The First Sunday after Trinity

 Trinity 1 – June 22, 2025

Psalm 13; Deuteronomy 6:4-13; 1 John 4:8b-21

St. Luke 16:19-31

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

When it comes to the question of ‘what happens when a man dies?’ the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus is perhaps the largest single chunk of Scripture to provide an answer, especially concerning those who die in their sins. Therefore, we will concern ourselves with the doctrine of hell and how Lazarus is saved and the Rich Man condemned.

Hell was created by God as a prison for the devil and his angels, those demons who rebelled against God alongside the devil. After the fall of man, the jurisdiction of this prison was widened to include all wicked and evil men, those who die without faith in Christ.[1] In one sense, we can say that God is the cause of the existence of hell, for He created it as the place to exercise His just and righteous wrath against the wickedness of the devil. In another sense, we can say that the wickedness of the devil (that is, sin) is the more direct cause as this is what moved God to create such a place of torment.

God created no one and nothing for the purpose of eternal death in hell. As the prophet Hosea says, “You have destroyed Yourself.”[2] Even the devil was created as a holy angel until he rebelled against the Almighty and was cast out of heaven.[3] For this reason, we should not be bothered that God is the remote cause of hell. The sin of satan brought the full wrath of God upon himself and all the angels who followed him. So too, the sin of Adam brought the wrath of God upon all mankind, who now “were by nature children of wrath.”[4] Because God is just, He cannot be anything but angry at apostacy and sin. From this wrath follows the most just and serious punishments for sins, not only temporal punishments but also eternal ones.

That the punishments of hell are eternal, that is without end, is easily shown from the words of Holy Scripture. Isaiah refers to the permanent flames of hell, and that its smoke goes up forever.[5] Ezekiel 26 records the words of God that “I will thrust you down with those who go down into the pit to the everlasting people.”[6] Similarly, when Daniel speaks concerning the resurrection of all flesh, he says, “Some will awake to shame and everlasting contempt.”[7] The New Testament uses phrases like “eternal fire;” “eternal punishment;” eternal death;” eternal destruction;” “eternal chains;” “the smoke of the torments will go up forever;” and the wicked “will be tortured day and night forever and ever.”[8]

Logically, we can also determine, from the witness of Scripture, that the punishment of hell is eternal. God is eternal and infinite, therefore His justice is also eternal and infinite. Then it follows that His judgment against the wicked and His declaration of punishment is likewise eternal, enduring forever.

As for the nature of this punishment, we can describe it in two parts – internal and external. The internal punishments regard crushing despair, the loss of all hope, and loneliness beyond comprehension. This loneliness is also twofold. Those condemned to hell know who God is and that He exists but are eternally separated from His love and His gifts. They are also eternally separated from the comfort and blessings of the saints in glory. There is a great gulf fixed so that the damned cannot even receive comfort from other men.

The external punishments of hell are likewise terrifying. Fire that burns but does not consume and worms that feast but do not devour will be the constant physical torment of the accursed. Then, just as one of the souls in hell grows accustomed to his pain, it will invert to the other extreme. If he finds himself getting used to the heat of the fires of hell, he will immediately be thrust into bone-chilling cold such that the frost touches the bones and the chill cracks the skin. There is no relief in the change of external punishment, only increased torment.

Regarding the location of hell and how it is constructed, Scripture is not specific. It is called a great pit and compared to a gaping mouth. As tempting as it is to imagine hell being at the center of the earth, there is little to support this idea. Hell will last forever and yet the earth will be destroyed on the Last Day, replaced by the new Earth. Just as we think of heaven as being above us but don’t insist on an exact location in the heavenly spheres, we ought to think of hell as being below without insisting on an exact location.

It is not pleasant to think about hell. It is not enjoyable to think of the eternal torment of the damned, but it is necessary. It is necessary because Scripture speaks of hell. It is also necessary as a preventative to sin. What God has revealed about the nature of hell is for the purpose of revealing the severity of sin. God takes sin very seriously and we should, too.

The doctrine of hell is also necessary as a description of God’s justice. His justice does not contradict His mercy. Both exist in the same measure within God, that is, His justice equals His mercy. He is the perfectly holy and Almighty God, who punishes evil. This is a good thing. It means that He is perfectly able to make judgments regarding the righteousness of man. It means that we can trust His Word, especially when He has forgiven your sin. If He takes sin so seriously as to condemn the unrighteous, then His forgiveness is not given lightly. He takes forgiveness just as seriously. His Word of forgiveness is just as relieving, comforting, and pleasurable as His Word of condemnation is terrifying, chilling, and full of despair.

These two sides of the same coin are seen in Lazarus and the Rich Man. Everything Lazarus lacked in this life, he received in orders of magnitude greater than he could imagine in Abraham’s bosom. Everything the Rich Man enjoyed in this life was thrown into a grave, and he received orders of magnitude more in suffering and torment in hell.

The distinction between the two was not the amount of money or stuff they possessed. Details are given concerning how they lived as a reflection of their faith. The Rich Man is not condemned for being rich, but the description of his riches tells us that he trusts in daily, sumptuous feasts and fine clothing. I don’t doubt for a second that he was considered a very pious man by his community, always in the synagogue and giving money to the Temple. But from his interactions with Abraham, we can see that whatever he heard in the sermons of the Pharisees, the Word of God rested on his earlobes, never making it into his heart and mind. Even in the torments of hell, the Rich Man remains impenitent, blaming God for his condemnation. ‘If only there had been greater miracles, I would have believed. This is your fault, God.’

Conversely, Lazarus is depicted as being entirely helpless. He cannot feed himself. He didn’t call the dogs to lick his wounds, something that apparently has medicinal qualities. Or if that isn’t the case, he couldn’t drive them away. Even in death, he doesn’t ascend into heaven but is carried on the arms of the holy angels. And yet it is not his poverty or sickness that saved Lazarus. Father Abraham clearly tells us what is necessary for salvation: to believe the witness of Moses and the Prophets, to believe the Word of God. It is not about an academic understanding of every nuance of the texts but about trust that the Word of God is true; that what it says is true and is true for you. And if you believe it is true, if you trust in this Word of God, understanding will necessarily follow. A lifetime of searching the Scriptures for wisdom and knowledge of the truth will be born of the faith delivered by the Holy Spirit. This is what saved the beggar Lazarus, the Word of God as received by the divine gift of faith.

Every prayer, every canticle, every hymn, every response spoken, sung, and prayed in the church is to be believed. The words used every Sunday, at every Baptism, at every celebration of the Lord’s Supper, every ordination, wedding, or funeral, is spoken because it is true and must be believed. How are these things believed? They are believed by faith. They are received by faith.

Again, this faithful reception is not an esoteric idea of emotions or magic, or even an action of the intellect. The faithful reception of the Word of God is to hear it and believe it. The Christian must consider what is said, sung, confessed, and prayed on Sunday morning each day of his life. If you are to add your ‘amen’ to any statement, you must know what is said and believe it. The prime example of such faith, given by Christ Himself, is children. “Then Jesus took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”^[9] This is faith.

If man does not believe the Word of God, not even if one should rise from the dead will he be convinced. If you treat the Word of God as though it were faerie stories, or pretty words for greeting cards, or little more than nice sentiments which make you feel better, then you do not believe in the Resurrection of Christ. The one who would rise from the dead and yet not convince the brothers of the rich man is none other than Jesus Christ himself. To treat the Scriptures flippantly is to deny the resurrection of Christ. To deny the Resurrection of Christ is to ensure an eternity of torment alongside the rich man.

On the other hand, to make diligent use of the Word of God ensures eternal bliss and rest. Faith which receives the Word of God and trusts in the truth of Scripture is certainty that your name is written in the Book of Life. Faith and trust of the Word of God does not mean you will understand everything. That is not possible for man. Faith desires to be fed even from the crumbs of the Word of God. Lazarus desired the crumbs. So did the Syrophoenician woman and prodigal son. Faith seeks wisdom from our Heavenly Father, even when faith does not comprehend the fulness thereof.

This faith is then born out in love. Trust in the Word of God results in actions which are also in accord with the Word of God. Like blessed Lazarus, these resulting actions do not gain heavenly bliss. His entire life was passive. He did nothing for himself. Yet he believed the Word of God and trusted in God’s promises. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. This is our salvation.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Matthew 25:41.

[2] Hosea 13:9. See the KJV for this particular translation.

[3] Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:1-11; Revelation 12:7-9.

[4] Ephesians 2:3.

[5] Isaiah 33:14; 34:10.

[6] Ezekiel 26:20.

[7] Daniel 12:2.

[8] St. Matthew 18:8; 25:41; Jude 7; St. Matthew 25:46; St. John 8:51; 11:26; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Jude 6; Revelation 14:11; 20:10.

[9] St. Mark 9:36-37.

The Feast of St. Michael and All Angels

The Feast of St. Michael and All Angels – September 29, 2024

Psalm 103; Daniel 10:10-14; 12:1-3; Revelation 12:7-12

St. Matthew 18:1-18

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

Every Sunday, we confess that God created all things visible and invisible. Those things invisible primarily refer to the angels. Angels are a creation of God, distinct from all other creation. Humans do not become angels when they die any more than humans become cats upon death. Angels are spirits, that is, without body.

Sometimes, angels appear to man. They can appear in the form of a human, as fire, wind, or simply a voice. They also take on the visage of terrifying beasts, with multiple heads, hundreds of eyes, wings, and engulfed in flames. They are always referred to with male pronouns in Scripture and are said to neither marry nor procreate.[1] From the beginning to the end of time, there is a fixed number of angels – no more and no less than were created by God.

Individual angels are not omnipresent or present in all places. They are located in a particular space at any given time, but God has not revealed how they are present in space and time. We do not know how big or small they are. They are also spiritual beings. They do not have a physical body that is all their own. They can assume a physical body for a time, like the angels who visit with Abraham or who call Lot and his family out of Sodom.[2] Although this temporary body is physical (in that it can interact with the physical world), these angels are not “incarnate.” They did not take on a body of their own. It is a temporary “man suit.”

Angels are not omnipresent or present in all places, but because they are spiritual, they always see the face of our Father in heaven, even when they are ministering to man on earth.[3] This incomprehensible mystery speaks of their spiritual nature and the fact that God is near to all things, even if we cannot see Him at times.

There is also confusion over the duties of angels. The word “angel” means “messenger.” They are the messengers of God, heralds who bring His Word to man. We see this explicitly in the Angel Gabriel, who speaks to Daniel and then appears to Mary, telling her she will bear the Christ child.[4] However, this use of the term “angel” to mean “messenger” is also applied to human beings. John the Baptist is called an Angel.[5] In the Revelation to St. John, the pastors of the seven churches are called the angels of those churches.[6] All pastors are considered angels as they are the messengers, the ambassadors of Christ, sent to deliver His Word and His gifts to God’s people.[7]

Most importantly, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, is called the Angel of the Lord throughout the Old Testament.[8] This reflects that fact that Jesus Christ is the Word of God, he himself is the message and the messenger, bringing the Word and Will of God to man. When reading Scripture, you can be assured that the angel being discussed is Jesus if the angel accepts and receives the worship of man, beast, or any other created thing.[9]

Angels are the messengers of God and yet they have also been given other duties. The Revelation to St. John records how the prayers of the saints are carried to heaven by an angel. He offers the prayers with incense before the altar of God.[10] The Angels are also said to bear the soul of the beggar Lazarus into the bosom of Abraham.[11] The angels rejoice over one who repents and turns toward God.[12] They are superior to us in their delight in the Word of God and yet they joyfully submit themselves to us in love. They are our big brothers in creation, who guard and protect us from danger while ensuring our safety in the hand of the Father.

St. Paul tells us the Holy Angels are present in the Divine Service.[13] We join in their song, first in the Gloria, singing the words of the Holy Angels present at the birth of Christ.[14] Then, we gloriously join their singing in the heavenly temple during the Sanctus.[15] The Holy Angels are present with us and singing the glorious song of heaven in praise of the Most High God. Our time in the Divine Service is a glorious glimpse into heaven, when the veil between this world and the eternal world is thinnest. Heaven itself, as the dwelling place of Christ, comes down to this altar. The risen Christ, the Angel of the Lord, Messenger of the Father, is present for us in His Holy Body and Precious Blood, together with the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Angels.

According to Psalm 34, they “encamp around them that fear the Lord.” The Holy Angels stand guard over the faithful children of God. Satan walks about as a roaring lion and the Holy Angels keep vigil lest our heels should strike a stone.[16] 

In the broadest sense, there are two kinds of angels. There are the Holy Angels, which attend to the Lord, herald his Word, guard the faithful, and bear our prayers and our departed souls to heaven.

Then there are the evil, fallen angels. Scripture calls these “demons.” They are the angels who fell like lightning from heaven, in service to Satan, the prince of demons. These too are spiritual beings, invisible unless they take on a form to be revealed to man. The pagan gods of old, the spirits contacted by mediums, ghosts, goblins, and all manner of “supernatural creatures” are manifestations of demons. They thirst for you soul, that it would spend eternity in torment and misery, as they themselves have been consigned to eternal hellfire. It is against Satan and his minions that the Holy Angels stand vigil on our behalf.

What then of this war in heaven that St. John saw in his vision? “War broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”^[17]

St. John sees a war in heaven between the holy angels, led by St. Michael, and the demons, led by Satan. The result of the war is that Satan and the demons are cast out of heaven, down to the earth. Just before St. John sees the war, he sees a vision a woman who bears a male Child, who is to rule all nations, and a great red dragon who is prepared to swallow her Son. After her Son is caught up to God and His throne, the woman flees into the wilderness, to a place prepared for her by God.[18]

This is a vision of the Incarnation of our Lord, His death, resurrection, and ascension. The woman is in the first place, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the mother of our Lord, Jesus Christ, but she symbolizes the Church. As such, once the Son of God and Son of Mary has ascended to the right hand of the Father, the Church flees into the wilderness, to a place prepared for her by God. This wilderness is the world in which we live. It is the world that is still affected by sin and ruled by Satan.

This vision of the Incarnation through ascension of our Lord sets the context for the vision of the war in heaven. This war between St. Michael and Satan is the result of the death and resurrection of Jesus. In the Old Testament, it seems that Satan had access to the throne room of God, where he would make accusations against the saints of God.[19] He would actively test God by accusing His saints, as we see in the Book of Job. But after the death and resurrection of Christ, Satan no longer has a place in heaven. He has been cast out of heaven, never again to make accusation against God’s holy ones before Him.

But we also hear of the danger of Satan’s new position. Like a terrified wolf backed into a corner, Satan is now trapped and sees his end drawing nigh. Both the wolf and Satan strike out with renewed ferocity, believing they can at least take some of you with them even if they are doomed to lose the war. The war is won in the death and resurrection of Christ but the battle is still being waged on earth. “Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time!”[20]

St. Michael, the archangel, and all the holy angels wage a war invisible to our eyes yet more real than you can comprehend. Satan and the demons continue to lash out, trying to tempt and destroy the beloved of God. The torment of the evil angels is the purpose for God creating Hell. It was never intended for man. Yet Satan will fill it with the souls of man so that his torment is never without company.

Against this assault of the devil, the Holy Angels encamp around the faithful.^[21] They are servants of the Most High who guard and protect man. They fight not for their own salvation, but for the salvation of man. They long for the peace of the resurrection and joyously peer into the mysteries revealed to man in the Incarnation.[22] The Holy Angels delight in man and in the fruits of repentance. They rejoice in the works of God and praise Him both day and night, side by side with man.

The time of the war in heaven is now. It is the time of the Church, that time between the ascension of Christ and his return on the Last Day. There is no seven-year tribulation nor a 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth. Now is the tribulation and now is the reign of Christ. He rules in his Church even as Satan brings tribulation to those saints. Now the war is fought, but it is already won. Your weapons in battle are the Word of God and the Blood of the Lamb.[23] The Word of God upon your lips, in your mind, and stored in your heart is the greatest weapon against the active assaults of Satan. Receiving the Holy Blood of Christ in the Eucharist revivifies your soul, such that you become like a fire-breathing lion against the hordes of hell, terrifying even Satan with your might because Christ dwells within you.

And those who overcome Satan and his temptations are those who do not love their own lives to the death, that is, those who know that man is eternal, that death is not the greatest evil.[24] If death is the greatest evil, then you must do everything imaginable to stay alive. But this is contrary to God’s Word. Death is not the greatest evil. Death is defeated in Christ.

The greatest evil is apostacy, losing faith and blasphemy against God. And the greatest punishment is not death but is eternal death, damnation, eternity in suffering with Satan and his angels. Those who overcome Satan do not love their earthly lives over their eternal lives. They do not love the earthly lives of their loved ones over their loved ones’ eternal lives. Those who overcome Satan are like the Holy Angels, beholding the face of our Father in Heaven at all times, and they do it by means of the Word of God and the Blood of the Lamb.

Come share in the victory meal. Defeat Satan by placing the Word of God on your hearts and minds and receiving the Blood of Christ. Sing with the Holy Angels the victory song of Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Matthew 22:30.

[2] Genesis 18:1-15; 19:1-11.

[3] St. Matthew 18:10.

[4] Daniel 8:16; 9:21; St. Luke 1:26. See also St. Luke 1:19, St. Gabriel’s appearance to Zacharias.

[5] Malachi 3:1; St. Matthew 11:10; St. Mark 1:2.

[6] Revelation 1-3. See also Isaiah 33:7; Malachi 2:7.

[7] 2 Corinthians 5:20.

[8] For example, see Genesis 16:7; 22:11; 32:24; Hosea 12:3; etc.

[9] Compare Revelation 22:8-9.

[10] Revelation 5:8-12.

[11] St. Luke 16:22.

[12] St. Luke 15:10.

[13] 1 Corinthians 11:10.

[14] St. Luke 2:8-14.

[15] Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8.

[16] 1 Peter 5:8; Psalm 91:11-12.

[17] Revelation 12:7-9.

[18] Revelation 12:1-6.

[19] Job 1:6-12.

[20] Revelation 12:12.

[21] Psalm 34:7.

[22] 1 Peter 1:10-12.

[23] Revelation 12:11.

[24] Revelation 12:11.