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.

I think it would be safe to say that we’re all different. We come from different places, different status in life. We have different jobs. We have different likes and dislikes. Though we share some similarities, for the most part, we’re different. However, we each share one common thread: we are all sinners living in a sinful world. It’s not something that we care to acknowledge about ourselves, but it’s true nonetheless.

We think that overall, we’re pretty good, for the most part, maybe. That’s where we’re wrong. We are not good people. We’re not even close to being good people. We can try to be good people, but we’re not. Even the apostle Paul, chief of sinners in his own eyes, is the first to tell you that you’re not good. He looked at his own life, that of the chief killer of Christians until his eyes were opened by Jesus Christ on the Damascus Road. When the scales fell off of his eyes, he saw his sinfulness. He knew that he was a sinner. Everywhere that Paul went, his message was the same: that the people he visited were sinners and were in need of salvation. The salvation which you need cannot be found in you or in the things of this world. True salvation can only be found in Jesus Christ.

Paul was not one to mince words. Paul knew what he had learned from Jesus and he did not back down from that teaching. In our text for today, Paul gives the Colossians a history lesson, a reminder from where they came and a picture of what is to come: “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard…”

Paul reminds these Christians of the gravity of their former state. Satan’s evil power had so manipulated them that they had lived in a state of alienation from God. This alienation had revealed itself in their hostility and hatred of the Lord; and they had suppressed the truth revealed in nature and their consciences. Paul points out that their alienation and hatred had been especially apparent “in the sphere of” their lives, their evil behavior. There was certainly nothing in them that could have contributed in any way to a change in their former relationship to the holy God.

For some reason, there are those who think that the Bible is irrelevant, that it doesn’t apply to today. It was written 2000+ years ago. All the letters which Paul wrote to the churches applied to them and the state they were in; they don’t apply to us because this is a different time, this is the 21^st century! All the things which Jesus spoke about sin, all of that applied to different people. We’re not like them. We’re good people. The ironic thing is that what Paul wrote to the churches and all the things which Jesus spoke about do apply to us because, like it or not, we are not good.

There was only one time that we were good. At the time of creation, when God made man, He declared us to be good. All of that changed once Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. When that happened, our status went from good to evil. From that moment on, we became something which we had never been before: sinners.

That is something which we don’t like to be reminded of. It ruins our perception of us being good people. But Paul knew that he wasn’t a good person. When his eyes were opened, he saw that he was sinful. But more than that, he knew who Jesus Christ was: the very Son of God who came to be our Savior.

Before, our relationship to God had been characterized by hatred and hostility; but now, that relationship is characterized by reconciliation and atonement with God, a “return” to what the relationship between God and his people was intended to be and what that relationship was in Eden. It was worked out in the all-sufficient suffering and death of Jesus Christ. The purpose of the Son’s reconciling work was to endure all to present the Colossians and all people holy, cleansed from all sin and separated to God; without blemish, as a perfect sacrifice; and free from accusation” by anyone, and especially by the arch-enemy Satan.

In other words, in God’s presence, there is absolutely nothing left against us. The slate has been wiped clean. Christ, who is the power holding everything together, brings it all back to God, and clears away the guilt and self-dissatisfaction in the atoning process.

These are words which you think we might enjoy hearing. These are words which you think would bring comfort all of us who are sinful creatures. But these aren’t words which we want to hear. It strikes a blow to our ego. It somehow makes us less of a person to acknowledge that we are a sinner. Paul wasn’t out to make friends or to stroke a person’s ego. He definitely is not doing that here. His goal was to bring the church at Colossae to Christ and turn them from the “better way,” a false philosophy which denied the all-sufficiency of Christ and His work.

The purpose of Paul, of myself and Pastor Firminhac and all ministers of the Gospel, is to preach to you the Gospel, “to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.” You are His saints, the church. You are the beloved children of God which were dead in sin. You are the ones for which God sent His one and only Son, to redeem and make sinless.

The point of Paul’s message is in three simple words: “Christ in you.” The same Christ who created and redeemed all that we know (and all that we can neither see nor know), the same Christ who rules with a supremacy we cannot begin to fathom, can also be localized in the heart of any and every believer! The “riches of the glory of this mystery” is every believer’s connection to the wider scope of God’s creative and redemptive work. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news in knowing that Christ was born, lived, died, and rose again for you and for me.

The words of Paul, though they may be tough to hear, are important words. Paul’s letter to the Colossians is a reminder to all who hear it of wisdom: where we were without God’s wisdom, “alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds.” While we were still in that state of being, Christ died for you “in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach.” His words are a reminder of what God’s wisdom is doing for us now, “[making] the word of God fully known” to us through Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection for us. Because of the Word of God, it reminds us what God’s wisdom holds out for the future: “the hope of glory” in the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Now the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in true faith until life everlasting, amen.

Pentecost 8C

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 Gospel which was read earlier.

It may seem odd that a biblical parable with so obvious a life goal, “You go and do likewise” should be triggered by a salvation concern, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life.”  However peculiar the combination and irrespective of the sincerity and orthodoxy of the lawyer’s justification question, that concern is most relevant to the achievement of Jesus’ sanctification goal.  We learn today that only He who justified and saved us eternally, Jesus, the ultimate Good Samaritan of the Gospel, empowers us to be compassionate like the good Samaritan of the parable.
 

Isn’t that the question we ask ourselves today, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”  The answer is simple, isn’t it: just be good.  But ask yourself this question: Are you a good person?  You might think that you are.  You’re in church today instead of sleeping.  You’re giving money to church today instead of giving it to your favorite store in the mall.  However, you are not good and neither am I.

There was only one time that we were good.  At the time of creation, when God made man, He declared us to be good.  All of that changed once Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  When that happened, our status went from good to evil.  From that moment on, we became something which we had never been before: sinners.

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 Gospel which was read earlier.

Hear again the words of the prophet, Isaiah. “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream…. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and the hand of the LORD shall be known to his servants…”

Any Jew who, during the time of Jesus, would have heard these words would have thought that good was in store for them. Maybe good was in store for them. However, bad could have been in store also.

All of us experience ups and downs, hills and valleys, joys and frustrations in our day-to-day lives. Now put on top of that our discipleship for Christ. If we were having a bad day before, now imagine that day AND trying to be a disciple of Jesus. In today’s Gospel reading, our Lord Jesus not only realistically recognizes this state of affairs, but, above all, encourages us with the good news that joy will have the last word in our discipleship. Jesus assures us today that the hardships and joys of discipleship for Christ climax in the ultimate joy: our names written in heaven.

Hardships follow us wherever we go, whatever we do. There is no way to avoid them. We lose our job. We have more bills than we do income to pay them. Our home or vehicle needs major repair and upkeep. These are just examples of some of the hardships which we face in our personal lives. We are also likely to experience hardships in our discipleship for Christ as well.

Jesus describes some of these hardships in the verses of last week’s Gospel. Like Jesus, we may have nowhere to lay our head. A perfect example of that is my wife’s uncle. He’s an LCMS pastor and was a missionary to Venezuela where he served there for almost 20 years. During that time, he and his wife did much in the churches there. He brought Christ to a people who had heard little or nothing about Christ or had a skewed idea of who Christ is. About 6 years ago, he and his family had to leave Venezuela due to a recall of missionaries. He found himself, a disciple of Christ, now with nowhere to lay his head. God has since called him and his family to be missionaries to the people of Panama, to continue to be disciples of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Following on the heels of last week’s Gospel reading, Jesus sent disciples ahead of Him to various places which He would be visiting. Jesus speaks words to those He sent out which are disheartening to those who hear it: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Here is a problem. The Gospel message needs to be spread, but where are the people to do it? Christ’s sending of the seventy-two was two-fold: first, to make ready the way of our Lord to the various places where they were sent. The second was to look for those who would spread the Gospel. Surely, somewhere in the various places where the seventy-two went, they would find at least one person to become a disciple of Jesus, that is, to share the good news of who Jesus is and what it is that He has come here to do. Our text doesn’t say if they found any to become disciples, but we get a glimpse of the world in which they were sent out into: “lambs in the midst of wolves.”

We find ourselves today “lambs in the midst of wolves.” By nature the unbelievers to whom they will go are enemies who want to destroy them, yes, like savage animals who want to devour them. The people of this world do not love Christ or His Gospel. Many consider the message of the cross of Christ to be “foolishness” and “a stumbling-block.” For Jesus’ sake His messengers can expect to be hated by unbelievers. But Jesus, who does the sending, promises to be with them always.

There is a great need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our world, yet we find a world that doesn’t want to hear about Jesus or worse yet, doesn’t need to hear about Jesus. We may find those who say that they already know about Jesus. But if you ask them who Jesus is, they might tell you that they are a sinner and what sin they do commit is ok, because they know that Jesus has forgiven them. In short, they treat Jesus as their license to sin. Jesus is not our license to sin. To use that logic, it would be okay if I were to go out and kill someone because, even though it’s a sin, I know that Jesus has forgiven me of that sin. On the contrary, Jesus is our license to forgive. Jesus did indeed forgive us all of our sins. However, that does not give us free reign to commit sins when we know they are very much a sin.

As disciples of Christ, there will be times where our witness of the Gospel will be rejected. It happened to Jesus, it happened to the disciples, and it will happen to us as well. That is something to be expected. However, that should never dissuade you from preaching the Gospel. Imagine if Jesus would have given up the first time the people attempted to stone Him. Imagine if the disciples would have given up the first time they were threatened with persecution for their beliefs. Jesus tells His disciples that when they are rejected, they are to wipe the dust off of their feet, that is, to write them off. But, they are to also declare to them that “the kingdom of God has come near.” The Gospel has been spread to them, whether they want to accept it or not.

Just as there will be times of hardships, there will also be times of joys in our discipleship for Christ.

Each time that a child or adult is brought to the font of Holy Baptism as will happen/has happened this morning is a time for rejoicing. It is a joy and a privilege to experience the acceptance of our Gospel witness, not as someone who has decided to follow Jesus, but one who has been called by the Holy Spirit to faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

What a joy it is to be able to preach the good news of the kingdom of God! This good news of the kingdom of God is what it’s all about. It’s not about the fancy homes or cars. It’s not about how much money you grossed last year. It’s about the kingdom of God, what it is that God has done for you through Christ Jesus. When we preach the good news of God or tell others of Christ, we stand in the place of Christ. We can actually be regarded as His representatives.

It is the same as when the president of the United States sends out an ambassador, that person represents the President of our country wherever he or she goes. When the ambassadors of Christ are heard, Christ Himself is heard, and when they are despised and slighted, Jesus Christ and God the Father are despised and slighted. That is the message which Luke records in our text: “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

For the seventy-two who went out, it wasn’t all cheery times on the road. There were towns where they entered where they were rejected. For us, it won’t always be cheery times when we tell others about Jesus Christ. But our joy is not in whether or not we were successful in spreading the Gospel. Our joy lies in the fact that our names are written in heaven. We are saved because of what Christ has done for us. Because of His life, death, and resurrection, we have been called to be His own. God has called us by name to be His own at our baptism. In Holy Baptism, we received Christ’s name. Because of what Christ has done for us and to us, our names have been written in the book of eternal life. In the name of Jesus, 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 6C, 2007

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

Have you ever tried to imagine what it would be like to live in a world without the many problems that affect us everyday? We find it difficult, if not, impossible, to even begin to imagine such a condition. We have lived on this earth, with all of its greed, selfishness, strife, war, poverty, and discrimination for so long, it is beyond realism to think of life without them.

This kind of utopian existence is exactly what is indicated in Scripture as it tells about creation and life on earth before the Fall into sin. Imagine a wholesome innocence in the relationship between a man and a woman. Imagine employers and employees without dispute and in agreement. Try to imagine the relationship of man and wild animals without fear and struggle. What would it be like to have ideal weather without destructive storms, earthquakes and the like? Above all, we find it impossible to image a relationship between God and man that has no barriers, no rebellion, but in its place, a continuous, natural, loving relationship in a genuine fellowship where all is shared and nothing is hidden. This open, unhindered relationship between God and man is the one we know the least about in this world of today.

That’s where Paul begins our text for today. “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.” This relationship between God and man which once existed in a paradise, is no more. It was fun while it lasted. Try as we might, that relationship can not be repaired. Because of that fact, we lived under the Law, imprisoned. The Law which we had was the Law of God. The Law provided for us. The Law provided for us a way to restore the relationship which once existed between God and man, the relationship which we know little about. The Law promised us a Savior, a Substitute who would die in our place. The Law has promised us Christ.

We are now, as St. Paul writes, “all sons of God, through faith [in Christ Jesus].” Not only are we all sons of God, we “are all one in Christ Jesus.” But as we all know, that isn’t necessarily true.

Tomorrow we remember a day in the Reformation which defines more than anything what Lutherans are: the presentation of the Augsburg Confession. The Augsburg Confession is the document that first officially laid out what Lutherans believe, what it means to be Lutheran. The Augsburg Confession was not about breaking away from the Catholic Church or breaking up the Church at all. Instead, it was meant to show that we are all under Christ. In the preface to the Confession, the Lutherans wrote this:

“We…are prepared to discuss…all possible ways and means by which we may come together…. In this way, dissensions may be put away without offensive conflict. This can be done honorably, with God’s help, so that we may be brought back to agreement and concord. As your edict shows, we are all under one Christ.”

The Lutherans boldly and clearly stated what they believed so that there could be a basis for real agreement around the truth. They didn’t want to split the Church; they wanted to unite it – unite it in the one truth of God’s Word, unite it in the one Christ.

Obviously, if you look around, you’ll know that we are not all one in Christ. The Christian Church is very fragmented; we can see that in all the denominations around the world. But St. Paul tells us that all Christians are indeed one in Christ Jesus. “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” How can that be, that with so many denominations, we are all one in Christ Jesus?

We need to understand who it was that Paul was talking to. Paul’s audience consisted of two groups of people. The one was the predominantly Gentile Christians in this province of Galatia. They had heard, received, believed and continued to live in the Gospel Jesus had revealed to Paul and which Paul had shared with them. This is the message of justification by faith in Christ Jesus alone. The other group was the Judaizers, Jewish Christians who were teaching that even the Christian must follow certain Jewish customs in order to be a real Christian. One was very much a follower of the Law while one was very much the follower of the Gospel. Because of their differences, they were not of one mind.

Even our guts tell us that we’re not one. Have you noticed that before? Doesn’t something inside tell you you aren’t even all one with yourself? Are you always of one mind – in your own mind? Are you always undivided in your devotion to the Lord? Don’t you sometimes do things you know you shouldn’t, things you really don’t want to do? Don’t you struggle with temptation? Your conscience says “No” but your body says “Yes.” What does it mean to say we’re all one in Christ Jesus when we’re not even one with ourselves?

The reason for our internal conflict is sin. Inside every Christian is a war going on: a war between believer and unbeliever. We’re sinner and saint at the same time. The good we want to do, we don’t do. The bad we don’t want to do, that’s what we do. As long as we’re sinful and as long as we’re Christians, the struggle won’t go away.

Because of Christ, our sins have been forgiven. Are sins were forgiven us at our baptism. That is what Paul makes abundantly clear. “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” He is here speaking to people who have been baptized already—baptized not into Moses or themselves or the law or an organization. They were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, baptized into the Christian faith with Christ as its center, baptized with water and the word by the Holy Spirit in their spirit. Paul reminds them of this one baptism but also further describes one of its blessings. When we are baptized, we are clothed with Christ; we wear him; we have been covered with him; we put on Christ like a garment of salvation and sonship.

When we make our first appearance into the world, we are naked. We are in the flesh. We wear the clothing Adam has passed down to us: sin and death. It is an old man that is thoroughly corrupt, a slave of the devil and manifested in ignorance, blindness, contempt and even a hatred of God. It is woven into a covering of evil thoughts, words and works.

But in baptism we get a new set of clothes as we put on Christ. This can be understood in two ways: according to the Law and according to the Gospel. According to the Law we put on Christ through imitating his example. We imitate Jesus’ patience, gentleness, love, moderation, self-control and all other of his noble virtues. However good this imitation may be, it still does not change our original “underwear” of sin, death and the devil’s power over us.

To put on Christ according to the Gospel is not a matter of imitation but of a new birth and a new creation. This does not happen by a change of clothing or appearance or behavior. It happens by the rebirth and renewal that takes place at our baptism. This is the gracious clothing to which Paul refers—noted best by the double reference to Christ.

This past week during our Vacation Bible School, the children heard the story of Philip and the Ethiopian man. The Ethiopian man desired to be baptized. When Philip baptized him, he rejoiced greatly. I asked the children what it means to be baptized. It means that Christ comes to us and says that we now belong to Him. Christ will be with us forever. Christ will provide for us all the days of our lives. If that isn’t good enough, Christ sweetens the deal: He tells us that He is going to prepare a place for us, that where He is, we may be also.

We can never be one with sin, and we’re all sinful. God has seen to it that all Christians are also separated from sin. By sinning, we made ourselves one with sin. But God has seen to it that it didn’t stay that way. He’s driven a wedge between us and evil, the wedge of the cross. And the deeper that wedge of the cross penetrates, the further we are pushed from sin.

In our baptism, the break was made clean. In Baptism, we died to sin. By Jesus’ cross, given to us personally in Holy Baptism, we are forgiven of all our sins. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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

Pentecost 4C

Text: Luke 7:11-17

Note: This sermon was preached at my home congregation, St. Paul’s Lutheran, Indianapolis, IN, on the occasion of the baptism of my niece, Breanna Noel Dickson.

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 is the Gospel which was read earlier.

Two large processions are slowly moving toward each other. The one was the parade of life as Jesus walked into the city. The Master, who taught both by His marvelous, life-giving words and by His amazing, life-sustaining deeds, led a large throng along the way. His disciples walked with Him, for that is what disciples do. He was also accompanied by a great crowd of people. At the gate of the city there was joy, life, and excitement in this royal procession for Jesus had, just the day before, healed a centurion’s servant. Prior to that a leper had been cleansed at Jesus’ Word. A paralytic rose up and walked, having been both healed and forgiven by the Son of God. Jesus had demonstrated the power and authority of His own divine nature when He cast out demons on one occasion and helped bring in a full net of fish on another. The other procession, the parade of death, has at its head the coffin of a “dead person,” the only son of his widowed mother, who followed with a crowd of fellow townspeople.

An important event was about to take place. Two processions met at the gate of the town. In those days the towns were often surrounded by a wall, and people had to go in and out through a large gate. Was it by accident that the two processions happened to meet at this place and at this time? Jesus knew that this meeting would take place just this way.

Don’t you wish that would happen to you when you are on the way to the cemetery to bury your loved one? Where is Christ then, when you so desperately need Him? Why doesn’t He do as He did here, suddenly appear, halt the funeral procession, command the funeral director to open the hearse and bring your loved one’s coffin forth so that He might speak the reviving words: “I say to you, arise.”

At that moment, the boy was called from death to life. At that moment, the boy had new life in the name of Christ. We too, have been called from death to life, just as my niece was earlier this morning by the waters of Holy Baptism. We who were spiritually dead have been called to new life in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, when the water, combined with the Word of God touched our forehead.

Shortly after creation, Adam and Eve sinned, and in turn, we sinned. We became children of Satan, eternally separated from God. It could be very easy to stop the story right there and say, “Woe is me.” But the story doesn’t end there. What Jesus tells the weeping woman He tells us as well: “Do not weep.”

We remain children of Satan until we are called by the waters of Holy Baptism to become children of God. We are strengthened as children of God by His Word and His Sacraments. The Holy Spirit has called us by the Gospel, enlightened us with His gifts and sanctified and kept us in the true faith.

Jesus’ words, “Do not weep” seem to be strange to whoever hears them, for there was no more appropriate time for weeping than at the time of death. Jesus’ words imply that there is no cause for grieving, for the young man will yet live. These are strange words to our ears, as well. It is only natural that we mourn the loss of a loved one when they pass away. Now, Jesus is telling the woman not to mourn. But the reason why she should not mourn is because Jesus is going to raise her son.

At that moment, the funeral procession stopped and Jesus touched the coffin “and the dead man sat up and began to speak.” The joy of all this is that what happened here is not a single isolated event but the glad pledge and promise of things to come. St. Paul writes, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Remember that famous self-designation of Jesus, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Notice, He does not call Himself the “resurrector,” but the “resurrection.” In Him, in His Easter conquest of the coffin and triumph over the tomb, the resurrection of all men has already begun. And what God begins, God finishes.

The people are so amazed by what Jesus has just done that “fear seized them all, and they glorified God.” The miracle of Christ had the effect upon these people that they were filled with awe and reverence. They cried out that “God has visited his people!” Indeed, God has visited His people through His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He visited His people when He came in the form of a baby. He visited His people when He grew up, only to die for you and for me. He visited His people when He rose again and joined our Father in heaven to prepare a place for you.

The visit was redemptive. He comes to bear the burden of a cross to the little lonely hill of Golgotha; there to die that God might blot our offenses from His sign and mind forever. Christ visits Calvary and God does not visit us for our sins. For three days, He visits a garden grave and then bursts the bonds of death by His Easter rising. And now we are but temporary visitors in the prison of the tomb. For His is coming for a final visit, to free and liberate us from our shut and sealed coffins, to give us new and immortal bodies and to take us to God’s presence and a new world where all sorrow and sighing will have departed forever.

It is no wonder that fear – proper, Godly fear, came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen up among us”; and, “God has visited His people.” And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region. The Parade of Death stopped that day. For there was absolutely no more reason for it to continue. The son is risen; risen indeed. Death was defeated and stopped dead in its tracks. “O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting?”

Christ’s death and resurrection opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. It opened the kingdom for the widow’s son who was dead. It opened the kingdom for Adam and Eve and it opened the kingdom for you and I.

On the Last Day, the Lord’s Word will touch this coffin known as Earth and the dead in Christ will rise with body and soul then re-united. Hear that Word of the Lord: “I say to you arise.” For the Lord God Almighty, the One Who created you in the first place, will, on the great and wonderful Day of the Resurrection, raise up the bodies of all and reunite them with their souls. There is no reason for us to weep, because our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has given to us forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Now the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in true faith until life everlasting. Amen.

Pentecost 2C 2007