The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity – September 15, 2024

Psalm 86; 1 Kings 17:17-24; Ephesians 3:13-21

St. Luke 7:11-17

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

The Scriptures speak of three deaths and in turn, our Lord, Jesus Christ, rescues from each of these deaths with resurrection. First, there is temporal death. This is the separation of body and soul. It is the death that we tend to think of, and fear, most. It is the moment when the body ceases to breathe and the soul is separated for a time.

This death comes for all—believers and unbelievers—on account of original sin and the sin which clings to the flesh. Until Christ reveals Himself on the Last Day, everyone experiences temporal death. However, for the unbeliever, this is a terrifying step into the unknown. It is the closing of the eyes to this world and a frightful step into something of which they cannot conceive.

For the Christian, temporal death is a frightening thing until one realizes that Christ has made death a portal. His death has removed the sting of death.[1] We still endure death because of the corrupt nature of our flesh, wrought by sin. This corruptible must put on the incorruptible; the dishonorable must put on the honorable; the weak and natural must put on the powerful and spiritual.[2] We do not face death unknowingly. We know what lies on the other side of temporal death. The holy angels descend to guide our soul to the bosom of Abraham, that is, to the side of Christ.[3] The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has made temporal death a sleep for those who die in Christ because “He who believes in Jesus, though he may die, he shall life. And whoever lives and believes in Jesus shall never die.”[4]

Secondly, there is spiritual death. Spiritual death is separation from God, when the unrepentant and unbelieving are alienated by willful sins from “the life which is of God.”[5] The prodigal son “was dead” in his sinning in the foreign land.[6] All are born dead in your trespasses.[7] Those who are alive in Christ, that is, who have an active and living faith, are still sinners and certainly still sin. However, their faith leads them to hate their sin and desire to be free from it. These holy ones, these Christians, are spiritually alive. Those who are spiritually dead are those who willfully sin against God. They are unrepentant and unbelieving. All mankind is born spiritually dead. We are not born ignorant of God or His holy law. We are born opposed to it; striving against it; and hating God.

And so long as we draw breath on this side of glory, all Christians are tempted to such spiritual death. We are tempted to willfully cast aside God’s Law and His Holy Gospel. We are tempted to cast aside the Savior who bled and died for us. We are tempted to treat His Holy sacrifice as cheap and turn instead toward the indulgence of our flesh. Willful sinning is knowing what God’s Law is and choosing to do the opposite—whether you think it doesn’t matter because “God will just forgive you” or because you don’t believe God is serious. Such willful sinning leads to unrepentance because it isn’t worth repenting of sin that you don’t take seriously.

Finally, there is eternal death. Eternal death is the death awaiting those who are spiritually dead. This is eternal damnation, where the spiritually dead will be eternally separated from God, who is life. This death has two parts. First, there is the suffering of the soul immediately after death. Then, this suffering is intensified when, in the resurrection of all the dead, those eternally damned souls are reunited with their bodies to suffer for all eternity in body and soul.[8]

In Christ, there is life.[9] This Life has promised to rescue in each of the three kinds of death. In Hosea 13, Jesus says, “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction!”[10] He ransoms, rescues, redeems in the three kinds of death by means of giving life, that is, through resurrection.

Scripture is quite clear that temporal death is the least of the deaths in that it is temporary for everyone. It is still a consequence of sin, but it is the least deadly. Christ’s rescue from temporal death is the physical resurrection of all flesh on the last day. All who are in their graves “…will hear the voice of the Son of God…and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”[11]

Also, to combat this temporal death, Jesus has given His Word, the words of Holy Scripture. These words are given to be used during this temporal life for the instruction, rebuke, warning, exhortation, and consolation of man.[12] These words prepare the soul for temporal death, that the hour of death might be met in peace and joy, strengthened by the Holy Spirit by the Word of God.

From the second death, spiritual death, by which the unrepentant and unbelieving are separated by willful sins from the life found in God alone, we are also rescued by Christ. Because we are born in our sin, we are sinners by birth, and original sin clings to our flesh, we are as good as the dead young man in the reading. He didn’t cry out to Jesus for help. He didn’t accept Jesus into his heart. He didn’t choose Jesus over other gods. Such acts of man’s will to turn toward God are the teaching of the Arminian churches, such as the Methodist Church. They teach that man is born with the power to choose God for Himself. That man was never truly dead in trespasses and sins, only seriously ill. But the Scriptures are clear. The young man of Nain was dead; dead in his trespasses and sins, just as everyone is born spiritually dead and incapable of acting, willing, or choosing to be saved.

The faith given to man is absolutely God’s work alone, just as the resurrection of this young man was the work of Jesus Christ alone. His physical resurrection is a picture of your spiritual resurrection. Just as the young man is raised by the words of Jesus, “Young man, I say to you, arise,” so too your faith is given to you by the Word of God. God works through the means of His Words and those words combined with physical elements in the Holy Sacraments to work faith in you. This faith then receives and clings to the forgiveness won by Jesus Christ on the cross.

This faith receives the benefit of the action of Jesus to deliver you from spiritual death. His death paid the penalty that you owed to God for your state as a sinner. Before you ever took a sinful thought, word, or deed, you had already willfully turned your back on God. Your soul was already spiritually dead and turned against God. The penalty for this sin is death and it is this penalty that the death of Jesus has paid. And so, the resurrection of your soul from spiritual death is entirely the work of God so that you would receive the benefit of the broken and shed Body and Blood of Jesus.

Spiritual death is perhaps the most concerning of the three deaths because it is like a ticking time-bomb. All men are born spiritually dead. Once you experience temporal death, the opportunity for the Word of God to work in your heart has ended and your eternal fate is decided. It is during your temporal life, during your life on this side of glory that the Word of God has the opportunity to work faith in you as well as for you to willfully turn your back on God and return to the filth of your sin. That is why it is essential to be in church every Sunday and every opportunity throughout the week; to read the bible every day; to begin and end each day with the Word of God and prayer; and to focus your life on Christ—that His death and resurrection would be the most important thing in this world for you because it is the most important thing in this world and the next.

Our Lord has also delivered us from the third death, eternal death. He has done this by providing everything we need to endure in the faith until the last day. He died to pay the penalty of our sins, but He rose the third day that we might have life and life to the fullest. He rose for our justification, that we would be declared righteous before the Father.[13] Our penalty is paid, and we are made sons of the heavenly Father, sons who will inherit His everlasting kingdom.[14] This is yours by faith, for it is a promise that you cannot see at this time. It is a promise made by God to all who believe, who hold the faith once delivered by the Holy Spirit and preached week in and week out from this pulpit.[15]

Christ rescues from eternal death by means of resurrection to eternal life. In the resurrection on the last day, you will not be tempted to sin. You will not be inclined toward sin. You won’t even be interested in sin. If that were the case, then it wouldn’t be eternal life. It would be temporary life. Eternal life means you are free from sin in every way. You will not endure sin and you won’t win. Rather, you will be in perfect bliss to enjoy the glory of God in a way not even the angels have been given to understand. You will be in perfect bliss with all the saints who have gone before and who are yet to be baptized. You will know God and see Him with your own eyes.[16]

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

---

[1] 1 Corinthians 15:55.

[2] 1 Corinthians 15:42-44.

[3] St. Luke 16:22; 23:43.

[4] St. John 11:25-26.

[5] Ephesians 4:18.

[6] St. Luke 15:32.

[7] Colossians 2:13.

[8] St. John 5:25-29.

[9] Colossians 3:4; St. John 1:4.

[10] Hosea 13:14.

[11] St. John 5:25-29.

[12] 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 15:4.

[13] Romans 4:25.

[14] Galatians 3:7, 26; 4:1-7; Ephesians 1:5.

[15] Jude 1:3.

[16] Job 19:27.

The Eighth Sunday after Trinity

The Eighth Sunday after Trinity – July 21, 2024

Psalm 48; Jeremiah 23:16-29; Romans 8:12-17

St. Matthew 7:15-23

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

The phrase, “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” is often used to describe someone or something that outwardly appears good, helpful, pleasant, or beneficial, but turns out to be harmful, dangerous, painful, or evil. Such a common use of the phrase is good. It reminds us that Western society is founded on the words of Scripture. But the common use of this phrase is lacking the intensity with which our Lord first spoke it. The result of listening to these false prophets is not bad feelings, sadness, or even death. It is eternal death, condemnation in hell.

Pure doctrine is a matter of eternal life and eternal death. Just before the Gospel text for today, our Lord says, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”[1] This sets the stakes for dealing with wolves in sheep’s clothing.

When you stand before Jesus Christ on the final day, it will be your doctrine that is judged. You cannot blame your misunderstandings or false doctrines on your parents or pastors.[2] Those given the office of preacher will be judged more harshly for they are responsible for communicating the Word of God but that does not excuse the hearer.[3] You must stand and confess your faith on your own.[4] It is your responsibility to maintain the true faith once delivered to the saints.[5]

Pure doctrine is not just facts or words to be memorized. Pure doctrine is to come to know the God who created, redeemed, and sanctified you most intimately. Learning pure doctrine is drawing near to the God who took on your flesh to die for your sins. Knowing the Word of God is knowing that Word that is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

For this reason, it is necessary that all Christians know the doctrines of Scripture. It is necessary that all Christians be able to evaluate, or judge, the doctrine of your preacher. How do you do that? By comparing his doctrine and life to the Word of God. The fruits of the good tree and the evil tree are both the teachings and actions of the prophets. Does he teach the Word of God? Are his teachings in line with the teachings of Scripture? Or does he tell you what you want to hear?[6] Does he tell you what is comfortable instead of what God has stated? Does he let sin go unjudged or does he call you to repentance? Does he lead a life that brings honor to the office of Christ? Is he pious and living outwardly such that he is above reproach? Or does he preach against adultery while committing sexual acts with someone other than his wife?

Now, none of this is to be judged by how you think or feel, what is comfortable or novel. It is to be judged by the Word of God.[7] For this reason, it is necessary that the sheep know the voice of the Good Shepherd; that you know the Scriptures for it is they that testify of Christ.[8] Do you rely on “what you’ve always thought,” or “what you’ve always been told”? Or do you search the Scriptures, seeking wisdom and strength?[9]

This is a difficult task. It is an essential task, but it is a difficult one. It is made even more difficult because the false prophets, the wolves, wear sheep’s clothing.[10] These wolves do not wear undershepherd’s clothing, but they hide among the sheep. What does that mean? It means that the false prophet will often hide his false teachings and his wicked life as being common, being “just the way things are done.” He might claim, “well, the Scriptures say that only men are to teach in the church, but that isn’t true here; we’ve always had women read the lessons.”

Such false doctrine is most obvious in the mainline denominations today.[11] Look at how quickly denominations have capitulated not only to women’s ordination, but to accepting, blessing, and upholding homosexuality. A hundred years ago, very few in the church would’ve dreamed of talking about such degeneracy, let alone blessing it. A hundred years before that, and it would be common for preachers to speak of strict legal punishment for such sins because they harm our society, our families, and our children, even if we, ourselves, don’t participate.

“But pastor,” you might say, “are you saying that only Lutherans go to heaven?” By no means! There are Christians in every denomination who confesses the doctrines of Scripture.[12] The Church is not constituted by human organizations. The Church is wherever Christians gather to hear the Word of God taught in its truth and purity and to receive the Holy Sacraments rightly administered.[13] However, every false doctrine they believe is like a dead bug in your soup. Can you survive eating one dead bug? Probably. What about two? Three? Each false doctrine believed by a denomination adds to the filth of their teaching until the whole soup is ruined. Jesus said, “a little leaven leavens the whole lump.”[14]

“But pastor,” you might say again, “what if you are in one of those denominations (let’s say, the Methodists) but you don’t believe that false stuff. What then?” Thanks be to God you do not believe the false doctrines of the Methodists, but I would ask why you are still in fellowship with them? To be a member of a congregation is like being married to it.[15] If you are publicly married to one congregation but claim to believe differently, then you are secretly in bed with someone else, some other church. Make it right by joining yourself to the Church which teaching the purity of God’s Word.

What then are you to do, or what is a congregation to do, should you find yourself being led by a wolf in sheep’s clothing, a false prophet who is teaching evil doctrine or living a wicked life? The first thing to do is talk to him.[16] Call him to repentance. Make sure that in doing so, you are able to show him from the Scriptures where his error lies. Make sure it isn’t something that you just don’t like or are unhappy with. Which commandments is he breaking? Which doctrine is he violating? Where in Scripture is he wrong?

If he repents of his false doctrine, thanks be to God! You have won your brother from the fires of hell. Depending on the severity of the false doctrine or the manner in which it was taught, it is then incumbent upon him to publicly repent and teach the proper doctrine.

If he repents of wicked living, the matter is a bit more difficult. Was his sin something that disqualifies him from the Office of the Holy Ministry? If so, then the fruits of his repentance is to resign. If his sin was not to that degree, then again, rejoice for you have won your brother’s soul from hellfire.

If you show your pastor where he has clearly erred – in doctrine or life – and he refuses to repent, then take it to the elders of the congregation and possibly involve the Circuit Visitor. If he still refuses to repent, then it is necessary that the congregation remove him from the Office. This should never be taken lightly, nor should it be the goal of calling the pastor to repentance. Just as the goal of excommunication is the salvation of souls, so too the removal of pastors is for the repentance of sins.

How do you arm yourself to judge the doctrine of your pastor? Immerse yourself in the teachings of Scripture. Too daunting? Begin with the Small Catechism. It is the summary of all doctrine necessary for salvation. Begin there and with reading God’s Word. Read the Bible from beginning to end. Start with the Gospels, then the histories of the Old Testament, then the Epistles, and finally the prophets. Pray the Psalms and the Proverbs. Do this over and over again and you will be equipped with everything to need to judge doctrine.

“We have thought on Your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of Your temple. As Your name, O God, so Your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filed with righteousness.”[17]

In T Jesus’ name. Amen.

---

[1] St. Matthew 7:13-14.

[2] Ezekiel 33:1-11.

[3] James 3:1.

[4] Galatians 1:8.

[5] Jude 1:3.

[6] 2 Timothy 4:3.

[7] 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

[8] St. John 5:39.

[9] St. Matthew 22:29.

[10] St. Matthew 7:15.

[11] Ephesians 4:14.

[12] St. Luke 9:50.

[13] Ephesians 4:5-6; AC VII; SA XII.

[14] 1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9; St. Matthew 16:5-12.

[15] 2 Corinthians 6:14.

[16] St. Matthew 18:15-20. What follows is an outline of the teachings of this passage. It should be noted, though it was outside the scope of this sermon, that public sin (such as public teaching) does not always require private admonition. What is contained in this sermon assumes an existing relationship between the pastor and the parishioner.

[17] Psalm 48:9-10 (the antiphon to today’s introit).

The Second Last Sunday in the Church Year

The Second Last Sunday in the Church Year – November 13, 2022

Psalm 54; Daniel 7:9-14; 2 Peter 3:3-14

St. Matthew 25:31-46

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

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”[1] Faith is born in you, is created in you, by the hearing of the Word of God. This is not your own doing; it is the work and the will of the Holy Spirit. The act of hearing itself is not your work. Hearing is a passive, or receptive, activity. You hear when someone else speaks. You receive their words into your ears.

The reception of faith is then always connected with another person. We might call this the incarnational aspect of faith. Faith comes by hearing when the Word of God issues forth from the mouth of another human being. In this way, the Word of God becomes wrapped in flesh. Whether it is your mother singing to you in your nursery, your father reading the Scriptures to the family at night, or the public reading of the Holy Gospel by the ministers of God in the Divine Service, your faith was brought to you in the Word of God wrapped in the lips of another person.

The Bible is the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error. Yet in writing the Word of God, in its transmission, God saw fit to inspire holy men. God works through means. There is not an “Epistle of the Holy Spirit to the Church in Missouri.” Words did not miraculously appear on pages. The Son of God took on flesh, became incarnate, that He would physically die the death you deserve. After His physical resurrection but before His physical ascent into heaven, our Lord, Jesus Christ, breathed on His apostles.[2] He breathed the Holy Spirit upon them so that whoever hears them would hear Christ.[3] This is the Apostolic Doctrine once delivered to the saints.[4] This is the one faith into which we are all baptized.[5] It is the Word of God, and it is the Word of God delivered by means of fleshly mouths.

The propagation of the faith by the mouth of Christians to the ears of new Christians is how the Sheep are created. The Sheep are those who have received the Word of God in faith. Yet receiving the Word of God is not quite enough. The Word must take root. The Word must change the stony heart of the Goat into a fleshly heart of a Sheep. In fact, the Goats are surprised to be called such. They are surprised because they thought themselves to be Sheep. They thought their actions had proven the wool of their Sheep coats.

The difference between these two animals in the parable is the presence of faith. The Sheep and the Goats are separated based on what they are. One is a new creation, having received the Word of God in faith and growing into that Word accordingly. The other is the Old Creation. The Goats may have heard the Word of God, but it took no root in their hearts. The Goats may outwardly appear to be sheep but are little more than Goats in wool coats.

What does it mean, then, that faith take root in your heart? In this parable, it is presented as the works born of faith. The blossoming of faith is described as feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, housing the stranger, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and imprisoned. Associating the hungry, thirsty, stranger, etc., with Christ, Himself, tells us that the object of these good deeds is those who have brought the faith to you. It is the way in which the Sheep have treated their brothers and sisters in Christ. In a general sense, we can say the division of the Sheep and the Goats is based on the reaction each has shown to the hearing of the Word of God.

However, the Scriptures get more specific in this parable. Christ says, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”[6] When our Lord speaks of “His brethren,” it is a reference to the Apostles. More specifically, it is a reference to the Apostles when they are acting in the stead of Christ. So, while it is true that the division of the Sheep and the Goats speaks to your reaction to and treatment of the Church, this parable speaks specifically of your reaction to and treatment of the ministers of the Church.

Some of the actions listed are necessities. It is necessary that the ministers of the Church have food, drink, and clothing. It is not necessary for this life, that he be taken in when he is a stranger. It is not necessary that he be visited when he is sick. What this tells us is that Christ is speaking of more than meeting the basic needs of His ministers. He is speaking also of hospitality shown toward them.

In this light, we can see that the Sheep recognize the Office of the Holy Ministry to be the vocation of highest honor on this side of glory. They recognize the difficulties of the Office and that a man of flesh and blood must fill this Office. The Sheep also recognize that it is the ministers of Christ who bring to them the one thing needful – Jesus. The Office is honorable, difficult, to be respected, and mentioned in this parable not because of the men who fill it. The Office is honorable, difficult, and respectable because of who instituted this Office – Jesus.

On this side of glory, men are placed into the Office of Christ so that His Word would continue to work faith in the hearts of man. Men are placed into the Office of Christ so that His Body and Blood would continue to feed and sustain His church. Men are placed into the Office of Christ so that your sins would be forgiven through the Words of a human mouth—a human mouth in poor imitation of the lips of the One who died for your forgiveness.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

---

[1] Romans 10:17.

[2] St. John 20:21-23.

[3] St. Luke 10:16.

[4] Jude 1:3.

[5] Ephesians 4:4-6.

[6] St. Matthew 25:40. Emphasis added.