Invocabit (The First Sunday in Lent)

Guest Preacher: Rev. Kevin Vogts

Invocabit (The First Sunday in Lent) - February 26, 2023

Psalm 91; Genesis 3:1-21; 2 Corinthians 6:1-10

St. Matthew 4:1-11

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Our text is today’s Gospel Reading from the fourth chapter of St. Matthew, the example of Jesus “Fighting Temptation.”

It seems that the very notion of “Fighting Temptation” is passé, old-fashioned, obsolete.  Instead of “Fighting Temptation,” our attitude is, “Don’t fight it.  If it feels good, DO IT!”  Don’t worry about the consequences, DO IT!  Don’t think about the hurt to yourself or others, DO IT!  Don’t consider whether it’s right or wrong, DO IT!  Don’t be bothered by God’s commands, DO IT!    Instead of “Fighting Temptation,” we WELCOME the devil and his wicked ways into our lives. 

Paul warns us in Romans, “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and wickedness of men.”  That is what we deserve on account of our wickedness, the wrath of God.  But, in mercy and love, God does not mete out upon us the punishment our sins deserve.  Instead, our punishment was meted out upon his own Son, as Isaiah says, “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him.”

Today’s Old Testament Reading presents the sad story of humanity’s fall into sin, in the persons of Adam and Eve.  In Romans, St. Paul compares Jesus and Adam and explains how Jesus’ perfect life and sacrificial death saves you: “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.  For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”

Jesus’ resurrection is God the Father’s announcement to the world that he has accepted his Son’s perfect life and sacrificial death as payment in full for the sins of the whole world.  The book of Acts says, “Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins in his name. . .  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.”  Trust Jesus, he is your Savior; he forgives all your sins; he has prepared a place for you in heaven, and he will take you to be with him there.

But, as long as you remain here on earth, St. Peter warns, “Your adversary the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith.”  Jesus shows you the greatest weapon of all for resisting your adversary the devil, the greatest weapon of all for “Fighting Temptation.”  St. Paul calls it “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

When Jesus was tempted, every time he replied: “It is written.”  He fought back!  He fought back with God’s Word.  Martin Luther says in the Large Catechism: “Nothing is so effectual against the devil, the flesh and all evil thoughts as to occupy oneself with the word of God, talk about it, meditate on it. . .  [There is nothing] more potent against the devil than to busy yourself with God’s commandments and words, and to speak, sing, and meditate on them.  This . . . defeats the devil and puts him to flight. . .  For he cannot bear to hear God’s word . . . we must [therefore] use it every day against the daily, unending attacks and ambushes of the devil . . .”  In today’s Hymn of the Day, “A Mighty Fortress,” Luther puts it this way: “One little word can fell him.”

As a follower of Jesus Christ, you will follow his example, “Fighting Temptation” with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  “Take up the sword of the Spirit” by coming to God’s house to hear his word, in worship, Sunday School, catechesis, and Bible Class. 

And “take up the sword of the Spirit” not only here in God’s house but also in your own house, by your personal devotions, and prayers, and reading and study of God’s word. As a follower of Jesus Christ, you will follow his example, “Fighting Temptation” with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Are you tempted to be absent from God’s house?  IT IS WRITTEN: “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.”  “I rejoiced with those who said unto me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.”  “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.”  “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.”

Are you tempted to neglect reading and study of God’s word?  IT IS WRITTEN: “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples.”  “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

Are you tempted to forget prayer in your daily life?  IT IS WRITTEN: “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.”  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests known to God.”  “Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened unto you.”

Are you tempted to ignore Christ’s gracious invitation to his Holy Supper?  IT IS WRITTEN: “Take, eat . . . take, drink . . . THIS DO in remembrance of me.”  “I will take the cup of salvation, and will call on the name of the Lord.”  “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

Are you tempted to withhold from the Lord the offerings he is due?  IT IS WRITTEN: “Bring an offering and come into his courts.”  “On the first day of the week each one should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up for the collection.”  “Give to God what is God’s.”

Are you tempted, parents, not to make a priority the spiritual upbringing of your children?  IT IS WRITTEN: “Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”  “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power and the wonders he has done.”

Are you tempted, children, to be disrespectful to your parents?  IT IS WRITTEN: “Honor your father and your mother.”  “Obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”

Are you tempted to gossip?  IT IS WRITTEN: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

Are you tempted to cheat or steal?  IT IS WRITTEN: “You shall not steal.”  “He who has been stealing must steal no longer.”

Are you tempted to lie?  IT IS WRITTEN: “Do not lie to each other. . .  put off all falsehood and speak truthfully to one another.”

Are you tempted to take the Lord’s name in vain, to use curse words and other improper language?  IT IS WRITTEN: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.”  “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths.”  “Nor should there be obscenity foolish talk, or coarse joking.”  “Cleanse yourselves of filthy language from your lips.”

Are you tempted to lust and adultery, to join in the wicked ways of the world?  IT IS WRITTEN: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires.”   “Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent.”  “You shall not commit adultery.”

Are you tempted to anger and hatred, to get revenge and hold a grudge?  IT IS WRITTEN: “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger. . . be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”   “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge . . . but love your neighbor as yourself.”  “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” 

Are you tempted to worry and despair?  IT IS WRITTEN: “Do not let your hearts be troubled; trust in God.”  “Cast your burdens upon the Lord, for he cares for you.”  “Fear not, for I am with you.”

“We plead with you,” St. Paul says in today’s Epistle Reading, “not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

“We plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain,” but when you are tempted, resist the devil, standing firm in your faith.  Fight back with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God.  “One little word can fell him.”  And if you fail, when you fall, turn the Lord, confess your sin, receive his forgiveness, and continue the struggle—as a follower of Jesus Christ following his example, “Fighting Temptation.”

Amen.

Ash Wednesday

Guest Preacher: Rev. Kevin Vogts

Ash Wednesday - February 22, 2023

Psalm 57; Joel 2:12-19; 2 Peter 1:2-11

St. Matthew 6:16-21 

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Our meditation for Ash Wednesday is based upon the Old Testament Reading from Joel: “‘Yet even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning’ . . .  Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful.”

Most newspapers have a movie reviewer and a restaurant reviewer.  The “Cleveland Plain Dealer” is the only newspaper in the country to have a church reviewer.  He visits a different church each week and then writes a review about his worship experience there.

Some years ago, the “Plain Dealer’s” church reviewer visited a congregation of our Synod in a Cleveland suburb.  He gave it a four-star, thumbs-up rating. What struck him most, and struck him deeply, was the opening words in the Confession of Sins: “I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto you all my sins.”

He said it was a bit shocking, because in all the churches that he visits, most of them don’t talk much about sin anymore.  But, he also found it refreshing, to have a whole congregation of nice-looking, well-dressed, middle-class people, proclaiming to one another that they are in fact “poor, miserable sinners.”  He said he liked having that stark confession at the beginning of the service, because it really lets you know WHY you are there: you are a poor, miserable sinner, in need of a Savior.

And that is why WE are here this Ash Wednesday: because we are all poor, miserable sinners, in need of a Savior.  Nice-looking, well-dressed, middle-class, but, nevertheless, poor, miserable sinners, in need of a Savior.  “‘Yet even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning’ . . .  Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful.”

Ash Wednesday sets the tone for the rest of Lententide, and in the same way each week the Confession of Sins and Absolution at the beginning of our worship sets the tone for the rest of the Divine Service.  Ash Wednesday tells us what the season of Lent is all about, and the Confession of Sins and Absolution at the beginning of the Divine Service tells us what our worship is all about, WHY we are gathered here.

We are not here to be entertained by a flashy show.  We are not here for a self-help lecture.  We are not here for a massive group therapy session with the preacher playing psychologist.

We gather in this house of God because we have a fatal spiritual sickness, and we are seeking the cure from the Physician of souls.  We gather in this house of God because here we find something we can’t get from the flashy world of entertainment.  Here we find something we can’t get from self-help gurus.  Here we find something we can’t get even from psychology.  St. Paul describes it as, “The PEACE of God which surpasses all understanding.”

The Confession of Sins at the beginning of the Divine Service is a declaration that we are here because we are poor, miserable sinners, seeking that peace of God, which comes only from God’s gift of forgiveness, salvation, eternal life.  “We poor sinners confess unto you that we are by nature sinful and unclean, and that we have sinned against you by thought, word, and deed. Wherefore we flee for refuge to your infinite mercy, seeking and imploring your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“‘Yet even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning’ . . .  Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful.”

God answers our Confession of Sins with the comforting, Good News of the Absolution:  “[I] announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” 

Does the minister really have such power, to actually forgive sins in Jesus’ name?  When Jesus first appeared to his disciples after his resurrection he told them, “‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.’  And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven them.’”

So, it is not just pretend or symbolic when Christ’s ministers proclaim, “In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins.”  As Martin Luther says in the Small Catechism: “[It] is as valid and certain, in heaven also, as if Christ, our dear Lord, dealt with us himself. . .  we receive Absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.”

“I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto you . . .”  That tells us what this season of Lententide, and the Divine Service each week, is all about—WHY we are gathered here.  Not for flashy entertainment, or a self-help lecture, or playing psychology, but to receive “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding,” the Good News of God’s Holy Absolution.

“‘Yet even now,’ declares the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning’ . . .  Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful.”

Amen. 

Quinquagesima

Quinquagesima – February 19, 2023

Psalm 31; 1 Samuel 16:1-13; 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

St. Luke 18:31-43

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

For the third and final time, our Lord gives the Apostles a description of his Passion. He will be betrayed, mocked, spat upon, scourged, and crucified. Then on the third day he will rise. Despite three years of hearing Jesus teach and seeing his numerous miracles, the Apostles don’t understand what he is talking about. What’s more, these words of Jesus are hidden from them.

Then, as Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man hears the commotion. St. Mark tells us this man’s name is Bartimaeus. He asks what is going on and some men in the crowd tell him Jesus of Nazareth is coming. The crowd identifies our Lord as “Jesus of Nazareth,” as in “Jesus, the son of Joseph the carpenter.” Bartimaeus identifies him as “Jesus, Son of David,” that is, “Jesus the Christ, the Seed of David sent to save his people.”

Bartimaeus goes on to cry out for mercy. The cry, “Lord, have mercy!” was commonly heard whenever a powerful man came into a town. All sorts of people would line the streets and cry out for mercy, hoping for a little money or even simply to be noticed by the powerful man. The Apostles and the rest of the crowd probably assumed that Bartimaeus was just one beggar among many, come to gawk at a celebrity.

But when Bartimaeus asks for mercy, he doesn’t mean healing or alms or justice. We know his cry is different because he cries not, “Lord, have mercy,” but, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy!” He recognizes Jesus to be the promised Savior and cries out that he would have mercy upon him, that is, that Jesus would be the atoning sacrifice for his sins. Remember that the top of the ark of the covenant, the seat from which God judged Israel AND the place where the blood of the atoning sacrifice was poured, is called the MERCY SEAT. A cry to Jesus for mercy is a cry for salvation.

In the liturgy, when we sing the Kyrie, we also cry out for mercy. We are not crying out for a favor from a celebrity or hoping that He will notice us. We cry out for the mercy that we already know has been fulfilled. We cry out in joy, celebrating the mercy that has been shown to us. We simultaneously ask Christ to have mercy on us because of our sins and thank Christ for the mercy that He has shown us. This mercy is the shedding of His blood on our behalf. Your works don’t save you but neither does your faith. The blood of Jesus saves you. Your faith, itself a gift of God, simply receives that blood of Jesus, receives forgiveness, life, and salvation.

What do you have that is worthy of Christ’s sacrifice? Nothing. There is nothing within you that is worth Christ’s sacrifice. What then motivates Christ to die on your behalf? His love. The love of Christ is patient. His love is kind. Christ’s love does not insist on his own way, is not irritable or resentful. He does not rejoice at sin but rejoices in the truth. Christ lovingly bears all things. He humbly submits himself to death in love. He believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Christ endures the pain of betrayal, the depth of mockery, the sting of scourging, and the blackness of death. He endures all things because he loves you.

There is nothing within you that is worth Christ’s sacrifice and yet because you are created in His image, everything within you is worth Christ’s sacrifice. He loves you and all people despite themselves. His love never ends. The love of Christ never ends. He Himself is Love.

Bartimaeus was not more intelligent than the Apostles. He didn’t understand the words of Jesus on a higher level of thought. The difference between Bartimaeus and the Apostles is that Bartimaeus trusts that whatever Jesus does, it is for the Good of man. He trusts that Jesus will have mercy upon him and however that mercy is obtained, it will be the Will of God and it will be a blessing to him.

The Apostles have already shown themselves unprepared for this type of faith. St. Peter, the first among the Apostles, has vowed to prevent the crucifixion twice already and has been called Satan because of it. The Apostles have allowed their affection for Jesus to blind them to the purpose of the Incarnation.

At the end of this account, Bartimaeus follows Jesus into Jerusalem. Jesus was headed into Jerusalem to die. It would not be a stretch to think that Bartimaeus followed Jesus into martyrdom. The Love of Christ which redeems his soul then shows itself in Bartimaeus’s own faith. He becomes patient and kind, willing to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things because he can see his eternal reward.

The Love of 1 Corinthians 13 is first a reference to Christ himself. If you have knowledge of all the trivial facts in the bible but do not see how they point to Jesus, then you may as well bang on a gong. If you can speak in beautiful language and hold rapt the attention of thousands but do not speak of Christ’s death on the cross, you are nothing. If you give all your money to the poor and boldly stand up to the government to be martyred but do not have love, you gain nothing. Jesus Christ is love. With Jesus, faith the size of a mustard seed moves mountains. Without Jesus, faith the size of Everest is worthless.

Only once you have established this fact, that Jesus Christ is love and only He never ends, can you see how this Love moves within your soul. We bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things for the sake of Christ. We do these things because we know that Jesus has had mercy upon us. Faith, hope, and love abide with us now because we need them now. But the greatest of these three is Love because only it endures forever. Right now, we need faith in things unseen and hope of the resurrection which is made ours in the love of Jesus. At the return of Christ, faith and hope will no longer be necessary because we will see Jesus face to face. Then, of these three, only love will remain.

Bartimaeus is changed by the Love of Christ and his soul is moved such that he can now endure all things. He knows that no amount of suffering on this side of glory can compare with the joy to come. Bartimaeus would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of His God than dwell in the tents of wickedness, even if it means his own temporal death.

Such blessed vision awaits us all. Right now, we see the reality of Christ’s love for us as though we are looking in a dirty mirror. We know God’s love in part only because we cannot yet see clearly. We speak, think, and reason like children because we cannot comprehend the fullness of Christ’s love for us. Often, we think like the Apostles. We let our affection for people, nostalgia for the past, or comfort with the status quo blind us to the purpose of the Incarnation. Affection, nostalgia, and comfort are not evil things in themselves. They are glorious gifts of God. But if they prevent the mercy of God from moving your soul so as to imitate His Love, then they have become idols. You have become an idol. Repent of such foolishness and turn instead toward the perfect Love of Christ.

And “when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.”^[1] This coming “perfect” is not related to moral perfection or artisanal precision. It carries the idea of something being fulfilled or brought to completion. It is what Jesus proclaims from the cross, “It is finished.” Thus when the fulness, the completing comes, the partial will pass away. This is a reference to the resurrection. Our eyes will close in death, and we will be as the blind man. Then, we shall recover our sight. We will follow Jesus and glorify God.

When the fullness of time has come, all things will be made new and you will no longer see through a dusty mirror. You will see the fullness of Christ’s glory. You will see His love. You will see. You will know and you will be known. You will see Jesus face to face. You will understand His love.

And on that day, we will see each other. We will see the beautified faces of all the beloved saints of God. We will rejoice and cry out “Lord have mercy!” in joy and delight for the mercy He has shown to us.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] 1 Cor 13:10

Sexagesima

Sexagesima – February 12, 2023

Psalm 44; Isaiah 55:10-13; 2 Corinthians 11:19-12:9

St. Luke 8:4-15

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Preachers, especially young preachers, are often admonished to be less abstract and to be more concrete. This is good advice but I fear that it is sometimes misunderstood. A word or concept is abstract when it is considered by itself, separated from the context and ideas which naturally accompany it.[1] To consider the quality of ‘whiteness’ would be an abstract thought because the quality of ‘whiteness’ is being considered without reference to a subject.

The adjective ‘concrete” literally means “united in growth.”[2]  A concrete thought is applied to a subject. To consider the whiteness of snow is a concrete thought. I’ve taken the abstract idea of ‘whiteness’ and given it a subject – snow.

It is a temptation of theologians to dive deeply into abstract topics. It is an overstatement, but illustrative, to say that the entire branch of dogmatic theology is abstract. If you open a dogmatics book, you will find sections on justification, sanctification, the two natures, sin, authority, perspicuity, and on and on. This becomes a temptation when theologians are asked to communicate with individuals. Bringing an abstract idea to bear on individuals necessarily requires a movement into the concrete. The abstract idea of sin must become the concrete idea of the sinner. The abstract idea of justification requires the concrete understanding of the substitution of the righteous Christ for the wicked sinner. The temptation of the preacher is to remain in the realm of the abstract and place the responsibility for moving into the concrete solely on his hearer.

And yet this criticism is often overemphasized. Sometimes, it is necessary to teach in the abstract before bringing this teaching into the concrete. If you are interested in anatomy, or the study of the structure of living things, you must begin with abstract concepts. Perhaps you start with the skeleton. A skeleton is not a living thing. It is part of a living thing. Once you understand the skeleton, perhaps you move onto the muscles. After learning about the muscles by themselves, you will inevitably put your knowledge of the muscles and skeleton together. In so doing, your knowledge will grow together or, become concrete.

Our Lord, Himself, taught using abstract words and concepts. Although the parables use many concrete terms, they are almost always taught in abstraction. Today, Jesus has told us about a sower going out to sow seed. Three-quarters of the seed is trampled, devoured, withered, and choked. One third grows in good soil and yields a hundred-fold. This was the entirety of the teaching as the great multitude received it. As such, this is a very abstract teaching. It is left open ended for the hearer to interpret. Jesus even concludes this teaching by saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”[3]

 Who has ears? What is he supposed to hear? What does agriculture have to do with Jesus? What does seed have to do with salvation? The answers to these questions are the necessary context to move the parable from abstract to concrete.

The seed is the Word of God. Those who are trampled, devoured, withered, or choked are unbelievers. The circumstances of these various groups are different, but they all belong to the category of unbeliever. Some disregarded the Word immediately. Others receive the Word of God with joy but fall away due to temptation. Still others endure in the faith for a while but are choked with the cares, riches, and pleasures of life. All abandon the Word of God. The final group in the parable are those who hear the Word with a noble and good heart, keep it, and bear fruit with patience. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

The one who has faith has ears. Said faith receives the abstract teaching of the parable and places it into the context of the Scriptures. The one with faithful ears hears of trampling, devouring, withering, and choking, and calls to mind the temptations of the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh. He knows the punishment for sin. Three-quarters of the seed ends up dead and he sees such temptation creeping into his flesh. He is aware that sin is waiting at the door and is prepared to snatch him.

This one with faithful ears also hears of the seed and immediately calls to mind the first promise of our merciful God, ‘The seed of the woman shall crush the head of the serpent.’[4] ‘The Savior of the nations shall come from the seed of David.’[5] ‘Unless a seed falls into the ground and dies, it cannot produce much grain.’[6] Thus the faithful ear hears that this Word of God is itself the Incarnate Christ, the Messiah. It is this Christ, this Word of God, who has crushed the head of the serpent.

This is an important point that you should not miss. The phrase, “the Word of God,” is itself an abstract concept. What is “the Word of God”? It might refer to the Bible, the written Word. It might refer to preaching, the proclaimed Word. It might refer to the Second Person of the Trinity, as St. John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”[7]

In the most fundamental sense, the Word of God must always be referring to Jesus Christ. He is the fundamental Word of God. Without Him, the words on the pages of the Bible and the words coming from my mouth will do you no good. It is only because of the Son of God, Who took on flesh to die for sin and rise again for your justification that the ink in the Bible and the words of my mouth deliver to you live and salvation. So yes, in this parable, the seed that is cast abroad is the Word of God, that is Jesus Christ, as read from the Bible, proclaimed from the pulpit, showered on the Baptized, fed from the altar, and absolved with holy words.

Now that the faithful ear has placed the abstract into concrete context, what does this Word of God have to do for you, dear hearers, in a concrete sense?

Firstly, there is no such thing as sinners in the abstract. Know that whenever a sin is condemned in Scripture or when a sin is preached against from the pulpit, the condemnation of this sin falls upon the concrete people who commit such a sin. The phrase “hate the sin, love the sinner” has a nice sentiment but it is wrong. The sentiment is to show love for the erring, that they might be won with love. It is true that we should not be cruel to people nor mean for the sake of being mean. However, to the impenitent sinner, it is God’s Law that will convict his heart, not the sweetness of the Gospel. No sin is committed apart from the person who does it. There is no distinguishing between the sin and the sinner. This is a concrete truth.

What then of you, beloved of the Lord, when you find yourself sinning? When you have uncovered a sin in your heart or in the works of your hands? What are you to do? Do you say, ‘But I am of the good soil, so I’m not worried about it’? No! You repent. You repent and you pray that Christ would remove this sin from your flesh as far as the east is from the west. You pray that while you have found stones in your soil, Christ would till the land, removes the stones, and make your heart and mind fertile ground for the receiving of Him once again.

No soil is prepared for agriculture by nature. It must be prepared in one way or another. Either the soil needs to be gathered into a tillable area, it must be cleared of stones, or invasive plants must first be destroyed. All soil requires preparation for agriculture. The same is true of human beings. You are not prepared to receive Christ and eternal life by nature. You must be prepared. You must be prepared like soil. The removal of such obstacles is painful and must necessarily disturb the soil before the soil can be planted. This painful removal of sin is called repentance in the life of the Christian. It is the process of taking an honest look at yourself and seeing just what is unfit to be presented to your God and Lord.

Then, the most painful part of the process is to remove said sins, but the frustrating part is that you cannot remove them on your own. The soil does not willfully give up the stones. But after the farmer has churned up the soil to reveal the stones, the soil is joyful to have them removed. Only the Christian, the one declared and made to be good soil is willing and joyful in the process of having stoney sins removed from his soul. The process of breaking up the soil of your heart, of examining your conscience, is still painful but the knowledge of relief after the removal of sin gives you the patience to endure.

I’ll leave it up to you to understand the differences between abstract and concrete, though I will give you a hint. I cannot describe the concrete sins to which you are tempted, enticed, or prone to. I cannot because I cannot see into your heart. But in the abstract, I can tell you that any sin to which you cling will degrade the soil of your heart. Also in the abstract, any sin which lies in your heart can also be removed by the Good Sower, who has given Himself over to death in your place, so that all crows, stones, and thorns would be removed forever. Come then, and receive the Good Sower not abstractly, through some spiritual experience, but concretely, in His Holy Body and Holy Blood.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/abstract.

[2] https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/concrete.

[3] St. Luke 8:8.

[4] Genesis 3:15.

[5] St. John 7:42.

[6] St. John 12:24.

[7] St. John 1:1, 14.

Septuagesima

Septuagesima – February 5, 2023

Psalm 18; Daniel 9:2-10; 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:4

St. Matthew 20:1-16

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Our Lord compares the Kingdom of God to a man, a vineyard owner, who calls laborers to work in his vineyard. This landowner negotiates with the earliest workers for a settled wage and sends them into the vineyard. Every few hours, he returns to the market and finds more workers who are standing idle. He commands them to work in the vineyard and he promises to pay them whatever is right. In the last hour of the day, he finds more workers who have spent the day standing in the market. These lazy ones are also commanded to come into the vineyard and promised a right wage.

At the end of the day, the landowner commands his steward to line up the workers, from last to first, and pay their wages. Everyone receives the same wage—a denarius, one full day’s wage. Those who worked the longest, endured the most labor, the harshest heat, and put in the most effort—those who were called at the first hour—are indignant. They are angry because those the lazy bums who barely worked got paid the same as them. The landowner reminds these ungrateful laborers that they were paid precisely according to their agreement and then he casts them out of the vineyard.

The call of the laborers is the call into the church purely by grace. From the first to the last, not a single worker presented a resumé or portfolio. They were called by the master into the vineyard and given duties to attend to. They are set to work caring for all that belongs to the master.

The landowner in the parable is our Lord, Jesus Christ. The Kingdom of God is compared to a man and all that is spoken of in the parable belongs to him. Jesus is the only man who is also God. He holds all of creation in His hands.

The laborers who are called into the vineyard are Christians. They have been called by the Gospel to dwell in the vineyard of Christ. In the vineyard, they are set to caring for God’s creation and are sustained by the same. Each is given duties and not all have the same responsibilities. At the same time, none is given possession of the vineyard. The vineyard belongs to the Master, to Christ, to God.

The steward in the parable is the pastor of Christ’s church. He is set in authority over the people of God to guide them, teach them, rebuke them, exhort them, warn them of danger, and console them with the gifts of God.[1] The vineyard does not belong to the steward any more than it belongs to the laborers. However, the steward has been set in authority over the laborers for the sake of good order and as the steward of God’s word and watchmen of God’s people.[2]

In plain language, the church as an abstract concept, that is, the body of believers, does not belong to Christians. The local church also does not belong to Christians. The abstract church and the local church do not belong to pastors. In every sense, the Church belongs to God alone. Christians are called to dwell in the Church; to serve in the Church; to gather in the Church; and to be sustained by the Church. Pastors are called to the same but we are also called to steward the Church of God; to manage the affairs of the Church; to lead the flock on behalf of the Good Shepherd; to be a watchman concerning the dangers of the world and the sins of the congregation.

Whether clergy or laity, we do not enter the vineyard by our own reason or strength. No one can think his way into the church nor work his way in. Only the call of the Holy Gospel, that is, the death of Jesus Christ as delivered in the Word of God and His Holy Sacraments, can draw us into the Church. Christ our Lord calls you through His word, by the working of the Holy Spirit. You are called to dwell in the vineyard forever yet you are not idle in this dwelling. You are called to serve.

Some are called early in the morning, those who were born into Christian households. These have the longest service in the vineyard. They can work the longest, do the most work, and also endure the most suffering on behalf of Christ.

There are those who are called at midday. They are called by the Gospel in the middle of life. They are given the same work as those called in the morning and set about their task in the same way.

Then there are those who are called at the end of life. They have little time left in the Church Militant, but they receive the same reward as those called in the morning. They are the first to see Christ in glory, that is, they are the first to die, but their reward of eternal life is just as wonderful.

This reward of eternal life is the same whether you are called into the church in the wee hours of the morning or at the eleventh hour. There is no privilege in the Kingdom of God given to those who have spent 70 years in the Lutheran Church over those who are new converts. At the end of the day, all receive the same reward. The teachings and practices of the Church are governed not by experience or longevity, but by the Word of God.

And this is exactly what angers the laborers called in the morning. They’ve been here longer, worked harder, and endured more. In exchange for this, they believe they are due more reward, more clout, more power.

This is a temptation for Christians, especially those who have grown up in the Church. It is tempting to believe that more work, more time, more history means more reward, more influence, or more merit. This is the way of the world. The way of the Church is to follow the Word of God. The grace of God is not fairly distributed to all laborers. “Fairness” has little or nothing to do with God. God deals in equity. Grace is distributed equally. All have fallen short and all are redeemed by the blood of Jesus. That is not fair, but it is equal. God shows no partiality, meaning He does not account for prestige, fame, history, or power. He accounts only for faith, that is, trust in Him according to His word.

We in the church, those who have been in the vineyard since at least midday, tend to become too familiar with certain passages of Scripture. We forget how surprising they can be. We forget to sympathize with those called in the first hour. Of course, they expect to be paid more. In any business situation, it would only make sense to pay your best workers the best wages so they will continue to work for you. Yet God is not running an earthly business. He deals in grace, a free and undeserved gift.

Jesus asks those who were called in the first hour if their eye is evil because He is good.[3] What He means is, “Do you see evil in what I am doing? I AM Good. There is nothing Good outside of Me. By calling Me evil, you reveal the evil within your own heart. Take what is yours and get out of the vineyard.” You have already been called to stand in the church. Eternal glory is already yours, do not call the grace of God evil in your eyes. God is Good. God is The Good and His goodness has called sinners to repentance and faith.

Thanks be to God He has called us to faith and forgiven our sins. Thanks be to God He goes out again and again to call sinners to repentance. Thanks be to God that He has not given the vineyard to either the laborers or the stewards because we cannot see with His eternal eyes. He has given us responsibilities within His Church to serve God and neighbor within our various vocations. He has also given stewardship of His Church to pastors not on the basis of merit or worthiness. He has given this stewardship for the sake of good order and in service to His Church.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 15:4.

[2] Ezekiel 33.

[3] St. Matthew 20:15.

The Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Presentation of Jesus

 The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Jesus – February 2, 2023

Psalm 48; Malachi 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18

St. Luke 2:22-32

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

At the culmination of the Plagues in Egypt, God commanded the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb and use its blood to paint the doorposts and lintels as a sign that the Angel of Death should pass them over. This Angel was sent by God to collect the lives of all the firstborn in Egypt—the firstborn of both man and beast. The firstborn of the Sons of Israel were spared this fate. They were spared by the blood of the lamb. However, once God had delivered the Israelites from Egypt and met with Moses on Mount Sinai, He made a new covenant with them. This covenant declared that all the firstborn of the Israelites belonged to the Lord.[1] The firstborn beasts were given to the priests to be sacrificed. The firstborn sons would be given to serve the priests.

In the case of some beasts, the firstborn could be redeemed with the sacrifice of a lamb in its place. In the case of the firstborn child, God commanded they should always be redeemed. The redemption price of a son or daughter was a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering and either a pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering.[2] If a lamb was too expensive, two pigeons or two turtledoves would suffice.

First, what does it mean to be redeemed? It is quite simple. To be redeemed means to be substituted. It means to give one thing in place of another so that you might receive back the first possession. Redemption is not quite the same as making a purchase. Giving the checker money in exchange for groceries isn’t the same as redemption because the groceries did not belong to you in the first place. Rather, if you’ve ever been to a wedding reception or banquet with a coat check, you have experienced redemption. You gave the clerk your coat in exchange for a ticket. At the end of the night, you redeemed your coat by giving the clerk your ticket. The coat is your property, and you willfully gave it to the clerk. You then “bought back” your coat at the price of the ticket. This is redemption.

Second, it is important to note who is commanded by God to perform this redemption for the firstborn child. It is always the mother. The redemption of the child is tied up with the purification of the mother after giving birth. In this, we see the beauty of the office given to women. The curse of pain in childbearing is balanced with the joy of a new life brought into the world.[3] Under the Law of Moses, a woman must then spend 40 days alone if she bore a son. If she bore a daughter, the time was doubled.[4] She must spend this time alone because everything she touches becomes unclean. It is tainted by the uncleanness of her giving birth.

But on the final day of her solitude, the mother brings her firstborn to the temple and make the offering both for her purification and the redemption of her child. Such an arduous task is born by the woman and testifies to her fortitude and willingness to love and protect the child God has given to her.

Returning to the Gospel at hand, we must note that the laws I’ve described in no way apply either to Mary or Jesus. The Holy Spirit spoke clearly through Moses, that purification was required of all who had given birth on account of conception by a man. Mary did not know a man. The child she held so dear was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And, according to the pious opinions of some, was born in such a miraculous way as to spare Mary of the unclean flow of blood.

So too, the redemption of the child was required on behalf of sin, just as the blood of the lamb at the Passover was on account of the sinfulness of man. Certainly, Mary received the inheritance of original sin, but the Christ Child did not. And yet, Mary submitted herself and her child to both tenants of the law. Why?

It is first an act of love. Mary would be free to ignore this Law of Moses but she submits herself to it out of love for her neighbor and to give glory to God alone. The events of the Book of Exodus are initiated when a Pharaoh, who had forgotten Joseph, was afraid of the prosperous Hebrews. The Israelites were great in number and posed a legitimate military threat. With the right leadership and foresight, the Israelites could’ve mounted a coup against the Pharaoh and stolen the land of Egypt.

If they had, it would’ve been to their own glory. The cunning of generals and the might of valiant soldiers would’ve won the day. As history would have it, God acted to deliver the Israelites. They were His people to redeem, and their deliverance brought glory to the name of the Lord.

In the same way, Mary and Jesus submit to the Law of Moses that all glory would be given to God alone, lest anyone think that Mary herself was without sin or without need for purification.

The more difficult question is why did Jesus submit to redemption? He is, after all, the one to redeem all mankind. He is our Redeemer. Why then, does He submit to redemption by two pigeons? In one sense, the redemption of Jesus is like His baptism. Where our Baptism washes our sins away, Jesus’ baptism draws our sins upon Himself. His baptism institutes our own. In like manner, Jesus’ redemption institutes our own. Rather than the pigeons dying for Jesus’ sins, they are a foretaste of His own death.

In another sense, Jesus submits to redemption because He is truly the Firstborn of all creation.[5] Submitting to this law in love and without compulsion is the sign that He is the Firstborn among many brethren. He is indicating that we shall all follow in His likeness, that is, when His blood is shed, we shall be redeemed. We shall be purchased from the mouth of hell and returned to the holy habitation of the house of God.

What then of this idea that it is the mother who redeems the child? Where else do we receive the redemption of the blood of Christ than in Holy Mother Church? The Church is our loving mother, who brings us to the sanctuary—the Temple—to receive the redemption at the cost of the blood of the Lamb.

Which brings us to a final comment on the godly Simeon. When our Lord is presented at the Temple, after the purification and redemption according to the Law of Moses, Simeon takes up the Christ child in his arms and praises the Lord for fulfilling His word. Tonight’s feast is sometimes called “Candlemas,” a reference to the historic practice of blessing the candles for use in the Church and the distribution of candles to the congregation for use at two important parts of the service. Such candles would be lit during the reading of the Holy Gospel and during the consecration. They signify the “Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.”[6]

This Light, the Light of Christ, comes to you in the proclamation of God’s Word and in the Holy Eucharist. As Simeon reached out his arms to behold his Lord, so too you will come forward to hold the Lord. Just as God’s word was fulfilled for Simeon, so too God’s word is fulfilled for you this evening. Tonight is the culmination of everything that has happened since Christmas Eve: the Incarnation of our Lord, the Adoration of the Magi on the Epiphany, the miracles of Jesus, His glorious Transfiguration, and finally the entering of Christ into the Temple. Tonight, He is entering the sanctuary of this Church precisely so that you might take and eat; take and drink. With this Body and Blood, your redemption price was paid and your glory awaits.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] Exodus 34:19ff.

[2] Leviticus 12:6-8.

[3] St. John 16:21.

[4] “If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean. ³ And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. ⁴ She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled. ⁵ ‘But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity, and she shall continue in the blood of her purification sixty-six days.” Leviticus 12:2-5

 [5] Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:15, 18; Hebrews 1:6; Revelation 1:5.

[6] St. Luke 2:32.