Lent Midweek 2

Lent Midweek 2 – March 19, 2025

Psalm 25; Esther 13:9-11, 15-17

St. Matthew 20:17-28

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

After His third and most detailed Passion prediction, the mother of James and John approaches Christ with a request. She wants her sons to be seated at Christ’s left and right hands when He comes into His kingdom. What mother wouldn’t want such positions of honor and authority for her sons? The problem is that her question reveals that the mother of the Sons of Thunder, like the rest of the disciples, doesn’t understand what it means for Christ to come into His kingdom, what His coronation will look like. This is an even more serious problem because Christ just revealed to His disciples, for the third time, what that coronation would be – His betrayal, flagellation, and death.

Rather than sharply rebuke the woman and her sons for their lack of understanding, Christ asks if the boys are able to drink the cup that He will drink and be baptized with the baptism that He is baptized with. They boldly answer, “Yes!” Their response isn’t strictly prideful. They are making a confession of their allegiance to Christ. They are declaring their unwavering faith in His teachings and declaring they are ready for such positions of high honor.

But of course, they do not understand what they ask nor what they are saying in response to His question. To be fair to these apostles, it would be very difficult to understand our Lord’s words in their position. But standing on this side of the Resurrection, it is plain to see that Christ is speaking of two distinct cups and two distinct baptisms.

When Christ poses the question to James and John, He is referring to the cup of wrath and the baptism of death. The cup of wrath is an Old Testament image of God’s anger and punishment of sin. It appears 14 times in the Old Testament. Sometimes, the wicked can’t get enough of the cup of wrath. God pours little into their mouths and they seem to delight in their judgment.[1] They become drunk on the wrath of God and intoxicated with the punishment of their sins. This is reflected in the world when those who delight in sin want to claim their temporal punishment is a badge of honor. Think of sexually transmitted diseases and how those who endure are considered heroes, or at least their struggle is to be admired.

Other times, the image of the cup of God’s wrath focuses on the image of intoxication itself.[2] A drunk staggers, and his perception of the world is distorted. So too, the wicked stagger and stumble against God’s created order and see the world through their own wickedness. These are not just the result of biological processes but are God’s wrath beginning to be poured out on the wicked. The inability to rightly see the world around you should be a wake-up call that something about you is wrong, but the prideful heart of man seeks to convince the soul that such distortion is good, even godly.

Such is what is going on when Christ asks if James and John are able to drink the cup that He drinks. He is speaking of this cup of wrath. He is speaking of drinking to the dregs, the very bottom, of the cup of the Father’s wrath. He will drink from the cup of God’s wrath on behalf of humanity. As He bears the sins of the world, He will take onto Himself the just punishment that is due for those sins. He will not taste of the cup. He will not sip of it. He will swallow it whole, consuming every drop.

The prideful hearts of the Sons of Thunder make them think they are also able to drink this cup. Not only do they think they are able, but they also think they are ready to drink it. If Jesus can do it, so can they. They do not know what they are saying.

As for the baptism with which Christ is baptized, it is true that we confess we believe in one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Yet we also recognize that Christ was baptized in the Jordan River. His baptism was not to forgive His sins. He doesn’t have any. Our usual way of describing Christ’s baptism was that it made our baptism efficacious. His baptism is what soaks up the sins that our baptism washes away. It was His anointing, marking Him as the acceptable sacrifice to the Father.[3]

Although these things are dogmatically true, I don’t think that is what Christ is talking about in this passage. The baptism of which He speaks here is, again, His suffering and death. He will be “baptized,” or washed, in the wrath of the Father. He will be drowned in the fiery waters of hellish torment on the cross. St. Paul speaks this way when he says we are baptized into a death like Christ’s.[4] In this sense, Christ’s death is establishing the new birth of our baptism. He is baptized into death to take the sting of death away. He descends into the death of baptism so that He would rise again the third day, establishing the pattern of our death to sin in Holy Baptism and our rising to a new life as the baptized.

Christ alone drinks the cup of wrath to the dregs and is baptized with death on the cross, but He also says that His disciples will indeed drink His cup and be baptized with His baptism. We can understand this in two ways. First, we can see the pattern established by Christ’s cup and baptism. In this, we see Christ speaking of the cup of affliction and baptism into the yoke of Christ. The cup of affliction is the cross which all who would follow Christ are called to bear.

We must bear the suffering of sin and persecution. We endure affliction and pain, knowing that it is ultimately for our own good. It is chastisement for sin, not punishment for wickedness.[5] We gladly endure affliction because we look to our Lord, who suffered far more than we can imagine, and see in our suffering that we are being made in the image of Christ. We are made to conform to His holy life, suffering, and death so that we would be remade in the Resurrection, glorious even as He is glorious.[6]

The light yoke of Christ is received in Holy Baptism.[7] It is the crosshairs of Satan’s rage. Being marked as the baptized, we are also marked for pursuit by the devil. He hates the things of God and you, beloved child of God, are God’s most beloved possession. Therefore, Satan will doggedly pursue you and seek to tear you away from the Father.

The other way we should understand the disciples drinking His cup and being baptized with His baptism is exactly the way that we normally understand these phrases. His cup is the cup of blessing, the new testament in His blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.[8] His baptism is the baptism of new birth, the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit.[9] These are the Holy Sacraments by which Christ dispenses the forgiveness of sins. There is nothing left in the cup of wrath for Christ has swallowed it to the dregs. It is now filled with the blood of the living sacrifice, the lamb who takes away the sins of the world.[10]

The point to which Christ is driving throughout this pericope is that He, the Son of Man, came “to give His life as a ransom for many.”[11] A ransom is a payment made in exchange for the life of another. Because of our sin, we owe a great debt to God. Our lives are forfeit. In terms of debt, we have neither enough to cover our debt nor even the correct currency. Our righteousness will never be enough to climb out of debt. Transgress the least of God’s law and you are guilty of it all. Because of original sin, every ounce of our righteousness is tainted. It isn’t even a currency God will accept in exchange for our debt to Him. Therefore, it is necessary that God become Man, keep the Law perfectly in every jot and tittle, then offer His life in exchange for your life. God alone has righteousness that is of sufficient quantity and quality to satisfy the debt incurred by your sin.

And when Christ says “a ransom for many,” He means “all.” He is not drawing a comparison between many and all. He is drawing a comparison between many and one, Himself. “For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.”[12] The sacrifice of Christ filled the ransom debt of every man, from Adam to the last child born on earth. The least of your sins, and the worst, are covered, are forgiven, in the blood of Christ.

Why then are not all saved? Because not all receive this great gift. If I paid your bill at the diner but you refused the gift and insisted on paying the bill yourself, you wouldn’t benefit from my charity. The same is true of Christ’s death. The rejection of the unbeliever doesn’t negate Christ’s sacrifice, but it does exclude him from receiving the benefit. In fact, by condemning the unbeliever, God is simply giving Him exactly what he wants. But for you, beloved in the Lord, to you it has been given to be children of the Father. You not only have been ransomed, but called and enlightened by the Holy Spirit; washed in the waters of Holy Baptism and made a new creation, the apple of God’s eye, and an heir of heaven.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] For example, see Psalm 75:8.

[2] For example, see Isaiah 51:17.

[3] St. Matthew 3:17.

[4] Romans 6:3-4.

[5] Hebrews 12:7.

[6] Hebrews 12:3-7.

[7] St. Matthew 11:28-30.

[8] St. Matthew 26:28.

[9] Titus 3:5-7.

[10] St. John 1:29.

[11] St. Matthew 20:28.

[12] Romans 5:15.

The Commemoration of All Saints

The Commemoration of All Saints (obs.) – November 3, 2024

Psalm 31; Revelation 7:2-17; 1 John 3:1-3

St. Matthew 5:1-12

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

In Holy Baptism, your soul, stained with the impurity of your sin, is washed in the blood of the Lamb. It is made white in the purity and righteousness of Christ. His righteousness is imputed to you, that is, it is made yours by faith. This robe of righteousness is not strictly figurative. Christ is, Himself, united to you in Holy Baptism. And, since Christ is in the Father and the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, Holy Baptism joins the entire Trinity to you. This spiritual union is a glorious gift of God.

There is another union with Christ. The Sacramental Union with Christ occurs when you receive the Holy Body and Precious Blood of our Savior. In the Holy Supper, Christ joins His physical body with yours. What is spiritually joined in Baptism is physically joined in the Supper. It is in this way that faith is strengthened and for this reason we can proclaim that the Holy Supper strengthens and preserves you in body and soul unto eternal life.

They physical union with Christ is necessary because we are physical beings. If we were somehow only spiritual, then a spiritual union with Christ would suffice. But we are created, embodied beings. We are the crown of creation. We have been given dominion over all the rest of creation and as such, it is meet and right that God would join Himself to us not only spiritually, but physically.

And if the Lord has said that He is physically present in the Supper, if He has said that This is His Body and This is His Blood, then who are we to deny it? Or who are we to treat it as common food? If we cannot trust the Lord who has joined Himself to us in such a physical manner, how can we trust His other physical promises?

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, Blessed are those who mourn, Blessed are the meek, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, Blessed are the merciful, Blessed are the pure in heart, Blessed are the peacemakers, Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.”[1]

Each of the Beatitudes praises and proclaims blessings on those who are seen as weak and reviled by the world. No one will advance in the world by seeking to be poor in spirit, mourning, meek, or pure. This is something Christ tells us directly, “because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.”[2]

Almost every year, on the Commemoration of All Saints, I have taught that the Beatitudes have their first fulfillment in Christ. He fulfills each of these statements to their fullest. At the same time, the Beatitudes find fulfilment in you, Christians. This is precisely because Christ has joined Himself to you. You are spiritually and physically united with Him and if the world hates Christ, so too the world will hate you.

What is worse is the truth that hypocrites exist in the Church on earth. There are those who will persecute you and think they are doing service to God.[3] And these will seek to tempt, to deceive, to persuade even the elect, if possible, to join them in the persecution of the Church.[4] Therefore we must holdfast to the true Word of God. We must holdfast to the true Bridegroom of the Church, who has united Himself to all His people.

And it is, in fact, because of this union that we experience persecution, affliction, and suffering. This is, in fact, a promise and a blessing of God. By persecution, affliction, and suffering – both spiritual and physical – we know that we have been united to Christ. He has chosen you to be united with Him in a death like His, that you might also rise to a new life like His.[5] Like a father proudly training his son in the family business so that one day, he might inherit his father’s life’s work, Christ joins you to Himself. He joins you to His own suffering and affliction because He loves you. It is not torment. It is not masochistic. It is an act of love.

On the one hand, He does it so that you would be driven away from sin and into His loving arms. He allows the suffering of the saints on account of our sin and that we would know that we have been truly united to Him. Even the martyrs sit beneath the altar of the Lamb in glory, crying out ‘How long until our blood is avenged?’[6] They are not so arrogant as to believe their blood is more righteous than Christ’s. They are crying out for the vengeance against their persecutors on account of the Blood of Christ’s. It is Christ’s blood that speaks better things than that of Abel’s. Abel’s blood cries out for redemption in the very blood of Jesus.[7]

We do not seek out suffering. We don’t have to. The Lord has promised that it will come to His faithful because they have been united with Him. At the same time, we do not have to earn our rest. He has promised that our reward will be great in heaven.

We commemorate, today, all those who have received that reward, or at least have received it in part. The saints in glorious array who have fallen asleep in Christ enjoy the nearer presence of Christ. They enjoy a union with Christ that we, the Church on earth, are still looking forward to. While our union with Christ is by faith through Baptism and physical in the Holy Supper, their union is glorious as they stand before Christ in His flesh. Their souls enjoy the company of the whole host of heaven, and they are given to worship Christ, whom they can see with their own eyes.

And yet even these have something greater to look forward to. Their glorious union with Christ will be made complete in the resurrection of the flesh. Currently, they worship Him in soul, freed from sin and in joyous rest in Christ. At the resurrection, they and all the saints of God, will worship Him in their own flesh. At that time, our union with Christ will not be mediated by water, bread, or wine. It will be in actuality, in a way that we can only dream of now. St. John says “now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”[8]

While the saints in glory are at rest, even they long for the day when we will be made like Him, receiving bodies glorious as He is glorious; pure as He is pure. Thanks be to God that He has joined Himself to us, united us to His Holy Body and Precious Blood in spirit and truth; even if that means we must endure a time of suffering, just as our Lord did on our behalf. Let us rejoice with angels and archangels, and all the company of heaven as we look forward to the day when we too, will be at rest in body and soul, united with Him in glory.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Matthew 5:3-11.

[2] St. John 15:19-20.

[3] St. John 16:2.

[4] St. Matthew 24:24.

[5] Romans 6:5.

[6] Revelation 6:10.

[7] Genesis 4:10; Hebrews 12:24.

[8] 1 John 3:2-3.

The Ninth Sunday after Trinity

Trinity 9 – July 28, 2024

Psalm 54; 2 Samuel 22:26-34; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

St. Luke 16:1-13

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

To understand the parable before us today, it is necessary to understand the words that are used in the parable. A “steward” is someone responsible for using and caring for the possessions of someone else. In the case of the parable, the steward is responsible for managing the money of the rich man. Your accountant is the steward of your finances. Parents, when you send your children to school, the teacher is the steward of your child. Hiring Door Dash is hiring someone to be the steward of your supper. A steward is responsible for the use and care of some else’s possessions. “Stewardship” is simply the way of describing the way in which the steward cares for those possessions. It does not necessarily only mean money.

The word “shrewd” might have negative connotations. It sounds evil, or at least mean. Perhaps it even rings in your ears as someone who is miserly and lashes out at those around him. The word just refers to practical wisdom, knowing what actions to take in a particular situation. This is different from the “wisdom” we usually think of. Wisdom is generally reserved for theoretical wisdom, that is, having the knowledge of the best course of action. To be shrewd is to have practical wisdom of the situation and knowing the best steps to take.

For example, it might be wise for a carpenter to soften the corners of a table to give it a finished, beautiful appearance. It is shrewd of the carpenter to soften the corners and the edges to reduce splintering. The wise Christian knows the value to his body and soul of attending the Divine Service every Sunday and every other day it is offered. The shrewd Christian bathes the children the night before so that Sunday morning is efficient and attends the earliest service so that the children are still slightly subdued by the early rising.

“Mammon” refers to all earthly possessions: clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and home, wife and children, fields, cattle, and all my goods. In itself, mammon is good because it is a creation of God. However, Christ calls it “unrighteous mammon” in the parable. That is because, in this context, “unrighteous” doesn’t mean “evil;” it means “something that can’t save you.” Righteousness is not found in mammon, therefore it is “unrighteous mammon.”

We may now begin to understand the parable. The master discovers that his steward has been stealing his money and wasting it on extravagant living. Because the master can’t trust the steward, he fires him and demands the steward return the master’s ledger (the book where the master’s money is recorded). On his way to get the ledger, the steward quickly calls those who owe the master money and lowers their debts. This, of course, makes the debtors happy. The steward does this so that when he is forced out of the master’s house, he can go to the debtors and say, “Hey, remember how I got you a break on your debt? How about you help me out by giving me a job, a place to sleep, or at least a meal.” The debtors, remembering what the steward did for them, will certainly welcome the steward into their homes.

Now, we know that the steward is a scoundrel. He is dishonest. He had been stealing from his master and his last act as steward was to cheat the master out of even more money. And yet the master commends his shrewdness, his wisdom.

Neither the master, nor Jesus, commends the steward for stealing or lying. He is to be commended for his wisdom; for thinking ahead; for striving so hard for what matters to him most. It is this effort, this wisdom, that our Lord is commending to us today. ‘Do you see,’ He says, ‘what lengths the steward was willing to go to in order to reach his goal? Think now of your goal, baptized child of God. How does your goal (eternal life in the presence of and in communion with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost) affect your actions and the way you use the gifts of this life: clothing and shoes, meat and drink, house and home, wife and children, fields, cattle, and all your goods?’

 These things, this mammon, cannot save you. Every possession in this world is mammon, it is unrighteous because it cannot save you. But all mammon can certainly damn you. It is dangerous. All earthly possessions are dangerous because they so easily become idols. Thanks be to God He has given to His children the Holy Ghost, by which we are made wise. We are wise as serpents and innocent as doves.^[1]

Then again, we must use this wisdom, this shrewdness, given by the Holy Ghost to “make friends” by means of unrighteous mammon. What does it mean to “make friends” in this context? It doesn’t mean buddies. It doesn’t mean lifelong friendships. The goal of the steward is that when his lifelong career fails, he is received into the homes of others that will care for him the rest of his days. The goal of the Christian is that when you fail, that is, when your body gives up its final breath, you will be received into the everlasting heavenly mansion prepared for you by Christ.^[2] You will be received into the bosom of Abraham, gathered into the general assembly and church of the firstborn, to God the Judge of all, and to Christ the Mediator of the new covenant, whose blood of the sprinkling speaks better things than that of Abel.^[3]

The friends you are to make are those who are gathered into glory. Some of our theologians consider these friends to be the poor to whom you’ve shown charity by giving your mammon to them. That could be, but I am inclined to see these friends as the general assembly and church of the firstborn, that is, your fellow Christians, the martyrs, and the faithful poor; as well as the Holy Angels and the Triune God.

To make friends with them by means of unrighteous mammon is not to earn their favor by storing up good works or merits. Rather, to make friends with them is to show that you are of one mind, one spirit, one Baptism into one Lord. This is seen in how you order your life. What is most important? Nostalgia? Longing for the past? A comfortable life? An easy life? Or is eternal life most important? Longing for unity with the general assembly of the firstborn? The worship of the Triune God? Citizenship in heaven? Receiving the forgiveness of sins? Repentance for the times you’ve fallen short and the many ways in which you have failed to be shrewd?

The parable of the Shrewd Manager is about the orientation of your life, shown through your use of the things of this world. Is your life oriented toward God or does your life only pay Him lip service? Do you care about pure doctrine or your own opinion? Is a college education more important than faith? The sons of this world are incredibly shrewd in striving for their goals, more shrewd, in fact, than the children of light. Perhaps, there is something to be learned from them, afterall.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Matthew 10:16.

[2] St. John 14:1-3.

[3] St. Luke 16:22; Hebrews 12:22-24.

The Commemoration of All Saints

The Commemoration of All Saints (Obs.) – November 6, 2022

Psalm 31; Revelation 7:2-17; 1 John 3:1-3

St. Matthew 5:1-12

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

The “Church Triumphant” is a term referring to the saints in glory. These Christians have come out of the great tribulation, rest from their labors, are before the throne of God day and night, neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore. The sun does not strike them, nor any heat, and God has wiped away every tear from their eyes. The Church Triumphant are presently gathered with angels and archangels in the eternal worship of the Lamb seated on the throne. The Church Triumphant have shed their sin-stained rages and put on the white robes won for them by the death of Jesus.

The “Church Militant” are the Christians on this side of glory. We are the Church Militant, who are amid the great tribulation, who struggle against our own sin, who struggle against the sinful world seeking to claim ou r souls for hell, who must cling to the Word of God as a sure and certain promise of eternity, who receive the Body and Blood of Jesus with the eyes of faith but whose physical eyes see only through a mirror dimly. Our white robes were won on the cross and given to us in Holy Baptism, but we must await to don them until our own transition into the Church Triumphant.

These terms, Church Militant and Church Triumphant, are very helpful. Militant reminds us that on this side of glory we are never without a struggle. The Church is continually in battle. Individuals must daily fight against sin – your own and the sins of others against you. As the Body of Christ, the Church Militant must daily fight against false doctrine, against the sinful world, and against the temptations seeking to snatch the sheep from the flock.

Triumphant reminds us that the war is already won. Even when there are days where sin wins the battle, the war is already ours. Christ has held the battlefield and won the victory on our behalf. When Christ returns, there will only be the Church Triumphant. Suffering, temptation, and struggle will cease. War will cease. Spiritual war will cease. The Final Judgment is final and will pronounce the Church Triumphant.

Do not be confused, however. There are not two different Churches. Militant and Triumphant are two different battalions in the same Church. The Church Militant and the Church Triumphant are still one Body and Christ is our head. The Church Triumphant, those Christians whose bodies have been committed to the earth and whose souls enjoy the nearer presence of Christ, are not asleep nor transfixed in a zombie-like state of staring at Jesus. They are alive and active. They are singing the praises of Jesus, praying to him, and praying for you. According to the Revelation to St. John, they are at least aware of the passing of time on earth if not aware to some extent of the events on earth.^[1]

According to St. Paul, these same saints are gathered with us. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”^[2] St. Paul does not limit this surrounding of the great cloud of witnesses only to the worship service. He seems to indicate that the saints in glory are present with the saints on earth, even if the awareness of one another is only passing.

That said, the Church Militant and Church Triumphant are closest as we worship the Lamb on the Throne together. The veil between the sides of glory is thinnest during the divine service, which is how we can say, “with angels and archangels, and all the company of heaven.” What’s more, the Church Triumphant is not joining us in an earthly song. God would never be so cruel as to ask the saints in glory to condescend to a worship created in the imagination of man.

Rather, the Church Militant is exalted to join the Church Triumphant in her song. We sing the song of heaven, “Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of Sabbaoth!” This is the song of the Holy Angels and the saints in glory. We are given to sing the eternal words of the heavenly worship each Sunday as we prepare to feast on the Body and Blood of the Eternal Word. Blessed are we who have inherited the Kingdom of God, we sons and daughters of the King.

The distinction of the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant, which are united in the Eternal Body of Christ, should help us to understand the Beatitudes. They are not a checklist for getting into heaven. They are not a menu of the rewards for specific deeds. The Beatitudes are a description of Christ and the virtues to which all Christians are called.

Each of the Beatitudes is ultimately fulfilled in Christ. Christ is purely poor in spirit, descending into our mortal flesh. Christ truly mourns the sin of the world and condemnation of the wicked yet is comforted by the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Angels. Christ humbled himself to born of a virgin. Christ hungers and thirsts for your righteousness. Christ is merciful to forgive your sins by dying your death. Christ is pure in heart and has seen the Father face to face from all eternity. Christ makes eternal peace between God and man. Christ was persecuted for the sake of your righteousness and was reviled beyond any contempt shown for man. Christ ultimately fulfills each of the Beatitudes.

Jesus also spoke these words to his disciples. He spoke them to the Church Militant. He is speaking them to you today. But again, the Beatitudes are not a checklist of requirements and rewards. Our Lord is telling us who it is He considers to be blessed and what the result of such blessing is.

It is undeniable that the pace of our world has increased tremendously. Information travels instantly across the globe. Not too long ago, even this instantaneous information was slowed by the fact that you must sit at a computer or television, attached to a wall, in order to receive it. Now it is as close as your pocket. Physically, cars have gotten faster. Speed limits have risen. What used to be a day trip is now only an hour or two away.

This rapid pace has dramatically affected our language. There isn’t time to carefully consider your words because any hesitation will put you behind the current thought. Emails and text messages expect a rapid response, and it is viewed as an insult to tarry. Books are shorter. Sentences are shorter. If you only have a few seconds to respond, your vocabulary must shrink. A smaller vocabulary means you have less options of words to use to express your thoughts. Less options mean less decisions. Less decisions mean faster responses.

The problem is that as our collective vocabulary dwindles, the ability to convey meaning also dwindles. We’ve assumed that synonyms all mean exactly the same thing so there is no use in a variety of language. Small does not mean the same thing as minute, even though they might be synonyms. Each has a certain color, a slight deviation in meaning that gives the word a unique meaning and helps you to communicate with your fellow man.

What does this change in our language have to do with the Beatitudes, aside from acknowledging our difficulty with some of the vocabulary? When was the last time you heard or read the word “blessed” outside of the holy Scriptures? What did it mean? I’m willing to bet it didn’t mean anything specific. “He led such a blessed life.” Usually this means that guy got lucky.

Who does Jesus say are blessed? The poor in spirit; those who mourn; the meek; those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; the merciful; the pure in heart; the peacemakers; those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.[3] These are the virtues extolled by Christ. These are the virtues which Christ sees in His beloved Christians. These are also the virtues to which we ought to aspire.

You hear, “poor in spirit” and likely think of someone whose faith is a faintly burning wick. You probably think of this person as struggling with his faith. Jesus says he is blessed. Why is he blessed? He is blessed because he has faith. He is struggling against his sin and struggling to understand how a just and merciful God could love a poor miserable sinner like him. He is struggling against his flesh, trying to put of the old man but always doing that which he knows he shouldn’t and failing to do that which he should. He is poor in spirit, but he is blessed because the kingdom of heaven belongs to him.

The Beatitudes and the entire Sermon on the Mount can be classified as “wisdom literature.” This means it is intended to be read and reread. It is intended to be pondered over. Ruminating on the Beatitudes requires time. It requires a slow, lifelong effort. As a cow chews its cud, one must continually chew on the wisdom of God, thereby slowly gaining the spiritual nutrition offered therein.

Only by such rumination can you come to understand the Word of God, let alone such wisdom as is contained in the Beatitudes. It would be easy if there was a verse in the Bible that said, “Jimmy, you are meek because it is within your nature to put the needs of others before yourself, like when you chose to continue working 60 hours a week in the factory rather than take the high paying sales job which would require you to travel 5 days a week for the sake of your children.”

This would not require wisdom of Jimmy. It would not require wisdom of you. Wisdom requires you to read the word of God, consider its meaning, place it in the context of the whole counsel of God, and slowly see the word of God blossom into the reality of your mind, body, and soul. This is wisdom and this is wrought within you by the Holy Spirit.

Stop looking for the quick answer. Do not wait for a pastor or radio preacher to tell you exactly what to do in every situation. You may think that trusting the word of your pastor is the Christian thing to do but it is trusting in man. Assuming that any man—clergy, academic, or otherwise—to be correct in every situation is trusting the traditions of man as the word of God.

Instead, go to the source, ad fontes. Search the word of God and ruminate on it. Soak it in. Take responsibility for your own salvation by going to the word of God and to the place where Christ has promised to be with His people—the Church. Receive these words not so that you can make your own decisions about what it means, but so that you can receive the meaning of these words.

As part of this rumination, the Church looks to her saints, the Church Triumphant. We look not to these saints to help us, to intercede for us, or to make the definitive interpretation of the Scriptures. Rather, we look to see how the Word of God worked in their lives, in their thoughts, and in their hearts. We give thanks that God has worked faith in Jerome, Luther, and Walther. We are comforted that if such great sinners as Peter, Paul, Mary, and Augustine can be forgiven then we too shall be forgiven. Then we see the great works of faith demonstrated by Martin of Tours, John the Steadfast, Al Viets, and so many others, and we imitate these works.

We recognize in these works the blessings Jesus speaks of in the Beatitudes. We take these examples into consideration when we ruminate on the word of God as examples for how God’s wisdom may be faithfully shown forth in daily living. Thus the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant are again united in the working out of the faith as well as in the forgiveness of faith.

The comfort of the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant is our unity in the Body of Christ. If we abide in his word, he abides in us. If we abide in Christ, we abide together with Ron, Betty, Norm, Judith, Susan, and Al. This unity with the saints in glory cannot be taken away. Our experience of this unity can only grow as we too make our way into glory.

The Beatitudes progress from declaring those enduring temporal suffering to those demonstrating spiritual virtues, only to conclude in suffering persecution, reviling, and wicked deeds. The response to this is to “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.”[4] Your reward in heaven is complete unity with all the saints and eternal worship of Christ. You will be like the glorified Christ and shall see Him as He is, face to face. You shall see him and know him. Blessed are the saints in glory, for their journey is complete. Blessed are you, for you are never alone. Blessed are we, for together we sing the praise of Christ, who has washed our robes and made them white in his blood.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] Revelation 6:9-10, “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’”

[2] Hebrews 12:1-2.

[3] St. Matthew 5:3-10.

[4] St. Matthew 5:12.

The Ninth Sunday after Trinity

The Ninth Sunday after Trinity – August 14, 2022

Psalm 54; 2 Samuel 22:26-34; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

St. Luke 16:1-13

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

What man intended for evil, God meant for the good, to save many people alive.[1] Such is the assessment of Joseph when reflecting on how his brothers tried to kill him and he ended up a slave in Egypt. Joseph is one of very few people in the Old Testament who is portrayed as being nearly flawless. He is a prophet of God and works faithfully for his masters in Egypt. Even when Potiphar’s wife repeatedly tempts his flesh, Joseph remains faithful to God and his Egyptian master.

Being thrown into prison, Joseph is such an exemplary inmate that he is eventually given charge over other inmates. Such loyalty leads to him being made the second most important man in Egypt, steward over all that belongs to Pharaoh. Joseph had complete authority over everything in Pharaoh’s household, having the complete trust of someone the Egyptians believed to be a son of the gods. Joseph is the picture of the ideal, the faithful steward.

The steward in today’s parable is found to be much less deserving of faith. This steward has authority similar to that of Joseph. He has complete control over all of his master’s possessions. He may do with them as he sees fit. The primary concern of the master is that the steward uses his possessions to increase the wealth of the master. Yet this steward has demonstrated himself to be wasteful. He is the prodigal steward, using money that doesn’t belong to him to indulge the lusts of his flesh in food, drink, and women. He is like the prodigal son throughout the first half of that parable.

We join the parable as the master learns of his steward’s wasteful actions and brings the accusation before the steward. There is not a moment of denial by the steward. His actions speak for themselves. He can’t deny it because his sins shine brighter than a spotlight on a dark stage. Once the account books are turned over to the master, the steward will be cast out of his position, having gained a reputation that will certainly prevent him from ever working in this town again.

Most of us are well trained in reading parables. We know to look for the “God” figure and the “man” figure, locating the forgiveness of sins or a similar description of God’s character and mercy toward man. This is especially true of the parables in St. Matthew’s Gospel. It is also generally true of St. Luke. But St. Luke also has much to say about possessions and the right use of possessions by the Christian.

The Parable of the Shrewd Steward does not have a “God” figure. The master is not standing in the place of God. Rather, this parable is revealed in the concluding sentence, “For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.”[2] This is a parable concerning the actions of the sons of this world and how it is an example to the sons of light.

When the steward calls the debtors together, he still technically has the authority to write and rewrite the contracts of debt. Until the account books are in the hands of the master, the steward retains the authority to change them. He is acting according to the letter of the law as opposed to the spirit. This man, who has lived wastefully on another man’s wealth, is too proud to beg and is too weak to dig ditches. He is not a paragon of virtue. He is, however, shrewd.

This word, “shrewd,” has negative connotations. It sounds evil, or at least mean. Perhaps it even rings in your ears as someone who is miserly and lashes out at those around him. The original word carries no such meaning. It simply refers to practical wisdom, knowing what actions to take in a particular situation. This is different from the “wisdom” we usually think of. Wisdom is generally reserved for theoretical wisdom, that is, having the knowledge of the best course of action. To be shrewd is to have practical wisdom of the situation and knowing the best steps to take.

For example, it might be wise for a carpenter to soften the corners of a table to give it a finished, beautiful appearance. It is shrewd of the carpenter to soften the corners and the edges to reduce splintering. The wise Christian knows the value to his body and soul of attending the Divine Service every Sunday and every other day it is offered. The shrewd Christian bathes the children the night before so that Sunday morning is efficient and attends the earliest service so that the children are still slightly subdued by the early rising.

At the end of the parable, the master does not commend the steward’s lies or prodigal living. He commends his shrewd actions. The steward knows his future is bleak unless he takes action. He decides to use the remaining few minutes of his authority to craft deals with those owing debts to the master. This is not an act of revenge. It is an act of practical wisdom. By cutting the debts, the debtors will look upon both the steward and the master with great favor.

Make no mistake, the actions of the steward will cost the master financially, but those same actions will benefit the master in reputation. From the perspective of the steward, he has benefited both himself and the master in the eyes of the debtors. The master understands this and commends such shrewd actions. The steward will still lose his job but has virtually guaranteed himself a place to stay and new job prospects once he is fired. He has also strengthened the loyalty of the debtors toward the master, probably making him more money in the long run.

Do not imitate the actions of the steward in obeying the letter of the law to benefit yourselves in this world. That is not the message of this parable. The teaching of the parable to is to align your actions with your priorities for the future. The actions of the steward guarantee him a comfortable future in this world. He is a son of this world and acts shrewdly to improve his life in this generation.

You are sons of the light. What future are you prepared for? Do your actions speak of shrewd preparation for that future? Do not be anxious about what you will eat or wear or where you will lay your head.[3] These are short-term concerns, and your Heavenly Father has promised to take care of them for you. Compared to the parable, worrying about tomorrow is like the steward worrying about which path he will use to walk home after the master fires him. It is something you need to make decisions about but not something worth your anxiety.

The goal of the steward is that when his lifelong career fails, he is received into the homes of others that will care for him the rest of his days. The goal of the Christian is that when you fail, that is, when your body gives up its final breath, you will be received into the everlasting heavenly mansion prepared for you by Christ.[4] You will be received into the bosom of Abraham, gathered into the general assembly and church of the firstborn, to God the Judge of all, and to Christ the Mediator of the new covenant, whose blood of the sprinkling speaks better things than that of Abel.[5]

The steward took action toward his goal. He used practical wisdom, he was shrewd, in deciding what steps he can take to ensure a desirable outcome. How shrewd are you? It is true, there are no steps, no actions, no amount of wisdom that will give you heaven. Salvation has come unto you. You have been called by Christ and delivered from sin, death, and the devil. This was done while you were yet in your sin. Even now, as a baptized child of God, it is not up to you to keep yourself in the faith. It is not by your own reason or strength that you continue to be a Christian. This, too, is a gift of God.

Yet there are plenty of actions, steps, foolish thoughts, and sins that can drive you away from salvation. Being lazy and not attending to the miraculous gift of faith you have been given is the sin of sloth. Sloth is enough to turn you away from God. Idolatry, wrath, envy, greed, pride, and lust all easily turn you away from God.

So, I ask again, how shrewd are you? For what are you preparing yourself? Make no mistake, every action today is preparing you for something tomorrow. Honestly reflect on how you spend your time and evaluate what it is that you are preparing yourself for. Are you preparing to have a conversation about a foreign war with no direct impact on daily life? Are you preparing yourself for retirement? What about when the war is over, or you find that you are retired? What if you die before you retire? For what have you prepared yourself for?

There is some debate among Christians whether video games are themselves sinful. Some say yes, and some say no. What cannot be denied is that time spent in a video game has produced nothing. Oh, it might produce the topic of a few conversations, perhaps a basis for a friendship. But what happens to that friendship when that video game is obsolete? What has happened to the foundation? Minecraft has been described as virtual Legos. I’ve seen the ability of Minecraft to help children with autism relate to the world around them. But then again, at the end of the day, if it is virtual Legos, what has the child built? Even the child with autism—he has become better able to communicate with other people on computers, but has it helped him communicate with his mother? Or his peers?

 Such leisure activities as movies, television, and even video games might have their place, but we must remember that not only do they produce nothing, they do not prepare you for anything. They are virtual—that means they are not real. If such idle activities have a place, it cannot be for a considerable length of time.

So, I ask again, how shrewd are you? What are you preparing yourself for? You do not know what will happen tomorrow, let alone next week, or in 5 years. You can plan so that you give your family the best opportunity to have a roof over their heads and food in their stomachs, but you should not be anxious over these things. They are auxiliary. What you know for certain is that death will come. So long as Christ waits to return, death will come. That is the certainty of the future. What are you doing to prepare for death?

You can select a funeral package at Bross and Spidle and you can begin making payments, but these too are auxiliary. What about eternity? With the time that you have been given, are you preparing yourself to walk further away from Christ, staring at your smartphone, your favorite 24-hour news station, and chatting on social media? It is very easy to use the settings on your phone to see just how much time you spend looking at it and even which apps are demanding your attention. Or are you making for yourself friends by unrighteous mammon?[6]

“Unrighteous” in this case does not mean “evil” but rather “that which cannot save you.” Are you using your time, talent, and treasure to build up the Church—both the building and those called by God to gather around His Word and Sacraments? Every possession in this world is mammon, it is unrighteous because it cannot save you. But all mammon can certainly damn you. It is dangerous. All earthly possessions are dangerous because they so easily become idols. Thanks be to God He has given to His children the Holy Ghost, by which we are made wise. We are wise as serpents and innocent as doves.[7]

The unbelieving world hates God; hates Christ; and hates Christians. Persecution is on our doorstep. Are you shrewd enough to handle it? Or will you fold when you get sick, when your neighbor gets sick, or the government tells you to stay away from Church? Are you preparing for a long, comfortable life on this side of glory or an eternal life with Christ? Are you willing to endure the short fires of suffering in this life to avoid the eternal fire of hell or is such delayed reward too much for you to endure?

This is the lesson of the Shrewd Steward. You have been given such wonderful gifts of God. You have been given the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. You are an eternal being, created by God to endure forever. Prepare yourself for eternal life with Christ by using the temporal gifts you have been given in the ways that God has commanded. Serve God and your neighbor by forgiving each other, covering the sins of your brother, walking alongside the erring and the weak, and by devoting your time, efforts, and treasure to the work of the Church.

This is what it is to be a shrewd Christian. Learn from the actions of the Shrewd unbelievers but do not work toward their goals. Use their dogged determination toward the goal which you have already been promised, lest you should lose that eternal reward. ‘What is the world to you, with all its vaunted pleasure; when Christ and Christ alone is your treasure! The world seeks praise and wealth—all that mammon offers—yet it is never content, though gold fill all its coffers. Jesus is your treasure, your life, your health, your wealth, your friend, your love your pleasure, your joy, your crown, your all, your bliss eternally. Once more, then, declare, what is the world to you?’[8] You have Jesus.  

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] Genesis 50:20.

[2] St. Luke 16:8.

[3] St. Matthew 6:25-34.

[4] St. John 14:1-3.

[5] St. Luke 16:22; Hebrews 12:22-24.

[6] St. Luke 16:9.

[7] St. Matthew 10:16.

[8] A summary of “What is the World to Me,” Lutheran Service Book #730. Text is public domain.