Sermon March 29-30, 2025

Title: Good or bad, which son are you?
Text: Luke 15

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21 … ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

A Good son and bad son story.

Cain and Able. Jacob and Esau, Peter and Andrew, Groucho and Harpo, Russ and Tom ?

The parable of the Prodigal, Jesus told to the Scribes and the Pharisees, so that they might be confronted with on of the deepest mysteries of the Kingdom of God: The Father in Heaven turns his forgiving heart to disobedient sons.

The obedient sons of Israel thought that they were the good sons and those outside Israel the bad ones. They thought that only they were those who could claim God as Father and the disobedient would have no part in this inheritance. God in the parable has the Father acting in Love to his disobedient son, and this brings you and me into the story as well, as we realize that God desires both those who stay connected to him, and those who stray to repent and find joy in him.

And we all need to hear these blessed words:

32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

1 The problem

If you look at the parable and hear of the younger sons wondering, you can’t help but feel for the older son.

29 ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.

How often have we maybe felt this way in our lives?

I am the good one!
I haven’t done the bad things he did!
Why is he blessed with the good life and I struggle?
I’ve been a believer my whole life. Why at this last moment does he deserve the Kingdom too?

2 The point

The Scribes and the Pharisees were struggling with all that Jesus was doing and teaching.

2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Not only that, he heals on the Sabbath and right in front of us!
His disciples don’t wash before they eat!
His disciples are not learned but foolish fisherman and tax collectors. They are those who have no part of the Kingdom!
Kick them out!

The self-righteous sinner has trouble with what it really means to be forgiven. They only see what they do and believe as right, and what other do and believe wrong, and worthy of casting into outer darkness.

The Scribes and Pharisees and even we who love the Law, can only see the speck in our brother’s eye and not the beam in our own eye.

The refusal to forgive finally shows us all how much the father has fervently given everything, so that we too might be redeemed!

3 Disobedience

All of what the father had given the bad son was gone. He’s now just hired hand off feeding the pigs, somewhere. Not a good place for a Jew, but now he’s not even a servant - in his father house either.

He’s now just like the gentiles or like those outside the Kingdom and not those who thought they, were the good sons.

Sinners and tax collectors, and you and me beware!

But repentance comes. It comes in contrition and a realization of one’s own situation and problem.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.

19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’

He had planned his departure and life apart from his father.
I’m going to do what I want!
You can’t stop me, Dad!
When I’m 18, I’m an adult! Give me what is mine so I can go.
And, don’t tell me I can’t get a tattoo!

The older son - the good one - is broken too. He thinks that being good and keeping the law or his dad’s rules, entitle him to what he is due. All that his father has for him. (2/3 older 1/3 younger)

For we can see very clearly that sonship is not based on what we do or don’t do. How good we are, or how bad we may seem. Or, how we may think that we can remedy this situation by ourselves.

It is not based on being good or being bad, because it is based solely on the father’s love, mercy, and grace alone!

4 The Father’s heart

That’s the Father’s heart that Jesus is telling about in this parable.

The father’s love for both the good and bad son is good news for us all. Thought neither of them is worthy as the younger son says:

21 … ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

True words, but the father barely even hears them.

22 … ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

We are all invited in the parable, and probably a very good time during Lent, to lift our eyes off of our own worthiness, to see that in and of ourselves we are truly unworthy.

But God the father truly desires that we all become sons and daughters by inheritance in his blessed Kingdom.

Martin Luther in his hymn Dear Christian’s one and all rejoice writes in stanza 4:

4 But God beheld my wretched state
before the world's foundation,
and, mindful of his mercies great,
he planned for my salvation.
A father's heart he turned to me,P
sought my redemption fervently;
he gave his dearest treasure.

5 Mercy and Grace

Through the eyes of sin well can feel worthy.

29 … ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’

As sinners we say, I’m worthy and he’s not!

But the father answers:

31 … ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

The sending of his own son Jesus shows the full richness of God’s mercy and grace towards you and me. His beloved son is truly only the one good son worthy to redeem you and me and all from sin and death.

As Luther continues in stanza 5:

5 He spoke to his beloved Son:
"It's time to have compassion.
Then go, bright jewel of my crown,
and bring to all salvation.
From sin and sorrow set them free;
slay bitter death for them that they
may live with you forever."

6 Forgiveness

This Lententide we see all of what Jesus endured to bring us into the father’s house.

We are all unworthy of his love or to inherit the Kingdom of God but he gives it to us anyway. It is time to rejoice and celebrate!

So, whether you identify with the older son or the prodigal, we all can be thankful that we are identified by God the father as his beloved children!

22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

And we too should celebrate!

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen

Modified: Concordia pulpit 1977 Rev Dr, Jerald Joersz 1976

Sermon March 26, 2025 - Lent 4

Title: Following Jesus, Our Greatest Giver
Text: John 18:28-38

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36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “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.”

Following Jesus in a good confession

When the apostle Paul was calling Timothy to a life of Christian faithfulness, he told him to

“Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

Paul solemnly directed him to do this, continuing,

“I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in His testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Tim. 6:12-14

Just as Christ Jesus had testified the good confession, openly declaring who He is and what He came to do, so Timothy had made the good confession of Christ.

And now he wants to keep on fighting the good fight of the faith, which necessarily included abiding in that good confession of Christ.

This, friends, is what our Lord desires and expects us all to do:
To follow Jesus in the good confession!

Paul said Jesus testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate.

This identifies our Savior's testimony before the Roman governor as an important Christian confession. And, naturally, this good confession was about Jesus Himself.

And what did our Lord say about Himself? Jesus plainly confessed He is a king. He repeatedly spoke of His kingdom, clearly implying He is a king.

And when Pilate responded, “So then You are a king?”
Jesus affirmed it by answering, “You say that I am a king.”
That was an idiomatic way of saying, “That's right; I am a king.”

Yet Jesus also made it clear He is no ordinary king.

My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered to the Jews. But now My kingdom is not from here.

So, he is not a worldly king with worldly servants who fight with worldly weapons for worldly purposes. King Jesus does not engage in conventional battles to defend Himself

Our Lord continued:

For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, that I may bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.

Our King Jesus was indeed born; He is a real man, born of His mother Mary. Yet He is also the King who “came into the world” - who existed from eternity outside the world, but then came down from heaven and entered into the world.

In other words, King Jesus is the eternal Son of God!

As such, our King exercises His reign not by the power of the sword, but by the power of his word – by speaking the truth.

“For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, that I may bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”

So, our Savior's royal weapon is His word – His testimony is truth!

In the divine message, which Jesus spoke. He also identified Himself as the truth (14:6), The way the truth and the life!

Jesus is not only the Messenger but also the subject matter of the Father's word.
When we listen to Jesus, we hear that the centerpiece and summary of the truth is this:
Jesus Christ is the Son of God; and by faith in his name we have everlasting life.

That is Jesus' testimony of himself!

You see, in Jesus' reign, His servants don't fight to keep Him from being arrested and killed. Rather, Jesus willingly fought and died to save His servants!

In this way, by dying on the cross, Jesus forgave all our sins, nullifying the devil's accusations against us, and casting him out of power.

The devil cannot condemn us for our sins and drag us down to hell with him. Jesus fought and defeated him, so that we are not delivered to everlasting death and damnation.

As a result, instead losing our life to the enemy, all of us who believe in Jesus, have eternal life!

For Jesus will come again in glory, raise our bodies from the dead, and transform them to an immortal and imperishable body very much like His own glorious body!

That's the victory Jesus promises and has won for all of us who believe in Him, the victory of everlasting life!

So, this is the heart and core of Christ’s witness to the truth – the chief article of the good confession.

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who gives His believers everlasting life. And now He calls us to follow Him in this good confession.

By His work, we are “of the truth.” We have and we believe the good confession. It is our confession too!

So, Jesus wants us to be good stewards of this gift.

Paul calls dear Timothy to remember this as well when he writes:
O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. 1 Tim. 6:20
This “deposit” is the good confession, the truth of Christ!

And what the Lord said to Timothy goes for us all.

We Christians are all to guard the confession entrusted to us.
To maintain the truth as Jesus has handed it over to us.
This requires us first to learn and know the good confession well.
We must be firmly grounded in the truth of Christ so that we can detect any deviation from it.

Then we must hold it fast, and carefully watch out for anything that adds to it, subtracts from it, distorts it, or otherwise alters the truth as we have received it from Jesus.

That is good stewardship of the Christian confession.
To be faithful stewards of the good confession we must also speak it also!
For the truth of Christ is not for our ears alone, but for everyone.
The good confession is to be a public confession – one for anyone and everyone to hear.

Jesus said,

Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. Matt. 10:32

Peter is a great example for us. He openly confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God.
On Pentecost he confessed Him as Lord and Christ.
Peter confessed Him before the Jewish rulers as the one and only Savior of the world.
At Cornelius' house he confessed Jesus as Lord of all, the Judge of the living and the dead, the One in whom His believers receive the forgiveness of sins.

Like Peter, every one of us can follow Jesus in openly speaking the good confession. That salvation is found in his name alone.
We can speak the truth of Christ to family members and friends, coworkers, and others as opportunities arise – and they will!
What may seem hard, God makes ready as we rest in and study his word.

You can speak that confession of Christ in a very simple way to others who need to hear it.

You can invite and bring those people here to church with you, so they can listen to the truth of Christ read and proclaimed publicly.

This, too, is good stewardship of the good confession
For our Lord’s intention for this good confession is to serve for the salvation of sinners!
Some will not listen to the truth.
Others will listen and believe, and receive salvation!

As the Scripture says,

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Rom. 10:9-10

And that's what Our Lord desires most of all for everyone!

So, let's continue to follow Him in the good confession, for our salvation, and the salvation of many more – all to the praise and honor of his Name!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon March 22-23, 2025

Title: In Christ you are reconciled!
Text: Luke 13:1-9

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6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

The fig tree of Israel had been growing for a long time. It had been planted in the time of Abraham. It had sprouted in Egypt. It had been transplanted to the land of promise and had grown to full maturity there in the days of David and Solomon.

Then it had wilted and except for brief periods, had remained mostly unproductive up to the time of Christ, even considering all the care God had given it through his profits.

When Jesus came, he had every right to expect the tree to be, in a healthier condition than it was. However, he was willing to let that pass, because he had come to make a new beginning and to inject new life into them, so that they might again bring forth fruit.

What was the result of this effort toward the close of Christ’s ministry? Our Lord in sadness of heart was compelled to speak this parable.

“A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none … Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?”

The cutting down has been dreadfully done in the destruction of Jerusalem, and the dispersion. The Jews had forfeited their position as the people of God, and now, when we spring forward from the age of Christ to today, what application is to be made?

The roots of the New Testament fig tree into which we have been grafted go deep into history.

The seed of it was planted when the bloody body of our savior was put into the ground on Good Friday afternoon, and sprung to life when he came forth from the tomb on Easter morning and sent his spirit into his church on Pentecost, and continued during all the centuries that have followed.

Many have been faithful and we find today that this rich tradition of faith has been left to us. Here and throughout the entire church.

The New Testament itself is made available in many translations for us to read and study. There are tremendous study helps, music, and devotions all of which that has been given to us for our edification and spiritual maturity.

There are works done by professors, pastors, and missionaries in every age, which have resulted in a rich Christian tradition given to us and the mustard seed his grown into such a great tree that the faith continues to grow.

God has done everything for us, beginning with the planting, watering, and feeding and continues to this present hour in his work of pure grace.

We understand his mercy and are grateful for the Christian tree of life that has flourished in our country as well for so many years.

Looking at the state of the world today, we must be thankful for our past, which God has bestowed upon our country and the religious freedom which has permitted the church of Christ to grow and prosper from the gospel proclaimed for almost 250 years.

The Christian church has been blessed - and the Lutheran church Missouri Synod with its pure word and sacraments has played no small part.

This brings us to the point of the parable, which is that from the tree God has so mercifully planted and so patiently cultivated. Our Lord expects some fruit periodically.

The divine gardener comes to make an inspection!

Anyone with a sense of awareness feels that he is doing this now as well, and is asking what has been produced as a result of - his grace.

Sometimes the Lord finds the tree bearing no fruit and gives his instruction.

Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground!

We know of places where Christianity has flourished and has now died.

That is not true in our country, at least not yet, but we also know that Christ desires fruit and has mercifully withheld his judgment because of the prayers of saints, here and throughout the world.

The New Testament fig tree into which we have been grafted in, was planted when the bloody body of our savior was put into the ground on Good Friday afternoon and rose to life when he came forth from the tomb on Easter morning and then sent his Holy Spirit into the early church on Pentecost to call the lost to life in his blessed name.

It is a fruitful and Godly work that he desires to continue through you and me!

We have his word and its inspiration from the sacred text.

His gifts and his Spirit, continue to edify our hearts and minds so that our mouths proclaim to those who hear, a lifesaving Gospel in Jesus Christ.

The mustard seed is grown truly into a great tree!

God has done it, and he will continue to do it for all he desires to come and live in him.

God’s blessed work, out of divine grace and mercy, has preserved you and me into his blessed tree, and out of profound gratitude we remain thankful for the eternal gift that we enjoy in his son.

We as his children through, have a call and responsibility, which is that from the tree he has so graciously planted and cultivated; our Lord expects some fruit once in a while.

Anyone with a sense of awareness knows and feels that he is desiring fruit at this time, and is asking what has been produced as a result of his grace. At times condemnation comes:

Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground!

I’ve cut down trees and so have you. We’ve all burned the wood.

That Christ has been disappointed in the church in our day is true, but he has mercifully withheld his judgment because of the prayers arising to him for it.

‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

Can this stir us up out of our complacency?
Well, he doesn’t mean us, does he?

God has cut so close to the root recent years. We see it and feel it. We are always pushing it off until tomorrow and looking for earthly cures.

There has to be an urgency about the Kingdom.

It means that each of us who is Christ’s child is a kind of fig tree in which the Lord's expects us to bear some fruit as well.

We have been grown through the cultivation of the word at the hand of pastors and teachers.

We also, by the work of the Spirit, are at this moment alive in God and he is never unfair in his demands. He does not require us to produce beyond our capacity.

One thing, however, is sure; he does expect something from each of us.

As the Vine dresser God seeks to cultivate you and me hoping that in this year, we will finally fulfill the purpose for which we were created.

The day of grace has not yet passed.
Repentance is now in order for some, and motivation for others.
Holy baptism has marked us as his children and we are called to bear fruit.

What does this mean? What is this fruit?
It means in the first-place obedience to his word.

Not in the formula and spirit of the Jews, whose hardness our Lord was not pleased with - but primarily in the submission of the spirit, to all that God gives our hearts and minds to believe and to accomplish.

Fruit means much more than only thinking, reading, or hearing the word and praying, which we do not make our own, but when we pray – asking in confidence that he hears and placing our trust in him.

Fruit includes the corporate worship of God and the active nature of being in the word.

Fruit involves a life that is morally clean - not because it looks nice, but because it wills to be clean in Christ.

Fruit means the right talk from our mouths, because God has given us tongues and languages for the edification of the body of Christ to the Lord's service to fulfill his will.

The question proposed to us by the parable, is what am I doing for Christ?

Am I content to receive from him and do nothing for him?
Or, if we are doing something for him is it our best?
What will be the situation in a year from now?

It is up to you and me and we must take a step of faith to grow.
If you have not been attending public worship regularly, do so.
If you are not a member of a Bible class, join one.
If you have not been reading the word and praying every day, begin today.

The Lord has not given up on you or me.

He desires fruit from each one of us and will bring it to bear in your life as you follow and remain connected to Jesus.

May the gift of his love be and abide with you now and always!

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen

And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in and through Christ Jesus our Lord Savior now and forever. Amen

Modified, Concordia Pulpit 1974, Rev. Herbert Lindemann 1973 pg. 33

Sermon March 19, 2025 – Lent 3

Title: Following Jesus, Our Greatest Giver
Text: John 13:1-17

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14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant[c] is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Following Jesus in humble service

It was the evening before Jesus' death, the evening of the final Passover, and our Lord had made arrangements with His disciples to eat the supper in an upper room in Jerusalem.

This is the setting in which John commented about our Lord:

…having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end,” John. 13:1

Jesus then proceeded to demonstrate that complete love by His actions of humble service.

Our Lord got up and washed His disciples' feet.

John tells us that Jesus:

4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. John. 13:4-5

This menial task was ordinarily done by the lowliest of servants.

But, to wash the disciples’ feet like this was for Jesus an act of loving and unselfish humility

Yet as we listen carefully to Jesus' words in this portion of Scripture, we realize that He intended us to understand His action of washing the disciples' feet also.

Specifically, the foot washing was symbolic of His supreme act of humble service in washing us clean from sin!

Jesus made this clear when He said to Peter,

If I do not wash you, you have no part in Me. John13:8

Now, there's no Biblical indication anywhere that Jesus had ever washed anyone's feet before this, and yet Peter and the other disciples and many other followers surely did have part in Jesus; they truly believed in Him.

So, it wasn't the act of foot washing itself that made the difference.

The washing from Jesus that really counted was the washing from sin, His gift of forgiveness. This was a greater cleansing, which the foot washing very nicely symbolized.

That's how we have part with Jesus: by His humble service of cleansing us from sin!

Jesus reinforced this by saying,

“The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you (plural) are clean, but not every one of you. John 13:10

Jesus had already told his disciples just a bit later that evening,

You are already clean on account of the word I have spoken to you. John15:3

But Judas had other plans for this humble servant.

Jesus had spoken the word of His pardon, the full and genuine pardon that was empowered by His impending death. They had received that word of pardon by faith in Jesus. So, they were wholly clean; all the guilt of all their sin was washed away!

Judas heard too, but refused to believe.

The foot washing was symbolic of the great act of humble service Jesus was about to complete on the cross, where the real cleansing would take place.

Zechariah foretold of it well over 500 years beforehand:

On that day (the day when the Lord would be pierced, that is) a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. Zech. 13:

And in Revelation chapter 7,

John described his vision of the multitude in heaven, “…who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Rev. 7:14

Again, we hear from Hebrews chapter 9:

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. Heb. 9:14

And then we hear this beloved gem from 1 John 1:
The blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 Jn. 1:7

Dear friends, because Jesus shed His blood for you on the cross, you have been given a cleansing bath!

Your sins are washed away! You too are wholly clean!

Yes, because Jesus has washed you and cleansed you with his holy precious and pardoning blood – you do have part with Him.

You have so much a part with Him that He even invites you to partake of that blood in His holy Supper, even as Peter and the others did that very evening.

And that cleansing comes from Jesus' death, His greatest act of humble service. And all this is beautifully symbolized in the foot washing.

Now, by washing His disciples' feet, Jesus did not merely perform an act of great love and humble service.

He did not merely give a symbol of His even greater service in washing away our sin. Jesus also gave an example of humble service.

John's Gospel continues,

When He had washed their feet and put on His outer garments and resumed His place, He said to them,

'Do you understand what I have done for you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Teacher and Lord, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do just as I have done for you. John 13:12-15

The example Jesus gave us is not so much the specific act of washing someone's feet, but the humble spirit of loving servanthood in which He did it.

This is the loving and lowly attitude that abounds in works of kindness.

Jesus wants us and all His followers to emulate His love and thus to engage in all sorts of acts of humble and compassionate care and service for one another.

This, too, is part of being faithful stewards of what the Lord has entrusted to us. When Jesus said:

I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you,” He immediately added, “Truly, truly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. John 13:16-17

Jesus reminds us very directly that He is our Master and we are His servants.

And as servants, our desire should always be to do the will of our Master.
The attitude of our heart should always be,

 
Lord, what do You want me to do?
What do You want me to do with the time You have entrusted to me?
What do You want me to do with the abilities You have given me?

We have our Master's answer, don't we?

Do as I have done for you. Serve one another in loving humility.

That's the very spirit He wants us to have, as well, the spirit of loving servanthood for the good of others.

Following Jesus' foot washing example means we will demonstrate our humble love by what we do to help and care for one another.

From the 10 Commandments:

We follow Jesus in humble service as we honor our father and mother and other authorities by speaking to them respectfully, obeying them, showing our appreciation by helpful deeds.

We follow Jesus in humble service when we defend other people, speak up for the unborn and, take care of sick and disabled people, help people who are in need of food and clothing, and otherwise support them in their bodily needs.

We follow Jesus in humble service as we live sexually pure and decent lives, demonstrating our true love and respect for each other, and as husbands and wives treat one another with love and honor.

We follow Jesus in humble service when we treat other people with complete fairness, honesty, and integrity in our dealings with them, and when we help to improve and protect what belongs to them.

We follow Jesus in humble service when speak truthfully and well of others, assume the best about them in everything, and do whatever we can to protect and build up their reputation.

We follow Jesus in humble service as we are thankful and content with what the Lord has given us, and therefore we are happy for others in their prosperity, we respect what the Lord has given them, and we do what we can to help their spouse or workers or animals stay with them.

Prompted by Jesus' lowly example, instructed by His Commandments, and empowered by His gift of washing from sin, we follow Jesus in humble service in the ordinary deeds of kindness we do for one another in our everyday callings.

So, once again we hear our Savior's word’s which makes us clean, may we receive His cleansing with thanksgiving, and do as He has done for us.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon March 15-16, 2025

Title: Life and death, yet in Christ you live!
Text: Luke 13:31-35

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34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

In a broken world at times, the innocent are found guilty, and the guilty go free.

Justice seems so unjust when we find out after the fact that the one executed for a crime – was in fact innocent - and the charges or evidence had even been fabricated or hidden from the judge and jury.

Today even, people remain in custody, convicted or awaiting trial, who are innocent.

Some who are advocates for them and for justice reform, work tirelessly for their release and exoneration.

In our Old Testament reading for today, Jeremiah was one of the Lord’s prophets. A prophet was one called by the Lord to bring his word and message to the people.

8 And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die!

Quick justice from those who didn’t like what he had said, and didn’t want to hear. Interestingly, the prophets who heard Jeremiah and called for his death, were false prophets neither called by God or speaking in his place.

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying,

“The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. 13 Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you.

What they didn’t like was what they heard, the condemnation of the word of the Lord from God’s prophet. God’s word said that this city would be desolate and without inhabitants. They determined that the death of Jeremiah was his just do.

“This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”

Many times, truth is met with anger.
Especially when we hold a different view.
Truth can be twisted.
Facts can be withheld.
The innocent can be imprisoned, or even worse executed.

We fight an evil foe and his desire is your destruction.
You see in our gospel reading today, even Jesus had detractors.

Herod wanted to kill him, and as odd as it may sound, even some of the Pharisees came to warn him.

Which Pharisees? We don’t know, but remember that:

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, said:

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

Nicodemus saw the signs and heard the word as he sat with Jesus and talked, asking:

“How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”

His question was in regard to being reborn, or born again, as the text says which Jesus tells him is God’s work in being born of “water and the Spirit.”

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

So, it could have been Nicodemus or one of the other pharisees who had heard Jesus and was a follower in secret, or it could just be that Jesus’ words, just before our text today, which call all who hear his words to, make every effort to enter through the Narrow Door brought some pharisees to repentance.

“For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. “

So, whether Nicodemus or another, the word of God convicted them, in repentance, to warn Jesus.

Now Jesus knows the heart.
He knows true repentance and he knows falsehood.
He knows a willing servant and he knows a devil. (Judas)
He knows his sheep and those not of his sheepfold.
His lamenting speaks of his desire.

34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

Behold the Lord’s love.
His desire is to gather.
His desire is to unite.
His desire is mercy.
His desire is forgiveness.
His desire is you!

As the words of our sermon hymn remind us in stanza 2:

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down
Beneath God's righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul.

Though we sink in the mire of sin in this life Jesus has made a way for you and me to be lifted up and out of our condition.

We walk to the cross to see our redemption fulfilled in Jesus.
We await his glorious resurrection and the promise that we too will rise from death to everlasting life.

Stanza 4 sings this hope:

And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on, I'll sing on;
And when from death I'm free, I'll sing on.
And when from death I'm free,
I'll sing His love for me,
And through eternity I'll sing on, I'll sing on,
And through eternity I'll sing on.

So, friends we sing in hope, not despair, because the one who casts out demons and performs cures today and tomorrow, on the third day has finished his course!

The word of God, who is Jesus, makes our assurance clear in the epistle today:

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

Life and death, yet in Christ you live!

‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen

Sermon March 12, 2025 – Lent 2

Title: Following Jesus, Our Greatest Giver
Text: Matthew 26:14-16 

 Facebook live: Following Jesus in the right use of office

14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.

Following Jesus in the right use of office

God had been very good to Judas Iscariot and the chief priests. He placed them in important and honorable offices, entrusting them with duties necessary for the people's everlasting well-being. The Lord called Judas as an apostle, one of the twelve men He specially trained and sent out to preach the good news of God's kingdom.

The Lord placed the chief priests into the holy priesthood of Israel, the sacred office in which they were to teach the people, intercede for them, and offer the sacrifices through which the Lord bestowed upon them the forgiveness of sins.

Sadly, however, Judas and the chief priests all misused their offices. Judas was dishonest and greedy. John tells us he was a thief; he had the disciples' moneybag and would take what was put into it. Jn. 12:6

So in his greed he went to the chief priests and asked them what they were willing to give him if he handed Jesus over to them. They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and Judas started looking for a good opportunity to betray the Lord. And you all know how it turned out.

Before long, Judas found his chance to hand Jesus over to the armed agents of the chief priests under the cover of darkness in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was a key link in the chain of events that led to the unjust condemnation and crucifixion of our Savior.

Obviously, this entire arrangement between Judas and the chief priests was sinful. Just think, in the course of his apostolic training, Judas had become intimately familiar with Jesus, so much so that our Lord called him

My close friend in whom I trusted. Ps. 41:9/Jn 13:18

That was a good thing. But Judas used that close familiarity with Jesus, not to tell others about Him for their salvation, but to betray Him to His enemies.

The chief priests likewise misused their office, not to mention their money. Instead of serving the Lord for the blessing of His people in the sacred duties entrusted to them, the chief priests conspired against the Lord in a wicked attempt to get rid of Him forever.

And they used the money He had entrusted to them – and where the money came from matters little; it all belonged to the Lord – they used that money with the intention of serving their own evil purposes, not the Lord's loving purposes.

So, Judas and the chief priests forever stand as decidedly bad examples for us, in that they selfishly misused the important offices to which God had called them. Clearly, we do not want to be like them!

On the other hand …

consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, who was faithful to the One who appointed Him. (Heb. 3:1-2)

Unlike Judas and the chief priests, Jesus used His high and honorable offices rightly! For our Lord Jesus is the supreme Apostle, sent by His Father to speak His word and carry out His saving works.

And that is exactly what Jesus did. He never used His office selfishly or for evil purposes, but to do the will of Him who sent Him, always for the good of others.

Jesus was far closer to His Father than Judas ever was to Him.

And Jesus used that divine intimacy to make the Father known to us, by His words and by His works. By His teaching discourses and parables, by His countless miracles of mercy, and chiefly by His voluntary suffering and death on the cross, the Father's Apostle has shown us that God truly is good and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

He forgives us poor sinners for the sake of His mercy in His Son, and earnestly desires us to live with Him forever. Because of Jesus' faithfulness in His apostolic office, we know God rightly!

Jesus also bears the office of High Priest.

He is our great High Priest forever!

And Jesus always used, and still uses, His priestly office in selfless love, for our salvation, just as His Father wills it. Jesus interceded for the forgiveness of those who were responsible for His crucifixion That includes you and me, because our sins necessitated His death on the cross.

And as Priest forever, Jesus still pleads to His Father on our behalf for our everlasting blessing.

Most importantly, Jesus offered Himself on the cross as the sacrifice that fully atoned for all our sins. And now, in His Holy Supper, He still gives us His body and blood, which He sacrificed once for all in His crucifixion, for the forgiveness of sins. Because of Jesus' faithfulness in His priestly office, we have forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation!

As both Apostle and High Priest, then, Jesus always was and ever remains faithful, always doing the Father's will and serving for our salvation. Jesus forever stands as the perfect example in the right use of office.

So, by all means, we do want to be like Him!

And Jesus actually calls us to this very thing – to follow Him in the right use of the various offices in which He has placed us. We are, after all, the Lord's servants and stewards in whatever offices He has entrusted to us. And, as God reminds us,

it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 1 Cor. 4:2

Now, the offices God has entrusted to us are simply the various stations in life in which He has placed us and given us responsibilities. And God has been very good to us in this, placing us all into honorable and important offices.

You might remember how the Table of Duties section of our Small Catechism contains numerous Scripture passages for our various stations to admonish us concerning our office and service.

And then it mentions several of them, such as the office of preachers, hearers of God's word, civil government, citizens, husbands, wives, parents, children, workers, employers, and so forth. These are the kinds of offices into which God has placed us, and He expects us to use them rightly – to be faithful as we function in them

Earlier we heard examples from the Bible of the misuse of office, and then the perfect example of Jesus.

We could point out other good examples from the Bible of people who used their offices rightly. These are encouraging for us, because they demonstrate that by the Lord's working in the lives of His people, ordinary believers really can be faithful in office.

Our reading from 2 Chronicles gave us the fine example of Jehoiada the high priest.

He used his office to anoint and enthrone the rightful king of Judah, (little Joash,) to urge the people to be faithful to the Lord, to stamp out Baal worship, and to re-establish the proper priestly service in the house of the Lord – all after the reign of the wicked queen Athaliah. All this was in keeping with God's will, and for the blessing of His people.

We also heard from Acts 20 how Paul did what was right in his apostolic office, teaching the people the whole counsel of God, and giving them a good example of hard work and of helping the weak. He, too, carried out his office selflessly, as the Lord directed, and for the good of the people he served. Paul is another good example of the right use of office.

Now, we certainly cannot point out the details of what comprises faithfulness in every office the Lord may give us. Yet we can summarize the Lord's overarching guidance for any office we have like this:

We should not be doing anything in our offices out of selfishness, or just because it's what we want to do. Rather, we should carry out the duties of our offices always in keeping with God's will as we learn it from the Scriptures, and we should do so in service to others.

It's the same as always; God wants us to live in faith toward Him and in love for our neighbor. That means we strive to do what He says as we function in our offices, and we do so for the blessing of others. This is following Jesus in the right use of office. And in view of His faithful service to us, how can we do any less?

In the name of the Father, and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit!

Amen

Sermon March 8-9, 2025

Title: Tempted and tested; Christ endures for you!
Text: Luke 4:1-13

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13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Over the last 12 years I’ve preached on the wilderness experience of Jesus and his being tempted by the devil after having been led by the Spirit out to this desolate place following his baptism. It seems appropriate and right to do, to see temptation and the trials of life as we enter this time of reflection and repentance.

But today I’d like to look upon it in a different light.

The Old Testament reading in Deuteronomy today focuses on the work of God to bring his children out of bondage in Egypt.

8 And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. 9 And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. Deu. 26:6

And in our Epistle reading for today, the Apostle Paul writes:

11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Rom. 10:11-13

And as Jesus makes clear in one of his responses to the devil in our Gospel reading in regards to his tempting:

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” Luke 4:8

For in all three texts from our readings today the summation is victory!
God delivers from the bondage of slavery in the wilderness to the promised land.
Calling upon his name - for both Jew and Greek alike - brings salvation.
God’s desire is that we shall worship and serve him only.

It seems for this simple-minded pastor that we can reduce Lent down to one weekend, celebrate Christ’s victory over sin and death for us during Holy Week and Easter and return back to the season of Easter and Pentecost and the time of the church!

Simple and Easy, right?

Well, this time of Lent is to help us see the real problem and the real cost.

That sin, affects us all both Jew and Greek or (gentile)

That the price of payment and redemption was costly, and that God himself, in the person and work of his son, our Lord Jesus, was the only hope for we sinners bound in sin and death and without hope. That is our reality.

It seems that the six weeks of Lent is far shorter than it should be, to convey the true depth of our rescue. So we continue.

The work of the devil in the wilderness was to trip up God’s Son, so that forgiveness and redemption would be undermined.

For 40 days Satan was given to this task, knowing that in the veil of his humanity Jesus would be vulnerable to the trials that we all face. With you and me, the devil can tempt us and find victory in 4 seconds, or 40 seconds, or 4 minutes. But, 40 days? We would be overwhelmed early on.

Satan, twists the God’s word to cause Jesus to agree with it, and to follow it, and to bring temptation to the logical conclusion - sin.

With sin the game is over and the devil wins.

For you and me, he is our master, because we live in the sinful flesh of our broken humanity and as sinners, we want to give in to sin because we think that sinful pleasures bring joy. They don’t.

As we spoke last weekend, Moses died and was buried in Moab and was prevented from entering into the promised land that God had promised.

Joshua led the children, over the Jordan into the land promised.

So what entered in, with them? Sin.

Sin is the curse.
There is no hope of escaping it.
Death comes to all.

But the hope begins with God.
It begins with his word.
It is finished with the word of God made flesh, Jesus.

In the wilderness the battle comes to Jesus in the word twisted and misused.

Christ knows the word in fact it is his word and he handles the temptation, though weak in his humanity, with the true word saying:

“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”
“It is written,
“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.’”
“It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Temptation in our lives doesn’t tempt God, but you and me who are sinful and weak.
Temptation in our lives doesn’t promise bread when we are hungry,
but joy if we abandon God and his word.
Temptation in our lives doesn’t promise us the kingdoms of this world,
but the kingdom of Satan and death.
Temptation in our lives doesn’t promise you and me prosperity and good life, but the hope of a kingdom prepared for, and an eternity for all who believe.

It is why Paul reminds us in the Epistle today:

“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Salvation comes to us, not by who we are, or by what we do, but as a pure gift from the one who is, the way the truth and the life. Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

The word is our only victory and defense.
The word convicts us as those who are born in sin and with death.

It causes repentance.

The word shows us our savior and his victory at the cross being the once and for all sacrifice for sin.

It proclaims forgiveness!

The word shows us the way and the hope that God gives in the sending of his son, to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

And the word is here each week to be read, sung, and proclaimed for your good and the good of all God’s church!

13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

When will the opportune time come again for you or me?

13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Cor 10:13

Christ is the one who conquered sin, death and Devil for you.

He took all the Devil could give and though tempted was without sin.

Christ gives this peace to you and me through the working of the Holy Spirit so that his righteousness is yours and your sin has been laid on him at the cross.

In the face of temptation God provides a way out in Christ and by his Spirit so that we can stand, and if we fall, we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous one, to whom we can turn, repent of our sin, and be forgiven in his name!

Tempted and tested; Christ endures for you!

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit
Amen