Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday (Quadragesima) – March 5, 2025

Psalm 57; Joel 2:12-19; 1 John 1:5-9

St. Matthew 6:1-21

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

The middle portion of our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the sixth chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel, primarily concerns the spiritual disciplines of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. These disciplines were not something new at the time of Christ. They have been in use by Christians since the beginning of time and have endured right up until the present.

Almsgiving is works of charity toward your fellow man. This can include giving money to those in need or charities dedicated to the same. It can also include giving of your time, talents, or even your presence. In our digital age, the best gift you can give someone is often your presence. Taking someone out to lunch; having a conversation beyond comments on the weather or current events; showing interest in something important to another person are all examples of giving one of your resources (time and presence) to another. Such alms are in great need today. That is not to say that financial gifts are unimportant. Offering to pay a burdensome bill brings great relief to someone struggling with his finances, lifting not only a financial burden but the weight of debt from his conscience.

Prayer is conversing with God. It is a conversation initiated by God in His word and continued by our response. Prayer takes two forms – private and corporate. Your private prayers are those offered between you and God, a time to thank and praise God for the many blessings He has bestowed on you as well as an opportunity to ask Him for aid, comfort, forgiveness, strength, peace of mind, and even temporal things that you need or desire. If God is your Father, then He wants you to talk to Him. He has promised to hear the prayers of His dear children and to answer them.

Corporate prayer is what we are doing here this evening. It is the gathering of the saints to collectively call upon God for forgiveness and blessing, as well as give Him thanks. The corporate prayers of the Church are not heard more clearly by God, as though more voices make our prayers louder and thus more powerful before the Almighty God. But it does serve to show that when we call upon our Father, we do it as a corporate body, not just alone and in our closets. The corporate prayers of the Church are the time when we join our voices together into one Body, the Body of Christ, and lift up our voices as one, uniting our petitions and praise, so that we speak as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Fasting is the deliberate choice not to make use of certain temporal goods. Historically, Christians have chosen to fast from foods that are not sinful in themselves. Most commonly, this was meat, though the specifics have been different at different times and places. By choosing to fast from something that is, on its own, good, a Christian reminds himself that he does not live by bread, or meat, alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.[1] It puts the Christian in mind of the One who provides every good thing for our life – temporal and spiritual.

In more recent times, it has become customary for Christians to fast from something other than food. This is the practice of “giving something up for Lent.” Some people stay off social media for Lent. Others fast from alcohol, television, or foods that aren’t good for you in the first place, like sweets, soda, or fast food. This type of fast generally recognizes that these things aren’t good for you in the first place and Lent is a good time to practice living without them. This can be a good way to rid yourself of a bad habit. The danger in this type of fast is that once Lent is done, will you continue to fast from something that is harming you? Or will you go right back to knowingly damaging your body by over-indulging? My advice would be to completely fast from such things during Lent and then either continue that fast for the rest of your life or return to using these things but only in strict moderation.

Our Lord’s words about these spiritual disciplines are not so much concerned with what they are but how they are practiced. He assumes that everyone who hears His words knows what these practices are and is already engaging in them. He is concerned about how and why these disciplines are used by Christians.

Some are tempted to think of these spiritual disciplines as meant to induce a type of suffering in the Christian. You give to the poor so that you would know what it is to lack. You spend additional time in prayer so that you have less time to do earthly things. You fast so that you feel pain in your belly and are reminded of the suffering of Christ, who fasted 40 days in the wilderness and suffered thirst on the cross.

This idea of discipline to induce suffering is wrong. Christ has promised that Christians will suffer in this world and St. Paul has much to say about suffering but neither commands nor commends self-chosen suffering. We welcome suffering as the just punishment of our sins, but we do not choose to actively suffer. That would be the same error as recognizing the longing of the Christian to be free from the sins of this world and be with Christ by actively seeking martyrdom.

Rather, the proper use of spiritual disciplines is for the training of our bodies and souls. It is for bringing the body into subjection and aligning our souls with the Word of God. Some have even spoken of them as tools or weapons against temptation, sin, and the devil.

Almsgiving works against temptations toward greed. It is our weapon against the world. Almsgiving reminds you that everything you possess in this world belongs not to you but to God, and that you have only been placed as the steward over it for a time. It also puts you in mind of your fellow man, bringing his needs to your mind. By this, you are reminded of just how many blessings God has given to you and the joy it is to share those blessings with others.

Prayer works against temptations toward self-reliance. It is our weapon against the devil. In our war against satan, we are lost on our own. We must call upon our King to win the victory for us. He holds the field forever and slays the ancient dragon with one little Word. Prayer, when combined with the study of God’s Word, molds your thoughts and desires to conform to the will of God. Spending time in God’s Word and in prayer will quickly make you realize that many of the things you think important simply aren’t.

Fasting works against temptations toward gluttony and pleasure. It is our weapon against the flesh. The Old Adam clings to our flesh and craftily subverts our faith. Yet our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God.[2] Our Lord has given us the task of bringing our bodies under subjection, that is, making use of our body to the glory of God.[3] Fasting, like the other disciplines, should be thought of as training. It is training your body to act and respond according to faith rather than according to base instinct or desire. Man is composed of body and soul. Physical disciplines impact and are impacted by our souls. The two ought to work in harmony and fasting is a tool for strengthening that connection.

Our Lord’s warning in the use of these spiritual disciplines is against hypocrisy. The world generally thinks of hypocrisy as ‘saying one thing but doing something contrary.’ The Scriptures speak of hypocrisy as confessing, or saying, one thing but believing something contrary. Any good work, any pious action, comes with the danger of hypocrisy. Our Lord points to using any of these spiritual disciplines for the purpose of gaining the attention of man as hypocrisy. He says that those who give alms, pray, or fast for the attention of man receive temporal rewards for their actions but in so doing, have forfeited their eternal rewards. That is to say, they have gained the recognition of man, but they have lost their faith; they have lost their eternal salvation by seeking great temporal rewards.

Don’t think this doesn’t apply to you. It does. As I said, every good work comes with the danger of hypocrisy. The more powerful the act, the greater the danger. The devil, the world, and our own flesh are crafty. They seek to chip away at your faith, piece by piece. Choose to fast from social media and soon you will think that anyone who uses it isn’t a real Christian. Attend every additional service throughout the year and soon someone who doesn’t seems like a heathen. Receive a letter of recognition or an award for a donation to a charity and soon giving to others becomes a means of fame and glory.

The same can be said of ceremonies in the Church. Although we are gathered late in the evening, there is still a temptation to show the world the ashes on your head, not to confess what you believe, but so that the world will see ‘how good a Christian you are.’ The temptation to hypocrisy shouldn’t stop you from engaging in these disciplines. Our Lord has highly commended them to you as good and useful for the strengthening of your body and soul. But the warning persists. Do not make a weapon of faith into a tool of the devil.

These spiritual disciplines, these weapons against the world, the devil, and our flesh, will never win victory over them. Christ is not outlining a way to salvation such that as long as you follow these evangelical counsels, you will save yourself. He is arming you for battle in the war He has already won. As we prayed in the collect this evening, “Almighty and everlasting God, who hates nothing that You have made, and forgives the sins of all those who are penitent; create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of You, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness.”

Christ has perfectly kept the Law. He has perfectly given alms to the world, prayed to the Father on your behalf, and fasted from all pleasures of the world to fulfill the Law of God. He has submitted to the wrath of God so that you would be spared. We cry out to the God who fulfills His purpose for us. He was sent from heaven to save you, sending out His steadfast love and faithfulness.[4] It is for Christ’s victory over death and hell that we prepare to celebrate.

The spiritual disciplines of alms, prayer, and fasting are for the strengthening of your body and soul to face the dangers still present in this world. While they do not merit salvation, they do embolden your faith for the trials and sufferings of this world. Christ has not, and will not, deal with us according to our sins because He has forgiven the sins of all those of a penitent and contrite heart.[5] In giving thanks to Christ, we utilize these spiritual weapons that we might care for the very bodies and souls which He has redeemed.

As we begin our walk through the cross and to the Resurrection, carefully consider how you will prepare. Prepare your hearts and minds through God’s Word. Examine your conscience that you might find relief in the forgiveness of sins. Give alms, pray, and fast in the joyful knowledge that the war is over, even though there are still battles ahead.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3.

[2] Psalm 139:14.

[3] 1 Corinthians 9:27.

[4] Psalm 57:2-3.

[5] Psalm 103:10.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday (Quadragesima) – February 14, 2024

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.

It might seem like our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount is driving toward a simple lesson – a good work done with sincerity is better than a good work done for selfish gain. If that was the case, then Jesus wouldn’t be telling you anything different than any other religion in the world. The Buddha, Mohammed, and Oprah all have access to this teaching. They will all teach you that to give to the poor with a sincere heart is better for the poor man and for you than giving for tax breaks or even for recognition from others. At some point, we’ve all been told that we should do nice things for other people because it makes you feel good.

 They aren’t wrong on this point. Jesus even confirms this teaching is true when He says, “Assuredly, I say to you, they [the hypocrites] have their reward.”[1] He is saying that those who do good works—with or without faith—receive a reward. That reward might be prestige among men. Maybe they will be given an award by the local Chamber of Commerce for going above and beyond their civic duty. Maybe they will be given a large tax refund for their generosity. Maybe they will be given a good reputation by the community in recognition of their good actions. Any kind of objectively good work will receive a reward.

But these rewards are temporal. They are fleeting. They are insignificant when compared to the scale of eternity. If the goal of good works is not rewards and if our Lord is not focused on the sincerity of our works, then what is the role of Good Works in the life of the Christian? What is the main idea of our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount?

In the first place, it is that good works cannot save you. Your works of the Law do not contribute to your salvation. For most of you, this is not a shocking statement. By your working of the Law, you do not gain salvation. By your agreeing to the Law, you do not gain salvation.

There is a crass rejection of the Law of God by which man would create good works of his own choosing. In Martin Luther’s hymn summarizing Psalm 12, he places these words in the mouths of false teachers, “Now, where is he [God], that shall our speech forbid us? By right or might we shall prevail; What we determine cannot fail; We own no lord and master.”[2] Those who would rebel against the very Law written on their hearts deny the right of any authority higher than themselves. “Who would dare to curb our speech? Who would dare tell us we cannot say whatever we want? We will destroy our enemies by asserting our rights and if that doesn’t work, we will use force. No one, not God or man, will be lord or master over us.”

Those who hold to this autonomy seek to create a law of their own choosing. They believe that by living according to their own standards—standards which are inconsistent and move about according to every wind of emotion, hormonal imbalance, and change in the culture—they will be saved. What they will be saved from or who determines what that salvation entails is always vague. It is vague because they are striving against anything objective, anything outside of themselves. It is like someone trying to create their own universe without basing it on God and His creation. The result will either be unintelligible or a vain imitation of that thing they sought to avoid.

It should be obvious that salvation is not gained through such self-made works that seek to avoid God at all costs. There is another type of good work, that which aligns with Natural Law. Natural Law is the order of creation, the “plan” which God has woven into the very fabric of reality. This is the Law written on man’s heart. By nature alone—that is, by Creation alone—human beings can deduce what it means to live virtuously. We can determine what aligns with the order of the world and what does not.

Externally, the works of the repentant Christian and the rank unbeliever might look the same. Both might give alms to the poor, fast from meat, or strive for virtuous living. These look the same because of Creation. Whether Christian or not, man is created by God. Man has been created by God according to His order. Within this order, there are objective truths that must be followed in the world. One does not need to be a Christian to recognize that a man is a man no matter what clothes he wears or the number of surgeries he uses to mangle his body.

There is value in works according to Natural Law. These at least recognize the created order such that there is such thing as objective truth and reality. Conversation can be had regarding virtue and whether one course of action is better than another. Recognition of Natural Law means it can be determined that murdering babies in the womb is wicked while raising children to care for others is virtuous.

But even works according to Natural Law will not save you. Being a “good person” by outward standards is still lacking in the sight of God. A parent should raise children to be virtuous, but the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord. Teaching a child to share or respect his elders is good but it will not save his soul. If that is the bottom line of parenting, then you are raising whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but dead on the inside.

Which raises a third type of good works by which you cannot be saved. Even good works done according to the Word of God will not save you. Remember, the Pharisees were the “good guys” of the first century. They were the example of godly living. They were the example of civic duty and good works toward man. They were the example of biblical scholarship, knowledge, and wisdom. And yet, they too, were whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but dead on the inside.

Even today, you can find those who speak of our works providing consolation to Christ, as though He is pained by our sins and needs us to feed a homeless man for Him to feel better. There is a strain of Christian false teaching that would have you believe that Jesus is held captive to your works—good works mean relief for Him while sins mean Him greater harm. While it is true that Christ rejoices over our faithfulness and mourns our sins, His suffering and death are done and over. We do not provide comfort and consolation to Jesus. He is our comfort. He is our consolation.

The hypocrites who feature in this section of the Sermon on the Mount are striving to keep the Law of God. They are giving to the poor, praying, and fasting. While Jesus highlights that they are doing these things to be seen by men, He does not leave out the possibility that they are also doing them to please God. It is entirely possible that they are sincerely trying to please God by following His Law while simultaneously hoping to be noticed by their fellow man. Even these works of the Law will not save them. They have their rewards on this side of glory.

Searching the Scriptures, even the New Testament, to find the admonitions to godly living and then living in this way, hoping that by them you will be saved, is a futile endeavor. Praying in secret, for your Father hears in secret, will not save you. Laying up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, will not save you.

Then what’s the point? Is Jesus crossing His fingers behind His back when He tells you to give alms, pray, fast, and lay up treasures in heaven? Is it all an act? Is it an elaborate illustration to say that everything you do is futile, or that it doesn’t matter what you do because it will be stained with sin and will gain you no reward?

Of course not. The admonitions of Christ are just as sincere as His promises of rewards in heaven. Even the promise of temporal rewards is sincere. Doing a good work for your neighbor does make you feel good, even if that feeling is fleeting and not the goal of your work. Recognition from the community is a reward, even if it is fleeting and not the goal of your work.

The goal of your work is to grow in Christ. The goal of your work is to shine forth the light which has been placed in you by Christ. These works flow from faith. You are a new creature, recreated in Christ through Holy Baptism. This change is true and sincere even if it is not something you feel or understand. It is sincere because God has said it is. It is an objective fact that you cannot deny or prove. And rather than try to prove it, you should rejoice in it! You are baptized into Christ, and this means you are free from the tyranny of the Law.

Having been freed from the tyranny of the Law, you are now free to revel in it. You are free to observe it because it too is spoken by God. Your good works are now fully in accord with Natural Law because they recognize that God is the head of creation. Man is man and woman is woman not just because they are made that way, but because it is God who has made them this way. These are not works of your own choosing, as though you need to design something to please God. They are according to your station in life. They are according to the gifts God has given you. They are the necessary consequence of your new life in Christ.

This freedom reveals another purpose, another use of God’s Law. It is now a tool for you to use to train and restrain your flesh. You are a new creature but the Old Adam clings to your flesh. You know what it is to live without God and the consequences of such life. That knowledge is terrifying because by it, you know how easy it is to fall into temptation. You know how quickly you can go from faithful to faithless.

Thanks be to God that He has not left you to your own devices. It is not up to you to figure out how to live or how to “console” Christ. He has given you the tools for restraining your flesh; for training in righteousness; for focusing your eyes on Him and Him alone.

First and foremost is repentance. The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart. He desires that you would examine your conscience and root out the desires for sin. Such contrition does not make you holy in itself, but it is the upkeep for those desiring to follow Christ. Examining your conscience and repenting of your sins is not a pleasant activity but neither is exercise. To build muscle, you must tear muscle. By doing this, you are growing stronger and more resilient. So too, by examining your conscience, you are learning to grow in righteousness.

Other physical and spiritual disciplines then become tools to support your repentance and faith. Christ especially mentions almsgiving, prayer, and fasting as particularly helpful disciplines. Almsgiving is our weapon against the world and temptations to worldliness. Fasting is our weapon against the flesh and the desires of the flesh. Prayer is our weapon against the devil and all his works and all his ways.

Good works according to your station in life also serve as tools against sin. Fulfilling your responsibility to feed, clothe, nurture, and teach your children leaves little time for sins of idleness. Serving your brothers and sisters in Christ through diligent volunteering in the congregation will prevent sinful gossip and speculation as you become directly involved in the life of the Church.

As we enter the Lenten season, do not fall for the lies that your works do not matter before God. Nor the lie that you are helplessly captive to your sinful nature or that asking “Being justified, how now should I live” is only a question of the Old Adam. You are a baptized child of God and that means something. It means that you have been set free from the tyranny of the Law and invited by the Holy Ghost to participate in the righteousness of God. I say participate in that it is a solemn and joyful duty of every Christian to live according to the Word of God. You have marching orders that no one else in creation has because you are of the household of faith.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Matthew 6:2.

[2] O Lord, Look Down from Heaven, Behold, TLH 260, stanza 3.

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. 

The Fourth Sunday after Trinity

The Fourth Sunday after Trinity – July 10, 2022

Psalm 27; Genesis 50:15-21; Romans 8:18-23

St. Luke 6:36-42

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

Today’s portion of the Sermon on the Plain presents the climax of the Sermon. Jesus speaks to His disciples concerning the way they are to live—that is, how they are to imitate God. Today, we will view this text as four discreet sayings of Jesus, and then unite them in a conclusion.[1]

1. “Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” This word for “merciful” is very rare in the New Testament. It is not the request of the beggar when a powerful man comes riding into town. It is also not the word we repeat at the beginning of every Divine Service, “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.” Rather, this word is primarily influenced by the Old Testament. It is the word used in describing God who is “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”[2]

This mercy is a description of God. The simplest definition of mercy is not giving someone the punishment he deserves. The mercy in today’s reading describes first the emotion of grief or sorrow at the misfortune or death of a man and then the sympathetic movement of one’s heart to help the one in need. God not only refrains from the punishment due to man in the Fall, but He is moved by love to take on the flesh of man. In this way, He can sympathize with our low estate. This sympathy moves Him to do something about our deathly condition. He joins Himself to us such that He takes on our punishment. He sees His own righteousness and delivers it to sinful man. The God who cares for the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, sympathizes with man, and dies for him.

This is the mercy we are called to show to our fellow man and the mercy we are so terribly at showing. There is certainly generosity and kindness in the world but there is far more hatred and spite. Friendships built over decades often grow cold in an instant. Marriages that outwardly appear strong are torn apart in one night of careless anger. Human nature is not only incapable of expressing such divine mercy—it is hostile to it.

Even for the Christian, this is difficult. Think about how hard it is for someone to please you but how easily you are offended. Or how many times you expect your wife to read your mind and how quickly you are angry when she can’t. This is not mercy. It is spite, vindictiveness, and cruelty.

2. “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” These commands of Jesus are among the most misunderstood words of Holy Scripture to be found. Much like being merciful, Christ is calling us to imitate our Heavenly Father in these commands, but He is not calling us to imitate Him to the same divine degree. Put another way, do not judge the eternal fate of others and your eternal fate will not be judged. Do not condemn the eternal soul of others and your eternal soul will not be condemned. Forgive others their trespasses against you, and you too will be forgiven.

These commands are against making claims to the eternal fate of others. They are not commands against judgments and condemnations of those actions and beliefs God has judged and condemned in His Word. Rather, it is a call to remember that vengeance belongs to the Lord, not to you. Calling on your Heavenly Father to damn a man He has bled and died for just because you are angry with him is a terrible blasphemy. Such rage and spite are easy for the perverse human nature, but it will do nothing but harm your own soul. Giving in to the temptation to wish the damnation of your neighbor is giving in to Satan and slapping Jesus in the face.

But there is a strange comfort in these words as well. No matter the condition of the world; no matter the hatred shown to you and the church by the city, state, or even your relatives; no matter the harm that has come to you on account of your faith—God will have vengeance. It is not your duty to determine the eternal fate of your neighbor. It is not even your duty to determine the eternal fate of your children. That is the duty of God alone.

What is given to you is to forgive. Forgive those who persecute you and turn the other cheek such that you would imitate the God who died for you. Such forgiveness is not what grants you salvation, but it is a necessary consequence of your salvation. When you forgive, you know that you have been forgiven.

If you struggle to forgive, pray for the strength to forgive and know that even the desire to forgive is a holy thing. The struggle you feel is the struggle between the Holy Ghost and your Old Adam. This struggle will last until you draw your final breath on this side of glory. If you had no desire to forgive, Satan and your Old Adam would have already won the struggle. There would be no conflict.

3. “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” There are so many temptations in our age that it is difficult to name the greatest. We live in such prosperity it is almost insufficient to call material wealth and possessions a temptation. Rather, materialism is our default position. The frustration and difficulties we experience when the electricity goes out, the internet slows to a crawl, or the AC breaks down reveal how fragile we are.

It is this fragility that leads us to trust in material things. If we know that our electricity is prone to going out once or twice a year, it is more important to have a generator or two than to learn how to live without electricity. Internet slow? Better increase the speed (and the bill) rather than use it less. I’m using somewhat frivolous examples of modern conveniences, but the Holy Ghost who dwells within you is smart enough to find the deeper temptations of your heart—those fears you hold higher than God which prevent you from giving freely.

As for the measure, you must understand that Christ is promising to give you an unfair measure. He is promising to pack it down and overflow the cup which He will give to you. He is also comparing this to the measure which you use to give to one another. This giving is not strictly financial. In fact, it could apply to everything that has come before—mercy, compassion, patience, and forgiveness, as well as material giving. There are many in need in our world, all you have to do is open your eyes to find them. It is also entirely possible to give to someone who is not impoverished but who could use a gift—a gift of sentiment, forgiveness, patience, or mercy.

4. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” This parable is clearly hyperbolic but is not difficult to understand. Before claiming to judge the faults of your brother or sister in Christ, reflect upon your own faults. Beg for the mercy and forgiveness of God before you beg the repentance of your neighbor.

Very rarely do I use personal examples in sermons, but when my Beloved and I were going through pre-marital classes with our pastor, he told us that the worst fights in marriage occur when you are thinking about how she hurt you. This is the single greatest piece of advice we have ever received, and it is rooted in this parable. Before accusing your husband of being lazy because his shoes are in the middle of the floor, remember that you left the dishes until morning because you were tired last night. Then, remind him to put his shoes away because you both desire a tidy home.

The parable does not forbid calling your brother to repentance. Rather, it teaches us to first repent of our own sins that we might see the sin of our brother clearly and call him to repentance in love and mercy. It is a loving act to call someone to repentance because it means you are concerned over his eternal soul. Such a call to repentance is not to be made in a moment of anger or frustration but should be done in love. Therefore, you must first examine your own conscience. You must recognize that you are a sinner in need of forgiveness.

5. “Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” There is no mistaking that today’s text is full of God’s Holy Law, that is, God’s eternal Will for our lives. Christ is instructing all who would be His disciples. This instruction necessarily carries with it the accusation that you do not live up to this standard. You are not and will never be as merciful as your Heavenly Father on this side of glory and yet that is the standard to which you have been called.

Throughout history, many have seen this as unfair. Such a conclusion leads to either disregarding God’s Law as unimportant or unnecessary. Others have concluded that God would never command something we are incapable of doing, leading to a belief that man must work his way to salvation.

The truth of the Scriptures is neither. The truth is that you have been called to become merciful, to become holy just as your heavenly Father is merciful and holy. This is done first in recognizing that you are not merciful or holy. You cannot be merciful and holy on your own. You must recognize your inadequacy before God. This is repentance. You must first receive the mercy and holiness of God. You must first receive Jesus and the sacrifice He has made in your place.

Then, you must submit to the will of the Father. By this I mean you must recognize that God’s ways are not your own, but they are in fact better than your own. Seeing the fault in your own flesh, desire and seek the mercy and holiness that reside in the Father. By the presence of the Holy Ghost, strive to imitate your Heavenly Father not to earn salvation but because of salvation. Repent of your own sins and then call your brother to repentance so that he too might enjoy eternal life.

Claiming to be Christian in word but not deed is not enough for salvation. The heart of merciful flesh transplanted for the stony heart of your birth must change the way you think, act, and feel. This is the Christian life. It is the life of all who would be saved. It is the life of the Baptized. It is your life. It is the glorious life you have been called to live in the presence of the Holy One of Israel.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] This five-fold division is inspired by Joseph August Seiss, Lectures on the Gospels for the Sundays and Chief Festivals of the Church Year, Vol. 2, 3^rd edition (Philadelphia: Lutheran Bookstore, 1888), 743-754.

[2] Exodus 34:6; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Psalm 86:15; 103:8; 145:8.