’s Supper and insists that it be kept according to God’s Word.

As the people of God’s Church, we are called to serve in various ways. We are called to spread and preach the Gospel in our various vocations. We are fashioned as tools in the hands of God, to be used where and when He needs us, to proclaim that saving message of Jesus Christ to the right person at the right time. We are to be used as tools to carry out God’s plan for building His kingdom. That doesn’t mean that we will become a missionary like Paul was. It doesn’t mean that we will write to a number of churches and visit them, all to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, nor does it mean that everyone here will become a pastor. No, we will be used by God where and when He needs us.

So where do we come in to this? We are called to spread the Gospel. Paul writes to Timothy that “God our Savior, desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” God chooses us to be His disciples, followers of Jesus, to spread the Gospel. He chooses us in our Baptism, making us His beloved children. He prepares us as we gather in His House, centered upon His Word and His Blessed Sacraments. We come so we ourselves may be fed with the bread of life, that we may be strengthened in our faith, so that we in turn may spread the Gospel to others. It is not just enough to call yourself a Christian; you must be fed regularly or your faith will suffer. When we ourselves are not fed, we will not be able to feed others with the Word of God.

Let us remain faithful to our Lord’s Word, proclaim Christ and Him crucified, and point people to the means of grace where the Lord has promised to be found with forgiveness. If we suffer criticism, it is not reason to be dismayed, as long as we have the Lord’s favor.

And make no mistake: You do have the Lord’s favor. Behold the great mercy of God that He would forgive the likes of Saul the persecutor for his sins of false doctrine and violent practice. He extends the same mercy to you. You have the Lord’s favor because Christ has died in your place and risen again. You have the Lord’s favor because, just as He did for Saul, the Lord has made you His in Holy Baptism. You have the Lord’s favor because, as He did for Saul, the Lord continues to forgive your sins, continues to proclaim, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” You know the Lord is with you because the Lord comes to be with you: He gives you His very body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins.

Saul’s past and circumstances and life experiences might be far different from you and me, but the Lord treats him the same way He treats us. He calls us to repentance with His Law. Then He makes and keeps you His own for the sake of Jesus Christ. For the sake of God’s only Son, the Father says to you that you are forgiven for all of your sins. In Jesus’ name, amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus, amen.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. The text for the sermon is the Gospel, which was read earlier.

Following Christ’s death and resurrection, the atmosphere of the disciples had changed. They locked themselves in a room to protect themselves from the Jews. Judas was dead and Thomas was nowhere to be found. Hard to believe, but these were the men who went out with Jesus, who were taught by Him and later were sent out in His name. Though they were confused on what to do next, that was about to change.

Suddenly, Christ appeared in the locked room and the His sudden appearance filled them with wonder and awe. The words that He speaks are not just empty words, void of meaning. Rather, they are pure Gospel, an absolution, a declaration that all is well. Four simple words put the fears of the disciples to rest: “Peace be with you.” His appearance, His showing of the wounds in His hands and side, showed His suffering and resurrection, showing that with these wounds, His blood is shed for many, that sin and death no longer had dominion over creation.

This first time that Jesus speaks peace to them, He speaks in terms of forgiveness giving peace from fear. It is a joyful assurance, the presence of God, the complete opposite of fear. Yet just days ago on Good Friday, there was no peace for the disciples. All of them had left Jesus in fear, especially Peter. They were deathly afraid the Jews would come for them too. That’s why the doors were locked. What is worse is now they have no leader to make them feel more secure.

Christ returned from death to give peace from fear. He gives to us His forgiveness. He gives to us His peace. It is that peace that passes all human understanding. It is peace in Christ which only He can give. He gave it to the disciples on Maundy Thursday when He instituted His Supper and He gives that peace to you each time you come and receive His body and blood. Christ has come to give us all peace, that peace of knowing that our sins have been forgiven.

Startled as they were, Jesus says to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” What is it that Jesus is saying to them? The Savior not only assures them of peace, but He also commissions them to announce peace to the world. Peace comes from forgiveness of sins. It is peace between God and men through the work of Christ. It is peace of conscience to the sinner. This peace was Jesus’ way of saying that these idlers were still precious – and useful – to him. Jesus’ word of peace was their forgiveness, and now they had the power to share that same forgiveness with the world.

During this first meeting, the disciple Thomas was not present. When the disciples saw Thomas next, they told him how Jesus had appeared to them in the locked room. Thomas, known for his doubting, refused to believe unless he saw everything for himself.

It’s really not fair to pick on Thomas just because he missed church, but that’s what we do today. It’s not fair because all the other disciples doubted just as much as he did. In fact, the Easter Gospel told us about the disciples’ reaction when the women came and told them about the empty tomb and the angels. It said, “The women … told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.” You see, if Thomas is Doubting Thomas, then Peter is Doubting Peter, James is Doubting James, John is Doubting John, and so on. Every one of the disciples doubted, not just Thomas. 

Martin Luther once wrote that the devil’s greatest and deadliest arrow in his evil quiver is the arrow of doubt, which he fires with deadly sniper precision into the hearts of all believers in Christ. Thomas and the disciples were not immune to this. You and I are not immune to this either. Don’t we doubt that God will do what He says He will? Don’t we doubt the gifts that God gives to us in His Sacraments of Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper?

As Thomas appears with the 10 the following Sunday, Thomas wasn’t going to miss church this week, Jesus again appears to them and once again says “Peace be with you.” Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Jesus knew exactly what it would take for Thomas to believe. He shows Him the wounds and Thomas believes.

You and I do not have the luxury of gazing upon the resurrected Jesus and believing as did Thomas. Instead, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit which creates faith in us. It’s one thing to see and believe, but a complete other to believe solely based upon faith and without seeing. That’s us. That’s the Church today. Centuries after Christ’s death, people believed and continue to believe today. They did not have Christ to hold their hands as did the disciples, or to show His wounds to strengthen their weak faith as did Thomas. No, they believed based upon the faith that was granted to them by the Holy Spirit. They were able to confess with Thomas, just as we are: “My Lord and my God!”

We have been given this wonderful gift of faith, the ability to believe what Christ did for us on Calvary’s cross, and now we see that because of that action, we are given life in His name. To those who believe receive redemption, salvation, and eternal life through Jesus Christ. This comes to us in the gift of Baptism, where we have God’s name placed upon us. This comes to us in the gift of the Lord’s Supper, where we feast upon the body and blood of Jesus and receive His forgiveness. It comes to us each time we hear the words of Absolution pronounced over us. It will come to us again when we leave this world and enter into the heavenly mansion prepared for us.

We have received life and received it abundantly. Given to us so that we may live, one life had to be sacrificed, and that life is Jesus Christ. The peace of Christ is with us. It comes to us when we are forgiven. It comes to us as we believe in Christ and all that He has done for us. New life is given to us, a life that is not deserved, but given to us with nothing done on our part. This new life washes over us and we are made clean by the blood of the Lamb, shed for the sins of the many, including you and me. Dear friends in Christ, “Peace be with you.” Amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus, amen.