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.

Reminiscere (Lent 2)

 Reminiscere (Lent 2) – March 16, 2025

Psalm 25; Genesis 32:22-32; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7

St. Matthew 15:21-28

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

The woman who pleads with our Lord this morning is explicitly called a Canaanite. By blood, she is not of Israel. She was raised in a household that worshiped false gods. She spent the majority of her life worshiping the false gods of Canaan. Or perhaps she spent her life ignoring the divine, focusing only on the cares and pleasures of the flesh. Whatever the case, she was raised and spent her life contrary to the Word of God, outside of the faith. When she looks back over her life, she has nothing but sin to remember.

And we might spend a moment in pious speculation about the father of the demon possessed girl. Where is he? Why isn’t he the one to petition the Christ on the child’s behalf? He could be home, praying to false gods that their daughter would be healed. He could be promoting his daughter as a new oracle of one of these false gods, perhaps even seeking to turn her into a temple prostitute as a means of financial gain. Of course, those options assume the father is still in the picture. Perhaps this poor girl doesn’t have a father at home. Perhaps her origin is another of the sins her mother has committed.

Whatever the case, we have a woman approach Jesus who, in one sense, has no right to petition the Lord’s Christ. She is coming from the outside and making a commotion that even the disciples are bothered by. They want Jesus to send her away. Maybe they want Him to quickly answer her prayer so she will go away. They have no time for an outsider. They have no time for someone to join their ranks. They can’t be bothered to make room for someone unfamiliar in the Church. Maybe they want Christ to curse her to get rid of her. What we know for certain is they want nothing to do with this outsider.

At first, it seems Christ is of one mind with His disciples. He doesn’t even respond to the woman’s first cry. He seems to ignore her. He only answers the demand of the disciples, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”[1] At the same time, He doesn’t rush away from the woman. He doesn’t pass through her midst unseen. He allows her to catch up, to remain with the group. He doesn’t respond to her, but He continues to listen.

So the woman falls on her knees before Christ in an act of worship and begs for His help. This time, He responds to her but again seems to dismiss her request. “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” Christ is absolutely correct. It is not good to take food away from your children to feed dogs. It is not good to take away that which rightfully belongs to someone and give it to others because your emotions tell you the dogs need it.

The Canaanite woman will not let Him go, just like Jacob refusing to let go of Christ as they wrestled through the night.[2] “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” The woman is also, absolutely correct. She acknowledges what Christ has said is true. She does not desire to take what rightfully belongs to others. She does not want to appropriate that which has been given to the house of Israel. What she wants is to receive what is rightfully hers according to her station in life. She wants only the crumbs from the master’s table. She does not ask for the children’s food, not even their crumbs. She wants the crumbs of her Lord and Master. The smallest portion of food will suffice to fulfill her need.

For this, Christ greatly praises her faith and grants her request. He does not set her up in a palace nor give her the wisdom of the ancients. He grants her the life of her daughter and blesses her faith in the Word of God.

So what is really going on here? Much could be said but we will focus on two aspects: 1) the person of the Canaanite woman; and 2) the struggle of her prayer.

As I said before, the woman has a history of unbelief and sin. What is remarkable about her is that she doesn’t deny it. In no way does she try to justify her past nor assert her rights as a human being before Christ. She doesn’t claim to be a good person. She doesn’t claim the suffering of her daughter to be unjust, unfair, or greater than the suffering of anyone else. She doesn’t even put her own needs before Christ. Remember, she is begging the Lord to help her by healing her daughter.

In the Canaanite woman, we see a beautiful picture of a faithful and repentant person. She is willing to be called a dog because she knows that before the Lord Almighty, she doesn’t even deserve to be called that. She is a worm and not a woman, a reproach of men and despised by people.[3] Neither she nor her daughter has a right to be healed. They both deserve to suffer. This is why she appeals to the mercy of Christ, the Son of David. She begs that the Lord would withhold that which she truly deserves.

This is faith. Repentance consists of two parts – that we acknowledge our sins (contrition) and that we believe the Lord forgives them (faith). She does not come into the conversation with Christ with a specific promise that He will forgive her daughter, yet she trusts that whatever Christ does will be for her good.

At some point prior to our reading, this woman has heard the Word of God, maybe even heard Christ preach or seen Him perform miracles. At some point, she has been confronted by her sins and the effects of those sins on her beloved daughter. At some point, faith, the Holy Spirit, has entered into her heart and led her not only to repent but to seek the love of Christ. She sought the Lord and begs Him not just to be God, but to be God for her; to hear her prayers and answer them.

This woman is a beautiful example for all Christians to follow, for all mankind to follow. The sin that clings to our flesh is strong. We all have a history of sin, a rap sheet against the Law of God. You can try to hide it, but the Lord sees all and knows all. Your sin cannot be hidden from God. So like the Canaanite woman, you shouldn’t try to hide your sin. You should acknowledge before the Lord your God that you are a sinner, little more than the dogs fighting over scraps. You are right to be ashamed of your sin. It is a filthy thing. But it is for this filth that the Son of God became man. It is for this filth that He died and rose again. He wants to feed the dogs with the scraps from His table. He is good and His steadfast love endures forever![4]

When speaking of the person of the Canaanite woman, we must also address our Lord’s words to His disciples, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Christ is not speaking of the blood descendants of Abraham. He is not saying that He was sent only to save the repentant sinners who were circumcised and traced their heritage through Israel. The Shepherd of the entire world is Christ. His lost sheep are those lost in their sins. The house of Israel is the house of God, the Church. The lost sheep of the house of Israel are all those sinners who believe in Christ. He is saying that He has been sent only to the repentant faithful, who look to Christ for salvation. In a sense, He is telling His disciples to be patient because He was sent for this Canaanite woman, too.

The promise of salvation was never limited to the blood descendants of Abraham. The promise of bearing the seed of the woman, of the descendant who would die for the sins of the world, that promise was limited to the offspring of Abraham. The promise of salvation was always for all who would believe, be they Hebrew, Arabic, Indian, or European, descendants of Shem, Japheth, or even Ham. For evidence of this, look to Ruth, Balaam, Job, or Namaan. That means the promise of salvation is for you, too, not because you happened to be born after the resurrection of Christ but because the Holy Spirit has kindled the flame of faith in you by the Word of God.

We must also consider the struggle of this woman’s prayer. At first, the Lord seems to ignore her. Then He seems to dismiss her. Yet she persists in prayer. God will often seem to ignore your prayers. He will allow you to suffer the consequences of sin – both your own and simply the consequences of a sinful world. Does that make Him unjust, unrighteous, or unfair? Of course not. While it seems He is ignoring your prayer, He is actually listening very intently. He allows for the suffering of the faithful that our faith would be strengthened.

And don’t hear that as though God delights in testing your faith as though you need to believe harder. He puts your faith to the test that you would trust in Him. Jacob is not stronger than the Angel of the Lord. Christ could have broken every bone in Jacob’s body if what He wanted was to be rid of Jacob. But that is not the case. God delights in being “caught.” He delights in being caught in His own words and promises. He will test your faith to the point where you have nothing left but to say, “I may lose everything I have, my children, my wife, and even my life, but I will not let You go, Lord of my salvation.”

While many of our prayers focus on the needs of this body and life, we shouldn’t forget to pray that the Lord would keep us in the true faith. You cannot by reason or strength come to faith nor keep yourself in the faith. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to sustain your faith. It is good to pray that the Holy Spirit would restrain your sinful thoughts and deeds from ever driving you away from the faith.

“When in the hour of deepest need, we know not where to look for aid…Then is our comfort this alone, that we may meet before Your throne; To You, O faithful God, we cry for rescue in our misery. O from our sins, Lord, turn Your face; absolve us through Your boundless grace. Be with us in our anguish still; Free us at last from ev’ry ill. So we with all our hearts each day to You our glad thanksgiving pay, then walk obedient to Your Word, and now and ever praise You, Lord.”[5]

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. Matthew 15:24.

[2] Genesis 32:26.

[3] Psalm 22:6.

[4] Psalm 106:1.

[5] When in the Hour of Deepest Need, LSB 615, sts 1, 2, 5, 6.

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 Twelfth Sunday after Trinity

Trinity 12 – August 18, 2024

Psalm 70; Isaiah 29; 2 Corinthians 3:4-11

St. Mark 7:31-37

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

In the Rite of Holy Baptism, after hearing the Holy Gospel and praying the Lord’s prayer, the Pastor touches the baptismal candidate’s mouth and ear while proclaiming, “Ephphatha, that is, be opened!” These words act as both a prayer and a blessing. They are a prayer that the Word of God just spoken to the candidate would open his ears and mouth to receive and proclaim this saving Word. They are a blessing in that “whatever you ask in [Jesus’ Name], that you will receive.” The blessing is that God’s Word will do precisely what it says. The ears and mouth of the Baptized will be opened to receive and proclaim the Word of God.

Ephphatha is taken from the healing miracle heard this morning. Our Lord goes to great lengths to heal this man’s afflictions. The man cannot speak, and he cannot hear. He cannot receive the words of others, and he cannot express himself. What’s more, because he is both deaf and mute, it is likely that he was born this way. He has never heard, and he has never spoken. He is in a truly pitiable state.

This man’s afflictions are an allegory, a picture, of the natural state of man. By nature, we are not born open to the possibilities of the world. We are not born neutral toward God such that we need to be convinced or persuaded. We are born deaf and mute. We are turned away and hostile to the Living God. How did God create the universe? By speaking. How does St. John refer to Jesus in the first chapter of his Gospel? As the Word. Faith comes by hearing. Yet the natural man, our flesh, is so “anti-God” that we are born deaf and mute. Our flesh hates God such that our ears are stopped in a fight against the words of faith.

Our flesh is healed, is opened to the Word of God in Holy Baptism. Just as our Lord used the means of spittle while healing this man, He uses the waters of Holy Baptism to open your ears and your mouth. Baptism now saves you. How? By bringing the Word of God to bear on your soul, pouring it on your flesh to open your ears and mouth.

“What then,” you might say, “of the adult brought to Baptism? Don’t we usually teach first and then baptize adults? If their ears are plugged by nature and opened in Baptism, why not Baptize them before teaching?” This is an excellent question. Christ our Lord says that if we want to inherit the Kingdom of God we must turn and become children. By this, He means we must learn to trust like children. The inherent quality of trust that is found in children is not innocence in the sense of a “lack of guilt.” The trust of children can very easily be misused, or malformed. Children can easily be taught to trust the wrong things. That is why teaching children is a full-time job from the moment they are born. They trust whatever they are presented, without question.

An adult who is brought to the church has passed this stage of unquestioning trust. He has been formed by his experiences and by the world. For such a one as this, the Word of God must work not only to teach Him of the One True God but to unteach him of the doctrines of the world. The preparatory teaching of an adult before his baptism is primarily so that when he receives this holy washing, he does not immediately blaspheme it.

Yet even in the case of the adult, Holy Baptism is effective. It is not only an outward sign of an internal change that has already taken place. When the pastor proclaims, “Ephphatha, that is, be opened” to the adult baptismal candidate, the same thing is happening as when it is said to a child. Truly, the baptized is being opened to the Word of God and his tongue is being formed for the proclamation of the same.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God.^[1] Thus, the pulpit on Sunday morning is the beginning of all pastoral care. The Divine Service is the foundation upon which the minister of God brings the Word of God and distributes the Sacraments to you, the people of God. All other activities and works of the Church must proceed from this one thing most needful.

As such, the Pastor must spend a majority of his time devoted to the Word of God. The Pastor is a man, like any other. He does not have perfect knowledge of the mind of God. He must spend time studying the Word of God so that he can rightly bring it to you. Sermons, bible studies, and devotions do not spring forth from a last minute of hurried preparation—or at least they shouldn’t. Even the study of the conduct of the liturgy itself should be a priority for every Pastor because it is that place in which God comes to His people most intimately.

There is also the truth that the Divine Service on Sunday morning is a very small proportion of the week. It represents only an hour or an hour and a half each week, leaving 166 hours outside of the Divine Service each week. Like the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, we cannot abandon the world to encamp in glory.^[2] Rather, we must bear the glory of Christ throughout the week. We must take what we have received on Sunday morning and carry it throughout all our days.

That means you must read the bible every day. One or two verses in a Facebook group or half a verse with a devotion won’t cut it. It is the Word of God that forms your heart, and it is the Word of God that unplugs your ears. The same goes for 5 or 6 random verses each day. What you need is a constant and steady stream of the Word of God. Reading straight through the Scriptures, then doing it again and again will form your heart and mind to the Word of God. You will begin to see the world through the eyes of God and will begin to speak in complete sentences even as the formerly deaf man began speaking correctly after the miracle.

The Congregation at Prayer that we use to open Bible Study every Sunday has a reading plan with two chapters a day. That should be possible for almost everyone here. For the youngest of children, you might go a little slower, but it is entirely possible to read straight from the Scriptures and talk about the details – who is involved, what happens, when it happens, where it happens, and why it happens. If you want or need a different reading plan, just let me know. There are literally thousands available.

Jesus groans as He opens the ears and looses the tongue of the deaf man. He commands the friends of the formerly deaf man to be silent about the miracle and yet they persistently proclaim the miracle throughout the region. Jesus groans and commands silence because He knows human nature will see only the miracle and stop all ears from the Word of God. We hear what we want to hear, and we speak without thinking, bound to the language of the world.

This miracle shows that Christians are called to the exact opposite. Christians are called to be silent before the Word of God, to receive it daily and live by it at every moment. Christians are then called to speak that Word of God plainly throughout the world, just as the tongue of the formerly deaf man was unbound so that he could speak plainly.

May your ears and tongue be loosed by the Almighty Word of God this day. Ephphatha, that is, be opened.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

---

[1] Romans 10:17.

[2] St. Matthew 17:1-9.

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany – January 22, 2023

Psalm 97; 2 Kings 5:1-15b; Romans 12:16b-21

St. Matthew 8:1-13

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

Just as our Lord finishes preaching the Sermon on the Mount and walks down the mountain, a leper approaches Jesus and worships Him. Lepers were commanded to stand afar off, calling out “Unclean! Unclean!” lest anyone contract the disease by passing too closely. Yet this leper bolds walks up to Jesus, falls upon his knees, perhaps even falling prostrate—flat on the ground—in worship of the Incarnate Lord. After such a provocative approach, the leper humbly says, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”^[2]

Here we see the boldness of faith. Faith makes you more powerful than the US President and more wealthy than Jeff Bezos. Christ says faith the size of a mustard seed is capable of moving mountains.^[3] It is by faith that in Psalm 82, God says to Christians, “You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High.”^[4] Faith makes you a god among men, a lord over lords, and a mighty conqueror of this world.

It takes such faith to ask anything from God. The centurion knows that he is not worthy to have Christ stand under his roof. The centurion knows that he is not worthy even to be speaking to Christ. Yet faith, given to him by God, has made the leper and the centurion worthy to stand before the Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier, Judge, and Lord of the Universe and dare to ask for something as trifling as a healthy body.

Yet even such faith as can move mountains is worthless if misplaced. The leper is able to approach Jesus with such bold faith because he trusts that Christ is not only powerful but merciful, gracious, and loving. Faith is not only knowledge in the power of God but trust in His goodness. The bold faith of the leper is not without humility.

The humility of faith trusts that God is good and will deliver to you that which is best. You do not have all of the information. You cannot see through God’s eyes. We are bidden by the Lord’s Prayer to form all of our prayers according to the Will of God.

When you pray that God would sustain you in right doctrine, the teaching of the Scriptures, and that he will not cast you away, you can be certain that the answer to your prayer will be a resounding yes. God has promised to do these things for you in His word.

But when you pray for something that is good and necessary for this body and life, but which God has not specifically promised to you in His word, then the humility of your faith ought to always cause you to ask according to the Will of God. “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” The leper is not questioning the ability of Christ nor Christ’s love for him. The caveat of “if You are willing” refers to the uncertainty within the leper if being cleansed is really the best thing for him. Jesus knows what is best and so the leper humbles himself to the Will of Jesus.

The humility of the centurion’s faith is expressed somewhat differently. Jesus is ready to come straight to the centurion’s home to heal his servant, but the centurion stops Him. “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come to my home. Your Word is enough for me. I know you are the Lord of heaven and earth. Just as my soldiers obey my commands, I know that all of creation will obey Yours. Please, just speak a word and I know—I trust—that my servant will be healed.”

No one is worthy to have Jesus come under his roof. Historically, the words of the centurion are the words prayed before received the Body of Christ in the Eucharist. “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof, but only say the word and Your servant shall be healed.” We are not worthy to receive forgiveness, let alone to feed on the Body of God. Yet in our unworthiness, the Son of God descended into our flesh to die for us. He took on our humility and shame so that we would be given the faith which makes us kings and lords.

The humility of the centurion is in his request only for a word because he believes the Word of God will do precisely what it says. He believes the Word of Jesus will be good for whomever it is spoken. So too should you humbly believe that the words which I speak are not my forgiveness, but the forgiveness of God, your Father. You should humbly believe that what I give to you in the cup is the Blood of Jesus, not doubting because it doesn’t taste like blood. You should also humbly believe the Word of God is true simply because God has said it. If you disagree with it, submit your own will to the Will of God.

St. Paul says to the Corinthians, “Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”^[5] We see the love personified in Christ while healing the leper. Leprosy is always a symbol of our sinful condition because it deadens our senses toward God. We are not only numb toward God but dead. This necrosis creeps throughout our souls, poisoning us against God and man until we are finally laid in the grave of our own choosing, fated to spend eternity in darkness, weeping and gnashing our teeth in anger against a God we refused to know.

In this deadened state of leprous sin, the Word of God comes to us. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.^[6] Having heard the Word of God, faith is kindled in our dead hearts. Our flesh begins to move and having faith, we are bold to pray, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”^[7]

We, like the leper, already have faith. He is not praying to be converted. If that were the case, his actions would lead to salvation. No, he has already heard the Word of God and now prays that this forgiving Word would act upon his body. He prays that Christ would give to him that which is best for him. So too, we pray for food and drink, house and home, health, money, possessions, a pious spouse, pious children, good government, good friends, peace, discipline, honor, and the like.^[8]

In so doing, we also pray to be made holy. We pray that Christ would relieve us of the temptation to sin. It ought to be the desire of every Christian to live without sin. No sin should please us who would be like Christ. Praying to be cleansed with the leper is to pray that sin would cease its clinging to our conscience. While the temptations of the flesh will never cease on this side of glory, prayer for relief from sin is certainly biblical, practical, necessary, and pleasing to our Father in heaven.

The centurion himself is an example of love. He comes to Jesus not for his own healing, but the healing of his young servant. He pleads to God on behalf of another. This is love. The centurion must have traveled some distance, though not necessarily a long distance. This takes time and resources and for what? A slave? A young slave? He does this out of love. At some point, perhaps during the Sermon on the Mount, the centurion heard the preaching of Christ. The Word of God replaced his heathen heart of stone with a heart of flesh and now the centurion desires to live in service to his neighbor. Faith makes you a lord of all, but love makes you a servant of all. Faith without love is dead.^[9]

So too, should we follow the centurion’s example of faith working out in love, the greater being a blessing to the lesser. No one can provide for every need of everyone they meet. But you can provide for the needs of those God has given into your care. You can sacrifice your own comfort for the sake of another. You can humble yourself so that your children, your less fortunate friend, your sister, or even your destitute mother may have more than the bare minimum in life. To sacrifice yourself for the needs and wants of another is the definition of love.

Such faith and love will be rewarded. Both the Jewish leper and the Gentile centurion will be seated at the Marriage Feast of the Lamb. They shall dine with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for all eternity. This feast has also been prepared for you, beloved in Christ. The blood of the Jewish leper and the works of the Gentile centurion did not secure their invitation to eternal bliss. The Word of God, which delivered the very faith by which it is apprehended, moved their souls to repent of their sins and trust in Christ for salvation. This faith is then shown forth in love for their fellow man.

Your faith too is shown forth in love, even when you don’t realize it. You cannot help but show love toward your neighbor so long as you have faith. The act of changing a diaper is not worthy of salvation but the act of changing a diaper is the showing forth of love born by faith. It is the blessing of the helpless child by the capable mother.

So too are your prayers heard and answered no matter how it may seem to you. Faith means trusting that Christ knows what is good for you and will deliver that which is good. If your prayer is not answered the way you wanted it to be, then realize that you do not know what is best. God does. It would be worthwhile to practice praying like the leper and the centurion.

“Lord, if You are willing, You can deliver me from pain. But I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. Only say the Word, and Your servant shall be healed.”

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

---

[2] St. Matthew 8:2.

[3] St. Matthew 17:20.

[4] Psalm 82:6.

[5] 1 Corinthians 13:2.

[6] Romans 10:17.

[7] St. Matthew 8:2.

[8] A summary of the Small Catechism on the 4^th Petition of the Lord’s Prayer.

[9] James 2:17; 1 Corinthians 13:2; Galatians 5:6; Colossians 1:4; 1 Timothy 1:5, 14; 1 John 4:20.

The Epiphany of our Lord

The Epiphany of our Lord – January 6, 2023

Psalm 72; Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-12

St. Matthew 2:1-12

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

Like many of the events surrounding the birth of our Lord, it is too easy to assume the visit of the Magi is a bygone fact of history.[1] This account of our Lord is certainly true history and happened as it is recorded by the Holy Spirit, however, if that is the only meaning in this text, then there is no point beyond historical curiosity for us to read it. We, too, ought to share in the elation experienced in the hearts of the Magi as they worshipped the One True God made flesh. We, too, come this night to worship the Triune God and to give thanks that He has not only taken our flesh and redeemed us from our sins, but that He has brought this salvation to the nations, to the Gentiles.

It is nothing short of a miracle that these Magi recognized the birth of a foreign king in the appearance of a star. It is no less of a miracle that when they found that king, they knew to worship Him. Despite the lowly state of His birth—the condition of the cattle shed or even shack in which they found Him—the Magi knew this to be a great king. They had even conferred with the nominal king in the land, Herod, yet recognized this child to be greater still.

We are no better off than these Magi except that we have a clearer description of the Son of God. We have the words of the prophets and the fathers, who named Bethlehem great among the cities of Judah;[2] we have the promise of the virgin birth;[3] the promise of the incarnation;[4] and the promise of a Redeemer Kinsman, who will save us from the kingdom of Satan.[5] And yet, these Magi, who were without the Word of God, came to know the Son of God, we are put to shame by their reverence and worship.

We believe that because Christ has died for us, what we wear, how we speak, how we act, and how we conduct ourselves during worship don’t matter. We believe that because these things do not affect our salvation, we may abuse Christian freedom to do whatever we want. Yet these pagan Magi, when coming into the presence of the Almighty God, forsake the falsity of their learning and worldly wisdom. They bow before an infant, proclaiming Him to be God. They offer to Him not what they can afford, not what they can spare, not even the nicest things they can find. They offer gifts to Him that are greater than what they would bestow upon anyone else.

In seeing this miraculous conversion of the pagan, we must be seeing the grace and mercy of God at work. These Magi have no background in Christianity. They are not “spiritual but not religious.” They are unbelieving pagans. Yet the presence of Jesus Christ turns their hearts in an instant, causing them to fall down in worship. Yes, they fell down to worship Jesus. These dignitaries from foreign lands laid themselves on the floor to worship a God they had only just met.

‘In this we see men devoted to worldly wisdom and far from belief in Jesus Christ brought out of the depth of their error and called to an acknowledgment of the true Light. Undoubtedly it is the brightness of Divine Grace at work and when that new light illumines the darkness of their hearts, the same brightness comes this night to illumine yours. That same star, the Light of Life given to men in the flesh of a child, illumines your hearts just as it illumines theirs so that it should move both with wonder and lead both to the adoration of God in the splendor of that True Light. So then, with careful thought, we might see how the threefold gifts of the Magi are also offered by all who come to Christ in faith. He that acknowledges Christ the King of the universe brings gold from the treasure of his heart. He that believes the Only-Begotten of God to have united man’s true nature to Himself, offers myrrh. He that confesses Him to be of the same substance of the Father, in no way inferior to the Father’s majesty, worships Him with incense.’[6]

While we share in the worship of Jesus with the Magi, we also find ourselves in very different times. Herod is actively plotting to kill the infant Jesus. The Church has undergone centuries of open persecution. Today, there are all kinds of attacks on the Church yet even now, our faith is not illegal. We are not at a point where we must meet in secret.

Yet these differences do not mean that Herod, or his coconspirator, Satan, have ceased to work against the Church. They have simply changed tactics. Why make it illegal to go to church when you can simply convince people not to read the Scriptures? Or, why arrest Christian preachers when you can simply convince people not to listen to them? Herod was outraged that someone else would be called ‘king’ in his land, especially one who would claim the title ‘God.’ Such outrage and spite are understandable when people are seeking the Messiah, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

But when even Christians are not worried about seeking the Messiah, Herod has no need to rage. Satan can replace the blow of affliction with the stumbling block of pleasure. Instead of threatening to seize your belongings, Satan tempts you with more. Instead of throwing you into prison for your faith, Satan changes your home into a prison by telling you it is unsafe to leave. Rather than destroy families by putting the father to death, Satan makes sure you can stay connected by never speaking to your family in person—only via screens. Why listen to the Scriptures when you can “follow along”? Why read a book when you can watch the movie? Why listen to the preacher when you can listen to the radio? Why bring up a child in the faith when you can send him to confirmation?

These tactics are indeed Satanic, and they afflict us all. They afflict us all because they are easy. Just as it was easier to offer the pinch of incense to Caesar than to confess the true faith, so too it is easier to placate children than to teach them. It is easier to insist on your way than to submit to authority. Pleasure is easier and provides a tangible reward. Faith is difficult. Faith is uncomfortable. Faith might require you to fall down on your expensive slacks and worship a child sitting in a cattle stall. Faith might require you to do something you don’t like because a superior expects it of you.

The tumult of our world threatens our pleasure but only by threatening to remove our pleasure. The tumult of our world threatens to make our lives difficult so that we will cling to the relative ease we have come to love. The love of ease is dangerous for it plays into the hands of Satan. The faith and hearts of men are shown in works. They are shown in how we engage with the world. This is godliness. This is piety. There are some, as St. Paul says, “who profess that they know God, but deny Him by their deeds.”[7] Denial and hypocrisy are true accusations when the sound of the voice does not match the voice of the conscience. The frailty of man easily leads into faults and because no sin with without its attractiveness, deceptive pleasure is easily fallen into.

But we should run away from satisfying the desire of the flesh and the mind that has knowledge of God should turn away from any evil suggestion of the enemy. In flight from the temptations of sin, turn instead to the steadfast love of God. His mercy endures forever. No matter what sin and no matter how long you’ve found yourself captive to it, God’s love and mercy endure forever. Do not persist in cherishing your sin no put off repentance because you enjoy your sin. Turn and repent at once, that you too might partake of the love and mercy of the Father. Turn and repent because while His mercy endures forever, your life does not. Your life is in the hand of the Father and it is not for you to decide the days of your life.

But for the one who strives against sin, who experiences the restlessness of enduring the sinful flesh while awaiting the joyful release of heaven, receive the mercy of God and pray incessantly that the burden of sin and the chains of evil habit be removed. The prayer of one that confesses will not be in vain since the merciful God “will grant the desire of those that fear Him,” and will give what is asked.[8]

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] This sermon is based on the sixth Epiphany sermon of St. Leo the Great as found at http://www.lectionarycentral.com/epiphany/LeotheGreat%204.html.

[2] Micah 5:2.

[3] Isaiah 7:14.

[4] Psalm 8.

[5] Genesis 3:15.

[6] This paragraph is a loose quotation of St. Leo’s sermon, the end of the first paragraph.

[7] Titus 1:16.

[8] Psalm 145:14, 19; St. Matthew 7:7-8.