The Good Shepherd gives life.

Sermon for Easter 3, April 26, 2020

Grace, mercy, and peace be yours in abundance from God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Shepherd of your souls.  Amen.

John 10:11-16  ¹¹ “I am the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  ¹² The hired man, who is not a shepherd, does not own the sheep.  He sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and runs away.  Then the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them.  ¹³ Because he works for money, he does not care about the sheep.  ¹⁴ “I am the Good Shepherd.  I know my sheep and my sheep know me ¹⁵ (just as the Father knows me and I know the Father).  And I lay down my life for the sheep.  ¹⁶ I also have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen.  I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.  Then there will be one flock and one shepherd. (EHV)

The Good Shepherd gives life.

Dear Christian friends,

            Throughout history, there have been uncountable numbers of men and some women who have called out to the world, saying something like, “Follow me, and I will lead you to greatness.”  Genghis Kahn, Alexander the Great, Buddha, Mohammed, Marx, Lombardi, and countless statesmen, philosophers, kings, presidents, governors, coaches, and theologians all saying, “Trust me.”

We have it here in our country, again this year, as numerous men and women vie for public office calling out to the people, “Trust me to lead you and help you.”  Yet, of all those uncountable self-styled leaders, only one Man could ever truly deliver on His promises.  He, the Son of God and Mary, is the one I want to speak about again this morning, because Jesus, The Good Shepherd, gives life.

When we read through the tenth chapter of John’s gospel, there is so much to comment on.  Jesus talks about a sheep pen in which His sheep are protected from the predators who seek to destroy.  Jesus tells us He is both the Gate to the sheepfold, and the Shepherd of the flock.  Some might be confused by all this, but they shouldn’t be.  The sheepfold is the Kingdom of God.  We enter that place of peace and security only through faith in Jesus, and Jesus is the One to whom is entrusted all power in heaven and earth for our eternal welfare.

At the time of our text, Jesus told those who were opposing Him, “I am the Good Shepherd.”  The word Good should not be confused with some ordinary quality that is somewhat above average.  Instead, Jesus is good—par excellence—the One and Only, the best of the best of the best, the only Man who ever lived about whom God has declared from heaven, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” (Matthew 17:5) 

Not only has God the Father declared it, but Jesus backed it up with His holy life and with the point of our text as He explained, “The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”  Our theme says, The Good Shepherd gives life.  Jesus gave His life so that you and I and so many more might live.  He gave His life to pay the penalty your sins had earned.  For the sins of the world, God the Father dealt out His harshest justice and wrath on the Lamb He gave as our substitute so that by Jesus’ death we could live and never die.

A true shepherd lives to guide and protect the sheep.  Before young David entered the fight against Goliath, he told King Saul how he had defended his father’s flock by striking down the lion and the bear.  Like David, Jesus came to destroy the enemy which had decimated God’s flock.  Though Satan certainly wounded the Lamb of God on Calvary, the battle ended with the devil crushed under Jesus’ feet, and all the world also under Jesus’ authority.  His resurrection from the dead proves that Christ’s victory is complete.

Jesus’ enemies were accusing Him of being a fraud and a false teacher.  Jesus pointed out how wrong they were by showing that He alone had skin in the battle.  Those in league with the devil don’t care what happens to God’s people, so Jesus said, “The hired man, who is not a shepherd, does not own the sheep.  He sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and runs away.  Then the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them.  Because he works for money, he does not care about the sheep.”  It was a bold confrontation with the teachers of His day.  The scribes and Pharisees mostly served their own stomachs rather than leading God’s people to their Savior. 

Yet rather than call any particular person the hired man, Jesus was using this illustration to point out their error.  Unlike the teachers of His day, and most leaders throughout history, Christ Jesus was always and only concerned about the welfare of His fellow man.  Jesus came down from heaven not for personal gain or glory but to save and protect His Father’s flock. 

Now, to help us understand what Jesus means, St. John tells us that “Through him [God’s Son, Jesus] everything was made, and without him not one thing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3)  As the creator of this world and everything in it, Jesus has rightful ownership.  Jesus had given us, and all things, life in the beginning when God created the world for people—He created the universe so that God could walk with us and provide His special creation with everything we need.  God would be our Shepherd, Leader, Provider, and Friend.  Satan separated us from God by sin, but Jesus came to restore that relationship. 

Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the devil has been doing his best to savage God’s flock.  We know Satan desires that still today.  Jesus came down from heaven to live as a Man so that the devil’s plans are thwarted.  Even though Satan has managed to corrupt us with sin, and even though that murderer brought death to all people, Jesus came to end the terror, and by His sacrifice, The Good Shepherd gives us life again. 

Jesus told those who were accusing Him of treachery, “I am the Good Shepherd.  I know my sheep and my sheep know me (just as the Father knows me and I know the Father).  And I lay down my life for the sheep.”  The doctrine of election assures the believer that God has chosen us from eternity for salvation.  Here, Jesus confirms that He has always known the sheep of His flock.  His words show us that He knows you, personally.  He knows me.  He knows every tiny baby ever conceived.  For every person who has ever entered this world, Jesus laid down His life so that by believing in Him we might truly live.

The Jews often imagined they were the only ones on earth God wanted to help.  Jesus points out that He died for all people.  His Father was using Jesus’ sacrifice to bring people from more than just the tribes of Israel, in fact, from every tribe and nation on earth into the kingdom of heaven.  Jesus said, “I also have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen.  I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.”  This also hints as to how Jesus would bring others into His everlasting care.  In Old Testament times, God sent prophets to proclaim His plan of salvation.  They were pointing forward to Jesus. 

Likewise, since Jesus’ ascension to heaven, He has been sending out His human messengers with the Good News of the salvation Christ has won for all.  Jesus’ voice is heard through the proclamation of His Word.  It is true that not every person will be saved, but those who are not saved are lost only because they refuse to listen to Jesus’ voice in the message.  Those who are lost follow the call of God’s enemies; the devil, the world, and sinful human flesh lead the lost away from the good Shepherd into destruction. 

The human nature corrupted by the fall often gets in the way.  Yet, Jesus’ voice conquers.  Those of us who have heard Jesus’ voice and follow Him cannot claim any superiority of ourselves, for we know that “God, because he is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in trespasses.” (Ephesians 2:4-5)  It is by God’s grace that we have been rescued from the jaws of the lion and wolf.  The Lord God made us His own and brought us into His sheepfold, the kingdom of heaven, though the Gospel in Word and Sacrament.  Therefore, again, we say boldly, The Good Shepherd gives life. 

Jesus told His disciples, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father, except through me.” (John 14:6)  In the kingdom of heaven, there will not be competing religions.  There will not be competing gods.  Jesus says, “Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.”  Either we enter God’s kingdom through faith in Christ, the Good Shepherd, or we don’t enter at all.  Yet, by God’s grace, humble sinners like you and me are rescued from the deceiving, marauding enemy who has so desired to ruin God’s creation.  Without any merit or worthiness on our part, God chose to rescue us from darkness and death by the sacrifice of His Son.

Dear friends, never forget how much the Good Shepherd loves you or the sacrifice He made to give you life, and never forget the sacrifice the Father made by treating His own beloved Son with all the wrath He owed us.  St. Paul wrote to the Roman congregation, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also graciously give us all things along with him?” (Romans 8:32)

We live in a time when, again, people are terrified of dying.  Because of a new virus troubling the world, our leaders have shut down a large portion of the economy and ordered millions of us to avoid other people.  Yet, death is not a new plague; it is as old as sin and rebellion against God.  Jesus is the cure.  To people troubled by persecution and the threat of death, St. Paul wrote, “So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.  For this reason he died, rose, and lived, to be Lord of both the dead and the living.” (Romans 14:8-9) 

Now, I’m not trying to tell you that our governments are foolish for taking the steps they have taken to keep people safe.  It is right and wise to do whatever we can to protect and help our fellow citizens.  But, what I am telling you is that we really have nothing to fear.  Our Good Shepherd has already opened the gates of heaven to all who believe.  Your sins have been paid for by the blood of God’s Lamb.  Therefore, whether physical death be in your very near future, or will not happen yet for decades, your place in the peace and glory of heaven is secure.  You live forever, because God’s Son gave Himself into death so that you can live and never die. 

My friends, the troubles of this world come and go.  Danger prowls around us on every side, and will as long as this world shall last, but Jesus has your life, and your future, firmly and securely guarded by His loving, almighty hands.  Salvation is forever because The Good Shepherd gives life.  Amen.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, forevermore.  Amen.

God-born faith gives eternal victory!

Sermon for Easter 2, April 19, 2020

Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, in truth and love.  Amen.

God-born faith gives eternal victory!

Dear Christian friends,

            There are many examples throughout history of men overthrowing established governments, or improperly controlling a nation for personal gain: legitimate governments forced into exile, replaced by governments that are mere shells of power because the country is ruled by a warlord or anarchists, nations under the control of brutal dictators who came to power by force or trickery, and numerous other governmental disasters that cause great grief in this sin-torn world.  Some even suggest that this current pandemic is being used to further certain politicians’ ambitions for control.

Warfare and cruelty always abound in this world, so people tend to demand that these problems be fixed and victory be won over those cruel individuals.  It is even somewhat common, today, for church bodies to give up the battle for true victory in order to fight for peace on earth.  That’s not what our sermon text is speaking about.  At best, earthly peace can only be a momentary win before the next crisis arises.  Therefore, our work, as the Christian Church, is to proclaim real, true peace, the everlasting victory.  Thankfully, in our text, today, we will see how God-born faith gives eternal victory!

1 John 5:4-12  ⁴ because everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.  ⁵ Who is the one who overcomes the world?  Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.  ⁶ This is the one who came by water and blood: Jesus Christ.  He did not come by the water alone but by the water and by the blood.  The Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.  ⁷ In fact, there are three that testify: ⁸ the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and these three are one.  ⁹ If we accept the testimony of people, God’s testimony is even greater, because it is the testimony that God gave about his Son.  ¹⁰ The one who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in him, but the one who does not believe has made God out to be a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God gave about his Son.  ¹¹ This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  ¹² The one who has the Son has life.  The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life. (EHV)

Our Lord Jesus once said to His disciples, "I have told you these things, so that you may have peace in me.  In this world you are going to have trouble.  But be courageous!  I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)  Hearing Jesus’ words, it is easy to understand that what John is talking about in this section of Scripture is the victory that Jesus has won over sin, death, and Satan.  John is not speaking about world peace, not peace in Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia or any of the other scores of nations currently at war or suffering inner turmoil.  However, Jesus has overcome the world.  He has won the victory over anything that would keep us separated from God the Father. 

So, what does that mean for you and me?  John’s words are clear; it is faith that gives the everlasting victory—not warfare, not political skill, not personal persuasion, not the influence of money—in fact, nothing of human endeavor.  John wrote, “Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.” 

Does that still seem a bit confusing?  John is telling us that, as Christians, the victory is already ours.  So, do you feel like a great victor?  Do you feel like you have won a battle for the ages and will never have to face trouble again?  Never fear; John’s point, here, isn’t to talk about our feelings, he is telling us the facts.  The fact is, the everlasting victory over sin, death, and Satan was won by Christ and is given to each believer through faith.  John tells us that victorious faith comes from God.

This is of ultimate importance: we are not responsible for gaining the victory.  We are not able, on our own, to believe.  That may sound a bit weird.  Even a large part of modern Christianity pretends that you need to find Christ, ask Jesus into your heart, or that you have to do something to assist in gaining your salvation, but that is dead wrong.  Here, John tells us that in truth, all who believe in Christ have been born of God—that faith is given to us by God’s grace, and God-born faith gives eternal victory!

Let’s step back for a moment and see why this is true.  The natural law written in our hearts tells us that God is real, and that we have sinned against Him, so ever since the Garden of Eden, Satan has tortured mankind with the idea that we need to do something to make God happy, or failing that, we need to try to become a god—to be holy in ourselves.  Every religion of the world, except true Christianity, wants to tell you how to make God happy, or how to have peace with the universe in how you live, but everyone following those religions is lost, because death shows clearly that, on our own, we are not right with God, and in spite of all attempts to appease His wrath, we only fail.

So where should we turn?  We turn to God’s Word.  The Spirit says, “Who is the one who overcomes the world?  Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”  Those who believe in Christ Jesus as God’s true Son and the Redeemer of the world already have victory over this sin-troubled world through their faith.  Furthermore, as we have already heard, the believer’s faith isn’t something he or she achieved.  Rather, that faith in Christ is born of God in them.  Jesus once asked His disciples, "But you, who do you say that I am?”  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:15-17)  

As Jesus walked on this earth, He had many battles with the Jews over His identity for they refused to accept that Jesus is God’s Son, and they refused to believe that He was sent by God to save them.  Therefore, Jesus pointed out that it wasn’t He, alone, who testified this truth to them.  Rather, the Father and the Holy Spirit, also, bear witness to that truth through the words of the prophets.  Christ is in absolute agreement with everything prophesied about Him in the Scriptures—not just in ideas, but in the actual nature and events of His life.  The Father established the course of history according to His plans for the salvation of the world.  The Holy Spirit shared the prophecies with the prophets, and Jesus fulfilled everything foretold about the Messiah.  The witness of the three persons of the Trinity is in agreement and is true. 

Regarding this, John wrote, “If we accept the testimony of people, God’s testimony is even greater, because it is the testimony that God gave about his Son.”  Throughout your life, you will run into people who question whether the Bible is true.  Many theologians and teachers, today, claim to know better, or to know something different.  At the same time, most people would still accept the testimony of three eyewitnesses in a criminal case, even if they are not completely sure that the witnesses are honest individuals.  So, if we would accept the eyewitness reports of three mere humans, how could we dare deny the sure testimony of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

Here, through John, the Holy Spirit gives us both a promise and a warning,: “He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.”  Really that is the heart of the matter; we either believe God and the witnesses He sends, or we call God a liar.  There is no middle ground between those two options.  If we believe the promise God gives, God-born faith gives eternal victory!  If we do not believe, we are choosing to side with the liar who has been fighting against God since the Garden of Eden.

Because God sincerely wants us all to be saved, He also gives us “three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.”  The Spirit bears witness to us in God’s Word.  Through the Word of the Bible, the Holy Spirit is testifying to the truth of everything we need to know for our salvation.  Because God wants that testimony to be even more real for us, He connects the truth of Jesus to earthly elements so that there can be no doubt about His testimony.

In Baptism, the water also testifies to the connection we have in Christ.  The power to cleanse us from sin isn’t in the water, but in the word of God, while the water shows our cleansing in a physical way.  In the same way, the blood of Christ in the Lord’s Supper, in, with, and under the wine, serves as witness that Jesus really did shed His blood on the cross to rescue us from eternal death.  “The Spirit, the water, and the blood” agree that Jesus is the Messiah; that He shed His blood for the sins of the world; that Jesus has rescued us from the tormenter who was keeping us at war with God.

We have another great promise from our Lord: “This is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  The one who has the Son has life.  The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”  This simple verdict is the sum total of Christianity.  Those who believe in Jesus for forgiveness and salvation have life everlasting full and free.  Christ came into this world for one purpose, to win for us the life we had lost because of sin.  God credits those who believe in His Son with the perfect holiness Jesus lived for us.  Thus, as St, Paul wrote, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set [us] free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8:1)

Dear friends, you and I have eternal life in heaven because of what Jesus has done for us on earth.  Furthermore, we don’t have to earn that eternal life, because it is given to us solely through faith in Christ which is worked in us by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God’s grace— through the Gospel with the water of Baptism, and strengthened through Christ’s body and blood in His Supper. 

Jesus told His disciples, "If anyone loves me, he will hold on to my word.  My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23)  The words of your Father in heaven are certain and true.  He sent Jesus into this world for the purpose of making all of us right with Him.  Jesus completed that righteousness for us with His sacrifice on a cross outside of Jerusalem and His resurrection on Easter morning.  Then, true everlasting peace with God is given to you through faith in Jesus as your Savior.  Rejoice in God’s peace!  Through God-born faith, God gives you His eternal victory!  Amen.

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace, always, in every way.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  Amen.

The Victor reigns triumphant.

Sermon for Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father—to whom be the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Revelation 19:11-16  ¹¹ I saw heaven standing open, and there was a white horse!  Its rider is called Faithful and True, and he judges and makes war in righteousness.  ¹² His eyes are like blazing flames, and on his head are many crowns.  He has a name written on him, which no one knows except he himself.  ¹³ He is also clothed in a garment that had been dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.  ¹⁴ The armies in heaven, which were clothed with white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses.  ¹⁵ Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.  He will shepherd them with an iron staff.  He himself is going to trample the winepress of the fierce anger of the Almighty God.  ¹⁶ On his garment and on his thigh this name is written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (EHV)

The Victor reigns triumphant.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,

            When a war ends, a lot of work remains.  In an earthly war, buildings, infrastructure, the economy, and relationships must be rebuilt.  When a civil war is won, it is especially important for the future of that nation, for the victor to reestablish harmony with the people and to root out any remaining opposition.  It is much the same in the Kingdom of God.  Jesus has won the complete victory over sin, Satan, and death—the rebellion has been put down—all authority in heaven and on earth has been put under Jesus’ feet, and our text shows, The Victor reigns triumphant.

In the devil’s rebellion, mankind was deceived and became a willing partner in Satan’s revolt.  From the moment sin entered this world, we each wanted to be our own little god, who would decide for ourselves the right and wrong, but mostly, selfishness ruled us.

Into this troublesome existence, the Son of God came to restore the peace, harmony, and tranquility that Adam and Eve enjoyed with the Lord in the Garden of Eden.  To win the war Satan had begun, Jesus had to defeat temptation, selfishness, pride, and finally death.  Temptation, because that is how the devil leads his rebel hoard.  Selfishness, because the sinner recognizes no greater authority than himself.  Pride, because in the fall, mankind was deceived into believing that knowing evil was something to be desired.  And finally, death, because the wages of sin is death.

Jesus conquered it all, and the victory was complete when He declared confidently from the cross, “It is finished.”  From that moment forward, the civil war was truly over.  The devil was forever exiled in the bowels of the pit of hell, chained from ever again accusing those he had misled. 

For His victory, Jesus is given authority over heaven and earth.  Yet, work remains, and in the words of our text, we have a picture of how The Victor reigns triumphant in His Kingdom.

Jesus willingly laid down His life to rescue those the devil had deceived and enslaved.  In humility, Jesus defeated temptation, pride, and selfishness with His perfect life and humble obedience to His Father’s will.  The last enemy to be defeated was death.  Death was the devil’s trump card.  With it, the devil kept us terrified of the end of our days here on earth.  But, Satan over bit.  When death clamped down on Jesus that first Good Friday, it swallowed the One who has power over life and death.  Jesus told His disciples, “I lay down my life so that I may take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.  I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again.  This is the commission I received from my Father.” (John 10:17-18)

In the book of Judges, we learned that when mighty Samson was a young man, he was attacked by a lion, and with his bare hands, Samson grabbed the jaws of the attacker and destroyed the destroyer by tearing it in two.  Likewise, Jesus destroyed death with His bare hands as He ripped its jaws in two when He rose from the tomb Easter morning.  The grave couldn’t hold Jesus, and it can no longer hold us either.

In our text, John reports his vision of the Victor, our dear Savior.  John said, “I saw heaven standing open, and there was a white horse!  Its rider is called Faithful and True, and he judges and makes war in righteousness.”  With His victory won, and His kingdom firmly established, Jesus now works to rebuild what was destroyed in the rebellion. 

An ordinary king, in this world, might seek to destroy any remaining rebels.  Jesus goes a different way.  He makes war in righteousness.  Rather than try to destroy the rebels, Jesus reaches out to them with His truth and His promise of reconciliation by His own blood.  His Church in the world carries the message that all sin is forgiven, that the guilt for every rebellious act has been paid for by the One who will now judge.  In His perfect righteousness, Christ is faithful to His Father’s will “who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)

Easter celebrates Jesus’ victory.  That victory is also ours through faith in Him.  Jesus won His kingdom with humility, kindness, submission, and grace.  He restores peace with the rebellious through the kindness of His Word, and the blessing of the Sacraments.  Jesus opens His arms in sweet invitation offering free forgiveness and peace.  Yet, the picture of our text warns that those who refuse His mercy in order to remain aligned with the devil will not escape Christ’s judgment. 

Jesus is no weak king.  There is steel in His determination that no rebels will abide in the kingdom of heaven.  “His eyes are like blazing flames, and on his head are many crowns.  He has a name written on him, which no one knows except he himself.”  The blazing eyes show us that Jesus has the omnipotence of God.  Nothing escapes His notice.  No sinner can hide anything from Jesus’ attention.  The crowns on His head show that no one will escape Christ’s judgment for He rules all things.  Through Isaiah, God said, “I have sworn by myself.  From my mouth a righteous word has gone out, and it will not return unfulfilled.  Indeed, to me every knee will bow, and every tongue will swear allegiance.” (Isaiah 45:23)

Dear friends, the book of the Revelation was written to comfort Christians who were under attack and persecution in the world.  Jesus told His disciples, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated me first.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, for that very reason the world hates you.” (John 15:13)  The people still in rebellion against our God naturally persecute the children of God, sometimes intentionally, otherwise just in the hostile convictions of opposing world views.  Those who remain rebellious often think themselves in control, fooling themselves into thinking they will escape God’s judgment.  This text shows otherwise.

John wrote, “He is also clothed in a garment that had been dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.  The armies in heaven, which were clothed with white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses.  Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.  He will shepherd them with an iron staff.  He himself is going to trample the winepress of the fierce anger of the Almighty God.”  Here we see a picture of Judgment Day.  In His mercy, God has offered reconciliation and peace to all who will recognize His reign.  For the last two thousand years, Jesus has been sending out His emissaries, offering forgiveness full and free—no price is demanded, no grudge is held, no retribution for sins hangs over our heads, because by His sacrifice, Jesus made full satisfaction for the debts of all people. 

However, there is an end to God’s patience with the rebels, and an end to the world’s time of grace.  The picture here given shows the Victor riding over the rebellious crushing His enemies underneath.  Jesus has won the victory over sin, devil, and death.  Therefore, anyone who refuses His mercy will face eternal judgment.  Many people pretend that it doesn’t matter what god you believe in as long as you are sincere in your faith—To the contrary,

This is what the true God says, the Lord who creates the heavens and stretches them out, who spreads out the earth and everything that it produces, who gives breath to the people on it and life to those who walk on it.  “I am the Lord.  I have called you in righteousness.  I will hold on to your hand, and I will guard you.  I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people, to be a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring the prisoners out from the dungeon, and to bring those who sit in darkness out of prison.  I am the Lord; that is my name.  I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to idols.” (Isaiah 42:5-8)

Dear friends, Jesus told His friends, “In this world you are going to have trouble.  But be courageous!  I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)  In our times, we again hear about persecution in various places.  Some places, that persecution is severe leading to the deaths of thousands of believers.  In other places, such as our own, the persecution is more subtle, and often simply the trials of ordinary temptation so common to all times and places.  Yet, the rebels continue to use their guerrilla tactics as they serve the deceiver.  Easter is the day we are assured that Christ’s victory is also ours.

On Easter morning, we rejoice because Jesus lives.  This is our sure proof that the victory is won.  Christ has restored us to the peace of Paradise.  His resurrection assures us that every promise God made is true.  It proves that Jesus really is the Son of God who takes away the sin of the world.  Easter also shows us that we dare not take Jesus lightly.  Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  Rather, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)  The Kingdom of Heaven is not built on fear but on grace.  Yet, true faith also has a proper respect for every aspect and message of the God who saves us. 

Our text offers several names of our God and Savior: Faithful and True—Word of God—King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  This is our Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  He took your sins away and forgave every debt you owed to His Father.  He has washed you clean and holy in the blood of His sacrifice.  Tremble before the Lord your God, not in terror, but in gratitude and thanksgiving for the love He shows you on a daily basis.  Know that you have peace with God, and no matter what evil this world might throw your way, know that your Savior will judge all things on the final day, for His victory is sure and complete. 

Near the end of the book of the Revelation, we receive this promise: “Look!  God’s dwelling is with people.  He will dwell with them, and they will be his people.  God himself will be with them, and he will be their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain, because the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)  Therefore, know with sure confidence that though we may face trouble and persecution for a few days here on earth, we will live and reign with Jesus in heaven forever, for by Jesus’ victory, you have been restored to peace with God, and for you, The Victor reigns triumphant.  Amen.

The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting.  Amen.

The greatest battle ever fought.

Sermon for Good Friday, April 10, 2020

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

(EHV) Matthew 27:45-50  ⁴⁵ From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, there was darkness over all the land.  ⁴⁶ About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  ⁴⁷ When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “This fellow is calling for Elijah.”  ⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran, took a sponge, and soaked it with sour wine.  Then he put it on a stick and gave him a drink.  ⁴⁹ The rest said, “Leave him alone.  Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”  ⁵⁰ After Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

The greatest battle ever fought.

Dear fellow redeemed,

            Did the light slowly fade?  Did the sun suddenly shut off?  The writers don’t tell us the how.  They simply tell us that darkness took over the earth for the hours that fateful day that Jesus hung on the cross.  Historical records from various places also record this strange event.  Yet, we know there was no eclipse.  No dark clouds are mentioned that would hide the light.  Just suddenly, a terrifying darkness covered the face of the earth.

The only explanation possible is that the Son of God, the One who is Light, was nailed to that tree suffering for all the sins of all the human race, you and me included.  How could the sun possibly shine when God turned away from the giver of light?

Many have spoken of the ugliness of crucifixion.  Crucifixion was intended to be ugly: a cruel, slow, public, agonizing, shameful execution—a graphic warning against any who would consider rebelling against the authority of the government.  Indeed, the Bible says, “Cursed is anyone who hangs on a tree.” (Galatians 3:13)  Moses had prohibited Israel from leaving an executed criminal hanging on a tree overnight lest the land would be defiled before God.  What an amazing foreshadowing some fifteen hundred years before the execution of our Savior.

The Man thousands had adored, followed, begged for help and healing, and welcomed into Jerusalem with a shouts of acclaim was now nailed to a cross between two common criminals.  Two men deserved to die for their crimes.  The innocent Man in the middle became sin for all people ever.

Earlier that morning, Jesus had acknowledged to Pilate that He was indeed a King.  Pilate even feared to condemn this Son born of God, yet there hung the King of Truth, bleeding, dying in the strange darkness.  The hidden Warrior God sent into battle for the salvation of our souls sacrificing Himself so that we might live. 

This is the scene of Jesus’ last battle with the devil to win freedom for God’s people.  We think of the World Wars as big battles.  This one is far bigger and far more important.  Every promise God had made for our salvation hung in the balance.  Every moment of Jesus’ life led up to this: The greatest battle ever fought.

There have been numerous battles in history that were major turning points in the countries and cultures involved.  Until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, our nation had been reluctant to join in the war that threatened much of the free world.  The D-Day assaults were the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany.  But, the battle between Jesus and Satan is the biggest of all.  Without Jesus taking on the deceiver, no one would be reconciled with God.

By the time the sun went dark at noon that day, Jesus had already endured unfathomable torture.  Interrogated since late evening the night before, Jesus had been slandered and rejected by those who should have been His greatest supporters.  Later in the proceedings, Jesus was mocked, crowned with a wreath of ugly thorns, and brutally beaten by the fists, rods, and whips Pilate’s and Herod’s soldiers utilized with sadistic glee.  Weakened to the point of collapse, Jesus was then forced to carry His cross until He couldn’t go any further and fell to His knees.  

At Golgotha hill, the Christ was stripped of His clothing, thrown down on the wooden cross, and long, rough nails were driven through His wrists and feet to hold Him to that cursed wood.  Then, lifted above the crowds entering the city, the mockery continued from Jew and stranger alike.  It’s hard to view this happening to a mortal enemy.  Yet, this is our Savior, our dearest Friend, the Lamb of God taking our place.

As hard as it is to imagine, Jesus took all of this punishment and pain without complaint.  No angry curses against His betrayer or the people treating Him so cruelly and unfairly.  Instead, the first words Jesus spoke from the cross were a simple plea to His Father above for the forgiveness of those who put Him there.  Jesus then answered the desperate plea of His fellow crucified prisoner with the promise of entrance into Paradise that very day, and with tender compassion, Jesus placed His mother’s care into the hands of His beloved disciple.

In the middle of the day, the darkness took over the whole earth.  If you want to know how much God hates sin, you can see it there when the Father turns His back to the Son.  The One Man who had been perfect in every thought, word, deed, desire, and will bore the brunt of God’s anger for every affront and rejection of every person who has ever walked this earth.

Perhaps we should be glad for the darkness that covered the land.  It might have intimidated some of the mockers and silenced their filthy slanders.  Furthermore, no one could fully see the torments Jesus was enduring.  For the first time in forever, the Father was not helping Jesus, not advising Him or defending Him from the devil’s assaults.  And you can know that the devil wasn’t hiding that day.  No, this was Satan’s last chance to steal the kingdom from the Son.  Remember how that devil had tempted Jesus earlier, trying to get Jesus to claim the kingdoms of earth by taking a shortcut.  How Satan must have needled Jesus when the Father no longer heard His prayers.  How the demons must have done everything they could to increase the pains of the Son of Man, but through it all Jesus did what Jesus does—He willingly submitted to His Father’s will, and He loved us to the bitter end of The greatest battle ever fought.

There is no way we can truly understand the pressure and torment Jesus was enduring.  The only way we could know it would be to suffer hell’s curse for eternity.  The guilt of every murder, rape, unethical war, the guilt of the mockers and false accusers, every theft, every robbery, the abortions, divorces, affairs, and abandonment of families, the guilt of curse words, lustful thoughts, greedy desires, lack of effort or gratitude for God’s blessings, it’s all piled up there on Jesus.  The Man who never once went astray from God’s will, was now bearing God’s just punishment for your guilt and mine.  There in the unnatural darkness, God’s righteous anger bore down on Jesus—the same terrifying justice that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone, that unleashed a flood that destroyed the whole world, that can shake the mountains and plague a whole nation poured down on Jesus, and without complaint, Jesus took that retribution for you and me and all people.

Near the end of this unbearable reckoning, we hear Jesus’ anguished cry, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  In a way we simply can’t comprehend, the One who is Love, the God who created the world and acknowledged Jesus as His perfect Son turned His back on His Beloved only-begotten Child.  Their perfect relationship is severed.  How evil mankind has been to bring such a thing to pass.  How strong and kind Jesus is that He would bear this punishment on our behalf.  Isaiah wrote, “Surely he was taking up our weaknesses, and he was carrying our sufferings.  We thought it was because of God that he was stricken, smitten, and afflicted, but it was because of our rebellion that he was pierced.  He was crushed for the guilt our sins deserved.  The punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:4-5)

Dear friends, much of the time, we are not even aware of the sins we commit.  The moments of unrighteous anger, bad habits, selfish desires, and immoral thoughts so ingrained in us we don’t even notice we are betraying the One who loved us completely.  We couldn’t even know where to begin if we would pretend to appease God for our faults.  Yet, Jesus knew, and Jesus did.

Toward the end, Jesus last words came rather quickly.  Someone thought He had called for Elijah to save Him and ran to offer a drink of sour wine.  The soldiers were waiting to see what might happen next, and to make sure no one intervened in the execution.  Some mockingly claimed that they wanted to see if Elijah would come to help.  Jesus, totally spent, spoke again: “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished!’” (John 19:30) 

There, in the late afternoon with the light returning, we see the end: earthquakes shook Jerusalem, and “the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’  When he had said this, he breathed his last.” (Luke 23:45-46)

When in the depths of His agony, Jesus had no longer called out to His Father, but to Almighty God Who was crushing Him.  Now, when all is complete, we see the reunion that has been accomplished.  The separation between God and man is removed.  Jesus once more calls out to His Father in peace.  The battle for all people was won. 

There, on Calvary’s dreadful hill, the goal of Father and Son has been achieved.  The rebellion begun in the Garden of Eden by an angel blessed beyond any others was finally put down.  The devil wanted to be god, but like so many wicked tyrants in human history, Satan’s end is death—his head crushed by God’s justice.  Satan’s wicked rebellion is defeated by the obedience and humble sacrifice of God’s Son.  Forever bound to the prison of hell, the devil can no longer accuse anyone of sin, for Jesus has paid the penalty for all.  The promise God made when Adam and Eve fell is fulfilled.

In The greatest battle ever fought, Jesus had given His all.  To defeat the tempter and his rebellious hoard, to withstand every temptation and trap the devil could devise, Jesus had given His determination and will in humble obedience to His Father in heaven.  Then, to pay for the sin of every sinner ever, Jesus gave His body and soul into the hands of a just and jealous God, accepting all the punishment sinners deserved, and now that the debt has been paid in full, the final payment due, Jesus hands His life into the Father’s care, because God’s justice is satisfied and the Son is again in the Father’s perfect love.  The Father gave Jesus the authority to lay down His life and to take it up again.  In the death of Christ, salvation is accomplished for you and me. 

For you and me, Jesus, the holy and unspotted Lamb of God, has wiped the slate clean.  Our ledgers no longer contain any record of sin but only the righteousness of Christ and accounts of the good works His Father has prepared in advance for us to do.  Though death once held a strangle-hold on us, we are forgiven and restored through faith in Christ; our names are now recorded in the Book of Life.  The darkness that once enveloped our future has been lifted by the One who is Light. 

Dear friends, be comforted by the truth of Jesus’ own words: “It is finished!”  Your sins are forgiven.  Your eternal life granted.  Peace with God is your present and future reality, both now and forevermore.  Thus, whenever death comes calling, we, like Christ Jesus, can lay our lives confidently into the Father’s loving hands because through faith in Christ, we now have perfect peace.  Amen.

The battle is personal.

Sermon for Maundy Thursday, April 9, 2020

Grace, love, and peace be with you all from God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Luke 22:47-48  ⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, and the man called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them.  He came near to Jesus to kiss him.  ⁴⁸ But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (EHV)

The battle is personal.

Dear blood-bought children of God,

            The story is told in ancient Greek literature about a war in which Greek warriors laid siege to the city of Troy.  For a long time, it was a stand-off, neither side gaining any ground.  Finally, it appeared that the Greek army simply gave up and went away, but before they left, they built a large wooden horse and left it outside the city gates.  As almost everyone knows, that gift was a baited trap.  For whatever misguided reason, the people of Troy pulled that gift-horse into their city, and during the night, soldiers hidden inside crawled out to open the city gates, and the Greek army returned to conquer the city from within.

That tragic event is not unlike the devil’s scheme to derail Jesus’ work of redeeming all people.  One of Jesus’ closest followers, a man named Judas, allowed himself to be infiltrated by greed, and for the paltry gift of thirty silver coins, Judas betrayed his Savior.  It was like a Trojan horse had entered his heart allowing the enemy to gain control, and it cost Judas his life and salvation.

When we read about Judas, it’s not hard to see how we, too, could succumb to such a fate.  How often doesn’t the devil tempt us with things that glitter in our eyes?  It could be money, love, success, property, or any number of seemingly good things, each of which can become for us a personal Trojan horse.  The devil beguiled one of Jesus’ chosen disciples, attacking the inner circle of His friends.  Likewise we, the people Jesus loves, are dead center in the devil’s sights, so for Jesus, The battle is personal.

Jesus had just finished praying in the Garden of Gethsemane when He woke His disciples for the third time and warned them against falling prey to temptation.  Then, While He was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, and the man called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them.  He came near to Jesus to kiss Him.  But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

Judas made a show of pretending that Jesus was his dearest friend.  In truth, Jesus was Judas’s best Friend, as He is for all of us, only Judas no longer believed that.  The kiss was a prearranged signal to the soldiers Judas was leading that this was Jesus, the man they were to capture and arrest.

We can say Jesus was Judas’ best Friend not only because He gave His life on a cross for all people, but also because of the concern Jesus had showed him.  Several times Jesus had given Judas the chance to repent and turn away from his evil plans—to no avail—so what kind of Trojan Horse caused Judas to betray his Friend?

Most of you already know: Judas had carried the money bag for Jesus and His disciples, but Judas also stole out of their joint funds.  Worse, when Judas let go of his faith in Jesus, Satan moved in to fill the void.  Thus, when Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him, Judas never flinched—his love for the silver overpowered his conscience.

Whatever struggles Judas had in his conscience were in that moment under the devil’s control.  Desire for that pitiful handful of silver coins was Judas’s only motivation that night.  If it took betraying his Friend to get that money in his hand, Judas thought it was worth it.  That is, until the realization finally hit him that Jesus wasn’t going to walk away through the crowd like He had in the past, and that realization led Judas to despair.

This battle was personal for the other eleven disciples, just as it is for us.  How do you suppose they reacted when Jesus said, “One of you will betray Me”?  Did they suspect one or another?  Did each man fear it might be him?  John tells us, “The disciples were looking at each other, uncertain which of them He meant.” (John 13:22)  Considering their confusion, how many of us ponder whether we could betray our Savior?  Are we so confident in ourselves that we think that couldn’t happen?  Remember how bold Peter had been when Jesus warned him that he would deny Jesus three times.  Weakness troubles all of us, doesn’t it?  It could be weakness in the strength of our faith, or in being too bold in our self-confidence, but the battle continues in every believer.

That night, during their Last Supper together, Jesus had warned the disciples that they would all desert Him.  None of them could believe it.  Yet, a few hours later after Judas led that motley band of soldiers, thugs, and temple guards to take hold of Jesus and bind His hands to be led away, not one disciple could stand up to his fear.  Even Peter, after pulling his sword and managing to slice off an ear, then ran for his life.  An enemy had managed to sneak into even those strong hearts.

So, what about you and me?  What Trojan Horse does the devil leave for us to find and invite in?  St. Paul wrote some years later, “I certainly delight in God’s law according to my inner self, but I see a different law at work in my members, waging war against the law of my mind and taking me captive to the law of sin, which is present in my members.  What a miserable wretch I am!  Who will rescue me from this body of death?” Romans 7:22-24)  Could any of us possibly dare to claim being as strong in the faith as Paul?  Even if we could, we’d still be stuck in the same fight.  That last night in the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus prayed, His disciples really wanted to watch faithfully, but three times they fell asleep.  Jesus warned them, “Watch and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation.  The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)

If you are like those disciples, and me too, then your flesh has this same weakness.  As we think back on all the times we have betrayed our Savior with unholy thoughts, words, jests, and glances, how dirty does it make us feel?  What temptation is the devil leaving at your doorstep, or your computer screen, or the neighbor’s fence?  Is it greed, envy, lust, or boastfulness?  Are there times when simple laziness keeps you from studying the Scriptures?  Do the daily interferences of life take away your commitment to prayer?  How about entertainments, desire for more money, or bigger, better toys, do these things draw you away from worship, or personal Bible study?  The devil sure spreads around a lot of pretty, Trojan horses, doesn’t he?

Whenever guilt comes calling, remember the Good News: Jesus took your battles personally.  Our Hidden Warrior didn’t abandon the fight for our lives.  Jesus went to war for us, walking resolutely through His days on earth to the moment before us tonight, His last twenty-four-hours of mortal combat with the devil.  Paul expressed our faith and hope when he wrote, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25)

The battle is personal.  You and I have to fight against temptation every moment of our lives.  Jesus knew it.  He knew the temptations Satan has devised.  Jesus knew we couldn’t handle it, so He did.  Our Savior made our battle His own personal fight.  He resisted every one of the tempter’s schemes.  Jesus walked in our shoes for thirty some years without even one stumble.  Then, when there was no more temptation the devil could use against Him, Jesus took all of our sins and became sin for us. 

All alone, Jesus went to battle for us.  Even more than He stood in the judgment of the Sanhedrin and Pilate, Jesus stood before God’s judgment in our place.  For us, Jesus took the meanest punishment men could think of.  For us, Jesus voluntarily carried the sins of the world as the soldiers nailed His hands and feet to the cross, and because of us, God the Father turned His face away from His Son.  The fullest torment of hell was born on that cross in our place.  Jesus took it all so that we could be set free.

When Jesus died on that torturous tree, light returned to the sky, and the temple curtain was torn in two.  The separation between us and God was ended.  From that moment forward, God credits us with the holy perfection of His Son, because in exchange for His holiness, Jesus took away all your sins.

When the devil drags his Trojan horses into your view, you need a Friend battling with you.  The strongest Warrior the world has even know is Jesus, God’s own precious Son, who in hidden power humbled Himself to become one of us so that He could battle our worst enemy and never give in, a Champion who would not be deceived but in strength could encounter the devil’s lies and not be misled.

With Jesus on our side, we have powerful tools for the fight.  God’s Word is a double-edged sword—the law side hewing out all the wickedness in our hearts, the sins we would hope to keep hidden, and with the Gospel side, healing the wounds the devil’s temptations have inflicted.  The scarlet cord at the center of the Bible is that Jesus came to suffer and die to set us free.  His life for ours.  His holiness covering our weakness.  His death giving us life.

A second tool Jesus has put in our hands is the holy meal we especially celebrate on Maundy Thursday.  With this year’s social restrictions, it will feel like a tremendous void has been placed upon us, but this we know is temporary.  The night He was betrayed, Jesus established a personal offer to each of His followers, that we might eat His flesh in the bread, and drink His blood in the wine as medicine for our souls.  Taking time out of the picture, you and I were there.  In this blessed communion, we are united with Jesus and all fellow believers throughout eternity.  When temptations weigh us down, and real sin is at our door, Jesus offers this precious food as assurance that He has paid the price for our sins, and God remembers them no more.  Because our battle against the devil is personal, Jesus gives us His personal help in bodily form.

A third tool we consider is the Holy Spirit.  Jesus and the Father send the Spirit through Word and Sacrament to defend, teach, and strengthen us.  The Spirit works in us as His Word gives faith and life.  As He called men to write His Scriptures, and after that to continue proclaiming them, the Holy Spirit gave us all we need for the journey through life.  Some people might look for something more to instruct their lives, but the Word of our God is supernatural power sufficient to answer every problem or need. 

Why can we be bold when others would be timid?  Because we know that our God and Savior has won the battle for us and we will stand with Him forever no matter what this world might do against us.  Why can we patiently bear the limitations this Covid-19 disease has caused?  Because we know that in Christ, we can never really be separated.  Yes, it feels like it for the moment, but this too shall pass, and whether here on earth or in Paradise above, we will dwell together in peace and joy as one with Christ Jesus.

Dear friends, The battle is personal, but we are never alone in the fight.  Christ has won the war for us, He equips us for the journey to our forever home, and He will never leave us defenseless.  We read from the letter to the Ephesians, “Take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to take a stand on the evil day and, after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:13)  The battle is personal.  Jesus won it for you.  Amen.

Now to him who is able to strengthen you—according to the gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, . . . to God, who alone is wise, be glory forever through Jesus Christ.  Amen.