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 Gospel, which was read earlier.

“Peace be with you.” It was just an ordinary greeting, much like our greeting of “hello” or “have a good day.” Just an ordinary greeting, but on the occasion reported in our text, it had an extraordinary meaning.

The disciples were huddled together behind closed doors; afraid, scared because of the authorities. Would they arrest the disciples? Would they execute them because they had befriended the man who was killed for being a traitor and a heretic, this man Jesus? Now there was a rumor floating about that this man was alive again. Stamp out the rumor by rubbing-out the disciples; a sensible strategy. So now the disciples were huddled together in fear.

As the disciples huddle in fear, something miraculous happened. “Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’” Then there follows in the text those incredible words: “When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord and recognized Him as Lord by the wounds and scars on His body! It must have been frightening, to say the least, when Jesus first appeared to them when the room was locked. Days earlier, Christ was arrested and killed. Now the body of Christ is missing. Some say that robbers have stolen the body, while others have seen the resurrected Christ. Because of the thoughts of some that the body has been stolen, it would only seem logical that it was the disciples themselves who stole the body. It could even be said that the disciples were the next on the arrest list for propagating the false teachings of Jesus. For that reason, they hid, much as you and I would hide.

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.

What sort of fear upsets our peace? Is it fear of illness or death? Is it fear that a hidden sin might be exposed? Is it fear of anything that may go wrong in our lives? 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 will give that peace to you in just mere moments when 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.

The result from Christ’s statement: peace from fear. The disciples rejoiced because their relationship was restored. We can rejoice also because we have nothing to fear because our sins are 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.

How often are we the “Doubting Thomas?” How often do we doubt who Jesus is? How often do we doubt what is given to us in our Baptism? How often do we doubt what we receive in the Lord’s Supper: the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation? The world and all that is in it will cause us to doubt. Satan will do all that he can to cause doubt in a person. If a person wavers or doubt in their belief, then Satan has won. However, Christ has given to us that forgiveness in Him. He has given to us that peace in Him. He has given to us that new life in Him. Christ has given all of this to us through His life, death, and resurrection. This is not given to us by the world. The world will leave us disappointed and wanting and needing more; Jesus will not.

To ease the fears of Thomas, Jesus tells him the same thing that He told all the other disciples: “Peace be with you.” Jesus doesn’t stop there. He tells Thomas, “Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Immediately, after Thomas put his hands in the wounds of Jesus, Thomas believes.

Jesus tells you the same thing today: “Do not disbelieve, but believe.” We understand Thomas, don’t we? We believe Jesus died and rose and even that He’s given us eternal life in heaven. But do we really, always, believe that because my Redeemer lives, we will live also or do our doubts leave us with no peace?

Jesus forgave Thomas’ unbelief. He returned to make Thomas whole, to give him the contentment of faith that is found only in Him. He comes today to us, to forgive us of our unbelief. We doubt. We question. We waver. But Jesus, through what He did for us on the cross, forgives us of our doubt, our questioning and our wavering. Through His gift of His body and blood, He continues to strengthen and keep you in the one true faith until life everlasting. That one true faith is found in Him.

True peace, the Bible describes it, is always a product of the restored relationship between God and man, and that is only a result of the forgiveness that Christ earned for us on the cross. The Lord brings His peace to you. He has paid the price for your sin and disobedience. Peace with God has come at a cost, but Christ has borne that cost for you. And now, He brings that peace to you.

Therefore, do not be troubled. As the risen Lord visited His disciples, so He visits you. As He spoke peace and forgiveness to them, so He speaks it to you. As He came to them with His risen body and blood, so He comes and gives you His body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins. No matter what your sinful nature or circumstance might argue, you can be certain by God’s grace that you are at peace with God, because you are forgiven for all of your sins. In Jesus name, amen.

Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, amen.

Easter 2A 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 Gospel, which was read earlier.

“Peace be with you.” It was just an ordinary greeting, much like our greeting of “hello” or “have a good day.” Just an ordinary greeting, but on the occasion reported in our text, it had an extraordinary meaning.

The disciples were huddled together behind closed doors; afraid, scared because of the authorities. Would they arrest the disciples? Would they execute them because they had befriended the man who was killed for being a traitor and a heretic, this man Jesus? Now there was a rumor floating about that this man was alive again. Stamp out the rumor by rubbing-out the disciples; a sensible strategy. So now the disciples were huddled together in fear.

As the disciples huddle in fear, something miraculous happened. “Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’” Then there follows in the text those incredible words: “When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord and recognized Him as Lord by the wounds and scars on His body! It must have been frightening, to say the least, when Jesus first appeared to them when the room was locked. Days earlier, Christ was arrested and killed. Now the body of Christ is missing. Some say that robbers have stolen the body, while others have seen the resurrected Christ. Because of the thoughts of some that the body has been stolen, it would only seem logical that it was the disciples themselves who stole the body. It could even be said that the disciples were the next on the arrest list for propagating the false teachings of Jesus. For that reason, they hid, much as you and I would hide.

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.

What sort of fear upsets our peace? Is it fear of illness or death? Is it fear that a hidden sin might be exposed? Is it fear of anything that may go wrong in our lives? 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 will give that peace to you in just mere moments when 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.

The result from Christ’s statement: peace from fear. The disciples rejoiced because their relationship was restored. We can rejoice also because we have nothing to fear because our sins are 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.

How often are we the “Doubting Thomas?” How often do we doubt who Jesus is? How often do we doubt what is given to us in our Baptism? How often do we doubt what we receive in the Lord’s Supper: the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation? The world and all that is in it will cause us to doubt. Satan will do all that he can to cause doubt in a person. If a person wavers or doubt in their belief, then Satan has won. However, Christ has given to us that forgiveness in Him. He has given to us that peace in Him. He has given to us that new life in Him. Christ has given all of this to us through His life, death, and resurrection. This is not given to us by the world. The world will leave us disappointed and wanting and needing more; Jesus will not.

To ease the fears of Thomas, Jesus tells him the same thing that He told all the other disciples: “Peace be with you.” Jesus doesn’t stop there. He tells Thomas, “Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Immediately, after Thomas put his hands in the wounds of Jesus, Thomas believes.

Jesus tells you the same thing today: “Do not disbelieve, but believe.” We understand Thomas, don’t we? We believe Jesus died and rose and even that He’s given us eternal life in heaven. But do we really, always, believe that because my Redeemer lives, we will live also or do our doubts leave us with no peace?

Jesus forgave Thomas’ unbelief. He returned to make Thomas whole, to give him the contentment of faith that is found only in Him. He comes today to us, to forgive us of our unbelief. We doubt. We question. We waver. But Jesus, through what He did for us on the cross, forgives us of our doubt, our questioning and our wavering. Through His gift of His body and blood, He continues to strengthen and keep you in the one true faith until life everlasting. That one true faith is found in Him.

True peace, the Bible describes it, is always a product of the restored relationship between God and man, and that is only a result of the forgiveness that Christ earned for us on the cross. The Lord brings His peace to you. He has paid the price for your sin and disobedience. Peace with God has come at a cost, but Christ has borne that cost for you. And now, He brings that peace to you.

Therefore, do not be troubled. As the risen Lord visited His disciples, so He visits you. As He spoke peace and forgiveness to them, so He speaks it to you. As He came to them with His risen body and blood, so He comes and gives you His body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins. No matter what your sinful nature or circumstance might argue, you can be certain by God’s grace that you are at peace with God, because you are forgiven for all of your sins. In Jesus name, amen.

Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, amen.

Easter 2A 2008

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

Darkness. Ask a child what they’re afraid of and more often than not, they’ll tell you that they are afraid of the dark. The darkness can elicit many feelings. You hear a strange sound in the dark and you wonder what is lurking. Your eyes play tricks on you, showing you things in the dark when they’re not really there.

On this particular day, a Sunday, Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb of Jesus in the dark. She needs to feel that connection to her dead Savior. She is grieving at the loss of a loved one, just as we would. Somehow, when we stand at the grave of our loved one, we feel that connection.

That is the feeling that Mary Magdalene needed; connection to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. However, when she arrives she cannot receive that feeling of being connected to Jesus because He is not there.

Many things have taken place in the last week. Christ has been betrayed, mocked, sentenced, crucified and has finally died in what seems like a matter of minutes. All that Christ stood for was now gone, hope buried behind a stone. Now after journeying to the tomb, Mary Magdalene sees that the stone is no longer in its final resting place. She dare not venture into the tomb because of the darkness, in fear of what may or may not be there. That is why she races to get Simon Peter and the other disciples. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”

When everyone arrived again at the tomb, it was an awkward moment. The stone was too large for one man to move; it would have taken several large men to move it. What had taken place exactly? The grave of Jesus had been disturbed and His body has been taken. Killing Jesus wasn’t enough. Now someone had to desecrate the body; they couldn’t leave Him in the nice tomb of Joseph. But notice what it is that she says. She still refers to Jesus as “the Lord.” Although Mary Magdalene thinks Jesus is dead and all His work has been for nothing, she cannot do otherwise than still call Him “the Lord.”

When Peter and the other disciple arrive at the tomb, they find it just as Mary Magdalene had described: the stone was rolled away. When they entered the tomb, they found the linens they had wrapped Jesus in. The sight riveted John to the spot as he hesitated at the entrance and peered in. Peter didn’t stop but went right inside and studied the scene intently. The linen cloths are lying there; the face cloth neatly folded by itself. Grave robbers went to a lot of work of tidying up behind themselves after stealing Christ’s dead body. Again, what is the purpose? Jesus Christ is not the Son of God. If He were, He would not have died. The fact that there is no body means nothing at all. The only thing that matters is that Christ is dead and therefore, cannot be who He said He was: the Son of God.

Having seen the stone rolled away from the tomb, having seen the burial linens disturbed, having seen that Christ’s body was gone; there was nothing left to do except to return home. The reason why everyone left: “they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.”

In all that is reported in our text, there is just one little expression of faith. It is reported that John, after he entered the tomb and observed the linen cloths and the face napkin carefully placed separately, believed. This is the one word of faith mentioned in our text. The text explains that the lack of faith in these disciples was because they did not yet know the Scriptures, that He must rise from the dead. Even though Jesus had clearly predicted His resurrection on the third day after His death, it was reported at that time and became evident on Easter Sunday morning, that they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said. Thus, Peter, John, Mary Magdalene and the others did not have a spectacular celebration of the resurrection, but went back to their homes.

Why are you here this early Easter morning? Are you here because of an empty tomb? Are you here because of a risen Christ? Peter and John did not understand that Christ must rise from the dead. After the last three years, being with Jesus, seeing all that Jesus had done, hearing all that Jesus had spoken, they didn’t understand what Christ’s purpose was: to defeat sin and death on our behalf. Even for us at times, we fail to understand that Christ had to rise from the dead. “Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life.” The Scriptures point us to His resurrection. They spell out the meaning of Christ’s resurrection for us, as well as the event. It provided a forceful demonstration of Christ’s deity. It announced our justification. We know that we shall follow Jesus in rising from the dead. Our faith is sure since we have a living Savior.

While John and Peter had left, Mary remained. She couldn’t bring herself to leave the tomb. If ever there was a time for Christ to be present, now would be it. She was in a state of mourning because her Savior had been killed. Sitting outside the tomb where He laid would bring comfort to her, knowing that He was inside. But now seeing the stone rolled away, the empty tomb brought only fear and uncertainty to her. She stayed and wept uncontrollably.

Seeing two angels appear in tomb must have been startling, to say the least. She would have expected to see her Lord and Savior, if the stone had been rolled away. Now that the stone was rolled away, it wasn’t Jesus that she but an empty tomb. Now two angels appear in a tomb where a dead Man should be. How could Jesus be gone and these two angels appear in His place?

These angels, along with the linen cloths, serve as witnesses of the resurrection. The linens were two earthly witnesses while the angels serve as heavenly witnesses to attest the Lord’s resurrection to men. Heaven and earth unite in the tomb of Jesus and Mary Magdalene is there to see it.

Heaven and earth unite for us this day also. We come together, united as brothers and sisters in the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We worship today with one another, members of the Church Militant, as well as “angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven,” all those who have died in the faith and have joined the Church Triumphant.

On this Easter Sunday, we, with the resurrected Jesus Christ, who instituted His Supper for us on Maundy Thursday, who gave His very life for your sins and mine on Good Friday, who descended into hell on your behalf, rise again to new life, with sins forgiven, are free to enter the gates of heaven as children of God, brought with the blood of the Lamb. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah! Amen.

Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus until the day of the resurrection, amen.

Easter Sunrise A 2008

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

Darkness. Ask a child what they’re afraid of and more often than not, they’ll tell you that they are afraid of the dark. The darkness can elicit many feelings. You hear a strange sound in the dark and you wonder what is lurking. Your eyes play tricks on you, showing you things in the dark when they’re not really there.

On this particular day, a Sunday, Mary Magdalene comes to the tomb of Jesus in the dark. She needs to feel that connection to her dead Savior. She is grieving at the loss of a loved one, just as we would. Somehow, when we stand at the grave of our loved one, we feel that connection.

That is the feeling that Mary Magdalene needed; connection to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. However, when she arrives she cannot receive that feeling of being connected to Jesus because He is not there.

Many things have taken place in the last week. Christ has been betrayed, mocked, sentenced, crucified and has finally died in what seems like a matter of minutes. All that Christ stood for was now gone, hope buried behind a stone. Now after journeying to the tomb, Mary Magdalene sees that the stone is no longer in its final resting place. She dare not venture into the tomb because of the darkness, in fear of what may or may not be there. That is why she races to get Simon Peter and the other disciples. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”

When everyone arrived again at the tomb, it was an awkward moment. The stone was too large for one man to move; it would have taken several large men to move it. What had taken place exactly? The grave of Jesus had been disturbed and His body has been taken. Killing Jesus wasn’t enough. Now someone had to desecrate the body; they couldn’t leave Him in the nice tomb of Joseph. But notice what it is that she says. She still refers to Jesus as “the Lord.” Although Mary Magdalene thinks Jesus is dead and all His work has been for nothing, she cannot do otherwise than still call Him “the Lord.”

When Peter and the other disciple arrive at the tomb, they find it just as Mary Magdalene had described: the stone was rolled away. When they entered the tomb, they found the linens they had wrapped Jesus in. The sight riveted John to the spot as he hesitated at the entrance and peered in. Peter didn’t stop but went right inside and studied the scene intently. The linen cloths are lying there; the face cloth neatly folded by itself. Grave robbers went to a lot of work of tidying up behind themselves after stealing Christ’s dead body. Again, what is the purpose? Jesus Christ is not the Son of God. If He were, He would not have died. The fact that there is no body means nothing at all. The only thing that matters is that Christ is dead and therefore, cannot be who He said He was: the Son of God.

Having seen the stone rolled away from the tomb, having seen the burial linens disturbed, having seen that Christ’s body was gone; there was nothing left to do except to return home. The reason why everyone left: “they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.”

In all that is reported in our text, there is just one little expression of faith. It is reported that John, after he entered the tomb and observed the linen cloths and the face napkin carefully placed separately, believed. This is the one word of faith mentioned in our text. The text explains that the lack of faith in these disciples was because they did not yet know the Scriptures, that He must rise from the dead. Even though Jesus had clearly predicted His resurrection on the third day after His death, it was reported at that time and became evident on Easter Sunday morning, that they understood none of these things; this saying was hid from them, and they did not grasp what was said. Thus, Peter, John, Mary Magdalene and the others did not have a spectacular celebration of the resurrection, but went back to their homes.

Why are you here this early Easter morning? Are you here because of an empty tomb? Are you here because of a risen Christ? Peter and John did not understand that Christ must rise from the dead. After the last three years, being with Jesus, seeing all that Jesus had done, hearing all that Jesus had spoken, they didn’t understand what Christ’s purpose was: to defeat sin and death on our behalf. Even for us at times, we fail to understand that Christ had to rise from the dead. “Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life.” The Scriptures point us to His resurrection. They spell out the meaning of Christ’s resurrection for us, as well as the event. It provided a forceful demonstration of Christ’s deity. It announced our justification. We know that we shall follow Jesus in rising from the dead. Our faith is sure since we have a living Savior.

While John and Peter had left, Mary remained. She couldn’t bring herself to leave the tomb. If ever there was a time for Christ to be present, now would be it. She was in a state of mourning because her Savior had been killed. Sitting outside the tomb where He laid would bring comfort to her, knowing that He was inside. But now seeing the stone rolled away, the empty tomb brought only fear and uncertainty to her. She stayed and wept uncontrollably.

Seeing two angels appear in tomb must have been startling, to say the least. She would have expected to see her Lord and Savior, if the stone had been rolled away. Now that the stone was rolled away, it wasn’t Jesus that she but an empty tomb. Now two angels appear in a tomb where a dead Man should be. How could Jesus be gone and these two angels appear in His place?

These angels, along with the linen cloths, serve as witnesses of the resurrection. The linens were two earthly witnesses while the angels serve as heavenly witnesses to attest the Lord’s resurrection to men. Heaven and earth unite in the tomb of Jesus and Mary Magdalene is there to see it.

Heaven and earth unite for us this day also. We come together, united as brothers and sisters in the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We worship today with one another, members of the Church Militant, as well as “angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven,” all those who have died in the faith and have joined the Church Triumphant.

On this Easter Sunday, we, with the resurrected Jesus Christ, who instituted His Supper for us on Maundy Thursday, who gave His very life for your sins and mine on Good Friday, who descended into hell on your behalf, rise again to new life, with sins forgiven, are free to enter the gates of heaven as children of God, brought with the blood of the Lamb. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah! Amen.

Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus until the day of the resurrection, amen.

Easter Sunrise A 2008