John 19:17-30

Grace, mercy, and peace to you, from God, our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. The text for the sermon comes from John 19:17-30.

The King is here, standing before the people. The jury is back, the verdict has been read – on the charge of blasphemy: guilty; the sentence: death. Unlike modern day criminals, he carried His own form of execution. He carried His own cross to Golgotha, the Place of the Skull. The reason for His death: for being “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”

His execution was scheduled with two other criminals, one on either side of Him. The two thieves serve as reminders that such a fate is what every person deserves. Not all people deserve to be executed for crimes against the state, but all deserve death from the hand of God. Who deserves to be on Golgotha being crucified? Is it Jesus, the sinless One? Is it the criminals? Is it someone else? Jesus does not deserve to be crucified there; He is sinless and perfect, doing nothing to warrant crucifixion. The two criminals did something to deserve death, but did it warrant crucifixion? If anyone deserves to be crucified on Golgotha, it is me. I am the one who committed crimes against the State, against God’s commands. My verdict was already pronounced in the Garden of Eden when my first parents sinned. But I am not the only one who deserves to be crucified on Golgotha. There is plenty of space all around me for all of you to be crucified as well, for you are all enemies of the State of Grace, of God.

There is good news for all of us. We are not the ones who are being crucified; though we are the ones who deserve it. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has gone before us to Golgotha to accept our punishment. Just as the prophet Isaiah writes, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” He took your punishment and He took mine. He did this out of love for you and for me.

So much for Christ being a king. What kind of king would willfully allow himself to be betrayed by his friends and then beaten, scourged and tried, all with no evidence of wrong doing?

On Palm Sunday, we heard Pontius Pilate ask the question to Jesus, “‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ And [Jesus] answered him, ‘You have said so.’” St. John record for us a more in-depth account of the response Jesus gave to Pilate: “You say that I am a king.  For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” All Pilate could say was “What is truth?”

That is the question to be asked: What is truth? In today’s society, truth is relative to the individual. We can have the facts of something presented to us and still decide that the truth is still up for grabs. In the end, truth is relative, except in the case of Christ. Truth is not relative; truth is definitive. The truth is this: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Our Good Shepherd suffered ridicule, death, and hell for your sins and for mine. He laid down His life for us. He laid down His innocent life for our lives which are guilty.

Jesus, the King of the Jews, was led to be crucified, for the sins of the people, including Pilate and the two criminals who were hanging on either side. He was dying for the sins of people who had beaten Him, mocked Him, hurled insults at Him, who utterly emasculated Him.

Jesus went to the cross because He loved us.  He gave His life as a ransom for many.  He gave His body to be whipped, to be spit upon, to be punched, cut with thorns, to be nailed through and crucified, all of it for you and me.  We can find rest here in the wounds of Jesus.

His precious blood, which He freely shed in His bitter sufferings and cruel death, is what cleanses us from all our sins.  His blood is our help.  When we are hurting, we can look to the human body of Jesus, which didn’t make use of its glorious divine power when the mystery of our redemption was being worked out.  In the bleeding wounds of Jesus is our only remedy.

Jesus went to the cross for us.  St. Paul says, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”  We weren’t worthy of Christ’s heroic death for us.  He went anyway because he loved us before we were born.  It was glory for him to love us and take our burden upon himself.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Not only does Jesus love us, but the Father loves us as well.

It’s a hard thing to send a son or daughter off to war to fight for a noble cause.  One can only imagine what that must be like, not knowing if they will return or not, just holding on to hope and prayer.  But imagine the Father, sending his Son, knowing exactly what’s going to happen, and knowing that millions of people will never understand why you did it or know that you did it for them.

Jesus bore the wrath of God against our sins.  Simple pain and death was not the essence of what He endured.  He bore the wrath of God in His soul, the agonies of Hell.  He who is God was forsaken by God on the cross.  He became a curse, for He Himself had spoken through the prophet that “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.” We cannot imagine what He endured.  And, thanks be to God, we who believe will never know first-hand.  He suffered for us and in our place on the cross on Calvary.

And when He had done all that the Scriptures said He would do, and when He had suffered all that was prophesied that the Messiah would suffer, He spoke the most precious word in the history of man, τετέλεσται, which takes three words in English to translate, "It is finished!" With those words, Jesus tells us that the debt of sin has been paid in full and the burden of the guilt of all mankind has been lifted forever.

You need to hear, that through Christ’s death, you have received the gift of life. You need to tell your young child and your 60-year-old spouse that Jesus died, but that He rose again from the dead. No child, however your or old, will ever be able to grasp the full dimension of that – of the resurrection. It is cause for faith. You need to hear, this night, that there is life through death – for Jesus, and for us, and for all who fall asleep in Christ. All of this is accomplished for us, by “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” In the name of Christ, the crucified, amen. Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus, amen.

Text: Matthew 1:18-25

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

It is probably safe to say that most Christians are more familiar with Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth than with Matthew’s account.  Luke 2 is usually what people hear recited by children in Christmas Eve services; very often it is also read on Christmas Day. All too often Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth is bypassed. A comparison of the two accounts of course shows that the Evangelist Matthew’s record of the birth of God’s Son is much briefer than Luke’s. Matthew does not mention many of the details we have come to associate with Christ’s birth. Matthew’s God-given task was simply to relate the facts of the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ. Matthew now introduces his background from a different angle: in the story of Jesus’ godly stepfather, he introduces the miraculous and moral character of Jesus’ birth. With that said, we begin our text: “When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.”

Joseph and Mary had promised their lives to each other as husband and wife, and in God’s eyes that was the beginning of their marriage. According to custom, though, they would not live together as husband and wife until a certain time period had elapsed. That is the time Matthew zeroes in on. Joseph learned that Mary had become pregnant. Christ “was conceived by the Holy Spirit,” as we say in the Apostles’ Creed. This is certainly “the mystery of Christ’s incarnation.” Human reason cannot fathom how Mary could become pregnant through the working of the Holy Spirit. God-given faith, though, accepts that explanation and marvels at God’s power.

Joseph was left with a couple of options. Option 1 was that he could accept the child as his own. With that would come a certain stigma, since he and Mary were only betrothed – meaning that though they were married in the eyes of God, yet not married in the eyes of the government, the stigma would be that he willingly married a woman who had not only cheated on him with another man, she became pregnant by that man as well. It would not be Joseph’s responsibility to care for this child, since he has no tie to the child.

Option 2 would be to divorce her. This would have been a very simple and easy thing to do. It would have meant little difficulty for Joseph should he do that. What’s more, it would have been his right to do so since Mary was the one who cheated on him. Mary, a less-than second-class citizen would have born all the fault and the law would have sided with Joseph because he was a male. In ancient Judaism, betrothals (unlike our modern engagements) were as binding as marriage; an economic transaction had united the couple. Even though they had not yet consummated the marriage, their betrothal could be ended only by divorce or by the death of one party. Unfaithfulness, however, was universally regarded as grounds for divorce, and Jewish law, like Roman law and all ancient Mediterranean custom, would have expected Joseph to divorce Mary.

Option 3 would be to have Mary put to death for her act of infidelity. Because of the law of the land, death would have been an option. According to Deuteronomy 22, the life of Mary (and ultimately Jesus) could have been in jeopardy if Joseph had wanted to press the issue. Joseph did not desire any harm to come to Mary because he was a just man.

What happened next was the angelic visitation to Joseph in a dream. “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Here we see how an angel served the Lord while He was still in Mary’s womb. The angel redirected Joseph’s intended course of action. The angel reminded Joseph that he was a son of David. It was implied in those words that if the Savior were to come from David’s line as promised, Mary and he needed to remain together as husband and wife. Joseph was prevented from jumping to any more false conclusions about Mary by being informed about the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit within her.

This Son born to Joseph and Mary is the Son born to all creation, to you and to me. It is the Son born to live a sinless life in your place. It is the Son born to die in your place. It is the Son born to be raised from the dead. It is the Son “born that man no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth.” My friends, this Child whose birth we are preparing to celebrate in a few hours is like no other child that ever has been, is, or ever will be. This is the very Son of God made flesh for you. This is the very Son of God who came to take your sins upon Himself. This is Jesus, the Lord saves. Jesus came into the world not merely to save one particular people or race. He came to save the crowd, the whole crowd, all the people, the people as a nation. He came to save you. He is the Messiah which the prophet Isaiah had foretold hundreds of years before; He is Immanuel, God with us.

Martin Luther was an avid hymn writer. One of his longest hymns was the Christmas hymn, “From Heaven Above to Earth I Come.” In that hymn, Luther writes the following stanza: “This is the Christ, our God Most High, Who hears your sad and bitter cry; He will Himself your Savior be From all your sins to set you free.” This one stanza encapsulates why Christ came: to set you free from all of your sins. This is what was foretold all the way back in Genesis. They had been waiting and waiting for the promised Messiah and now here He was; yet it wasn’t the Messiah that they had expected. No one had expected the Messiah to be born in a lowly manger amongst animals. No one had expected the Messiah to be born to such lowly parents, yet that is precisely how this Savior of the nations was born. He was born to earthly parents and lived an earthly life for all those here on earth, for you and for me.

That is who the Messiah IS and not who we WANT the Messiah to be. We want the Messiah to be one who will make all of our problems disappear, someone who will make our lives easier. That is the not the Messiah promised in the Scriptures. The Messiah that is promised of in the Scriptures is One who would give His life for the life of God’s creation. St. Matthew writes, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

If there is one word to remember, it is the simple word “trust.” Trust the Lord. It is here, in the manger, where God breaks into our lives and makes Christmas the vital, living experience He intended it to be when Jesus was born in flesh and blood two thousand years ago. Trust, trust Him… trust Him by placing everything you are and have into His hands, knowing that He is the only one who is trustworthy. Trust that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and the Savior of those who call upon His name.

Because of the gift God has given to us through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we are bold to sing with Martin Luther, “All this for us our God has done Granting love through His Son. And sing His praise with endless voice. Alleluia!” In Jesus name, amen. Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus, amen.

Christmas Eve 2008

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

All too often in our lives, we like to think of ourselves as being more important than what we are. If we were not present, the world would fall apart; in short, the world needs me, the world needs you. During the life of Paul, it was no different. The practice of laying out ones credentials to attain a higher place in society was a common practice. When Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, he lays out his credentials and shows the Church who he is: “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee, as to zeal; a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless.” His life conformed to the law from his eighth day, when he was circumcised. He was from the high-ranking tribe of Benjamin. Both of his parents were Hebrews. Add to this privileged ancestry his religious achievements: faithful Pharisee, zealous persecutor of the church, above reproach as a keeper of the Law of Moses. If anyone had the credentials of the day, it was Paul. If you want to look at the people of the day, if Paul were not there, then the world could very well fall apart.

We share the same mentality of Paul, don’t we? We think that the more degrees we have, the more letters after our name, the more important and valuable we are. Through all of this, we further our careers, earn more money, and now have the right to look down our noses at those who are below us on the food chain.

That may be how some in the world may think, but that is not what Paul is writing to the Church at Philippi. He could have very easily laid out his credentials and demanded that he have a position of authority and power both in the church and the government, yet he did not. He had far outclassed even the best of the Judaizers. If salvation were by works, Paul would have been guaranteed clear entrance to heaven. And at one time Paul considered all that to his profit; they were all advantages that would have helped him gain an eternal reward. But since that blinding experience on the road to Damascus, Paul’s eyes of faith were opened, and he now realized that all those things were to his disadvantage. They stood in the way of his having a right relationship with the Lord and kept the gates of heaven shut up tight for him. They did not gain any righteousness for him but only led him away from the true righteousness in Christ. They were now all to his “loss.” Those old ideas needed to be abandoned as totally useless and worthless. Paul doesn’t hold his credentials as a bargaining chip. Instead, he makes a statement to the Philippians that is unexpected of the day: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

This is not the response that one would have expected to come from the mouth of Paul, nor is the response that one would have expected from many living in Philippi. Paul was not afraid to preach the Word of God to anyone at any time in any place. By these contrasts Paul shows the surpassing worth of Jesus Christ compared to his former life. None of his former credentials can compare with what Paul has found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in whom this former legalist has found a righteousness “that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ.” By comparison, all his former achievements he considers σκύβαλον, “rubbish, things that are worthless and detestable.” What he thought was the feast of God’s approval was nothing but the garbage left over after the feast. Note that Paul does not reject God’s Law, but he rejects the confidence that he had in himself because he kept the Law. Justification before God has come through God’s fulfillment of the Law in Christ. For Paul there can never again be “righteousness of my own that comes from the law.”

It is important to realize that some of the things that we as Christians often regard as a real advantage and to our “profit” can actually be to our disadvantage if we regard them as a meritorious work. Boasting over the fact that one has been baptized and confirmed, that one has received a Christian education through a Lutheran elementary or high school, taking pride in one’s church attendance and “all that I’ve done” for the church—this stands in the way of relying on Jesus Christ alone for salvation. While they can do much to benefit us, when they become objects of trust for righteousness before God, they need to be thrown out like garbage. Christ is the focus. Faith in Jesus Christ is far superior to anything we can give to the Lord.

The question we need to ask ourselves is “What is our focus?” Are we focused on the things that we do, the achievements that we have earned, our own personal recognition in the eyes of others? If that’s where our focus lies, then there is no need for Jesus, for all that we need, we can accomplish ourselves. If however, we have the mentality of Paul, then we can boldly confess, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

That was the problem that Paul found in many of the churches which he visited or which he wrote to: people were more about strutting their peacock feathers to others, indicating to others all the things that they have done to earn eternal life. There is nothing that we ever could, can, or will be able to do to earn eternal life. We deceive ourselves into thinking that salvation can come from inside of us. Salvation is external, coming from the work of Jesus Christ and Him alone. It is His life, death, and resurrection which is able to bring about forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

For Paul, he was looking forward to the resurrection, namely, his own resurrection from the dead and the life everlasting that is found in Jesus Christ. As Christians study their Scriptures and make regular use of the sacraments, the Holy Spirit brings the glories of Christ and the power of His resurrection into ever clearer focus. Through the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives, they begin to experience the power of Jesus’ resurrection as they rejoice more and more over their forgiveness, and as they, through repentance and faith, gain the daily victories over sin. As they put up with the ridicule and persecutions the world hurls their way and as they daily put to death their sinful nature with all its desires, they share in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings and become more like Him in His death. The final goal is their own resurrection to glory.

My friends, this is what Paul strove for; this was his prize: resurrection and everlasting life. This too is our prize. It is a prize that is won by faith and faith alone, not by works. Relying on our works pushes us further away from the prize which was won for us by Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. We need to keep our eyes on the prize. Do not be distracted by the attractions of this world or by its distractions. Consider the example of Peter when he walked on the water. He was distracted by the storm and took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. When we take our eyes off of Jesus, we lose sight of the prize won for us by Jesus Christ. Growing in grace means learning more and more to live in the awareness that our guilt has been forgiven, that our future is secure in Christ, and that as a result we are truly free to live in the present. God will continue to do the work that He began in us when we came to Christ until we see Him face-to-face.

Paul rightly makes the point when he says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Why is this important? The importance lies with the last eight words of this verse: “…because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” We do not make ourselves Christ’s own. We do not bring about our own salvation. It is Christ Jesus who makes us His own. It is Christ Jesus who gives to us salvation. Because of Jesus Christ, we “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” In the name of Jesus, amen. Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, amen.

Pentecost 21A 2008

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

All too often in our lives, we like to think of ourselves as being more important than what we are. If we were not present, the world would fall apart; in short, the world needs me, the world needs you. During the life of Paul, it was no different. The practice of laying out ones credentials to attain a higher place in society was a common practice. When Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, he lays out his credentials and shows the Church who he is: “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee, as to zeal; a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless.” His life conformed to the law from his eighth day, when he was circumcised. He was from the high-ranking tribe of Benjamin. Both of his parents were Hebrews. Add to this privileged ancestry his religious achievements: faithful Pharisee, zealous persecutor of the church, above reproach as a keeper of the Law of Moses. If anyone had the credentials of the day, it was Paul. If you want to look at the people of the day, if Paul were not there, then the world could very well fall apart.

We share the same mentality of Paul, don’t we? We think that the more degrees we have, the more letters after our name, the more important and valuable we are. Through all of this, we further our careers, earn more money, and now have the right to look down our noses at those who are below us on the food chain.

That may be how some in the world may think, but that is not what Paul is writing to the Church at Philippi. He could have very easily laid out his credentials and demanded that he have a position of authority and power both in the church and the government, yet he did not. He had far outclassed even the best of the Judaizers. If salvation were by works, Paul would have been guaranteed clear entrance to heaven. And at one time Paul considered all that to his profit; they were all advantages that would have helped him gain an eternal reward. But since that blinding experience on the road to Damascus, Paul’s eyes of faith were opened, and he now realized that all those things were to his disadvantage. They stood in the way of his having a right relationship with the Lord and kept the gates of heaven shut up tight for him. They did not gain any righteousness for him but only led him away from the true righteousness in Christ. They were now all to his “loss.” Those old ideas needed to be abandoned as totally useless and worthless. Paul doesn’t hold his credentials as a bargaining chip. Instead, he makes a statement to the Philippians that is unexpected of the day: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

This is not the response that one would have expected to come from the mouth of Paul, nor is the response that one would have expected from many living in Philippi. Paul was not afraid to preach the Word of God to anyone at any time in any place. By these contrasts Paul shows the surpassing worth of Jesus Christ compared to his former life. None of his former credentials can compare with what Paul has found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in whom this former legalist has found a righteousness “that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ.” By comparison, all his former achievements he considers σκύβαλον, “rubbish, things that are worthless and detestable.” What he thought was the feast of God’s approval was nothing but the garbage left over after the feast. Note that Paul does not reject God’s Law, but he rejects the confidence that he had in himself because he kept the Law. Justification before God has come through God’s fulfillment of the Law in Christ. For Paul there can never again be “righteousness of my own that comes from the law.”

It is important to realize that some of the things that we as Christians often regard as a real advantage and to our “profit” can actually be to our disadvantage if we regard them as a meritorious work. Boasting over the fact that one has been baptized and confirmed, that one has received a Christian education through a Lutheran elementary or high school, taking pride in one’s church attendance and “all that I’ve done” for the church—this stands in the way of relying on Jesus Christ alone for salvation. While they can do much to benefit us, when they become objects of trust for righteousness before God, they need to be thrown out like garbage. Christ is the focus. Faith in Jesus Christ is far superior to anything we can give to the Lord.

The question we need to ask ourselves is “What is our focus?” Are we focused on the things that we do, the achievements that we have earned, our own personal recognition in the eyes of others? If that’s where our focus lies, then there is no need for Jesus, for all that we need, we can accomplish ourselves. If however, we have the mentality of Paul, then we can boldly confess, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

That was the problem that Paul found in many of the churches which he visited or which he wrote to: people were more about strutting their peacock feathers to others, indicating to others all the things that they have done to earn eternal life. There is nothing that we ever could, can, or will be able to do to earn eternal life. We deceive ourselves into thinking that salvation can come from inside of us. Salvation is external, coming from the work of Jesus Christ and Him alone. It is His life, death, and resurrection which is able to bring about forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

For Paul, he was looking forward to the resurrection, namely, his own resurrection from the dead and the life everlasting that is found in Jesus Christ. As Christians study their Scriptures and make regular use of the sacraments, the Holy Spirit brings the glories of Christ and the power of His resurrection into ever clearer focus. Through the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives, they begin to experience the power of Jesus’ resurrection as they rejoice more and more over their forgiveness, and as they, through repentance and faith, gain the daily victories over sin. As they put up with the ridicule and persecutions the world hurls their way and as they daily put to death their sinful nature with all its desires, they share in the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings and become more like Him in His death. The final goal is their own resurrection to glory.

My friends, this is what Paul strove for; this was his prize: resurrection and everlasting life. This too is our prize. It is a prize that is won by faith and faith alone, not by works. Relying on our works pushes us further away from the prize which was won for us by Jesus Christ and His death on the cross. We need to keep our eyes on the prize. Do not be distracted by the attractions of this world or by its distractions. Consider the example of Peter when he walked on the water. He was distracted by the storm and took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. When we take our eyes off of Jesus, we lose sight of the prize won for us by Jesus Christ. Growing in grace means learning more and more to live in the awareness that our guilt has been forgiven, that our future is secure in Christ, and that as a result we are truly free to live in the present. God will continue to do the work that He began in us when we came to Christ until we see Him face-to-face.

Paul rightly makes the point when he says, “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Why is this important? The importance lies with the last eight words of this verse: “…because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” We do not make ourselves Christ’s own. We do not bring about our own salvation. It is Christ Jesus who makes us His own. It is Christ Jesus who gives to us salvation. Because of Jesus Christ, we “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” In the name of Jesus, amen. Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, amen.

Pentecost 21A 2008

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

In today’s religious marketplace, churches are selling success – financial, social, bodily, and spiritual success. With these teachings, there is no room for suffering. Rather, suffering is seen by some as a sign of God’s punishment, or at least the absence of His favor. In today’s Epistle, we learn that suffering, especially suffering for the sake of Christ, can actually be a gift from God and serve to further His kingdom.

Paul led a long life. During this life he led, he suffered. He suffered from a thorn in the flesh, “a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.” Paul suffered from being imprisoned three different times in his life. Paul suffered from being shipwrecked on the island of Malta for three months on his way from Caesarea to Rome. Needless to say, Paul suffered during his life; this was just the suffering that he faced once he became a Christian following his Damascus Road conversion.

Suffering for the Christian is nothing new. It’s not something that the Christian looks forward to, yet it is something that the Christian will face during their life. Not only is it something that we face, it is nothing short of a gift from God. Faith is a gift, “granted” to us “for the sake of Christ.”

Like faith, we see that suffering is a gift, though not a gift like you and I would think of. Faith is something given to us for our benefit; no one would deny that fact. But can we say the same about suffering? Is suffering given to us for our benefit? The answer is yes. It is granted to us, as Paul says.

Most would not consider suffering a gift. When one thinks of a gift, they think of money, jewelry, a new car, but not suffering. If you had the choice between a gift of one-million dollars or suffering, your choice would be a no-brainer: you would take the money.

Paul was not your “model Christian” by any means; actually, Paul was no Christian at all. He had lived his life by the name of Saul. He knew of Jesus and had one goal in life: to stamp out Christianity and everything Christ stood for. He caused suffering to many a Christian, suffering to the point of death. Saul had everything going for him, until one fateful day on the Damascus Road. It was there that Saul met Jesus, face-to-face. It was there that Saul was converted from a non-Christian to a Christian. It was from that moment on that Paul’s life would change.

Following his conversion, Paul suffered many a thing. However, he did not count it as a curse, but rather as a blessing. This conversion left Paul with one simple message: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Paul’s suffering, while it was difficult at times, furthered the work of the Gospel. Early in our text, Paul makes mention of his imprisonment. It was not punishment for disobeying God, but a result of faithfully speaking the Word of God. That suffering for speaking the Gospel was bearing fruit. The imperial guard and all the rest had heard of Christ as a result of Paul’s suffering. Because of the message of Christ which Paul was preaching, others were becoming confident in speaking of Christ because of Paul’s suffering. Suffering like Paul talks about here is echoed throughout his epistles. We see Paul’s suffering instrumental in the founding, the upbringing, the doctrine, and the chastisement of congregations in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, and Colossae.

Just like Paul, you and I are called to accept the gift of suffering for the sake of the Gospel. We may suffer for the speaking the Word. We may face embarrassment, harassment, fallings out with family and friends and cold shoulders. We may face sanctions at work, restrictions in public activities. Yet we are called to “preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season.” We are called to “reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”

Paul is not the only illustration of suffering we see in Scripture. Jesus Christ is the greatest example we see in Scripture of suffering for the sake of the Gospel.

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ shows to us the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel. Paul gives to us a great understanding of the work of Jesus Christ in Philippians 2: “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Suffering for the sake of the Gospel leads us to one thing and one thing only: trust in Christ and Christ alone. Christ has suffered our same sufferings, as well as sufferings that we can never suffer. He became man and suffered what you and I were meant to suffer. Because of your sins and mine, He was harassed, humiliated, abandoned by friends, and excluded by Jewish leadership. He was arrested, imprisoned, beaten and killed, all for the sins of the world. He was damned, rejected by His Father, and suffered the torments of hell; not for His behalf, but on behalf of you, the people whom God was making His own by the work of His Son. It is by His life, suffering, death, and resurrection that you and I have received a prize: that prize is everlasting life. That is exactly what we hear from the Gospel of John: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Being a Christian is not about attaining success as the world counts success. Being a Christian may mean suffering for the sake of the Gospel. In every kind of suffering, we are comforted that it comes to us as a gift, just as faith comes to us as a gift. The sufferings we experience drive us to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is our hope as Christians to suffer and not be ashamed, for that which we suffer is far greater than what we could expect in this life; we desire to suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ and His Word, because He has suffered in our place. In Jesus’ name, amen. Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus until life everlasting, amen.

Pentecost 19A 2008

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

In today’s religious marketplace, churches are selling success – financial, social, bodily, and spiritual success. With these teachings, there is no room for suffering. Rather, suffering is seen by some as a sign of God’s punishment, or at least the absence of His favor. In today’s Epistle, we learn that suffering, especially suffering for the sake of Christ, can actually be a gift from God and serve to further His kingdom.

Paul led a long life. During this life he led, he suffered. He suffered from a thorn in the flesh, “a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.” Paul suffered from being imprisoned three different times in his life. Paul suffered from being shipwrecked on the island of Malta for three months on his way from Caesarea to Rome. Needless to say, Paul suffered during his life; this was just the suffering that he faced once he became a Christian following his Damascus Road conversion.

Suffering for the Christian is nothing new. It’s not something that the Christian looks forward to, yet it is something that the Christian will face during their life. Not only is it something that we face, it is nothing short of a gift from God. Faith is a gift, “granted” to us “for the sake of Christ.”

Like faith, we see that suffering is a gift, though not a gift like you and I would think of. Faith is something given to us for our benefit; no one would deny that fact. But can we say the same about suffering? Is suffering given to us for our benefit? The answer is yes. It is granted to us, as Paul says.

Most would not consider suffering a gift. When one thinks of a gift, they think of money, jewelry, a new car, but not suffering. If you had the choice between a gift of one-million dollars or suffering, your choice would be a no-brainer: you would take the money.

Paul was not your “model Christian” by any means; actually, Paul was no Christian at all. He had lived his life by the name of Saul. He knew of Jesus and had one goal in life: to stamp out Christianity and everything Christ stood for. He caused suffering to many a Christian, suffering to the point of death. Saul had everything going for him, until one fateful day on the Damascus Road. It was there that Saul met Jesus, face-to-face. It was there that Saul was converted from a non-Christian to a Christian. It was from that moment on that Paul’s life would change.

Following his conversion, Paul suffered many a thing. However, he did not count it as a curse, but rather as a blessing. This conversion left Paul with one simple message: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Paul’s suffering, while it was difficult at times, furthered the work of the Gospel. Early in our text, Paul makes mention of his imprisonment. It was not punishment for disobeying God, but a result of faithfully speaking the Word of God. That suffering for speaking the Gospel was bearing fruit. The imperial guard and all the rest had heard of Christ as a result of Paul’s suffering. Because of the message of Christ which Paul was preaching, others were becoming confident in speaking of Christ because of Paul’s suffering. Suffering like Paul talks about here is echoed throughout his epistles. We see Paul’s suffering instrumental in the founding, the upbringing, the doctrine, and the chastisement of congregations in Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, and Colossae.

Just like Paul, you and I are called to accept the gift of suffering for the sake of the Gospel. We may suffer for the speaking the Word. We may face embarrassment, harassment, fallings out with family and friends and cold shoulders. We may face sanctions at work, restrictions in public activities. Yet we are called to “preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season.” We are called to “reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”

Paul is not the only illustration of suffering we see in Scripture. Jesus Christ is the greatest example we see in Scripture of suffering for the sake of the Gospel.

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ shows to us the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel. Paul gives to us a great understanding of the work of Jesus Christ in Philippians 2: “who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Suffering for the sake of the Gospel leads us to one thing and one thing only: trust in Christ and Christ alone. Christ has suffered our same sufferings, as well as sufferings that we can never suffer. He became man and suffered what you and I were meant to suffer. Because of your sins and mine, He was harassed, humiliated, abandoned by friends, and excluded by Jewish leadership. He was arrested, imprisoned, beaten and killed, all for the sins of the world. He was damned, rejected by His Father, and suffered the torments of hell; not for His behalf, but on behalf of you, the people whom God was making His own by the work of His Son. It is by His life, suffering, death, and resurrection that you and I have received a prize: that prize is everlasting life. That is exactly what we hear from the Gospel of John: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Being a Christian is not about attaining success as the world counts success. Being a Christian may mean suffering for the sake of the Gospel. In every kind of suffering, we are comforted that it comes to us as a gift, just as faith comes to us as a gift. The sufferings we experience drive us to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is our hope as Christians to suffer and not be ashamed, for that which we suffer is far greater than what we could expect in this life; we desire to suffer for the sake of Jesus Christ and His Word, because He has suffered in our place. In Jesus’ name, amen. Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through faith in Christ Jesus until life everlasting, amen.

Pentecost 19A 2008

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

If you caught any bit of the 2008 Summer Olympics, you will be able to see which country was the greatest with regards to medals: the United States took the medal count with 110. If you look at the greatest athlete at the games, one would say the greatest would be Michael Phelps. He went a perfect 8-for-8 in Beijing, breaking Mark Spitz’s single-Games record for gold medals. He swam 17 times over nine days and broke the world record in four of his five individual swims. His three relay teams also set world marks. The United States and Michael Phelps are arguably the greatest of the 2008 Summer Olympics. But what about all the other Olympic athletes who didn’t win a medal? Because they didn’t win a medal, does that mean that they are not the greatest?

The same question was made by the disciples with regards to heaven: “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” They had discussed among themselves on the road to Capernaum. They had held their peace because of a guilty feeling. They wanted to know who was greater. The implication was that all of the Twelve would be great, yet that some would be greater than the rest. On the road, the Twelve had had their dispute, and Jesus had delayed until this time in order most thoroughly to settle this question that was so fraught with danger because of envy, jealousy, pride and hatred. There was a possibility that it might disrupt this little band of twelve.

Mark describes Jesus as sitting down and then calling the Twelve to Himself and making an opening statement before He called the little child to Himself. So, after the disciples had confessed their dispute, we must imagine that Jesus formally seated Himself, His manner indicating that He intended once for all to clear up this question of precedence and greatness in His kingdom. Who is the greatest: a child.

Everybody thinks babies are cute and cuddly; I’ll be the first to agree with that statement. Besides entertainment value, rarely do adults consider that such little ones could ever be of much practical use. Jesus has a different view. These babies grow into something far valuable than we could ever imagine: children. He says that we must all become children in order to be saved and enter heaven. From the high places in the kingdom after which the disciples were striving, Jesus takes them back to the very portal of that kingdom. The disciples are given two choices: receive a child in Jesus’ name or cause a child to sin.

Jesus gives us the formula of salvation: faith like a child. Faith like a child is not something that comes easy, especially to adults. We grow up, we learn to be

self-dependant. We even adopt the idea of “survival of the fittest.” We are taught to strive to be the greatest in all that we do. Maybe you have heard the saying, “Second place is the first loser.” Who is stronger: a weak child or a strong man? For Jesus, faith is best seen not by a man, but by a child.

Jesus has in mind the turning which is usually called conversion, equivalent to the regeneration He required of Nicodemus. To permit oneself to be called, led, loved, without pride and without doubt, in simple trust, that is childlikeness even as this is the nature of children who possess nothing but need everything; who are able to do nothing but receive everything as a gift – this must be the way for all who desire to enter the kingdom of heaven. Humble trustfulness is a good summary of what Jesus has in mind, this translated into the spiritual realm, into our relation to Jesus. A king’s child plays with a beggar’s child, and neither feels above the other. We bring our children up, while God brings His children down. Many have thought that children must first grow to manhood before they can enter the kingdom; Jesus reverses this: He teaches that the disciples must go back and become little children.

There are certain false teachings in the Church which may cause us to stumble. One such practice is the theology of glory. The theology of glory places greater emphasis on human abilities and human reason. It expects favorable results if we do our part. This thinking is quite opposite the child’s helplessly receiving whatever comes. Another false teaching of the Church is withholding Baptism from an infant. There are those who do not practice infant Baptism because they say that a child cannot believe. However, their logic is flawed. A child can believe. A child can talk, a child can walk, and a child can sin. Those who believe this way suggest that an adult’s reason or ability to believe is necessary for and contributes to salvation. That is not what we see in Scripture. Jesus says at the end of Matthew, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit….” Under the category of “all nations” fall infants. They are just as capable of having faith to receive the gift of Holy Baptism, just as any adult is.

If we are to follow the words of Jesus, how do we “turn and become like children?” We do not become like children by our own actions. Our sin hinders us from becoming like children. Because of our sin, we are not able to see ourselves as children: doing what we ought not to do, going where we ought not go, looking, leering, and imagining what we ought not see. We deceive ourselves if we think that there is anything that we can do to save ourselves. Salvation comes only by faith, faith like a child.

How does one become a child of faith? It is difficult, no doubt about it. Our minds must be transformed by the Word of Jesus, not by the word of the world. We must solely rely on God and Him alone to provide us with our daily bread. We must rely on Jesus to be who He says He is: “the way, and the truth, and the life.” We must not rely on our own thoughts, words, or deeds to bring about our salvation. We must not rely on the world to give to us everlasting life. It is purely the act of the Holy Spirit to give to us faith. The Holy Spirit reveals how we, as dependent, weak, and helpless babes, are cradled in the arms of God. When our hearts and minds are reshaped by Word and Sacrament, we gain an awareness of this truth.

Earlier I mentioned a false teaching of the Church – the theology of glory. It sounds very good and very promising. However, the theology of glory is not what we find in Scripture. We don’t see our lives played out like the movie, Field of Dreams. Our lives are not, “If you want it” or “If you do it, God will give it.” That is not how God works. He gives to us that which we need to sustain our bodies and lives each day. We must reject this idea of theology of glory and instead focus on a theology of the cross. That is done when we think not of our faith in terms of adult-mindedness, but in simple terms as a child. That is the same thing that Jesus does in our text. He rejects the false teachings of the Christian world in much the same way. He makes clear that “these little ones…believe in me.”

One thing that is confusing to me is when a church, during the Divine Service, has “children’s church” at the same time. “Children’s church” is taking the young children out of the Divine Service and having an extended Sunday School time, or “church” that is more of a play time with games so that they don’t interrupt the Divine Service for the adults. Here’s the problem: if the children are off having “children’s church,” how will they learn to behave in the Divine Service? How will they begin to learn what is taking place in the Divine Service?

Becoming children of God is indeed hard for us adults – and that includes the hard-hearted “adults” we are from the moment of conception, at birth, and at any age throughout life. In fact, it’s impossible for us. But it has happened already. Jesus, the only Son of the Father, makes us children of that same Father by Holy Baptism. We see that displayed for us in Infant Baptism; the most beautiful display of the Gospel, because it visually demonstrates our complete dependence on God and His grace: every Christian is a tiny child in the arms of Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen. Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus until life everlasting, amen.

Pentecost 17A 2008

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

If you caught any bit of the 2008 Summer Olympics, you will be able to see which country was the greatest with regards to medals: the United States took the medal count with 110. If you look at the greatest athlete at the games, one would say the greatest would be Michael Phelps. He went a perfect 8-for-8 in Beijing, breaking Mark Spitz’s single-Games record for gold medals. He swam 17 times over nine days and broke the world record in four of his five individual swims. His three relay teams also set world marks. The United States and Michael Phelps are arguably the greatest of the 2008 Summer Olympics. But what about all the other Olympic athletes who didn’t win a medal? Because they didn’t win a medal, does that mean that they are not the greatest?

The same question was made by the disciples with regards to heaven: “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” They had discussed among themselves on the road to Capernaum. They had held their peace because of a guilty feeling. They wanted to know who was greater. The implication was that all of the Twelve would be great, yet that some would be greater than the rest. On the road, the Twelve had had their dispute, and Jesus had delayed until this time in order most thoroughly to settle this question that was so fraught with danger because of envy, jealousy, pride and hatred. There was a possibility that it might disrupt this little band of twelve.

Mark describes Jesus as sitting down and then calling the Twelve to Himself and making an opening statement before He called the little child to Himself. So, after the disciples had confessed their dispute, we must imagine that Jesus formally seated Himself, His manner indicating that He intended once for all to clear up this question of precedence and greatness in His kingdom. Who is the greatest: a child.

Everybody thinks babies are cute and cuddly; I’ll be the first to agree with that statement. Besides entertainment value, rarely do adults consider that such little ones could ever be of much practical use. Jesus has a different view. These babies grow into something far valuable than we could ever imagine: children. He says that we must all become children in order to be saved and enter heaven. From the high places in the kingdom after which the disciples were striving, Jesus takes them back to the very portal of that kingdom. The disciples are given two choices: receive a child in Jesus’ name or cause a child to sin.

Jesus gives us the formula of salvation: faith like a child. Faith like a child is not something that comes easy, especially to adults. We grow up, we learn to be

self-dependant. We even adopt the idea of “survival of the fittest.” We are taught to strive to be the greatest in all that we do. Maybe you have heard the saying, “Second place is the first loser.” Who is stronger: a weak child or a strong man? For Jesus, faith is best seen not by a man, but by a child.

Jesus has in mind the turning which is usually called conversion, equivalent to the regeneration He required of Nicodemus. To permit oneself to be called, led, loved, without pride and without doubt, in simple trust, that is childlikeness even as this is the nature of children who possess nothing but need everything; who are able to do nothing but receive everything as a gift – this must be the way for all who desire to enter the kingdom of heaven. Humble trustfulness is a good summary of what Jesus has in mind, this translated into the spiritual realm, into our relation to Jesus. A king’s child plays with a beggar’s child, and neither feels above the other. We bring our children up, while God brings His children down. Many have thought that children must first grow to manhood before they can enter the kingdom; Jesus reverses this: He teaches that the disciples must go back and become little children.

There are certain false teachings in the Church which may cause us to stumble. One such practice is the theology of glory. The theology of glory places greater emphasis on human abilities and human reason. It expects favorable results if we do our part. This thinking is quite opposite the child’s helplessly receiving whatever comes. Another false teaching of the Church is withholding Baptism from an infant. There are those who do not practice infant Baptism because they say that a child cannot believe. However, their logic is flawed. A child can believe. A child can talk, a child can walk, and a child can sin. Those who believe this way suggest that an adult’s reason or ability to believe is necessary for and contributes to salvation. That is not what we see in Scripture. Jesus says at the end of Matthew, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit….” Under the category of “all nations” fall infants. They are just as capable of having faith to receive the gift of Holy Baptism, just as any adult is.

If we are to follow the words of Jesus, how do we “turn and become like children?” We do not become like children by our own actions. Our sin hinders us from becoming like children. Because of our sin, we are not able to see ourselves as children: doing what we ought not to do, going where we ought not go, looking, leering, and imagining what we ought not see. We deceive ourselves if we think that there is anything that we can do to save ourselves. Salvation comes only by faith, faith like a child.

How does one become a child of faith? It is difficult, no doubt about it. Our minds must be transformed by the Word of Jesus, not by the word of the world. We must solely rely on God and Him alone to provide us with our daily bread. We must rely on Jesus to be who He says He is: “the way, and the truth, and the life.” We must not rely on our own thoughts, words, or deeds to bring about our salvation. We must not rely on the world to give to us everlasting life. It is purely the act of the Holy Spirit to give to us faith. The Holy Spirit reveals how we, as dependent, weak, and helpless babes, are cradled in the arms of God. When our hearts and minds are reshaped by Word and Sacrament, we gain an awareness of this truth.

Earlier I mentioned a false teaching of the Church – the theology of glory. It sounds very good and very promising. However, the theology of glory is not what we find in Scripture. We don’t see our lives played out like the movie, Field of Dreams. Our lives are not, “If you want it” or “If you do it, God will give it.” That is not how God works. He gives to us that which we need to sustain our bodies and lives each day. We must reject this idea of theology of glory and instead focus on a theology of the cross. That is done when we think not of our faith in terms of adult-mindedness, but in simple terms as a child. That is the same thing that Jesus does in our text. He rejects the false teachings of the Christian world in much the same way. He makes clear that “these little ones…believe in me.”

One thing that is confusing to me is when a church, during the Divine Service, has “children’s church” at the same time. “Children’s church” is taking the young children out of the Divine Service and having an extended Sunday School time, or “church” that is more of a play time with games so that they don’t interrupt the Divine Service for the adults. Here’s the problem: if the children are off having “children’s church,” how will they learn to behave in the Divine Service? How will they begin to learn what is taking place in the Divine Service?

Becoming children of God is indeed hard for us adults – and that includes the hard-hearted “adults” we are from the moment of conception, at birth, and at any age throughout life. In fact, it’s impossible for us. But it has happened already. Jesus, the only Son of the Father, makes us children of that same Father by Holy Baptism. We see that displayed for us in Infant Baptism; the most beautiful display of the Gospel, because it visually demonstrates our complete dependence on God and His grace: every Christian is a tiny child in the arms of Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen. Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus until life everlasting, amen.

Pentecost 17A 2008