Sermon May 9-10, 2026 - 6th Sunday of Easter

Title: The comforter points to Jesus!
Text: John 14:15-21

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15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

When I was a little boy growing up, I attended kindergarten in Glassport Pennsylvania.

We, had fire drills to prepare ourselves in case of an emergency. When the fire bell rang, we were directed to exit the room orderly and row by row and as we entered the hall walking towards the door one of the older children from the upper grades would hold the hand of a kindergartener and walk with them out the door to the designated place of safety.

They became our guide and helper and would not leave us until the drill was over.
In the life of the Christian, the good news is that you will not be left alone either.

The Holy Spirit is your helper and guide and will remain with you and will comfort you no matter the circumstance. You do not have to hope that He will come and lead you to safety … for He dwells with you and is in you!

Jesus, in John 14 speaks of sending the comforter, the Holy Spirit, to be our comfort and our hope.

He had told the disciples about that hope and not to be troubled, to believe in God and also to believe in Him and that He would be going to prepare a place for them, that where He is they too may be also.

To Thomas’ question of how they could know the way Jesus replied that He is the way the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him … and to Philip’s question to show us the Father, Jesus said, whoever has seen me, has seen the Father!

There is a very close connection between Jesus and the Father.

To see Christ is to see God and to know Christ is to know the Father; one God in essence, uniqueness of persons.

The Father is not the Son and the Son is not the Father but the mystery of the Godhead in there for the first disciples and for us as well.

Today’s reading begins:

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Well that’s comforting.

We poor sinners confess unto you that we are by nature sinful and unclean!

God’s Law we can’t keep and his law shows us our sin and that we fall short daily needing the comfort and forgiveness only given us by God himself through His comforting absolution pronounced by His called and ordained servants, in the stead and by the command of Christ.

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17even the Spirit of truth.

The Disciples are being comforted that when Jesus leaves them and ascends back to the Father, the helper, the Spirit of truth, will be with them [and us] forever.

The Holy Spirit's role is to shine the light on our Lord Jesus Christ.

Some years ago we upgraded the building of our church here at Peace with new lights on the building. When lighting is done well, the lights make visible the building when otherwise it would not be seen for the darkness. This illustrates also the Spirit's role and work.

He is, the hidden light shining on the Savior.

It is as if the Spirit stands behind us, throwing light over our shoulder on to Jesus who stands facing us.

The Spirit's message to us is not,

"Look at me; listen to me; come to me; get to know me",

but always,

Look at him,
see his glory;
listen to him and hear his word;
go to him and have life in him;
get to know him and taste his gift of joy and peace."

The Spirit’s, role is to bring you and Christ together and ensure that you and Christ Jesus stay together.

James Packer, Your Father Loves You, Harold Shaw Publishers, 1986.

But you don’t … and I don’t. We fall short, we miss the mark. It’s like having directions to our destination and always getting lost … always making the wrong turn!

Some years ago I had a good example of this as Bob Poe and I drove to the Doxology conference in DeWitt, MI. I’m driving, knowing that I need exit 87. Bob says, “Pastor, isn’t this our exit?” Oh yes, it is Bob, thanks for letting me know as I quickly move right to exit the freeway!

On the way home I’m heading north on I-69 towards I-75 when I hear, “Pastor, isn’t this our exit?” Oh, thanks again Bob for pointing that out to me, as I once again move right quickly so as not to miss the, I-75 exit and our way home.

In a similar way:
The Spirit shows you when you miss the mark,
When you are going the wrong way
He, points you back to Jesus

So that you once again see the error of your sin and where you fall short, but also see the way the truth and the Life … Jesus, who kept the commandments – the Law - perfectly for you and who the Spirit will continue to point you to, Christ Jesus our Lord!

He is the light of the world and the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world and His gracious forgiveness and love is for you and for all who love God and are called according to His purpose!

Jesus said:

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.

It is Jesus who gives us every good and perfect gift from above.
It is Jesus who will not leave you as orphans.
It is Jesus who took your sin upon himself at the cross burying it in the tomb and


It is Jesus, who asks the Father to send the Helper, the Spirit of truth, to you, so that you can continue to see Christ, the author and finisher of your faith Jesus.

Christ says:

Because I live, you also will live.

20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

By the Spirit, Christ will make Himself known to you!

Because death could not end Christ it will not be your end!

Because of the work of the Spirit in the life of God’s children … you will know Him and His ways, and you will be found acceptable because you will be clothed in the robes of the God/man Himself Jesus Christ the Righteous one.

Remember:

In the life of the Christian, the good news is that we will not be left alone.

The Holy Spirit is in you and with you and will comfort you in all trials … because you do not have to wonder if He will come to you … for He dwells with you and will be in you!

By God’s Spirit we look to Christ

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

Amen

Sermon May 2-3, 2026 - 5th Sunday of Easter

Title: Your place is prepared in Christ!
Text: John 14:1-14

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6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

In our gospel today Jesus said to his disciples:

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

This text is often used at funerals. It is for comfort and hope. Death is real but so is Christ’s rescue.

What also is interesting is the context of the hope that Jesus gives here in the beginning of chapter 14, with the last line of verse that he says in Chapter 13, where he turns to St. Peter and says,

“I tell you the truth, [truly, truly] before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!”

Not only then but now as well. We too disown the savior daily and not just three times.

It is daily. It is willful, and it is often, day in and day out until we die.

It is in that context that Christ’s - Let not your hearts be troubled - is truly good news and why it is so important that it be shared at times of great grief and suffering.

Peter was standing tall … thinking he knew all:

When Jesus washed the disciple’s feet Peter asked:

“Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”

Then Peter said:

“You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have [no part of] me.”

Jesus tells them:

14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

He tells them to love one another, to serve one another, to care for one another … because where he is going, they cannot come.

Not in their own strength at least.
And Peter in his own strength says:
“Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
But in reality, that’s you and that’s me.

We think we can stand.

In the midst of trial, in the midst of temptation, in the midst of sin - we fall, denying the Lord and the rooster crows that reality in our own lives.

If we think about our own confirmation, confirming what God did in our Baptism and living our lives connected to Christ and this truth - right in the middle of the Rite of confirmation - the question is asked:

“Do you intend to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord’s Supper faithfully?

Do you intend to live according to the word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death?

And finally, it asks:

Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?

To all of this we answer, “I do.”
In a sense saying like St. Peter:
I’ll lay down my life for you!
But, the confirmation rite adds one more “I do.” To these words we confess:

“By the grace of God.”

That is what Peter missed. His strength and our strength, as it is connected to faith, life, and eternal life … is in God’s hands and by his grace.

It is why we can let not our hearts be troubled!

I wrestle with so many who are confirmed members here and no longer come to church regularly.

I pray for all who have left the fold that the Lord would draw them back to regular attendance and fellowship as we talked about last week with the Apostles teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer as we gather together here.

It is God who brings to faith!
As pastor’s we all need to be reminded this truth that:

Jesus is God and I am not!

As we prepare for the Ascension of Christ in a little more than a week we are left with this reality. God has given the church under shepherds and by the Holy Spirit, the work of God continues.

In chapter 13 Peter is confused and asks Jesus,

“Lord where are you going?”
Thomas in chapter 14 asks:
5 … “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
To this Jesus answers:
6 … “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

It is really good news to hear that God has washed you and me and marked us as his.

He gives us pastors, as under shepherds to lead, teach, and point us to Jesus so we too can confess who Jesus is and follow him.

We all have been made partakers of eternal life.

We will see this again on the Day of Pentecost as we welcome new members and confirm two of our youth who have completed their work.

It is God though, who through the means he has provided of Word and Sacrament, will keep us all in the one true faith.

14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

That is Good News for pastors;
Good News for you dear members;
And that is Good News for all the Lord will continue to call to himself through his word and gifts!

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

Amen

Sermon April 25-26, 2023 – 4th Sunday of Easter

Title: God gives life through his means!
Text: Acts 2:42-47

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42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Teaching, Fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer.
It sounds a bit like our Easter weekend and breakfast!
It sounds like a formula for success.

Easter breakfast gave us time to fellowship and gather as the body of Christ.

We heard the word of God and the proclamation of his resurrection and the work of Jesus by the Spirit in the life of the church.

It was also a Unity Sunday and it was a joy to have a 150 gathered in worship on this day, something we haven’t had in many years.

We gathered also together at the table of the Lord, receiving his true body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins and strengthening of our faith.

And, we prayed for our needs and for the need of those we know and care for.

That is the joy and that is the goal with which we are brought to faith by our loving God, that through His gifts and by communion and fellowship with Him we have a life, in Christ, by Christ, and through Christ.

God gives life through his means!

St. Luke in his book of the Acts of the Apostles gives an account of the early church.

Last week we heard of Peter’s sermon in Acts chapter 2 that cut to the heart of those who heard the Law of God’s condemnation bringing them to the point of asking, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37b

To which Peter replies:

“Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

Now coming to faith through the Gospel brought some 3000 souls into the church through Peter’s sermon, but now we hear what the church did with and for those who repented and were baptized.
They heard the word of God proclaimed which is the Apostles teaching.

They had fellowship one with another both in community and in communion with that same doctrine of the word.

The breaking of bread in fellowship meals as well as with the Lord’s Supper that, as we heard last week, opened the eyes of their understanding so that they could see who Christ Jesus truly is and what he had done.

And finally, prayer, which is conversation and communion with that one and same word of God – Jesus Christ.

Our Lutheran Church Missouri Synod for many years had a mission focus called Witness, Mercy and Life together that fits this focus of the early church and our life together here at Peace as well.

The Apostle’s teaching, which is the word of God and what that word means, is the witness of who God is and what we have become in Christ.

As His children, we are called by Christ to be in worship, to hear His word, to know that as sinners, we all fall short of God’s requirements, but we also know that God has made a way in the person and work of Jesus Christ to bring us back into fellowship with him.

This fellowship we now have with each other as His children, celebrating our life together in communion around the table of the Lord, as we together confess that the body and blood of Christ that was given and shed for you and me, is now truly received with the bread and wine, bringing forgiveness of sins to those who receive this merciful gift by faith.

Apart from faith it is impossible to please God or to come to him because we all are judged as sinful and unclean and separated from the love of God found only in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God gives life through communion and the Apostle’s teaching and that is our Witness, Mercy and Life Together!

I’ve mentioned my friend’s daughter Michelle before:

Michelle Ruehl has served in the U.S. Air Force since 2003. She earned a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2003, a graduate degree from the University of Colorado in 2012, and a Ph.D. from George Mason University in 2024. Ruehl's career experience includes working as a military officer, pilot, life coach, executive coach, English teacher, equine riding instructor, theater director, and professional speaker. As of 2025, she was affiliated with the United States Air Force, the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the International Coaching Federation (ICF).[1]

Michelle Ruehl is an at-large member of the Colorado Springs School District 11 school board. She assumed office on December 10, 2025. Her current term ends in 2029.

https://ballotpedia.org/Michelle_Ruehl

It caused me to reflect on her life and an Easter not far removed from this past one.

At times we find ourselves in tough situations and I remember an Easter past when Michelle was serving in Afghanistan as a pilot in the Air Force.

Her Easter was a bit different than yours and mine. For her - worship started on the roof of the hospital at her base … at sunrise … overlooking the mountains and the dawning of the Easter morn as the F-16s began taking off on their missions in the distance.

The second service was at 8:00 am and for this service she played guitar and sang hymns of praise.

Just before the Lord’s Supper in the service, the sirens went off as mortar and rocket fire came upon the base. Everyone hit the floor. One soldier chuckled in the midst of the attack as he saw Michelle put her guitar over her head. “What kind of rocket you plan of stopping with that.” He asked?

Michelle kind of chuckled too knowing that it wouldn’t do much good but was a natural reaction.

Soon the all clear was given and the service continued, the words of institution were said, the Lord’s body and blood was given and received, and appropriately they sang, “How Great Thou Art!”

That’s a bit different from our Easter service here and our regular Sunday services! But the elements of Word, Fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer continue here and wherever the Lord’s people are gathered.

Prayers, we pray them every week in our services and daily for many of us in the church - is conversation with God. We bring our prayers and petitions to the one who holds our life in His hands through the mediation of his son and this is truly a blessed communion for us all.

Prayer can be a powerful blessing and we all need to avail ourselves of it daily. As we celebrate today all the Lord’s blessings, we can’t forget prayer, especially the faithful prayers of those, who keep and have kept us united in him.

Life is a matter of building. Each of us has the opportunity to build something -- a secure family, a good reputation, a career, a relationship to God. But some of those things can disappear almost overnight due to financial losses, natural disasters and other unforeseen difficulties.

What are we to do?

Daniel Webster offered excellent advice, saying, “If we work upon marble, it will perish; if we work on brass, time will efface it. If we rear temples, they will crumble to dust. But if we work on men’s immortal minds, if we impress on them high principles, the just fear of God, and love for their fellow-men, we engrave on those tablets something which no time can efface, and which will brighten and brighten to all eternity.”

DANIEL WEBSTER, secretary of state, speech to the City Council, Boston, Massachusetts, May 22, 1852.—The Writings and Speeches of Daniel Webster, vol. 13, pp. 518–19 (1903). Morning Glory, July 3, 1993.

God gives us life together through communion and the Apostle’s teaching!

Jesus said:

10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

We know the Good Shepherd’s voice through his word, and by that word, communion, fellowship and prayer, which is communication with God continues.

By that, you know him who is the way the truth and the life!

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

Amen

Sermon April 18-19, 2026 – 3rd Sunday of Easter

Title: He is Lord and Christ of our lives!
Text: Acts 2:14a, 36-41

Facebook live: He is Lord and Christ of our lives!

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

The work of God continues to be evident as we celebrate the living Christ in the Easter season.

The Lord’s death and resurrection is now in the making of disciples through word and gift. The word proclaimed and the sacraments administered.

Peter now proclaims God’s miraculous working in the waters of baptism to those gathered in Jerusalem on Pentecost!

We too, are all partakers of this gift; and for you and me at times, we forget the blessing or the importance of what God has done for us.

As has been said before we cannot know Jesus or this gifts apart from God working to bring us to faith. This is especially true with Baptism!

It seems foolish to the natural man and apart from the Spirit, we cannot understand it.
How can water do such great things?

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words.

This is the beginning of Peter’s sermon on Pentecost, which for us is still a few weeks away in this church year. But an important sermon none the less. The word of God at all times has a place in the ears of believers and non-believers alike.

It brings to faith.
Turns us in repentance.
And comforts us with the word of forgiveness.

Peter, establishes first the truth of who Jesus is:

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus] delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

Peter says:

You know who he is.
You’ve seen his mighty works.
It was God’s plan.
Lawless men gave him up and crucified him.
God raised him from the dead.
But Death and the grave could not hold him.

The response is clear:

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

The knowledge of sin should bring this response by the working of the Holy Spirit.

Cut to the quick they are sorry for their sin and look for hope. Peter brings that in his response to their ears.

38 … “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The response to repentance is forgiveness.

The being sorry for sin
The turning away from sin and a desire to stay away from sin
The comfort of forgiveness proclaimed and received

To be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is in fact to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

As Jesus said in Matthew 28:

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

As Paul writes in Colossians that 9 … in [Christ] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

But the next part has as it is the teaching about Jesus which Peter refers to in his sermon

39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

The faith needs to be passed down and that is our responsibility.
Not just mine, but yours as well.

I’ve had the conversation with people about a family member who isn’t baptized or connected to the faith and they say, “That’s your job, Pastor”

Oh really?

Certainly, I have a call to function as an under shepherd of Christ here and that can also entail the baptizing of baby’s and adults alike. But, the call to parents, spouses, siblings and friends to share Christ with those who need to hear and get them to the fount is equally compelling FOR ALL.

For the promise here is for YOU!
And for YOUR children!
And for ALL who a far off!
For EVERYONE whom the Lord our God call to himself!

Take for example our Gospel reading for today with Jesus on the Emmaus Road with his two companions.

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. [Jesus] acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So, he went in to stay with them.

They were unaware of who Jesus was but they were compelled by his teaching:

“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

And Jesus,

30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

In the breaking of bread Jesus too make himself known to us and all that he came to do.

To take on flesh, yet without sin
To suffer and die for the sins of the world.
To rise from the dead for our justification.

33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

And then we too rise and receive the same gifts of Christ’s body and blood receiving the joy of forgiveness in our mouths and having our faith strengthened we go forth telling all that the Lord has done for us!

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

Amen

Sermon April 11-12, 2026 – 2nd Sunday of Easter

Title: The Lord’s peace is revealed by faith!
Text: Acts 5:29-32, John 20:19-31

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26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

In 325 A.D. at the Council of Nicaea, which was an important church meeting in the 4th century. It is also the place where the Nicene Creed gets its name.

There were 318 delegates in attendance. Of that number, fewer than 12 had not lost an eye or a hand or didn’t limp on a leg lamed by torture for their Christian faith.

Vance Havner

Such is the way of faith for those who follow Christ.

In our first reading:

41 [the Disciples] left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name [of Jesus]. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that [Jesus is the Christ].

Martin Luther writes:

If we consider the greatness and the glory of the life we shall have when we have risen from the dead, it would not be difficult at all for us to bear the concerns of this world. If I believe the Word, I shall on the Last Day, after the sentence has been pronounced, not only gladly have suffered ordinary temptations, insults, and imprisonment, but I shall also say: "O, that I did not throw myself under the feet of all the godless for the sake of the great glory which I now see revealed and which has come to me through the merit of Christ!"

Martin Luther


In our lesson, in the Book of Acts, things are not going well for the apostles.

This is a bit further in our timeline than where we are in our gospel reading for today where the disciples are locked in the upper room for fear of the Jews … but as you see not much is different.

Jesus has been killed and raised from the dead, but fear and uncertainty abound.

Thomas won’t believe, unless he has proof and for this it better be tangible … fingers in the nail holes and hand in the side.

But in our reading from Acts chapter 5 it is the Apostles who are receiving the wrath of the Jews from the Sanhedrin – the council of the Pharisees and Sadducees – for preaching the name of Jesus and performing miraculous signs wonders and healings in his name.

It fills the high Priest and those with him with jealousy so much so that they had the apostles arrested and put in jail … unfortunately a fairly common place for those proclaiming Christ than and even now.

But during the night the angle of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out of the jail, told them to stand in the Temple courts and to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and his life, death, and glorious resurrection for the sins of the world!

So, they went and did all that the Lord commanded them.
Giving Praise, proclaiming the good news, and rejoicing in the Lord!

What a surprise as they send for the apostles and they are not there – even though the doors are still locked and the guards posted. They report their finding that the disciples are back preaching about Jesus.

So, they go and get them again and bring them to the High Priest and the whole Council saying in a sense

“We told you to stop teaching in this name … this name of Jesus.”
But Peter says:

“We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Today is not much different:

In a shocking ruling delivered in Helsinki last week, the Supreme Court of Finland convicted Päivi Räsänen, a 66-year-old longtime Christian Democratic parliamentarian, and her Lutheran bishop, Juhana Pohjola, of hate speech for “making and keeping available to the public a text that insults a group.” The court ordered that the text, a 2004 pamphlet explaining and defending traditional Biblical teaching about homosexuality, must be “removed from public access and destroyed.”

Not a good sign … but why so much hatred against Christians?

Gamaliel may be a good source for our understanding. Being a teacher of the Law and held in honor by the people … even being the Apostle Paul’s teacher. He stood up saying:

“Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men. 36 For before these days Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. 37 After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; 39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!”

The truth that we are sinners in need of a savior causes many to rise up in opposition just as it did in the time of Jesus as the Pharisees met.

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.

People rise up in our day too and want to do away with this Good News that is the gospel. God’s word brings one of two responses repentance or anger.

Repentance hears the word and turns away from sin and back to God while anger hears repentance call and says:

“How dare you judge me! Who are you to judge me? What an unloving thing to do!”

But in reality, it is the thought of:

What if it’s true?
What if eternity apart from Christ is damnation?
What if it is just the lies of the devil that I’m hearing?
“Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” NIV

If Christ is God in the flesh than apart from him, we are dead in trespass and sin or buy God’s Holy Spirit’s work we repent, turn back to him, and are saved.

This turning also though turns us away from the sin we are broken by - and we desire the things of God; his word, his gifts his forgiveness.

Do you desire to be in his house?
Do you know God’s desire for you?

St. Peter in his first epistle reminds us.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5

God will guard his children, though the work of the devil seems overwhelming and I pray that those who came at Easter service last weekend will desire to be in God’s house each week to receive his gifts.

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

1 Peter 1:8-9

It is God who wills and works in you and in me. May he continue to work to bring joy, peace, and salvation to all of those he gives faith to in his time and in his way.

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

Amen

 

Sermon April 5, 2026 – Easter Sunday

Title: He is not here and you too will rise!
Text: Matt. 28:1-10

Facebook live: He is not here and you too will rise!

5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen

The tomb is empty
The stone rolled away!
Death conquered!

Christ is raised from the dead!

Through Jesus, we have access to the Tree of life and eternity!

2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.

God’s word here gives a very wonderful description of what happened very early on that first day of the week, Sunday morning, as an angel of the Lord rolls away the stone … not as an aid to the resurrection but as a sign to the empty tomb and the reality that Jesus had risen from the dead!

This angel rolled the stone away and used it for his own seat and such was in his appearance as lightening and as white as snow.

Can you imagine the look on the guard’s faces that were placed there to make sure that the disciples didn’t come to steal the body of the Lord.

At the sight of this angel, they trembled and became as dead men out of fear.

The evidence that Jesus had been crucified, dead and buried and was now risen from the dead - was no longer in doubt - and there was no more concern for those who were placed to guard the tomb.

As the women … those faithful who came to contend with the Lord’s body the angle says:

“Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.

For this is now a place where He, Jesus, had been, laid in death, and He is not there;

No longer in the tomb … no longer dead … but risen and alive!

Death … which is a part of life that we all have had some experience with … connects us too with the death of Christ.

Even as little children we know death as a sign of fallen humanity.
We see death in nature and with the loss of family pets.

We know the reality of death in our lives with the loss of beloved relatives, siblings, or parents and high-profile people in the world and that reality becomes clearer as we get older.

This was not God’s plan.
The Tempter, the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
and our first parents Adam and Eve, made sure of that!

Our own families become the evidence of this as we see those who sustained us through life leave us, showing the reality of sin in their life and ours too, as they fall victim to the wages of sin, and these wages bring death, a death that is assured just as our crucified Lord, who breathed His last, was dead as He gave up the Spirit, commending his Spirit into the Father’s hands.

I have seen this reality with fellow believers and members of Christ’s body the church as well as they too breathed their last and gave up their spirit in this life over the years of ministry.

So many dear church members, and friends, all morning the loss of loved ones called away from the joys of this life and the ones that they loved.

How quickly it is that even one day can change our whole lives.

Those first disciples, those first followers of Jesus felt loss too.

The one in whom they had placed their hope as their Messiah and Lord had been taken from them … and this loss brought grief and confusion.

Was he too just a man?
Did he deceive all those who had placed their trust in him?
Did their hope too … die with him?
And what about our own hope?

As a pastor I get to preach at funerals and it is always a joy to remind those who are grieving and suffering loss that in Christ, death is not the end for we who cling to the blessed hope of Christ’s resurrection.

The Tree of Christ’s cross made sure of that!
But, it is a time of parting … for a while.

St Paul gives us the joyful hope in his epistle to the Romans in chapter 8 where he says:

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8:38-39

7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

Earlier I said,

“How quickly it is that even one day can change our whole lives.”

St Luke tells us in a parallel account:

24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. Luke 24: 1-3

… one day can change our whole lives …

“Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen!” Luke 24:5b

The fall into sin brought death, but Christ’s death brings life for all born in the death of sin and separated from God.

By his resurrection we too have hope in our resurrection promised in Christ.

Though we die, yet shall we live!

You too, who trust in Christ, have this promised eternity waiting for you!

The blessed Good News that Jesus died for your sins - is the wonderful Gospel message you can trust.

He has forgiven your sin and has called you to faith by the Gospel and through the power of the Holy Spirit, and has given you faith to believe in Jesus Christ’s saving work.

9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Because:

Christ is raised … so you too will rise!

The good news of Easter is our present reality and hope until Christ Jesus returns in glory to gather us to himself!

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

Amen

Sermon April 3, 2026 - Good Friday

Title: Living among the Bible's trees - Tree of the Cross!
Text: Deuteronomy 21:22–23; Galatians 3:1–14

Facebook live: Living among the Bible's trees - Tree of the Cross!

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

The curse of being hanged on a tree is something we all know or have heard about in our history.

Whether it is a result or circumstance of war or simply an unjust act of rage, lives have fallen victim to death by hanging from the tree of the gallows or the tree on vengeance and revenge.

As our special Lenten sermon series nears its climax, we consider the eighth of the Bible’s trees among which we live, none other than the tree of the cross.

Considering the Tree of the Cross, we realize that, although we fail to keep God’s Law and deserve the cross’s shame, Jesus became accursed for us and so redeems us.

I. We fail to keep God’s Law and deserve the cross’s shame.

In our reading tonight, we heard the Lord through Moses in his final “sermon” command the people of Israel to bury on the same day criminals who were hung on a tree.

This hanging was after the criminal had already been executed by stoning or some other method. Hanging on a tree after execution publicly displayed the criminal’s shame and deterred others from committing the same crime.

Such criminals were cursed by God, and being displayed on a tree showed the shame of God’s judgment and rejection.

Yet there was to be a limit:

God said that leaving them hanging overnight would defile the land he was giving the Israelites.

The people of Israel were not the first or only ones so to use trees or their wood. The Book of Genesis reports that earlier Pharaoh’s onetime chief baker, who was imprisoned with Joseph, was hung from a tree. Gen 40:19, 22

The Book of Esther much later reports that the Persian king hung two of his rebellious eunuchs. Esth. 2:23

And the Bible reports at least two additional cases where the people of Israel under Joshua did obey this particular commandment to bury those so hung on the same day. Josh 8:29; 10:26–27

Of course, the Israelites could hardly boast that they obeyed that particular commandment or any of God’s commandments all the time.

Today, St. Paul, by divine inspiration writing to the Galatians about salvation by faith, quote from elsewhere in Deuteronomy that everyone who does not abide by and do all the things written in the Book of the Law is cursed.

So, St. Paul says, no one is justified (or “righteous”) before God by keeping the Law, and that includes you and me.

In thoughts, words, and deeds, we fail to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and we fail to love our neighbors as ourselves.

We each know our own failures better than others know them, and God knows them best of all!

Such failures flow from the sinful nature and for such failures we deserve to be cut off from God’s presence for all eternity.

We all deserve to be hung accursed from the accursed tree!
Do we think of such an outcome as shameful?
Are we ashamed of our sin?
Do people today even feel shame anymore?
What do we consider to be insulting?

Are we more concerned about embarrassment or a loss of respect or reputation from something posted on line than we are of the guilt of our sins?

II. Jesus became accursed for us and so redeems us.

Also, as we heard tonight, sinless and righteous Jesus Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by

becoming a curse for us,
being hanged on the tree of the cross.

For some seven centuries before Jesus, the Assyrians, Persians, Jews, and Romans crucified people, whipping them, using crosses of different shapes, and even impaling them in a most cruel way.

For us and for our salvation, Jesus Christ humbly endured the shame of crucifixion, the greatest possible insult—stripped, beaten, and left hanging naked to the world—so that you and I might be sinless and righteous, not by the Law, but by faith in him.

Jesus Christ took to the cross our sins and the ancient curse that afflicts us, as we sang this evening in the Office Hymn:

1

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See Him dying on the tree!
'Tis the Christ, by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, 'tis He, 'tis He!
'Tis the long-expected Prophet,
David's Son, yet David's Lord;
Proofs I see sufficient of it:
'Tis the true and faithful Word.

St. Paul but also St. Peter repeatedly preached and wrote about Jesus’ hanging on the tree of the cross for us (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29;1 Pet 2:24).

After them, at least one Early Church writer also understood the ram caught by its horns in the thicket when Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac as a prophetic image pointing to Jesus’ hanging on the tree (Gen 22:13).

Such is God’s use of hanging on a tree for us!

One author says well:

It is no accident that human sin which began at the foot of a tree, the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil”), found its resolution on another tree, the cross of Calvary.

There is a poetic justice in the use of trees in [salvation history]. ...

Satan’s victory over the woman and the man! beneath the branches of that primal tree led to his own defeat beneath the crossed beams of another tree.

Our Altar book states:

“the serpent who overcame by the tree of the garden” was overcome “by the tree of the cross”

LSB Altar Book, 151, 190, 231

2

Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning,
Was there ever grief like His?
Friends through fear His cause disowning,
Foes insulting His distress;
Many hands were raised to wound Him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced Him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.

The temple of Jesus’ body was likewise mocked and destroyed but ultimately raised back up.

Jesus did not hang on the tree of the cross overnight that first Good Friday but was taken down before the Sabbath.

And later God revealed the majesty and glory of the crucified Christ by raising him from the dead and exalting him to his right hand.

So, now Jesus Christ works through his Holy Spirit in all those who believe, through such means as the reading and preaching of his Word, Holy Baptism, Absolution, and …

Especially in the Sacrament of the Altar, where we eat the fruit and receive the blessings of the tree of the cross.

Thus, the cross in effect becomes for us a tree of life!

For now, considering the tree of the cross, we realize that, although we fail to keep God’s Law and deserve the cross’s shame, Jesus became accursed for us and so redeems us.

3

Ye who think of sin but lightly
Nor suppose the evil great
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed,
See who bears the awful load;
'Tis the Word, the Lord's anointed,
Son of Man and Son of God.

Long before thousands of people in our country were killed through the detestable crimes of mobs—taking the law into their own hands and hanging people on trees—our Lord Jesus Christ was hung from a tree, under the Law, for the sake of us all.

Jesus became accursed for us on the tree of the cross so that you are redeemed!

4

Here we have a firm foundation,
Here the refuge of the lost;
Christ, the Rock of our salvation,
His the name of which we boast:
Lamb of God, for sinners wounded,
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on Him their hope have built.

By God’s mercy and grace, this is his promise now and for eternity.

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

Amen

Lent series, "Living among the Bible's trees" - modified

Sermon April 2, 2026 - Maundy Thursday

Title: Living among the Bible's trees – Fig trees!
Text: Luke 13:1–9; Mark 11:12–25

Facebook live: Living among the bible trees – Fig trees!

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.’”

In our part of the world today, figs are well down the list of popular fruits.

In fact, if it weren’t for Fig Newtons, many of us would probably never have thought of them at all.

But in Bible times, in Palestine and the Near East, figs were no novelty for an occasional cookie or jam; they were food on the table the way apples or oranges might be for us today.

Fig trees are among the first plants ever cultivated by humans, long before wheat or barley or beans.

In fact, evidence of their domestication in the Jordan River Valley may be the first discovered example of agriculture.

Fig trees grow well in poor soil. They can withstand drought. And they’re large; they can grow to a height of more than thirty feet and provide welcome shade in hot climates.

It was fig trees and their fruit—or lack thereof—that we heard about in today’s readings.

On this Maundy Thursday night, as we think especially of the fruit of the grape vine, we prepare to receive that blessed gift by continuing our special Lenten sermon series, “Living among the Bible’s Trees.” Today we consider fig trees.

Considering the Fig Trees, We Realize That, Although We Do Not Always Bear the Fruits of Faith as We Should - God brings forth from us Fruits in keeping with repentance.

I. We do not always bear the fruits of faith as we should.

In the readings, we heard both St. Luke’s unique report of Jesus’ parable that used a fig tree, and also St. Mark’s of Jesus’ later experience with a fig tree.

In the First Reading, the parable using the fig tree illustrates the time for repentance that tragedies should prompt.

In the Second Reading, Jesus dramatically enacts a living parable or takes prophetic action related to the judgment that comes when the time for repentance is over.

In that case, the repentance and judgment seem to relate specifically to God’s people’s being full of activity but nevertheless unfruitful.

People sometimes have a hard time with Jesus’ experience with the fig tree on the road from Bethany to Jerusalem. Some say the miracle is unworthy of the Lord, or that an innocent tree was unjustly the target of his wrath.

Yet, Jesus is the Creator in human flesh, with the right to do with his creation as he knows best, and that particular tree, as it was by the road, may not have been anyone in particular’s tree.

What’s more, with the leaves, there should have been early figs, indicators of the later figs to come; apparently, a tree without figs early on also will not have figs later.

The Old Testament is also full of references to figs in related figures of speech. For example, through Hosea, the Lord says:

10 Like grapes in the wilderness,
I found Israel.
Like the first fruit on the fig tree
in its first season,
I saw your fathers.
But they came to Baal-peor
and consecrated themselves to the thing of shame,
and became detestable like the thing they loved.

Hos 9:10

And yet, as he says through Jeremiah,

13 When I would gather them, declares the Lord,
there are no grapes on the vine,
nor figs on the fig tree;
even the leaves are withered,
and what I gave them has passed away from them.”

Jer 8:13

Are we like the unfruitful people God addressed through Hosea and Jeremiah and like the Jews of Jesus’ day, claiming to be religious but without any fruits of faith?

Certainly, we are like them according to our sinful nature, but God calls and enables us to bear fruit.

Do we bear fruit as we should?

If not, apart from repentance, we deserve the same kind of judgment they deserved.

Like the fig tree on the road looked the next time the disciples saw it, God’s righteous wrath could totally dry us up to our very roots because we do not listen to him as we should.

16 Ephraim is stricken;
their root is dried up;
they shall bear no fruit.
Even though they give birth,
I will put their beloved children to death.
17 My God will reject them
because they have not listened to him;
they shall be wanderers among the nations.

Hos 9:16–17

We face temporal consequences, including death, and eternal torment in hell if we do not first turn away from our sin, trust God to forgive our sin, and want to do better than to keep on sinning.

And so, we each must ask ourselves this question as we prepare to come to the Lord’s Table tonight:

“Do I repent of my sins, truly intend to amend my sinful ways, and desire to receive Christ’s forgiveness?”

II. God brings forth from us fruits in keeping with repentance.

God delivered his people from slavery in Egypt, which pointed forward to his delivering his people both from exile in Babylon and, most important for us, from our slavery to sin and its eternal punishment.

After his three-year ministry, Jesus took upon himself the punishment that we deserve and experienced that punishment on the cross for us, in our place.

God forgives our sin, whatever our sin might be.
God forgives it all by grace through faith for Jesus’ sake.

21 And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”

22 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.

Through the means of congregations today, God calls pastors to serve him by serving his people, as God once directly called the prophet Amos, who had been a dresser of sycamore fig trees (Amos 7:14).

Such workers in the vineyard dig around the trees and put on manure, as it were, and wait another year before cutting down any unfruitful trees.

That is to say, such workers in the vineyard read and proclaim God’s Word to all those gathered in his cleansed house of prayer.

And, as appropriate, such workers in the vineyard apply that Word to individuals in Holy Baptism, in Absolution, and in the Sacrament of the Altar that we celebrate tonight.

For on this night, the night when he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread and wine, and when he had given thanks, he broke the bread, he passed the cup, and gave to them, gave to us, his very body and blood for the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

In each of these means, God brings forth from us fruit in keeping with repentance according to our various callings in life.

As such “good figs,” the Lord plants us by giving us a heart to know that he is the Lord, and so we are his people and he is our God. Jer 24:6–7

The Second Reading might have us think of the figurative figs of forgiving our brothers and sisters in Christ, even as our Father in heaven forgives our sins:

25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Figurative figs are also service to God and one another through our volunteering to our congregation.

Whether or not the literal fig trees should blossom, however else we might be afflicted, yet we rejoice in the Lord and take joy in the God of our salvation. Hab 3:17–18

As we are “Living among the Bible’s Trees,” God calls and enables us to repent of our sin and freely forgives us of our sin for the sake of his Son, Jesus Christ. Considering the fig trees, we realize that, although we do not always bear the fruits of faith as we should, God brings forth from us fruits in keeping with repentance.

By God’s grace, we are prepared and watching for it! Amen.

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

Amen

Lent series, "Living among the Bible's trees" - modified

Sermon March 29, 2026 - Palm / Passion Sunday

Title: God’s love in death and glory!
Text: Matt 27:11-66

Facebook live: God’s love in death and glory!

13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Today we celebrate Palm Sunday and the Sunday of the Passion but also the greater reality of God’s love and death in this life and in the life to come.

The majesty of our procession today as we entered into worship, and the picture of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem contrasted with the reality of his trial, crucifixion and death is contrasted with our own sin, guilty verdict, and death in this life that we all know and share.

Today we will examine the human and divine work of the Lord’s passion and the reality of this pivotal story as we walk into Holy Week towards the death and resurrection of our Lord, the God/man himself, Jesus Christ.

Matthew brings to mind the human dimension of the Gospel story with the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. But also, the divine work of God.

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer.

So, we see Jesus, not taking the usual course of defense in his case. Pilot seems befuddled. He tries, it seems, every way he can.

13 … “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?”

Jesus answers nothing.

“What do I do with this man?” Pilate must have thought.

How can I keep peace in Jerusalem, satisfy the Jews and their religious customs, and still remain faithful to Rome in this notoriously difficult political environment?

“How can I be both just and righteous?”
Well in reality, Pilate didn’t care.
He wanted peace.
He knows the law and he has a plan.
“I’ll find another, a substitute!”

One who is already guilty, and one who surly the religious leaders and the people will be happy to see him put to death to satisfy their rage.

16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. [ Bar- Son, Abba – father] 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”

“Surly this will be simple solution.” – Pilate might have thought.

“For out on envy, they have accused and delivered this Jesus over, and even word from my wife who seems troubled about this, has now come to me. “

She says a dream.
A dream of all things!
What is this world coming to?

21 … “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”

And they said, “Barabbas.”

22 … “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

They all said, “Let him be crucified!”

23 … “Why? What evil has he done?”

But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

Now hear the divine judge

Do you not hear all that the Law testifies against you?
You shall have no other Gods
Don’t misuse my name.
Keep my day holy.
Do not kill
Do not commit adultery
Do not steal
Do not bear false witness
Do not covet things and do not covet people.

 
What do I do with this people I have created?

The divine question is much like the earthly.

“How can I be both just and righteous?”

Well in reality, the problem is in God. We are fallen and there is nothing you or I can do about it.
God wanted peace. He wanted and to restore that which was lost in our fall into sin.
God has the Law and God has a plan to redeem those born under the Law.
“I’ll send another, I’ll send a substitute!
I’ll send my son!”

One who is guiltless, and one who born in the natural way is yet without sin.

He will be the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, giving his life as a ransom for the many, so that the righteous requirements of the Law are kept and the just verdict of the wages of sin is met and paid for …

… and my people, through his work, will be saved as my blessed possession for now and into eternity!

In the ride into Jerusalem,

8 … the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

Now the soldiers,

28 … strip [Jesus] and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand.

In the triumphal entry,

9 … the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

Now the soldiers,

Kneel before him, and they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

In the triumphal entry,

10 … the whole city was stirred up, saying,

“Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Now the soldiers,

35 … when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.

And the world, and all who are born in sin,

39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself!

If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

Well, Jesus did, come down.
With the help of a rich man, from Arimathea named Joseph, who asked Pilot for the body of Jesus.

59 … he took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away.

Joseph was a follower and he was a disciple.

Are you? Are we?

Would we do the same, by letting our faith be known in a time of persecution in the world?
I would like to think so.
Would I stand up? Would you?
To claim Jesus as your own?

Friends, the human and divine come together in the God/man himself Jesus Christ for you and for me.
You can’t have Palm Sunday and Easter, without the Passion and the Cross.

 
God must be both Just and righteous.

He must be put to death in the flesh, and raised in his body for we to die and rise with him.
The Jews asked Pilot for guards to secure the tomb. They fear a hoax that might deceive the people to follow and believe a lie.

65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard[ of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

They thought it was finished!

We too have a guard … the Holy Spirit.

He keeps our focus on Jesus the one who died for you and me and rose for our Justification.
We no longer fear death, as death has been swallowed up in the victory of the Christ’s work!

Triumphant, we stand on the rock of our salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord!

Who triumphantly entered Jerusalem and who triumphantly conquered sin, death and the devil at the cross, and proclaimed victory as he triumphantly rose from the dead for the justification of all who believe!

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

Amen

Sermon March 25, 2026

Title: Living among the Bible’s trees - Good Trees Bearing Good Fruit, Bad Trees Bearing Bad Fruit
Text: Galatians 5:1, 13–25; Matthew 7:15–20

Facebook live: Good Trees Bearing Good Fruit, Bad Trees Bearing Bad Fruit

19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

I’m not a fan of shopping. I have trouble picking out fruit at the grocery store.
I usually run in and out as quickly as I can getting what I need.
I usually don’t know what I’m looking for. I don’t want my bananas green, but also, not too yellow or it won’t last the week.

As we heard the Lord Jesus say in the Second Reading:

17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

Mt 7:17

So, as we continue our sermon series, “Living among the Bible’s Trees,” we consider good trees bearing good fruit and bad trees bearing bad fruit.

Considering Good Trees Bearing Good Fruit and Bad Trees Bearing Bad Fruit, We Realize That,

Though by nature we are bad trees bearing bad fruit, God changes you and me into good trees bearing good fruit.

I. By nature, we are bad trees bearing bad fruit.

The Lord Jesus’ words ring true later in St. Matthew’s Gospel where he writes:

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

And the passage from St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians that we heard draws on both Jesus’ words and other similar teachings about faith and its fruit.

The idea of finding grapes on a vine and not on something like a thornbush, of finding figs on a fig tree and not on something like a thistle plant, may seem for us to be a no-brainer.

But what is important, is for us to recognize is the good or bad nature of the tree – is by its fruit – pointing to the source of the tree is good or bad.

Jesus says to beware of false prophets, and, later in St. Matthew’s Gospel in this context, Jesus calls the Jewish leaders a “brood of vipers” and says they are evil – making a judgment.

They are no different by nature than we are.

Out of the abundance of our hearts, our mouths also speak, and Jesus says:

36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matt 12:36-37

Our words give evidence either to the faith that is in our hearts, or to the lack of faith and our need. Rom 10:9–10

That focus on words is not to mention the thoughts that precede the words, and the deeds that follow.

As the works of the sinful flesh, St. Paul lists for the Galatians and us

“sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” Gal 5:19–21

He warns the Galatians and you and me as well that

“… those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” v 21

Rather, as Jesus said,

“Every tree that does not bear good fruit - is cut down and thrown into the fire” Mt 7:19

That judgment is not only on some far-off Judgment Day, but, as John the Baptist has said,

“Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees” Mt 3:10

II. God changes us into good trees bearing good fruit.

The Lord Jesus says that

“a healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit” Mt 7:18

Implying,

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad” Mt 12:33

But we can’t make literal trees good or bad, much less ourselves as figurative sense.

John and Jesus call for fruits in keeping with repentance, and both John and Jesus’ disciples - baptized for that purpose. Mt 3:8; Jn 4:2

For the sake of Jesus’ death on the cross, God himself, working through his Word in Baptism, changes us …

… from being bad trees bearing bad fruit to being good trees bearing good fruit, fruit in keeping with repentance.

St. Paul says that we are called to freedom,

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

John 8:36

Christ sets us free by the truth of his Gospel (Jn 8:32)—his Gospel that he, true God in human flesh, died on the cross for the sins of the whole world, including your sins and my sins.

Christ substituted himself there on the cross for us. Unless we reject God’s enabling call to repent,

God frees us from our slavery to sin, death, and the power of the devil.

God forgives our evil sinful nature and all our actual sins of thought, word, and deed.

God makes we who are bad trees good, so that instead of bearing bad fruit, which brings condemnation, we bear good fruit, the fruit of justification and eternal life.

God’s Word read and preached to us all as a group brings about and continues that change, as does God’s Word applied to us in Holy Baptism, in Absolution, and in the Sacrament of the Altar, where bread is the body of Christ given for us, and wine is the blood of Christ shed for us.

The Lord changes us from bad to good in his way as we live this out in our lives.

So, we know that we bear fruit of good works in our lives and our vocations as brothers and sisters, moms and dads, workers, friends, sons and daughters redeemed in Christ!

And St. Paul in the First Reading specifically lists as our common fruit of the Spirit,

“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” Gal 5:22–23

When we fail in any way to bring forth such fruits of repentance, good works, and fruits of the Spirit - we fail to live in the daily repentance, that God requires.

And considering good trees bearing good fruit and bad trees bearing bad fruit, we realize that, though by nature we are bad trees bearing bad fruit, God changes us into good trees bearing good fruit.

God has called us to repentance and forgiven our sins by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

From various sources, we may learn the necessary skills for using our senses and reason to pick literal good trees’ good fruit— oranges, apples, bananas and the like—in our local supermarkets.

But only by the power of the Holy Spirit, reaching past our senses and reason to our hearts through his Means of Grace, can we ever be figurative good trees, ourselves bearing the good fruits of the Spirit that St. Paul calls us to be.

May God grow us to be the good trees he desires of us!

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

Amen

Lent series, "Living among the Bible's trees" - modified

Sermon March 21-22, 2026

Title: From death to life in Christ!
Text: John 11:1-45

Facebook live: From death to life in Christ!

43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Death is nothing new. It seems all too common. It invades your life and your family. As a pastor it invades my life too … even if at times it is not a loved one.

I’ve done many funerals. Many for Peace members, some family members, some not connected to a church or here at Peace … but for one who died.

When the call comes it usually sounds like this.

“Hi Pastor Russ; Are you available to do a funeral this Monday at 10 am? It’s for the family of a man who had been sick and now died and they requested a Lutheran pastor.”

I’m usually available.
Jesus got a call too.

11 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”

Lazarus, the one Jesus loved was ill. In fact, he too would die, though Jesus says:

“This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

At funerals the grief is real. Family and friends try to make sense out of a life now gone. It seems surreal. How could so much life in this beloved One now be gone?

It makes no sense. The tears flow.

11 [Jesus] said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.

We hear about where they worked. Their service to others and the things they loved - family and friends, cars or boats, golfing and even doing things for others they didn’t even know.
It amplifies the grief and sorrow.

Lazarus had a loving family too; Martha and Mary and friends but also Jesus … who was a dear friend and part of his extended family.

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 … and many of [their friends] the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them … Martha heard that Jesus was coming [too, so] she went and met him …

As many of those we know get older, they can’t take care of themselves anymore so they rely on others for their care for them or even make their home at a nearby care facility.

Pictures at funerals can bring back fond memories from Thanksgiving and Christmas past or seeing nieces and nephews, children and grandchildren sitting on a couch and bringing into view young and old times of a wonderful life now past.

Death is real though … and at the funeral home our loved one is not pretending to sleep.

Lazarus wasn’t pretending either.

21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Visitation before the service brings the stories. Some tears and smiles emerge.

But when the service begins death is real and it is time for all to realize this and for me it is a times to bring peace in a time of sorrow.

For we, who are connected to Christ, this peace comes only from Jesus.

The joys of a wonderful life and loving relationships in a life well lived, pale in comparison to a relationship with the King of Kings. Death is no respecter of persons and comes anyway and at times when it is least expected.

Love is good, and family is good, and friends and coworkers bring joy to our lives in many and various ways but death still comes. It came for Lazarus and it comes for our loved ones and one day for us as well.

24 Martha said to him [about Lazarus], “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

At funerals, as the tears flow for our loved ones who are now departed, I speak of the resurrection and the life and the blessed comfort for we who cling to Jesus and the hope of the faith in Christ that those who have now departed held in him.

Paul writes in our epistle:

8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you[b] free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.

We cry and grieve but not without hope because we know that we too who believe in Christ Jesus will also spend eternity in heaven with him and with those we love, who believe and were baptized and marked by Christ as his redeemed children!

Tears are real.

33 When Jesus saw [Martha] weeping, and the [the friends] who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

Jesus wept for Lazarus, but he weeps for all who struggle with sin in their lives - day in and day out – calling us to cast our cares on him and to receive the forgiveness he won for us at the cross.

No matter how good we are we all still need Jesus and his purifying life, death and resurrection.

Without Christ, all that remains are good memories and like Lazarus a body that remains dead too.

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.”

Tombs and cemetery’s abound, whether local or in a place of our past.

Headstones are not rolled away but are there to mark the spot where the body of a life well lived rests.

40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.”

Lazarus came out and so too will our loved ones who die in Christ because Jesus is the resurrection and the life. You and I and all who trust in Jesus will also rise.

We have been given this promise.

Lazarus was raised but also eventually died and waits.

He waits for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and savior Jesus Christ and his return in Glory. Titus 2:13

The grave clothes will give way as we rise - as they did for Lazarus.
For St, Paul writes in 1 Cor. 15:53:

53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.

Bound in sin Christ calls you … “Come out!”
Because, Death has been swallowed up in victory!

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

Amen

Sermon March 18, 2026

Title: Living among the Bible’s trees - Tree of the Lord’s Planting!
Text: Ezekiel 17:1–24; Mark 4:30–32

Facebook live: Living among the Bible’s trees - Tree of the Lord’s Planting!

30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

“From tiny acorns grow great oaks,” so they say. That may be, but the process never just happens.

What we take to be simple and common acts of nature are always really the work of the Creator’s hand.

It goes all the way back to the beginning when Genesis tells us:

8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Gen 2:8–9a.

Tonight, in the seventeenth chapter of Ezekiel, we heard about a particular tree that the Lord planted. We’ll consider that tree in this fifth sermon of our special Lenten sermon series, “Living among the Bible’s Trees.” As we consider the Tree of the Lord’s Planting!

In our reading from Ezekiel tonight, God uses trees as a figure of speech.

Using a cedar, willow, and vine, God relates recent history pertaining to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the taking King Jehoiachin of Israel captive and putting his relative Zedekiah in his place. Zedekiah is then - disloyally and unfaithfully as he seeks help from Egypt.

Then God prophesies the consequences of Zedekiah’s rebellion:

Finally, using a similar figure of speech, as the Lord God speaks of the tree that he himself will plant, in order to point to the Messiah, and his kingdom, the Church.

Since the first man and woman ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, not only King Zedekiah, but all of us in various ways have been disloyal and unfaithful falling victim to sin.

Nebuchadnezzar had Zedekiah swear a loyalty oath in the Lord’s name, but Zedekiah broke it. Instead of faithfully trusting in the Lord even at that point, Zedekiah sought help from another, from Egypt which turned out to be a help that never really came.

You and I in our Baptism renounced the devil, all of his works, and all of his ways, and at our confirmation we further vowed to live according to the Word of God and to remain true to him in faith, word, and deed.

You and I make vows to spouses, and we make commitments to family, friends, and employers.

How long do we go before we first and then repeatedly break these vows and commitments in what we think, what we say and what we do?

You and I also face consequences for our rebellion against God in all its forms:

We face an exile in Babylon which is the captivity of our bondage of sin.
It covers all we are, all we say, and all we do.
Sin touches everything. The good and bad alike.
And this also includes a death here in time, and torment in hell for eternity.

And the Lord says:

24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.”

Unless by God’s working, we humbly repent, and believe, as the Lord calls and enables us to do … we will be humiliated at the day judgment and for all eternity.

So, we humbly turn in sorrow from our broken sin filled disloyalty and rebellion trusting God who has promised to forgive our sin, and cleanse all our unrighteousness so that we desire to do better rather than to keep on sinning.

When we repent, we receive God’s forgiveness, for all our sin, for Jesus’ sake.

Jesus is the Sprig from the lofty top of the cedar, the tender topmost of its young twigs, whom the Lord himself sets out and plants on a high and lofty mountain.

And indeed, the New Testament shows us Jesus on mountains, such as when he was tempted, when he was transfigured, and when he finally comes again with the new Jerusalem.

5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely.

Jesus is the righteous Branch who saves Judah and makes Israel to dwell securely. Jer 23:5–6a

2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected[a] by men,
a man of sorrows[b] and acquainted with[c] grief,
and as one from whom men hide their faces[e]
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely, he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.

Is 53:2–5.

For Jesus’ sake, whatever our sin might be, God forgives it all.

Psalm Ps 104:10–18 recalls creation and the Garden of Eden with its parklike plenitude of trees.

It tells of the good use to which God puts water, creating strong trees bursting with life, hordes of birds and other animals.

13 From your lofty abode you water the mountains;
the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

16 The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly,
the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

We should think of Holy Baptism and the good use to which God at the font puts water and his Word—working forgiveness of sins, rescuing us from sin, death, and the devil and giving eternal salvation to all who believe the words and promise of God.

Those baptized live in the shelter of the Church, sustained by the Lord’s Supper, for the forgiveness of sins for life and salvation.

Considering the tree of the Lord’s planting, we realize that, although we are disloyal and sin in other ways, Jesus saves us and makes us to dwell securely.

As every bird and winged creature according to its kind once entered the ark, we too nest in the tree of the Lord’s planting, eating the abundant seed or food it offers, resting in the Arc of the church.

In the second reading, the mustard seed was the smallest seed farmers and gardeners knew.

It was proverbial for its smallness as a seed, but, as a plant, it reportedly could grow to ten or twelve feet tall, the largest plant in their herb gardens.

So, Jesus uses the seed and its God-given growth at least in part to teach that the kingdom of God that is the Church, starts from seemingly insignificant beginnings, as planted and grown by the Lord’s doing, but eventually gives shelter to people from all nations of the world, ultimately standing gloriously forever in eternity.

In fact, Jesus himself is the tree of the Lord’s planting, and he makes us, his Church, to be that tree as well by his work, grafting us into him so that we too are a tree of the Lord’s planting, in him.

God blesses our “Living among the Bible’s Trees,” both now in this life and in the eternity that he has promised where we will be with the Lord forever.

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

Amen

Lent series, "Living among the Bible's trees" - modified

Sermon March 14-15, 2023

Title: Wash and see!
Text: John 9:1-7, 13-17, 34-39

Facebook live: Wash and see!

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So, he went and washed and came back seeing.

[Thoughts on blindness] Deward Defoe, Mark Haas

To receive sight after being blind is something we can’t really understand but we who have been in the dark … when the lights have come on … know the joy of seeing again.

9 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

Many see affliction as a result of personal sin … what we did to deserve this and the disciples thought this too.

But Jesus answers saying:

“It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

His blindness had a purpose and God will display that purpose in him and in each one of us as he sees fit. It is not that he was blind, but through his blindness God will do with him and with each one of us as he sees fit.

Jesus says:

4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

What Jesus means here is that while it is still day or light out, it is time for work.

I know that feeling, don’t you?

We call it Daylight Savings Time. It stays light longer and we can get much done in the light. But, from our Christian perspective we might call it Jesus Saving Time.

The time for the work of Christ and the gospel to be made known … like a light going on in the midst of the darkness.

This time of year we can suffer a loss or power with the wind storms in the spring.

I remember with past storms hearing as many as 700,000 without power and some for days on end!

That is a lot of darkness to deal with. Everyone suffered a little while some suffered a lot. The lack of electric power can make you feel helpless.

Generators can help … but unless it is a whole house generator … you remain painfully aware of your need for power and light from the outside … or it may be the heat as well as the cold nights got colder.

So it is also with our spiritual condition.

We are born blind in sin and dead to Christ and the truth cannot be made known to you and me by our own reason, understanding, or efforts.

In the gospel for today, the man born blind could not see and intervention came from outside in the person of Jesus.

6 Having said these things, [Jesus,] spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So, he went and washed and came back seeing.

The connection between Jesus, the word of God, and the water brings the blind man sight. (Command and Promise)

Water and word might bring to mind baptism … though this text is not a given pretext for baptism … there is much that can be brought to light by Jesus as the light of the world.

By Christ we receive access to the Father, by the word and water through the working of the Holy Spirit we have our spiritual blindness healed and receive sight to see Christ Jesus for who he is … the light of the world.

There are three responses from the world.

The neighbors

“Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”

He answered,

“The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So, I went and washed and received my sight.”

The Pharisees
15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

The Jews (Unbelievers)

“Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.”

22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.)23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

How do you and I respond?

We too receive sight but for us it is the gift of spiritual sight. Questions may come from our friends, religious leaders, and those of the world or of unbelief who ask …

“How do you see? How did you get your sight?”

The Pharisees denounce Jesus for his performing a miracle on the Sabbath. They look for the man to denounce him too setting Jesus up as a sinner.

His answer to those who try to entrap him is:

“Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

This template for you and me calls us to testify to the truth to those who ask so that God might by his word give faith and sight to the blind.

The truth at times will be rejected and like the blind man we too may be cast out. (The Christian witness in the world and the persecution that comes.)

Those who reject the word remain blind and dead in sin. Those who receive sight by the working of the Holy Spirit receive eternal life.

“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
“Lord, I believe,”

Paul brings comfort to we who believe with these words of one who is Justified and made a child of God by the working of the Spirit.

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.10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Rom. 10:9-10

We made that confession in the words of the Nicene Creed today, and in the Apostles Creed on other services. Saying, I believe, and confessing with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believing in our hearts that God raised him from the dead.

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

Amen