The Eve of Thanksgiving

 The Eve of Thanksgiving (Harvest Observance) – November 27, 2024

Psalm 104; Deuteronomy 26:1-11; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

St. Luke 12:13-21

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

After a tumultuous journey, the pilgrims landed in New England on November 11, 1620. It was much too late to plant anything and their supplies were already running thin. Those who survived that first winter survived by hunting, gathering, and even looting the graves of local Indians who left food offerings for their dead. About half of those first pilgrims died that winter.

When winter finally gave way to spring, the colonists were able to begin planting. The Lord greatly blessed them that year. They found the earth to be fruitful and knew this to be the providence of God. The Lord had heard their cries and answered their prayers for sustenance. That fall, they celebrated what has come to be called “The First Thanksgiving.” This was a three-day feast, full of food, games of skill, and military demonstrations. The participation of the Indians was likely at the sound of the firing of muskets during the military demonstrations. By some accounts, 90 Indians, who were already in communication with the colony, cautiously approached and then joined in the feast.

The story of the first Thanksgiving is instructive to us for at least two reasons: first because it is our national history, part of our national mythos. In keeping with the Fourth Commandment, we ought to give due honor to our forefathers, including the forefathers of our nation. Thanksgiving is not a liturgical holiday. It was not instituted by Christ nor does it specifically celebrate an event or person in Holy Scripture. But it is a national holiday, a day important to our nation. As citizens, it is part of our history. It is good to participate in such holidays, so long as they do not contradict Scripture, because it is the heritage of our fathers.

Second, the story of the first Thanksgiving acts as a foil (or opposite) to the rich man in Christ’s parable.[1] One year, the certain rich man receives a bountiful harvest. This harvest is so plentiful, that he seems to think he will never need to work again. He has brought in enough grain to sustain him for the rest of his life. It is time to pull down his barns, build bigger ones, then eat, drink, and be merry.

Thinking like worldly men, we become jealous of the rich man. He has hit the jackpot! He will never need to work again and can spend his days in comfort and relaxation. Food and money will never be a problem for him. Isn’t that the American dream?

What the rich man doesn’t consider is how short this life might be. In fact, the very same night he decides what to do with this great harvest, the Lord requires his soul, that is, the rich man dies. He dies and is condemned for his selfishness, greed, and covetousness. And what becomes of the bountiful harvest? It likely goes to rot. The rich man spoke to himself when considering what to do with the harvest. He doesn’t seem to have friends or family around. He doesn’t even consider the servants he almost certainly has. His neighbors are left out entirely. There is no one to inherit his goods.

Now compare the rich man to the story of the first Thanksgiving. Half of those who arrived in 1620 died over the winter. Those were mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, children, and grandchildren who died. They were hunters who could provide food and housewives who could care for the home and make food. They were the children for whom the colonists were building a brighter future. And then came 1621. They had a bountiful harvest. The Lord blessed them with food. When harvest time came, I’m sure some of the colonists thought back to the previous winter and immediately began thinking about building bigger barns. “What if it is another terrible winter? What if tragedy should strike again? Will another half of our people die? We had better eat only the least amount necessary so that we don’t starve this winter…”

But that isn’t what they did. They held a three-day feast—not a meal, a feast. There was more food consumed than necessary to stay alive. They drank wine, to gladden their hearts.[2] They held military demonstrations, which means the men most capable of hunting spent three days performing for their families instead of gathering even more food. They fired their muskets using rounds that could’ve been saved for yet more hunting, gathering more food.

The historic record doesn’t indicate they were being reckless with sumptuous living, but they did enjoy a feast.[3] They received their harvest for the Lord and gave thanks to Him by enjoying the prosperity He had given them. This was, in fact, an act of faith. They trust that the Lord who had once provided for them would continue to provide for them.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!

There is no want to those who fear Him.

The young lions lack and suffer hunger;

But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,

And delivers them out of all their troubles.

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,

And saves such as have a contrite spirit.[4]

The rich man in Christ’s parable was so concerned about his future of easy living that he forgot about the present. He could’ve easily held a feast for his servants, his friends, and neighbors, and still would’ve had plenty to serve his future needs. He believed, trusted, in his profits, and gave no mind to the Lord. He did not trust in God, let alone fear Him. The rich man thought he had no more troubles because the almighty dollar had already saved him. This left no room for giving thanks to God, nor praise, nor repentance.

Whatever the last year has brought you—whether a year of sorrow or joy, a year of plenty or a year of lack—give thanks to the Lord. He hears your prayers and will deliver the righteous from the cares of this world. In fact, He has already delivered you, even if your mortal eyes cannot see it yet. And whatever the Lord has in store for the coming year—whether a year of sorrow or joy, a year of plenty or lack—know this: “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.”[5] He is near to you, not just spiritually, but physically. He has come to you this evening and soon, you will receive Him into your mouth in Holy Communion. He is near to you at all times but especially in His Word and Sacraments. There can be no denying He is close to you when He touches your tongue. Rejoice and give thanks to the God of all creation, who has chosen you as His beloved son or daughter.

So enjoy the feast of tomorrow, whether that is a table full of people, multiple turkeys, potatoes, and desserts, or a humble meal shared between you and your Lord. Give thanks to Him always because He delights in you and has provided you with everything you need. He has forgiven your sins and given you a share in the inheritance of heaven. He has given you Himself.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Luke 12:16-21

[2] Psalm 104:14.

[3] St. Luke 16:19; 7:24-25.

[4] Psalm 34:8-10, 17-18.

[5] Psalm 34:18.

The Commemoration of the Reformation

The Commemoration of the Reformation (observed) – October 27, 2024

Psalm 34; Revelation 14:6-7; Romans 3:19-28

St. John 8:31-36

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

“[Our churches] teach that men cannot be justified before God by their own strength, merits, or works, but are freely justified for Christ’s sake, through faith, when they believe that they are received into favor, and that their sins are forgiven for Christ’s sake, who, by His death, has made satisfaction for our sins. This faith God imputes for righteousness in His sight.”[1]

The Commemoration of the Reformation is primarily an occasion of giving thanks to God for working through an insignificant Augustinian friar to return the Church to her first love – Christ and His pure Word.[2] It is meet, right, and salutary to learn about the history of our faith. The Reformation was the most significant event in the western church since the Second Council of Nicaea, and Martin Luther was the instrument, chosen by God, to spark that Reformation. Luther was a theological genius. He was a prolific writer. He knew how to strike out against the proud sinner and console the suffering conscience.

But if we allow our minds to focus the history of the Reformation on the person of Martin Luther, we are no better than the Medieval Roman Catholic Church who worshiped the saints. If today we sing the praises of Martin Luther as having worked to reform the Church by his own means, then we may as well pray to St. Jude that all children who have renounced the faith return home.

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”^[3] Our Lord is speaking these words to the Jews who had believed in Him. These are the ones who heard the Word of God and were amazed. Their intellects were intrigued by the teaching of this One who taught not as the Pharisees but with authority. They are standing in the place of the Medieval Church and Christians of all time who hear preaching that pricks their consciences but do not yet understand. 

And yet these Jews could not help themselves but lie. “We have never been in bondage to anyone.”^[4] They make this statement during the Festival of Booths, that occasion where the people of God recalled the deliverance from slavery in Egypt by the hand of God. They have not forgotten their own history. Rather, Christ’s admonition to abide in His word has pricked their consciences. The Law of God has struck their hearts. They have not abided in God’s Word. They have not familiarized themselves with the basic teachings of the Scriptures. They have not treated the Word of God as being spoken to them by the lips of their heavenly Father.

The immediate reaction of these Jews to such an accusation of the Law is to lie. “We’ve never been enslaved – not in our lifetime, nor our father’s, nor ever since the time of Abraham. We’ve never been enslaved physically, nor spiritually enslaved to the worship of a false God. Why would we need to be set free?” What’s more is that these Jews have placed their salvation in being descended from Abraham. They have the right blood in their veins and so they will be loved by God.

There is a temptation for Christians that whatever occurred in the life of the church during the time most significant to me is the purest form of the Church. For many of us, it might look like our childhood. The way our childhood church was conducted is the height of Lutheranism. Perhaps it was during our middle age, when we had a close group of friends in the church – that was the height of Lutheranism. Perhaps we are tempted by descriptions of history. The way Luther conducted the service, THAT was the height of Lutheranism.

All are error and all are sin. They are sinful because they rely on the actions of humans to determine the height of the Truth of the Word of God. Christ is calling us to abide in His Word, and this Word is Truth, and this Truth shall make you free. There is nothing new under the sun. There were just as many erring pastors in the age of Martin Luther as there are today. There were just as many sinners in the Church of the fourth century as there are in the twenty-first. The ideal Church is not found on earth, it is found in the worship of heaven. It is found in the Word of God.

It is easy on a day celebrating the Reformation to claim, “We are Lutherans, sons and daughters of Pure Doctrine. We’ve never been enslaved to anyone!” especially for those of us raised in the church. Perhaps a slightly different claim is harbored in your heart: “I belong to the right church, therefore I am saved! I have the Lutheran blood in my veins therefore I am loved by God!” You probably can’t remember a time before your Baptism. You can’t remember a time when you were a slave to sin who did not know “Jesus Loves Me.” The memory of man is short and just as likely to lie as remember anything at all. All men are conceived in iniquity and born in sin. You were born as a child of wrath.

Jesus gently rebukes these Jews and tells them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever.”^[5] To sin against the Word of God by ignoring it or preferring the desires of your own flesh, wraps a chain of bondage around you. The more you struggle against the Word of God, the more you give in to your flesh – be it neglecting the Word of God, hating your neighbor, or lying against your conscience – the tighter the chains become and the easier it is to sin. Sin becomes your habitus, your way of life.

No matter the “purity” of your church, no matter the warm feelings your church family may give you, no matter how Christian you feel, no matter the claim of membership in the right Church or the claim of your family in the right church – sin makes you a slave. The slave of sin may dwell in the House of the Lord for a time. He may dwell in the House of the Lord his entire life on earth. But the slave of sin will not dwell in the House of the Lord for eternity. The slave of sin will be cast out into hell.

There is, however, an important distinction to be made. Our Lord says, “whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” We are born slaves to sin, and all unbelievers are slaves still. They are slaves by nature. “But a son abides forever.”^[6] The Christian is a son by nature. In Holy Baptism, you were adopted as a child of the Heavenly Father, an heir of the Kingdom of God. You are a child of heaven. Children of the Father remain in the House of the Lord forever!

The Christian is not a slave to sin by nature but to continue in sin, to commit sin returns you to a life of slavery. The chains of your bondage have been removed by the cleansing flood of Baptism and yet to return to sin, as a dog returns to vomit, is to once again pick up your chains and wrap them around your wrists. It is for this reason we, whose conscience has been made clean, must flee from sin. We must abhor sin. We must be disgusted by sin; by our own sin and by the sins of those around us. And when you find the steel links tightening their grip upon you, hardening your conscience and weighing down your soul, seek relief. Seek relief in repentance. Seek relief in the Word of God. Seek relief in confessing your sins. Seek relief in the Words of the Holy Absolution, proclaimed by the Pastor with his hands upon your head. Then, the chains will release their grip, climb the arms of your Pastor, sail past his shoulders and onto the shoulders of Christ.

“If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”^[7] Jesus Christ, True God and True Man has set you free by his Blood. He who knew no sin, humbled himself to be bound with the chains you deserve. He wrapped himself in the chains of your sin and bore them to the cross. Those chains, your chains, weighed him down such that the torture of crucifixion, usually lasting hours, if not days, took only three hours to kill him. The weight of the sin of the world is great and it was born by Christ.

This same Christ rose from the dead to make you free. He bore the chains of your sin into the grave so that in his Resurrection, he could break the chains of your bondage. The Son has made you free in his death and Resurrection. This freedom was then delivered to you in your Holy Baptism. You have been made free indeed.

This freedom is not the freedom of this world. Especially as Americans and descendants of the Enlightenment, we think of freedom as freedom of opportunity, if not freedom of outcome. We think of freedom to act as we please and then the freedom to endure the consequences, be they positive or negative. This is not the freedom of God. American freedom is freedom of the flesh and the flesh profits nothing.

The freedom won for you by Christ is the freedom from sin such that you are free to serve God and neighbor. The freedom won for you by Christ is the freedom to live as a child of God. You do not need to obey the Law of God under the threat of losing your salvation. As a child of God, you have the Law of God to teach you how to live in your freedom. When you abuse that freedom, when you return to your flesh, then the Law once again pierces your heart and accuses you of sin. On this side of glory, such will always be the case.

Yet the New Man wrought within us by the death of Christ longs to obey the Law, not out of threats, but out of love. The New Man desires to be the ideal child of God. This is the man who has been set free by the Son and is free indeed. He is free to submit himself to God, to His Law, and to His Love.

This freedom of Christ is also a freedom to recognize the work of the Holy Ghost within his saints. It is by this freedom that we recognize what a miracle was wrought in Martin Luther. Only by the working of God and the incredible, heroic faith bestowed upon that lowly friar, was Luther able to accomplish any of what he did. Today, we reap the benefits of what God did through Martin Luther and we give thanks that the Lord saw fit to bless us in this way.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] AC IV. Romans 3-4.

[2] This is an edited and updated version of the sermon preached in 2021.

[3] St. John 8:31-32.

[4] St. John 8:33.

[5] St. John 8:34-35.

[6] St. John 8:35.

[7] St. John 8:36.

The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary – August 15, 2024

Psalm 34; Sirach 24:7-8, 10-15a; Galatians 4:4-7

St. Luke 1:39-55

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

“Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”[1] What are those things which were told to Mary from the Lord?

Mary is told to rejoice for the Lord is with her.[2] This is fulfilled from the moment of her conception, when she was born in the faithful anticipation that God would come to save His people. God is with her all the days of her life. It is fulfilled again when that same Lord is incarnate in her very womb. God is with her intimately as He grows in her womb, soon to be born a man. The Lord is with her as she watches Him be crucified. He is with her when He rises from the dead. He is with her even as she lay dying, some 15 years after His ascension.

Mary is also called blessed among women. This is fulfilled already during the ministry of our Lord, when a woman in the crowd cries out to Jesus, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”[3] It is fulfilled again tonight and every time a Christian refers to her as the Blessed Virgin Mary. And it is true. Mary truly is blessed among women. Not only is she blessed with faith, but she alone was granted the holy privilege of carrying the Christ in her womb. She alone beheld the Word by which creation was made within her own body.

One of the greatest of things told to Mary by the Lord is that she would be the mother of God. She would bear the Son of God and call His name, Jesus.[4] Our Lord, Jesus Christ, is true God, begotten of the Father before all worlds and true man, born of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since the Incarnation, His humanity and divinity cannot be divided. He is one Person, although with two natures. Because of this, it is fitting and correct to call Mary the mother of God.

Perhaps the greatest thing said to Mary is that this Son of God and Son of Mary would inherit the throne of David and that He would reign forever.[5] Her Son would be David’s Son and David’s Lord, the everlasting Prince of Peace, the Savior.[6] Mary was told by God that her Son would save her from her sins.[7] That He would go before her to prepare a place for her to rest for all eternity.[8] That He would reconcile her to His heavenly Father, making peace where sin once made for enmity.

I say this is the greatest thing because when you think of all the things Mary heard regarding her Son, this might seem like the least of things. It was accomplished by death. There is no physical sign, per se, that it was accomplished. And yet, it is the entire purpose of the Scriptures and the Incarnation. The salvation of Mary and all who believe is the reason God became man. And if there is anything we are to learn from Mary, it is that God chooses the lowly to be exalted. Jesus was born in a cattle stall, not a grand palace. He was born to a virgin girl, not a queen or empress. He made Himself lower than the animals for the sake of His beloved mankind.

The same is true for you. Just as Mary was promised that everything said to her by the Lord would be fulfilled, so too, those things the Lord has said to you have been, are, and will be fulfilled. In your Holy Baptism, Jesus declared that you are righteous. You have been born again into Christ. He said that you are a son or daughter of the Father. Your sins have been washed away and He prepares a place for you in the heavenly mansions. This is most certainly true.

Why come to church on a Thursday evening to celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary? Because she is the sign, the image, of Christ’s church. Jesus was alive in her womb. He sought a resting place, a dwelling among His people.[9] Her body was His holy temple, just as you are the Holy Temple of the Holy Spirit. If you have been born again through the waters of Holy Baptism into Christ, then you too, have been born into His holy habitation.

For centuries, Christians have looked at Mary as the mother of all Christians. That doesn’t mean we worship her or elevate her to some “demi-goddess” status. No. She is our adoptive mother just as the Church is our mother. The Church is our mother because she is the place where we are given new birth. We ought to love and respect Mary because she was a lowly virgin who placed all her hope and trust in her Son, the same Son of God that we worship. She is an example of faith and an example of one for whom Jesus died. And just like you might celebrate the birthday of your beloved mother or grandmother who has died, for the sake of her memory, we too celebrate the death of Mary for the sake of honor.  

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Luke 1:45.

[2] St. Luke 1:28.

[3] St. Luke 11:27.

[4] St. Luke 1:31.

[5] St. Luke 1:32-33.

[6] Psalm 110; Isaiah 9:6.

[7] Genesis 3:15.

[8] St. John 14:3-10.

[9] Sirach 24:7-15.

Invocabit (Lent 1)

Invocabit – February 18, 2024

Psalm 91; Genesis 3:1-21; 2 Corinthians 6:1-10

St. Matthew 4:1-11

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

The first and most important lesson to take from the Temptation of Christ is that He suffered the temptations of Satan and overcame them on your behalf. The war between Jesus and the devil begins right after Jesus’ birth, as the servant of Satan, Herod, sought to murder the infant Jesus. But on that occasion, the devil worked through his agent to assault the Son of God. It is not until Jesus is Baptized, anointed by the Holy Spirit, and marked by the Word of the Father as being a pleasing and acceptable sacrifice for the sins of man that the devil took a personal stake in assaulting Jesus.

Baptized by John, Jesus is immediately hurled into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. It was the will of God that Jesus be tempted in the wilderness. He willingly submitted to this temptation. If He had not, then the devil could not tempt Him. The devil is powerful, but he is not omnipotent. He is not the “equal-but-opposite” of God. The devil is, after all, an angel, a created being, a spiritual being.

Why might Christ will to be tempted by Satan in the wilderness? To win the victory on your behalf. When Adam and Eve were tempted in the garden, they fell, choosing to listen to the word of the serpent and eat the forbidden fruit. When the Israelites were tempted in the wilderness, they fell, complaining against Moses, Aaron, and God, and saying they preferred slavery in Egypt over freedom with God. When given the land of Canaan, the Israelites were tempted to worship the false gods of the Canaanites, and they fell, worshiping Baal and Asherah.

By contrast, our Lord was cast into the wilderness to be tempted and win the victory. But He did not win the victory for Himself. “He battled as the Surety, the Mediator, the Substitute of the whole human race, for all men, for us who are gathered here. Through sin all men sold themselves to Satan; all became his servants and subjects of his kingdom. To redeem and save men Christ came as the real Owner of all the souls of men in order to conquer Satan, destroy his kingdom, take his booty away again, free us from his power, and lead all men through the kingdom of grace into the kingdom of eternal glory.”[1]

So it is that we can see Christ taking the place of all mankind in the struggle against sin, death, and the devil. He is winning the victory that you cannot win. He humbly and willfully submits to being tempted by Satan to fulfill the Law of God. Your salvation was not won by breaking any rules. God did not simply assert His authority over all creation and rewrite the laws of reality. Instead, He entered into reality, into creation, that He would win the prize of your salvation according to the Laws which He already wove into the world. When He told Adam and Eve that in eating the fruit, “dying you shall die,” He meant it. The consequence of sin is death. In order to fulfill this Law, someone must die.

Thus, being anointed as the acceptable sacrifice for sin, Jesus submits to being tempted that He might fulfill the whole Law. Where man has failed, Christ has stood steadfast and won the victory. By His overcoming temptation, we see that He is truly the unblemished Lamb, acceptable as the perfect sacrifice for all ages. This is by far and away the most important truth of the temptation of Christ.

Knowing that Christ was tempted on your behalf and won the victory over temptation on your behalf, you are now free to see His actions as an example for your own. Such an example should never overtake the fact that Jesus defeated Satan for you, but it is the necessary consequence. Seeing David strike down Goliath, the Israelites were spurred on to victory, chasing down the Philistines and killing every last soldier and plundering their tents.[2] The actions of the army would be impossible, let alone insignificant, if not for the actions of the lowly shepherd boy from Bethlehem. So much more is this true of the actions of Christ and the resulting actions of all Christians. We have seen our Almighty General conquer in the fight. This should then rouse our souls to imitate His glorious victory as we chase down and smite the remnants of the devil’s pitiful army.

The example of Christ for us to follow in fighting against the temptations of Satan are three-fold. First, we see that Christ has been in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights without food or water. He has been fasting. At first, this seems like a weakness. At first, it seems as though Christ would be at His weakest and that is the reason that Satan has chosen to tempt Him at this time. “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.”[3] This fast of Christ is an example of the spiritual discipline of fasting which strengthens you against the temptations of the flesh.

The primary purpose of fasting is to remind you that man does not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God.[4] The result is the training of your flesh, bringing it under the control of your faith. Fasting, if you are not used to it, is difficult. Remember, fasting is not just “giving something up for Lent.” To fast is not to eat. Christians have always practiced fasting, but the guidelines have been different at different times and in different places. Sadly, these guidelines have sometimes become the basis of controversy in the church as though God had commanded a specific method of this discipline.

The basic guideline to fasting is to not eat for a period of time. If this is something new for you, you might begin on Sunday mornings. Do not eat until after you have received the Sacrament. By the time we get to the Lord’s Supper in the Divine Service, you will notice how hungry you are and the first sustenance you receive will be the Body and Blood of Christ. If you would like to go a step further, choose a day of the week—historically Wednesday or Friday—on which you will not eat from sunup to sundown. When you do eat, it should be a lighter meal for the practical reason that gorging yourself on an empty stomach is not good for your gut but for the spiritual reason that fasting is not an excuse for gluttony. And if you would like to go even a step further, then fast on your chosen day from the time you wake up until you go back to sleep.

The second tactic to learn from Christ is how to counter the temptations of Satan. The devil tempts Jesus with corrupted versions of creation and the Word of God. He tells half truths and offers that which he has no right to give. Such temptations are incredibly enticing for man. Yet we see Jesus not only parry, or deflect, such attacks of Satan, but He delivers a riposte, or counterattack. How? He rightly uses the Word of God. He rightly takes that given to Him by the Father and uses it against such false teachings.

For you to use such a tactic first means you must know the Word of God. You must be familiar with the teachings of Scripture. It is one thing to quote Scripture. Even the devil can do that. It is another entirely to use it appropriately. This requires that you read the bible every day. You must be steeped in the Word of God. The pace at which you read the bible is dependent upon you. Maybe you are only capable of reading a few paragraphs a day. Maybe a chapter. Maybe multiple chapters. I can tell you that you are capable of reading more than you think. Challenge yourself to read more than you think you can. There are myriad bible reading plans out there. If you need one, let me know and I’ll get you one.

Being familiar with the Word of God, being steeped in it, is only the beginning. It is necessary that you commit the Word of God to memory. No matter your age or your relative ability to memorize, it is possible. Start with the verses you already know. Almost everyone in this room knows John 3:16. Excellent. Then, think of every time we sing or speak verses of Scripture in the liturgy. You probably already have those memorized. Most everyone here today could participate in the Divine Service without looking at your hymnal for the ordinaries, that is, the parts of the liturgy that don’t change.

From there, think of the verses that are used in the catechism and those verses choses for the Congregation at Prayer which correspond to the catechism. If you worked to memorize only those passages I’ve already mentioned, you would arm yourself with close to 100 verses of Holy Scripture. The next step would be practicing using those passages. When you are tempted to sin, speak aloud a corresponding Word of God. Tempted to gluttony, then say, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”[5] Tempted by anger, then say, “Do not avenge [yourself], but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”[6]

The final tactic to be learned from our Lord is reliance on God and his ministers, specifically the Holy Angels. Amid temptation, it is vital that you remember relief is at hand. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil for [the Lord is] with me.”[7] Though they are unseen, God has appointed the Holy Angels to be ministers to His beloved, a mighty army encamped around the children of God.[8] No amount of suffering or temptation will last forever for those who trust in the Lord. “And take they our life, goods, fame, child, and wife, those these all be gone, the victory has been won, the kingdom ours remaineth.”[9]

The comfort and ministration of the Holy Angels may not always be as apparent as those who ministered to Christ after His temptation, but your temptations are also not as apparent as the Devil whisking you away to top of the temple nor showing you all the kingdoms of the earth. Just as your temptations are real so too is the ministry of the Holy Angels real. Whether in the guise of mortals or simply working unseen, the Holy Angels will and do minister to all of you. In fact, they always guide and protect you. Be strengthened in the knowledge that all the heavenly host is on your side and fighting with you against Satan, all his works and all his ways.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] C. F. W. Walther, Gospel Sermons, Volume 1, translated by Donald E. Heck (St. Louis, MO: CPH, 2013), 160.

[2] 1 Samuel 17:51-53.

[3] 1 Corinthians 1:27.

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

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

[6] Romans 12:19.

[7] Psalm 23:4.

[8] Psalm 34:7.

[9] A Mighty Fortress, Stanza 4.

The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary – August 15, 2023

Psalm 34; Sirach 24:7-8, 10-15a; Hebrews 4:1-10

St. Luke 10:38-42

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

“Brethren, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.”[1] The word “dormition” is simply a fancy way to say, “the falling asleep” and in this case it is a euphemism for death. Other cultures, believers and unbelievers alike, have compared death to sleep. For the unbeliever, this can only ever be a euphemism, a nice way to say something unpleasant. For the Christian, it is a euphemism, but it is also true on its face. When the Christian dies, she enters rest. Her body is laid in the earth to finish the decay wrought in the flesh by sin. There is no tension, pain, or stress remaining in the flesh. It is at rest even as it is returned to dust.

Her soul is taken to the bosom of Christ, her true rest. Here, the Christian knows rest like she’s never known before. All tears, worries, cares, and anxieties are wiped away. All that she now knows is peace and joy.

All of you have the promise of this peace and rest at this very moment. By virtue of your Holy Baptism, by being placed into the name of Jesus, you have been given the promise of eternal rest with Christ. This promise does come with a warning. The promise cannot be taken from you, but you can forfeit it. You can give up your claim to the promise. This happens when you stop paying attention to the promise and to the One who has given that promise to you.

In the Gospel, we heard of Mary and Martha—Mary who chose to listen attentively to Jesus and Martha who busied herself with much serving.[2] I’m still not convinced this is the same Mary that bore our Lord, but she exhibits the same type of faith as the Blessed Virgin. Both understand the importance of the Word of God and how to place her own wants and desires beneath that of God. Both trust that what God has to say and what God is doing is to her benefit, even if neither comprehends it fully. ‘The dishes can wait, Jesus is speaking.’ ‘My plans for a fancy church wedding can wait, I am to be the mother of God.’ 

“Brothers, and all who have come to this place at this hour of our mother Mary’s departure, you have done well to light lamps that shine with the fire of this visible earth. But I wish that each of you will also take hold of his immaterial lamp in the age that has no end; this is the threefold lamp of the inner person, which is body and soul and spirit. For if these three shine forth with the true fire, for which you are now struggling, you will not be ashamed when you enter into the marriage-feast to rest with the bridegroom. So it is with our mother Mary. For the light of her lamp fills the world, and will not be quenched until the end of the ages, so that all who wish to be saved may take courage from her. Do not think, then, that Mary’s death is death! It is not death, but eternal life, because ‘the death of the just will be proclaimed glorious before the Lord’ (Ps 115:15 [Psalm 116:15]). This, then, is glory, and the second death will have not power to do them harm.”[3]

These words are spoken by St. Peter in one of the earliest records we have of the death of St. Mary. They are a summary of the importance and purpose for remembering her death. It is good if you have faith in this life but if you allow the lamp of faith to falter in your dying hour, then that faith is for nothing. Throughout this account of St. Mary’s death, she is preparing to die. Even the mother of God is frightened over the prospect of death. She knows that it will be Satan’s last chance to tempt her away from the faith and he will be like a cornered and rabid dog, viciously seeking to tear her away from her Son and Lord.

St. Paul gives the Hebrews a similar warning: “Since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.”[4] This is not so much in the spirit of a finger wag, “You better start paying more attention or else…” as it is a warning of danger. Know that death is real. Know that Satan is real. Know that the demons are real. Do not fear them, for Christ has conquered them for you. But do be cautious of them. Do know that your own strength, your own efforts, are not enough to overcome them.

At the same time, know that your life as a Christian is not to sit on the couch and just assume that Jesus does everything so you can watch TV. This is the laxity that can damn. On the other hand, there is the business which can damn. Martha is distracted by serving such that she doesn’t have time to hear the Word of God.

What does St. Mary do when she is concerned about the impending temptations associated with her death? She prays to Christ. She prays, remembers the promises He has given her, reminds Him of His promises, recites Scripture, then lays the outcome in the pierced hands of Jesus.

If the mother of God, who saw multiple angels in her lifetime, bore the Son of God, watched Him die, saw Him rise, and likely watched Him ascend into heaven, had a moment of fear, doubt, or worry concerning the temptations which arise before death, don’t be ashamed of your own fears, doubts, and worries. The Lord regarded the lowliness of His handmaiden, and He will do the same for you. He who is mighty has done great things to her and He will do the same to you.

We do not gather tonight to worship St. Mary. Scripture makes it clear that the promise of eternal rest does not lie in created humans. “If Joshua had given them rest, then [God] would not afterward have spoken of another day.”[5] Even the early accounts of St. Mary’s death have people try to claim miracles on her behalf, to which an angel says, “No one can perform miracles apart from [Jesus’] hands. For He provides power to everything that is.”[6] And when some relatives scoff that Mary is concerned about temptation, she rebukes them and tells them to pay attention to their faith, lest their own lamps go out and they miss the Bridegroom.[7]

We gather to give thanks to God that He has shown mercy on us by the Incarnation of His Son. We give thanks that St. Mary was the vessel chosen to bear the Christ child so that all mankind could be saved. We give thanks that God has chosen to give to His church a mother, not infallible, but as the figurehead of the Church.

We gather tonight that our faith would be strengthened. If Mary could tremble at temptation and yet be given holy rest in Christ, then so can we.

We gather tonight that we might learn to imitate the faith of St. Mary, she who always displayed a proper orientation toward the will of God, submitting her own will to His. We learn to imitate her humility and her steadfastness, insisting that God keep His promises to her now and at the hour of her death.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] Hebrews 4:1.

[2] St. Luke 10:38-42.

[3] John of Thessalonica, “The Dormition of Our Lady, the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary,” On the Dormition of Mary, Popular Patristics Series, Vol 18, translated by Brian E. Daley, series editor John Behr (Crestwood, New York: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1997), 58.

[4] Hebrews 4:1.

[5] Hebrews 4:8.

[6] John of Thessalonica, “The Dormition of Our Lady,” 50.

[7] John of Thessalonica, “The Dormition of Our Lady,” 53.