This is the text of a letter sent to our neighboring state’s governor in regards to a less favorable designation for the role of worship than what Indiana currently has. The letter makes some interesting points in regards to our church’s role in our nation in times of crisis.
Evidence shared by the Rev. Timothy Scharr, President of the Southern Illinois District of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod demonstrates that Gov. Pritzker’s decision not to include church services among “essential activities” was an intentional act of discrimination. President Scharr, along with the presidents of the Central Illinois District (the Rev. Mark Miller) and Northern Illinois District (the Rev. Dr. Allan Buss) of the LCMS sent the following letter to Gov. Pritzker in April arguing that churches should be included among “essential activities.” Their reasonable and well stated request was ignored. 17 April 2020 The Honorable J.B. Pritzker, Governor207 State HouseSpringfield, IL 62706 Dear Governor Pritzker, Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, the crucified, risen and returning Lord! The nearly 500 congregations of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod within Illinois pray for you and all magistrates regularly. We pray that the Lord may grant you good health, wisdom and discernment especially as you guide our state in this time of COVID-19. We further pray for all medical personnel, researchers and first responders who serve unselfishly. Recognizing the danger we face, and the need to mitigate the spread of this virus, our churches, schools and people are following the guidelines issued by the State of Illinois. We have abided by these recommendations even during the most sacred week of the Christian Church Year. What troubled us from the very beginning was the exclusion of the Church and her ministry from the list of essential activities. We are more than a food pantry or transient assistance service. We prepare people to live now and for the life of the world to come. Christians are among the best citizens in any jurisdiction. We are eager to do what is right and contribute our energies, resources and labor for the common good. Lutherans are unique in that we recognize what is called, the “Two Kingdoms.” We believe that God has established two “kingdoms” here on earth. One is the “kingdom of the left” and the creation of earthly government and good order. This allows us to live in peace and safety. The second is the “kingdom of the right” and the establishment of the Church. This “kingdom” exists alongside the earthly government. Its concerns, however, are eternal and include such things as proclaiming the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation through Jesus Christ. Both kingdoms coexist and carry out their God-given responsibilities. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution recognizes the importance of religion and its free exercise within our nation. Indeed the first European settlers came to our shores seeking freedom to worship as their conscience dictated. Our German forefathers came nearly two centuries ago seeking the same freedom of religion. We cherish this freedom and are seeking to be able to worship as we believe is true and proper. We are asking you to declare religious services as “essential” within the State of Illinois. Christians have a two thousand year history of caring for their neighbor and responding positively in times of plague and pestilence. It was Christians who were responsible for the establishment of hospitals in Western Civilization. This connection remains to the present day as the names of many hospitals bear witness. People are fearful, hurting and living in isolation. The Church brings comfort and strength in Jesus Christ through God’s Word and Sacraments. As unemployment rises the stress of making ends meet becomes a heavy burden. Stimulus packages help but they are not a substitute for paychecks. People need assurance that the Lord will see them through this present time. Hope is one of the major benefits derived from public worship. It reinforces the sense of community and neighbor helping neighbor. Our pastors are eager to serve their communities. They are willing to follow social distancing and other guidelines established by the State and Center for Disease Control. We are concerned about the elderly and those with underlying illnesses that may compound by the Corona virus should they contract it. We believe it is healthier to isolate the most vulnerable among us and allow the vast majority of healthy, lower risk individuals to live as normal of lives as possible. We pray that you will favorably receive our petition and declare religious services as essential in the State of Illinois. Thank you for your consideration. Our prayers remain with you. Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. Allan Buss, PresidentNorthern Illinois District – LCMS
Rev. Mark Miller, PresidentCentral Illinois District – LCMS
Rev. Timothy Scharr, PresidentSouthern Illinois District – LCMS
In the name of the Father
and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Brothers and sisters in
Christ, do not our hearts burn within us as we look forward to the time when we
will be resuming public worship and encountering Jesus in Word and Sacrament! Although we can participate in online worship
settings, I know from talking with many of you that we are now at a point of
longing more than ever to return to the in person fellowship of the body of
Christ in worship. The Introit appointed
for the 3rd Sunday after Easter describes this inherent goodness and
blessing of unity in the body of Christ described in Psalm 133.
Behold how good and
pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the
head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the
collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls of the mountains
of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the
beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen. Behold how good and pleasant it is when
brothers dwell in unity!
Hear now the appointed First
reading from Acts chapter 2 which helps us to see how the first community of
believers had common conviction about their sins and a common share in the
blessings of the promise made through Christ delivered in Baptism:
Acts 2:14a, 36-41
But Peter standing with
the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them,
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God
has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
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?”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.” 40 And
with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying,
“Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So
those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about
three thousand souls.
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Reflect now on the Easter victory message of our risen Lord:
Gradual: Christ has risen from the dead. God the Father has crowned him with glory and honor, He has given him dominion over the works of his hands; he has put all things under his feet.
The appointed Epistle
reading is from 1Peter a reading which describes the depth of the Father’s foresight
and love for us in the plan for the cross. We are called to love one another
from this perfect foundation of love.
1 Peter 1:17-25
17 And
if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s
deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile
ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver
or gold, 19 but with the precious blood
of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the
world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised
him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
22 Having
purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly
love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,23 since you have been born again, not of perishable
seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass and all
its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but
the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was
preached to you.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Verse: Alleluia. We know that Christ being raised
from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
Alleluia. Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road,
while he opened to us the scriptures? Alleluia.
The Holy gospel according
to St. Luke the 24th chapter
Luke 24:13-35
13 That
very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven milesfrom Jerusalem,14 and
they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.
15 While they were talking and discussing
together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But
their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And
he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are
holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood
still, looking sad. 18 Then one of
them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who
does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What
things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of
Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all
the people, 20 and how our chief
priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified
him. 21 But we had hoped that he was
the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day
since these things happened. 22 Moreover,
some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the
morning, 23 and when they did not find
his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who
said that he was alive. 24 Some of
those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had
said, but him they did not see.” 25 And
he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to
believe all that the prophets have spoken!
This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you O Christ.
Grace mercy and peace to
you friend in Christ, from our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is an old saying that guests, like
fish, begin to stink after three days. This expression reflects how quickly
house guests can wear out their welcome. They become less attractive as when
they first arrive. It’s nice to have
company, but after a while we start to miss the ordinary schedules and space we
have without guests. Although I can’t help but wonder if after so much social
distancing if we will start to look at guests differently.
The disciples entertained
an unusual guest in our gospel reading, one whose presence and attractiveness
never wears out. However, to start with
the disciples actually find reason to be offended by Jesus. As far as they are
concerned he is an ignorant guest who knows nothing of what was so important to
them. Why else would he so carelessly
ask: “What is this conversation you are having with each other as you walk?”
The disciples respond to
this question by standing still, looking sad- they are processing a grief that
is not easy to talk about. “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not
know the things that have happened here in these days?”
The events of Holy Week
were so significant in Jerusalem that they could not imagine someone not
knowing about them and not being significantly affected. They feel it is a desecration of their deep
sorrow that Jesus is himself so calm and content. Sometimes guests have no idea how insensitive
they come off in not knowing the basics of where they are at!
The disciples also treat
Jesus like an irritating guest. Jesus’
question about what conversation they were having touched a raw nerve… It is
like the saying about displaced aggression, a bad day at work means you snap at
a loved one you don’t mean to yell at and they in turn yell at the next person
they see and maybe even the dog.
The disciples were angry
at those who crucified Jesus, but they unknowingly take out their anger on the
stranger who has met them on the road.
If they couldn’t address their anger at those who killed Jesus, the next
best thing is to turn against the guest who doesn’t realize that certain topics
are simply off limits.
Although guest and
visitors can quickly wear out their welcome, Jesus did not turn out as the type
of guest they perceived Him to be. To
start with he certainly was not ignorant of the events going on in Jerusalem.
He himself knew by his suffering the full extent of what happened on Good
Friday. He alone knew firsthand the
meaning of the scripture’s statement “God made him to be sin, who knew no sin,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Nor was Jesus ignorant of
the purpose for these things. In fact
Jesus led them through a Bible study of the entire scriptures helping them to
see that it was necessary for the Christ to die and on the third day rise
again. He walked with them, and walked
them through the scriptures.
Surely Jesus pointed out
all those passages in the Old Testament that described the curse of the law and
the atonement for our sin that God provided through sacrifice. And passages of the suffering servant who
healed us by his wounds. Jesus helped them to make sense of his crucifixion and
what his resurrection meant.
To our ears it sounds self
evident that the resurrection of Jesus is incredibly good news, and the
guarantee of our resurrection. But we
know this from the scripture. The
Epistles of St. Paul in particular look back to the Old Testament passages that
describe the salvation the coming Messiah would bring.
At this time the disciples
did not have the New Testament, the news of the resurrection sounded like a
puzzle, it was unsettling to have their grief interrupted by a measured hope
that maybe just maybe Jesus is alive after all.
They would not have understood by human reason that Jesus’ resurrection
meant that he would die no more. They
may have seen his resurrection as only a delay until the Roman authorities
killed Him again.
As Jesus taught them from
each and every book of the Old Testament he opened the scriptures to them so
that they saw that his crucifixion was not just one detail in the story, or one
hiccup in God’s plan for Israel’s redemption, but instead the cornerstone of
our salvation. A seven mile walk with
Jesus and the sadness that weighed them down was now replaced with an entirely
new perspective on the recent events in Jerusalem.
The disciples shared how
they had hoped this Jesus was the one who would redeem Israel. They had in mind that Palm Sunday was the
beginning of Jesus unifying the people of Israel to overthrow Roman occupation. Their idea of redemption had to do with temporal
conquest. They lament to Jesus that they
had hoped, but now their hope was dashed.
But the truth of the
matter was that Jesus had already more than fulfilled their hopes. His crucifixion was not a bitter defeat after
all, but the foundation of hope eternal.
They held Jesus at fault
for not being more sensitive about their dashed hopes, and here he was before
them the fulfiller of our salvation.
Although the disciples
were irritated at first by the words of the stranger they encountered, the questions
Jesus asked laid a foundation for their understanding the true meaning of God’s
Word, His questions as they walked along the road began the course of events
for their hearts to burn within them while he opened to them the scriptures.
Likewise Jesus is not
unwilling to touch on sore spots in our lives with the Law so that he can heal
us with the Word of the gospel. Through
His Word we are reminded of the painful truth of how often we fail to love
others as ourselves. In the midst of this
epidemic we have certainly come together as a community. Yet many needs of
others weighs on us to the point where we do not love others as ourselves- as
we are driven into the mindset of every man for himself that staying safe from the
virus in my own life becomes the chief concern.
I can see how my sin is
more pronounced through trying situations and situations where we are afraid of
an unknown future. Through His Word we see the ways in which we fail to trust
in our Savior when we are afraid. Yet
through His Word we also see how Jesus meets us along the way, to make up the
difference for our failures. Our hearts burn within us because we see exactly
how much God loves us.
Jesus is our abiding
guest, even when we are troubled, who comes to us in His Word and whose word
remains with us. The words of the
evening prayer service in our hymnal use this passage to emphasize how Jesus is
our guest in worship who comes to us to bless us with His love: “Stay with us
Lord for it is evening, and the day is almost over.”
Jesus gladly accepts our invitation,
He gladly abides with us in His word. He
gives us His body and blood to drink in the Lord’s Supper- he makes himself
known to us in this breaking of the bread.
And the result is that we feel a change!
Our mood is changed from
sorrow to joy. Our perspectives are
changed from disappointment at how life turned out, to awe and wonder- our
hearts burning within us as we recognize the true purpose of our life as
disciples.
Before recognizing Jesus,
the disciples shared, “we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” They had their own imperfect human
expectations of how the future should go. And they saw themselves humbled.
Likewise we sometimes find
ourselves looking back at an expectation that was not fulfilled. We hoped that things would turn out one
particular way- and it didn’t happen.
Our human designs for the future seldom work the way we think they should. Our designs for the future appear to us as the best thing- but time after time we see how God’s design is what truly brings the joy and fulfillment of Christ into our lives.
We are humbled to realize
that we put so much hope into our own designs- when God never promised to bless
our own designs, but His designs. We
realize that the sorrow we feel when plans don’t work out is a sorrow of our
own making. God has not let us down, we
simply have trusted in our own deliverance and reaped accordingly.
In God’s Word we are continually challenged to put our hope in God’s deliverance, not our own strivings. God’s Word invites us to walk with Jesus, read His Word- and then reformat and reprioritize life. As we do this we find fulfillment and certain promises, not disappointments. What a beautiful journey it is, as we walk with our Savior. Amen.
To close this morning’s message we pray the “Prayer of the Church”
Our hearts
have burned in us, O Lord, as Your Word has been read and preached. Keep our
faith from growing cold and grant us grace, that we may not waver in faith or
succumb to temptation. Give to us and to our children receptive hearts, that we
may hear and, hearing, believe and, believing, be steadfast in this faith and
hope all our days. Lord, in Your mercy, hear
our prayer.
You have
cleansed us, O Lord, with water and the Word in Baptism, and You have marked us
as Your own people. Give to us grace, that we may live out this faith in holy
lives, lifting up Your name in word and works for as long as we live. Guide us,
that with souls purified by obedience to the truth, we may love one another
earnestly from a pure heart. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bless Your
Church, O Lord, that she may welcome the stranger in Christ’s name and manifest
the unity of the faith in the bonds of love. Gather together those who are
separated, and preserve their faith by Your Word until all precautions and
shelter measures have passed. Bless Matthew, presiding in our Synod; Daniel, our district president; Doug our circuit visitor; and Nick, our pastor. Bless those training
for church-work vocations. Bless each of us as we live out our baptismal
vocation of worship, witness, prayer and service. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Guard our
nation, O Lord, that we may enjoy peace and security in the face of threat and
danger. Bless Donald, our president; the Congress of the United States; Eric, our governor; and all state and
local officials, that they may fulfill their offices faithfully. Bless all
emergency and medical workers and the members of the armed forces who protect
us, and teach the nations the ways of peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Deliver us
from all our afflictions, and grant us strength to bear all our burdens, O
Lord. Hear us in particular for those
on the front lines of service during this time of pandemic and those
whom we name in our hearts. According to Your gracious will, heal the sick,
relieve those who suffer, comfort the grieving and give peace to the dying.
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Stay with
us, O Lord, and be our strength in weakness and our hope in time of despair.
Your gracious will once kept the saints in faith even unto death. Keep us, we
pray, with them in Your faith and fear, that we may be found faithful when
Christ comes again in His glory to bring to fulfillment all things, once and
forevermore. Lord, in Your mercy, hear
our prayer.
Through the
breaking of the bread, O Lord, feed us upon the flesh of Christ and grant us to
drink His blood in faith. Preserve the faith of all of us who wish to receive
this Sacrament in the presence of the congregation but cannot, and grant them
their desire soon. Lord, in Your mercy, hear
our prayer.
Accept, O
Lord, this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving we bring for all Your goodness
and generosity. And with our song of praise, accept our tithes and offerings we
give at the time we are able, that Your Church may have the resources to
proclaim Your Gospel and care for the poor and those in need. Lord, in Your
mercy, hear our prayer.
These and
whatever other things we need, O Lord, we pray You to grant us in the name of
and for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose death has made full atonement
for our sin and whose resurrection has granted to us the promise of our own
joyful resurrection to eternal life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray. Amen.
Brothers and sisters in Christ
we did not have the Easter Sunday we are used to. We also have not had the season of worship we
are accustomed to. The Easter season is
a time of joy, yet this year we are challenged to find joy in the midst of
hardship.
Although this Easter was
bittersweet, we know with certainty that a far greater Easter and day of celebrating
Christ’s resurrection awaits us. We know Jesus has promised to return and raise
the bodies of all believers to join him in the New Heaven and Earth. On this glorious day our resurrections will
be the exclamation point on Christ’s resurrection on the first Easter morning. 1Corinthians
15:20 “But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of
those who have fallen asleep.”
In other words whether we were
able to gather or not on Easter morning this celebration all the same pales in comparison
to the joy of great day of the Lord. All of our time of worship looks forward
to this day, and our worship is not needed to bring this day to completion, Christ
will do it all. As we as a church wait through this painfully so process of
shelter in place, know that Jesus will bring to us the final victory, he will
come for you and come for me. This message of hope transcends any season or
period of trial in our lives. His Word endures forever, and may it enrich us
this morning.
Let’s take time this
morning to pray the collect prayer for the second Sunday of Easter, which
reminds us of the joy that Jesus’ resurrection can bring to our lives.
Almighty God, grant
that we who have celebrated the Lord’s resurrection may by Your grace confess
in our life and our conversation that Jesus is Lord and God; through the same
Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and forever. Amen.
Lord may we indeed confess
in our life and our conversation that You reign over all, resurrected,
glorified. May we confess in our lives
that your kingdom is more beautiful and precious than anything we are missing on
account of our current virus pandemic. May we confess that nothing can separate
us from your love, no man and no virus! Lord I believe, help my unbelief! Help
me to believe in your purposes for me to love others and look to the good of my
neighbor through a time that feels so often frustrating, sad, and bleak.
Also Lord help me to
confess in my conversation with others that You are my Lord. Help me to speak in love about how to care
for the needs and safety of my neighbor through my decisions and actions, that
I may care for my neighbor through practicing the social distancing measured
recommended by disease control experts- limiting the risk of my neighbor through
patiently waiting in the store to not come in too close of contact, by wearing
a mask in public for the protection of others.
Help me in my
conversations with others to share my hope that You are in control of this
situation. Help me to share how important gathering in worship is to me and how
I look forward to resuming this. Help me to not foster a spirit of complaining
or fear, but one of gratefulness toward the daily bread that You provide to me
each day.
Lord teach me to hear your
Word with faith and hope at all times. On this morning especially the appointed
Epistle for the second Sunday of Easter:
1Peter 1: 3-9
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.
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little
while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more
precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to
result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 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.
Heavenly
Father this time of the year, even when we abide mourning as exiles from Your
sanctuary we celebrate that You have caused us to be born again to a living
hope through Your Son’s glorious resurrection.
Help me to rejoice in the imperishable inheritance You have prepared for
me that is secured by Your resurrection.
I rejoice that through Your Son “You make known to me the path of
life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are
pleasures forevermore.” I rejoice to
know Your love for me that is immovable, love that ‘neither death nor life, nor
angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor
height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation , will be able to separate
us from.’
Lord help
me to rejoice even as I have been grieved by numerous trials in this last month. Your living Word instructs me to count it
all joy when I meet trials of various kinds, as I know the testing of my faith
produces steadfastness. I have had much
to grieve, even if I have been kept safe from illness, it is a great sorrow to
see so many of your children plagued by the curse of the fall through the
virus. I grieve as I learn how the poor and needy are more vulnerable than I am.
I feel distress knowing those on the front lines of work in factories and
grocery stores and health care facilities are in more danger than I am. I grieve as a dear brother in Christ is now called
to eternal rest in you on account of the same virus that has frustrated so much
of daily life.
Yet in
all of the grief and trials in this time I am comforted by Your promise to
never leave or forsake me. I am reminded
of how You told Your disciples about the upcoming trial off your betrayal and
crucifixion. You told the disciples “Behold the hour is coming, indeed it
has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me
alone.”
Lord You
see how we have been scattered to our own homes, not account of persecution,
but on account of the fallen creation- where viruses designed to aid in
digestion now serve to destroy the body. Lord you see how we are isolated and
feel alone in a unfamiliar way. You told the disciples: “Yet I am not alone,
for the Father is with me . I have said these things to you that in me you may
have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have
overcome the world.”
Lord
provide us this peace this morning as we long to receive Your body and blood in
the Lord’s Supper, as we long to gather to celebrate the victory over death
that your resurrection won for us. Provide
us Your peace as we mourn the losses of loved ones and fear for the well being
of those close to us.
Lord at
this hour I am much like the disciples gathered in the upper room, gathered and
sequestered from the world in fear. Just as Thomas missed seeing You appear in
the glory of Your resurrection, I have been missing the sight of Your presence
in worship. I long for when my faith
will once again be sight. Remind me of Your promise that ‘blessed are
those who have not seen and yet have believed.’ Lord help me to echo
the confession of faith of Peter: ‘Though
I have not seen him, I love him. Though I do not now see him, I believe in him
and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the
outcome of my faith, the salvation of my soul.’
Lord in
closing put on my heart praise for the salvation You have won for me through
your cross and resurrection and joined me to through the water and the Word in
Holy Baptism. Help me to pray the words of this psalm, joining in praise with
all creation and as one of Your children who is near to you.
Psalm 148
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! 2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!
3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you
shining stars! 4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above
the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and
they were created. 6 And he established them forever and ever; he gave a
decree, and it shall not pass away.
7 Praise the Lord
from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, 8 fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his
word!
9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all
cedars! 10 Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying
birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and
all rulers of the earth! 12 Young men and maidens together, old men and children!
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven. 14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the Lord!
Dear friend in Christ, I pray that you
are well through this difficult time in our nation. This has been a season of Lent and Holy week
unlike any we have experienced. The last three weeks has seen the church
reaching out to people with God’s Word in a time of shelter in place precautions
through many ways- online follow along at home worship services, email
devotions, telephone calls and letters. Especially in times of national
tragedy, the word of God cannot be bound and speaks to us in our time of need.
Our sadness at interruption of worship
services as a church is indeed great, which I imagine will be felt especially
by us on this Easter Sunday. We have a certain share in the sadness of the
women who came to anoint the body of Jesus.
They must have been in shock at how quickly things changed for Jesus
after his entrance into Jerusalem. As we
attempt to observe Easter in seclusion from one another, we cannot help but
ask- how did things go wrong so quickly, what happened to our life as we know
it?
Our Lord’s resurrection changes our
outlook, even in this difficult situation. Because Jesus lives, everything that
we experience in our lives can be seen through the lens of his forgiveness and
love. LCMS President Pastor Matthew Harrison highlighted in his initial message
to our church body in response to the Covid 19 crisis that trials and crosses
always bring us closer to Jesus. Because
Jesus lives, whatever trial we go through will strengthen our faith, bringing
us repentance and growing our trust and dependence on our living God.
No matter how trying the situation, our Lord has won salvation for his people. Think back to the deliverance of the people of Israel from Pharaoh. When Israel crossed the Red Sea, they praised God for the deliverance from destruction they experienced at the Lord’s hand. Their God had turned imminent death into life.
“I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his riderhe has thrown into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power, your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy. “You have led in your steadfast love the people whom you have redeemed; you have guided them by your strength to your holy abode. You will bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established. 18 The Lord will reign forever and ever.” “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.”
Since Jesus has won the victory over
the grave, we know that the sting of death has been taken away from us. We are
like Israel, delivered from death so that we may live in the promised land
Jesus has prepared for us.
In our Lutheran worship
the collect prayer summarizes and brings together the messages of the reading
and hymns and psalms of a Sunday. Hear now the prayer of the day appointed for
Easter Sunday, which brings together both our deliverance from death and our
new life in Christ: “Almighty God the Father, through Your only begotten
Son, Jesus Christ, You have overcome death and opened the gate of everlasting
life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord’s
Resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by Your life giving Spirit,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”
Even though we are not
together as a church to worship, we are still united as the body of Christ. In
your prayers for those in need during this pandemic and in your caring for the
needs of others through this difficult time you are shining with the light of
Christ. 1 Peter chapter 2 celebrates who we are because of the foundation of
Jesus’ passion on the cross and resurrection- we are His own people: “But
you are a chosen race , a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own
possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of
darkness into his marvelous light.”
We as the church long for
the time when we shall be in the presence of the Lord in the New Heaven and New
Earth. During this time of suffering and
loss in our nation we are reminded of our weakness and mortality. We are all
only one cough or spread of germs from an illness that has the potential to
take any of our lives. As God’s people we know that only Jesus is our strength
and shield through pestilence. Listen to these words of Psalm 16:
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord,
“You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” 3 As for the
saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. 4 The sorrows of those who
run afteranother
god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take
their names on my lips. 5 The Lord
is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The
lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful
inheritance. 7 I bless the Lord
who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at
my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is
glad, and my whole beingrejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure. 10 For you will not abandon my
soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 11 You make known to me the
path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are
pleasures forevermore.
In our humble awareness of our weakness, we are like the thief on
the cross trusting completely in Jesus’ power: “Jesus remember me when you
come into your kingdom.” “The
lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, indeed I have a beautiful
inheritance.” Jesus answers the
thief and answers us about the inheritance we have: “Truly I say to you,
today you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus will not abandon us.
Take heart dear friend in Christ, Jesus is risen and goes on ahead
of us:
Matthew 28:1-10 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 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. 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, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 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. 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.”
In the introduction to his
sermon on Easter Sunday 1871, C.F.W. Walther announced: “On the festival of
Easter, every Christian, yes, every human being is jubilant. … Yes, my friends,
today we must all employ this proud, defiant, heroic epic against sin, death,
and hell. We must only mock sins today, only ridicule death, and just laugh at
hell. Today every Christian should consider ridiculous whatever causes the
least doubt of the forgiveness of his sins, of his standing in grace, of his
righteousness before God, and of his salvation” (Joel R. Baseley, trans.,
Festive Sounds [Dearborn, MI: Mark V Publications, 2008], 128).
Easter is indeed a time to
laugh at death and hell- because it has been defeated by Jesus’ victory on the
cross.
You probably have noticed
on the news the occasional comment about how even though the virus is causing
its damage, but we are going to prevail over it and we are coming together as a
global community to defeat it. No virus can stand against the human spirit. It is tough to qualify how accurate these
descriptions are of winning a victory over a virus. Clearly though the focus on these sentiments
in the news are about what we humans can accomplish if we put our minds to
it. How different is our confidence in our
Lord’s victory over death. We are not
counting on ourselves to bring us through the pandemic, but instead we are
seeing that God is the one who saves us.
He is the one who saves us not just from a virus, but from sin, death
and hell.
Paul
Gerhardt wrote the hymn “Awake My Heart with Gladness” near the ends of the
Thirty years war (1618-1648). He lost his wife after 13 years of marriage and saw
only one of his 5 children survive. The war was catastrophic to both the land
and people. Clearly the gladness he writes
about did not come from human triumphs. I have included the hymn below. I
encourage you to take your time reading through it and feel the deep emotions
of security, triumph and joy in Jesus’ Easter victory.
In stanza 1 Reflect on what it means to you to have your heart awake with gladness- as in for your heart to be free of the weight of death so that you can actually live and breath in hope in Jesus. In stanza 2 notice how Satan’s boasting and pride that he had supposedly bound Jesus is turned upside down in defeat. In stanza 3 picture the appearance of Jesus in the glory of the resurrection. Think of how this sight can eclipse any sadness that may come our way. In stanza 4 and 5 notice the courage with which Gerhardt looks at death even to the point of laughing in scorn at death. Think of how our faith helps us to see night as bright as day.
In stanza 6 think of Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold the devil is about to throw some of you in prison that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.” Notice how this stanza helps us to see that we cling to Christ through even the fiercest trials. Take a few moments to appreciate the stark language of the close of stanza 6 He rends death’s iron chain; He breaks through sin and pain; He shatters hell’s dark thrall; I follow Him through all. Stanza 7 helps us to see that the Easter resurrection of Jesus opens the portal to our resurrection.
LSB 467 Awake, My Heart,
with Gladness Paul Gerhardt 1607-1676
1
Awake, my heart, with gladness, See what today is done;
Now, after gloom and sadness, Comes forth the glorious sun.
My Savior there was laid Where our bed must be made
When to the realms of light Our spirit wings its flight.
2
The foe in triumph shouted When Christ
lay in the tomb;
But lo, he now is routed, His boast is turned to gloom.
For Christ again is free; In glorious victory
He who is strong to save Has triumphed o’er the grave.
3
This is a sight that gladdens– What peace it doth impart!
Now nothing ever saddens The joy within
my heart.
No gloom shall ever shake, No foe shall ever take
The hope which God’s own Son In love for me hath won.
4
Now hell, its prince, the devil, Of all their pow’r are shorn;
Now I am safe from evil, And sin I laugh
to scorn.
Grim death with all his might Cannot my
soul affright;
It is a pow’rless form, Howe’er it rave
and storm.
5
The world against me rages, Its fury I disdain;
Though bitter war it wages, Its work is all in vain.
My heart from care is free, No trouble
troubles me.
Misfortune now is play, And night is
bright as day.
6
Now I will cling forever To Christ, my
Savior true;
My Lord will leave me never, Whate’er He passes through.
He rends death’s iron chain; He breaks
through sin and pain;
He shatters hell’s dark thrall; I follow Him through all.
7
He brings me to the portal That leads to
bliss untold,
Whereon this rhyme immortal Is found in
script of gold:
“Who there My cross has shared Finds here a crown prepared;
Who there with Me has died Shall here
be glorified.”
This Easter message is written in thanksgiving
for the ministry of Pastor Parker Knoll in my life, to Christ Lutheran Church,
and most importantly in thanksgiving that Parker now rests from the trials of
this world and lives glorified with our Risen Savior Jesus.
I am praying for you and look forward to the time when we can be reunited in worship and then together proclaim-He is risen, He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
This past week more than
even before it has become clear that the church has begun a long undetermined
period of waiting. Who could have imagined that instead of gathering at church
with palm branches in our hands to celebrate the entrance of Jesus into
Jerusalem, we would all be in our living rooms.
Here is the Introit
appointed for Palm Sunday: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the
Lord.Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in. 8 Who
is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle! 9 Lift up your heads, O
gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. 10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts, he is the King of
glory!
How do we come in the name
of the Lord when we cannot be at worship: How do we lift up the gates to celebrate
the coming of our king among us when we are all at home. We know we cannot
gather for worship right now. But it still feels like we are hiding out and
missing the celebration of our Savior.
Sure, we accepted in short
order the cancellation of the Final Four tournament and any other sports. After
all, as much as we may like sports as a society, some things are more important
in life. We accepted that places like
Disney world are now closed and spring break vacations canceled. But it is a
different thing to accept that we cannot gather for worship- especially at the
beginning of holy week, the most festive and magnificent time of the church
year.
For Christ Lutheran Church,
celebrating Palm Sunday has in recent years been memorable as our
congregation’s youth carry palm branches in procession down the aisle toward
the altar. I remember last year the hymn “All Glory Laud and Honor” was sung as
the processional hymn. The refrain even
describes children’s role in worshiping Jesus: “All glory laud and honor to
you Redeemer King. To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring”
How do we make sense of
the complete absence of celebration and importance? Can holy week be holy week without our
participation and adornment of special music and ritual?
Perhaps this year more
than any other year we are called to see that Holy Week is not about our
celebrations, not about our pomp and circumstance, but about Jesus’ gift to us
of our salvation. Jesus may have been
greeted with fanfare when he entered Jerusalem, but the real glory was not this
entrance. Stanza four of the hymn describes
the true glory of Jesus is in the cross:
“To you before Your
passion they sand their hymns of praise; to you now high exalted, our melody we
raise.”
They sang hymns of praise to
Jesus before his betrayal and crucifixion.
But Jesus never came to Jerusalem just for praises. It is a false teaching of the church to think
that if we just could have received Jesus as Messiah at that time instead of
crucifying him that He would have continued to reign as our king without the
cross.
Instead the glory of His
entrance into Jerusalem was that he was coming to lay down his life of his own
accord. The celebration we have on Palm Sunday is not just about his entering as
king on that day, but that he now reigns exalted over all things. Jesus reigns over all things, including the
uncertainty for the future we feel about our economy and the well being of our
churches. Jesus reigns over all and holds all things in His hands even as we
worry about loved ones who are on the front lines of the epidemic through their
work roles.
The historical event of
the crucifixion of Jesus of course was not an event of celebration (other than
perhaps in the eyes of the enemies of Jesus).
This was a tragic event that had nothing to do with celebrations and
circumstance. It is only after His resurrection
that the church can see the glory of the cross that the scripture proclaimed. Now
that Jesus reigns at the right hand of the Father we can listen to the passion
account as the intimate history of our salvation won through Jesus.
So how do we celebrate the
beginning of Holy Week this morning? We fix
our eyes on Jesus and his willing obedience to the cross. We reflect and consider the work of the cross
in crucifying our sinful self and joining us to Christ’s death on the cross so
that we are also joined with His resurrection. As we reflect on the work of the
cross in our lives we can see that this pandemic and all afflictions in our
life are a result of our fallen world and our own sin. Our not being able to meet for worship is a weighty
cross to bear. This morning we turn in repentance
to the Lord, pleading His mercy to us in our time of need.
As a church we pray
together this Sunday: Almighty God, heavenly Father, give us grace to trust you
during this time of illness and distress. In mercy put an end to the pandemic
that afflicts us. Grant relief to those who suffer and comfort for those who
mourn. Sustain all medical personnel in their labors, and cause Your people
ever to serve You in righteousness and holiness, through Jesus Christ, Your
Son, our Lord who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and forever. Amen.
In repentance we look to Jesus
for mercy. And in thanksgiving for what Jesus has done for us we look to serve
our neighbor. Whether we are able to gather or not we are still the church, we
are still the body of Christ. Remember these
words from 1Peter in regards to how we are the church, not our buildings:
4 As you come
to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and
precious,5 you
yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a
holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ. 6 For
it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a
cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
9 But you are a
chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own
possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of
darkness into his marvelous light.10 Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have
received mercy.
Whether we are able to gather for church or not we have been called to proclaim the excellencies of our Lord in a time when the world needs to hear more than ever. As it has become more and more clear this past week how this trial is going to be more than just a short period of time, I imagine the number of people hearing God’s Word through various technologies this Sunday and next Sunday is growing in number.
It appears that thousands of people who would not otherwise have attended worship this year, will attend virtual services and hear the gospel. After all, so many of the distractions that people occupy themselves with on Sunday morning are not available at present. The footprint of the church on the internet has now jumped at a prodigious rate in a manner of weeks.
And we also have our part
to play as living stones chosen to build the spiritual house, we are royal
priesthood of believers. We pray for
those who are going through trying times. We can share messages of our hope and
trust in the Lord’s provisions and purposes for us every time we talk to
someone about the uncertainties of this pandemic. Walking through my neighborhood I have seen
sidewalk chalk decorations for Easter Sunday and some messages of hope in front
windows. If you live in a neighborhood with a sidewalk in front of your home, perhaps
your own home can proclaim a message of God’s Word.
I encourage you to look through your Bible this week and read through the Passion account of our Lord as part of your devotions this week. Here is the account as appointed for worship this morning from the gospel of Matthew for either reading now or through the course of the week. May our Lord bless you with his abiding presence in this time of need. Know that all of your sins are forgiven through the mercies of our heavenly Father and all availing sacrifice of Our Savior Jesus Christ. Know that Jesus has brought all things to completion, even your own lives through his perfect love for us.
1When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests and the elders
of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was
Caiaphas, 4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by
stealth and kill him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast,
lest there be an uproar among the people.”
Jesus
Anointed at Bethany
6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the
house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster
flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined
at table. 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant,
saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a
large sum and given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this,
said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing
to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will
not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she
has done it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you,
wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will
also be told in memory of her.”
Judas
to Betray Jesus
14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was
Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What
will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces
of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to
betray him.
The
Passover with the Disciples
17 Now on the first day of Unleavened
Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for
you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a
certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep
the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” 19 And the
disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.
20 When it was evening, he reclined at
table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly,
I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very
sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He
answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The
Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of
Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been
born.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I,
Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
Institution
of the Lord’s Supper
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Jesus
Foretells Peter’s Denial
30 And when they had sung a hymn, they
went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You
will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike
the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But
after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter
answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall
away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very
night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter
said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the
disciples said the same.
Jesus
Prays in Gethsemane
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Betrayal
and Arrest of Jesus
47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Jesus
Before Caiaphas and the Council
57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58 And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”
Peter
Denies Jesus
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the
courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with
Jesus the Galilean.”
Jesus
Delivered to Pilate
27 When morning came, all the
chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put
him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and
delivered him over to Pilate the governor.
Judas
Hangs Himself
3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
Jesus
Before Pilate
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. 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.
The
Crowd Chooses Barabbas
15 Now at the feast the governor was
accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And
they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 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?” 18 For he knew
that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides,
while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have
nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him
today in a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders
persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The
governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for
you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then
what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be
crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But
they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
Pilate
Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified
24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
Jesus
Is Mocked
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him 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. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.
The
Crucifixion
32 As they went out, they found a man of
Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. 33 And
when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they
offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not
drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his
garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and
kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the
charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Then
two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 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.” 41 So
also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He
saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come
down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He
trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am
the Son of God.’” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with
him also reviled him in the same way.
The
Death of Jesus
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
51 And behold, the curtain of the temple
was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were
split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the
saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of
the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to
many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him,
keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were
filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Sonof God!”
55 There were also many women there,
looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to
him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of
James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Jesus
Is Buried
57 When it was evening, there came a rich
man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He
went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be
given to him. 59 And Joseph 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. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there,
sitting opposite the tomb.
The
Guard at the Tomb
62 The next day, that is, after the day
of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and
said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive,
‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to
be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away
and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be
worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a
guardof 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.
“And he said to me,
“Son of man, can these bones live?”
Our readings for the fifth
Sunday of Lent bring us face to face with death. The prophet Ezekiel in a time when Israel was
exiled away from their land and essentially dead as a nation, was taken to a
vision of a valley of dry bones. An
awful scene reminiscent of the aftermath of a great battle. Looking at the valley of dry bones, and led
by the Lord’s hand all around, Ezekiel saw how vast was the number and how very
dry the bones were. Ezekiel could not
logically see signs of life in the valley of bones. Yet in faith he answers the
question “O Lord God, you know.”
In the past some two weeks,
it has felt as if the church as we know it has died. We are not able to gather as usual, and
virtually everything we might normally plan on this time of the year is suspended.
We do not have a return date in the near future that we can look forward to and
hold out for. In the midst of public
concern over how far to the limits our society will be tested by this pandemic,
gathering in public for worship has somehow become a luxury we cannot safely
practice. This trial brings to mind the
fear that our congregation, Christ Lutheran Church will never meet again, as if
we are dry bones.
Yet as bad as things are
in our world right now, the proclamation of God’s Word has continued. The
church has used online services, phone calls and many other mediums of
communication to share God’s Word in this time of crisis. The Word will continue to go out, no matter
what is going on in our nation. Just
over 100 years ago our churches experienced another epidemic that prevented
gathering from worship with the Influenza outbreak in 1918. Back then the Word continued and carried new
life to the church going forward from the costly tragedy.
As a society we have been
brought together with the same common sentiment, “We want things to be back to
normal, we want this trial to be over.” Whether as soon as we would like or
sometime later, the outbreak will run its course and our society will piece
itself together in one form or another- forever changed by the experience. However the truth is that there has never been
a “normal” period in history. We always
face adversities and trials on this side of eternity- some more noticeable than
other. Yet the truth is that the trials of this world will only be over when
Jesus returns.
This pandemic we are
weathering is a time where we must look to Jesus alone for our hope. It is a strange thing to realize that Monday
through Friday I actually am working from a corner of my bedroom doing
telehealth services. It is a scary thing
to realize that within a number of days from a visit to a grocery store or
other essential appearance in public I could end up with virus symptoms. And
within 5 days of showing symptoms I could be in the hospital taking my last few
breaths. I have read men have a higher
rate of mortality with this disease than women. Causes for fear are real. For all of you with other high risk categories
the fear is just as significant. As we
realize how helpless we are and how great our fear, we look to Jesus not just
because we know nobody else can save us, but because He alone gives us the
strength to bear with our afflictions.
John chapter 11 helps us
see that Jesus alone is our hope. In the
face of death Jesus calls out and summons forth life. Jesus came to Bethany as he was summoned by
Mary and Martha to respond to the needs of Larazus in his life threatening
illness. For the glory of God, Jesus did
not come and bring deliverance according to the preferred timeline of Larazus’
siblings. He came after Lazarus had been
dead for four days.
In the midst of this
brokenness and sadness of death Jesus spoke to Martha who had gone out ahead of
Mary to meet Jesus. Martha put in the first word. She shared her distress and
helpless despair in the face of death and used some language of trusting in God
through it all. “Lord if you had been
here , my brother would not have died, But even now I know that whatever you
ask from God, God will give you.”
We as the church would
like to see the deliverance from this fallen world sooner. Yesterday with tears
in my eyes I conveyed information to our congregation to pray for our brother
in Christ Pastor Knoll, in the dangerous situation of fighting the corona virus
illness in the hospital on a respirator.
We wish Jesus would provide deliverance sooner.
Jesus promised to Martha, “Your
brother will rise again.” This
sounded like a far off promise to Martha. She says: “I know that he will rise
again in the resurrection on the last
day.”
“Jesus said to her, “I
am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet
shall he live. And everyone who believes
in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Martha said to him: “Yes,
Lord I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who is coming into the
world.”
Martha confessed Jesus as
Lord just as boldly and clearly as the disciples ever did. She saw in that moment that Jesus is her
promised resurrection and life. Shortly thereafter she experienced His Word, the Word of God
brings life, as Jesus cried out with a loud voice: “Lazarus come out.”
Lazarus was raised, body
and soul alive and together and whole.
The body that was ravaged by death and decaying for four days was healed
by Jesus.
Today the Word of God
brings life to us. Jesus brings life out
of the dry bones of our church, our land, our world. He is our resurrection and our life. He is able to raise a body ravaged by the
corona virus and reunite body and soul in a perfect whole. Each life is precious
to Him. Listen to the Introit appointed
for this Sunday:
Precious in the sight
of the Lord is the death of his saints. I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I
will call on him as long as I live. The snares of death encompassed me; the
pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called
on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!” For you have delivered my soul from death, my
eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was
in the beginning is now and will be forever. Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints
Each person who dies is
indeed precious in the Lord’s eyes. No
believer dies without the Lord’s notice.
Jesus is there, weeping for all of the damage to body and soul, and
Jesus is there raising each saint to everlasting life in him. Listen now to the
close of the Old testament reading from Ezekiel chapter 37:
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these
bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up,
and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore
prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God:
Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people.
And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall
know that I am the Lord, when I
open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And
I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in
your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”
In the latest
video address to our church body (which you can find on www.lcms.org President Harrison reminds us of
the theme verse from the last LCMS convention 1Thessalonians 5:17-18
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray
without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this
is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
In this time of
crisis we do not just stop with pray without ceasing. Since Jesus is our
Resurrection and our life we have cause for rejoicing. We give thanks for His kingdom which comes in
our lives even without our asking. We give thanks that no pandemic will ever
separate us from his everlasting love.
Finally at this
the close of the sermon, I have written an additional “Wellness for Life
article” entitled “Making the best use of the time” I know that not all suggestions I provide
will apply to any one person. However I pray this writing will help you ask
what is God’s Will for you in this time.
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Brothers and sisters in Christ it is a
bittersweet thing to address you in this written manner as an alternative to our
regular Sunday morning gathering for Worship.
The past week was trying for a
number of reasons, including the unprecedented occurrence of realizing through
the first few days of the week that come Sunday we would not be gathering for
worship.
It is vitally important
that we be able to gather for worship.
We need to be together as a community of believers, receiving our Lord’s
gifts. Yet the reality of the situation is that we were unprepared as a church
and as a society for a pandemic. Gathering without first ensuring the safety of
our neighbors had the potential to cause harm.
Expert scientists have
described the Covid 19 virus as 5 to 50 times more powerful than the flu. We simply were not ready to responsibly deal
with this threat while gathering for worship.
Refraining from gathering and social distancing is not solely about self
preservation- instead it is about protecting others- for if I have the virus
and don’t realize it I could carry it for up to 14 days without feeling symptoms
and infect others. This virus won the battle in recent days. Yet we will return to the Lord’s house. We will- if necessary gather in ways that
practice the CDC recommendations of social distancing- until the danger is
past.
As your pastor and spiritual leader, I must confess my own failure in not being prepared for how this could disrupt our worship life. In the months following the initial outbreak in China it did not occur to me of the importance of developing procedures and policies for how we could gather for worship in ways that would not jeopardize the health of one another and our neighbors. Perhaps collectively as Americans we need to repent of how we were unable to grasp or imagine that a plague befalling one country like China could also effect us. In our sin we as Americans tend to think that calamities that effect other nations will not effect us- that somehow our ways of life make us safer, or that God will protect us more than other nations of the earth.
Personally my memory was that SARS, Ebola, Mad Cow Disease- etc. were always far away and never seemed to reach America- at least to my recollection. As a result my pride led me to overlook a danger that would significantly effect our church in the middle of the season of Lent.
Join me in confessing the ways our sins of unpreparedness as a church have interfered with our worship life in this time, and interfered with our calling to be a refuge and place of hope for our culture who are afraid and in need of the comfort of our Lord’s reign over heaven and earth. Join me in confessing the ways in which our fears of illness and societal chaos, have led us to doubt God’s provision for us and think of our own well being instead of others.
Join me in confessing how I have in all my thoughts and deeds this past week sinned against my Lord Jesus Christ. Sins, as we typically confess each Sunday morning, that merit our temporal and eternal punishment. Join me in repenting of these sins. We pray to the boundless mercy of our Father and for the sake of the holy sufferings of His beloved Son Jesus Christ to be gracious and merciful to us poor sinful beings.
And join me in hearing the good news that Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives You all your sins. Know without doubt that your sins have been forgiven by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Listen now to the
appointed Introit for the fourth Sunday of Lent. How beautifully God’s Word
speaks to our time of need today!
My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net. One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. 5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and will be forever. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
Our eyes are indeed toward
the Lord through this time of self sacrifice and adversity. We indeed long more
than anything else to dwell in the Lord’s house all of our days.
Join me in praying the prayer of the day: Almighty God our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new every morning; and though we deserve punishment, You receive us as Your children and provide for all of our needs of body and soul. Grant that we may heartily acknowledge Your Merciful goodness, give thanks for all of your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
The gospel lesson
appointed for the fourth Sunday of Lent is John chapter 9:1-41. Here are the first 7 verses for us to reflect
on for this morning:
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?”
3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works
of God might be displayed in him. 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.” 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.
The
account of Jesus giving sight to the man born blind provides a timely insight
into the role of sin in bad things in our world. As the Rabbis ask Jesus who sinned that this
man was born blind they reveal the common assumption of the time that misfortunes
in a family are directly related to wrong doings for which God has provided
specific punishments. Yet Jesus refutes
this thinking that sin is the cause of the blindness. The man and his parents in fact have sinned
greatly- as all children of Adam have since the Fall. However the man or his parents have not
sinned in some unique way different than others in order to deserve the curse
of blindness. Instead the particular reason for his blindness was for the glory
of God, that the works of Jesus would be shown through him. His blindness was
for the exact moment at hand where Jesus was to heal him and give him sight for
the first time.
It is no
accident that blindness was the affliction Jesus healed on this day. Jesus gave
the man sight for the first time to show something important about the new life
He came to bring to us. He illustrated that there is a limited time for doing
the purpose for which the Father sent Him. You work in the daytime wisely because when it
is night you cannot work anymore, in the context of outdoor labor, prior to
electricity of course. There will be a
time when we cannot work anymore. It
could be because of age or illness. Or it could be because Jesus will return
and a night will set on the ways of this world.
Now is
the time to do the work of the kingdom.
Yet our sinful nature keeps us from doing this work. We need the light
of Jesus to enlighten our path. Without Him, we might as well be working in the
night, stumbling around and getting little if anything done. We need the spiritual blindness of our lives
cleared so that we can see for the first time how beautiful God’s purpose for
us is.
Jesus spit
on the ground and made mud. He took the very same earth that was used to create
Adam to create sight for the blind man. Jesus made him a new creation with the
very mud in his hands. And Jesus has
made us a new creation just the same. He
has cleared away our blindness of sin through his perfect forgiveness.
We have
no course to blame others for the existence of this pandemic. This is not a
punishment for our sins or the sins of particular people. Instead this is a
result of the Fall into sin, a fallen world has dangerous and hostile things to
our livelihood. It is hard to endure the afflictions of the fall. It’s hard to make sense of suffering. We
cannot see clearly in these questions of why now, why this situation. However, in Christ we see through the cloud
of our sin and see right to our promised redemption. In Christ we cleanse our sins and wash
ourselves with His forgiveness so that we can come back seeing. Through
our Savior we can see how good can come out of evil. We can see how losing the comforts and conveniences
of our daily life can bring us closer to Jesus.
In this
past week I have been able to talk in counseling contexts about how this
pandemic is effecting others. I have talked to some of you already and will aim
to connect with all of you through phone contacts. Certainly the opportunities for simplifying
life are all around us- even as we may feel distracted by disconcerting news
headlines. Changed life circumstances can
be opportunities for changed patterns in our life of discipleship. I heard from
one woman this past week how surprised she was at how many people called to
check up on her. Numerous parents have told me about unexpected advantages of
spending more quality time with children.
The
social isolation of the efforts to curb the disease is difficult, especially
for those who live alone. My prayer is
that this extra time of isolation will help us as the church learn how to make the
time we have together count- caring for one another and connecting with one
another through Christ.
This past
week has been hard, seeing not only the threat of illness but threats of
economic collapse. It’s hard to feel happy
or secure when there are so many things up in the air in our culture. In these things we are brought to the cross,
confronted with the fact that all of the things we count on in our society to
make life secure can be lost. Our well
being as a nation cannot save us.
Instead we put our trust in our Savior. We put our trust that He is
walking besides us every step of the way.
We know that we are not alone through this trial. The good news for us is that whether we live or whether we die we are the Lord’s safe in His faithfulness. Jesus has carried all of our sicknesses and infirmities on the cross. The day is coming when there will be no more disease, no more loss. May these promises of our Lord comfort us and guide us to live in hope unshakable that is our through Jesus Christ. Amen.
At this
time I would like to close my message with prayers for ourselves and our nation
provided by the LCMS:
Blessed
Lord, You give sight to the blind, You open the ears of the deaf, and You make
the lame to walk. Hear the prayers of Your people on behalf of all people as
they have need.
Briefsilence
In the
darkness of sin and its death, we cry to You, O Lord. Open our ears by Your
Word, our minds by Your Spirit, and our hearts by Your grace, that we may know
and be thankful for all the blessings You have given to us in Christ, our Lord,
especially the gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation. Strengthen us in faith,
that we may serve You with all our body, mind, soul and strength.
Bidden by
Your Word, we pray to You, O Lord, on behalf of Your Church and all Your people
scattered and isolated. Give to us good pastors and servants of Your Word who
will serve us faithfully and boldly even in chaotic times. Keep them safe, comfort
them and their families, and raise up many more servants for full-time church
work.
Defended by
Your grace, we ask You, O Lord, to provide us with good and faithful leaders
who will preserve the precious gift of liberty and protect the lives of our
citizens. Give them special wisdom, and help them to work in harmony in the midst
of this pandemic. Bless the members of our armed forces, and protect them as
they defend us. Grant Your blessing to all emergency and medical workers who
continue to come to our aid in times of great need.
Enjoying the
riches of Your grace, we ask You, O Lord, to give us generous hearts, that we
may share what You have provided with those in need and work for the common
good of all. Give us patience in our seclusion, and comfort the lonely. Grant
relief to the unemployed, the underemployed, the homeless and all their
families.
Knowing Your
healing will and gifts, we pray You, O Lord, to spare us from all calamity by
pestilence, scarcity and fear. Remember the sick in their afflictions, calm
those troubled in mind and keep steadfast the dying. [Hear us especially for
__________.] Show us Your gracious will, O Lord, and sustain those who are
afflicted in body or mind until that day when You will bestow upon us new
bodies fit for the eternal life You have prepared for us in Christ.
All these
things, O Lord, we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, asking You to grant
our prayers not for our sake but for the sake of Him alone. Teach our hearts to
be content with Your will and to trust that You will answer us with what is best
for us and at the right time for our need. So do we pray, giving testimony of
our confidence in Your gracious favor in Christ by answering with one voice. Amen.
In times of need, in times
of a crisis, who or what do we turn to?
Have you spent more time this past week reading the news than looking to and reflecting on God’s Word? I had more free time to look to God’s Word yesterday. But if you were to ask me on Friday, I probably would have to say I spent more time looking at the news for answers about our well being and my own well being than looking up to the Lord. In times of need, in times of fear, in times of pestilence what do we do…who do we turn to?
Behold, the eye of the Lord
is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, 19 that
he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart is glad in
him, because we trust in his holy name. 22 Let
your steadfast love, O Lord,
be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33: 18-22
We know the answer, in times of trial as at all other times we
turn to Jesus. We pray that His steadfast love would remain upon us, as we
place all of our hopes and believe that all of our safety belongs to Him.
Our gospel lesson from John chapter 4 provides one of the clearest
messages in scripture of how Jesus provides us with everything- living water
from the well of eternal life. As we drink the water he gives us we will ‘never
be thirsty forever.’ As in we will
always have in Him what we need, never shall we want for some greater
fulfillment than what Jesus offers to us.
The church Father Augustine opened his famous book the Confessions with
profession of faith made to our Lord: “Lord You have made us for Yourself and
our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.”
The 4th chapter of John, containing the long exchange
between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well is a unique account in
scripture. Probably nowhere else in
God’s Word do you get such a detailed look into the life of someone who is a
gentile and not part of Israel. Someone who would have a good reason to feel on
the outside of God’s favor.
Jesus helps her to see that the fulfillment he brings is not only
for those privileged to be a part of Israel, not only for those who have made
all of the right decisions in life or have been fortunate enough to have
inherited a life of worship and praise passed down through the family- but the fulfillment
Jesus brings is for all people.
Even we as imperfect as we are, as inconsistent, and fearful, and
scared as we are Jesus knows us. Jesus
knew everything about the woman at the well, he knew how ashamed she was of
herself that she went to the well at the heat of the day when most others would
not be around.
He knew how many husbands she had in her life and how uncertain
she was about her life and her faith and what she trusted in. And Jesus spoke the truth to her, the truth
of her need to worship Him in Spirit and Truth, the Truth of her great worth as
God’s beloved Child.
When things are difficult we also lose sight of who we are. It is easy for us to live like unbelievers
when we hear frightening projections in our media and our news. The fear of a disease is a very realistic
fear. The threat of an uncomfortable
illness and possibility of death strikes us with a deep fear.
Yet as believers we respond to the fear of death differently. We know that ultimately all things are in God’s hands and that God’s will is what is best for us. We do not panic – as in put all of our energy in what we must do right now in order to save ourselves. To panic is to run away from God, where in fear of what can go wrong we only trust in ourselves.
We trust in ourselves if we tell ourselves that this will be over
soon, that our comfortable way of life will return because it is what we deserve.
We trust in ourselves if we place all
our trust in the expectation that the government will keep us safe.
How different when we trust in God’s protection, and trust in the
promises of God’s Word, where we are warned that the trials and pestilence we
see today are an expected part of our lives in this fallen world.
Jesus does warn against
tribulations in this world, but he closes his warning with these words: “Now
when these things begin to take place, straighten up your heads, for your
redemption is near.”
Jesus warned these things
would come, but he has already joined us in our suffering so that our suffering
would be redeemed. He has risen so that we can truly cast all of our anxieties
on Him- knowing that he can care for us in life and in death.
An important part of turning to Jesus is that we live in love
toward one another. Instead of being caught up by the hysteria of hoarding or
everyman for himself- we think about the well being of our neighbor.
LCMS President Pastor Matthew Harrison provided an address to the
congregations of the synod reminding us of our duties to one another as
Christians to respect government authorities and our duty to look out for the
well being of our neighbors.
He quoted government disease control official by the name of Dr.
Fouche with the recommendation that at this particular time by our actions, it
is possible to limit the spread of the virus. Our careful consideration of
others can help keep our neighbor from pestilence.
President Harrison also reminds us that the crosses of this world-
as in the trials people personally face such as pestilence and disease- always
drives people to Jesus.
We become very comfortable with what is ordered and predictable in
society, our health safety, the ability to gather in public places, the ability
to watch a sports tournament on tv this time of the year, or go to a public
library or museum.
In recent years we have grown comfortable that looking up
financial news was likely going to show an overall positive trend in the stock
market, giving the illusion that things are getting better for us month by
month, year by year.
This comfort does not always point us to Jesus, it often points us
to the feeling, “I feel secure about where my life is, I like the world I live
in.” In contrast trials as uncomfortable
and unpredictable as they are point out to us that it is only in Jesus that we
have an enduring hope. The comforts of our daily life are fragile- more fragile
than we are often willing to admit to ourselves.
Remember in our gospel lesson what Jesus says to the Samaritan
woman about the water that she can get from Jacob’s well: “Everyone who drinks
of this water will be thirsty again.”
The provisions we make for ourselves are always temporary. We will be in need again and thirst again if
we look only to what we can provide for ourselves.
In light of the fragile nature of our own lives we can see a
greater purpose. At first the Samaritan
woman upon hearing about the living water Jesus promises tells him to give it
to her so that she will not have to come back to the well again. In other words she is hearing the promises of
Jesus in terms of a means to an end and a convenience that will make life more
bearable.
Our faith is more than a convenient comfort in the midst of trials
and tribulations of this world. Our
faith is about life in Jesus. “But the
hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the
Father in Spirit and truth.”
Jesus speaks about true worship, life lived around the gifts our
God so lavishly given to us. Our worship is important. The Father seeks people like us to worship
Him in Spirit and Truth. Spirit and Truth describes the work of the Holy Spirit
in giving us true faith to worship, and our focus on Jesus as the real source
of Truth in this world.
It is a reasonable consideration as to whether to temporarily
suspend worship during a time of risk of disease. During certain contexts for a congregation
this is a responsible choice that Brothers and Sisters in Christ at New City
Church have exercised this morning and elected to do an online video service.
Yet it is important that we are here to trust in our Lord’s
provision for us, to worship him in spirit and truth. To live out the truth that our lives are more
than just seeking protection and safety from danger, but about living as
stewards of God’s gifts.
We know this world is passing away and that God’s Word endures.
The hour is coming and is now here, where true worshipers will worship the
Father in spirit and truth. When we face
trials, let each day be a life of worship and trust in our Lord. Amen.
Following God’s Word- It
sounds like it should be so simple. Moses gives the people of Israel a pep talk
before entering the Promised Land. More than a pep talk really, a final
testament of his will before his death. “See I have set before you today life
and good, death and evil. This is not just Moses’ advice this is God’s Word. If you obey the commandments set before you,
if you love the LORD your God by walking in His ways, keeping his commandments,
then you shall live and multiply and the Lord will bless you. A clear choice life or death, good or evil.
It sounds so simple.
Jesus started to teach the
people about life in God’s kingdom. It sounded so true and beautiful. Blessed are you! Salt of the earth, light of
the world. The blessings of life in the kingdom abound. Following God’s Word is
surely so simple and easy.
Then Jesus dove deeply
into the nature of our sin. Murder,
Adultery, Divorce, Oaths. Things became
complicated very rapidly. What sounds so simple turns out instead to be so
hard.
In Phillip Yancey’s Book,
“The Jesus I never knew” he records the results of a professor friend of his
assigning the sermon on the mount as an essay topic at Texas A&M
University. Some of the student
reactions to the sermon on the mount were as follows: “There is an old saying that you shouldn’t
believe everything you read, and it applies in this case”
“The stuff the churches
preach is extremely strict and allows for almost no fun without thinking it is
a sin or not”
“I did not like the
essay “Sermon on the Mount” It was hard to read and made me feel like I had to
be perfect and no one is.”
“The things asked in
this sermon are absurd. To look at a woman is adultery. That is the most
extreme , stupid inhuman statement that I have ever heard.”
Clearly for many of these
students- perhaps some who had never read the Bible before, Jesus’ teaching
caused offense. Why does Jesus have to make things so complicated?
“You have heard that it was said of those of old.” Jesus makes a contrast with what people tend to believe. You know those statements like “The Lord does not give you more than you can handle.” Jesus is not referring to the scripture when he refers to what was said of old. Jesus did not say some of the phrases he says elsewhere about the scripture, “It is written, the scripture says, Isaiah says, Moses says, God’s Word declares.”
Instead Jesus is talking
about what people have interpreted about the scripture. What Rabbis teach, what
people have assumed about how to follow God’s law. Jesus is referring to
conventional wisdom of the day and popular teachings of the day which tried to
make things easy.
These were teachings meant
to give us a sense of our righteousness in fulfilling the law. Teachings that
take into account that we are only human and sometimes a good American just
wants to be able to have a rich dinner, watch a racy movie or super bowl
halftime show and unite with others in a common hatred of our our enemies. What could be more American, I mean “godly”
than that?
You have heard it said…
but I say to you. “I say to you” The God of Isaac, and Jacob says to you, ‘the Great
I am’ says to you, the Word made flesh says to you… No. you cannot have your cake and eat it too. You
cannot hold hate in your hearts and then act like you have kept the law so
perfectly. You cannot go your own way
and pretend you are choosing life when your life looks remarkably similar to
those who choose death.
You have heard, but I say
to you. Some Americans may have heard or may think they protect the innocent
when they promote abortion. But God’s
Word tells us that the sin is there, in the form of murder. And Americans may want to call sex offenders
the greatest evil in society, and think I am good, I am not like them, look
what they did!
Yet statistically who
knows something like one in 4 of these Americans who think this way about their
righteousness, pays money with their own pocket books to the pornography
industry. There pornography use helps
fuel the sexual objectification of our culture that increases broken families
and increases abuse.
Jesus begins by
identifying the sin that is present when people stop short of murder.
Anger. He reminds us how we cannot hold
anger at one another and also make right sacrifices before God at the altar.
How can we be at peace with God when we hate our fellow brother- a creation of
the same God?
Likewise, we cannot expect
to find any profit in lengthy disputes with others in court. The fruits of our anger may lead us to a
result in the courts that is beyond what we bargained for. Yet we cannot really blame the court for
enforcing its own standards because we are the ones who have agreed to play the
game of an outside mediator.
Jesus targets the problem
of lust, even though the object of your affection is not harmed by the
fantasies in your mind as actual adultery would bring about- still in your
heart your sin is present to God and threatening to your spiritual well being.
Jesus teaches us that the
sinful heart is the source of all evil. The scripture also describes what
begins in the heart so easily turns into sinful actions. Proverbs 6:27 “Can a man carry fire next
to his chest and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk on hot coals and
his feet not be scorched?”
Jesus uses the analogy of
the worth of getting rid of one body part to save the whole. The point is that it
is worth self sacrifice to preserve your spiritual health. Better to sacrifice
and practice restraint of one desire in your life than to destroy your ability
to have the true pleasure of life in God’s kingdom forever.
Jesus then speaks of
divorce. What society said was not so bad to do- a certificate of divorce, have
your way to make one person’s life easier, is in fact fueling further sins of
adultery for a whole number of people. During
Jesus’ time and today the focus was to make divorce easy and with as little conflict
as possible. A peaceful release so to speak.
Yet Jesus criticizes this false peace for the damage it does to families
and children and its contribution to further breaking of the 6th
commandment.
Instead believers are
called to be the light to the world in relying on the forgiveness of the gospel
to survive marital difficulties and show forth the beauty of sacrificial love
for the sake of one another and children within the family.
Finally Jesus criticizes
the practice of making oaths as conducted at that time. An oath is a solemn promise before God. But how can we know we are able to keep the
oath we make? What wisdom is there to promise to God what you may not by reason
of your flawed human nature be able to keep?
Perhaps to make oaths resembles trying to add an extra layer of
authority to your own word and reputation.
But instead in humility
Jesus asks us to let our yes and no speak for themselves. Perhaps the most
significant sin in the making of oaths is that we are deciding for ourselves
what is of such extra importance to us that we are invoking God’s name. And
what if God intends for us to learn from a set back and a failure of something
we want to happen and we are swearing by heaven that we will make something
happen- instead of simply praying Your will be done.
The number of sins and the
gravity of our sins comes through loud and clear in this portion of the Sermon
on the Mount. We rightly prayed in our
collect prayer: “Lord, graciously hear the prayers of
Your people that we who justly suffer the consequences of our sin may be
mercifully delivered by Your goodness to the glory of Your name”
The consequences of our
sins are quite evident as we consider Jesus’ teaching. None of us have reason
to escape judgment. We justly deserve
the consequences of our sins. Yet the justice that Jesus brings to us is a type
of justice that is based on His goodness.
His righteousness takes on
our sin and nails it to the cross. His righteousness covers us and brings us
before the Father in perfect purity. His
righteousness given to us a gift of grace means there is nothing we can do that
will make God love us less- no amount of
anger, lust or adultery. He has taken all our sins on the cross.
So we walk in love because
He has loved us. We heard in our Introit about His righteousness: “Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills
sing for joy together 9 before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.”
We have a new
heart in Christ when it comes to anger, when it comes to lustful thoughts and
divorce. Not as we once walked, but with
new life in Christ, with new eyes of the beauty of God’s design for our lives.
In Christ we walk in love. Ephesians
chapter 5 begins: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk
in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and
sacrifice of God.”
Because of what Jesus did for us it is a joy, a delight to imitate Jesus by walking in love. It is because of Jesus’ great love for us- easy.
Following
his baptism in the Jordan River, when he took our place as sinners, following
the temptation in the wilderness at the hand of Satan for 40 days, following
the arrest of John- Jesus withdrew into Galilee. From that time Jesus began to preach, saying,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Galilee is referenced in
our Old Testament reading as the land of the gentiles. It is a land of darkness
with respect to the misfortunes of the area of repeated conquests, a people in
anguish: But there will be no gloom for her who was in
anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and
the land of Naphtali
This is where Jesus went
after his baptism. He did not return to Nazareth, his hometown since childhood,
but instead closer to the sea in Capernaum.
He did not remain near Jerusalem where he was baptized. He did not
travel to Rome where the center of world power was. He went to a land that was both of Israel and
of the nations. Galilee was where Jesus
put roots down in public ministry. Galilee is where Jesus first preached.
Sure Jesus taught in the
synagogue once when he was young, amazing the scribes. Telling his parents that they should have
known he would be in His Father’s house. Sure Jesus told Satan during the 40
days of temptation “you shall worship the Lord your God and Him only You shall
serve.” However, these were just moments
of foretaste of what was to come to very small audiences. Only at this time did
Jesus begin to publicly preach. “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
One man in everyday clothes of the time, one man with no appearance in him that he should stand out as Isaiah chapter 53 describes: “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.” One man, proclaiming a simple message. I who stand before you have brought the kingdom of heaven at hand. ‘In me the reign of God has begun. Repent, Your salvation is here, your God comes to you this day!’
When Jesus says the
kingdom of God is near, it implies that in order to have a kingdom, a king is
there in order to reign. The kingdom of Heaven or kingdom of God as they are
referred to interchangeably in the gospels is not a place, but a divine
action. The kingdom is where God is
present, where the king comes to us and rules.
Jesus is not just one of
many prophets who bring the kingdom of God to the world, He is himself the
embodiment of the kingdom. When we
proclaim the good news of the kingdom, teach and baptize, we are only bringing
the kingdom because we are first connected with Jesus.
Dr. Jeffrey Gibbs in his
commentary on Matthew describes what Jesus means when he starts parables with
the phrase ‘the kingdom of God is like’…when a sower went out to sow, when a
king holds a feast, when a master settles accounts with a slave.
What Jesus means by saying
the kingdom of God is like can be paraphrased in terms of what God’s kingdom
among us looks like: “When God is active redemptively in order to reestablish
His rule over and among men this work is like.”
We heard in the Introit words about the reign of God in the world: : All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.
As Jesus announced this reign of God was
beginning in him, it was not what people pictured. His rule over the nations would not be in
terms of an army and overreaching empire, but through the truth of God’s Word.
The kingdom of heaven is at hand because Jesus is bringing the truth. His ministry itself brings froth the reign of
God on earth.
The kingdom is just as much at hand to us
today. The reign of God’s kingdom is
here among us. His reign appears to us
in the form of the preaching of the gospel and the ministry and service of the
body of Christ.
We see his reign in the ordinary conversation
a believer has with someone in our community when a sin that weighs on someone
is forgiven, when the love of Jesus is shared with a stranger.
We see the kingdom of God among us when
believers gather around his table and feel the weight of the world lifted off
of them as they receive by their mouths the evidence that God is for them in
the Lord’s Supper. God’s kingdom is at
hand today just as much as in the days of the 1st century, and God’s
Word calls our world to repentance.
The purpose of the reign of God is to bring us
back from God, to turn us away from our rebellion. One day this reign will be
complete and there will be no more rebellion. We are through Jesus persevering
toward an end goal, when Jesus will return and the reign of God will be
complete and all encompassing.
In the meantime, it is
easy to become discouraged by how slowly things appear to come together for
God’s kingdom and our church. As a
pastor who is familiar with what it takes to keep church buildings, sanctuary
spaces, organs in good operating order, I have learned to notice how different
building maintenance is with the private sector.
Studies claim that on
average every 5 to 7 years Restaurants make some kind of renovation. In the
case of large fast food chains the renovation may become a complete
makeover. Updated décor and style helps
restaurants appeal to millennial populations.
In contrast when it comes
to appealing to and attracting our culture, the church is an unlikely candidate
to attract people. We are not able to
remodel every 7 years. We are of course still paying for the last renovation.
We
present to the world no eloquent language, no message and presentation that fits
in with the values and preferences of our culture. Yet as we heard in our reading from
1Corinthians: For Christ
did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of
eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the word of the cross
is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the
power of God.
The preaching of the gospel, to the world
sounds as a nonsensical message that ultimate good has come out of a death on a
cross. Yet this is the way Jesus is
revealed, preaching by imperfect people, pastors with no eloquent language- not
professional orators, but followers of Jesus.
Just as the prophet Isaiah
predicted that the people in Capernaum would see a great light, Jesus came and
fulfilled the Old Testament Prophecy.
Now he comes among us today to bring light to a people in darkness.
The people in darkness
have seen a great light. The darkness of this world, the darkness of
our community is all about rebellion against God. Our message to the world is that Jesus has
come to bring God’s order back to a world in chaos. Light into our darkness.
Jesus bridges the
separation we have from God. Like a
lantern that is turned on deep inside of a dark cave, Jesus casts out the
darkness of our own sin so that we can see the path to daylight. Jesus tells us, “I am the light of the
world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of
life.”
Just as clearly as Jesus
fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah, so we also can be certain that Jesus who is
present through His church will bring light to our world’s darkness today. In our very community here in Irvington Jesus
sheds light on the darkness of people’s lives.
I attended last week the
Irvington Community Council. My purpose
in doing so is to learn more about what things are important to our community
here and what needs people have that our church might pray for or help with.
One uncertainty described
by the council was the closing of Howe High School next year. 600 students will need to find a different
high school next year. That is certainly a life change for many families in our
community and something worth our remembering as a church. As in would it be
possible to send cards to these households this summer, offering comfort and
support in a time of change, reminding teenagers that Jesus is the same
yesterday, today, and forever.
A second uncertainty
described in the council meeting was the cost of the old fashioned lantern
style street lights in some parts of historic Irvington. About 10,000 dollars a
year is the cost for electricity for street lights. Previously this cost was
covered by an initial grant which has now run out. The Marion County government does not cover
this cost because they are custom lights designed to make the community appear
as a desirable historical neighborhood.
How interesting that the
most identifiable need described at the council meeting was for light and the
possibility of losing the lights and being much darker on those particular
streets. Of course our church does not
have $10,000 a year to pay for street lights.
But we can care about the issue, we could join with other churches or
other groups in the area in raising awareness of what could possibly be done to
keep the lights in place and lit.
Whatever the specific application, in our care for the well being of the community we may discover that people are more open to hear from us about the God who cares for them. Through the power of the Holy Spirit we can show that Christ is the one true light for people in Irvington. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Amen.
