Populus Zion (Advent 2)

Populus Zion – December 7, 2025

Psalm 80; Malachi 4:1-6; Romans 15:4-13

St. Luke 21:25-36

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

The word “advent” means “coming.” Now the world treats this time as the “Christmas season,” by shopping for Christmas presents, holding Christmas parties, decorating houses, and making travel plans for the Christmas break from school and work. There is nothing wrong with participating in these things. We do live in the world even if we are not of the world. Yet the temptation is to become wrapped up in these activities of the world and to forget the purpose of the season of Advent.

Like the world, Christians use the time of Advent for preparation, but the way in which Christians prepare and the occasion Christians are preparing for are quite distinct from that of the world. During Advent, we reflect, contemplate, and prepare for the three ways in which Christ comes. First, He came in the flesh, born of the Virgin Mary. The eternal Son of God descended into the flesh of man, sharing in our humanity that we might receive His eternity. Second, He comes to us today, through the reading, preaching, and meditating on His Word. He also comes to us bodily in His Holy Sacrament. He comes in the mutual consolation of our Christian brothers and sisters, as they share with us His Holy Word. Finally, we look forward to His final coming, when Christ will reveal Himself to the nations, make His final judgment, and receive all who believe and are baptized into His loving arms for all eternity.

It is this final coming of Christ that Christ speaks of this morning in the Gospel and for which He bids us to prepare. While the world is preparing to celebrate family time at Christmas by buying presents, preparing meals, and making travel plans, the Church prepares to receive her King in the same way she has always prepared herself for God: by repentance.

When I speak of repentance, I don’t just mean reciting the words of the general confession once a week, “I, a poor miserable sinner…” though that is a good start. I mean taking a serious reflection of your heart, actions, mind, and soul. Consider your station in life according to the Ten Commandments, whether you are a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, or worker; whether you have been disobedient, unfaithful, slothful; whether you have grieved any person by word or deed; whether you have stolen, neglected, or wasted anything, or done other injury.[1] Have you placed your fear, love, and trust in God above all things or have you feared the opinions of people or the economy more than trusting that God loves you and will provide?

Our age is filled both with security in material goods and anxiety over every aspect of life. On the one hand, we look to our stuff to feel secure and happy while constantly worrying about the opinions of others, how we measure up to their expectations. This security and anxiety are both misguided because they entirely remove God from the equation. Our security is in Him, who created and sustains all things in the universe. Our anxiety only runs skin deep, though we feel it deep in our soul. This anxiety forgets that the same God who created and sustains the universe also descended into our flesh for the very purpose of taking our cares, anxieties, and most importantly our sins, upon Himself and crucifying them. He bore your sins into death so that they would remain in the grave forever.

Both the security and anxiety of our age is also misguided because it fails to reach into the root of the problem: our sinful state. The problem is not that we don’t have enough to be secure or that we feel bad about ourselves. The problem is that these are sins against the Almighty God. They are the actions of sinners who have forgotten what the Lord has commanded. Only by a serious contemplation of the Word of God can sin be revealed. “I would not have known sin except through the law…The law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.”[2]

And yet there is a second part of repentance. Repentance is first contrition, that is, sorrow over our sin which has been brought about by the contemplation of God’s holy, just, and good law. The second part is faith; faith which clings to the promise of God that Christ has died for your sin and rose for your justification. If it were not for faith clinging to God’s promise of forgiveness, it would be unthinkable to consider your sins. It would be so overwhelming because it is obvious to anyone that they are unworthy of God. A moment of reflection over the state of your soul would either cause you to turn immediately away from God and cling to your sin in pride or fall into such despair that you would beg for death.

And yet knowledge of the promise of forgiveness makes considering your sin bearable. It becomes bearable because the Word of God has revealed that His great love caused His incarnation. His great love caused the Father to accept the sacrifice of His only-begotten Son on your behalf. His great love washed you in the waters of Holy Baptism, not only cleansing you from sin but making you a child of the Heavenly Father. And just as a child desires nothing more than to make his father proud, so too such great love of God moves your soul to desire to make God proud. It causes you to desire to be free from sin and conform to God’s holy Law.

This is what makes the Christian’s Advent preparations different from that of the world’s. When the nations see signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, they tremble with fear because they are perplexed. A sense of foreboding dread sweeps over the nations for fear of what is coming upon the world. Yet the Church sees these signs and knows that her King is coming soon. We prepare (through repentance and faith) with great joy, straightening up and lifting our heads to see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. The distress of nations is for us a sign that the end is near and we know what will happen at the end. Christ will come and gather us to Himself.

Thus He bids us to watch ourselves so that we are not weighed down with despair, drunkenness, and the cares of this life. Rather, we stay vigilant and pray that we be kept in this true faith until either we die or Christ returns, whichever should come first.

I stand before you today for the first time, charged with bringing you the whole counsel of God. The Lord has seen fit to call this sinner to serve Him in this place and at this time. I have taken vows to be faithful to the Word of God and the Lutheran Confessions, which means that it is my sacred duty to stand in the stead and by the command of my Lord, Jesus Christ, delivering to you His Holy Word and Sacraments. When Christ returns on that final day, I will stand before Him and be held accountable for my ministry to your souls. If I profane the Word of God, if I cause one of you little ones to fall away from the faith because I pervert the things of God, then I will be judged guilty and spend eternity in hell.

It is my sacred duty to pray for you and with you. It is my duty to love you as Christ loves this church. It is my duty to weep over your sins, even as I call you to account for them. Know that it is not my sacred duty to be nice. Certainly to extend Christian love and fellowship, bearing with you in all things, but there is no obligation to be “nice” simply to please men. This is a hard teaching, but it is true. I am obligated to hold you accountable to the Word of God just as you must hold me accountable to it.

Scripture calls all Christians to pray for their leaders, including their pastors. God expects you to pray for me and to pray for my family. It is also expected that you will bear with me in all things, honor the office to which I’ve been called, uphold my reputation - not hearing any accusation from others in idle gossip, and listening intently to the Word of God. You have also promised to aid me as I care for my family and to be diligent to “put the best construction on everything,” recognizing that “love covers a multitude of sins.” I expect you to hold me accountable to the Word of God and if I should sin against you, I expect you to call me to repentance.

Our Lord has promised that though heaven and earth will pass away, His Word will never pass away.[3] The time is already growing late. It has been 2,000 years since our Lord spoke these words. Though it is cold outside and the calendar shows it is winter, in the broad view of time, the trees are coming out in leaf and the end of time draws near. Together, we hope and pray that the Lord will grant a bountiful harvest in this congregation, that He will bless us with new children to baptize, adults to instruct, and families to bring into our fold. Yet it is the Lord who gives growth. It is also at the Lord’s discretion that congregations shrink. We do not measure the success of the Church in man’s terms. We measure the success of the Church in faithfulness to the Scriptures, trusting that God knows better than we do how to manage His own household.

So together, we must stay awake at all times, praying that we may have strength to escape the temptations of the world and to stand before the Son of Man in humility and faith. Together, we must devote ourselves to the things of God, to His Word and Holy Sacraments. Together, we must show ourselves to bear the Light of Christ into the world, that not by our efforts, but by the very Word of God, the world would be brought to Christ. You and I bear the priceless treasure of Jesus Christ. Let us not bear it in vain, but in boldness of faith. Let us prepare for the return of Christ in humble repentance, never forgetting that He came in our flesh to die for our sins and still comes to us today, wrapped in water, bread, wine, and His Holy Word.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] Small Catechism, Confession VI.

[2] Romans 7:7; 12.

[3] St. Luke 21:33.

Jubilate (Easter 3)

 Jubilate – May 11, 2025

Psalm 66; Isaiah 40:25-31; 1 Peter 2:11-20

St. John 16:16-22

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

The primary application of Christ’s words this morning concerns the apostles, however, Christ also intended them for you and for the Church of every age. His words have two main parts: 1) “a little while, and you will not see Me;” and 2) “again a little while, and you will see Me.”[1]

In the immediate application, Christ is speaking to His apostles concerning His death and resurrection. He spoke these words on Maundy Thursday, the night of His betrayal. It would only be a little while before He was taken from them, handed over to the Jews and Pilate, then hung on a cross until He died. Because of these events, the apostles wept and lamented while the world rejoiced in the death of Christ. Satan and his brood claimed victory over God when Christ breathed His last, believing they had overcome the Church and her head. The apostles wept because they still thought of the Kingdom of God as an earthly kingdom, whose victory would be defined by growth, property, and riches. Now that their King was dead, the death of the kingdom was sure to follow.

Christ’s words to His apostles even hold true after the resurrection. It was only a little while that He remained with them before they did not see Him after the ascension. Almost immediately after Pentecost, the enemies of Christ began to wage war on the Church. Persecution and martyrdom followed. It became the policy of the Roman Empire to stamp out the “Christian Pagans” who followed the words of the Crucified Christ. All but one of the apostles would meet a martyr’s death, along with countless others. The weeping and lamenting of the Church did not end.

There is an idea among some Christians that before Christ returns, the Church will conquer the earth. What that means is that the Church will gain prestige on the earth such that all false teachers and unbelievers will at least be brought under the temporal authority of the Church, and Christianity will govern the world. This will usher in a golden age where righteousness and blessedness will rule the world and then Christ will return. This thinking is sometimes summarized in the phrase, “We win down here.” It is also called Post-Millennialism.

But we don’t need to believe in such a radical departure from God’s Word to be deceived by the same thoughts. More locally, we are tempted to believe that if only we could get a few more members, we wouldn’t need to worry about finances. Or, more money in the church will mean less problems. Or, more people in the pews (or even more names on the roster) means a more faithful congregation. Or, more light-hearted hymns, easier liturgy, less doctrine, more events, or anything similar will solve the problems of the church.

Such thoughts might have practical value. More money in the offering plate means making decisions about repairs to the church are less difficult. More people in the pews means more hearts are being converted by the Gospel of Christ. Yet placing your trust or value in any of these endeavors is contrary to God’s Word. He has promised that the Church will always be outnumbered by the unbelieving.[2] The Church will always be despised by the world. Finances will always be a struggle for the faithful. There will always be weeping and lamentation among us.

Personally, and as an institution, we will always be weeping and lamenting because we are the body of Christ, the body that was betrayed, smitten, afflicted, and bore a cross to the mountain of Calvary.[3] Most of the world will always be on the side of our persecutors. The tares will remain until the harvest which is the return of Christ at the end of time.[4] Seasons of feast and famine will continue to turn but the feasts will seem shorter and the famines will grow longer. The faith of those precious to us will turn cold. Your body will continue to decay until it is returned to the dust from which it came.

Days of peril, violence, and persecution will increase. The preaching of false Christs will echo more loudly in your ears. Just this week, a new man ascended to the throne of the antichrist who, from what I’ve read, could be even more damaging to Christians than his predecessor. Idolatry, Atheism, Infidelity, perverted Science, false philosophy, worldly pride, heresy, schism, and turmoil from within and from without have marred the prosperity of the Church and will continue until Christ returns. A little while and you will not see Christ, and during this time there will be weeping and lamenting. Open your eyes to the state of the world and it is impossible not to see the fulfillment of Christ’s words.

But there is another, brighter side to Christ’s words. “And again a little while, and you will see me.” That is to say, it will only be a little while before you will see Christ. The suffering of this present time is nothing compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us when Christ returns.[5] What may last a lifetime on this side of glory, 70, 80, 90 years or more, is a blink of an eye compared with the eternity Christ has promised to His beloved disciples. “Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in a petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time,” yet all our yesterdays pale in quantity and quality when compared to the joy of Christ’s eternal presence with you.[6]

The apostles were confused by Christ’s words because they could not imagine joy outside of being with Christ. Yet He was taken from them precisely to fulfill their joy, to fulfill their salvation. It was necessary that He fall victim to the betrayal of Judas and the death of the cross that they would see Him again. And then, after a little while, it was necessary that He ascend to the Father, that He would prepare a place for them in eternity. It was also necessary that He ascend so that the Apostles would go out into all the world, proclaiming salvation in the Name of Christ. The unavoidable agony of birth was necessary so that the joy of a child would follow.

And though we might focus on the “little while,” what comes after that little while is of greater importance. You will see Christ! That doesn’t mean He is absent right now. He is not gone. He is present with us. He has promised His Church to be present always, even to the end of the age, and especially wherever two or three of His disciples are gathered.[7] And yet He is not manifest in such a way that we could draw an outline of His body. So too is Christ’s True Body and True Blood present in the Holy Supper and yet you cannot discern a thigh from a forearm in the Eucharist.

To the disciples’ great relief and joy, they did see Christ again when He rose from the dead. They saw Him in the flesh, shared meals with Him, were absolved by Him, talked with Him, and heard more of His teachings. By the time of His ascension, the Apostles could stand, watching Him depart, yes with some apprehension but a greater understanding that what the Lord has promised them will come true.

In that same joy, we can trust the Word of Christ that no one can take His Word, His joy, from us. The sins of man can harm you in body and soul. He can take your life, but He can’t take Christ from you. He can’t take the promise of eternal joy with Christ away from you. This world can take your confidence, your health, your home, even your life, but no one can take the joy of Christ from you.

The joy of which I speak is not the same as “happiness” or even an emotion at all. It is the sure and certain promise that you have been declared right with God. As a pledge of this certainty, Christ has given you His Word, His seal in Holy Baptism, and fed you on His own flesh and blood. ‘There is not a fortune that will not be scattered and disappear. There is not a kingdom or nation that won’t fall into the obscurity of history. There is not a home that won’t crumble into nothing. Even prophecies shall fail, tongues cease, and knowledge vanish away.[8] But there is one thing which shall live on unharmed amid all changes, undamaged by disaster and calamity. The dampness of the tomb cannot extinguish it. God has stamped His own immortality on it. It is lit for everlasting years. It is the joy which the believer has in Christ Jesus.  That, no man can take away.’[9]

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. John 16:16.

[2] St. Matthew 13:3-9.

[3] St. John 15:18-20.

[4] St. Matthew 13:24-30.

[5] Romans 8:18.

[6] Cr. Macbeth, Act V, Scene 5.

[7] St. Matthew 18:20; 28:20.

[8] 1 Corinthians 13:8.

[9] Joseph August Seiss, Lectures on the Gospels, Volume 2 (Philadelphia, PA: Lutheran Bookstore, 1888), 591-592.

The Second Last Sunday in the Church Year

The Second Last Sunday in the Church Year – November 17, 2024

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.

The words of our Lord concerning the Sheep and the Goats is not a parable. A parable is an illustrative story that may-or-may-not be true (but generally isn’t), where the people, places, and events stand in for other people, places, and events. Next week, we will hear the parable of the 10 virgins. That parable depicts those within the church who have genuine, saving faith and those within the church on earth who are hypocrites, who give no attention to the faith once delivered to them. However, when Christ returns, there will not necessarily be 10 women waiting by a wedding hall where 5 enter in and 5 do not.

The Sheep and the Goats is not a parable because the division of the nations into the righteous and the wicked will happen, and it will happen as Christ describes it. He calls these two groups “sheep” and “goats” as an illustration and this illustration delivers the key to understanding this teaching of our Lord. The eternal fate of the nations, that is, all people, is not determined by works. It is determined by what they are. Sheep and goats are different animals. To use biblical language, they belong to different kinds. One kind of animal is saved. The other kind of animal is damned.

It is fundamental to understanding the final judgment that you understand this concept. We will get to the judgment of works in a moment, but the separation into the categories of those who are saved and those who are not is determined by what you are. Are you a baptized child of God? Are you a new creation in Christ? Do you find your origin in the living Word of God? Then you belong to one category of man. Are you a citizen of the kingdom of satan? Are you the old creation of Adam? Do you find your origin in the loins of man? Then you belong to the other category of men.

On one of the occasions that the Pharisees challenged Jesus, they claimed to have no father but Abraham.[1] Fundamental to their understanding of the world is that they can trace their blood and their faith from man to man, all the way back to Abraham. What are they saying? They claim that the most important aspect of their salvation is who donated DNA to their existence. They find salvation in their blood heritage. Since the time of Christ, the Jewish people have obstinately continued in this lie.

Compare this to the teachings of Christ who said, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.”[2] Jesus is not teaching disobedience to parents. He is boldly stating that the Word of God is more important than blood. We are the true children of Abraham because we have continued in the same faith delivered to Abraham. We are the true children of Adam because we continue in the same faith delivered in Eden immediately following the Fall. We are a different kind of being than the Jew, the Muslim, and the hypocrite.

The nations are divided according to the kind of being. The goat-sons of satan and all who disbelieve the Word of God are set to the Lord’s left. The true sons, of Adam, Abraham, David, and Christ, the sheep in the hands of the Almighty, are set to the Right.

After this division has taken place, our Lord judges the works of the sheep and the goats. After the determination of salvation or damnation, our Lord evaluates their works. The sheep are surprised to learn of what deeds they’ve done. They have no idea that they were serving Christ in all those ways. This is because they are true sons of God. A son does not need to work to gain the love of his father. Born within the son is the desire to be like his father. He wants to become the man who defines masculinity in the eyes of the son.

From the son’s perspective, that usually means trying to find great deeds of heroism to impress his father. But from the father’s perspective, it is the subtle traits of maturity that make him proud; the effort to become a better man that warms his heart. This relationship found in man is a reflection of the Almighty’s relationship with mankind. We distract ourselves with the idea of big, heroic works of righteousness when what our Father sees is our works in secret. He sees the daily acts of love toward our neighbors.

The goats are likewise surprised to learn of what they haven’t done. They believe that they’ve done their best, that they are “pretty good people,” that they did their time in Sunday School and that those things should be enough. Yet the Lord has placed them on His left, sentenced them to eternal perdition. Why? They have rejected the Word of God made flesh. They have rejected the messengers of this Gospel. They have rejected the Church and her true love – the Words and Sacraments of God. If the Church is the Body of Christ, then these have amputated themselves from the body and a limb that has been cut off, shrivels and dies.

Now, it is incredibly significant that although our Lord speaks of the goats last, He concludes His teaching with a statement about the righteous. “The righteous will [will go] into eternal life.”[3] This indicates that whenever we consider the Last Day, whenever we consider the end of times, it is for the consolation of Christians, the comfort of your conscience. When Christ reveals Himself on that Last Day, it will be in glory, as He revealed Himself at the Transfiguration. He will reveal Himself in His glorified flesh, at the sound of angels’ trumpets. And this will be our call home. Like the dinner bell on the farm, or a mother’s whistle into the neighborhood signaling that it is time to come home for dinner, the return of Christ will be a joyous occasion for the righteous. Even before the division between the sheep and the goats, all those in Christ will rejoice that their King has come to dwell with them eternally, to bring them home.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. John 8:33. See also St. Matthew 3:9.

[2] St. Luke 14:26.

[3] St. Matthew 25:46.

The Second Last Sunday in the Church Year

 The Second Last Sunday in the Church Year – November 14, 2021

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 T Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Christ our Lord has two primary lessons for us to learn this morning, both concerning the division of the Sheep and the Goats. First, we will examine the fact that the Sheep and the Goats are divided based on who or what they are, not by their actions. Second, we will see the fruit born of this identity and how it applies to us today.

The beginning of today’s lesson tells us that Christ is speaking of his second coming. “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.”[1] On the last day, Jesus will return as he ascended, riding on a cloud. However, it will not only be visible to those gathered on a mountain top. There will be lightening in the East and all eyes will see him coming in glory. Christ will descend with all the heavenly host such that no living thing will miss it. All the nations, every human being will be gathered before him. After everyone has been gathered, Christ will separate humanity. He will divide his sheep from the goats.

When a shepherd divides his flock, placing the sheep on the right and the goats on the left, he is not judging the amount of wool a particular animal has provided nor the quality of cheese made from its milk. The shepherd divides the animals according to what they are – sheep and goats are different animals.

So too, when the Good Shepherd divides the flock of humanity, we will be divided based on who or what we are. Are you a child of God? Are you a baptized child of the Heavenly Father? Are you a repentant sinner? Do you have a white garment with your name on it in the Heavenly banquet hall? Do believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, who died for your sins? Then the Shepherd sets you to his right.

The Goats are more difficult to comprehend. The obvious goats are all who have rejected the Son of God. All supposed atheists, Buddhists, Sikhs, Muslims, “spiritual but not religious,” and any other worshipers of false gods are clearly goats. But there are also goats in sheep’s clothing. These are those who have despised their Baptism. He might attend the Sunday service regularly but sees it as a networking opportunity. She might volunteer for every board so that the other ladies will be jealous of her status masquerading as piety. These goats are the hypocrites in the Church, who confess with their lips, but their heart is far from God.

It is these goats in sheep’s clothing who will protest the judgment of Christ most loudly. “How dare you call me a goat! I did everything you said, and I still get no thanks. What kind of God are you?” Sadly, these goats may even be more sympathetic. “How could you God? I did everything you asked of me and still I suffered. In my day of need you were silent. If I have rejected you its your own fault!”

The goats have long since evicted the Holy Spirit from the temple of their soul. The goats have kept the law outwardly but are spiritually dead. They are no different than the Pharisees whom Christ calls “whitewashed tombs.”[2] The temptation to become a goat is often in the name of hypocrisy. The goats are the most likely to complain, “The church is too interested in right doctrine. The church doesn’t do enough for the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, or imprisoned. This should be our focus!”

The church absolutely should care for these people. But care for the poor is for the purpose of the salvation of his soul. The primary purpose of the church is to preach the gospel, the pure gospel of Christ – which means calling sinners to repentance and forgiving the sins of the repentant. The preaching of the gospel requires pure doctrine. If our doctrine is false or muted by the whims of the world, we risk preaching people into goats. We risk raising an entire flock of goats rather than sheep. We risk damning those we encounter rather than speaking to them salvation in Christ.

Having an idea of who the Sheep and the Goats are, we must again notice they are divided long before their works are recounted. The Sheep are Sheep. The Goats are Goats. Sheep go to the right. Goats go to the left. They are divided based on their identity, who and what they are, not what they’ve done.

After the division, our Lord speaks to each group in turn and recounts their works, or their lack thereof; but before we can examine the list of works, there is one more character in this parable that we must define: “the least of these My brethren.”[3] This phrase could simply refer to the destitute, anyone who is hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison. There is certainly a truth in this. All Christians are called to serve their neighbor, especially those of the household of faith, and especially in her time of need.[4]

The key phrase in this word of our Lord is “My brethren.” There is only one group of people in Scripture to whom our Lord refers as “My brethren”: The Twelve. The Twelve Apostles are the only group which Jesus calls “My brothers” in Scripture. All Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ, but our Lord reserved this title especially for those men called into the Office of the Holy Ministry because these men are called to serve in his stead, enduring particular hardships and receiving particular blessings. Thus, it is natural to read, “the least of these My brethren” as referring to pastors.

In this case, the works which are recounted by Christ refer to how the Sheep or the Goats received their pastors. These works are not strictly about how often you’ve served in the soup kitchen but rather how you received the man sent to you by God to bear God’s gifts to you. How have you received the man who bears the medicine of immortality, the Word of Life, and the font of pure water?

None of this is to say, how have you judged the individual called to minister to you. There is a distinction between the man and the Office but the Office is filled by an individual. What does a hearer owe his pastor according to his Office?[5]

·         “The Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.”[6]

·         “Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor. Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”[7]

·         “The pastors who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘the worker deserves his wages.’”[8]

·         “We ask you brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.”[9]

·         “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”[10]

The Sheep in the parable have heard the preaching of the Gospel and responded with joy. They have recognized the beautiful feet of those who preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things, who proclaim salvation and says to the Church, “Your God reigns!”[11]

It is true that I, nor the vast majority of pastors preaching in Christ’s church in the West, have never truly experienced hunger, thirst, homelessness, poverty, or prison. It is in the nature of the Office of the Holy Ministry to experience being a stranger. Often, we are called far away from our family, even if for just the four years of seminary. When we receive a call to a congregation, very rarely will we arrive knowing anyone or anything in the area. Making friends is very difficult because of the demands of the Office and our families. Those closest to us in the church are still our parishioners, still our spiritual children, and thus not candidates for the closest of friends.

What then do the actions of the Sheep look like in the modern West? Ensuring your pastor has a living wage and the ability to care for the physical, spiritual, and emotional needs of his family, including their health. It also looks like making sure he has the opportunity to study the Word of God so that he is able to minister to you; to purchase books to broaden his knowledge so that he is able to teach you; to have time and space to contemplate the needs of the congregation and the mysteries of God. It looks like ensuring he has time to pray for you and his family. It looks like sitting attentively during the Divine Service, Bible Study, and when your pastor comes to visit you. The actions of the Sheep look like communicating with your pastor and thinking twice before disregarding his words.

The actions of the Sheep look like sharing the fruits of your garden with your pastor’s family or taking him out for lunch to talk about sports, books, or home improvement. It looks like giving him the opportunity to attend conferences, visit brothers in the ministry, and subscribe to journals so that he might be refreshed in his zeal for the Lord.

The actions of the Sheep also look like ensuring your pastor has time to rest; has time to play with his children; has opportunity to attend to his house; and is able to be the husband and father God has called him to be. It looks like encouraging him to care for his beloved wife so that she does not become lonely, isolated, or resentful.

This exhortation is not a checklist of necessary actions for your salvation nor is it a laundry list of my personal complaints. It is however, a list of examples of what it means to serve the ‘least of these, Christ’s brethren.’ This service should be rendered with a joyful heart, such that you might not even realize what you’ve done. The Sheep have no idea what they’ve done because they were simply grateful to have the Word of God preached to them so that they would be saved; so that they would be numbered among the Sheep at the final judgement.

The Goats respond to Christ’s judgment by calling themselves ministers. ‘When did we see you in these situations and not minister to you?’[12] The Goats believe they know better how to manage God’s church than the men called to serve, and yet they refused to seek this knowledge in the Word of God. They are set in the ways of the world and have no heart for the ways of God. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.”

Most certainly, each of us has Goat moments. If we are honest and measure ourselves according to the Word of God, examining our own consciences against the Ten Commandments, we will quickly see there is no hope for us. Each of has despised the Office of the Holy Ministry, sinned against our own pastor or another man called to be a pastor. If you have the slightest bit of humility, you will know that you deserve to be a Goat.

Thanks be to God you are not the one who determines when and how you become a Sheep. The Blood of Christ sheers the coarse goat fur from your back and replaces it with white wool. For each of those Goat moments, cry out to the Father for mercy for the sake of Jesus. The Sheep are marked by repentance, for they know they are poor, miserable sinners. The Sheep also know they are pure as fresh snow on account of the forgiveness of Christ. You became a Sheep when the Name of the Triune God was placed upon you in Holy Baptism. To endure as a Sheep in this world is to receive the gifts of God from your pastor as from God himself. When you get your Goat up, repent and receive the gift of absolution from your pastor as from God himself. Pray for your pastor. Honor your pastor. Treat him as an angel, a messenger, of God. Above all, receive the Word of your pastor for it is not his word, but the Word of God.[13]

In T Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Matthew 25:31.

[2] St. Matthew 23:27: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”

[3] St. Matthew 25:40.

[4] Acts 11:27-30; Galatians 6:9-10; James 1:27; 1 Timothy 6:18-19.

[5] According to the Table of Duties in Luther’s Small Catechism.

[6] 1 Corinthians 9:14.

[7] Galatians 6:6-7.

[8] 1 Timothy 5:17-18.

[9] 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13.

[10] Hebrews 13:17.

[11] Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15.

[12] St. Matthew 25:44.

[13] Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:23; Galatians 1:8; Revelation 1:20.