Sermons from Lord of Lords Lutheran Church

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/ministry-is-based-on-mercy/Moses was the newborn son of Hebrew slaves. After he was found floating in a reed basket in the Nile River by Pharaoh's daughter, she adopted him into the royal family. Moses received a noble Egyptian education. But he remained a Hebrew. When he was 40 years old, Moses saw an Egyptian guard beating a Hebrew slave. Moses struck and killed the guard. Then he fled into the Sinai mountains and became a shepherd for 40 years.That's when the Angel of the Lord -- the pre-incarnate Jesus -- appeared to Moses in a burning bush. The Lord didn't see a weak, whining, inadequate shepherd. He saw a man who would speak face-to-face with God as a friend; who would be his chosen servant to speak face-to-face with Pharaoh and say, "Let my people go"; and would lead God's people out of Egyptian slavery and into the Promised Land of Canaan. Jesus -- as the Angel of the Lord -- appeared to Moses to call him into his public ministry.Matthew was a tax collector. As a Jew, he was employed by the hated Roman Empire to collect taxes from his own Jewish people. Tax collectors were notorious for their greed and corruption. When Jesus came upon Matthew's booth, he didn't see a sinner to shun. He saw a soul sick with sin that the Physician of body and soul could save. He saw a man who would no longer take taxes from people. He saw his future disciple, apostle, and evangelist who would give God's Word to the people. Jesus appeared to Matthew to call him into his public ministry.On the road to Damascus, the ascended Lord Jesus appeared to Saul as a bright light. Jesus knocked Saul off his horse and onto his self-righteous butt. In Paul's own words, "Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 1:13-14).The voice of the crucified One spoke from heaven: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me" (Acts 9:4)? And suddenly the shoe was on the other foot. The arrester was arrested. The slayer was slain. Saul was struck down and made blind. But three days later, he was baptized. His sight was given back. His life was given back -- a new life, a difficult life, and with this new life he was given a new name -- no longer would he be known as Saul, but now as Paul. Through Christ's grace and mercy, he was no longer a persecutor, but a preacher. No longer hunting those with Christ's name, but he was now a missionary serving in Christ's name. The ascended Jesus appeared to Paul to call him into his public ministry.Who would want these guys as their pastors? A murderer and run-away scaredy cat. A hated traitor to your culture and suspected cheater. A violent man who hunted your Christian siblings, threw some in jail, and killed others. Yet, these were some of the greatest leaders, apostles, and missionaries in the Bible -- Moses, Matthew, and Paul!God used them for his ministry. God used Moses' leadership, Matthew's wisdom, and Paul's passion. That's what he was looking for in his pastors.The Lord in his mercy called Moses, Matthew, and Paul into his public ministry. He said, "I want you. Leave your old life and follow me in a new life. No longer as a shepherd, but as my chosen leader. No longer as a tax collector, but as an apostle. No longer as a persecutor, but as a missionary." And for countless generations, the Lord has called men so they are no longer a farmer or businessman or builder or soldier or student or whatever, but as a pastor of God's people.What do you look for in a pastor? What are his duties? What is his role in the congregation?The pastor is a leader, yet he is also your servant. He is a shepherd, yet he is also a sinful sheep. He heals, skillfully using the double-edged scalpel of Law and Gospel. He is an evangelist, a teacher, a preacher, a confidant, a counselor, a scholar, an entertainer, and a friend. He visits the sick, marries those in love, comforts the grieving, buries the dead, admonishes those who sin, chases down the wandering, and feeds the faithful.He plans worship services, teaches Bible classes at church and in homes, visits members in the hospital or when they're homebound, goes out for coffee with members and outreach prospects, canvasses homes, organizes events like soccer camp and for WELS Wyoming Youth, does counseling, records podcasts, creates social media content, and more. So, when he posts pictures on Facebook of his hiking exploits, some friend will always ask, "Do you work?"The Scriptures have some demanding qualifications for every man who is called into the public ministry. Here are just a few of God's qualifications: He must be above reproach, self-controlled, respectable, an example for believers in life, in love, in faith and purity, watching his doctrine closely, blameless, upright, holy, and disciplined (1 Timothy 3:2-7; 1 Timothy 4:12,15-16; Titus 1:6-8).Ministry is based on mercy. Christ shows the minister mercy. Then the minister shows Christ's mercy to those to whom he is called to minister.The minister does not do his job to speak to an audience but to preach God's Word to God's people. It's not about gaining glory but about being used by God to gain souls for God's Kingdom to his glory. It's not about receiving prestige or power, but about becoming weak so Christ can be his strength (2 Corinthians 12:10).There is both honor and humility for a pastor when he sees God using men like Moses, Matthew and Paul in his public ministry. If God can use "losers" like these three, well ... then God can use a loser like your pastor, too. If God could convey his message through a staff-turned-snake to stir Pharaoh (Exodus 7:10), and teach a lesson to an unhappy preacher through a vine (Jonah 4:10) or speak to Balaam through a donkey (Numbers 22:28) ... then God can speak through someone like your pastor.It's through Christ's mercy that both pastors and people confess with Pastor Paul: "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-- of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life" (1 Timothy 1:15-16).Do you remember playing dodgeball in grade school? I shared a meme this week that dodgeball felt like being a rebel on the planet Hoth dodging laser bolts from AT-ATs. Most of us weren't good at dodgeball. No arm. Slow. Can't catch. Can't dodge. Just getting pummeled!Paul doesn't sugarcoat it. Satan pummels us with our sins! Don't worship. Don't pray. Don't respect our leaders. Don't evangelize. We curse. Cuss. Gossip. Despair. Cheat. Hate. Retaliate. Lust. We're mean. Lazy. Greedy. Hypocritical. We are the worst of sinners! Chief of sinners, though I be!The surprise for Paul was that God chose him despite whom he had been. The surprise is that God chose a man to be your pastor despite who he is. The surprise is that God chooses you despite whom you had been ... and still are. Understanding that we are the worst, God sent Jesus to display his unlimited patience, to forgive us, give us faith, call us to follow him, and grant eternal life. What a stunning expression of mercy!Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "We hold this treasure in clay jars to show that its extraordinary power is from God and not from us" (2 Corinthians 4:7). What a stunning expression of mercy that God continues to convey his treasure of salvation through a cracked pot like your pastor.By his mercy, God uses men like Moses, Matthew, Paul, me and other pastors to preach, teach, absolve, counsel, and administer the sacraments. It is both in humility and with great honor that the pastor is the voice of Christ to speak his Word of forgiveness to sinners and proclaim comfort to the suffering and grieving. He is the man Christ has appointed to exercise his keys -- locking heaven for the unrepentant and unlocking heaven for the repentant.Your pastor may not be the greatest orator, but it is the pen of the Holy Spirit who gives your pastor the words to preach. The pastor may dress up to look classy or dress down to look cool, but that's why your pastor wears a clerical robe. Then you don't focus on the man and his clothing but focus on the message and Christ's righteousness which covers the man like a white robe. The pastor may not be the greatest counselor, but he has compassion for the wounded sheep and hurting lambs in his flock. Your pastor may not be the greatest singer, but as one of my previous organists pointed out, "Pastor, we should write music for the three notes you can sing."At one time you may have a pastor who is fresh from the Seminary, but your sins are still absolved even though the pastor lacks experience, for Christ is speaking through your pastor and Jesus has plenty of experience forgiving sins. Another time you may have a pastor who is older, getting close to retirement age, his cadence may be slow, but Christ's voice is still clearly heard and the gospel still purely preached. You may have a pastor who is no longer as young and energetic as he once was, but God still works through him to grow his kingdom, feed his sheep, and baptize and commune his family. You may have a pastor who grew up working on a farm so working hard is what he expects of himself.Through his mercy, Jesus uses men like Moses, Matthew, Paul, and your pastors to minister to you with Word and Sacraments. Through his mercy, Jesus brings sinners like you into his church. To pray. To praise. To confess. To listen. To sing. To support his church.I visited Bob Albrecht this week as a shut-in visit. We talked about God bringing new families to our church. Bob is one of the founding members of Lord of Lords. I thanked Bob for God using him and others to start this church. Some of you were here when Bob and Doris Miller came to Lord of Lords with their seven children. People were excited to see them because they doubled the size of the church. God may move you away from Casper someday. Then he can use you to start a church out of your home -- much like Lord of Lords was started.In my office is a framed picture of Martin Luther's Sacristy Prayer. It was a gift from the Altar Guild at Water of Life. "Lord God, You have appointed me as a Bishop and Pastor in Your Church, but you see how unsuited I am to meet so great and difficult a task. If I had lacked Your help, I would have ruined everything long ago. Therefore, I call upon You: I wish to devote my mouth and my heart to you; I shall teach the people. I myself will learn and ponder diligently upon Your Word. Use me as Your instrument -- but do not forsake me, for if ever I should be on my own, I would easily wreck it all."Though Moses, Matthew, and Paul were not great to begin with, God made them great and grew his Kingdom through them. Please pray that your pastor may be a leader like Moses, an evangelist like Matthew, and a preacher like Paul. Pray that God may show mercy to your pastor so he may convey God's mercy to you. Pray that God may show mercy as he continues to minister to you through his Church. Amen.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/united-in-the-trinity/The local youth are spending too much time in the billiard parlor. That's going to lead to bad habits of smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and reading dime novels. It will lead to bad language like "swell" and "so's your old man." It will lead to loitering, missing school, and mocking public officials.Harold Hill starts to influence the townsfolk by singing, "Ya got trouble ... Right here in River City! With a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for Pool!"Harold Hill starts this moral panic out of thin air. He wants to scare parents into buying band instruments from him. There's a lot of division in River City. The School Board is constantly bickering until they start singing in a Barbershop Quartet. The old ladies don't like the young, pretty librarian. The mayor doesn't like his daughter's boyfriend or the idea of a boys' band.St. Paul didn't need to create any division in the Corinthian congregation. There was plenty there. Read Paul's first letter to the Corinthian Christians to hear him tell the story. Paul begins his letter by writing, "I ask that you all express the same view and not have any divisions among you, but that you be joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Corinthians 1:10). In the Corinthian church, the people were divided over their favorite pastor; some were boasting of their acceptance of sin; some were bringing lawsuits against other Christians; others were partaking of the Lord's Table on Sunday after eating at the table of demons on Saturday; some were boasting about their spiritual gifts; and others were trying to discredit Paul and his gifts. Their church was filled with disorder and division. These problems caused the church to be splintered and hostile. Paul could very easily have written in one of his letters, "Ya got trouble ... Right here in Corinth City!"Paul knew that Jesus desired for his Church to be unified. So, as Christ's called apostle, he worked to lead God's people to repent and forgive one another. Paul spoke strongly and lovingly about the work of Satan among them, begging them to leave their wicked ways and to unite around God's truths.Paul could not accomplish this unity on his own. That's why he closed his second letter to the Corinthians with this threefold blessing: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (2 Corinthians 13:14).Disunity and division aren't limited to Corinth or River City. There's plenty of disunity and division in America. People are divided over politics of Left or Right. They're divided over issues like immigration, Iran, and data centers. Wyoming residents are divided over Colorado residents. Well, not really. It seems Wyomingites are united that Coloradans should stay in their own state.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/resist-the-roaring-lion/Watch this sermon directly on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbumt02M9pALast weekend, I completed Hunter Safety Classes. It was me and about thirty 11 and 12-year-olds.On the last day, we were given instructions on what to do if you spot a bear while hiking or hunting ... or for me -- biking.If you spot a bear, walk quickly and quietly away.If the bear sees you but seems disinterested, stay calm and walk away. Never turn your back on the bear.If the bear becomes interested and begins to approach, back up slowly, avoid eye contact, and speak in a soft monotone.If the bear continues to approach, stand your ground. Be prepared to use bear spray.If the bear makes physical contact, drop, and cover. Lie flat on your stomach, interlace your fingers, and place them on the back of your neck. Do not fight back.That's for a bear that is acting in a defensive/aggressive manner. But if the bear is not defending anything -- like its cubs or kill -- and it's interested and deliberately approaches you, then it's a predatory bear.Do not back away. Instead, stand your ground.Make yourself look as big as possible. Hold your arms out, use your coat, or stand on a rock or log.Yell at the bear in a loud, firm voice.Use rocks and branches to deter the bear.Use bear spray or a weapon to protect yourself.There were grizzly attacks last week in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. So, these instructions are necessary. I'll be honest with you. When we watched the video on encountering a bear, I thought, "If a bear wants to gnaw on me, I don't care if it's a defensive or predatory bear. I'm assuming it's predatory. I'm going to fight back!"There are plenty of physical predators in Wyoming that will enjoy you as a meal -- grizzlies, mountain lions, and wolves. St. Peter writes about a spiritual predator who also wants to make a meal out of you. "Your adversary, the Devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).The Devil is like a lion looking to devour you. With his hellish demons and worldly followers, they'll stalk and surround you. Sometimes, they'll come straight at you with bold and blatant attacks. Other times, they'll fake and feint, then strike from a different direction. Like real-life lions, they'll pick on the young, weak, and alone first.They'll come at the elderly. So, even though they know better, I've heard the elderly Christian say as they near death, "Do you think I've done enough good to get into heaven?" They'll come at the injured. I've heard Christians in the hospital after their surgeries or parents who have suffered a miscarriage, "What did I do wrong that God is punishing me like this?" They'll come at the young. They'll use temptations that older Christians don't deal with as much -- anxiety, sexuality, social media, identity, and inclusiveness.People in our nation have become captured by the Adversary. Because they will not listen to God's truths, their conscience, and even sound logic, they will listen to whatever is popular in the culture at the time. They are listening to what the Devil and the world are whispering into their itching ears. They have turned away from God's truths to the popular myths of this current age. The institutions of American culture have been taken captive to these dangerous philosophies -- public schools, universities, government, military, Hollywood, music, news and media, etc. First, they tolerate, then accept, and then promote. Finally, they will persecute those who disagree.These issues of believing the Devil's lies aren't just "out there" in the world. They're also in here -- within our own hearts. We've bought into these lies that the Devil tells and the world promotes because we have lost God's holy image. Therefore, we're susceptible to these lies because our sinful nature is hostile to God and his truths. At the same time, we are naturally inclined to the Devil's untruths because they are scratching our itching ears. In addition to believing these lies, we also don't stand up for God's truths. Instead, as Christ's modern-day disciples, we are often drawn away from God's truths and his Christian Church. We want to belong. We don't want to be left out. We don't want to be weird. We want to appear "nice." Standing up for God's truths is hard. God's truths are polarizing. Sitting quietly on the sideline while other Christians are fighting is much easier and safer.We show love to those who are trapped in the Devil's lies by ourselves first resisting the Devil and his lies. We submit ourselves to God, his will, and his truths. Then we share God's will and truths with others. We can't get upset at unbelievers. They are trapped. We work to free them from their imprisonment by telling them about a Savior and Conqueror who has come to set them free. We understand that most won't listen to us. Instead, they'll hate and oppose us. They refuse to love God's truth and be saved. Still, we keep on speaking the truth in love. We unleash the Holy Spirit upon them through God's Word. He's the only one who can convert them. He can replace their fallen human image with God's divine image won by Christ Jesus.As we learned in our Everyone Outreach workshop, we are called by God to help others resist the roaring lion of the Devil. We call a sinner to turn from the error of his ways. Why is that loving? You are being used by God to win a soul for heaven. We speak the truth in love. We speak the truth -- Jesus is Truth Incarnate, for he is the true Word in the flesh. We speak this truth in love for God so loved the world that he gave us Jesus. We speak this truth in love, even if it breaks the 11th Commandment of "Thou shalt be nice".Peter is writing to Christians who are suffering from persecution. That's why he writes, "Dear friends, do not be surprised by the fiery trial that is happening among you to test you, as if something strange were happening to you" (1 Peter 4:12). Don't be surprised that the world considers you an enemy for speaking the truth. They try to win you over to their side through their falsehoods. You lovingly win them to Christ's side by speaking his truth. Peter writes, "Therefore humble yourselves under God's powerful hand so that he may lift you up at the appointed time" (1 Peter 5:6). Remain humble as you speak to others about their sin. Remind them you were once trapped in sin and unbelief like they are. Remind them, also, that you remain a sinner. You appreciate the love and forgiveness of Christ so much that you want to share this freedom with others.As a church, we cannot be silent about where we see the Devil and his lies confusing people and causing chaos in our culture. We must be willing to speak up -- pastor, parents, grandparents, teens, and so on. Silence doesn't work. If Christians remain silent, then the only voices that will be heard are those of Satan and his followers. Perhaps we've gotten to this place in our culture where there is so much chaos and confusion in government, Hollywood, music, public schools and universities, etc., precisely because Christians and the Christian Church have remained silent for far too long. We must speak Christ's truths in our churches, schools, institutions, governments, and so on, so that we can combat the Devil's lies and unleash the power of the Holy Spirit. He's the one who changes hearts and minds through his Word.The Devil is the ruler of this world (John 12:31). So, we must go on the offensive to break Satan's stranglehold on our culture. Jesus wants to use his Word to bring freedom for those enslaved in sin and hope for those deluded by temptation. It's not our goal to change the culture, but to preach Jesus Christ and him crucified into the culture -- then the culture will either reject him and continue in chaos or accept him and change for the better."You are from God, dear children, and you have overcome the false prophets, because the one in you is greater than the one in the world" (1 John 4:4). Though the pressures on us are enormous, we remember that we are from God. Jesus has already defeated the Devil and all his false prophets. We just need to witness that to people."So, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Keep on resisting the Devil. When you use God's Word, Christ's cross, and Christ's name, the Devil will flee from you. These spiritual weapons that we use to resist and terrify the Devil are God's Word and Sacraments. They appear foolish to the world, but they make the Devil scream and demons flee."In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight." (I know you're grateful I didn't sing that for you.) This song was written and recorded in 1939 by South African, Solomon Linda. Linda grew up as a herder who spent his time protecting the cattle from bush lions. His hauntingly hypnotic song contains two words, "Mbube Zimba". It's the cry of a child cattle herder pleading, "Lion, stop!"Like Solomon Linda's original melody, the apostle Peter wrote about a lion that does not sleep. The Devil has been prowling and devouring unsuspecting victims throughout the world since the beginning. We should not be lulled into a false sense of security that we are safe in God's peaceful village. We need to be vigilant.Peter says, "Be alert" (1 Peter 5:8). While hiking, biking or hunting, keep an eye out for predators. Look for signs like footprints, claw marks or scat. Although, I was advised that you can be alert and not spot a mountain lion. Unlike a bear that may be defensive or predatory, the roaring lion of the Devil is always predatory. He always and only wants to consume your soul. So, be alert.Peter urges us to stay alert, have sound judgment, and stand firm in the faith. Stay alert because that lion masquerades as an angel of light. Have sound judgment because that old evil foe knows your weaknesses. Stand firm in the faith because one little word can fell him.This roaring lion is vicious; but he has no power against the victorious Lamb of God. Jesus' crucifixion took the teeth out of the jaws of that lying lion. Our Savior's resurrection has shown the lion's accusations to be more "meow" than "roar." The Devil cannot tear us away from our Champion.The next time Satan comes snarling, sing with Solomon Linda, "Lion, stop!" But sing it with the confidence of Martin Luther, "I admit that I deserve death and hell. What of it? For I know the One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ." Jesus removed the lion's teeth and made his bite nothing. Jesus turns the lion's gnawing into gumming. To him be the glory!We heard Jesus pray, "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son so that your Son may glorify you. For you gave him authority over all flesh, so that he may give eternal life to all those you have given him. This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent. I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, glorify me at your own side with the glory I had at your side before the world existed" (John 17:1-5).Can you hear the certainty in Christ's voice? Can you feel the authority resonate with his words? Marvel at Christ's words even as his enemies prepare to arrest, torture, and kill him. Christ enters his passion as the victor. The cross is not Jesus' defeat. It's Satan's defeat! Christ receives his glory upon the bloody cross.Jesus has authority. What does he do with it? He gives it to us! He uses his authority to give us eternal life, won by the glory of his completed work. On this post-ascension Sunday, Christ's promise to return to his Father has proven true. What comfort do we receive from Jesus' prayer for those left behind? We have the comfort of knowing that we are left in this world ... not as lion-bait ... but as victors over the lion. Resist the roaring lion. Wear the scars from the claws and gnawing with joy. Share in these marks of Christ's glory. As St. Peter encourages, "Rejoice whenever you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4:13). Amen.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/i-will-not-leave-you-as-orphans/Watch this sermon directly on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAI6y89fS_EAn 11-year-old girl is living in a run-down orphanage. She carries with her a locket and a note from her biological parents -- hoping that someday they will return for her. She and the other girls in the orphanage are living in harsh conditions and endure the cruelty of their alcoholic matron.Life changes for the little orphan girl when a cold-hearted billionaire decides to host an orphan at his mansion for a week to improve his public image. The little girl quickly charms the staff and breaks through the billionaire's tough exterior. Seeing how much she longs for her parents; the billionaire offers a $50,000 reward to find them. A corrupt couple plots to claim the reward by posing as the long-lost parents.After a tense chase and rescue, the villains are caught. The orphan learns her real parents passed away years ago, but she finds a new family when the billionaire officially adopts her.What is the name of this red-headed little orphan girl? Annie! She's adopted by Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks.The plot and songs of the movie are seared into my memory. It's a fine movie. The songs are memorable. But this is why I remember it so well. We didn't go to the movies too often as children. One time my mother took us to the movie theater, my sisters and I got to pick the movie. It was either "Annie" or "Star Wars" -- which was being replayed in the theater that May of 1982. I was outvoted by my two sisters. It's been 44 years. ... I'm almost over it!Today, Jesus talks to us about being "Little Orphan Annies." He's not going to leave us in a dumpy orphanage. He knows we'll feel alone and afraid. He understands that we'll be confused. He is aware that unscrupulous people will try to take advantage of us. He appreciates that we need human and divine relationships. That's why Jesus teaches, "I will not leave you as orphans" (John 14:18).The disciples are gathered in the Upper Room. It's Thursday of Holy Week. The past few weeks, Jesus has been talking about being betrayed, arrested, and put to death. Now he reminds them that we won't be with them much longer. "Dear children, I am going to be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come" (John 13:33). Jesus will soon leave to return to his heavenly Father.The disciples must be filled with all kinds of feelings -- confusion, fear, and anxiety. Much like an orphan. The orphan feels like she is alone. Her parents are gone. There's no one to care for her. Those who are around are untrustworthy and dishonest.We may feel like orphans at times, too. We discussed in our recent Bible study on Artificial Intelligence about how social media connects people instantly and from around the world. Yet, people feel more lonely than almost any time in human history. Roughly 57% of Americans reported feeling lonely in 2024 -- an increase of 46% since 2018. The elderly and middle-aged adults can certainly feel lonely. But it is the young adults ages 18-34 who report the highest-levels of loneliness. Some surveys show up to 79% of Gen Z experiencing these feelings of loneliness.That's because relationships are hard work. Young women have bought into the feminist lie that they are equal to men in every way, so they don't need a man in their life. The women say they want a man who agrees with their thinking. But when they find these men, they are disgusted by them because they're weak, soy boys. Young men have encountered these feminist women and don't want anything to do with them. So, they stay in their parents' basements playing video games and watching porn. Women turn to AI to create a "man" who agrees and affirms them. Men turn to AI to create a "woman" to meet their needs.I told both the teens and adults when we studied AI that I wonder if AI is used in these ways by people who are in stable, healthy relationships with their spouse, children, friends, church, etc. God created humans to be social people. He desires that we desire relationships with others. It's not good for us to be alone -- even if we're introverts who like to be alone.I also wonder if AI is used by people who are in a stable, healthy relationship with their divine God. Jesus promises that his disciples of all ages will not be orphans because he's going to send them the Holy Spirit. Jesus teaches, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see him or know him. You know him because he stays with you and will be in you" (John 14:16-17).Jesus says he will send the Holy Spirit as "another Counselor." The Greek word translated as "Helper" or "Counselor" is the word "Paraclete." "Paraclete" literally means "someone called to a person's side to help." Up to this point Jesus had been the disciples' counselor/helper. Now the Holy Spirit will assume that role.A Paraclete refers to someone who is needed for admonition, comfort, guidance, and so on. The title was sometimes used for an advocate or defender in court. In my role as pastor, I've served as a Paraclete as both a counselor and an advocate. After a couple had their children removed by Social Services, I counseled the couple on their biblical roles as husband, wife, and parents. Then I served as the advocate in the courtroom. I also spoke with the judge in his private chamber on behalf of the parents to get their children back.John records Jesus' words about the Holy Spirit being our Paraclete in the Upper Room. John later uses that word Paraclete in his Epistle. John writes, "My children, I write these things to you so that you will not sin. If anyone does sin, we have an Advocate before the Father: Jesus Christ, the Righteous One" (1 John 2:1). In this verse, Jesus is our Paraclete. He is our Advocate before the Father, pleading our case for forgiveness by his blood before the throne of God. In John's Gospel, the Holy Spirit is our Counselor or Advocate, pleading God's case to human hearts, bringing them to faith. Here Jesus is promising to send the Holy Spirit. This was fulfilled in a special way on Pentecost in Acts 2. We'll hear about the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in two weeks.The Holy Spirit comes to create a relationship with us and our heavenly Father. By nature, we are separated from God. The Holy Spirit reunites and reconciles us through the waters of Baptism. John's fellow disciple, Peter, writes in today's Epistle lesson, "In this ark a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water. And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you―not the removal of dirt from the body but the guarantee of a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:20-21). When we are feeling like orphans, we remember that the Holy Spirit has brought us into God's holy family through Baptism. We are now children of God through water and the Word.Being a part of this divine family means that the people around you are your brothers and sisters in Christ. You are never alone because you have others who are just like you -- people who are at times lost, alone, confused, and afraid -- that you are called on to love, comfort, console, and counsel. At other times, you are the one who feels like an orphan. Your Christian brothers and sisters can be the ones fulfilling Christ's command, "If you love me, hold on to my commands" (John 14:15).Jesus sends the Holy Spirit, so you don't feel like orphans. Jesus also gives you himself to keep you out of the spiritual orphanage. He teaches, "I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will see me no longer, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. The one who has my commands and holds on to them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I too will love him and show myself to him" (John 14:18-21).Orphans are left alone. Like Little Orphan Annie until Daddy Warbucks comes to adopt her. Jesus promises that although the unbelieving world will not see him again, his disciples will see him when he comes to them. He will come visibly and physically on the Last Day. But as Lutherans, we also believe that he comes to us invisibly and humbly through the Means of Grace of Word and Sacraments.We are confused by a world that doesn't know what a woman is. We hear Jesus' voice speaking clearly, "From the beginning of creation, God made them male and female" (Mark 10:6). We are angered by a culture of death that celebrates the slaughter of the unborn. We hear Jesus' voice speak clearly through his psalmist, "For you created my inner organs. You wove me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:13-14). We are disheartened by a society that discards the elderly and dying. We hear Jesus' voice speak clearly in his Levitical laws, "You must rise in the presence of gray hair and show respect in the presence of an elder, so that you fear your God. I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:32).Because we oppose fundamental cultural doctrines like transgenderism, abortion, and euthanasia, the world will oppose us. This will make us even lonelier and more afraid. But Jesus says the world will always oppose us, "He is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see him or know him. You know him because he stays with you and will be in you" (John 14:17). The unbelieving world will not -- and cannot -- receive the Spirit. The world will not see Jesus after he leaves, so they will oppose Jesus, his followers, and his teachings. Jesus' disciples of all ages will continue to see and hear Jesus with the eyes and ears of faith. The disciples will know that Jesus and the Father are one; they will keep Jesus' commands; and live. The world will not enjoy any of these blessings.Not only does Jesus promise that he will come to be with us so we are not alone as orphans. He also promises to take us to be with him in heaven for eternity, so we will never be alone. He promises, "Because I live, you also will live."What a blessing last week to witness the baptisms of Maggie and her dad, Austin. Maggie was so excited to be baptized that she couldn't stand still. She and her dad were given the gift of faith and life in Baptism.A few days ago, Doris Miller was called to her eternal life with Jesus. As a baptized child of God for over nine decades, she has received the promised inheritance given to her through Jesus' Jordan River Baptism, his perfect substitutionary life, his redeeming sacrifice on the cross, and his return to life from the grave. Doris is not alone! She was surrounded by her family as she died. She is now surrounded by her husband, Bob, and all God's baptized and believing saints as she lives. Together, they are all gathered around Christ's heavenly throne.Jesus promises, "Because I live, you also will live." Jesus is life, that state of blessed holiness and perfect righteousness that is communion with God. Humanity had lost that life in Adam's fall. Sin and death rushed into the vacuum left behind. The Son of God, the Lord of Life, came to bring it back. Because he is alive, we, too, will live in blessedness and holiness forever. Because Jesus lives, we will also live.We are children who will never be orphaned. No one is going to be making a musical movie about our lives in the orphanage and being adopted by a billionaire. Rather, God has created the real-life event of him rescuing us from the orphanage of this world and being adopted by the King of Creation. He sends his Son and his Son sends the Holy Spirit as our Paraclete, Advocate, and Counselor. By God's grace, we have been adopted into God's divine family, surrounded by our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Holy Christian Church and right here at Lord of Lords. Amen.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/do-not-let-your-heart-be-troubled/Watch this sermon directly on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO2uhs5xX-oSermon Overview: This sermon says that both pastors and church members carry many troubles, but Jesus speaks directly to those fears in John 14: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” The main message is that Christians need not be overwhelmed, because Jesus has risen, prepared a place for them in the Father's house, and is himself “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Even when life brings loss, guilt, conflict, sickness, or uncertainty, believers can find peace in Christ's death and resurrection, in the promise of heaven, and in their Baptism, where God claimed them as his own. The sermon concludes that because Jesus is alive, there is ultimately nothing to fear.I'm going to let you in on a little secret. A pastor's life can be full of troubles. When members don't come to worship; when seats are empty in Bible study; and especially when people leave the church; the pastor takes it personally. When the church doesn't grow -- and especially when the church shrinks in size -- the pastor carries those weights on his shoulders.He knows it's the power of God's Word that causes a church to grow. He knows that God's Word is a stumbling block that will offend people and drive them away (1 Peter 2:8). He also believes in the power of the divine call, so he believes God has put him in the right place at the right time --whether that's to find the lost or nurture the found or even close the church when necessary.When I was a very young and raw pastor -- within the first six months of my ministry -- the president of the church and his wife became offended and left the church. They were founding members of the mission church, and I'm guessing they were big financial supporters of this six-month-old church. I took the loss hard. I believed this meant trouble.When I related the story to an older, wiser, more experienced pastor, he told me, "Michael, did Jesus rise from the dead?" I was confused. I replied, "Of course, Tom." He said, "Well, if Jesus is alive, there's nothing to worry about." It turns out, he was correct. With that family leaving, other members picked up the slack, more people became involved in the ministry, and they filled the gap with their giving. Plus, they supported their new pastor.Those are some of the troubles of pastors. You live in the "real world". You have all kinds of unique troubles, too. Difficulties in your marriage, with your family, or with your friends. Problems in the classroom, on the athletic field, or in the workplace. Complications with the pharmacy on your kitchen counter, with eating healthy, and exercising regularly. We all have our own troubles.Jesus knows that his disciples of all ages, place, and times will be burdened and bothered. Both pastors in the pulpits and people in the pews will have their unique troubles. That's why Jesus begins our Gospel lesson saying, "Do not let your heart be troubled" (John 14:1).The setting of our sermon text is Thursday evening of Holy Week. Jesus has entered Jerusalem with a Palm Sunday procession. On Monday, Jesus chased the money changers and sacrificial animals out of the temple courtyard. Then Monday and Tuesday, Jesus taught in the recently vacated temple courtyard. It seems that Jesus took Wednesday off.On Thursday evening, Jesus is in the Upper Room with his disciples. He washes their feet. The Passover Meal is just about ready to be eaten. But before they sit down to eat, Jesus teaches his disciples covering five chapters in John's Gospel. Part of that teaching are these words: "Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that you may also be where I am. You know where I am going, and you know the way" (John 14:1-4).One reason you don't need to be troubled is you know where you're going. We allow ourselves to get so worked up when gas prices increase, our vehicle breaks down, or we receive a poor prognosis from our physician. We get worked up because we have become so earthly-minded. We forget that everything here is temporary and that we are transitory.We are filled with anxiety because we need to make expensive repairs to our house ... forgetting that Jesus has prepared a mansion for us in heaven. We are filled with worry because the bills for our surgery and car repair came in the mail on the same day ... forgetting that Jesus has paid the biggest bill of all with his death on the cross. We are filled with apprehension because our family seems to be filled with more anger and arguments than love and peace ... forgetting that Jesus has united us into the family of believers. St. Peter pictures this family of believers like a house made from unique field stones built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ as the Chief Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:4-5).Things in this life come and go, change, and decay. But our God is our one constant in our lives. What comfort to know that beyond this ever-changing world we have a place prepared for us by the Son of God in his heavenly home. No matter what we face in life, we know there is a place in heaven for us -- a home that has our name on the mailbox.Jesus doesn't promise to remove our troubles. Instead, he promises to remove us from our troubles eventually and eternally by taking us to the home he has prepared for us through his suffering, death, and resurrection.Hearing this, Thomas is clueless. He's been following Jesus for the past three years, but he still doesn't get it. He asks, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way" (John 14:5)?By God's grace, many of us have been following Jesus for longer than three years. Yet, we still don't get it. We're just as clueless as Thomas!Jesus replies to his clueless, troubled disciples of all times by teaching, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me" (John 14:6).Jesus calms our troubled hearts with the knowledge that he is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.During the building of the Golden Gate Bridge over San Francisco Bay, construction fell badly behind schedule because several workers had accidentally fallen from the scaffolding to their deaths. Engineers and administrators could find no solution to the costly delays. Finally, someone suggested a gigantic net be hung under the bridge to catch any who fell. Despite the enormous cost, the engineers eventually opted for the net. After it was installed, progress was hardly interrupted. A worker or two fell into the net ... but all were saved. Faith in the net replaced their fear of falling to their deaths.When it comes to faith, it doesn't matter how strong your faith is. What matters is the object of your faith. It's whether that person or thing you put your faith in is worthy of that faith. It's whether it has the ability to hold on to you when you're about to fall. On that Golden Gate Bridge, many very talented people did their very best to not fall ... but fall they did. When they knew they would be protected when they fell, it changed the way they worked. They now worked by faith, not fear.There is no object of faith that can match Jesus Christ. Jesus is the way, the door, the only entrance into heaven. He is the absolute truth about salvation. He is the world's one and only Savior. Jesus is life itself, and he gives life to everyone who believes in him. Only through Christ our Savior do we ever come to the Father.Jesus teaches, "If you know me, you would also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip replies, "Lord, show us the Father, and that is enough for us." Jesus answers, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I am telling you I am not speaking on my own, but the Father who remains in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me. Or else believe because of the works themselves" (John 14:7-11).One more reason Jesus gives for not being troubled is that through Jesus, we get to know the Father.This morning, we witnessed the baptisms of Austin and Magdalene. By God's grace, they were given the gift of a strengthening of their faith the application of water and the Word. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit performed a mystery today as they marked this family as being part of the family of God through the waters of Baptism. The sanctifying Holy Spirit works through these baptismal waters so this family can be in the protective care of Father through the saving work of the Son.So, when you're feeling troubled, recall your Baptism. When you're feeling lonely and alone, the Father says, "You are my own. I have chosen you to be in my family. Even if it seems like no one else loves you, I do."When your sins trouble you and the guilt threatens to overwhelm you, Jesus says, "I am God. Yet, I became human. I suffered punishment I did not deserve so you could receive forgiveness you do not deserve. I paid for your sins on the cross. I removed your guilt in the grave. All that was given to you as a gift in your Baptism."When the Devil and his demons tempt and torment you, the Holy Spirit shouts at the Devil and his demonic horde, "Leave him alone! Stop bothering her! You no longer have any power over them! They are baptized into Christ!"Now you know the secret. Even though pastors are in the Word and leading God's people in the church, they can be just as clueless and troubled as Jesus' first disciples. Even though you've been following Jesus for a long time and you know better, still you can be just as forgetful as Thomas and Philip. So, you let troubles overwhelm you.Jesus teaches, "Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me." Jesus came to calm our troubled hearts. He took away the troubles of experienced fishermen by quieting a raging storm. He took away wedding troubles by changing water into wine. He took away hunger troubles by feeding thousands on a few loaves and fish. In fact, he took away every trouble that sin and death caused by overcoming them on the cross. He suffered the judgment we earned for our sins. And he silenced death by rising from the grave.Do not let your heart be troubled by guilt. Believe in God who forgives you for Jesus' sake. Do not let your heart be troubled by death. Believe in God who gives eternal life to all who believe in his Son. Do not let your heart be troubled by anything else. Believe in God who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ.I'm going to let you in on another not-so-secret-secret. Jesus rose from the dead. And if Jesus is alive, there's nothing to worry about. This is how Jesus untroubles your troubled heart. Amen.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/hardy-wyoming-sheep-follow-their-shepherds-voice/It's fairly easy to raise sheep in New Zealand. It's an island nation with no natural predators like wolves, coyotes, or bears. New Zealand has 7.7 sheep per human on the island.It was a little more difficult to raise sheep while I was growing up in Wisconsin. We never worried about predators. We just had to make sure the sheep had food and water, stayed in their pens, and didn't headbutt us from behind.It's much more difficult to raise sheep in Wyoming. Sheep will graze on the sparse, varied, and native forage that cattle often won't eat. Yet, sheep in high-altitude, open ranges are helpless against blizzard conditions and finding proper forage in the winter months. They are entirely dependent upon their shepherd for sustenance.Unlike New Zealand, there are plenty of predators in Wyoming that can decimate a flock quickly. Coyotes, wolves, and mountain lions all find sheep to be a delicacy. The sheep are under constant threat.It's difficult for ranchers to find enough hired hands to watch, feed, and move the flocks. A hired hand might abandon the sheep in a crisis, but a Wyoming rancher who is deeply invested in the sheep for their wool and meat, will risk everything to protect them and keep them healthy and safe.Sheep are notoriously difficult to keep healthy and safe. They are not typically smart animals. If they roll over onto their back, they may die that way, because they are unable to roll over again. They're not fast -- unless you're a human trying to catch one. They're prone to wander, fall off cliffs, get stuck in mud, and get their heads trapped in holes. They're susceptible to a myriad of illnesses. It's said if you look at a sheep wrong, it will keel over dead.There are cattle guards all over Wyoming. I was surprised to learn that cattle guards don't work as sheep guards. Cattle are afraid of the gaps in a cattle guard. Though sheep aren't typically smart, they are tricky. Sheep have been known to walk along the edges, jump over, or carefully walk along the rails to bypass the cattle guards. So, ranchers need a good gate to keep their sheep fenced in.Sheep learn to recognize the voice of their shepherd. Even over vast landscapes, the shepherd can call his sheep and they'll come to him.There are particular breeds of sheep that are more hardy so they are popular for ranchers to raise in Wyoming's harsh climate and severe environment.Throughout Scripture, God's prophets, apostles, and only-begotten Son compare believers to sheep. They describe Jesus as our Good Shepherd. We are no different than the sheep raised and ranched around us in Wyoming. This statement is true for both physical sheep and we as God's spiritual sheep -- hardy Wyoming sheep follow their Shepherd's voice.Jesus teaches, "Amen, Amen, I tell you: Anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the door, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ... A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:1-2, 10).There are thieves and robbers who will attempt to steal sheep after they've been branded. There are predators that will attempt to devour the sheep. The Devil, his demons, and his false preachers are like thieves and predators. They attempt to tempt and trick us into unbelief. They lure us out of the safety of God's flock. They attract us away from the green pastures and quiet waters of God's Word and Sacraments. They bait us with sweeter water that's really poison to our faith. They entice us with tastier food that's really sickening to our soul. They tempt us to trespass where we don't belong. Their goal is to rob us of our salvation.The Devil is a roaring lion looking to devour us as a tasty meal. He employs his demons as ravenous wolves and the world like crazy coyotes. We're not typically smart or fast to run away from danger. We have no natural defenses against spiritual, demonic predators. So, they chase us. They wear us down. They intimidate and terrorize us. Their goal is to separate us from our Shepherd.We sang earlier the beloved verses of Psalm 23: "The Lord is my shepherd. I lack nothing. He causes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me" (Psalm 23:1-4).It takes hardy sheep -- you -- to live in Wyoming. Wyoming isn't for wimps. The environment is difficult with dry, warm weather this winter and now snow in late April. There's always plenty of that four-letter "W" word. There aren't many green pastures and even fewer quiet waters in Wyoming. There are lots of booms and busts with the energy industry. The economy is difficult. The confessional Lutheran flock is small in this state. It takes God's hardy sheep to live in Wyoming.The way to survive here -- and really anywhere -- is by listening to the voice of Jesus as your Good Shepherd. There are lots of competing voices for your time and attention. Our sinful nature wants to listen to all of them ... rather than listening to the one voice that can nurture, rescue, and save us. That's the voice of Jesus as our Good Shepherd.Jesus is no hired hand. He doesn't run or scatter when thieves or predators attack him while attempting to get at his sheep. He is the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep (John 10:11).Because of the hours of tender care, the shepherd knows each of his sheep by name. The shepherd knows the distinct personality of each sheep. The sheep follow because they know the voice of the shepherd while they are wary of the stranger's voice. The shepherd places a brand on his sheep so other shepherds know whom they belong to.Jesus is the Good Shepherd who knows each of you by name. He knows your distinct personalities. He made you his own at your conversion. He placed his brand on your forehead when the pastor made the sign of the cross over you at your Baptism. He leads you to the green pastures and quiet waters of his Word and Sacraments. He restores your soul with the words of his absolution. He guides you in paths of righteousness, so you go he wants you to go. He protects you from the Devil by shutting his roaring mouth. He keeps you safe from the demonic wolves and worldly coyotes by bonking them on their heads with his righteous rod.Some of you are going through various health issues. My Uncle Gary died of cancer this week. Jesus leads his hardy sheep like you and my Uncle Gary through this dark valley of the shadow of death to the mountain of the Lord in heaven. Therefore, fear no evil, for your Good Shepherd is always with you.That's why we want to always and only listen to the Good Shepherd's voice. Jesus teaches, "The doorkeeper opens the door for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own sheep, he walks ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers" (John 10:3-5).The Bible speaks repeatedly of Jesus as our Good Shepherd. "The Lord is my shepherd" (Psalm 23:1). "Like a shepherd he will care for his flock. With his arm he will gather the lambs" (Isaiah 40:11). "As a shepherd searches for his flock when his sheep that were with him have been scattered, so I will search for my flock and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries and bring them to their own soil. I will shepherd them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys, and in all the settlements of the land" (Ezekiel 34:12, 13).Jesus said again, "Amen, Amen, I tell you: I am the door for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. Whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture" (John 10:7-9). Jesus is the way into the kingdom of God so we may sit at the Lord's table and dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:5-6). Yet, in our polytheistic culture, people want to believe in lots of gods and trust in many paths for salvation. They want to have salvation without a Savior. They want heaven without Jesus opening the gate to heaven for them. They want to live their lives with the robbers without ever following the Shepherd. They imagine they can survive in the company of the predators without being devoured.Fences have become a way of life. People put up privacy fences to keep others from seeing into their yard. Farmers put up fences to keep the cattle in the field and sheep in their pasture. Businesses put up fences to keep thieves away from their warehouses. But every fence has a gate -- a passageway for those who are supposed to get to the other side of the fence.Jesus says he is the gate -- not into a yard or a field -- but into the presence of God and eternal life. The only way to eternal life is through Jesus. He opened the way to God by removing all the barriers that stood in our way -- our sins, guilt, and the accusations of the Devil. He prepared us for life with God by washing us with the water of Baptism and assuring us that our sins are forgiven through the Sacrament of his Supper. He leads us through the gate as he gives us his Word, which nourishes us and causes our faith to grow. He protects us from the thieves who urge us to ignore the gate and try to reach eternal life by jumping over the fence.Through Jesus, we the fullness of eternal life with God. Jesus said, "A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). We enjoy peace, joy, and contentment in knowing that we are God's dearly loved lambs and sheep. We have the knowledge that all things work out for our good. We find comfort as we lay down to sleep in his arms. We receive forgiveness as our Shepherd laid down his life for his straying sheep on the cross. We are assured of entering his gate to eternal life through the Shepherd's resurrection from the grave.Only hardy sheep can survive in Wyoming. They need good ranchers to feed, water, and protect them. Your Good Shepherd is better than any rancher. He feeds and waters you through his Word and Sacraments. He protects you from spiritual predators through with his rod and staff. He brings the few of you confessional Lutheran lambs and sheep into his flock here at Lord of Lords. By God's grace, the Lord has made you his hardy Wyoming who follow their Shepherd's voice. Amen.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/but-we-were-hoping/The two disciples find it difficult to walk the seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Not because of the elevation or distance. It's difficult for them to move with any kind of urgency. Every step is slow and plodding as they head home.The minds of these two disciples are clouded with disappointment and dashed hopes. Their vision is hazy with fear and uncertainty. The road to Emmaus is a grim place to be this spring Sunday afternoon.As they're shuffling down the road, they talk about what happened the past week in Jerusalem. The arrest, trials, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus. They're in mourning. This wasn't just a teacher or a friend who was killed. This was the One they believed to be their Savior.They had staked their lives on Jesus from Nazareth. They had believed that Jesus was the true Messiah who was going to redeem Israel. They believed he was the prophet who was to come. Now, it all appeared to be over. Jesus was dead. They were wrong. They were lost. They were without hope. Their hopes were buried with Jesus in the tomb.Then they heard stories about Jesus' resurrection. About the tomb being open, Jesus' body missing, and even angels at the gravesite. Now confusion was added to their desperation. So, what could they do? The only thing they could do -- go for a walk.While they're walking and talking, there's a stranger walking and talking with them. They didn't see him coming at all. It's as if he's an alien who materializes out of the mist. The stranger asks them, "What are you talking about" (Luke 24:17)?The disciples are mystified and answer, "Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days" (Luke 24:18)? "Where were you the past few days ... living under a rock?!"The two disciples explain, "Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be condemned to death. And they crucified him. But we were hoping that he was going to redeem Israel. Not only that, but besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Also some women of our group amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning. When they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb. They found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him" (Luke 24:19-24)."But we were hoping ...". These two disciples had lost hope because what they experienced was not what they expected. They expected Jesus to remain alive, to defeat his religious and political enemies, and restore Israel to its former glory under Kings David and Solomon."But we were hoping ...". Doesn't that describe us when we're going through difficult times? We were hoping to get that job promotion, but it went to someone else. We were hoping for a better outcome on our medical tests, but the doctor gave us bad news. We were hoping for two days of rain, but we got six inches of snow. We were hoping that all these young people flocking to Christian churches would turn our nation around, but things seem to keep getting worse.These two Emmaus disciples had been part of Jesus' larger group of 70 disciples. But they just didn't get it. They thought the cross ruined everything! But that's exactly how Jesus redeemed the nation of Israel! And all nations of the earth! Through the cross!The two Emmaus disciples concluded that the cross ruined everything they were hoping for! If it hadn't been for the cross, everything would have been great.This stranger is bold when he accuses, "How foolish you are and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter his glory" (Luke 24:25-26)? Then the stranger leads a Bible study along the road to Emmaus.Like those two Emmaus disciples who were blessed to have Bible study with the resurrected Jesus on Sunday afternoon, we are blessed when we come to Bible study, too. Whether that's on a Sunday morning, a Sunday afternoon Teen class, a Wednesday evening, a Saturday Men's or Women's study, or an Everyone Outreach workshop. Whether that's reading your Bible on your own or discussing a devotion with your family. Jesus uses his Word to correct his disciples' faulty thinking.Jesus gave his two Emmaus disciples a strong rebuke. He called them foolish and slow of heart. They should have known these things were going to happen from Scripture. God had spelled it all out. As they walked and talked, Jesus worked through the Old Testament, explaining what they had prophesied about him. Jesus did a Bible study with them on the road to Emmaus. He corrected their faulty thinking.It is in his Word where Jesus continues to correct our faulty thinking, too. When we lose hope from not getting that job promotion, God reminds us, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to give you peace, not disaster, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). When we lose hope after the doctor's diagnosis, God reminds us, "Even if our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. Yes, our momentary, light trouble produces for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond any comparison" (2 Corinthians 4:16-17). When we're worried about the lack of precipitation, God reminds us, "He makes clouds rise from the end of the earth. He sends lightning for the rainstorm. He releases the wind from his storehouses" (Psalm 135:7). When we're concerned about Christianity within our nation, God reminds us, "I am confident that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living― Wait for the Lord. Be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord" (Psalm 27:13-14).Wherever we're going; whatever we're going through; however we're feeling; we need to remember that the cross doesn't ruin anything. The cross is the point of everything!Like those Emmaus disciples, so often we just don't get it! At our confirmation, we made vows to take up our crosses daily to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away as we follow Jesus. But what happens when the crosses we are called to carry become too heavy? The cross might come in the form of unemployment, an empty pantry, homebound by illness, or shut-in by old age.We've asked Jesus to give us this cross. We've promised to bear the cross in Christ's name. It's silly for us to then complain when God gives us the cross we asked for. We don't learn patience until we deal with problems. We don't learn discipline until we go through difficulties. We don't learn trust until we endure troubles.Jesus came to these two disappointed and doubting disciples to show them how the cross was not a surprise. It was not life spinning out of control. The cross was necessary. Jesus' death was a necessity. Not for ruin, but for good. Not to shatter hope, but to give hope. The cross was not the defeat it appeared to be! It was always God's plan from before the foundations of the world were laid to use the cross to defeat sin, death, and the Devil (1 Peter 1:20). God had been giving allusions to the cross throughout the Old Testament with the Passover Lamb, the Great Day of Atonement goat, and the snake on the pole. Now God's eternal plan of salvation was completed that very Easter morning.Jesus has gone to hell and back for us. And we -- like the two Emmaus disciples -- don't get it. So, what does Jesus do? He could have walked up beside them, introduced himself, pulled his hands out of his pockets, and slipped the sandals off his feet.He didn't do that. He let them struggle with their faith. He wanted them to exert themselves. To think everything through -- the promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the prophecies given through Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the minor prophets; the crucifixion, ravings of the women, and the rumors of his body being stolen. He let them struggle so that their faith would rest where it needs to be -- in the resurrected Christ and his Spirit-inspired Word.Jesus can very easily make all of this go away. He can heal the disease. He can restore the economy. He can ease the burden. He can remove the cross.But Jesus wants us to struggle with our faith so that we rest in him. Jesus takes his time going to visit Lazarus, that by the time he arrives, his friend has been dead four days. So, Jesus can raise him to life! God makes Jacob wrestle with him all night long before giving him his blessing in the morning. Jesus seems to ignore the pleas of the Canaanite woman, so she begs for mercy from the Son of God. Then he heals her demon-possessed daughter that very moment.When things are going well, it's easy for us to become complacent and lax in our faith. When we struggle, that's when we get up and exercise our faith. We go for a walk through the pages of Scripture, we see what we are going through is neither new nor unexpected. It's common. It's a cross. It's a blessing.Jesus wants us to realize that we are sick, so we look to him for healing. We are weak, so we look to him for divine strength. We are guilty, so we need his forgiveness.When we are tempted to lose hope because God isn't doing what we expect him to do, we need to look even more intently on what God truly has promised us. God never fails to do what he has promised. God has forgiven all our sins in Jesus, just as he promised. God always works all things for the good of those who love him, just as promised. God will take all who believe in him to heaven, just as he promised. When we go for a walk through God's Scriptures, we will always have hope. When we carry our cross in Jesus' name, we find our hope in Jesus going to his cross.When you are feeling like you are losing hope like those Emmaus disciples, have a Bible study with the Son of God. There you encounter the alien who came from heaven to be your Savior. You see the stranger who entered our world so we could know him. He is God in disguise -- waiting patiently for his people to seek him. He is the Savior who was not surprised by the cross. He was always looking ahead to the cross. He knew that was the way to win salvation.When the two disciples arrive in Emmaus, they ask the stranger, "Abide with us for it is almost evening" (Luke 24:29; CW 588:1). As they're reclining at the table, the stranger takes the bread, blesses, and breaks it. (This is not the Sacrament, but it is the actions of the Sacrament.) Suddenly their eyes are opened! After several hours of walking, they finally recognize the stranger. It's Jesus! Their crucified and resurrected Lord! Then he vanishes from their sight. Then they exclaim to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was speaking to us along the road and while he was explaining the Scriptures to us" (Luke 24:32)?The two disciples skip dinner and quickly return to Jerusalem. No longer slow and dirge-like. They sprint up the road to tell the other disciples they've seen the risen Christ.Fellow disciples, desire a heart on fire for Christ. Crave a burning passion for things of the Lord. Seek the fire that God ignites in you through his Sacraments and Scriptures."But we were hoping ...". For these two disciples on the road, their understanding of God's plan of salvation was deficient -- they weren't expecting a resurrection!When our sight, logic, emotions, and expectations lead us to say, "But we were hoping ...", may our resurrected Lord Jesus come to us, identify the problem, and lead us in a Bible study. We marvel when the Lord opens the Scriptures to us. We are on fire when the Holy Spirit creates a burning passion within our hearts. And we have our hope restored in the Living Lord. Amen.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/the-incredulity-of-saint-thomas/The Incredulity of Saint Thomas is a famous oil painting by Caravaggio in 1601-1602."Incredulity" is a fancy term for doubt, skepticism, and disbelief. Incredulity is an inability or unwillingness to believe. I want you to closely examine the artwork on the sanctuary screen. I'm going to be asking you questions about the painting. This part of the sermon is interactive.Caravaggio is depicting the drama of the resurrected Jesus appearing in the locked upper room with his disciples a week after Easter. Jesus had appeared to ten of his shocked disciples on Easter evening. Thomas wasn't there. So, later when Thomas arrived, the other disciples kept telling him, "We have seen the Lord" (John 20:25)!John, who was one of the disciples there that Easter evening, records Thomas' words, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe" (John 20:25).There were eleven disciples in the room when the resurrected Jesus appears to them a second time. Here's the first question. What do you notice about the number of disciples in the painting? ... Caravaggio focuses our attention only on Jesus, Thomas, and two other disciples -- possibly Peter and John.Caravaggio doesn't paint any background or anything in the room. Caravaggio was a master of light and shadow. He paints a simple dark background with a light coming from over Jesus' right shoulder. Why do you think he uses the light and dark like this? ... Caravaggio is using the light to focus attention on the wounds of Christ and the expressions of the disciples. The three disciples don't question Christ's identity. The wounds are all that are needed to identify that this is Jesus standing in front of them. They are rightly fascinated by his wounds.Last question, what do you notice about Thomas's finger and Jesus' wound created by the soldier's spear? ... We don't like someone touching our paper cut or hangnail. Yet, Thomas has his index finger digging into Jesus' wound up to his first knuckle.Even more striking are Jesus' hands. With his right hand, Jesus is pulling aside his cloak to display his wounded side. With his left hand, Jesus is pulling Thomas' hand into his side.With one image, Caravaggio is portraying Jesus' words to Thomas, "Put your finger here and look at my hands. Take your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue to doubt, but believe" (John 20:27).Thomas had earlier doubted the disciples' pronouncement that they had seen Jesus alive. For that very human response, he has a painting of that incident that's been around for five centuries. Because of one moment of weakness, Thomas is continually known by the title, "Doubting Thomas."Personally, I think that's unfair! Peter isn't forever known as "Denying Peter." Jesus gave the nickname of "Sons of Thunder" to James and John. But they're not called "Judgmental James" or "Jerk John." It's only Thomas who is defined by his lack of faith.Unfairly so. When Jesus learned that his good friend, Lazarus, was deathly ill, Jesus discussed with his disciples going to see him. The disciples knew that Lazarus' home in Bethany was only two miles from Jerusalem. Jesus' religious enemies resided in Jerusalem. They wanted Jesus dead. Jesus and his disciples were hanging out in the north in Galilee. But Jesus said, "Let's go back to Judea." The disciples were reluctant. They said, "Rabbi, recently the Jews were trying to stone you. And you are going back there again?" Thomas was the only one who spoke in favor of going to Bethany. He said to his fellow disciples, "Let's go too, so that we may die with him" (John 11:7,8,16).But Thomas isn't remembered for that instant of great faith! He's not known as "Fearless Thomas" or "Gutsy Thomas" or "Intrepid Thomas." No! He's known as "Doubting Thomas."Thomas is a wonderful, real-life example for all of us as modern-day disciples. There are times when we have a great, active faith in our God. But we must admit, there are other times when we become incredulous. We doubt God, his goodness, and his overall plan for our lives. We often waver between the two -- fearless and incredulous.A young family is at the hospital with their deathly ill little girl. They don't know what's making her sick. They know that God loves the little children. But in the dark recesses of their hearts, they wonder why God isn't showing that love right now to their daughter. The doubts of their fear threaten to overcome their faith.A family is blessed that their mom is able to be a stay-at-home mom for their little children. Money is tight. But they're making it work. Now, dad is home, too, after he's been laid off from work. They trust that God works everything out for their good. Yet, they don't know what good will come from not knowing where their next paycheck is coming from. The doubts of their worry threaten to overcome their faith.A wife admitted to her husband that she had an affair. She knows she is forgiven by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. But she wonders if her husband can forgive her, too. The doubts from her guilt threaten to overcome her faith.A family calls the pastor at 2 a.m. to ask him to come to the emergency room. Their dad just had a massive heart attack and isn't expected to survive. Their dad had been in good health. They expected him to be around to walk his daughters down the aisle. But now that family reunion will have to wait until heaven. The doubts from their shock and sorrow threaten to overcome their faith.You've been in similar situations. You have a fearless, trusting, confident faith in the Lord. Yet when illness, debt, guilt, and death intrude on your life, these difficulties threaten to overwhelm your faith in the Lord.Jesus does the same thing for us he did for Thomas. Jesus held Thomas' finger in his side and said, "Don't continue to doubt, but believe." Thomas believed and said, "My Lord, and my God" (John 20:28). Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed" (John 20:29). Then, Jesus talks about us when he says, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29).What haven't we seen and yet believed? We haven't seen the empty tomb or the angel sitting on the stone or the burial cloth neatly folded in place. We haven't directly heard the testimony from the angels or the women walking away from the tomb or the Emmaus disciples. We haven't put our fingers into the wounds of Christ. Yet, by the grace of God, we have heard and seen and touched, and so we believe.Picture Jesus doing for you that he did for his doubting disciple in The Incredulity of Saint Thomas.Jesus takes his hands and places them onto the ears of the young family with their little girl in the hospital. They hear Jesus' words of "Peace be with you" that he spoke to his disciples on Easter evening (John 20:21). They know that in life and in death, Jesus promises and provides a peace that the world cannot give. A peace that is beyond human understanding. This peace they hear overcomes their fears.Jesus takes his hands and places them onto the mouths of the parents and their young children. Every night they pray the Lord's Prayer before the children are tucked in bed. The family focuses especially on the Address and two petitions of the Lord's Prayer -- "Our Father, who art in heaven ... thy will be done ... give us this day our daily bread." They trust that their heavenly Father will give them daily bread according to his will. This trust they speak overcomes their worry.Jesus takes his hands and places them onto the hands of the husband and wife. He pulls them in close so they can feel his deep wounds of love. The wife knows that Jesus paid for her adultery on the cross. He has also removed her guilt. The husband knows that Jesus was able to forgive those who denied, betrayed, and mocked him. Jesus' forgiveness gives him the ability to forgive his wife. This love and forgiveness they feel in Jesus' wounds overcomes their guilt and lack of love.Jesus takes his hands and places them onto the eyes of the family who lost their dad to death. He focuses their attention on the open grave. Because Jesus had power over his grave, he will demonstrate his power over the graves of all people on the Last Day. They look forward to their family reunion around Jesus' throne. This resurrection they see with the eyes of faith overcomes their shock and sorrow.The trouble Thomas had is the trouble that followers of the Lord have had since Easter Sunday. It's hard to just believe and trust. It's easy to be incredulous and disbelieving. There's something way down deep inside us that urges us to seek proof and to believe only what makes sense to our minds. The Lord has told us repeatedly not to worry ... but we do. He tells us not to be afraid because he is always with us ... but what scares you right now? The Lord tells us not to doubt or question his ways, but every time a senseless act of evil or sudden hardship happens in our lives, we wonder, "What good can God create out of this?"Like Thomas, you need an encounter with the Living Lord! Do you need evidence that your sins are forgiven? Do you want assurance that God still loves you? Do you need proof that God's promises are true for you?Every day, approach Jesus who daily says, "Peace be with you!" Put your hand over his pierced side. Feel his hands and his feet. Taste and see that the Lord is alive and good, powerful to save, and abundant in love and mercy. He asks us to believe without seeing the future and to trust his plan for our life.Jesus held Thomas' finger in his side so that Thomas could feel Christ's wounds. Jesus holds your head at the baptismal font so you can feel those cleansing waters washing over you, making you a sanctified child of God.He holds your eyes to the pages of Scriptures so you can read for yourself God's love letter to you in those beautiful words.He holds your ear close to the mouth of the pastor so you can hear the precious words that absolve you from every deliberate and accidental and inborn sin.He holds his body and blood up to your lips so that you can taste his forgiveness and drink his strengthening of your faith.Jesus holds us close to his Word and Sacraments. It is here where we see Jesus' love, hear his forgiveness, taste his sacrifice, and feel his strength. It is at the empty cross, open tomb, and the upper room where God restores our confidence and courage. It is in the wounds of Christ where our incredulity is replaced with fearlessness. Just like Intrepid Thomas. Amen.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/a-better-resurrection/This morning we took our annual trip to the tomb with the women. There at that Easter tomb we hear a refrain that resounds almost one hundred times in just the New Testament: "Do not be afraid." The women had come out to the grave of their (supposedly) dead Master with a mixture of fear, powerlessness, and hopelessness. But suddenly they learned that their dear Lord was no longer dead. Just as he had promised, death held no power over him. In his saving power, they no longer had any reason to live in hopelessness and fear.As they left the tomb, already the Easter message allowed the fear in their hearts to begin to mix with a great dawning joy. Then, as if the angelic messenger's words had not been enough, Jesus suddenly stood before them. They heard their risen Lord's lips repeat the refrain: "Do not be afraid." His repetition displays the patient mercy of the Savior who knows how difficult it is to drive fear from the hearts even of his believers! His repetition reveals he will not abandon them to their clinging fears. He wants them to know that their lives -- and their eternal lives -- are in the hands of a crucified and risen Lord. There is nothing more to fear.That same Easter message still resounds to this day: "Do not be afraid." Easter proclaims that there is nothing in ancient times, current times or future times that can rightfully make us afraid --not plagues or pandemics or World Wars or anything else that brings death.God's people repeatedly heard their almighty Lord reminding them, "Do not be afraid." Abram, Hagar, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, David, Solomon, Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, the Israelites, Zechariah, Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, the women at the tomb, and the disciples after the resurrection. They all heard the Lord announce to them, "Do not be afraid."On this, the celebration of the resurrection of our Lord, we desire a confident, resurrection faith like the Heroes of Faith we hear about in Hebrews 11. They faced starvation, enemies, imprisonment, torture, and more. Gideon, Barak, Samson, and Jephthah faced impossible odds against the Midianites, Canaanites, Philistines, and Ammonites. David faced the giant Goliath and Samuel faced the darkening chapter in Israel's spiritual history. They were just a few of God's faithful people who marched against God's enemies trusting God's promises and found those promises to be true. They had no reason to be afraid because God was always present with them.The writer to the Hebrews mentions some heroes of faith by name, but then he gives other unnamed examples. "Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies." Daniel faced certain death but found the lions' mouths locked. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the seven-fold fire of Nebuchadnezzar's furnace and emerged without a whiff of smoke on them. Elijah moved among Queen Jezebel's drawn swords which could not reach him. Samson's blindness, baldness, and weakness became a strength as he collapsed the fish god's temple on the thousands of Philistines. The Israelites carried the ark of the covenant into battle and routed numerous superior enemy forces.Each of these heroes of faith faced death as an enemy and were granted the victory through their almighty Lord. But there were some whom death claimed as the spoils of war. Death visited the home of the widow of Zarephath, the home of the Shunamite woman, and the widow of Nain. All of them lost children to death. But all of them received their children back from the dead. Mothers tasted the bitter grief of loss, but later had it turned into joy by the resurrection. Lazarus, Eutychus, and the daughter of Jairus all came back to life through the power of the resurrection -- but all of them were subject to die again.Jesus Christ promises a better resurrection. A resurrection that defeats death once and for all. A resurrection that means that death has lost its grip on you and me. A resurrection that means that no power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck us from Christ's hand (CWS: 752). A resurrection that means that hell today is vanquished, heaven is won today (CW: 163)! A resurrection that means our flesh shall rest and for a season slumber till trump from east to west shall wake the dead in number" (CW: 160).Other martyrs in Hebrews 11 died gruesome deaths by being stoned, sawed in two or put to death by the sword. Those who escaped the martyr's death barely eked out an existence as they lived like wild animals on the move, clothed with sheepskins and goatskins, roaming the deserts and mountains, hiding and sleeping in dank caves and dark holes in the ground.A simple denial of Christ would have kept them from all this discomfort, hunger, suffering, and death. But it would also have lost them eternity. These heroes and martyrs of faith suffered and died looking for a better resurrection. "Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection." They prized the resurrection to come through Jesus Christ as far greater in value than earthly life. They valued earthly comfort little compared to the eternal Christ. Earth's safety was secondary when placed alongside eternal salvation. Earth shrank in importance when compared to heaven's glorious mansions.What do we do when we face difficulties and suffering that are nowhere close to what these heroes of faith faced on a daily basis? When there are tensions in the home, our tendency is to lash out at our spouse, children, or parents. When society rages about gay marriage, our temptation is to go along with popular thought and against God's clear Word. When difficulties arise within the church, our first thought is to find a different church. When illness or debt plagues our bodies and families, our inclination is to cry out that life and God are unfair. When we don't like what God has to say about our misbehavior, our reaction is to simply stop hearing what God has to say ... and an easy way to do that is by staying away from God's house, his Word, and his worship. When death visits our family, our preference is to grieve, mourn, and wail like the rest of the world who have no hope.Whenever difficulties, struggles, temptations, suffering, persecution or death become frequent, but unwelcome visitors in our lives, our tendency is to shut down, run away, cut ties, give up or curl up in the fetal position and let the Devil and the world have their way with us.Fellow saints, we have a better Savior who promises a better resurrection. It is this resurrection faith that allowed Gideon, Samson, David, Daniel, and the others to do such amazing things. It is this resurrection faith that allows us to be confident and deal successfully with our difficulties. It is this resurrection faith that allows us to go into battle against the unholy triple alliance of the Devil, the world, and our sinful flesh.Like those heroes of faith in the Old and New Testaments, we test and trust God's promises -- all fulfilled in the person, works, and words of Jesus -- and find them to be true.Because of Jesus, one thief is in Paradise. Because of Jesus, the gates of hell have been slammed shut and the gates of heaven have been thrown wide open to all those who believe in him as Savior. Because of Jesus, Satan and all his demons are already informed about their utter demise. Because of Jesus, we will be among God's white-robed saints streaming into heavenly glory.Listen to the angel's message to the women at the tomb, "He is not here; he has risen!" Jesus rose from the grave and grabbed that rascal Death by the throat and robbed it of all the power it once had over mankind. Though Christ once was slain, he burst his three-day prison (CW: 160). "For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:40).Because Jesus didn't stay in the grave, we won't either. Yes, death will take our lives, and our bodies will be placed in the ground, but death won't be able to hold us ... because we know that our Redeemer lives (CW: 152). And so, Jesus promises, "Because I live, you also will live." Jesus promises a better resurrection -- to a better hope during hopelessness, a better life in the middle of the valley of death, and a better forgiveness and life where there are guilt and sin.Remember, our lives have never truly been in our own hands. Our lives rest in the nail-marked hands of the crucified and risen Christ. Even though fears still want to spook our hearts until heaven, yet here is where we go to silence them. Our hope is not in ourselves. Our hope is not in mankind. Our hope is not in the media, medical experts, or government authorities. Our hope is in the God who wondrously created us and still more wondrously restored us to himself in the life, death, and resurrection of his Son. Our hope is in the fact of a Christ who was dead and is now alive.Even in a fallen world where Death rides its pale horse to haunt and hunt us down, Jesus still patiently reassures us: "Do not be afraid." Death's back is broken. Satan's head has been stomped. The gates of Hades have been ripped off their hinges. Christ rides victorious on his white horse (Revelation 6:2). He has conquered and he continues to conquer. "Death is the last enemy to be done away with" (1 Corinthians 15:26), If Death is done, nothing else can win. If Death has been destroyed, then there is nothing else to fear.Death lies broken and defeated. Now you get to decide what to do with the rest of your troubles, the worst of your fears, and the greatest of your anxieties. Can the terrors of troubles outweigh trusting in the Almighty God? Can the wrath of war overshadow the Lord of Armies? Can the dread of demons live up to their demands? Can the panic of pandemics be greater than Christ walking victoriously out of his grave?Knowing that there was a better resurrection coming allowed all the heroes of faith throughout time to endure in the face of suffering and believe in the face of torture. Knowing that there is a better resurrection coming will get you through each day.Peer into that empty tomb and find the answer for the emptiness of your grief. For your Savior provides you with the promise of a blessed, better resurrection reunion with your Christian loved ones.Peer into that empty tomb and find the answer to the emptiness of your guilt. For your Savior provides you with the hope of forgiveness for every single sin, paid for by his divinely human blood poured out on the Roman cross.Peer into that empty tomb and find the answer to your empty cynicism that comes so easily in a world living in its End Times. For your risen Christ gives you every reason to rejoice in this life for you have the assurance of eternal life.Peer into that empty tomb and find the answer to your hopelessness, your despair, your fears and your worries. For if your resurrected Redeemer has already promised you a better resurrection to eternal life, don't you think he'll take care of the rest of your problems, too?As we look at the bloody cross and the empty tomb, we are overwhelmed with the goodness of our God. Now the writer to the Hebrews is challenging us -- what are you going to do with it? You have been given a better resurrection through a better Savior. Share it. Confess it. Rejoice in it. Sing of it. Be comforted by it. Be emboldened by it. Live it. Die in it. And live in it again. Amen.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/a-better-sympathizer/Every morning, Alex passed the same old man sitting on a weathered bench in the park, feeding peanuts to the squirrels. The man always looked nice in a buttoned-down shirt and coat. But he also always had a lonely look in his eyes. Alex was too busy to slow down to say "hello," and certainly too busy to stop and have a conversation.One day, as Alex rushed through the park, he noticed the old man on his hands and knees picking up the peanuts that had spilled from his broken bag. Alex stopped to help. They put the peanuts in Alex's backpack. They sat down together on the weathered bench and introduced themselves. The man said his name was Tom. He used to come to the park every day with his wife to feed the squirrels. But she had recently passed away. For the first time, Alex truly saw the old man, not just as a passerby, but as a person carrying deep pain.The next day, Alex left his house earlier so he could spend time sitting next to Tom, hopefully to help heal the loneliness. They talked about the weather, Alex's work, Tom's retirement, Alex's girlfriend, and Tom's memories of his wife. Over the following weeks, Alex made it a habit to visit, bringing coffee and listening as Tom shared stories of his past, his dreams, and the weight of his loss. In turn, Alex shared his own struggles, finding comfort in the shared silence. Though Alex couldn't erase Tom's grief, he realized that sometimes the most meaningful connection comes from simply sympathizing with someone.The writer to the Hebrews gives us this encouragement, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses" (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus purposely spends his time with us. You can talk to him about the weather, your work, your retirement, your children, your losses and gains, your joys and pains. He will sit with you on the park bench or the church pew or at the dining room table. He is always available for you to converse with. You talk to him in your prayers. He talks to you in your Bible.What a blessing to know that when you talk to your Savior, he's not at the edge of some distant galaxy in deep thought. Because of his divinity, he is at God's right hand in heaven and at the same time right here with you. Because of his humanity, he has been right here in this world to know exactly what you're going through.Poverty? He knew it. Pain. He suffered it. Rejection? He endured it. Temptation? He felt it. Betrayal? He lived it. Loneliness? He experienced it. God's wrath? He tasted it. Death? He let it touch him. Innocent suffering? He could write the book on it. Loving the unlovable? He did write the book on that.But remember: Jesus did this not only so he could feel what we feel. He did it to be our perfect Substitute. He willingly took the punishment for our failures and paid for them completely at the cross.God had been teaching his people about the need for substitution even before he started anointing men like Saul and David as king. Several centuries earlier, he anointed men like Aaron to serve as high priests. The high priest was selected from among the people to represent them before God. He was able to sympathize with the people he represented because he knew temptation like they did.The writer encourages us to approach God's throne. It is a heavenly throne of infinite majesty and divine justice. As sinners, we should approach God's throne with terror and remain mute with guilt. But Jesus turns us from sinners into saints. As our Greater High Priest, Jesus turns the throne of justice into a throne of grace. Instead of being mute with guilt, we can approach with shouts of praise with forgiven hearts and lips. The writer encourages us, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).Now we can approach God's throne of grace in our congregational prayers or in our personal prayer life. In the nick of time, right when we need it, when temptations come and troubles abound, we can approach our Greater Sympathizer who knows exactly what we need and knows just how to give it.We approach this throne to give God our sins and receive back his forgiveness. We pour out our sorrow and receive resurrection comfort. We lay down our weakness and receive strength from the Almighty. We tell God our needs and he gives us what we need at the right time.I've been told in my ministry that I'm not always very sympathetic. And that's probably true. First, I'm a guy. And guys may often not be very sympathetic. Second, out of the 34 strengths on my StrengthsFinder test, empathy is number 28 -- way at the bottom. Third, I married a woman whose number one strength is empathy. Her strengths cover many of my weaknesses. Pastors, teachers, parents, friends, counselors, can all give you advice or counsel, but none of them have experienced what you are going through. They don't know what you know. But there is One who does. He understands. Jesus knows. He is the Better Sympathizer. He felt repeated and very real temptations, so he understands what it's all about. Jesus experienced what we experience, so he can sympathize with us.Jesus had this in common with the Old Testament high priests. He had been tempted in every way, just as we are. The battles he experienced against the great enemy of the Devil are not all that different than the ones we experience. He knows what it's like to face the temptations we face, like every high priest before him.That's part of what makes Jesus so much better. In his life on earth, when he took on our human nature and became true man, Jesus was also "tempted in every way just as we are." From the beginning to the end of that earthly stay, Jesus faced temptations more severe than we will ever know. He felt the full force as hell's barracks emptied as demons stormed against him. He felt Satan's temptations even more than we do because while we so often fall under temptation's first round, he remained standing to the final bell to receive every assault.He willingly underwent hunger, thirst, cold, heat, exhaustion, ridicule, persecution, sorrow, poverty, scourging, the piercing of thorns, and even a cursed death on a cross. How wondrous is this kind of love that plunged our Savior willingly into a sea of that kind of suffering for miserable and ungrateful slaves such as us. We committed the crime. He underwent the punishment. We plundered. He made amends. We caused the debt. He paid that debt.Because of everything we have done, because of everything we have left undone, because of who we are, and what we have become, we rightfully deserve to be assigned to the unceasing, scorching flames of hell. But our Better Sympathizer boiled with the fire of love on the altar of the cross, setting us free from those hellish flames. We should be cast away from God's presence forever. But our Great High Priest chose to be abandoned by his heavenly Father as he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" We deserve to be taunted daily by the Devil and tormented eternally by demons. But with immeasurable love, Jesus cried out that all of that is finished!Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, yet he remained without sin. Have you ever wondered about some of those temptations? As Jesus lay down on a hard mat in Peter's guest room, because he had no place of his own, do you think Jesus was ever tempted to reclaim the majesty of his heavenly mansion? In the middle of a long trip, did he ever consider transporting himself to the next city? When the rain chilled his bones, was he tempted to change the weather? When the heat parched his lips, did he give thought to popping over to the Caribbean for some refreshment?If ever Jesus entertained such thoughts, he never gave in to them. Not once. Stop and think about this. Not once did Christ use his supernatural powers for personal comfort. With one word he could have transformed the hard earth into a soft bed, but he didn't. With a wave of his hand, he could have boomeranged the spit of his accusers back into their faces, but he didn't. With an arch of his brow, he could have paralyzed the hand of the soldier as he braided the crown of thorns. With a single word, he could have called down a legion of angels to wipe out his enemies. With the breath of his mouth, he could have wiped out this whole earth and started over. But he didn't do any of that.Why is all of this so important? How is Jesus' coming so vital for us to understand? What is the coolest thing about everything Jesus did do and didn't do leading up to his death on Good Friday?It's not that in a few moments of time, Jesus went from needing nothing to needing air, food, and water. He needed a diaper change and to take a bath. It's not that he kept his cool while his twelve best friends felt the heat and got out of the kitchen. It's not that he gave no command to the angels who begged, "Just give the nod, Lord. One word and these demons will be deviled eggs."It is not that he literally turned the other cheek so the high priest could strike another blow. It is not that he prayed for his disciples before they fled or that he reached out to Judas before his betrayal. It is not that he declined the tears of the women but told them to weep for Jerusalem. It is not that the Palm Sunday King was crucified as a criminal on Good Friday. It is not that a crowd cheered for him on a bright Sunday morning, while a mob jeered him on a gloomy Friday morning.It is not that he refused to defend himself when God blamed him for every sin since Adam. It is not that he endured the poisonous bite of the serpent on his perfect heel, while then stepping down with that bloody heel to crush the Ancient Serpent's head. Or that he stood silent as the Ancient of Days' verdict of judgment was pronounced upon him.It wasn't even that after three days in a dark hole, Jesus stepped into the Easter sunrise with a smile on his lips, a swagger in his step, and a question for lowly Lucifer: "Is that your best punch?"That was cool. Undeniably cool. Incredibly cool.But do you want to know the coolest, most vital, most important thing about the One who gave up the crown of glory for a crown of thorns? He did it all ... for you. Just for you. To save you. To live with you. So, you can live with him. To sympathize with you. Amen.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/a-better-access/When my sister was the associate head coach at the University of Michigan years ago, we gained access to various parts of the campus that were off limits to regular fans. For example, regular fans are able to watch games in the Crisler Center, but we were able to walk on the court and shoot baskets. Regular fans might be able to watch a game in the Big House, but we were able to walk onto the field and throw a football to each other. Regular fans might be able to see the basketball, football, and soccer players from the stands, but we were able to meet and greet all the players. I'll let you in on a little secret ... the basketball players are kind of tall (even the women), the football players are wide, but the soccer players, they were normal human size.But a regular fan cannot play on the beautiful U-M Golf Course. But because of my sister's access, I was able to lose all kinds of golf balls in the water and trees of that scenic setting.As we continue in our Lenten series of A Better Savior, the writer to the Hebrews compares access to the Lord in the Most Holy Place to the Better Access we now have to the Lord through Jesus. Just like my family had access to areas that were off limits to normal people, the apostle to the Hebrews announces that we have access to the Lord that was previously off-limits to the Old Testament Israelites.Throughout the Old Testament, the Jews worshiped first in the tabernacle -- a tent while they were wandering in the wilderness -- and then later in the temple in Jerusalem. The tabernacle was divided into two parts -- the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. The worshipers could gather to worship in the courtyard of the tabernacle, but the tabernacle itself was off limits to them. The priests could enter the Holy Place, but the Most Holy Place was off limits to them. They could not look past the curtain that separated the two portions of the tabernacle. The curtain was 15 feet wide and 15 feet high and 2 inches thick. It was elaborately woven with blue, purple, and scarlet wool and then decorated with woven linen in the figures of cherubim (angels).Under the old covenant, sinners dare not come through the curtain to enter God's presence in the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle. Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and he could only enter once a year, and he entered with fear and trembling to come before the holy presence of God. Access to God was limited to only one person who was the representative of the whole Israelite community, and he was granted that access only once a year.The writer to the Hebrews was exhorting the Jewish Christians not to go back to that old way of thinking. They were now granted a different access, a better access through Jesus Christ. Now we can come anytime, without timidity and trembling, to our Father in heaven. "By the blood of Jesus," the author reminds us. There is no other way. His blood in payment for our sins has opened a freeway to heaven which no barricade can ever block and where no toll booth need ever be built."Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."The way to heaven was "opened" by Jesus with his death on the cross. It is a "new and living way." The word used for "new" originally meant "freshly slain," a picture quite fitting for Christ our sacrifice. Then "new" came to mean "recent," again quite fitting for, as Martin Luther said, "It seems but yesterday that Jesus died on the cross." And it is a "living" way. This way carries those who walk on it to life. This way is Jesus, as he said of himself, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).The writer to the Hebrew Christians was asking them why they would want to return to old way of restricting themselves to a man-made tabernacle, curtain, and Most Holy Place? Why would we ever want to go back to an inferior access? Why would we ever want to close ourselves off from Christ who is a new and living way?But we do this all the time. We forsake the Son of God, the living way to heaven, for lifeless and ineffective sacrifices. We consider Jesus' sacrifice as nice but feel that God must certainly enjoy the sacrifices we make as something that earns a little extra blessing from God. We close the curtain to God's presence when we refuse to speak to God in prayer, either because of false humility or genuine pride. We also stand on the opposite side of the curtain when we refuse to listen to God speak to us in his Word because of laziness or boredom or misplaced priorities. We limit our access to God's almighty power by considering worship as an optional part of our week, just something else to add to our busy schedule.How quickly we forget our Better Savior. So much happens to us during our daily life. So many changes within. So many alterations without. And somewhere, back there, perhaps without even noticing, we leave Christ. Perhaps we don't turn away from him ... we just don't take him with us. Assignments are piled on. Promotions come. Kids are born, and Christ .... well, Christ is forgotten.Has it been a while since you've realized God's divinity and your carnality? Has it been a while since you've focused on your Savior hanging on the cross, perhaps because subconsciously you don't think you need him? Has it been a while since you've really applied the message of forgiveness to your life because you don't remember what it's like to be guilty?Let's be honest. If your sins do not convict you, then you have no need for a Better Savior. Keep doing whatever you're doing. If there is no weight on your shoulders, then you are not seeking relief. Don't change your life at all. If you are feeling healthy, then you have no need for a doctor. Then the Great Physician of your soul is of no use to you.However, if your sin is very real to you, then it is good for you to be here this evening. If the skeletons of past sins are rattling around in the closet of your conscience, then it is good that you are seeking forgiveness from your past and present sins. If you have trouble sleeping at night because your mind keeps reliving the sordid details of your day, then it is necessary for you to find solace in your Savior.If you have limited your access, if you have tried earning God's blessings, if you are tired of carrying your sins by yourself, then you need a better access. Jesus grants you that access. Jesus has torn that curtain of tabernacle in two at his crucifixion, thus giving us sinners access into God's holy presence. We no longer must come through a high priest or with bloody sacrifices or in a tabernacle. This access comes not by blood sprinkled on a door - like the blood of the Passover lamb sprinkled on the doorframes -- but by Christ, the perfect Passover Lamb, sprinkling his blood on our hearts and sprinkling his baptismal waters on our bodies. All the barriers have been removed so that we may approach the God of the Covenant in the full confidence of forgiveness.Access to God the Father is no longer restricted. Through Christ, you now have complete freedom to approach your Lord. Jesus is the Better High Priest who intercedes on our behalf and grants us unrestricted access to the altar of God in our prayers. Jesus is the Better Sacrifice who shed his blood for you so that God does not treat us as our sins deserve. Jesus has torn aside the tabernacle curtain so we may enter the Most Holy Place to partake of his body and blood. In the Sacrament of the Altar that Jesus instituted on this holy Thursday evening, we have access to heaven right now as we live on the earth.I know most of you are not University of Michigan fans. Neither am I. Living in Wisconsin, I teased my sister that the free U of M clothing she gave me caused skin irritation. However, I didn't mind the special access that her coaching gave us.The writer to the Hebrews mentions the special access we have now through Christ: "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."Through Christ we have a better access in living a new life in Baptism. We have better access to forgiveness and strength in the Lord's Supper. We have better access to the white robe of Christ's righteousness to cover our sinful filth. We have better access to spurring one another on to love and good deeds as a part of a congregation of believers. Christ demonstrates his love to you and offers his help to you through each other. As you gather together as members of Christ's Church, you build each other up in love as you patiently wait for the Last Day when final, total access is granted to you.Until then, you are to encourage and build each other up as the communion of saints. "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more as you see the Day approaching." You become active and energized by being in contact with the fellowship of believers. And they become active and energized by being in contact with you. All through Christ.Better access. Hearts and bodies purified by baptismal waters sprinkled on you. A clean conscience so you can sleep at night. Fed and nourished with Christ's Holy Supper. Hearing God speak to you in his Word and responding to him with prayer and praise. That is what this better access grants you. Then, after you have entered the Most Holy Place through Christ and his Word and Sacraments, you go out into the world to spur one another on toward love and good deeds. All in the name of Christ, the Better Savior. Amen.Return, my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has accomplished his purpose for you. Indeed, you have delivered my soul from death, my eye from weeping, my foot from stumbling, so that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 116:7-9). Amen.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/a-better-focus/Carol was raised in a broken home. She still bears the mental scars to prove it. The emotional bruises --which cause constant pain -- led her into a string of failed relationships. Sex and partying were her hope -- but they failed her -- leaving her lonelier than ever before. But one day she read a book that promised her it didn't have to be that way. The author had discovered the secret of life -- through "positive thinking." With meditation techniques and the centering of her soul, she now succeeds in ascending to a communion with the greater divinity that is all around her and all inside of her. Carol believes you can be good and "find god."Carl started drinking in high school. At first it was just at parties, but by the time he dropped out of college his sophomore year, he was carrying a flask wherever he went. Broke and despairing, he hit rock bottom. But then one day a friend told him that it wasn't too late to discover his purpose in life. He only needed to learn how to look for it. He followed a counselor's fivefold path to enlightenment and was able to set right goals for himself. He got cleaned up. He found work. He tells people that if he cleaned up his act, they can, too. Carl believes you can "find god" and be good.Carol and Carl sound like people we know. They even sound a little like us. Who could argue with bettering yourself and becoming a benefit to society? All you have to do is focus on the greater good, focus on the inner self, focus on being good. People like you better when you're good. The kind of goodness that's easy for the world to judge. The kind of goodness that doesn't discriminate whether you are a Christian, a Jew, a Hindu or a Wiccan. So, then it doesn't matter which god you find, as long as you're good.This all sounds great, doesn't it? Being good, for goodness' sake? But this kind of goodness -- being good, looking good, acting good -- is not the only goodness there is. More important, it's not even the best kind of goodness there is. Not only is it weak, coming and going with the moment, but as much as we pursue it, we never seem capable of reaching it completely. This is because we're missing the better kind of goodness.This is an outlook toward goodness that infects all of us. For example, teens sincerely want to be better people. They want to tick off their parents less, roll their eyes at their teachers fewer times, and be nicer to their siblings. And they can ... for a while. But then the back talk, the eye rolls, and the disparaging remarks come back with full vengeance. Why? Because their focus is all wrong. They're focusing on their goodness instead of their God.As an employee, you want to be humble in the workplace, but then the loud braggarts get all the praises and raises. As a spouse, you want to put the needs of your spouse ahead of your own, but then you feel like you're being taken advantage of by the person you love most in the world. As a retiree, you still want to lead a productive life, but you're just so tired and bored all the time. As a citizen, you want to get along with people in the other political party, but their political stance is just so stupid. We try to be good, apart from God's goodness.Whether we're children or adults, whether we're Christians or pagans, we tend to believe that if we just concentrate more and work harder, then we'll rid ourselves of all those bad things that keep dragging us down into the muck and mire. But we can't. Fellow sinners, as we stand on the precipice of Holy Week, we must see that we cannot do anything to make ourselves better. Sin is not just what we do or fail to do. Sin is part of who we are.We cannot overcome sin by working harder or concentrating more or finding goodness within ourselves. There's only one way to throw off everything that hinders and throw away the sin that so easily entangles. That's Jesus. Rather than focusing on ourselves, focusing on shaping up our lives, focusing on our goodness, we have a better focus -- Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith.There's a better kind of goodness, but it's not of this world. It's not the goodness of what you or I do, but the goodness of who we are made to be in Christ Jesus. The source of this goodness is always and only the one true God and whom he says we are in relation to him.One of the first lessons taught in children's swimming classes is what to do in an emergency. When a swimmer gets a cramp and begins to drown, the lifeguard will dive in and pull the swimmer out. But in that saving act there is one thing the drowning swimmer must absolutely never do. Once the lifeguard has him, he must stop trying to swim. If he doesn't -- if he thrashes about insisting he can somehow save himself, or even help at all in the rescue -- he'll not only succeed in drowning but will drown the lifeguard, too.This is what the original sinner must learn to believe. The thrashing arms of the drowning sinner are the attempts to make those good things the source of salvation, whether in whole or in part. Pursuing civil, active goodness will not drown your faith. But insisting this lesser goodness is what real, ultimate goodness is all about, certainly will.This is the theology on which Christianity lives or dies. It's the total reversal of everything that is taught in our world. To natural mankind and natural religion, to the mind of original sin, it makes no sense. It is an affront to pride and glory and everything important about Me. It is the proclamation that about Me needs to die. About Me must be killed, crucified, and buried -- and all this has already happened in the body of Jesus Christ.Bursting forth from the tomb on the third day, it is the Christ in Christianity that changes everything. Now, religion is not about doing but about being done. Now you are free to never need to find God, to never need to please God, to never need to explain yourself to God. In Jesus, God has found you. In Jesus, God is already pleased with you. In Jesus' words, God explains yourself to you -- both your old self and your new self -- both killed and raised with Christ. In Jesus, God finds you, washes you, and feeds you with himself, purging your sins and redeeming your soul.This is the only theology that frees you to not have to be about Me. Though you are never free from the imperfections and weaknesses and sins that so easily entangle, Christianity creates in you a you that is no longer focused inward.We may not like to admit it, but you and I love to look inward. We would rather be energized with works of our own doing than be bored with the forgiveness of sins that is all God's doing. We flee from theology of Law and Gospel, believing that we can overcome if we just try harder, do more, get better. We hunger for the approval of the world and ignore the approval of God that is ours in Christ. With this kind of understanding, the Church is nothing more than a worldwide reformatory school and our Sunday School is nothing more than lessons that promote ethical behavior.But how different when we open our eyes to focus on Jesus, "the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). Look away from yourself for a moment and really look at the One who became flesh to furnish your salvation. He's the One who authors and continues to bring your faith to perfection. From A to Z, he is both the object and the cause of our faith, giving us something to believe, and the faith to do so.Jesus "endured the cross." The cross with its torture and curse was no light load for our Lord, but he held up under it. The shame involved was far outweighed by the joy he found in completing the work of salvation and sitting down in triumph at God's right hand. Jesus went through all the pain, all the suffering, all the entanglements of this world ... for us. The cross and the tomb were all for us.When your eyes are opened by the fact that because of what Jesus has done for you, you do won't need to spend your days and nights justifying yourself to God. For the first time, you can stop looking at Me, take a gander around, and pay attention to where you really are. With eyes fixed on what Jesus, your eyes are opened to see you are not the only one kneeling at the foot of Christ's cross. There are other sinners here, too -- men, women and children, just like you -- trapped by the inbred need to justify ourselves, but freed by Christ to believe we are already justified in him.The author reminds us, "Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us get rid of every burden and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with patient endurance the race that is laid out for us" (Hebrews 12:1). These men, women, and children who are all around you are the great cloud of witnesses who surround us. They are all around us to run the race of life with us. They have fallen and you can help them get up. When you fall, they'll help you up. Alongside all of us is Jesus, who is matching each of us stride for stride. He's by our side to lift us up, to speak words of encouragement, to help us to our ultimate goal -- not being good, but being made good in him.Take your eyes off yourself. Repent. Look at Jesus. He is the much better focus. The author encourages, "Carefully consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinful people, so that you do not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:3).The object of our Christian faith is Jesus -- the person, work, and words of Jesus. Jesus -- the God-man born in Bethlehem, raised in Egypt and Nazareth, and testified by his enemies as a miracle-worker. Jesus, who rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, who was cheered by the crowd and jeered by the mob, who was betrayed by one friend and deserted by the rest of his friends, who was crucified by the Roman governor, and buried in a sealed tomb. This is the hostility Jesus endured from sinful people. Yet, three days later, the eternal heir to the Hebrew King David's greater throne was seen alive once again.Brothers and sisters, always focus on Jesus. Today we begin that special Holy Week where we can focus on Jesus coming to us in his Sacrament on Holy Thursday; his dying our death on Good Friday; his Sabbath rest in the tomb during the Easter Vigil; and then his glorious resurrection on Easter morning. You cannot find God out there. You cannot find God in here (yourself). You find God in his Word and Sacraments. That is his triumphal entry into your life. Throw down your cloaks. Wave your palm branches. Shout your Hosannas to the Lord. You find God in his Son, Jesus Christ.Today, this week, and throughout the race of your life, take your eyes off yourself. There is a better focus, a better goodness, a better Savior. Amen.

A story is told of a soldier during the Civil War trying to see President Lincoln. The soldier's mother was dying, and the young man wanted to leave to visit her. But, despite his persistence, the guards would not let him through to the president. As the man stood crying outside the White House, a boy came up and asked him what was the matter. After hearing his story, the boy led him by the hand, past the guards, and straight into Lincoln's personal library. The boy said, "Father, I have brought someone to see you." Lincoln listened to the soldier's request and granted him a leave of absence, all because of the intercession of his son, Tad.Whether this story is true or not, it demonstrates that young Tad Lincoln served as a mediator between the soldier and his father, the President of the United States. This evening, we examine Jesus as a Better Mediator. He serves as a mediator between humanity and his heavenly Father, the Creator of the Universe.The author of the letter to the Hebrews writes, "To Jesus, the mediator of a new testament; and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better message than the blood of Abel" (Hebrews 12:24). This is the last of twelve times that the author uses the word "better." This time the author uses it to describe the blessed gospel message of forgiveness spoken by Jesus' blood. The author makes the comparison that Abel, who was murdered by his brother Cain, has blood that calls out for vengeance from God. Yet Christ, who was murdered by the brothers and sisters he had come to save, brings pardon and peace from God. The hymn, "Glory Be to Jesus" says it well: "Abel's blood for vengeance, pleaded to the skies; but the blood of Jesus, for our pardon cries."The author writes, "For this reason, he is the mediator of a new covenant. A death took place as payment for the trespasses committed under the first covenant, so that those who are called would receive the promised eternal inheritance. For where a will exists, it is necessary to establish the death of the one who made the will. For a will takes effect at the time of death, since it is never in force when the one who made the will is still living" (Hebrews 12:15-17). A mediator provides access.One day, a stranger in a fancy suit and with a foreign accent shows up at your door. He tells you about your Uncle Lawrence -- whom you've never met -- has been involved in foreign businesses for your entire life. Uncle Lawrence is extremely wealthy. He just died. You are named in the will. You are going to receive a rather large inheritance. Your new friend at the door has been chosen by Uncle Lawrence to be both the testifier of the will -- telling you about it -- and he also serves as the mediator of the will -- working on your behalf.Our sins had barred us from God's inheritance and from God himself. Because of inborn sinful nature, we didn't know God, we didn't look for God, and we didn't have any use for God.God had made a covenant -- a one-sided promise -- with us. He would love us unconditionally. By our nature, we were blinded to this covenant. We hadn't heard of it. If someone told us about it, we didn't want anything to do with it.That's why the Father sent his Son Jesus as the mediator of this new covenant. One day, Jesus showed up in our lives through the waters of Baptism or through the hearing and believing of his words. By God's grace, we were converted. By faith in Jesus Christ, we were adopted into God's family of believers. We believed in God's one-sided covenant promise. We became heirs of "the promised eternal inheritance."With earthly wills and inheritances death is always necessary. It is a general principle that, as long as a man lives, the provisions of his last will and testament do not go into effect. He may have that will drawn up for years and locked securely away, but it does not go into effect until he dies. Then, when evidence has been produced of the patriarch's death, the heirs receive their inheritance.Don't miss the author's point. Christ is the testifier of the will, telling us about what our heavenly Father has written for us. And he serves as the mediator of this new covenant of salvation. As the "heir of all things" (Hebrews 1:2), he also has the eternal inheritance in his hands and wills it to us. As the mediator, he steps onto the cross and with his death puts this blessed covenant into effect. Without Christ's cross and blood we have nothing to inherit."For this reason, the first covenant was not ratified without blood. Indeed, after every command was spoken by Moses to all the people, in accordance with the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and scarlet wool and a hyssop branch, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people" (Hebrews 9:18-19). Apparently, the Jewish Christians to whom the author was writing were questioning the necessity of Christ's death. The author has already reminded them that wills and inheritances involve death. Now he answers by urging them to look back at the old covenant.Had they forgotten about how much blood was involved in the Mosaic covenant? Since a death was necessary to put a will into effect, the Old Testament covenant also had to be put into effect with the death of animals, whose blood was then sprinkled on the book, the tent, all the objects of worship, and on the people. In the Old Testament, official agreements were customarily ratified by the shedding of blood, signifying in part the deathly consequences of breaking the covenant for either party.When God gave the old covenant at Mt. Sinai, Moses proclaimed all its requirements to the people so that everyone understood. Then he took sacrificial blood, mixed it with water, and with a sponge of hyssop, wrapped with scarlet wool, sprinkled it on the book and all the people. "He said, 'This is the blood of the covenant that God established for you. In the same way he sprinkled blood on the tent and all the objects for worship. And nearly everything is cleansed with blood according to the law. And, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:20-22). When the blood was sprinkled on the book, it put the Mosaic covenant into effect. When the blood was sprinkled on the people, it bound them to the regulations of the old covenant and promised blessings for their obedience.The author repeats the thought to emphasize it, "without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness." All the animal blood connected with the old covenant reminded Israel that they and everything they touched were sinful and needed cleansing. Even more important, all that blood pointed ahead to the greatest sacrifice ever -- the pouring out of the blood of God's Son which alone can remove spots and stains. We Christians love to sing about this blood!We may think we're pretty good Christians. We watch our language ... most of the time. We are moral people who help our friends and donate to assist the poor. We show up in church and support the ministries with our offerings. Yet the author reminds us that everything we touch is tainted by sin. Though we pray, our mind wanders during the prayers. Though we enjoy God's Word, we set aside for entertainment. Though we help others and support ministry, we are stingy with our gifts and time. Though we love our family, we complain about our parents, are impatient with our children, and are passive aggressive with our spouse. Though we want to appear as Christians, we know people often see us act like hypocrites.Even our good thoughts, words, and actions are tainted by sin. That sin should disqualify us from being counted as God's children. It should close us off from God listening to our prayers. It should silence God's voice to us. It should shut the doors of heaven to us. It should remove our names from God's promised inheritance.Sin should do all this to us ... but it doesn't. That's because Jesus shed his blood as our mediator. His blood is sprinkled on you -- everything you think, say, do, and touch -- and cleanses them. He makes you holy. He makes your thoughts, words, actions, and activities holy.As the mediator, Jesus makes your prayers acceptable for his Father to hear. That's why we pray, "in Jesus' name." As the psalmist prayed in Psalm 130 this evening, "Out of the depths I have called to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the sound of my cry for mercy" (Psalm 130:1-2).As the mediator, Jesus makes your actions sanctified. That's why Jesus says to you, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."As the mediator, Jesus offers you the forgiveness he won on the cross. As we heard from the Psalmist, "If you, Lord, kept a record of guilt, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is pardon, so you are feared" (Psalm 130:3-4).As the mediator, Jesus gives you access to the Creator of the universe and all his blessings. That's even greater than having access to the President of the United States. We can confidently say with the psalmist, "I wait for the Lord. My soul waits, and in his word I have put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning (Psalm 130:5-6).As the mediator, Jesus makes you his brother or sister in the faith. As great as your inheritance from your fictitious Uncle Lawrence could be, your very real inheritance from your heavenly Father will be magnificent. All through Jesus Christ, your Better Mediator. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/a-better-mediator/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/a-better-mediator/A story is told of a soldier during the Civil War trying to see President Lincoln. The soldier's mother was dying, and the young man wanted to leave to visit her. But, despite his persistence, the guards would not let him through to the president. As the man stood crying outside the White House, a boy came up and asked him what was the matter. After hearing his story, the boy led him by the hand, past the guards, and straight into Lincoln's personal library. The boy said, "Father, I have brought someone to see you." Lincoln listened to the soldier's request and granted him a leave of absence, all because of the intercession of his son, Tad.Whether this story is true or not, it demonstrates that young Tad Lincoln served as a mediator between the soldier and his father, the President of the United States. This evening, we examine Jesus as a Better Mediator. He serves as a mediator between humanity and his heavenly Father, the Creator of the Universe.The author of the letter to the Hebrews writes, "To Jesus, the mediator of a new testament; and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better message than the blood of Abel" (Hebrews 12:24). This is the last of twelve times that the author uses the word "better." This time the author uses it to describe the blessed gospel message of forgiveness spoken by Jesus' blood. The author makes the comparison that Abel, who was murdered by his brother Cain, has blood that calls out for vengeance from God. Yet Christ, who was murdered by the brothers and sisters he had come to save, brings pardon and peace from God. The hymn, "Glory Be to Jesus" says it well: "Abel's blood for vengeance, pleaded to the skies; but the blood of Jesus, for our pardon cries."The author writes, "For this reason, he is the mediator of a new covenant. A death took place as payment for the trespasses committed under the first covenant, so that those who are called would receive the promised eternal inheritance. For where a will exists, it is necessary to establish the death of the one who made the will. For a will takes effect at the time of death, since it is never in force when the one who made the will is still living" (Hebrews 12:15-17). A mediator provides access.One day, a stranger in a fancy suit and with a foreign accent shows up at your door. He tells you about your Uncle Lawrence -- whom you've never met -- has been involved in foreign businesses for your entire life. Uncle Lawrence is extremely wealthy. He just died. You are named in the will. You are going to receive a rather large inheritance. Your new friend at the door has been chosen by Uncle Lawrence to be both the testifier of the will -- telling you about it -- and he also serves as the mediator of the will -- working on your behalf.Our sins had barred us from God's inheritance and from God himself. Because of inborn sinful nature, we didn't know God, we didn't look for God, and we didn't have any use for God.God had made a covenant -- a one-sided promise -- with us. He would love us unconditionally. By our nature, we were blinded to this covenant. We hadn't heard of it. If someone told us about it, we didn't want anything to do with it.That's why the Father sent his Son Jesus as the mediator of this new covenant. One day, Jesus showed up in our lives through the waters of Baptism or through the hearing and believing of his words. By God's grace, we were converted. By faith in Jesus Christ, we were adopted into God's family of believers. We believed in God's one-sided covenant promise. We became heirs of "the promised eternal inheritance."With earthly wills and inheritances death is always necessary. It is a general principle that, as long as a man lives, the provisions of his last will and testament do not go into effect. He may have that will drawn up for years and locked securely away, but it does not go into effect until he dies. Then, when evidence has been produced of the patriarch's death, the heirs receive their inheritance.Don't miss the author's point. Christ is the testifier of the will, telling us about what our heavenly Father has written for us. And he serves as the mediator of this new covenant of salvation. As the "heir of all things" (Hebrews 1:2), he also has the eternal inheritance in his hands and wills it to us. As the mediator, he steps onto the cross and with his death puts this blessed covenant into effect. Without Christ's cross and blood we have nothing to inherit."For this reason, the first covenant was not ratified without blood. Indeed, after every command was spoken by Moses to all the people, in accordance with the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and scarlet wool and a hyssop branch, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people" (Hebrews 9:18-19). Apparently, the Jewish Christians to whom the author was writing were questioning the necessity of Christ's death. The author has already reminded them that wills and inheritances involve death. Now he answers by urging them to look back at the old covenant.Had they forgotten about how much blood was involved in the Mosaic covenant? Since a death was necessary to put a will into effect, the Old Testament covenant also had to be put into effect with the death of animals, whose blood was then sprinkled on the book, the tent, all the objects of worship, and on the people. In the Old Testament, official agreements were customarily ratified by the shedding of blood, signifying in part the deathly consequences of breaking the covenant for either party.When God gave the old covenant at Mt. Sinai, Moses proclaimed all its requirements to the people so that everyone understood. Then he took sacrificial blood, mixed it with water, and with a sponge of hyssop, wrapped with scarlet wool, sprinkled it on the book and all the people. "He said, 'This is the blood of the covenant that God established for you. In the same way he sprinkled blood on the tent and all the objects for worship. And nearly everything is cleansed with blood according to the law. And, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:20-22). When the blood was sprinkled on the book, it put the Mosaic covenant into effect. When the blood was sprinkled on the people, it bound them to the regulations of the old covenant and promised blessings for their obedience.The author repeats the thought to emphasize it, "without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness." All the animal blood connected with the old covenant reminded Israel that they and everything they touched were sinful and needed cleansing. Even more important, all that blood pointed ahead to the greatest sacrifice ever -- the pouring out of the blood of God's Son which alone can remove spots and stains. We Christians love to sing about this blood!We may think we're pretty good Christians. We watch our language ... most of the time. We are moral people who help our friends and donate to assist the poor. We show up in church and support the ministries with our offerings. Yet the author reminds us that everything we touch is tainted by sin. Though we pray, our mind wanders during the prayers. Though we enjoy God's Word, we set aside for entertainment. Though we help others and support ministry, we are stingy with our gifts and time. Though we love our family, we complain about our parents, are impatient with our children, and are passive aggressive with our spouse. Though we want to appear as Christians, we know people often see us act like hypocrites.Even our good thoughts, words, and actions are tainted by sin. That sin should disqualify us from being counted as God's children. It should close us off from God listening to our prayers. It should silence God's voice to us. It should shut the doors of heaven to us. It should remove our names from God's promised inheritance.Sin should do all this to us ... but it doesn't. That's because Jesus shed his blood as our mediator. His blood is sprinkled on you -- everything you think, say, do, and touch -- and cleanses them. He makes you holy. He makes your thoughts, words, actions, and activities holy.As the mediator, Jesus makes your prayers acceptable for his Father to hear. That's why we pray, "in Jesus' name." As the psalmist prayed in Psalm 130 this evening, "Out of the depths I have called to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the sound of my cry for mercy" (Psalm 130:1-2).As the mediator, Jesus makes your actions sanctified. That's why Jesus says to you, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."As the mediator, Jesus offers you the forgiveness he won on the cross. As we heard from the Psalmist, "If you, Lord, kept a record of guilt, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is pardon, so you are feared" (Psalm 130:3-4).As the mediator, Jesus gives you access to the Creator of the universe and all his blessings. That's even greater than having access to the President of the United States. We can confidently say with the psalmist, "I wait for the Lord. My soul waits, and in his word I have put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning (Psalm 130:5-6).As the mediator, Jesus makes you his brother or sister in the faith. As great as your inheritance from your fictitious Uncle Lawrence could be, your very real inheritance from your heavenly Father will be magnificent. All through Jesus Christ, your Better Mediator. Amen.

Of course, Jesus was going to save Lazarus! Martha had seen Jesus heal so many people before; why wouldn't he save her brother -- one of Jesus' best friends?So, when Lazarus became sick, Martha and her sister, Mary, send word to Jesus: "Lord, the one you love is sick" (John 11:3). Of course, Jesus will come.The sisters' message is really a prayer. The sisters don't even mention how critical the situation is for their brother. Jesus will know. Their prayer doesn't even directly appeal to Jesus for help. They simply lay Lazarus' sickness upon Jesus' lap. They don't prescribe any treatment that Jesus should perform. They don't tell Jesus what he should do in any way. They only want Jesus to be aware ... and to be near.While they wait for Jesus to come, the three siblings sit together telling stories and singing songs. Their conversation and singing are interrupted by Lazarus' loud coughing. After a while, Lazarus is exhausted and needs to lay down. His sisters bring him some soup, bread, and humus. They assure their brother, "Don't worry. Jesus will be here in the morning."Jesus had healed so many over the past three years. The sisters believe that when Jesus comes, he'll heal their brother, too.But Jesus isn't there in the morning. There's no healing. Lazarus gets worse. "Don't worry. Jesus is coming," Martha reminds Mary and Lazarus. "He's coming. It'll be OK."But as the sun sets that night, and Lazarus labors to breathe, Jesus didn't come. When the sun rises ... Lazarus is dead.Mary and Martha do not give up hope. Their brother is dead, but they believe that Jesus can raise the dead! He raised that little girl (Luke 8:53-56) and that young man (Luke 7:11-15). So, if Jesus comes in the morning, everything will be OK! Of course, Jesus will come.But he didn't come. That night, the sisters wrap their brother's body and place it in a tomb. Jesus still hadn't come. The next day, as Mary and Martha mourn, Jesus didn't come. And the next day, he still didn't come.Finally, after Lazarus has been dead for four days, and their home is filled with mourners, the sisters hear that Jesus has come to Bethany. Mary stays in the home to accommodate all the mourners who have traveled from nearby Jerusalem for her brother's seven-day funeral. Martha marches out to meet Jesus. She greets Jesus saying, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you" (John 11:21-22).Martha says some of the simplest, yet most profound words given by a grieving Christian! "Even now."Don't be fooled by the tears that stain Martha's face. All hope has not been abandoned. The Devil wants her to look at her brother's grave. Her faith focuses her eyes on her Friend and Savior."Even now." Two very short words. Yet two very important words!Even now in the face of her brother's death, there is the confidence of the resurrection on the Last Day. Even now as mourners are gathered in her home, she believes that Lazarus is gathered to his home in heaven. Even now as she has seen her brother wither away and die, she has faith that he will be restored with a new, imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).This is faith speaking. A faith that can say with the Psalmist Asaph: "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psalm 73:25,26).Martha is not charging Jesus with any wrongdoing when she says, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Martha realizes that even if Jesus had left when the messenger had first arrived, he still would have arrived in Bethany too late to heal her brother. Later, when Mary comes to see Jesus, the first thing she says to him is, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:32). Neither is Mary giving a harsh rebuke toward Jesus. She is simply pouring out her sadness and heartache as she watched Lazarus steadily getting worse, and with every hour witnessing death drawing closer.These words, "If he had been here," must have been voiced repeatedly from the sisters' lips and in their hearts. But even now, the sisters trust in their Friend, Lord, and Savior."Even now." We need to remember these words of hope while we are in the ICU, the hospice home, the funeral home, and at the cemetery. For that is where we meet our greatest enemy -- Death -- face-to-face.As you are going through your brother's illness or your child's diabetes or your mother's dementia or your father's cancer, you feel alone. Alone with your doubts. Alone with your fears. Driven to despair. Unsure what to do next.The Devil is trying to cut you off from God. He's attempting to isolate you from God's Word. He's pushing you to remove yourself from God's resurrection comfort. He's laboring to sequester you away from God's saints -- their faith, assurance, and prayers.Listen to the words of Martha: "Even now." Speak the words of Martha: "Even now." Boldly drive away the Devil by confessing those words of Martha: "Even now."You've lost your job, your car has been repossessed, and now your home is being foreclosed upon. Even now you believe that the Lord is working all things for your eternal benefit. Your Christian brothers and sisters rally to your aid. An old clunker is donated to you. Money is raised to move you into an apartment. You start a new job which leads to a better job. Through it all, you trust that the Lord will provide (Genesis 22:14).Your friend's foot is amputated because of diabetes. You cannot begin to imagine how she will have to relearn how to walk or the painful therapy she will undergo or the phantom pains she will feel. Yet she believes that even now the Lord is her strength and shield; her heart trusts in him and he helps her (Psalm 28:7). She trusts that the Lord will allow her to walk with a prosthetic foot. More than that, she knows that at her resurrection on the Last Day, she will be changed to have two feet once again to walk the streets of New Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 15:52).Your mom's eyesight and hearing are failing. Soon, she will be isolated in a cocoon where she cannot hear or see. Yet even now she is looking forward to seeing the Lord with her own eyes (Job 19:27) and hearing the song of the saints in heaven (Revelation 14:3).You're standing at the gravesite of your child. Your heart has been ripped from your chest. You never imagined pain like this. Yet even now you confess with Job of old, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, may the name of the Lord be praised" (Job 1:21).Martha is right! "Even now." Even in the face of her brother's death, there is the confidence of the resurrection on the Last Day."Even now." As Mary's grief threatens to drown her faith, she sees her Savior who calms storms with a single word."Even now." Lazarus' friends and Jesus' enemies have gathered near the tomb. Believers and unbelievers alike will witness God's glory. Together they hear Jesus' powerful words, "Lazarus, come out!""Even now." The eyes of the believer and eyes of the scoffer both see the formerly dead man stagger from his tomb dressed in his grave clothes."Even now." These are words to cling to when what God allows into life perplexes our hearts. "Even now." These are the words to echo in our prayers, even though our prayers seem to go unanswered. "Even now." These are words that signal that all is not lost, despite no cure being found, no answer being given, or no help on the horizon."Even now" leads to the Bethany cemetery. Jesus wants the stone rolled away and the grave opened. Martha has no objection that Jesus is late on arrival, but now she objects to the opening of the grave. Lazarus has been dead for four days. The decaying flesh will smell too bad. Jesus replies, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40). When Jesus finishes his prayer, he calls out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" (John 11:43). He who called planets into existence and breathed life into man, now calls Lazarus back from the dead and gives him once more the breath of life. And it's a good thing Jesus called Lazarus by name in that cemetery, because if he had just shouted, "Come out!", who knows how many of the saints would have walked out of their graves that day.Martha trusted that Jesus would raise her brother at the Last Day. She didn't realize Jesus would raise Lazarus on that day!Don't miss what's happening in this Bethany cemetery. Don't become calloused because Jesus has raised another person from the dead. This is amazing! This is astounding! This is a miracle! Life from death. Hope following despair. Tears being wiped away and a reunion at the tomb.What happens in the cemetery gives credence to Martha's confident words of "even now." What happened in that cemetery is the reason we can always speak with confidence in our prayers, "Lord, even now ..."Jesus has intruded upon the enemy's turf. He's standing in Satan's territory -- the valley of death (Psalm 23:4). The Lord of Life weeps, for death has grabbed hold of his dear friend. His stomach churns as he smells the sulfuric residue of the Pharaoh of hell. He winces as he hears the oppressive wails of the mourners. Satan has been here. He has once again violated one of God's creations.With his foot planted firmly upon the Ancient Serpent's head, Jesus speaks loudly enough that his words echo off the hills around this dark valley. "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:15). A chink has been found in Death's armor. The tomb has been opened and will have to claim another. The decay ceases and the maggots scurry as Life confronts Death -- and wins!"Even now." These words assure us that Christ always thwarts the Devil, that the grave is always opened, and that Life always defeats Death. "Even now." These words guarantee that even though it may seem like the Lord delays his arrival, an even greater miracle awaits us. "Even now." These words proclaim that though Death will claim every single person as its personal victim for a time, the Lord of Life will reclaim those who are his for an eternity. "Even now." These words testify to the power of him whose hands still bear the nail marks and whose grave clothes have long ago been discarded.I'm grateful that Lord of Lords gave me time recently to visit my mother in Minneapolis. I was going to go a week later, but my sister, Dawn, who takes care of my mother wasn't sure if she'd live that long. Thankfully, my mother improved when her favorite son arrived at the hospital. It's true that I'm also her only son. Because my mother's health is really bad with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, congestive heart failure, and suffering a stroke, I went through "Planning My Christian Funeral" with her. I have that "Planning My Christian Funeral" document for you in your church mailboxes and also in your email boxes.I asked for her favorite hymns and Scripture readings. I said, "You're going to have your home pastor at St. John's in Newburg, WI, do the funeral, correct?" She stated plainly, "No. You're going to preach for my funeral. And Dad's." Woah! ... I wasn't expecting that. But when you're volun-told by your mother to do something, you do it.Dawn said later that I don't have to preach for our parents' funerals. I said, "I preached for the funeral of our church secretary, who was a dear friend and Belle's godmother. And I preached for the funeral of a week-old infant. I can handle preaching for our parents' funerals." ... I hope!The key for preaching for any Christian funeral -- a church member, a close friend, an infant, or a parent -- is all the same. The pastor isn't talking about the life of the deceased. He's talking about Jesus Christ in the life of his beloved and blood-bought saint. A Christian funeral is always about Jesus. He's the One who raised himself from the dead. He's the One who raised Lazarus from the dead. And he's the One who will raise us and our Christian loved ones from the dead on the Last Day.Cancer, dementia, eviction, heart failure, divorce, diabetes -- whatever is plaguing you -- send a prayer to Jesus asking for him to be aware and be near. Then include in your prayers the ever-confident words directed to your Friend and Savior, "Even now." Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/even-now/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/even-now/Of course, Jesus was going to save Lazarus! Martha had seen Jesus heal so many people before; why wouldn't he save her brother -- one of Jesus' best friends?So, when Lazarus became sick, Martha and her sister, Mary, send word to Jesus: "Lord, the one you love is sick" (John 11:3). Of course, Jesus will come.The sisters' message is really a prayer. The sisters don't even mention how critical the situation is for their brother. Jesus will know. Their prayer doesn't even directly appeal to Jesus for help. They simply lay Lazarus' sickness upon Jesus' lap. They don't prescribe any treatment that Jesus should perform. They don't tell Jesus what he should do in any way. They only want Jesus to be aware ... and to be near.While they wait for Jesus to come, the three siblings sit together telling stories and singing songs. Their conversation and singing are interrupted by Lazarus' loud coughing. After a while, Lazarus is exhausted and needs to lay down. His sisters bring him some soup, bread, and humus. They assure their brother, "Don't worry. Jesus will be here in the morning."Jesus had healed so many over the past three years. The sisters believe that when Jesus comes, he'll heal their brother, too.But Jesus isn't there in the morning. There's no healing. Lazarus gets worse. "Don't worry. Jesus is coming," Martha reminds Mary and Lazarus. "He's coming. It'll be OK."But as the sun sets that night, and Lazarus labors to breathe, Jesus didn't come. When the sun rises ... Lazarus is dead.Mary and Martha do not give up hope. Their brother is dead, but they believe that Jesus can raise the dead! He raised that little girl (Luke 8:53-56) and that young man (Luke 7:11-15). So, if Jesus comes in the morning, everything will be OK! Of course, Jesus will come.But he didn't come. That night, the sisters wrap their brother's body and place it in a tomb. Jesus still hadn't come. The next day, as Mary and Martha mourn, Jesus didn't come. And the next day, he still didn't come.Finally, after Lazarus has been dead for four days, and their home is filled with mourners, the sisters hear that Jesus has come to Bethany. Mary stays in the home to accommodate all the mourners who have traveled from nearby Jerusalem for her brother's seven-day funeral. Martha marches out to meet Jesus. She greets Jesus saying, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you" (John 11:21-22).Martha says some of the simplest, yet most profound words given by a grieving Christian! "Even now."Don't be fooled by the tears that stain Martha's face. All hope has not been abandoned. The Devil wants her to look at her brother's grave. Her faith focuses her eyes on her Friend and Savior."Even now." Two very short words. Yet two very important words!Even now in the face of her brother's death, there is the confidence of the resurrection on the Last Day. Even now as mourners are gathered in her home, she believes that Lazarus is gathered to his home in heaven. Even now as she has seen her brother wither away and die, she has faith that he will be restored with a new, imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).This is faith speaking. A faith that can say with the Psalmist Asaph: "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psalm 73:25,26).Martha is not charging Jesus with any wrongdoing when she says, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." Martha realizes that even if Jesus had left when the messenger had first arrived, he still would have arrived in Bethany too late to heal her brother. Later, when Mary comes to see Jesus, the first thing she says to him is, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:32). Neither is Mary giving a harsh rebuke toward Jesus. She is simply pouring out her sadness and heartache as she watched Lazarus steadily getting worse, and with every hour witnessing death drawing closer.These words, "If he had been here," must have been voiced repeatedly from the sisters' lips and in their hearts. But even now, the sisters trust in their Friend, Lord, and Savior."Even now." We need to remember these words of hope while we are in the ICU, the hospice home, the funeral home, and at the cemetery. For that is where we meet our greatest enemy -- Death -- face-to-face.As you are going through your brother's illness or your child's diabetes or your mother's dementia or your father's cancer, you feel alone. Alone with your doubts. Alone with your fears. Driven to despair. Unsure what to do next.The Devil is trying to cut you off from God. He's attempting to isolate you from God's Word. He's pushing you to remove yourself from God's resurrection comfort. He's laboring to sequester you away from God's saints -- their faith, assurance, and prayers.Listen to the words of Martha: "Even now." Speak the words of Martha: "Even now." Boldly drive away the Devil by confessing those words of Martha: "Even now."You've lost your job, your car has been repossessed, and now your home is being foreclosed upon. Even now you believe that the Lord is working all things for your eternal benefit. Your Christian brothers and sisters rally to your aid. An old clunker is donated to you. Money is raised to move you into an apartment. You start a new job which leads to a better job. Through it all, you trust that the Lord will provide (Genesis 22:14).Your friend's foot is amputated because of diabetes. You cannot begin to imagine how she will have to relearn how to walk or the painful therapy she will undergo or the phantom pains she will feel. Yet she believes that even now the Lord is her strength and shield; her heart trusts in him and he helps her (Psalm 28:7). She trusts that the Lord will allow her to walk with a prosthetic foot. More than that, she knows that at her resurrection on the Last Day, she will be changed to have two feet once again to walk the streets of New Jerusalem (1 Corinthians 15:52).Your mom's eyesight and hearing are failing. Soon, she will be isolated in a cocoon where she cannot hear or see. Yet even now she is looking forward to seeing the Lord with her own eyes (Job 19:27) and hearing the song of the saints in heaven (Revelation 14:3).You're standing at the gravesite of your child. Your heart has been ripped from your chest. You never imagined pain like this. Yet even now you confess with Job of old, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, may the name of the Lord be praised" (Job 1:21).Martha is right! "Even now." Even in the face of her brother's death, there is the confidence of the resurrection on the Last Day."Even now." As Mary's grief threatens to drown her faith, she sees her Savior who calms storms with a single word."Even now." Lazarus' friends and Jesus' enemies have gathered near the tomb. Believers and unbelievers alike will witness God's glory. Together they hear Jesus' powerful words, "Lazarus, come out!""Even now." The eyes of the believer and eyes of the scoffer both see the formerly dead man stagger from his tomb dressed in his grave clothes."Even now." These are words to cling to when what God allows into life perplexes our hearts. "Even now." These are the words to echo in our prayers, even though our prayers seem to go unanswered. "Even now." These are words that signal that all is not lost, despite no cure being found, no answer being given, or no help on the horizon."Even now" leads to the Bethany cemetery. Jesus wants the stone rolled away and the grave opened. Martha has no objection that Jesus is late on arrival, but now she objects to the opening of the grave. Lazarus has been dead for four days. The decaying flesh will smell too bad. Jesus replies, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40). When Jesus finishes his prayer, he calls out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" (John 11:43). He who called planets into existence and breathed life into man, now calls Lazarus back from the dead and gives him once more the breath of life. And it's a good thing Jesus called Lazarus by name in that cemetery, because if he had just shouted, "Come out!", who knows how many of the saints would have walked out of their graves that day.Martha trusted that Jesus would raise her brother at the Last Day. She didn't realize Jesus would raise Lazarus on that day!Don't miss what's happening in this Bethany cemetery. Don't become calloused because Jesus has raised another person from the dead. This is amazing! This is astounding! This is a miracle! Life from death. Hope following despair. Tears being wiped away and a reunion at the tomb.What happens in the cemetery gives credence to Martha's confident words of "even now." What happened in that cemetery is the reason we can always speak with confidence in our prayers, "Lord, even now ..."Jesus has intruded upon the enemy's turf. He's standing in Satan's territory -- the valley of death (Psalm 23:4). The Lord of Life weeps, for death has grabbed hold of his dear friend. His stomach churns as he smells the sulfuric residue of the Pharaoh of hell. He winces as he hears the oppressive wails of the mourners. Satan has been here. He has once again violated one of God's creations.With his foot planted firmly upon the Ancient Serpent's head, Jesus speaks loudly enough that his words echo off the hills around this dark valley. "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:15). A chink has been found in Death's armor. The tomb has been opened and will have to claim another. The decay ceases and the maggots scurry as Life confronts Death -- and wins!"Even now." These words assure us that Christ always thwarts the Devil, that the grave is always opened, and that Life always defeats Death. "Even now." These words guarantee that even though it may seem like the Lord delays his arrival, an even greater miracle awaits us. "Even now." These words proclaim that though Death will claim every single person as its personal victim for a time, the Lord of Life will reclaim those who are his for an eternity. "Even now." These words testify to the power of him whose hands still bear the nail marks and whose grave clothes have long ago been discarded.I'm grateful that Lord of Lords gave me time recently to visit my mother in Minneapolis. I was going to go a week later, but my sister, Dawn, who takes care of my mother wasn't sure if she'd live that long. Thankfully, my mother improved when her favorite son arrived at the hospital. It's true that I'm also her only son. Because my mother's health is really bad with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, congestive heart failure, and suffering a stroke, I went through "Planning My Christian Funeral" with her. I have that "Planning My Christian Funeral" document for you in your church mailboxes and also in your email boxes.I asked for her favorite hymns and Scripture readings. I said, "You're going to have your home pastor at St. John's in Newburg, WI, do the funeral, correct?" She stated plainly, "No. You're going to preach for my funeral. And Dad's." Woah! ... I wasn't expecting that. But when you're volun-told by your mother to do something, you do it.Dawn said later that I don't have to preach for our parents' funerals. I said, "I preached for the funeral of our church secretary, who was a dear friend and Belle's godmother. And I preached for the funeral of a week-old infant. I can handle preaching for our parents' funerals." ... I hope!The key for preaching for any Christian funeral -- a church member, a close friend, an infant, or a parent -- is all the same. The pastor isn't talking about the life of the deceased. He's talking about Jesus Christ in the life of his beloved and blood-bought saint. A Christian funeral is always about Jesus. He's the One who raised himself from the dead. He's the One who raised Lazarus from the dead. And he's the One who will raise us and our Christian loved ones from the dead on the Last Day.Cancer, dementia, eviction, heart failure, divorce, diabetes -- whatever is plaguing you -- send a prayer to Jesus asking for him to be aware and be near. Then include in your prayers the ever-confident words directed to your Friend and Savior, "Even now." Amen.

Joseph was a farmer near Hebron in the hill country of Judea. He heard the prophet Isaiah was traveling through the Judean countryside sharing God's message of judgment and promise.When Isaiah stopped in Hebron, Joseph invited Isaiah to have dinner with his family in his home. After their meal, they sat together in Joseph's family room to talk.As Isaiah looked around the room, he noticed the polished stone idol set prominently on the mantle. It had been cut and shaped and polished in the shape of a man. Earlier, Isaiah had noticed there was a wooden statue of a woman that had been carved and sanded and stained out of a wooden log.Joseph had seen Isaiah's eyes drift toward his stone and wooden idols. Joseph had carefully done the work himself to create these icons for his household. He believed his stone male deity protected his home from disease and enemies. He believed his wooden female deity blessed his crops with productivity and his herds with fertility.Though Joseph believed in the Lord, he kept his other deities around, too. He prayed to the Lord for salvation, but he prayed to his other gods for good weather and bountiful harvests. He trusted his Creator for everything ... mostly. He reserved some trust for the idols he created out of one of the rocks he picked in his wheat field and out of one of the logs he cut to build his barn. ... Just in case.But Joseph's prayers and priorities changed as soon as Isaiah began speaking.Isaiah had never been shy about sharing God's message. He boldly told his host, "Thank you for inviting me into your home and offering me dinner with your family. I couldn't help but notice your wooden and stone icons. You seem very proud of them. ... But God humbles the proud."Isaiah continued, "You shared your generosity with me. I want to share God's generosity with you. That generosity comes in a gentle, but stern warning. Please take it to heart. The Lord will not give his glory to another or share his praise with idols" (Isaiah 42:8).Then Isaiah gave a brief history lesson, "God blessed our ancestors by keeping them safe from the famine by bringing them out of Canaan into Egypt. Four hundred years later, he rescued them from slavery in Egypt and brought them back to the Promised Land of Canaan. The Lord expanded Israel's kingdom through David and Solomon. Those blessings were visible to everyone. If that wasn't enough, the Lord spoke clearly his message of judgment and grace through prophets like Elijah, Jeremiah and myself.""But the people became deaf to the Lord's words. They became blind to his blessings. They didn't see. They didn't listen. Because of this, this is what the Lord says to all Israel, 'You see many things, but you do not observe. He opens his ears, but he does not hear' (Isaiah 42:20). They fashioned their own gods."Isaiah pointed directly at Joseph and said, "You, Joseph, fashioned your own gods!""This is what the Lord says to you and all Israel, 'They will be turned back and be completely disgraced--- those who trust in an idol, those who say to molten images, 'You are our gods.' You deaf ones, listen! You blind ones, watch carefully so you can see' (Isaiah 42:17-18)! With your false gods, you have blinded yourself to the one true God."Then Isaiah's voice softened, "Still the Lord is gracious. He is merciful. He continues to reveal his salvation in the coming Messiah. Because of his righteousness, the Lord is pleased to share his Word with you, which is always great and glorious" (Isaiah 42:21).Isaiah paused to take a breath. Joseph used that time to get up and walk around the room. He sheepishly removed the stone statue off the mantle and the wooden carving from the kitchen counter.After he returned, Isaiah continued speaking, "Blind, deaf Israel will not return to the Lord on his own. So the Lord sends his prophets to open your ears. He renews his promises to open your eyes. The Messiah is coming. He will be the Light of the world that shines salvation in the darkness. He is the Word of the Lord that called the world into existence. The coming Messiah will rescue you, Joseph, the nation of Israel, and all nations. He will rescue you from the dark and deafening dungeon you have created for yourselves."Isaiah is preaching to blind and deaf polytheistic believers. Joseph and the Old Testament Israelites were polytheists. Polytheism is the worship of many gods. "Poly" means "many." "Theism" is "the worship of a god." The Israelites put their faith in the Lord, plus other deities of their own making. They had faith in the one true God. He was God 1A in their hearts. But they also put their faith in numerous false gods. These became gods 1B, 1C, and so on in their hearts.Generations later, we are no different. We, too, are blind and deaf polytheistic believers.Who are these gods? Martin Luther wrote in his Large Catechism: "That to which we look for all good and in which we are to find refuge in all need. Therefore, to have a god is nothing else than to trust and believe in that one with your whole heart."Sunday mornings we might recline ourselves before the great and comfortable pillow god. On the weekends, we will set up our collapsible thrones before the altar of our children's and grandchildren's athletics. Every day, each of us spends an average of over 3 hours exalting the deity of social media, games, and time-wasting on our phones.Work, overtime pay, recreation -- wherever we spend our time away from God and his Word -- these can become gods. When things interrupt our time fulfilling our Christian vocations as parents, grandparents, spouses, children, students, citizens, employers or employees, then these things become gods 1B, 1C, and so on in our hearts.Money, work, video games, TV binging, music, vacations -- these are our gods. These are the deities we have fashioned with our own hands. They are the idols we can hold in our own hands. These are the polytheistic gods we still worship and hold dear.At our Super Bowl party, one of the Teens asked me, "Pastor, what is your biggest sin?" That's a big question to contemplate. Thankfully, I could concentrate on it since the football game was boring. I told him, "My biggest sin is breaking God's First Commandment. It's not putting God first in my life." Luther says something similar, "Anything on which your heart relies and depends, that is really your God."God has given us his Ten Commandments. But there is really only one commandment and only one sin. That one commandment is, "You shall have no other gods." That one sin is idolatry. If we could keep this one commandment, if we could fear, love and trust in God above all things -- then we would never break the other commandments. But because we do fear, love and trust in things above God -- because we are blind and deaf idolaters -- we break every other commandment. Because our hearts are idol factories whose doors never close, our lives are full of repercussions from other gods. For they will always bring disappointment.Isaiah warns that judgment will come on those who have been blind and deaf to the true God. "Those who trust in an idol ... will be turned back and be completely disgraced" (Isaiah 42:17). Because the Israelites had been carried away by their spiritual blindness and deafness, they would be literally carried away by the Babylonians.Is it possible that things are happening right now as a result of our country's and our world's collective spiritual blindness and deafness? Unrest in our cities' streets, terrorist attacks in New York City, Austin, Old Dominion University, and a Michigan synagogue, plus military strikes on Iran. Could these things be a result of God's judgment on peoples and nations who have forsaken the Lord as the one true God?Isaiah describes the Lord as a woman in labor. "I have been silent for a long time. I have kept still. I have restrained myself. Like a woman giving birth, I will scream. I will gasp and pant" (Isaiah 42:14). This is bold imagery where the Lord compares himself to a pregnant woman about to give birth. This verse means that God has been silent and patient for a long time. He restrained himself. But there will come a time when he allows the judgment he's been holding back to come upon people in full screaming force.God allowed his judgment to come upon his people in various times in their history. The Assyrians carried away the ten northern tribes of Israel in a diaspora of the Jews. The Babylonians carried away the remaining two tribes of Judah into captivity for 70 years. The Romans destroyed and dismantled Herod's Temple in 70 A.D. God may allow his judgment to fall upon people who have become blind to his graces and deaf to his mercies.The Lord may allow calamities like job loss, car accident or health issues. The Lord may permit catastrophes like damage from severe winds, terrorist attacks here in our homeland or war away from our homeland. These may happen to get our attention. So we stop what we are doing. So we break our bad habits. So we reexamine our priorities.So our spiritual blindness is discovered by us. Our spiritual deafness is heard by us. We see the false gods we have created for ourselves. We hear the praise we have offered to our idols. Our polytheistic tendencies are revealed to us. Our gods 1B, 1C, and so on can be smashed into oblivion. Then we repent of our polytheistic worship. We see the true God with the eyes of faith. We hear God's voice in worship and his Word. We pay attention to the Lord alone.Imagine hiking the Bridle Trail. That's a tough, steep trail. Now, imagine hiking it while being blind ... and deaf! Could you hike that trail safely without sight or hearing? Not a chance! God steps in to act. God leads you up and down the trail. He does even more for us as we attempt to hike through the trail of life.The Lord says, "I will lead the blind on a way they do not know. Along paths they do not know I will direct them. Ahead of them I will turn darkness into light and rough places into level ground. These are the promises I will accomplish for them. I will not abandon them" (Isaiah 42:16). God leads his people on a path that is unfamiliar to them because it is a path only God can lead them through. He guides us spiritually blind sinners down the path of salvation using his Word and Sacraments.God did not remain silent or turn a blind eye to the plight of this world. Nor did he sit in heaven and bark down orders that we must trust him. God entered this dark, noisy world of sin as the Christ.On a dark, spring Friday afternoon, it appeared as if the darkness had won. It looked like the Light of the world had been extinguished on the cross and buried in the tomb. But the Light of the world defeated the darkness of sin and Satan on that dark cross. The Light of the World shattered the darkness of death when it burst forth from the tomb on Easter dawn.It seemed as if the Word of the Lord had been silenced on Good Friday. But the voice of the Lord was never stronger or bolder then when Christ comforted the thief, "Today you will be with me in paradise," or when he breathed his last calling out, "It is finished!"By his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus has proven that he is the Light of the world. He is the Word incarnate. He is the one true God. Put him as God 1A in your life. He doesn't want to share any of his glory with any other gods. Destroy them.Fellow blind and deaf polytheistic believers, open your eyes. See Christ as your only Savior. Open your ears. Hear the voice of the Lord in his Word. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/blind-and-deaf-polytheistic-believers/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/blind-and-deaf-polytheistic-believers/Joseph was a farmer near Hebron in the hill country of Judea. He heard the prophet Isaiah was traveling through the Judean countryside sharing God's message of judgment and promise.When Isaiah stopped in Hebron, Joseph invited Isaiah to have dinner with his family in his home. After their meal, they sat together in Joseph's family room to talk.As Isaiah looked around the room, he noticed the polished stone idol set prominently on the mantle. It had been cut and shaped and polished in the shape of a man. Earlier, Isaiah had noticed there was a wooden statue of a woman that had been carved and sanded and stained out of a wooden log.Joseph had seen Isaiah's eyes drift toward his stone and wooden idols. Joseph had carefully done the work himself to create these icons for his household. He believed his stone male deity protected his home from disease and enemies. He believed his wooden female deity blessed his crops with productivity and his herds with fertility.Though Joseph believed in the Lord, he kept his other deities around, too. He prayed to the Lord for salvation, but he prayed to his other gods for good weather and bountiful harvests. He trusted his Creator for everything ... mostly. He reserved some trust for the idols he created out of one of the rocks he picked in his wheat field and out of one of the logs he cut to build his barn. ... Just in case.But Joseph's prayers and priorities changed as soon as Isaiah began speaking.Isaiah had never been shy about sharing God's message. He boldly told his host, "Thank you for inviting me into your home and offering me dinner with your family. I couldn't help but notice your wooden and stone icons. You seem very proud of them. ... But God humbles the proud."Isaiah continued, "You shared your generosity with me. I want to share God's generosity with you. That generosity comes in a gentle, but stern warning. Please take it to heart. The Lord will not give his glory to another or share his praise with idols" (Isaiah 42:8).Then Isaiah gave a brief history lesson, "God blessed our ancestors by keeping them safe from the famine by bringing them out of Canaan into Egypt. Four hundred years later, he rescued them from slavery in Egypt and brought them back to the Promised Land of Canaan. The Lord expanded Israel's kingdom through David and Solomon. Those blessings were visible to everyone. If that wasn't enough, the Lord spoke clearly his message of judgment and grace through prophets like Elijah, Jeremiah and myself.""But the people became deaf to the Lord's words. They became blind to his blessings. They didn't see. They didn't listen. Because of this, this is what the Lord says to all Israel, 'You see many things, but you do not observe. He opens his ears, but he does not hear' (Isaiah 42:20). They fashioned their own gods."Isaiah pointed directly at Joseph and said, "You, Joseph, fashioned your own gods!""This is what the Lord says to you and all Israel, 'They will be turned back and be completely disgraced--- those who trust in an idol, those who say to molten images, 'You are our gods.' You deaf ones, listen! You blind ones, watch carefully so you can see' (Isaiah 42:17-18)! With your false gods, you have blinded yourself to the one true God."Then Isaiah's voice softened, "Still the Lord is gracious. He is merciful. He continues to reveal his salvation in the coming Messiah. Because of his righteousness, the Lord is pleased to share his Word with you, which is always great and glorious" (Isaiah 42:21).Isaiah paused to take a breath. Joseph used that time to get up and walk around the room. He sheepishly removed the stone statue off the mantle and the wooden carving from the kitchen counter.After he returned, Isaiah continued speaking, "Blind, deaf Israel will not return to the Lord on his own. So the Lord sends his prophets to open your ears. He renews his promises to open your eyes. The Messiah is coming. He will be the Light of the world that shines salvation in the darkness. He is the Word of the Lord that called the world into existence. The coming Messiah will rescue you, Joseph, the nation of Israel, and all nations. He will rescue you from the dark and deafening dungeon you have created for yourselves."Isaiah is preaching to blind and deaf polytheistic believers. Joseph and the Old Testament Israelites were polytheists. Polytheism is the worship of many gods. "Poly" means "many." "Theism" is "the worship of a god." The Israelites put their faith in the Lord, plus other deities of their own making. They had faith in the one true God. He was God 1A in their hearts. But they also put their faith in numerous false gods. These became gods 1B, 1C, and so on in their hearts.Generations later, we are no different. We, too, are blind and deaf polytheistic believers.Who are these gods? Martin Luther wrote in his Large Catechism: "That to which we look for all good and in which we are to find refuge in all need. Therefore, to have a god is nothing else than to trust and believe in that one with your whole heart."Sunday mornings we might recline ourselves before the great and comfortable pillow god. On the weekends, we will set up our collapsible thrones before the altar of our children's and grandchildren's athletics. Every day, each of us spends an average of over 3 hours exalting the deity of social media, games, and time-wasting on our phones.Work, overtime pay, recreation -- wherever we spend our time away from God and his Word -- these can become gods. When things interrupt our time fulfilling our Christian vocations as parents, grandparents, spouses, children, students, citizens, employers or employees, then these things become gods 1B, 1C, and so on in our hearts.Money, work, video games, TV binging, music, vacations -- these are our gods. These are the deities we have fashioned with our own hands. They are the idols we can hold in our own hands. These are the polytheistic gods we still worship and hold dear.At our Super Bowl party, one of the Teens asked me, "Pastor, what is your biggest sin?" That's a big question to contemplate. Thankfully, I could concentrate on it since the football game was boring. I told him, "My biggest sin is breaking God's First Commandment. It's not putting God first in my life." Luther says something similar, "Anything on which your heart relies and depends, that is really your God."God has given us his Ten Commandments. But there is really only one commandment and only one sin. That one commandment is, "You shall have no other gods." That one sin is idolatry. If we could keep this one commandment, if we could fear, love and trust in God above all things -- then we would never break the other commandments. But because we do fear, love and trust in things above God -- because we are blind and deaf idolaters -- we break every other commandment. Because our hearts are idol factories whose doors never close, our lives are full of repercussions from other gods. For they will always bring disappointment.Isaiah warns that judgment will come on those who have been blind and deaf to the true God. "Those who trust in an idol ... will be turned back and be completely disgraced" (Isaiah 42:17). Because the Israelites had been carried away by their spiritual blindness and deafness, they would be literally carried away by the Babylonians.Is it possible that things are happening right now as a result of our country's and our world's collective spiritual blindness and deafness? Unrest in our cities' streets, terrorist attacks in New York City, Austin, Old Dominion University, and a Michigan synagogue, plus military strikes on Iran. Could these things be a result of God's judgment on peoples and nations who have forsaken the Lord as the one true God?Isaiah describes the Lord as a woman in labor. "I have been silent for a long time. I have kept still. I have restrained myself. Like a woman giving birth, I will scream. I will gasp and pant" (Isaiah 42:14). This is bold imagery where the Lord compares himself to a pregnant woman about to give birth. This verse means that God has been silent and patient for a long time. He restrained himself. But there will come a time when he allows the judgment he's been holding back to come upon people in full screaming force.God allowed his judgment to come upon his people in various times in their history. The Assyrians carried away the ten northern tribes of Israel in a diaspora of the Jews. The Babylonians carried away the remaining two tribes of Judah into captivity for 70 years. The Romans destroyed and dismantled Herod's Temple in 70 A.D. God may allow his judgment to fall upon people who have become blind to his graces and deaf to his mercies.The Lord may allow calamities like job loss, car accident or health issues. The Lord may permit catastrophes like damage from severe winds, terrorist attacks here in our homeland or war away from our homeland. These may happen to get our attention. So we stop what we are doing. So we break our bad habits. So we reexamine our priorities.So our spiritual blindness is discovered by us. Our spiritual deafness is heard by us. We see the false gods we have created for ourselves. We hear the praise we have offered to our idols. Our polytheistic tendencies are revealed to us. Our gods 1B, 1C, and so on can be smashed into oblivion. Then we repent of our polytheistic worship. We see the true God with the eyes of faith. We hear God's voice in worship and his Word. We pay attention to the Lord alone.Imagine hiking the Bridle Trail. That's a tough, steep trail. Now, imagine hiking it while being blind ... and deaf! Could you hike that trail safely without sight or hearing? Not a chance! God steps in to act. God leads you up and down the trail. He does even more for us as we attempt to hike through the trail of life.The Lord says, "I will lead the blind on a way they do not know. Along paths they do not know I will direct them. Ahead of them I will turn darkness into light and rough places into level ground. These are the promises I will accomplish for them. I will not abandon them" (Isaiah 42:16). God leads his people on a path that is unfamiliar to them because it is a path only God can lead them through. He guides us spiritually blind sinners down the path of salvation using his Word and Sacraments.God did not remain silent or turn a blind eye to the plight of this world. Nor did he sit in heaven and bark down orders that we must trust him. God entered this dark, noisy world of sin as the Christ.On a dark, spring Friday afternoon, it appeared as if the darkness had won. It looked like the Light of the world had been extinguished on the cross and buried in the tomb. But the Light of the world defeated the darkness of sin and Satan on that dark cross. The Light of the World shattered the darkness of death when it burst forth from the tomb on Easter dawn.It seemed as if the Word of the Lord had been silenced on Good Friday. But the voice of the Lord was never stronger or bolder then when Christ comforted the thief, "Today you will be with me in paradise," or when he breathed his last calling out, "It is finished!"By his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus has proven that he is the Light of the world. He is the Word incarnate. He is the one true God. Put him as God 1A in your life. He doesn't want to share any of his glory with any other gods. Destroy them.Fellow blind and deaf polytheistic believers, open your eyes. See Christ as your only Savior. Open your ears. Hear the voice of the Lord in his Word. Amen.

Numerous centuries had passed since the rainbow was first set in the sky. After exiting the ark, God made a covenant with Noah that he would never again destroy the earth with a world-wide flood. The rainbow was the sign of that covenant. Next God made a covenant promising Abraham that a great nation would be formed from his descendants in the promised land of Canaan. Two generations later, God made a covenant with Jacob that he would remember the covenant made with Abraham, Jacob's grandfather.Approximately 400 years later, the Lord established another covenant with Israel at the base of Mt. Sinai. There on the mountain, the Lord promised to make them his chosen people. He promised to protect them. He promised to provide for all their needs. He promised to take them by the hand to lead them into the land he had promised to Abraham many generations earlier.In the covenant that God made with Israel on Mt. Sinai, there was a certain understanding. God called Israel to be different -- to be a light to the other nations, a magnet to attract their neighbors to the Lord. Every detail of an Israelite's life was prescribed under the Law given at Mt. Sinai.This was a double-sided covenant -- like you make with your children. If they clean their rooms, you'll take them for ice cream. If they keep their grades up, they'll be able to go out for sports. If they do all their chores, they'll be able to go out with their friends. The covenant you make with your children is that if they obey, then you will bless them.God treated Israel as children -- but they were his children. God would be their Father if they would be and act like his children. The children of Israel responded to the reading of the Book containing the Covenant: "We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey" (Exodus 24:7). Then Moses sprinkled the blood from the offerings onto the people. This signified that they were bound to this covenant.But before the blood had even dried, the Israelites were breaking their covenant promise.As Moses was walking down from Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments in hand, the people were bowing down before a hunk of gold in the shape of a calf.That's the way it continued throughout the history of the Old Testament. God remained faithful to the promises he made to Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and David. The human end of the covenant was another matter. The children were continually disobeying their heavenly Father and worshiping false gods. They were constantly forgetting God, neglecting the call to be God's chosen ones.That's why the author to the letter to Hebrews says that God had a problem with that old covenant. "If that first covenant were without fault, there would have been no reason to look for a second. But because God found fault with the people, he said: Look, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their forefathers at the time when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt. Because they did not remember my covenant, I ignored them, says the Lord" (Hebrews 8:7-9).When you think about it, much of the Old Testament is a record of how Israel destroyed the covenant God had established with them. He was a faithful Father, but they were naughty, disobedient children.I'm sure the Israelites wanted to be better. They probably even tried to be better. But they just couldn't do it without God. They kept falling into the same sins year after year, generation after generation.I think we want to believe that we are getting better as Christians. We are hopeful that the longer we are Christians, the easier it will be for us. We are expecting to be able to look back and see the moral improvement in our character and lives. We make a promise to God that we will try harder, do better, pray longer, worship more, and everything else we think goes into being better Christians. We might believe that we are on an ascending slope in the graph of our sanctification. The truth is, if we put our sin and our sanctification on the graph, it would go up and down wildly -- like we're schizophrenic. ... Which we are as sinners and saints at the same time!That's why it is so important that our covenant with God isn't based on our moral behavior. We would be just like the children of Israel -- breaking the covenant over and over again. If God treated us as children, we would never get to do anything fun -- like receive forgiveness, enjoy a new life, or live as child who is inheriting his or her Father's Kingdom. We try so hard ... but we are no different than God's Old Testament naughty, disobedient children."This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws into their mind, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Never again will a man teach his fellow citizen or his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful in regard to their unrighteousness, and I will not remember their sins any longer. When God said 'new,' he made the first covenant obsolete, and something that is obsolete and growing old is going to disappear" (Hebrews 8:10-13).Because his children couldn't keep his old, two-sided covenant, God the Father made a one-sided covenant with his children. That's not what we might expect. Instead of punishing the people who broke the covenant, God enacted a better one-sided covenant with better promises mediated by a better Savior. This covenant promises faith in God, a part in the family of God, familiarity with God, and forgiveness from God.The whole point of God's first covenant was to prepare his people for the Savior by showing them their sin and pointing them ahead to someone who would fulfill the covenant. The old covenant was written on stone tablets and later written on scrolls. God would write is new covenant right onto people's hearts. This means, by faith we will know what God wants and love what God wants because we've seen and believe what God has done for us. We've been set free from the old covenant, set free from our sins and have the desire and ability to obey out of love.The author to the Hebrews explains, "Jesus has obtained a ministry that is as much superior as the covenant that he mediates is better, because it has been established on the basis of better promises" (Hebrews 8:6).This new covenant will be made possible, not because everyone has obeyed one portion of the covenant, but because God will forgive their sins and remember them no more. This covenant doesn't depend on our ability to keep it at all. The covenant depends instead on the ability of Jesus Christ -- our better high priest and better sacrifice -- to keep this better covenant. Which he did!This new covenant relationship with God won't be based on what people do. It will be based on the One in whom they believe.God is saying that because of his Son's work through his substitutionary life, his sacrificial death, and his glorious resurrection, everyone will know that God has chosen to be forgetful. It's like what happens when your child says something incredibly hurtful, apologizes for it, and you say, "I didn't hear a thing." The truth is that you did hear the incredibly hurtful thing ... and it did wound you deeply, but because of your love, you have chosen to be forgetful. You have chosen to "remember their sin no more."God forgets to punish your sins. He forgets to kill you for your insubordination. He forgets that he has every right for harsh revenge. He carries our sins so far away, that he can no longer see nor remember anything we've done to break the first covenant. He forgives it all. He doesn't just overlook our sin. He removes it all as far as the east is from the west. Selective amnesia -- that's what God has. And it is this selective amnesia that is yours through Jesus.Jesus signs the new covenant, not just with Israel, but with the whole of humanity. The old covenant was carved into stone by God's divine finger. This new covenant is signed with Jesus' divine blood.Jesus reaffirmed this new covenant at the Last Supper. Jesus said, "This is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you" (Luke 22:20). This cup of wine -- the blood of Christ -- given for you, this is the new covenant, the one Jeremiah talked about 600 years before.Will this one-sided covenant of grace improve your behavior? That's asking the wrong question. Christianity fails when we see it only in terms of moral progress. Christianity succeeds when we see it in terms of forgiveness. God comes to us amid all our broken promises, our failed intentions, and our botched efforts and he says, "I still love you because I have chosen you to be my own."Despite our professional efforts at sin and rebellion; despite our amateur claims to be self-sufficient without God; despite our best attempts at moral improvement; we have failed. We could not keep up our end of the old covenant. That's why God established a new covenant. There are no "ifs" in this covenant. There aren't any conditions. That's because it is a new and better covenant. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/a-better-covenant/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/a-better-covenant/Numerous centuries had passed since the rainbow was first set in the sky. After exiting the ark, God made a covenant with Noah that he would never again destroy the earth with a world-wide flood. The rainbow was the sign of that covenant. Next God made a covenant promising Abraham that a great nation would be formed from his descendants in the promised land of Canaan. Two generations later, God made a covenant with Jacob that he would remember the covenant made with Abraham, Jacob's grandfather.Approximately 400 years later, the Lord established another covenant with Israel at the base of Mt. Sinai. There on the mountain, the Lord promised to make them his chosen people. He promised to protect them. He promised to provide for all their needs. He promised to take them by the hand to lead them into the land he had promised to Abraham many generations earlier.In the covenant that God made with Israel on Mt. Sinai, there was a certain understanding. God called Israel to be different -- to be a light to the other nations, a magnet to attract their neighbors to the Lord. Every detail of an Israelite's life was prescribed under the Law given at Mt. Sinai.This was a double-sided covenant -- like you make with your children. If they clean their rooms, you'll take them for ice cream. If they keep their grades up, they'll be able to go out for sports. If they do all their chores, they'll be able to go out with their friends. The covenant you make with your children is that if they obey, then you will bless them.God treated Israel as children -- but they were his children. God would be their Father if they would be and act like his children. The children of Israel responded to the reading of the Book containing the Covenant: "We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey" (Exodus 24:7). Then Moses sprinkled the blood from the offerings onto the people. This signified that they were bound to this covenant.But before the blood had even dried, the Israelites were breaking their covenant promise.As Moses was walking down from Mt. Sinai with the Ten Commandments in hand, the people were bowing down before a hunk of gold in the shape of a calf.That's the way it continued throughout the history of the Old Testament. God remained faithful to the promises he made to Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and David. The human end of the covenant was another matter. The children were continually disobeying their heavenly Father and worshiping false gods. They were constantly forgetting God, neglecting the call to be God's chosen ones.That's why the author to the letter to Hebrews says that God had a problem with that old covenant. "If that first covenant were without fault, there would have been no reason to look for a second. But because God found fault with the people, he said: Look, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their forefathers at the time when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt. Because they did not remember my covenant, I ignored them, says the Lord" (Hebrews 8:7-9).When you think about it, much of the Old Testament is a record of how Israel destroyed the covenant God had established with them. He was a faithful Father, but they were naughty, disobedient children.I'm sure the Israelites wanted to be better. They probably even tried to be better. But they just couldn't do it without God. They kept falling into the same sins year after year, generation after generation.I think we want to believe that we are getting better as Christians. We are hopeful that the longer we are Christians, the easier it will be for us. We are expecting to be able to look back and see the moral improvement in our character and lives. We make a promise to God that we will try harder, do better, pray longer, worship more, and everything else we think goes into being better Christians. We might believe that we are on an ascending slope in the graph of our sanctification. The truth is, if we put our sin and our sanctification on the graph, it would go up and down wildly -- like we're schizophrenic. ... Which we are as sinners and saints at the same time!That's why it is so important that our covenant with God isn't based on our moral behavior. We would be just like the children of Israel -- breaking the covenant over and over again. If God treated us as children, we would never get to do anything fun -- like receive forgiveness, enjoy a new life, or live as child who is inheriting his or her Father's Kingdom. We try so hard ... but we are no different than God's Old Testament naughty, disobedient children."This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws into their mind, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Never again will a man teach his fellow citizen or his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful in regard to their unrighteousness, and I will not remember their sins any longer. When God said 'new,' he made the first covenant obsolete, and something that is obsolete and growing old is going to disappear" (Hebrews 8:10-13).Because his children couldn't keep his old, two-sided covenant, God the Father made a one-sided covenant with his children. That's not what we might expect. Instead of punishing the people who broke the covenant, God enacted a better one-sided covenant with better promises mediated by a better Savior. This covenant promises faith in God, a part in the family of God, familiarity with God, and forgiveness from God.The whole point of God's first covenant was to prepare his people for the Savior by showing them their sin and pointing them ahead to someone who would fulfill the covenant. The old covenant was written on stone tablets and later written on scrolls. God would write is new covenant right onto people's hearts. This means, by faith we will know what God wants and love what God wants because we've seen and believe what God has done for us. We've been set free from the old covenant, set free from our sins and have the desire and ability to obey out of love.The author to the Hebrews explains, "Jesus has obtained a ministry that is as much superior as the covenant that he mediates is better, because it has been established on the basis of better promises" (Hebrews 8:6).This new covenant will be made possible, not because everyone has obeyed one portion of the covenant, but because God will forgive their sins and remember them no more. This covenant doesn't depend on our ability to keep it at all. The covenant depends instead on the ability of Jesus Christ -- our better high priest and better sacrifice -- to keep this better covenant. Which he did!This new covenant relationship with God won't be based on what people do. It will be based on the One in whom they believe.God is saying that because of his Son's work through his substitutionary life, his sacrificial death, and his glorious resurrection, everyone will know that God has chosen to be forgetful. It's like what happens when your child says something incredibly hurtful, apologizes for it, and you say, "I didn't hear a thing." The truth is that you did hear the incredibly hurtful thing ... and it did wound you deeply, but because of your love, you have chosen to be forgetful. You have chosen to "remember their sin no more."God forgets to punish your sins. He forgets to kill you for your insubordination. He forgets that he has every right for harsh revenge. He carries our sins so far away, that he can no longer see nor remember anything we've done to break the first covenant. He forgives it all. He doesn't just overlook our sin. He removes it all as far as the east is from the west. Selective amnesia -- that's what God has. And it is this selective amnesia that is yours through Jesus.Jesus signs the new covenant, not just with Israel, but with the whole of humanity. The old covenant was carved into stone by God's divine finger. This new covenant is signed with Jesus' divine blood.Jesus reaffirmed this new covenant at the Last Supper. Jesus said, "This is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you" (Luke 22:20). This cup of wine -- the blood of Christ -- given for you, this is the new covenant, the one Jeremiah talked about 600 years before.Will this one-sided covenant of grace improve your behavior? That's asking the wrong question. Christianity fails when we see it only in terms of moral progress. Christianity succeeds when we see it in terms of forgiveness. God comes to us amid all our broken promises, our failed intentions, and our botched efforts and he says, "I still love you because I have chosen you to be my own."Despite our professional efforts at sin and rebellion; despite our amateur claims to be self-sufficient without God; despite our best attempts at moral improvement; we have failed. We could not keep up our end of the old covenant. That's why God established a new covenant. There are no "ifs" in this covenant. There aren't any conditions. That's because it is a new and better covenant. Amen.

Lured by the promise of fertile farmland and a chance to start anew, several hundred thousand men, women and children set out along the Oregon Trail between the 1840s and the 1880s. They rolled west in groups of oxen-pulled prairie schooners through grass prairies, arid deserts, and over snowy mountain passes, bound for California and Oregon.For 19th-century settlers traveling west across America by wagon train, every mile tested body and spirit. Blistered feet, choking dust, and swarming insects were just a few of the many physical challenges along the 2,000-mile, months-long journey. Settlers also had to contend with unpredictable weather in the wide-open West -- dust storms, rain squalls or blizzards.Perhaps the worst physical challenge the settlers faced was severe water shortages, often forcing them to rely on contaminated, alkaline, or meager water sources that caused disease and death. While wagon trains followed rivers like the Platte and Carson for survival, they often struggled to find enough water for animals. Many settlers took shortcuts to get to California, such as the Hastings Cutoff in Utah, which promised a faster route but led directly into harsh deserts. Or settlers would come from the last good water of the Platte 20 miles back when they arrived at Clayton's Slough here in Natrona County. The contaminated water poisoned livestock and humans. Cholera, caused by contaminated water, was the leading cause of death, followed by diseases like dysentery.These settlers were hearty souls, looking for a better land and a better life out West. They needed some water to drink along the way.The Israelites had just escaped from being slaves in Egypt. They had witnessed God's miracles with the ten plagues, the Angel of the Lord appearing as a pillar of cloud and pillar of fire to separate them from the angry Egyptian army, and Moses using his staff to part the waters of the Red Sea. About a month earlier, they complained about being hungry, so God miraculously provided them with manna from heaven and quails that landed in their camp.After receiving this miraculous food in the desert, the Israelites have been traveling for several more days. The hills are getting higher in the Horeb mountain range. The valleys are narrower and full of huge rocks. There are no springs of water to be found anywhere in this mountainous desert.This time the Israelites not only complain. They "quarrel" with Moses. "The entire Israelite community set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin as the Lord had commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So the people quarreled with Moses and said, 'Give us water to drink'" (Exodus 17:1-2).They even threaten to stone Moses! "Moses said to them, 'Why are you quarreling with me? Why are you testing the Lord?' But the people were thirsty for water there, so they grumbled against Moses. They said, 'Why did you ever bring us up out of Egypt to let us, our children, and our livestock die of thirst?' Moses cried out to the Lord, 'What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me'" (Exodus 17:3-4)!These people are ungrateful to the Lord for rescuing them. They are thankless to Moses for his leadership. Moses is in the same mountain range where he had previously tended sheep for his father-in-law Jethro. Who would have blamed him if he had traded in his leadership staff for a shepherd's staff and gone back to tending sheep! At least they would have been pleasant to be around!The Lord had earlier directed Moses' staff and used water in his miracles by changing the Nile River into blood and then back into water again, and parting the waters of the Red Sea and then having those walls of water come crashing down on Pharaoh and his army. Now the Lord patiently deals with the quarreling children of Israel as a father deals with his crabby kids. He directs Moses to use his staff to strike a rock. As Moses obeys, water comes out of the rock for the people to drink."The Lord said to Moses, 'Go in front of the people, and take the elders of Israel with you. Also take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Watch me. I will stand there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. You are to strike the rock. Water will come out of it, and the people will drink.' Moses did that in the sight of the elders of Israel. He named the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled, and because they tested the Lord by saying, 'Is the Lord among us or not'" (Exodus 17:5-7)?It's no wonder that Moses called that place "Massah," which in Hebrew means "testing," and "Meribah," which in Hebrew means "quarreling." Through their quarreling the Israelites were testing the Lord, demanding proof that he was still among them. In his mercy the Lord again gave evidence of his providential love to these undeserving people.We need to understand that we are very similar to these quarreling Israelites kids. God has blessed many of our family members with long lives, but we question God when he takes a loved one away through death. God has blessed us with health, but we grumble when we get really ill. God has blessed us with a home, so we don't have be camping in the desert, but we grumble when we have to do home repairs. God has blessed us with manna and quail ... and a whole lot of other foods in our fridge, freezer, and pantry. Yet we complain that we can't find anything to eat. We have indoor plumbing with water in the bathroom, washroom, and kitchen, yet we still find a way to whine about the water pressure or the temperature or the taste.God calls us today to repent of our self-centeredness, confess our quarreling; admit whining, grumbling, and complaining. We must admit that we fall into the sin of the Israelites when they became so thirsty that they questioned God's love for them asking, "Is the Lord among us or not?" When things go against us, we, too, fall into the Devil's trap of believing that God doesn't care about us.We repent and then believe. Believe that the Lord knows what's best for you. Believe that you learn more through suffering and want than through ease and comfort. That's what St. Paul is teaching in our Epistle lesson, "We rejoice confidently in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces patient endurance, and patient endurance produces tested character, and tested character produces hope" (Romans 5:3-4). Trust that whether in plenty or in scarcity, whether in suffering or in pleasure, God gives you exactly what you need. As Martin Luther said it so well, "I believe that God has made me and all creatures ... given me clothing, shoes, food and drink... [and] he richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life."Have you ever been really thirsty but had nothing to drink? The books I've been reading have thirst as a major theme in them. The Christian Crusaders leaving Europe and heading to Jerusalem. Magellan and Columbus sailing across the ocean but having no fresh water to drink. Polar explorers surrounded by ice and snow, but again, having no fresh water to drink. Soldiers fighting in the Civil War, World Wars, or wars in the Middle East. They all battled thirst.We, too, battle thirst. But not a physical thirst. A spiritual thirst. St. Paul uses the thirst of the Israelites in the desert and the water from the rock as an application for spiritual meaning to their physical actions. "For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them―and that rock was Christ! Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them. He had them die in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples to warn us not to desire evil things the way they did" (1 Corinthians 10:1-6).The term spiritual food refers to the manna. The spiritual drink refers to the water that came out of the rock. The food and drink are called spiritual because they were miraculously provided. But the real source of their food and drink, the one who really did accompany and save them, was the promised Savior, the Messiah.God, in his love, quenches thirst. When our physical needs are met, when we have cozy homes, and nourished bodies, when our physical thirst is quenched, it can be easy to stop there and think, "What more could I need." So many in our world are lost in a desert of sin and unbelief and dying of spiritual thirst -- thirst for answers, for acceptance, for purpose. The problem is when we look in the wrong places to have that spiritual thirst quenched -- we become spiritually dehydrated. The danger of spiritual dehydration is eternal death.Jesus Christ is the Rock of our salvation. God called Moses to strike the rock to quench the people's physical thirst. Jesus took the guilt of our sin upon himself so that by his death and resurrection, through faith, God would quench our need for forgiveness. We receive Christ as we read about him as the Rock of our salvation in the Bible. We receive Christ in Holy Baptism as the water and the Word works to create faith, washes away sins, and grants everlasting life.Jesus answered the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I will give him will never be thirsty ever again. Rather, the water I will give him will become in him a spring of water, bubbling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14).What is "living water"? Living water is the gospel message about Jesus. We end each of our Thirsty podcasts with the phrase, "You are thirsty, my friends, so drink deeply from the Water of Life." We become physically dehydrated because we don't drink enough water during the day. We become spiritually dehydrated because we don't drink enough of God's living water during the day and week.Drink deeply from Christ's living water by being in Bible study -- we offer a lot of them. Drink deeply by listening to various Lutheran podcasts. Drink deeply by coming regularly to worship -- we have Sunday morning and Wednesday evening, plus Holy Week is coming soon. Drink deeply by receiving the Sacrament often -- you'll be able to receive the Lord's Supper five times during Holy Week with Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday. Drink deeply by reading and meditating on God's Word on your own or with your family. Every morning, speak the words of the invocation, make the sign of the cross, recite the Apostles' Creed, Luther's Morning Prayer, and the Lord's Prayer. Then read a portion of Scripture, meditate on it, and pray about it. Then do the same thing in the evening, except using Luther's Evening Prayer.When we drink of Christ and his Word, we have all that we need. The Holy Spirit enables us to produce the fruits of faith, which "gush" forth from our lives. The living water that Jesus offers, quenches thirst forever, because it springs up like a well inside of people, resulting in eternal life. This is the ongoing effect of Christ and his Word, that satisfies any spiritual thirst forever.The Israelites quarreled with Moses when they said, "Give us water to drink." Let us say those same words to the Lord. But may they instead be a prayer for the Lord to quench our physical and spiritual thirst. "Lord, give us water to drink." Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/give-us-water-to-drink/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/give-us-water-to-drink/Lured by the promise of fertile farmland and a chance to start anew, several hundred thousand men, women and children set out along the Oregon Trail between the 1840s and the 1880s. They rolled west in groups of oxen-pulled prairie schooners through grass prairies, arid deserts, and over snowy mountain passes, bound for California and Oregon.For 19th-century settlers traveling west across America by wagon train, every mile tested body and spirit. Blistered feet, choking dust, and swarming insects were just a few of the many physical challenges along the 2,000-mile, months-long journey. Settlers also had to contend with unpredictable weather in the wide-open West -- dust storms, rain squalls or blizzards.Perhaps the worst physical challenge the settlers faced was severe water shortages, often forcing them to rely on contaminated, alkaline, or meager water sources that caused disease and death. While wagon trains followed rivers like the Platte and Carson for survival, they often struggled to find enough water for animals. Many settlers took shortcuts to get to California, such as the Hastings Cutoff in Utah, which promised a faster route but led directly into harsh deserts. Or settlers would come from the last good water of the Platte 20 miles back when they arrived at Clayton's Slough here in Natrona County. The contaminated water poisoned livestock and humans. Cholera, caused by contaminated water, was the leading cause of death, followed by diseases like dysentery.These settlers were hearty souls, looking for a better land and a better life out West. They needed some water to drink along the way.The Israelites had just escaped from being slaves in Egypt. They had witnessed God's miracles with the ten plagues, the Angel of the Lord appearing as a pillar of cloud and pillar of fire to separate them from the angry Egyptian army, and Moses using his staff to part the waters of the Red Sea. About a month earlier, they complained about being hungry, so God miraculously provided them with manna from heaven and quails that landed in their camp.After receiving this miraculous food in the desert, the Israelites have been traveling for several more days. The hills are getting higher in the Horeb mountain range. The valleys are narrower and full of huge rocks. There are no springs of water to be found anywhere in this mountainous desert.This time the Israelites not only complain. They "quarrel" with Moses. "The entire Israelite community set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin as the Lord had commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So the people quarreled with Moses and said, 'Give us water to drink'" (Exodus 17:1-2).They even threaten to stone Moses! "Moses said to them, 'Why are you quarreling with me? Why are you testing the Lord?' But the people were thirsty for water there, so they grumbled against Moses. They said, 'Why did you ever bring us up out of Egypt to let us, our children, and our livestock die of thirst?' Moses cried out to the Lord, 'What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me'" (Exodus 17:3-4)!These people are ungrateful to the Lord for rescuing them. They are thankless to Moses for his leadership. Moses is in the same mountain range where he had previously tended sheep for his father-in-law Jethro. Who would have blamed him if he had traded in his leadership staff for a shepherd's staff and gone back to tending sheep! At least they would have been pleasant to be around!The Lord had earlier directed Moses' staff and used water in his miracles by changing the Nile River into blood and then back into water again, and parting the waters of the Red Sea and then having those walls of water come crashing down on Pharaoh and his army. Now the Lord patiently deals with the quarreling children of Israel as a father deals with his crabby kids. He directs Moses to use his staff to strike a rock. As Moses obeys, water comes out of the rock for the people to drink."The Lord said to Moses, 'Go in front of the people, and take the elders of Israel with you. Also take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Watch me. I will stand there in front of you on the rock in Horeb. You are to strike the rock. Water will come out of it, and the people will drink.' Moses did that in the sight of the elders of Israel. He named the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled, and because they tested the Lord by saying, 'Is the Lord among us or not'" (Exodus 17:5-7)?It's no wonder that Moses called that place "Massah," which in Hebrew means "testing," and "Meribah," which in Hebrew means "quarreling." Through their quarreling the Israelites were testing the Lord, demanding proof that he was still among them. In his mercy the Lord again gave evidence of his providential love to these undeserving people.We need to understand that we are very similar to these quarreling Israelites kids. God has blessed many of our family members with long lives, but we question God when he takes a loved one away through death. God has blessed us with health, but we grumble when we get really ill. God has blessed us with a home, so we don't have be camping in the desert, but we grumble when we have to do home repairs. God has blessed us with manna and quail ... and a whole lot of other foods in our fridge, freezer, and pantry. Yet we complain that we can't find anything to eat. We have indoor plumbing with water in the bathroom, washroom, and kitchen, yet we still find a way to whine about the water pressure or the temperature or the taste.God calls us today to repent of our self-centeredness, confess our quarreling; admit whining, grumbling, and complaining. We must admit that we fall into the sin of the Israelites when they became so thirsty that they questioned God's love for them asking, "Is the Lord among us or not?" When things go against us, we, too, fall into the Devil's trap of believing that God doesn't care about us.We repent and then believe. Believe that the Lord knows what's best for you. Believe that you learn more through suffering and want than through ease and comfort. That's what St. Paul is teaching in our Epistle lesson, "We rejoice confidently in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces patient endurance, and patient endurance produces tested character, and tested character produces hope" (Romans 5:3-4). Trust that whether in plenty or in scarcity, whether in suffering or in pleasure, God gives you exactly what you need. As Martin Luther said it so well, "I believe that God has made me and all creatures ... given me clothing, shoes, food and drink... [and] he richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life."Have you ever been really thirsty but had nothing to drink? The books I've been reading have thirst as a major theme in them. The Christian Crusaders leaving Europe and heading to Jerusalem. Magellan and Columbus sailing across the ocean but having no fresh water to drink. Polar explorers surrounded by ice and snow, but again, having no fresh water to drink. Soldiers fighting in the Civil War, World Wars, or wars in the Middle East. They all battled thirst.We, too, battle thirst. But not a physical thirst. A spiritual thirst. St. Paul uses the thirst of the Israelites in the desert and the water from the rock as an application for spiritual meaning to their physical actions. "For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them―and that rock was Christ! Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them. He had them die in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples to warn us not to desire evil things the way they did" (1 Corinthians 10:1-6).The term spiritual food refers to the manna. The spiritual drink refers to the water that came out of the rock. The food and drink are called spiritual because they were miraculously provided. But the real source of their food and drink, the one who really did accompany and save them, was the promised Savior, the Messiah.God, in his love, quenches thirst. When our physical needs are met, when we have cozy homes, and nourished bodies, when our physical thirst is quenched, it can be easy to stop there and think, "What more could I need." So many in our world are lost in a desert of sin and unbelief and dying of spiritual thirst -- thirst for answers, for acceptance, for purpose. The problem is when we look in the wrong places to have that spiritual thirst quenched -- we become spiritually dehydrated. The danger of spiritual dehydration is eternal death.Jesus Christ is the Rock of our salvation. God called Moses to strike the rock to quench the people's physical thirst. Jesus took the guilt of our sin upon himself so that by his death and resurrection, through faith, God would quench our need for forgiveness. We receive Christ as we read about him as the Rock of our salvation in the Bible. We receive Christ in Holy Baptism as the water and the Word works to create faith, washes away sins, and grants everlasting life.Jesus answered the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I will give him will never be thirsty ever again. Rather, the water I will give him will become in him a spring of water, bubbling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14).What is "living water"? Living water is the gospel message about Jesus. We end each of our Thirsty podcasts with the phrase, "You are thirsty, my friends, so drink deeply from the Water of Life." We become physically dehydrated because we don't drink enough water during the day. We become spiritually dehydrated because we don't drink enough of God's living water during the day and week.Drink deeply from Christ's living water by being in Bible study -- we offer a lot of them. Drink deeply by listening to various Lutheran podcasts. Drink deeply by coming regularly to worship -- we have Sunday morning and Wednesday evening, plus Holy Week is coming soon. Drink deeply by receiving the Sacrament often -- you'll be able to receive the Lord's Supper five times during Holy Week with Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter Sunday. Drink deeply by reading and meditating on God's Word on your own or with your family. Every morning, speak the words of the invocation, make the sign of the cross, recite the Apostles' Creed, Luther's Morning Prayer, and the Lord's Prayer. Then read a portion of Scripture, meditate on it, and pray about it. Then do the same thing in the evening, except using Luther's Evening Prayer.When we drink of Christ and his Word, we have all that we need. The Holy Spirit enables us to produce the fruits of faith, which "gush" forth from our lives. The living water that Jesus offers, quenches thirst forever, because it springs up like a well inside of people, resulting in eternal life. This is the ongoing effect of Christ and his Word, that satisfies any spiritual thirst forever.The Israelites quarreled with Moses when they said, "Give us water to drink." Let us say those same words to the Lord. But may they instead be a prayer for the Lord to quench our physical and spiritual thirst. "Lord, give us water to drink." Amen.

If you've ever attempted to read the Bible from cover to cover, chances are you made it through Genesis and maybe Exodus. Somewhere in Leviticus, I'm guessing, your head began to spin. You became bogged down with the deluge of details about sacrifices.In the liturgy of Israel, sacrifice was the divinely ordered Means of Grace by which God gave blessings to his people. The Israelites sacrificed cows, sheep, goats, turtledoves, pigeons, wheats and grains. They offered burnt sacrifices, sin sacrifices, guilt sacrifices, peace sacrifices, and meal sacrifices.Throughout the Old Testament times, God's people brought animals to the Lord's altar. The priest would ceremonially kill these animals and formally present them to the Lord. The sacrifices then symbolically became the Lord's property.I'm guessing that you did not bring a goat or lamb with you to church tonight for the evening sacrifice. That's OK. God doesn't want any more sacrifices of animals. That's because he's already received a better sacrifice.Long before Jesus came into the world, God's laws taught his people that sacrifices were necessary. Something had to be done about all the ways that people didn't measure up to God's demands. And so, he commanded priests to offer sacrifices -- lambs, bulls, and goats -- day-after-day, year-after-year. There was no end to it.God commanded those animal sacrifices in the Old Testament to send a very clear message -- sin is serious. So serious, in fact, that it requires a life as its payment. St. Paul later wrote to the Romans that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Every time God's people in the Old Testament brought an animal to be sacrificed, they realized, "Sin is serious. My sin is serious. A life must be given as its payment because 'the wages of sin is death.' But in his grace, God has allowed me to offer the life of this animal as payment for my sin instead of my own life." The sinner was then able to walk away from the altar upon which that sacrifice was offered, forgiven and alive. Oh, what a beautiful message the sacrificial system proclaimed!But the people knew that the blood of these animals didn't really remove their sins. They were merely a shadow, a picture, of something greater and better that was coming. The author to the Hebrews explains, "In fact, the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the actual realization of those things. It will never be able to make perfect those who continually offer the same sacrifices year after year. If it could do this, wouldn't they have stopped bringing sacrifices, because the worshippers, once they were cleansed, would no longer have a bad conscience about sins? Instead, these sacrifices reminded them of their sins year after year. The fact is that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins" (Hebrews 10:1-3). These continual and constant sacrifices reminded the people of their sins year after year. God was teaching his people that no animal sacrifice or anything a sinful human could offer was enough to make up for those sins or take them away.So, why did God require all those animal sacrifices in the Old Testament if "he did not desire" them, "nor [was he] pleased with them" as the author to the Hebrews states?The author finds a beautiful answer to that question as he records a divine conversation between Jesus Christ and his heavenly Father."Therefore when he entered the world, Christ said: Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but you prepared a body for me. You were not pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings. Then I said, "Here I am. I have come to do your will, God. In the scroll of the book it is written about me." First he said: Sacrifices and offerings that were offered according to the law, both burnt offerings and sin offerings, you did not desire, and you were not pleased with them. Then he said: Here I am. I have come to do your will. He does away with the first in order to establish the second. By this will, we have been sanctified once and for all, through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ" (Hebrews 10:5-10).Why was God "not pleased" with those sacrifices? He wasn't pleased with them because those animal sacrifices had no actual power to pay for sin. They were just animals. If sin was truly going to be paid for, a better sacrifice was needed. It needed to be a one time for all time sacrifice. The author explains, "Unlike the other high priests, he [Christ] does not need to offer sacrifices on a daily basis, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. In fact, he sacrificed for sins once and for all when he offered himself" (Hebrews 7:27). Jesus Christ, the innocent, perfect Lamb of God, was the fulfillment of the shadow from those animal sacrifices.Jesus Christ is the one better sacrifice. He is the one perfect sacrifice offered by himself as the better perfect high priest. He offered the sacrifice that only he could give. He gave himself. He didn't do it for himself. He didn't need to. He gave that sacrifice for you, dear sinner. Knowing that you could not earn God's favor, knowing the best you could offer could never cover a single slip-up, he offered his own life on a cross. Because Jesus was the Son of God, his innocent life was infinitely valuable. His sacrifice was perfectly pleasing to God. It never has to be repeated. It was a once-and-for-all sacrifice for all people.Through that sacrifice offered on a spring Friday afternoon twenty centuries ago, your relationship with God is perfectly restored. Once and for all. No strings attached, no wonder we call this Friday good!When we recognize that our own lives are completely stained with sin, this is the sacrifice to which we also look. We look to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who gave up his own life as a payment for our sins. "The wages of sin is death." But when we look to the sacrifice of Christ, who paid for our sins through his death, we can walk away from his cross, forgiven and alive. Oh, what a beautiful message the sacrifice of Christ proclaims!This is the better sacrifice of which the Son of God proclaimed himself through the psalmist in Psalm 22 which we read earlier in the service. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? My groaning does nothing to save me. My God, I call out by day, but you do not answer. I call out by night, but there is no relief for me. ... I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me. They sneer. They shake their heads. They say, 'Trust in the Lord.' 'Let the Lord deliver him. Let him rescue him, if he delights in him'" (Psalm 22:1-2, 6-8).We don't have to bring these animals sacrifices anymore because the greatest sacrifice of all died on God's altar of the cross. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. He is the fulfillment of all those Old Testament sacrifices. He is the culmination of all the guilt, sin, and peace sacrifices. He gave his life for our lives. Now, we give our lives to him in return. He died in service to us. Now, we live in service to him.Now, we don't bring lambs or goats to church to sacrifice to God. Jesus is our better sacrifice. Instead, we bring ourselves to church and then bring church to our families, workplaces, schools, and community as our continual, living sacrifice to God.Our motivation for serving God is not because we have to. It isn't to gain God's mercy ... rather, it is in response to receiving God's mercy found in the better sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When hearing about the love God has for us in sending his Son as our sacrifice, why would we not want to live sacrificial lives in return?We speak because we have been spoken to by God. We serve as we have been served by God. We teach as we have been taught by God. We encourage as we have been encouraged by God. We contribute to the needs of others because God has taken care of our needs. We give generously because God has given his Son and salvation generously to us. We lead because our Good Shepherd is leading us to heaven. We show mercy because God has poured out his mercies on us.We offer our bodies and lives as living sacrifices for Jesus Christ who is our once-and-for-all better sacrifice. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/a-better-sacrifice/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/a-better-sacrifice/If you've ever attempted to read the Bible from cover to cover, chances are you made it through Genesis and maybe Exodus. Somewhere in Leviticus, I'm guessing, your head began to spin. You became bogged down with the deluge of details about sacrifices.In the liturgy of Israel, sacrifice was the divinely ordered Means of Grace by which God gave blessings to his people. The Israelites sacrificed cows, sheep, goats, turtledoves, pigeons, wheats and grains. They offered burnt sacrifices, sin sacrifices, guilt sacrifices, peace sacrifices, and meal sacrifices.Throughout the Old Testament times, God's people brought animals to the Lord's altar. The priest would ceremonially kill these animals and formally present them to the Lord. The sacrifices then symbolically became the Lord's property.I'm guessing that you did not bring a goat or lamb with you to church tonight for the evening sacrifice. That's OK. God doesn't want any more sacrifices of animals. That's because he's already received a better sacrifice.Long before Jesus came into the world, God's laws taught his people that sacrifices were necessary. Something had to be done about all the ways that people didn't measure up to God's demands. And so, he commanded priests to offer sacrifices -- lambs, bulls, and goats -- day-after-day, year-after-year. There was no end to it.God commanded those animal sacrifices in the Old Testament to send a very clear message -- sin is serious. So serious, in fact, that it requires a life as its payment. St. Paul later wrote to the Romans that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Every time God's people in the Old Testament brought an animal to be sacrificed, they realized, "Sin is serious. My sin is serious. A life must be given as its payment because 'the wages of sin is death.' But in his grace, God has allowed me to offer the life of this animal as payment for my sin instead of my own life." The sinner was then able to walk away from the altar upon which that sacrifice was offered, forgiven and alive. Oh, what a beautiful message the sacrificial system proclaimed!But the people knew that the blood of these animals didn't really remove their sins. They were merely a shadow, a picture, of something greater and better that was coming. The author to the Hebrews explains, "In fact, the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the actual realization of those things. It will never be able to make perfect those who continually offer the same sacrifices year after year. If it could do this, wouldn't they have stopped bringing sacrifices, because the worshippers, once they were cleansed, would no longer have a bad conscience about sins? Instead, these sacrifices reminded them of their sins year after year. The fact is that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins" (Hebrews 10:1-3). These continual and constant sacrifices reminded the people of their sins year after year. God was teaching his people that no animal sacrifice or anything a sinful human could offer was enough to make up for those sins or take them away.So, why did God require all those animal sacrifices in the Old Testament if "he did not desire" them, "nor [was he] pleased with them" as the author to the Hebrews states?The author finds a beautiful answer to that question as he records a divine conversation between Jesus Christ and his heavenly Father."Therefore when he entered the world, Christ said: Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but you prepared a body for me. You were not pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings. Then I said, "Here I am. I have come to do your will, God. In the scroll of the book it is written about me." First he said: Sacrifices and offerings that were offered according to the law, both burnt offerings and sin offerings, you did not desire, and you were not pleased with them. Then he said: Here I am. I have come to do your will. He does away with the first in order to establish the second. By this will, we have been sanctified once and for all, through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ" (Hebrews 10:5-10).Why was God "not pleased" with those sacrifices? He wasn't pleased with them because those animal sacrifices had no actual power to pay for sin. They were just animals. If sin was truly going to be paid for, a better sacrifice was needed. It needed to be a one time for all time sacrifice. The author explains, "Unlike the other high priests, he [Christ] does not need to offer sacrifices on a daily basis, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. In fact, he sacrificed for sins once and for all when he offered himself" (Hebrews 7:27). Jesus Christ, the innocent, perfect Lamb of God, was the fulfillment of the shadow from those animal sacrifices.Jesus Christ is the one better sacrifice. He is the one perfect sacrifice offered by himself as the better perfect high priest. He offered the sacrifice that only he could give. He gave himself. He didn't do it for himself. He didn't need to. He gave that sacrifice for you, dear sinner. Knowing that you could not earn God's favor, knowing the best you could offer could never cover a single slip-up, he offered his own life on a cross. Because Jesus was the Son of God, his innocent life was infinitely valuable. His sacrifice was perfectly pleasing to God. It never has to be repeated. It was a once-and-for-all sacrifice for all people.Through that sacrifice offered on a spring Friday afternoon twenty centuries ago, your relationship with God is perfectly restored. Once and for all. No strings attached, no wonder we call this Friday good!When we recognize that our own lives are completely stained with sin, this is the sacrifice to which we also look. We look to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who gave up his own life as a payment for our sins. "The wages of sin is death." But when we look to the sacrifice of Christ, who paid for our sins through his death, we can walk away from his cross, forgiven and alive. Oh, what a beautiful message the sacrifice of Christ proclaims!This is the better sacrifice of which the Son of God proclaimed himself through the psalmist in Psalm 22 which we read earlier in the service. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? My groaning does nothing to save me. My God, I call out by day, but you do not answer. I call out by night, but there is no relief for me. ... I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me. They sneer. They shake their heads. They say, 'Trust in the Lord.' 'Let the Lord deliver him. Let him rescue him, if he delights in him'" (Psalm 22:1-2, 6-8).We don't have to bring these animals sacrifices anymore because the greatest sacrifice of all died on God's altar of the cross. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. He is the fulfillment of all those Old Testament sacrifices. He is the culmination of all the guilt, sin, and peace sacrifices. He gave his life for our lives. Now, we give our lives to him in return. He died in service to us. Now, we live in service to him.Now, we don't bring lambs or goats to church to sacrifice to God. Jesus is our better sacrifice. Instead, we bring ourselves to church and then bring church to our families, workplaces, schools, and community as our continual, living sacrifice to God.Our motivation for serving God is not because we have to. It isn't to gain God's mercy ... rather, it is in response to receiving God's mercy found in the better sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When hearing about the love God has for us in sending his Son as our sacrifice, why would we not want to live sacrificial lives in return?We speak because we have been spoken to by God. We serve as we have been served by God. We teach as we have been taught by God. We encourage as we have been encouraged by God. We contribute to the needs of others because God has taken care of our needs. We give generously because God has given his Son and salvation generously to us. We lead because our Good Shepherd is leading us to heaven. We show mercy because God has poured out his mercies on us.We offer our bodies and lives as living sacrifices for Jesus Christ who is our once-and-for-all better sacrifice. Amen.

Frodo, the Hobbit, was tasked with destroying the ring of power in the fiery lava of Mount Doom. Frodo and his faithful friend, Sam, traveled approximately 1800 miles from Bag End in the Shire to Mount Doom in Mordor. They traveled through forests, caves, swamps, and mountains. This is the equivalent of walking from New York City to San Antonio, Texas. Their journey took exactly 6 months and 2 days.This was a journey of faith. Frodo and Sam had to believe the words of Elrond of the Elves and the council of Gandalf the Grey that they would survive to destroy the ring on Mount Doom.Abram, the son of Terah, was called by God to leave his homeland in Ur and move with his family to Haran. Moses writes, "Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot, who was the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, who was the wife of his son Abram, and they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there" (Genesis 11:31). The distance from Ur to Haran was approximately 600 miles. This journey likely took several months.Later, Abram left his father in Haran and traveled to Canaan. The distance from Haran to Shechem in Canaan was about 450 miles. This would have taken several weeks to travel. Remember, Abram was a spry 75 years old when he left Haran. Abram traveled approximately 1050 miles. That's like traveling to Dallas or Chicago from Casper. This was a journey of faith for Abram.Each of you is on a journey of faith. It's always interesting to learn the reason you moved to Casper. For some, it was family or education or the energy industry or other employment opportunities. You know from experience how difficult life can be in Casper. There are booms and busts with the energy industry. One of the major exports from Casper is its youth. I've been told it gets cold and snowy here. I've experienced the wind.When we moved here, Shelley and I didn't know anything about Casper or Wyoming. We had only driven through a portion of Wyoming once. Driving to Casper, we saw the windsock and high wind warning signs on 258. The first thing Shelley said to me when we arrived at the parsonage was, "Where did you move me to?!"All of us, at one time or another, moved out here on a journey of faith.It isn't only a journey of faith with our physical location, but it's also a spiritual journey of faith from the baptismal font to the grave.It took a lot of faith for Frodo to leave the safety, peace, and quiet of the Shire. Especially because he would encounter Nazgul, orcs, Urak-hai, a cave troll, Belrog, Gollum, and Shelob the spider. Frodo is stabbed by the Witch-king, choked by Gollum, and injected with spider-poison from Shelob. All while being watched by the giant flaming eye of Sauron.Moses writes, "Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Get out of your country and away from your relatives and from your father's house and go to the land that I will show you'" (Genesis 12:1). It took a lot of faith for Abram to leave the safety, peace, and quiet of living near his father, Terah, in Ur. We're used to moving out of our parents' home at 18. Then possibly moving hundreds of miles away. That didn't happen back then. You stayed in communal life with your family.Plus, when Abram moves from Haran, he doesn't know where he's going. God hasn't told him the destination yet. The Lord said to Abram, "Go to the land that I will show you." Wherever it was going to be, Abram hadn't been there yet.The key to faith isn't the person believing. The key to faith is the object in which the person believes. Abram believed in God's rock-solid promises. What were those promises?The Lord said, "I will make you a great nation" (Genesis 12:2). Remember, Abram is 75, Sarai is 65, and Sarai is barren when God's makes this promise. Abram would have many descendants -- physical and spiritual. Abram has lots of physical descendants as children of Isaac -- the Jews -- and Ishmael -- the Arabs. (They don't seem to be getting along right now.) Though, we Christians are not physically descended from Abram, it's more important that we are his spiritual descendants. St. Paul explained, "For this reason, the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace and may be guaranteed to all of Abraham's descendants -- not only to the one who is a descendant by law, but also to the one who has the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: 'I have made you a father of many nations'" (Romans 4:16-17).The Lord said, "I will bless you" (Genesis 12:2). God would be with Abram and his descendants. When God blesses us, there's nothing else we need. We don't need luck or chance or fate. Which is good, since none of those things exist. Only God's divine will and providence exist.The Lord said, I will make your name great" (Genesis 12:2). Several generations earlier, the people at Babel built the city and tower for the purpose of, "let's make a name for ourselves" (Genesis 11:4). God humbled and scattered them. God takes a humble man like Abram and makes his name so great that we still remember and thank God for him roughly 4100 years later.The Lord said, "You will be a blessing" (Genesis 12:2). This blessing comes through Abram's greatest descendant -- Jesus. The Savior blesses the whole world with forgiveness and peace.The Lord said, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse anyone who dishonors you" (Genesis 12:3). As we heard last Sunday, Satan's offspring will continue to be hostile to Eve's believing offspring. But God is always on the side of his people.The Lord said, "All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you" (Genesis 12:3). Again, this is a promise of blessing through Abram's great descendant, Jesus Christ.Moses writes, "So Abram went, as the Lord had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother's son, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to travel to the land of Canaan. Eventually they arrived in the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land until he came to the Oak of Moreh at the place called Shechem. The Canaanites were in the land at that time" (Genesis 12:4-6). Abram is going to be living among heathens and pagans. His descendants would eventually have to dispossess the Canaanites of their land."The Lord appeared to Abram and said, 'I will give this land to your descendants.' Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. He moved on from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent there, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and proclaimed the name of the Lord" (Genesis 12:7-8). At this critical moment for Abram, the Lord appeared to him to reaffirm and clarify his promise and to bolster Abram's faith. He made it clear that Abram was not to try to take immediate possession of the land. It was only for Abram's descendants that the land of Canaan would become a new homeland. Each new promise of God nourished and exercised Abram's faith.In land of unbelievers, Abram built an altar. Wherever he went, Abram seemed to build an altar to the Lord. This altar was something the unbelievers would see when they passed by it. Abram built a second altar 25 miles away in Bethel. There he "proclaimed the name of the Lord." He was not ashamed to be light in a land of spiritual darkness of false religion and pagan gods. Abram's worship announced the true God into the culture of the heathen Canaanites.It takes a lot of faith to live out West. You're probably a long distance from much of your family. The work and weather out here can be difficult. Like Abram, you may feel alone in your Lutheran faith. There aren't a lot of Lutherans in Wyoming ... especially WELS Lutherans. Abram was surrounded by unbelievers in Canaan. When you're at work or school or your neighborhood, you may be surrounded by unbelievers. And they act like it!What do you do when the culture and community put pressure on your faith? You can be tempted to question and doubt God. To cower and remain quiet about your Lutheran Christian faith. To imagine that you're alone so far away from your fellow WELS Lutherans.When those temptations come along, go back to the promises God made to Abram. Because most of them are promises also involve you. Our spiritual lineage goes all the way back to Abram! Pause and reflect on that for a moment. A few select people on this earth may be able to trace their lineage back through a dozen generations. We can trace our spiritual lineage through an unbroken line all the way back to Abram! How many generations is that? We'll likely never know, but far more than a dozen.Far more comforting than the unbroken line is the providence of our God, who saw to it that the spiritual line remained unbroken so that you -- you, specifically -- would hear the gospel and be brought to faith. You needed to hear the gospel, so God arranged history so that you would! He made sure that the gospel message could travel an unbroken path from Abram to you!The key to faith isn't the person believing. The key to faith is the object in which the person believes. By God's grace, the Holy Spirit began your journey of faith when your parents brought you to the baptismal font as an infant. Or that journey of faith began when you were older and the Holy Spirit converted your heart through hearing and believing God's promises. That journey of faith has led you to worship here at Lord of Lords. A Lutheran church built by your spiritual parents -- some who are still here. Abram built an altar to proclaim the name of the Lord among the heathen people of Canaan. This altar, the church, and the three crosses outside all proclaim the Lord's name to the people who drive by or stop in. You are light in spiritual darkness.This altar is a reminder that when life takes an unfamiliar or uncomfortable direction, remember Abram's wise response. Call on the name of the Lord. Worship him for loving you. In all things God's providence works for the good of those who love him, whom he has called for his purpose. Wherever God leads, call on his name and worship him there.Sam and Frodo made a journey of faith to destroy the ring of power on Mount Doom. Abram and Sarai made a journey of faith by leaving their family and traveling to an unknown destination. That journey of faith included believing they would be parents of a great nation ... when they didn't have any children yet; believing in a Savior from sin ... when he hadn't been born yet; and building an altar to the Lord God ... among people who believed in a myriad of false gods.You are on a journey of faith. You won't have any orcs, cave trolls or giant spiders after you. At least, I hope not! But you will have the Devil and his demons tempting you. You'll have your sinful nature questioning and doubting God's promises. You'll have pagans and heathens attacking your Christian faith.When these things happen ... and they will, trust God's promises made to you and Abram. Trust that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of those promises. He is Abram's descendant and your Savior. He forgives your doubts. He answers your questions. His Holy Spirit brings you repeatedly before the Lord's altar. Here you are reminded of your Baptism, when God made your name great by putting his Triune name on you. Here you hear his Word to encourage, comfort, and sanctify you. Here you receive the Sacrament for courage in the face of the Devil and his offspring. Here you join with your Lutheran Christians to proclaim the name of the Lord in prayer, creed, song, and activity.This all takes place along your journey of faith. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/a-journey-of-faith/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/a-journey-of-faith/Frodo, the Hobbit, was tasked with destroying the ring of power in the fiery lava of Mount Doom. Frodo and his faithful friend, Sam, traveled approximately 1800 miles from Bag End in the Shire to Mount Doom in Mordor. They traveled through forests, caves, swamps, and mountains. This is the equivalent of walking from New York City to San Antonio, Texas. Their journey took exactly 6 months and 2 days.This was a journey of faith. Frodo and Sam had to believe the words of Elrond of the Elves and the council of Gandalf the Grey that they would survive to destroy the ring on Mount Doom.Abram, the son of Terah, was called by God to leave his homeland in Ur and move with his family to Haran. Moses writes, "Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot, who was the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, who was the wife of his son Abram, and they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there" (Genesis 11:31). The distance from Ur to Haran was approximately 600 miles. This journey likely took several months.Later, Abram left his father in Haran and traveled to Canaan. The distance from Haran to Shechem in Canaan was about 450 miles. This would have taken several weeks to travel. Remember, Abram was a spry 75 years old when he left Haran. Abram traveled approximately 1050 miles. That's like traveling to Dallas or Chicago from Casper. This was a journey of faith for Abram.Each of you is on a journey of faith. It's always interesting to learn the reason you moved to Casper. For some, it was family or education or the energy industry or other employment opportunities. You know from experience how difficult life can be in Casper. There are booms and busts with the energy industry. One of the major exports from Casper is its youth. I've been told it gets cold and snowy here. I've experienced the wind.When we moved here, Shelley and I didn't know anything about Casper or Wyoming. We had only driven through a portion of Wyoming once. Driving to Casper, we saw the windsock and high wind warning signs on 258. The first thing Shelley said to me when we arrived at the parsonage was, "Where did you move me to?!"All of us, at one time or another, moved out here on a journey of faith.It isn't only a journey of faith with our physical location, but it's also a spiritual journey of faith from the baptismal font to the grave.It took a lot of faith for Frodo to leave the safety, peace, and quiet of the Shire. Especially because he would encounter Nazgul, orcs, Urak-hai, a cave troll, Belrog, Gollum, and Shelob the spider. Frodo is stabbed by the Witch-king, choked by Gollum, and injected with spider-poison from Shelob. All while being watched by the giant flaming eye of Sauron.Moses writes, "Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Get out of your country and away from your relatives and from your father's house and go to the land that I will show you'" (Genesis 12:1). It took a lot of faith for Abram to leave the safety, peace, and quiet of living near his father, Terah, in Ur. We're used to moving out of our parents' home at 18. Then possibly moving hundreds of miles away. That didn't happen back then. You stayed in communal life with your family.Plus, when Abram moves from Haran, he doesn't know where he's going. God hasn't told him the destination yet. The Lord said to Abram, "Go to the land that I will show you." Wherever it was going to be, Abram hadn't been there yet.The key to faith isn't the person believing. The key to faith is the object in which the person believes. Abram believed in God's rock-solid promises. What were those promises?The Lord said, "I will make you a great nation" (Genesis 12:2). Remember, Abram is 75, Sarai is 65, and Sarai is barren when God's makes this promise. Abram would have many descendants -- physical and spiritual. Abram has lots of physical descendants as children of Isaac -- the Jews -- and Ishmael -- the Arabs. (They don't seem to be getting along right now.) Though, we Christians are not physically descended from Abram, it's more important that we are his spiritual descendants. St. Paul explained, "For this reason, the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace and may be guaranteed to all of Abraham's descendants -- not only to the one who is a descendant by law, but also to the one who has the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. As it is written: 'I have made you a father of many nations'" (Romans 4:16-17).The Lord said, "I will bless you" (Genesis 12:2). God would be with Abram and his descendants. When God blesses us, there's nothing else we need. We don't need luck or chance or fate. Which is good, since none of those things exist. Only God's divine will and providence exist.The Lord said, I will make your name great" (Genesis 12:2). Several generations earlier, the people at Babel built the city and tower for the purpose of, "let's make a name for ourselves" (Genesis 11:4). God humbled and scattered them. God takes a humble man like Abram and makes his name so great that we still remember and thank God for him roughly 4100 years later.The Lord said, "You will be a blessing" (Genesis 12:2). This blessing comes through Abram's greatest descendant -- Jesus. The Savior blesses the whole world with forgiveness and peace.The Lord said, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse anyone who dishonors you" (Genesis 12:3). As we heard last Sunday, Satan's offspring will continue to be hostile to Eve's believing offspring. But God is always on the side of his people.The Lord said, "All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you" (Genesis 12:3). Again, this is a promise of blessing through Abram's great descendant, Jesus Christ.Moses writes, "So Abram went, as the Lord had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother's son, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to travel to the land of Canaan. Eventually they arrived in the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land until he came to the Oak of Moreh at the place called Shechem. The Canaanites were in the land at that time" (Genesis 12:4-6). Abram is going to be living among heathens and pagans. His descendants would eventually have to dispossess the Canaanites of their land."The Lord appeared to Abram and said, 'I will give this land to your descendants.' Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. He moved on from there to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent there, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and proclaimed the name of the Lord" (Genesis 12:7-8). At this critical moment for Abram, the Lord appeared to him to reaffirm and clarify his promise and to bolster Abram's faith. He made it clear that Abram was not to try to take immediate possession of the land. It was only for Abram's descendants that the land of Canaan would become a new homeland. Each new promise of God nourished and exercised Abram's faith.In land of unbelievers, Abram built an altar. Wherever he went, Abram seemed to build an altar to the Lord. This altar was something the unbelievers would see when they passed by it. Abram built a second altar 25 miles away in Bethel. There he "proclaimed the name of the Lord." He was not ashamed to be light in a land of spiritual darkness of false religion and pagan gods. Abram's worship announced the true God into the culture of the heathen Canaanites.It takes a lot of faith to live out West. You're probably a long distance from much of your family. The work and weather out here can be difficult. Like Abram, you may feel alone in your Lutheran faith. There aren't a lot of Lutherans in Wyoming ... especially WELS Lutherans. Abram was surrounded by unbelievers in Canaan. When you're at work or school or your neighborhood, you may be surrounded by unbelievers. And they act like it!What do you do when the culture and community put pressure on your faith? You can be tempted to question and doubt God. To cower and remain quiet about your Lutheran Christian faith. To imagine that you're alone so far away from your fellow WELS Lutherans.When those temptations come along, go back to the promises God made to Abram. Because most of them are promises also involve you. Our spiritual lineage goes all the way back to Abram! Pause and reflect on that for a moment. A few select people on this earth may be able to trace their lineage back through a dozen generations. We can trace our spiritual lineage through an unbroken line all the way back to Abram! How many generations is that? We'll likely never know, but far more than a dozen.Far more comforting than the unbroken line is the providence of our God, who saw to it that the spiritual line remained unbroken so that you -- you, specifically -- would hear the gospel and be brought to faith. You needed to hear the gospel, so God arranged history so that you would! He made sure that the gospel message could travel an unbroken path from Abram to you!The key to faith isn't the person believing. The key to faith is the object in which the person believes. By God's grace, the Holy Spirit began your journey of faith when your parents brought you to the baptismal font as an infant. Or that journey of faith began when you were older and the Holy Spirit converted your heart through hearing and believing God's promises. That journey of faith has led you to worship here at Lord of Lords. A Lutheran church built by your spiritual parents -- some who are still here. Abram built an altar to proclaim the name of the Lord among the heathen people of Canaan. This altar, the church, and the three crosses outside all proclaim the Lord's name to the people who drive by or stop in. You are light in spiritual darkness.This altar is a reminder that when life takes an unfamiliar or uncomfortable direction, remember Abram's wise response. Call on the name of the Lord. Worship him for loving you. In all things God's providence works for the good of those who love him, whom he has called for his purpose. Wherever God leads, call on his name and worship him there.Sam and Frodo made a journey of faith to destroy the ring of power on Mount Doom. Abram and Sarai made a journey of faith by leaving their family and traveling to an unknown destination. That journey of faith included believing they would be parents of a great nation ... when they didn't have any children yet; believing in a Savior from sin ... when he hadn't been born yet; and building an altar to the Lord God ... among people who believed in a myriad of false gods.You are on a journey of faith. You won't have any orcs, cave trolls or giant spiders after you. At least, I hope not! But you will have the Devil and his demons tempting you. You'll have your sinful nature questioning and doubting God's promises. You'll have pagans and heathens attacking your Christian faith.When these things happen ... and they will, trust God's promises made to you and Abram. Trust that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of those promises. He is Abram's descendant and your Savior. He forgives your doubts. He answers your questions. His Holy Spirit brings you repeatedly before the Lord's altar. Here you are reminded of your Baptism, when God made your name great by putting his Triune name on you. Here you hear his Word to encourage, comfort, and sanctify you. Here you receive the Sacrament for courage in the face of the Devil and his offspring. Here you join with your Lutheran Christians to proclaim the name of the Lord in prayer, creed, song, and activity.This all takes place along your journey of faith. Amen.

You can often tell how serious something is by how people react to it. A student might think his misbehavior in school isn't a big deal. But when the principal marches into the classroom to pull the kid into his office, he realizes he made a big mistake. When the authorities put down the gates to shut down Hwy 25, you know there are high winds and snow along that stretch of road. When Adam and Eve sinned, God demonstrated its seriousness by cursing all creation and kicking his children out of paradise. Sin is serious!Sin remains serious. That's why we offer special midweek worship services during Lent. The mood is solemn. The hymns are somber. The color is purple. There are repeated calls for repentance. There are continual cries of "Lord, have mercy!" Sin is serious.It's so serious that it needs a serious solution. Sin can't be fixed with nice intentions or good works or lots of guilt. The solution to sin requires death. Only death can fix the seriousness of sin. But not a normal human death. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 2, [The Lord] said to me: "You are my Son. Today I have begotten you" (Psalm 2:7). The Lord requires the death of his only-begotten Son. Sin requires a Better Savior than we can provide. These Wednesdays in Lent we contemplate our sin and then turn to our better Savior by meditating on descriptions of him from the book of Hebrews.The book of Hebrews was written because there were Jewish Christians in the first generation after Christ who were starting to slip back into Judaism. They were abandoning their new Christian faith because they wanted to go back to the old ceremonies and laws. The author of this letter -- we don't know who it was --wrote to show how Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament laws and ceremonies. Tonight, we examine how Jesus is better than the Old Testament high priests.The position of high priest in the time before Jesus lived was an important one. The high priest was the one who went to God on behalf of the Jewish people. He was the go-between. The author explains, "To be sure, every high priest is chosen from the people and is appointed to represent the people in the things pertaining to God, so that he may offer gifts, as well as sacrifices, for sins" (Hebrews 5:1). The offering of gifts and sacrifices happened especially once a year on Yom Kippur -- the Great Day of Atonement. This feast was the heart of the Old Testament law. This was the only day anyone was allowed in the Most Holy Place where God was present above the ark of the covenant. Only the high priest could enter, and only on this day.On the Great Day of Atonement, the high priest would first put on plain-looking robes and sprinkle the blood of sacrifices throughout the sanctuary of the tabernacle to cleanse the place of worship and the people who served at worship. The high priest then ceremonially carried the sins of all the people and transferred them to a goat -- the scapegoat -- by confessing those sins over it. The goat was then released into the desert -- so far away that it could never return. It would die in the desert. Symbolically this meant the sins of the people would never return. Finally, the high priest would change into the elaborate high priestly robes to offer a second goat on the altar outside the tabernacle to atone for the sins of the nation.The sprinkling of blood, the scapegoat, the goat as sacrifice -- all these actions underscored the seriousness of sin. This was the Great Day of Atonement. The high priest performed all these actions as the intercessor, the mediator, the go-between for the sinful people and their holy God. The sprinkled blood purified the people and the place of worship. The scapegoat was sent into the desert so the people could remain in communion with the Lord. The blood of the second goat was shed to atone for sin, so the blood of the people would be spared. The high priest is the one who did these things for the people.Things have definitely changed. We don't bring goats to church with us. We don't release a goat into the desert to die. PETA would be pretty upset with us. We don't burn the other goat as a sacrifice. The wind might put out the fire. We're not sprinkling blood on the altar or the people. That would be gross.The reason we don't do any of this is because your pastor isn't a high priest. He doesn't have to be. We have a much better High Priest.The seriousness of sin hasn't changed. Even if the world's view of sin has changed. The world tends to minimize sin. The world thinks it's doing people a favor by normalizing every kind of deviant behavior. First, the behavior is tolerated, then accepted, then promoted, and finally opponents of the behavior are persecuted. We're told to "follow your heart." Martin Luther said that our heart is an idol factory. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, "The heart is more deceitful than anything. It is beyond cure. Who can understand it" (Jeremiah 17:9)? Jesus taught, "Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimonies, and blasphemies" (Matthew 15:19).Sin begins in the heart. But it doesn't stay there. It leaks into our minds. It spills out of our mouth. It flows out in our actions. It wrecks relationships. It ruins careers. It destroys lives. It condemns souls. Sin is just as serious as it was in the Garden of Eden when the Lord killed the innocent animals to create clothing for his naked children. Sin is just as serious as it was on the Great Day of Atonement when the Lord's high priest killed the innocent goats to atone for his sinful children.Despite how we and our culture treat sin, God treats sin seriously. He condemns sinners to eternal damnation in the fires of hell. But God is equally serious about providing a solution for sin. That solution is found in Jesus Christ, a better high priest.On the Day of Atonement, the Old Testament high priest put on plain clothes to show he was representing the people to God. Later, he changed into the elaborate high priestly robes to show that he was representing God to the people. Our better High Priest didn't just put on clothes; the only-begotten Son of God put on human flesh and blood. As our High Priest, Jesus serves as our mediator, taking our place under God's law and God's judgment. The Old Testament high priest offered up earthly gifts and sacrifices. Jesus, our Great High Priest, offered up divine prayers and intercessions for us, and then offered up himself as the ultimate sacrifice.The Old Testament high priest took blood and sprinkled it upon the Most Holy Place to purify it from sin and sanctify it for the Lord. As our Great High Priest, Jesus has sprinkled his blood upon us to purify us from sin and sanctify us for the Lord's good purposes.The Old Testament priest symbolically placed the sins of the people upon the scapegoat. The scapegoat would die in the desert, symbolizing that sin was gone forever. Jesus is the Great High Priest who is also the perfect Scapegoat. He takes our sins away, so they never return, for they are removed as far as the east is from the west.The Old Testament priest sacrificed the second goat for the sins of the people. Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest who is also the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We'll examine Jesus as the Better Sacrifice next week.While Aaron, the first high priest, needed to be replaced by one of his sons, and he by one of his sons, and on down the line, our Great High Priest serves for us in that position forever. Forever and ever, Jesus holds before his Father his all-sufficient sacrifice for our salvation. Forever and ever, the Father accepts the sacrifice and is pleased with his priestly Son. The Father is then pleased with us when we accept the Son's sacrifice. This is how Jesus serves as our intercessor as High Priest.The author of Hebrews quotes Psalm 110, "You are a priest forever, like Melchizedek" (Hebrews 5:6). Jesus is better than Aaron the high priest. He's more like Melchizedek the priest. Melchizedek is a mysterious figure in the Bible. He lived during the time of Abram. In Genesis 14 we hear how Abram's nephew Lot was caught in the middle of a war and carried off by a conquering king. Abram gathered 318 of his men, defeated that army, and rescued Lot.On his way back home, with no introduction, out of the blue we read, "Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High. He blessed Abram and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." Abram gave him a tenth of everything (Genesis 14:18-20). That's it. That's all the Holy Spirit thought we needed to know about this mysterious king and priest. No background. No more explanation. He shows up, blesses Abram, and receives a tenth of the spoils of war. Then he's gone. The only other time Melchizedek is mentioned in the Old Testament is when the Holy Spirit inspires David to compare the Messiah to Melchizedek in Psalm 110.The inspired author of this letter to the Hebrews pulls it all together for us in chapter 7. He really wants his readers to know that Jesus is better than Aaron and all the other high priests. He writes, "First, Melchizedek means "king of righteousness," and then "king of Salem," which is "king of peace. He is without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, and resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever" (Hebrews 7:2-3).It's as if Melchizedek is eternal. At least, he appears that way in the pages of Scripture. He was so great that Abram gives him a tithe of his spoils of war -- just like the Jews would give a tithe of their possessions to the Lord. Yet our High Priest is even better than Melchizedek. Jesus, our Great High Priest, doesn't just appear eternal. He is eternal. He doesn't just have a name that means king of righteousness and king of peace. He is our King who gives us his righteousness and a peace that we will find nowhere else.Jesus is God's serious solution to our serious sin. He gives us a Greater High Priest, who cleanses your heart from the sin that infects you. He washes your mouth. He purifies your mind. He changes your actions.You can tell how serious our sin is because how God reacted to it. Jesus became our Great High Priest who offered himself as the serious solution and the serious sacrifice for that serious sin. You know how serious this is by how you react to it. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/a-better-high-priest/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/a-better-high-priest/You can often tell how serious something is by how people react to it. A student might think his misbehavior in school isn't a big deal. But when the principal marches into the classroom to pull the kid into his office, he realizes he made a big mistake. When the authorities put down the gates to shut down Hwy 25, you know there are high winds and snow along that stretch of road. When Adam and Eve sinned, God demonstrated its seriousness by cursing all creation and kicking his children out of paradise. Sin is serious!Sin remains serious. That's why we offer special midweek worship services during Lent. The mood is solemn. The hymns are somber. The color is purple. There are repeated calls for repentance. There are continual cries of "Lord, have mercy!" Sin is serious.It's so serious that it needs a serious solution. Sin can't be fixed with nice intentions or good works or lots of guilt. The solution to sin requires death. Only death can fix the seriousness of sin. But not a normal human death. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 2, [The Lord] said to me: "You are my Son. Today I have begotten you" (Psalm 2:7). The Lord requires the death of his only-begotten Son. Sin requires a Better Savior than we can provide. These Wednesdays in Lent we contemplate our sin and then turn to our better Savior by meditating on descriptions of him from the book of Hebrews.The book of Hebrews was written because there were Jewish Christians in the first generation after Christ who were starting to slip back into Judaism. They were abandoning their new Christian faith because they wanted to go back to the old ceremonies and laws. The author of this letter -- we don't know who it was --wrote to show how Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament laws and ceremonies. Tonight, we examine how Jesus is better than the Old Testament high priests.The position of high priest in the time before Jesus lived was an important one. The high priest was the one who went to God on behalf of the Jewish people. He was the go-between. The author explains, "To be sure, every high priest is chosen from the people and is appointed to represent the people in the things pertaining to God, so that he may offer gifts, as well as sacrifices, for sins" (Hebrews 5:1). The offering of gifts and sacrifices happened especially once a year on Yom Kippur -- the Great Day of Atonement. This feast was the heart of the Old Testament law. This was the only day anyone was allowed in the Most Holy Place where God was present above the ark of the covenant. Only the high priest could enter, and only on this day.On the Great Day of Atonement, the high priest would first put on plain-looking robes and sprinkle the blood of sacrifices throughout the sanctuary of the tabernacle to cleanse the place of worship and the people who served at worship. The high priest then ceremonially carried the sins of all the people and transferred them to a goat -- the scapegoat -- by confessing those sins over it. The goat was then released into the desert -- so far away that it could never return. It would die in the desert. Symbolically this meant the sins of the people would never return. Finally, the high priest would change into the elaborate high priestly robes to offer a second goat on the altar outside the tabernacle to atone for the sins of the nation.The sprinkling of blood, the scapegoat, the goat as sacrifice -- all these actions underscored the seriousness of sin. This was the Great Day of Atonement. The high priest performed all these actions as the intercessor, the mediator, the go-between for the sinful people and their holy God. The sprinkled blood purified the people and the place of worship. The scapegoat was sent into the desert so the people could remain in communion with the Lord. The blood of the second goat was shed to atone for sin, so the blood of the people would be spared. The high priest is the one who did these things for the people.Things have definitely changed. We don't bring goats to church with us. We don't release a goat into the desert to die. PETA would be pretty upset with us. We don't burn the other goat as a sacrifice. The wind might put out the fire. We're not sprinkling blood on the altar or the people. That would be gross.The reason we don't do any of this is because your pastor isn't a high priest. He doesn't have to be. We have a much better High Priest.The seriousness of sin hasn't changed. Even if the world's view of sin has changed. The world tends to minimize sin. The world thinks it's doing people a favor by normalizing every kind of deviant behavior. First, the behavior is tolerated, then accepted, then promoted, and finally opponents of the behavior are persecuted. We're told to "follow your heart." Martin Luther said that our heart is an idol factory. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, "The heart is more deceitful than anything. It is beyond cure. Who can understand it" (Jeremiah 17:9)? Jesus taught, "Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimonies, and blasphemies" (Matthew 15:19).Sin begins in the heart. But it doesn't stay there. It leaks into our minds. It spills out of our mouth. It flows out in our actions. It wrecks relationships. It ruins careers. It destroys lives. It condemns souls. Sin is just as serious as it was in the Garden of Eden when the Lord killed the innocent animals to create clothing for his naked children. Sin is just as serious as it was on the Great Day of Atonement when the Lord's high priest killed the innocent goats to atone for his sinful children.Despite how we and our culture treat sin, God treats sin seriously. He condemns sinners to eternal damnation in the fires of hell. But God is equally serious about providing a solution for sin. That solution is found in Jesus Christ, a better high priest.On the Day of Atonement, the Old Testament high priest put on plain clothes to show he was representing the people to God. Later, he changed into the elaborate high priestly robes to show that he was representing God to the people. Our better High Priest didn't just put on clothes; the only-begotten Son of God put on human flesh and blood. As our High Priest, Jesus serves as our mediator, taking our place under God's law and God's judgment. The Old Testament high priest offered up earthly gifts and sacrifices. Jesus, our Great High Priest, offered up divine prayers and intercessions for us, and then offered up himself as the ultimate sacrifice.The Old Testament high priest took blood and sprinkled it upon the Most Holy Place to purify it from sin and sanctify it for the Lord. As our Great High Priest, Jesus has sprinkled his blood upon us to purify us from sin and sanctify us for the Lord's good purposes.The Old Testament priest symbolically placed the sins of the people upon the scapegoat. The scapegoat would die in the desert, symbolizing that sin was gone forever. Jesus is the Great High Priest who is also the perfect Scapegoat. He takes our sins away, so they never return, for they are removed as far as the east is from the west.The Old Testament priest sacrificed the second goat for the sins of the people. Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest who is also the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We'll examine Jesus as the Better Sacrifice next week.While Aaron, the first high priest, needed to be replaced by one of his sons, and he by one of his sons, and on down the line, our Great High Priest serves for us in that position forever. Forever and ever, Jesus holds before his Father his all-sufficient sacrifice for our salvation. Forever and ever, the Father accepts the sacrifice and is pleased with his priestly Son. The Father is then pleased with us when we accept the Son's sacrifice. This is how Jesus serves as our intercessor as High Priest.The author of Hebrews quotes Psalm 110, "You are a priest forever, like Melchizedek" (Hebrews 5:6). Jesus is better than Aaron the high priest. He's more like Melchizedek the priest. Melchizedek is a mysterious figure in the Bible. He lived during the time of Abram. In Genesis 14 we hear how Abram's nephew Lot was caught in the middle of a war and carried off by a conquering king. Abram gathered 318 of his men, defeated that army, and rescued Lot.On his way back home, with no introduction, out of the blue we read, "Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was a priest of God Most High. He blessed Abram and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." Abram gave him a tenth of everything (Genesis 14:18-20). That's it. That's all the Holy Spirit thought we needed to know about this mysterious king and priest. No background. No more explanation. He shows up, blesses Abram, and receives a tenth of the spoils of war. Then he's gone. The only other time Melchizedek is mentioned in the Old Testament is when the Holy Spirit inspires David to compare the Messiah to Melchizedek in Psalm 110.The inspired author of this letter to the Hebrews pulls it all together for us in chapter 7. He really wants his readers to know that Jesus is better than Aaron and all the other high priests. He writes, "First, Melchizedek means "king of righteousness," and then "king of Salem," which is "king of peace. He is without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, and resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever" (Hebrews 7:2-3).It's as if Melchizedek is eternal. At least, he appears that way in the pages of Scripture. He was so great that Abram gives him a tithe of his spoils of war -- just like the Jews would give a tithe of their possessions to the Lord. Yet our High Priest is even better than Melchizedek. Jesus, our Great High Priest, doesn't just appear eternal. He is eternal. He doesn't just have a name that means king of righteousness and king of peace. He is our King who gives us his righteousness and a peace that we will find nowhere else.Jesus is God's serious solution to our serious sin. He gives us a Greater High Priest, who cleanses your heart from the sin that infects you. He washes your mouth. He purifies your mind. He changes your actions.You can tell how serious our sin is because how God reacted to it. Jesus became our Great High Priest who offered himself as the serious solution and the serious sacrifice for that serious sin. You know how serious this is by how you react to it. Amen.

Vispera and Adan were two young kids playing together in the park. It was a beautiful park with trails, lush grass, verdant trees, and plenty of wildlife. Vispera and Adan's father let them wander off on their own to explore.While they were by themselves, a stranger approached Vispera and Adan. He was very sharp looking and spoke eloquently, except for a slight lisp. He was very pleasant. He introduced himself as Mr. Vibora. He told the kids he worked for a candy company. He was going through the park giving free samples of chocolate covered fruit candies to all the kids. They were the first ones he had seen in the park.Vispera and Adan whispered together. They knew they shouldn't be talking to a stranger. And they especially shouldn't be accepting candy from him. But it was too enticing. They accepted the chocolate candy and quickly shoved it into their mouths.They were still chewing when their father called out to them, trying to find them in the park. But they hid from him. The candy was delicious. But their guilt was devastating.When their father found them, he could see the guilt written on their faces. Having chocolate lips made it easy, too. He could see they were uncomfortable. They were holding their bellies. They began complaining about stomach cramps. He felt their foreheads. They each had a fever. He felt their hands. They were clammy.He calmly asked them, "What did you do?" But he was a parent. He knew what they had done. They told him everything about Mr. Vibora and the chocolate candies. The dad figured out that the stranger had laced the candies with some kind of poison.The father quickly hunted down Mr. Vibora, and like a good, protective father, he grabbed him by his suitcoat, lifted him off the ground, and pinned him to a tree. You could see the fear flicker in Mr. Vibora's eyes.The father's voice boomed with righteous anger, "I know what you did to my children. I'm a physician. I'll save their lives. But your life is forfeit. I promise you that! I'm not going to do anything to you now. I'm going to take my children out of the park to counteract the poison you gave them.""But when my oldest son, their older brother gets home from his military service overseas, he'll be coming for you. I guarantee that. When he gets home, he'll find you. I have no qualms telling you confidently, he will crush your head."That's my modern retelling of Adam, Eve, and Satan, or in Spanish, Adan, Vispera, and Vibora for viper.The story begins in a park, in a garden -- the Garden of Eden. The Father of creation, God Almighty discovers what the lisping serpent had done to his children. So, he breaks into the world and announces the very first gospel promise. Without this promise there would be no Lent and no Easter. There would only be death and damnation. But the seeds of our salvation were first planted in the Garden of Eden. The Father makes the promise that his older, only-begotten Son will come one day to crush the serpent's head. Those seeds of salvation begin to blossom in the arid desert. Those seeds bloom on the rocky hill of Golgotha. They bear fruit as the sun rises upon the dark grave on Easter Sunday.This promise completely reverses what had just taken place. Satan had tainted his words with the poison of unbelief by tempting Adam and Eve to sin. The unbelief is within his words, "Did God really say" (Genesis 3:1)? The children no longer believed their heavenly Father's words. They ate the forbidden fruit. The poison of the forbidden fruit didn't just infect Adam and Eve. It affected their billions of children throughout the ages.That's what St. Paul means when he writes to the Romans, "Just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, so also death spread to all people because all sinned" (Romans 5:12). All of humanity is born in Adam's sin. That's why we call our sinful nature our "Old Adam." Because of Adam's sin, all people are sinners. They have inherited their first father's sin. Because of Adam's sin, all will receive God's temporal and eternal judgment upon sin. All people became liable to physical death, as well as eternal death.The poison was effective. The children didn't turn to God for mercy. They didn't look to him for a second chance. They ran for cover and tried to hide from God.The Devil's food produced hostility within them. In other words, the opposite of peace. The man said, "The woman you gave to be with me -- she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it." The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate" (Genesis 3:12-13). They shook their fists at each other. They shook their fists at Satan. They even shook their fists at God. They were quick to blame God for their circumstances. They were willing to throw others under the bus if it would save their own skin. This ended up costing the skin of innocent animals to cover their nakedness. "The Lord God made clothing of animal skins for Adam and for his wife and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21).What had seemed like such an inviting friendliness from Satan was now unmasked as a malicious trick to destroy them. In great irony they had become unwitting allies of this serpent who hated them and wanted them doomed like himself. Inside and out, they now felt the permeating, damning hatred that a holy God has for what they had become.Can being enemies ever be a good thing? Normally my answer would be "No." We teach our children it's not good to not fight with other people. We tell our kids, "Say you're sorry," and, "Be nice and make up with each other."But in the case of humanity and the Devil, being enemies isn't a bad thing ... it's a good thing, a God thing, a gift.God announced a reversal of who was whose enemies. Speaking to the Devil, God said, "I will put hostility between you and the woman" (Genesis 3:15). God would change things. The woman would not be an ally to the Devil anymore. God would create hostility between her and the Devil. Instead of being allies with the Devil and being hostile toward God, the Father took action to claim Adam and Eve back as his children.This action of God meant that humanity and God would have to be reconciled to each other. God would have to reestablish peace between sinful humans and a holy God. He would make his sinful children his holy friends again. You see, being an enemy of Satan means being a friend of God. This announcement of friendship was not offered to the woman only, but also to her husband and to all their descendants -- that means you and me. God says to the snake, "I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed" (Genesis 3:15).God does not urge her to do anything to affect the change in relationships. God will do it. He says, "I will put hostility between you and the woman." God administers the antidote of forgiveness to save the life of man and woman and the lives of every man and woman who follow them. The antidote God administers is forgiveness in the promised Savior.But who would this promised Savior be? We know him as Jesus -- whose very name means, "One who saves" (Luke 1:21). Jesus, the promised Savior, would be the offspring of Eve to overcome all the offspring of the Evil One. Jesus, the eldest Son of the Father and the older brother of Adam and Eve, would take on human flesh in defense of humanity, the people he chose to save as his own.God says to the serpent, "He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel." Satan who appears so lively upon the tree in the Garden of Eden would be crushed and almost lifeless under the heel of Christ on Golgotha's hill. The only One in the universe powerful enough to do that is God himself. So, the promised Savior would also have to be God. But since God is spirit, he would need a human foot to be struck, and also a human foot for the crushing. God needed feet ... so in his incarnation, the Son of God took on the flesh and bones, the hands, head, and feet of a Man. True man and true God. The promised Savior would be both.There is no question that Jesus would be able to crush Satan. God's Son is always more powerful than a created angel.In the process of crushing the serpent and saving humanity, the promised Savior would have to suffer. The serpent would strike his heel. As true man, Jesus would step into our shoes. He would be our substitute. He would take on himself the blame for all sin from the very beginning in that first garden to this very day. He would let the poison of sin infect him from the serpent's fangs sinking deep into his perfect heel. As true God, Jesus is too large and too powerfully innocent for death to keep its hold on him. Through the poison of sin, with the wrath of God the Father, and the willing obedience of the Son, Jesus breathed his last on the cross.All seemed dark and hopeless. The Ancient Serpent had struck. It seemed as if all was lost.Until the Son of God breathed again on Sunday morning. Three days of Sabbath rest in the grave was all that was needed to defeat sin, death, and the Devil -- the unholy Trinity. Jesus had crushed the serpent's head. He had defeated death. He had paid for sin. He had won.Now Jesus' victory over death is our victory over death. St. Paul explains, "Just as one trespass led to a verdict of condemnation for all people, so also one righteous verdict led to life-giving justification for all people. For just as through the disobedience of one man the many became sinners, so also through the obedience of one man the many will become righteous" (Romans 5:18-19). Jesus is the second Adam who undoes everything the first Adam did.Just as we are credited with Adam's sin, we are also credited with the second Adam's righteousness. These two verses from Romans 5 are a beautiful summary of God's plan of salvation. Adam's sin of eating the forbidden fruit plunged all of creation -- mankind, the animal kingdom, and even nature -- into sin and death. Jesus' act of righteousness of suffering and dying for the sins of Adam's children has brought salvation to mankind. One action by one man (Adam) was countered by one action by one man (Jesus), which had results for all people, who number in the billions.Jesus broke death's grip not just as God but also as a man. Now, since he is a man like us, he shares his victory from death -- his success in coming back to life -- with you and me and makes it our success. Jesus once said, "Because I live, you also will live" (John 14:19). Death has no more of a grip on people who trust in Jesus than death has on Jesus himself.God says, "I will put hostility between you and the woman." With these words, Adam and Eve were forgiven by God, reconciled to him, and made God's eternal friends and at the same time Satan's everlasting enemies. God intervened and repaired what was broken. He counteracted the poison from the serpent with the fruit from the Tree of Life, which is Christ's cross. So great is God's love for humanity. So great is his love for you. Jesus fulfilled his Father's promise to send his Son to crush the serpent's head. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/he-will-crush-the-serpents-head/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/he-will-crush-the-serpents-head/Vispera and Adan were two young kids playing together in the park. It was a beautiful park with trails, lush grass, verdant trees, and plenty of wildlife. Vispera and Adan's father let them wander off on their own to explore.While they were by themselves, a stranger approached Vispera and Adan. He was very sharp looking and spoke eloquently, except for a slight lisp. He was very pleasant. He introduced himself as Mr. Vibora. He told the kids he worked for a candy company. He was going through the park giving free samples of chocolate covered fruit candies to all the kids. They were the first ones he had seen in the park.Vispera and Adan whispered together. They knew they shouldn't be talking to a stranger. And they especially shouldn't be accepting candy from him. But it was too enticing. They accepted the chocolate candy and quickly shoved it into their mouths.They were still chewing when their father called out to them, trying to find them in the park. But they hid from him. The candy was delicious. But their guilt was devastating.When their father found them, he could see the guilt written on their faces. Having chocolate lips made it easy, too. He could see they were uncomfortable. They were holding their bellies. They began complaining about stomach cramps. He felt their foreheads. They each had a fever. He felt their hands. They were clammy.He calmly asked them, "What did you do?" But he was a parent. He knew what they had done. They told him everything about Mr. Vibora and the chocolate candies. The dad figured out that the stranger had laced the candies with some kind of poison.The father quickly hunted down Mr. Vibora, and like a good, protective father, he grabbed him by his suitcoat, lifted him off the ground, and pinned him to a tree. You could see the fear flicker in Mr. Vibora's eyes.The father's voice boomed with righteous anger, "I know what you did to my children. I'm a physician. I'll save their lives. But your life is forfeit. I promise you that! I'm not going to do anything to you now. I'm going to take my children out of the park to counteract the poison you gave them.""But when my oldest son, their older brother gets home from his military service overseas, he'll be coming for you. I guarantee that. When he gets home, he'll find you. I have no qualms telling you confidently, he will crush your head."That's my modern retelling of Adam, Eve, and Satan, or in Spanish, Adan, Vispera, and Vibora for viper.The story begins in a park, in a garden -- the Garden of Eden. The Father of creation, God Almighty discovers what the lisping serpent had done to his children. So, he breaks into the world and announces the very first gospel promise. Without this promise there would be no Lent and no Easter. There would only be death and damnation. But the seeds of our salvation were first planted in the Garden of Eden. The Father makes the promise that his older, only-begotten Son will come one day to crush the serpent's head. Those seeds of salvation begin to blossom in the arid desert. Those seeds bloom on the rocky hill of Golgotha. They bear fruit as the sun rises upon the dark grave on Easter Sunday.This promise completely reverses what had just taken place. Satan had tainted his words with the poison of unbelief by tempting Adam and Eve to sin. The unbelief is within his words, "Did God really say" (Genesis 3:1)? The children no longer believed their heavenly Father's words. They ate the forbidden fruit. The poison of the forbidden fruit didn't just infect Adam and Eve. It affected their billions of children throughout the ages.That's what St. Paul means when he writes to the Romans, "Just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, so also death spread to all people because all sinned" (Romans 5:12). All of humanity is born in Adam's sin. That's why we call our sinful nature our "Old Adam." Because of Adam's sin, all people are sinners. They have inherited their first father's sin. Because of Adam's sin, all will receive God's temporal and eternal judgment upon sin. All people became liable to physical death, as well as eternal death.The poison was effective. The children didn't turn to God for mercy. They didn't look to him for a second chance. They ran for cover and tried to hide from God.The Devil's food produced hostility within them. In other words, the opposite of peace. The man said, "The woman you gave to be with me -- she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it." The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate" (Genesis 3:12-13). They shook their fists at each other. They shook their fists at Satan. They even shook their fists at God. They were quick to blame God for their circumstances. They were willing to throw others under the bus if it would save their own skin. This ended up costing the skin of innocent animals to cover their nakedness. "The Lord God made clothing of animal skins for Adam and for his wife and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21).What had seemed like such an inviting friendliness from Satan was now unmasked as a malicious trick to destroy them. In great irony they had become unwitting allies of this serpent who hated them and wanted them doomed like himself. Inside and out, they now felt the permeating, damning hatred that a holy God has for what they had become.Can being enemies ever be a good thing? Normally my answer would be "No." We teach our children it's not good to not fight with other people. We tell our kids, "Say you're sorry," and, "Be nice and make up with each other."But in the case of humanity and the Devil, being enemies isn't a bad thing ... it's a good thing, a God thing, a gift.God announced a reversal of who was whose enemies. Speaking to the Devil, God said, "I will put hostility between you and the woman" (Genesis 3:15). God would change things. The woman would not be an ally to the Devil anymore. God would create hostility between her and the Devil. Instead of being allies with the Devil and being hostile toward God, the Father took action to claim Adam and Eve back as his children.This action of God meant that humanity and God would have to be reconciled to each other. God would have to reestablish peace between sinful humans and a holy God. He would make his sinful children his holy friends again. You see, being an enemy of Satan means being a friend of God. This announcement of friendship was not offered to the woman only, but also to her husband and to all their descendants -- that means you and me. God says to the snake, "I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed" (Genesis 3:15).God does not urge her to do anything to affect the change in relationships. God will do it. He says, "I will put hostility between you and the woman." God administers the antidote of forgiveness to save the life of man and woman and the lives of every man and woman who follow them. The antidote God administers is forgiveness in the promised Savior.But who would this promised Savior be? We know him as Jesus -- whose very name means, "One who saves" (Luke 1:21). Jesus, the promised Savior, would be the offspring of Eve to overcome all the offspring of the Evil One. Jesus, the eldest Son of the Father and the older brother of Adam and Eve, would take on human flesh in defense of humanity, the people he chose to save as his own.God says to the serpent, "He will crush your head, and you will crush his heel." Satan who appears so lively upon the tree in the Garden of Eden would be crushed and almost lifeless under the heel of Christ on Golgotha's hill. The only One in the universe powerful enough to do that is God himself. So, the promised Savior would also have to be God. But since God is spirit, he would need a human foot to be struck, and also a human foot for the crushing. God needed feet ... so in his incarnation, the Son of God took on the flesh and bones, the hands, head, and feet of a Man. True man and true God. The promised Savior would be both.There is no question that Jesus would be able to crush Satan. God's Son is always more powerful than a created angel.In the process of crushing the serpent and saving humanity, the promised Savior would have to suffer. The serpent would strike his heel. As true man, Jesus would step into our shoes. He would be our substitute. He would take on himself the blame for all sin from the very beginning in that first garden to this very day. He would let the poison of sin infect him from the serpent's fangs sinking deep into his perfect heel. As true God, Jesus is too large and too powerfully innocent for death to keep its hold on him. Through the poison of sin, with the wrath of God the Father, and the willing obedience of the Son, Jesus breathed his last on the cross.All seemed dark and hopeless. The Ancient Serpent had struck. It seemed as if all was lost.Until the Son of God breathed again on Sunday morning. Three days of Sabbath rest in the grave was all that was needed to defeat sin, death, and the Devil -- the unholy Trinity. Jesus had crushed the serpent's head. He had defeated death. He had paid for sin. He had won.Now Jesus' victory over death is our victory over death. St. Paul explains, "Just as one trespass led to a verdict of condemnation for all people, so also one righteous verdict led to life-giving justification for all people. For just as through the disobedience of one man the many became sinners, so also through the obedience of one man the many will become righteous" (Romans 5:18-19). Jesus is the second Adam who undoes everything the first Adam did.Just as we are credited with Adam's sin, we are also credited with the second Adam's righteousness. These two verses from Romans 5 are a beautiful summary of God's plan of salvation. Adam's sin of eating the forbidden fruit plunged all of creation -- mankind, the animal kingdom, and even nature -- into sin and death. Jesus' act of righteousness of suffering and dying for the sins of Adam's children has brought salvation to mankind. One action by one man (Adam) was countered by one action by one man (Jesus), which had results for all people, who number in the billions.Jesus broke death's grip not just as God but also as a man. Now, since he is a man like us, he shares his victory from death -- his success in coming back to life -- with you and me and makes it our success. Jesus once said, "Because I live, you also will live" (John 14:19). Death has no more of a grip on people who trust in Jesus than death has on Jesus himself.God says, "I will put hostility between you and the woman." With these words, Adam and Eve were forgiven by God, reconciled to him, and made God's eternal friends and at the same time Satan's everlasting enemies. God intervened and repaired what was broken. He counteracted the poison from the serpent with the fruit from the Tree of Life, which is Christ's cross. So great is God's love for humanity. So great is his love for you. Jesus fulfilled his Father's promise to send his Son to crush the serpent's head. Amen.

Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is a legendary test pilot who is ordered back to the Top Gun naval academy. Maverick is chosen to train an elite group of graduates for a near-impossible mission -- destroying an unsanctioned uranium enrichment plant protected by advanced weaponry.That's the premise of the movie "Maverick" which takes place thirty years after the "Top Gun" movie. In thirty years, Maverick is still a captain because, although he's a great pilot, he hasn't proven himself to be a good leader. That changes during the movie. Maverick not only trains the pilots, but he also ends up leading the near-impossible mission.Moses was chosen by God to be the leader he used to free his people from their four hundred years of slavery in Egypt. In the beginning, Moses was kind of a "Maverick" character when he went off on his own to kill an Egyptian guard for beating a Jewish slave. Moses ran into the desert where he lived for forty years as a shepherd in the Sinai Peninsula. Then God called Moses from a burning bush to be his leader.Moses led the nation of Israel out of Egypt after ten devastating plagues, through a parted Red Sea, and around the Sinai desert for forty years. Moses finally led Israel through that near-impossible mission to the edge of the Promised Land of Canaan.It was very difficult for a Jew to think of anyone greater than Moses. Even the New Testament testifies to Moses' greatness, mentioning him some eighty times, more than any other Old Testament figure. As great as Moses was, Jesus was far greater.For our midweek Lenten services, we are examining the theme of "A Better Savior." Throughout the book of Hebrews, the author uses the word "better" as he portrays Christianity as the one true religion, and Jesus Christ as the one true Savior from sin. The author uses comparative words like "better," "greater," and "superior" to demonstrate the supremacy of Christ to anything in the Old Testament.In the beginning of chapter 3, the author of the letter to the Hebrews encourages his readers to take their attention off Moses. They remembered Moses fondly for some of the great events in the life of a Jew like the Great Day of Atonement and the Passover. Instead, they are to focus their attention on Jesus. The author writes, "Focus your attention on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess" (Hebrews 3:1). Jesus is an "apostle". This is the only time this title is used for Jesus in the New Testament. An apostle is one who is "sent out" to do something. God sent Moses on a mission to free the nation of Israel. God the Father sent Jesus on a mission to redeem all of humanity. Jesus told his apostles on Easter evening, "Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you" (John 20:21).Jesus is also the high priest. This title refers to the sacrificial nature of Christ's mission. We'll be examining Jesus' mission as the better high priest and better sacrifice over the next two weeks.The author writes, "He [Jesus] was faithful to the one who appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in God's whole house" (Hebrews 3:2). The point of comparison between Moses and Jesus was not one of faithfulness, but of position. Moses was faithful in leading God's people for forty years. He even once offered to have his name blotted out of God's Book of Life in exchange for the Jews. Jesus was faithful as he prayed on Holy Thursday, "I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4). Jesus did exchange his life for all of humanity.The people to whom the letter to the Hebrews was written were tempted to turn away from Jesus and go back to the laws of Moses to avoid persecution. The author urges them to hold firmly to Jesus, since Jesus is God, he is therefore greater than Moses. As God's Son, Jesus ruled over God's house of believers while Moses was only a servant in that house.The author explains, "In fact, Jesus is worthy of greater glory than Moses, in the same way that the builder of a house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, and God is the one who built everything. Moses was faithful as a servant within God's whole house by testifying to the things that would be spoken. But Christ is faithful as a Son over God's house. We are his house, if we hold on firmly to our confidence and the hope about which we boast until the end" (Hebrews 3:3-6).Though Moses was certainly important as a leader, he was only a part of the house of Israel. As God, Jesus was the builder of that house, just as he is the "builder of everything." As a creature, Moses occupied a high position in Israel and was worthy of honor. As the Creator of all -- including Moses and Israel -- Jesus was worthy of highest honor.There were many leaders that God put in place throughout the Old Testament -- Joshua, Samuel, Gideon, Deborah, Samson, or David. But none of them were like Moses. God himself sent Moses to the Israelites. God made Moses their leader, and he was their deliverer. Moses led God's people out of slavery in Egypt. He performed miracles and wonders. God spoke face-to-face with Moses, giving him the laws that governed the Israelites for thousands of years.As great as Moses was, God raised up a greater leader: Jesus.The law was given through Moses, but the Israelites could not fulfill it. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. We cannot fulfill the law of Moses. That's means we all deserve to die. Satan should be leading us into the pits of hell. Jesus came to fulfill the law in our place. Jesus is the fulfillment of all the laws that God gave Moses. That's one way Jesus is greater than Moses.We should all die eternally because of our sins. Jesus was chosen and sent by God to live perfectly in our place. He graciously died in our place. He victoriously rose from the dead in our place. This was an impossible mission. No one else could do it. Except for the Creator and Builder of all things. He is the One who conceived of this impossible plan in eternity in consultation with the Father and the Spirit. Only the Son could make this impossible plan possible. Now, through his substitutionary life, atoning death, and vicarious resurrection from the dead, Jesus has opened the way to eternal life in the Promised Land of heaven. Jesus is the way for all who follow him in faith. We are to follow him as our Leader.The Jews looked up to Moses as a great leader. Moses certainly was a great, righteous leader. We often look up to leaders like a President, Governor, or Supreme Court Justice -- thinking that with the right person or people in charge then things will get fixed in our nation. We look up to athletes, actors, and musicians for their creativity and athleticism. We listen to media and podcast personalities for the hot takes on the news of the day. Some of these people are righteous Christian leaders. Most are not.The best a politician might be able to do is give us some justice and peace. The best an athlete, actor, or musician might do is provide some entertainment for a few hours. The best a media personality can do is give us some clarity. The best any of them can do is provide some things for this lifetime. Don't follow these people only to avoid persecution or to enjoy a more relaxed life.Don't trust any of these people for true, righteous, lasting leadership. Follow Jesus' lead. He provides righteous judgment and peace beyond understanding. He provides you with blessings instead of temporary pleasures. He provides you with wisdom and clarity through his Word.Jesus leads you through this dark valley of the shadow of death to the green pastures and quiet waters of the Promised Land of heaven. He leads you to see that your house here is only temporary. Jesus is the Builder of your eternal home in the new heaven and new earth. He leads you through the darkness, deviancy, and decadence that fills this world. He leads you through the darkness with his Light that once led Moses and the Israelites as the Glory of the Lord shown in a pillar of cloud and fire. He leads you through the deviancy by giving you his Ten Commandments which the Lord first gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai. He leads you through the decadence as he used Moses to correct the decadence of the Israelites when they worshiped the golden calf.Fix your eyes on Jesus. Be faithful to the One who was faithful for you. Give glory to the One who is greater than Moses. Follow him. He is a better Leader than Moses or anyone else. Hold firmly to this confidence and hope so you can boast at the end. Amen.Let me hear about your mercy in the morning, for I have put my trust in you. Teach me the way that I should go, for I lift up my soul to you (Psalm 143:8). Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/a-better-leader/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/a-better-leader/Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is a legendary test pilot who is ordered back to the Top Gun naval academy. Maverick is chosen to train an elite group of graduates for a near-impossible mission -- destroying an unsanctioned uranium enrichment plant protected by advanced weaponry.That's the premise of the movie "Maverick" which takes place thirty years after the "Top Gun" movie. In thirty years, Maverick is still a captain because, although he's a great pilot, he hasn't proven himself to be a good leader. That changes during the movie. Maverick not only trains the pilots, but he also ends up leading the near-impossible mission.Moses was chosen by God to be the leader he used to free his people from their four hundred years of slavery in Egypt. In the beginning, Moses was kind of a "Maverick" character when he went off on his own to kill an Egyptian guard for beating a Jewish slave. Moses ran into the desert where he lived for forty years as a shepherd in the Sinai Peninsula. Then God called Moses from a burning bush to be his leader.Moses led the nation of Israel out of Egypt after ten devastating plagues, through a parted Red Sea, and around the Sinai desert for forty years. Moses finally led Israel through that near-impossible mission to the edge of the Promised Land of Canaan.It was very difficult for a Jew to think of anyone greater than Moses. Even the New Testament testifies to Moses' greatness, mentioning him some eighty times, more than any other Old Testament figure. As great as Moses was, Jesus was far greater.For our midweek Lenten services, we are examining the theme of "A Better Savior." Throughout the book of Hebrews, the author uses the word "better" as he portrays Christianity as the one true religion, and Jesus Christ as the one true Savior from sin. The author uses comparative words like "better," "greater," and "superior" to demonstrate the supremacy of Christ to anything in the Old Testament.In the beginning of chapter 3, the author of the letter to the Hebrews encourages his readers to take their attention off Moses. They remembered Moses fondly for some of the great events in the life of a Jew like the Great Day of Atonement and the Passover. Instead, they are to focus their attention on Jesus. The author writes, "Focus your attention on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess" (Hebrews 3:1). Jesus is an "apostle". This is the only time this title is used for Jesus in the New Testament. An apostle is one who is "sent out" to do something. God sent Moses on a mission to free the nation of Israel. God the Father sent Jesus on a mission to redeem all of humanity. Jesus told his apostles on Easter evening, "Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you" (John 20:21).Jesus is also the high priest. This title refers to the sacrificial nature of Christ's mission. We'll be examining Jesus' mission as the better high priest and better sacrifice over the next two weeks.The author writes, "He [Jesus] was faithful to the one who appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in God's whole house" (Hebrews 3:2). The point of comparison between Moses and Jesus was not one of faithfulness, but of position. Moses was faithful in leading God's people for forty years. He even once offered to have his name blotted out of God's Book of Life in exchange for the Jews. Jesus was faithful as he prayed on Holy Thursday, "I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4). Jesus did exchange his life for all of humanity.The people to whom the letter to the Hebrews was written were tempted to turn away from Jesus and go back to the laws of Moses to avoid persecution. The author urges them to hold firmly to Jesus, since Jesus is God, he is therefore greater than Moses. As God's Son, Jesus ruled over God's house of believers while Moses was only a servant in that house.The author explains, "In fact, Jesus is worthy of greater glory than Moses, in the same way that the builder of a house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, and God is the one who built everything. Moses was faithful as a servant within God's whole house by testifying to the things that would be spoken. But Christ is faithful as a Son over God's house. We are his house, if we hold on firmly to our confidence and the hope about which we boast until the end" (Hebrews 3:3-6).Though Moses was certainly important as a leader, he was only a part of the house of Israel. As God, Jesus was the builder of that house, just as he is the "builder of everything." As a creature, Moses occupied a high position in Israel and was worthy of honor. As the Creator of all -- including Moses and Israel -- Jesus was worthy of highest honor.There were many leaders that God put in place throughout the Old Testament -- Joshua, Samuel, Gideon, Deborah, Samson, or David. But none of them were like Moses. God himself sent Moses to the Israelites. God made Moses their leader, and he was their deliverer. Moses led God's people out of slavery in Egypt. He performed miracles and wonders. God spoke face-to-face with Moses, giving him the laws that governed the Israelites for thousands of years.As great as Moses was, God raised up a greater leader: Jesus.The law was given through Moses, but the Israelites could not fulfill it. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. We cannot fulfill the law of Moses. That's means we all deserve to die. Satan should be leading us into the pits of hell. Jesus came to fulfill the law in our place. Jesus is the fulfillment of all the laws that God gave Moses. That's one way Jesus is greater than Moses.We should all die eternally because of our sins. Jesus was chosen and sent by God to live perfectly in our place. He graciously died in our place. He victoriously rose from the dead in our place. This was an impossible mission. No one else could do it. Except for the Creator and Builder of all things. He is the One who conceived of this impossible plan in eternity in consultation with the Father and the Spirit. Only the Son could make this impossible plan possible. Now, through his substitutionary life, atoning death, and vicarious resurrection from the dead, Jesus has opened the way to eternal life in the Promised Land of heaven. Jesus is the way for all who follow him in faith. We are to follow him as our Leader.The Jews looked up to Moses as a great leader. Moses certainly was a great, righteous leader. We often look up to leaders like a President, Governor, or Supreme Court Justice -- thinking that with the right person or people in charge then things will get fixed in our nation. We look up to athletes, actors, and musicians for their creativity and athleticism. We listen to media and podcast personalities for the hot takes on the news of the day. Some of these people are righteous Christian leaders. Most are not.The best a politician might be able to do is give us some justice and peace. The best an athlete, actor, or musician might do is provide some entertainment for a few hours. The best a media personality can do is give us some clarity. The best any of them can do is provide some things for this lifetime. Don't follow these people only to avoid persecution or to enjoy a more relaxed life.Don't trust any of these people for true, righteous, lasting leadership. Follow Jesus' lead. He provides righteous judgment and peace beyond understanding. He provides you with blessings instead of temporary pleasures. He provides you with wisdom and clarity through his Word.Jesus leads you through this dark valley of the shadow of death to the green pastures and quiet waters of the Promised Land of heaven. He leads you to see that your house here is only temporary. Jesus is the Builder of your eternal home in the new heaven and new earth. He leads you through the darkness, deviancy, and decadence that fills this world. He leads you through the darkness with his Light that once led Moses and the Israelites as the Glory of the Lord shown in a pillar of cloud and fire. He leads you through the deviancy by giving you his Ten Commandments which the Lord first gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai. He leads you through the decadence as he used Moses to correct the decadence of the Israelites when they worshiped the golden calf.Fix your eyes on Jesus. Be faithful to the One who was faithful for you. Give glory to the One who is greater than Moses. Follow him. He is a better Leader than Moses or anyone else. Hold firmly to this confidence and hope so you can boast at the end. Amen.Let me hear about your mercy in the morning, for I have put my trust in you. Teach me the way that I should go, for I lift up my soul to you (Psalm 143:8). Amen.

Sermon Overview: To the average person, the ice skating, bobsledding, and downhill skiing in the Winter Olympics looks the same. You might be able to notice an athlete going a little faster or performing a little better. But there really isn't much difference in what you're seeing. If you witnessed the Opening Ceremony for the Winter Olympics, you noticed something quite different. Even if you didn't understand the symbolism, you knew and felt that something was off. The two athletes used the torch to light the cauldron. The cauldron lit up with a pentagram. The star is an ancient symbol of Christianity - like the star of David or the star the Magi followed. The inverted or upside-down star is a pentagram. This is an equally ancient symbol of paganism and the occult. The Devil always takes what is good and godly and inverts it, twists it, and perverts it for his evil purposes. There is always a lot of symbolism in the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. What we witnessed was not accidental. The organizers knew what they were portraying. Remember, the Olympics were originally created as games to celebrate their pagan Greek gods. The first ancient games were held in 776 BC as part of a religious festival dedicated to Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. So, it isn't surprising that people today will use ancient pagan and occult symbolism to celebrate their false gods while at the same time mocking the one true God. Remember, nothing in this world is neutral. It is either a celebration of the true God and Creator or it's a celebration of false gods - demons - and creation. While humanity will consistently attempt to remove glory from the true God, St. Peter writes about the glory of God he personally witnessed on the Mount of Transfiguration. Peter declares that he, James, and John were eyewitnesses of Christ's majesty. Peter writes, "To be sure, we were not following cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the powerful appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty" (2 Peter 1:16). Peter is referring to Christ's transfiguration Matthew that wrote about in our Gospel. Apparently, some people thought Peter, James, and John made this story up. I recently learned that it's been 25 years since the first of "The Lord of the Rings" movies were released in theaters. I'm rewatching the extended versions of the movies, listening to the books, and watching the extras on the DVDs. Peter Jackson, the director of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy mentioned in the extras that J.R.R. Tolkien had so much information in his books that it seemed like this really happened, that it was really part of England's history - and not a made-up story. You know something can be fake when a person is keeping the details vague and blurry. I'm confident Peter could give sharp, specific details of everything that happened that day on the mountain. This was no make-believe story. The glory of the Lord must have been burned into his retinas and memory. This mountain-top experience led Peter to realize that Jesus was who he said he was - the glorious Son of God humbly wrapped in human skin. Peter witnessed Jesus' face shining like the sun and his clothing becoming as white as light (Matthew 17:21). Peter also heard the divine voice of God the Father calling from the bright cloud that enveloped them. Peter writes, "For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when the voice came to him from within the Majestic Glory, saying, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.' We heard this voice, which came out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain" (2 Peter 1:17-18). Everything came full circle. At the beginning of his ministry, the Father says at his Son's Baptism, "This is my Son, whom I love. I am well pleased with him" (Matthew 3:17). Now at the end of Jesus' earthly ministry, the Father gives the same heavenly testimony. This is what Peter's persecuted readers needed to hear. They worshiped the genuine article. Jesus, Peter, James, and John, Moses and Elijah were enveloped by a bright cloud (Matthew 17:5). This reminds us of the Glory of the Lord - a combination of fire and smoke - which appears throughout the Old Testament. God appeared as the Glory of the Lord in the burning bush when the Angel of the Lord first spoke to Moses (Exodus 3:2). God appeared as a pillar of cloud and fire that led the Israelites through their wilderness wandering (Exodus 14:19). Moses wrote in our Old Testament lesson, "Moses went up onto the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The Glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered the mountain for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses out of the middle of the cloud. The appearance of the Glory of the Lord looked like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel" (Exodus 24:15-17). The enemies of Christ always oppose this Glory of the Lord. That's why you'll see ceremonies like in the Olympics, rioters disrupting Christian church services, or Christians arrested while praying outside of abortion clinics. People would never mock Buddhism with their ceremonies or bust into a Jewish synagogue or arrest Muslims while their praying. That's because all these pagan religions are different forces within the same spiritual army. They are all soldiers of Satan. Their gods - Buddha, Allah, Jehovah without Jesus - are all demonic. They may not get along ... I can't imagine demons like each other. But they all unite in opposing Christ and Christ's followers. They give glory to their pagan gods. We give glory to the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Those pagan religions have their own "scriptures" - their "holy" writings. We are blessed as Christians to have God's Scriptures - his holy writings, the Bible, a completely reliable prophetic word (2 Peter 1:19). Peter states that the origin of the Bible is not "the will of man [man's ideas], but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). God is the source of Scripture. The Bible is God's Word. God's prophets, evangelists, and apostles were divinely inspired by the Spirit so that the thoughts and words they wrote were the exact words and thoughts that God wanted them to record. The Holy Spirit also used each man's unique style, experiences, and audience to shape the words they wrote. The men did not choose what to write on their own, but the Holy Spirit guided their words, so they were God's words. Divine inspiration is extremely important for us as Christians. If human writers wrote the Bible, then there will be mistakes, arguments, and contentions. The world is always changing and becoming more confusing. We live in a culture that can't define what a woman is; has little concept of borders; questions laws; mistrusts the media; mistrusts politicians even more; and wants to figure out how to artificially have babies in space while killing babies here on earth. We need something constant and unchanging and clear. That's the Bible. It is the divinely inspired, inerrant words of the almighty God. It tells us that God made man and woman. It defines how to treat citizens and foreigners. It reminds us that laws, leaders, and governments come and go. It celebrates children and gives us the command to be fruitful and multiply after marriage. The eternal Word of God is the only constant we have in an ever-changing world. For a brief moment on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus gave a glimpse of his glory. For a short time, we witness Jesus' heavenly glory in earthly time. For an instant, we see Jesus' glory in the midst of his humiliation of God becoming man. Jesus revealed the glory that was always his as the Son of God. But in his state of humiliation, he did not make full and constant use of his divine glory and power. How did this transfiguration strengthen Jesus' disciples? The disciples remembered this event later and knew they were in the presence of God. How did the transfiguration strengthen Jesus? Jesus, who was in the middle of his humiliation and would soon suffer and die, saw the glory that was his and that would be given him after he completed his Father's will. The author to the Hebrews tells us what to do with our eyes that have witnessed Jesus' glory. "Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author of our faith and the one who brings it to its goal. In view of the joy set before him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of God's throne" (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus and his disciples also heard the Father put his divine stamp of approval on his Son's work. The disciples would need to remember this vision of Jesus' full glory because shortly after they walked down the mountain, they would be walking into Jerusalem. They would be eyewitnesses of Jesus' deep humiliation. They would see their Master arrested, tried, beaten, spat upon, mocked, scourged, crucified, and dead. The disciples would be told that the corpse of their Messiah was laid in the dark tomb. In this time of their Messiah's humiliation, it would be the responsibility of Peter, James, and John to remind the rest of the disciples about the shining glory they witnessed upon the mountain top. We will continue to see the world worship their false gods and denigrate the true God. That's nothing new. It's been happening since the Fall into sin. The Devil will continue to invert, twist, and pervert what is good and godly. What should you do? Return repeatedly to the Scriptures. St. Peter advises, "You do well to pay attention to [the Scriptures], as to a lamp shining in a dark place" (2 Peter 1:19) What does that light do? It guides us through the darkness of life. It cheers us up when the darkness threatens to envelop us. It illumines our hearts by enabling us to understand God's forgiving love. It makes sense of an inverted, twisted, and perverted world. The Transfiguration indicates that, although Jesus was a man, he was also far more than a man. In him dwells the fullness of the deity in bodily form (Colossians 2:9). He is the only begotten Son of the Father from eternity. Jesus is both God and man in one person (Romans 9:5). The Transfiguration was a reminder of the full glory that awaited Jesus after his suffering and death. It was as if Jesus lifted the veil and gave humanity a peek of who he truly is. He does this to encourage us when we need it most, for he would go on to face the cross and tomb. He does this to encourage us, for we are called upon to take up our cross and follow Christ unto death. On this last Sunday in the season of Epiphany, Christ gives us one more epiphany of who he really is. Jesus is the God who makes his humble majesty visible in lowliness and servitude. He is the God who is so poor that he must borrow a donkey to ride into Jerusalem. He is the God who slaves away at washing his disciples' dirty feet. He is the God who gives his cheek to the betraying lips of Judas, to the slapping hand of the high priest, and to the spit of the Sanhedrin. He is the God who gives his head to the thorns, his feet to the spikes, and his side to the spear. He is the Christ whose Majestic Glory is hidden upon the bloody cross and buried deep within the tomb. He is the glorious Lord who revealed his glory once again on the third day as he rose from the dead and then forty days later ascended to his rightful place at God's the Father's glorious right hand. On that Mount of Transfiguration, the disciples were eyewitnesses of Jesus' glory. They needed this vision of glory to make sense of Christ's humiliation they would witness in a few weeks. They also needed to be eyewitnesses of this majesty during their years of persecution. We are heading into Lent in a few days with our Ash Wednesday service. Here, our worship will be muted, somber, and repentant. Out there, we will continue to endure persecution and mockery for our Christian faith. This may come publicly for all the world to see. This may also come privately that very few will see. As we enter Lent and endure mockery, humiliation, and persecution, it's important to remember Jesus' humiliation in the manger, in the desert, and on the cross. But we also remember his glory revealed on the mountain, out of the grave, and upon his heavenly throne. For we are eyewitnesses of his majesty. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/eyewitnesses-of-his-majesty/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/eyewitnesses-of-his-majesty/To the average person, the ice skating, bobsledding, and downhill skiing in the Winter Olympics looks the same. You might be able to notice an athlete going a little faster or performing a little better. But there really isn't much difference in what you're seeing.If you witnessed the Opening Ceremony for the Winter Olympics, you noticed something quite different. Even if you didn't understand the symbolism, you knew and felt that something was off.The two athletes used the torch to light the cauldron. The cauldron lit up with a pentagram. The star is an ancient symbol of Christianity - like the star of David or the star the Magi followed. The inverted or upside-down star is a pentagram. This is an equally ancient symbol of paganism and the occult. The Devil always takes what is good and godly and inverts it, twists it, and perverts it for his evil purposes.There is always a lot of symbolism in the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. What we witnessed was not accidental. The organizers knew what they were portraying. Remember, the Olympics were originally created as games to celebrate their pagan Greek gods. The first ancient games were held in 776 BC as part of a religious festival dedicated to Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. So, it isn't surprising that people today will use ancient pagan and occult symbolism to celebrate their false gods while at the same time mocking the one true God. Remember, nothing in this world is neutral. It is either a celebration of the true God and Creator or it's a celebration of false gods - demons - and creation.While humanity will consistently attempt to remove glory from the true God, St. Peter writes about the glory of God he personally witnessed on the Mount of Transfiguration. Peter declares that he, James, and John were eyewitnesses of Christ's majesty.Peter writes, "To be sure, we were not following cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the powerful appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty" (2 Peter 1:16). Peter is referring to Christ's transfiguration Matthew that wrote about in our Gospel. Apparently, some people thought Peter, James, and John made this story up.I recently learned that it's been 25 years since the first of "The Lord of the Rings" movies were released in theaters. I'm rewatching the extended versions of the movies, listening to the books, and watching the extras on the DVDs. Peter Jackson, the director of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy mentioned in the extras that J.R.R. Tolkien had so much information in his books that it seemed like this really happened, that it was really part of England's history - and not a made-up story.You know something can be fake when a person is keeping the details vague and blurry. I'm confident Peter could give sharp, specific details of everything that happened that day on the mountain. This was no make-believe story. The glory of the Lord must have been burned into his retinas and memory.This mountain-top experience led Peter to realize that Jesus was who he said he was - the glorious Son of God humbly wrapped in human skin. Peter witnessed Jesus' face shining like the sun and his clothing becoming as white as light (Matthew 17:21). Peter also heard the divine voice of God the Father calling from the bright cloud that enveloped them. Peter writes, "For he received honor and glory from God the Father, when the voice came to him from within the Majestic Glory, saying, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.' We heard this voice, which came out of heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain" (2 Peter 1:17-18).Everything came full circle. At the beginning of his ministry, the Father says at his Son's Baptism, "This is my Son, whom I love. I am well pleased with him" (Matthew 3:17). Now at the end of Jesus' earthly ministry, the Father gives the same heavenly testimony. This is what Peter's persecuted readers needed to hear. They worshiped the genuine article.Jesus, Peter, James, and John, Moses and Elijah were enveloped by a bright cloud (Matthew 17:5). This reminds us of the Glory of the Lord - a combination of fire and smoke - which appears throughout the Old Testament. God appeared as the Glory of the Lord in the burning bush when the Angel of the Lord first spoke to Moses (Exodus 3:2). God appeared as a pillar of cloud and fire that led the Israelites through their wilderness wandering (Exodus 14:19). Moses wrote in our Old Testament lesson, "Moses went up onto the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The Glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered the mountain for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses out of the middle of the cloud. The appearance of the Glory of the Lord looked like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel" (Exodus 24:15-17).The enemies of Christ always oppose this Glory of the Lord. That's why you'll see ceremonies like in the Olympics, rioters disrupting Christian church services, or Christians arrested while praying outside of abortion clinics. People would never mock Buddhism with their ceremonies or bust into a Jewish synagogue or arrest Muslims while their praying. That's because all these pagan religions are different forces within the same spiritual army. They are all soldiers of Satan. Their gods - Buddha, Allah, Jehovah without Jesus - are all demonic. They may not get along ... I can't imagine demons like each other. But they all unite in opposing Christ and Christ's followers. They give glory to their pagan gods. We give glory to the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.Those pagan religions have their own "scriptures" - their "holy" writings. We are blessed as Christians to have God's Scriptures - his holy writings, the Bible, a completely reliable prophetic word (2 Peter 1:19).Peter states that the origin of the Bible is not "the will of man [man's ideas], but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). God is the source of Scripture. The Bible is God's Word.God's prophets, evangelists, and apostles were divinely inspired by the Spirit so that the thoughts and words they wrote were the exact words and thoughts that God wanted them to record. The Holy Spirit also used each man's unique style, experiences, and audience to shape the words they wrote. The men did not choose what to write on their own, but the Holy Spirit guided their words, so they were God's words.Divine inspiration is extremely important for us as Christians. If human writers wrote the Bible, then there will be mistakes, arguments, and contentions. The world is always changing and becoming more confusing. We live in a culture that can't define what a woman is; has little concept of borders; questions laws; mistrusts the media; mistrusts politicians even more; and wants to figure out how to artificially have babies in space while killing babies here on earth.We need something constant and unchanging and clear. That's the Bible. It is the divinely inspired, inerrant words of the almighty God. It tells us that God made man and woman. It defines how to treat citizens and foreigners. It reminds us that laws, leaders, and governments come and go. It celebrates children and gives us the command to be fruitful and multiply after marriage. The eternal Word of God is the only constant we have in an ever-changing world.For a brief moment on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus gave a glimpse of his glory. For a short time, we witness Jesus' heavenly glory in earthly time. For an instant, we see Jesus' glory in the midst of his humiliation of God becoming man. Jesus revealed the glory that was always his as the Son of God. But in his state of humiliation, he did not make full and constant use of his divine glory and power.How did this transfiguration strengthen Jesus' disciples? The disciples remembered this event later and knew they were in the presence of God. How did the transfiguration strengthen Jesus? Jesus, who was in the middle of his humiliation and would soon suffer and die, saw the glory that was his and that would be given him after he completed his Father's will. The author to the Hebrews tells us what to do with our eyes that have witnessed Jesus' glory. "Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author of our faith and the one who brings it to its goal. In view of the joy set before him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of God's throne" (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus and his disciples also heard the Father put his divine stamp of approval on his Son's work.The disciples would need to remember this vision of Jesus' full glory because shortly after they walked down the mountain, they would be walking into Jerusalem. They would be eyewitnesses of Jesus' deep humiliation. They would see their Master arrested, tried, beaten, spat upon, mocked, scourged, crucified, and dead. The disciples would be told that the corpse of their Messiah was laid in the dark tomb. In this time of their Messiah's humiliation, it would be the responsibility of Peter, James, and John to remind the rest of the disciples about the shining glory they witnessed upon the mountain top.We will continue to see the world worship their false gods and denigrate the true God. That's nothing new. It's been happening since the Fall into sin. The Devil will continue to invert, twist, and pervert what is good and godly. What should you do? Return repeatedly to the Scriptures. St. Peter advises, "You do well to pay attention to [the Scriptures], as to a lamp shining in a dark place" (2 Peter 1:19) What does that light do? It guides us through the darkness of life. It cheers us up when the darkness threatens to envelop us. It illumines our hearts by enabling us to understand God's forgiving love. It makes sense of an inverted, twisted, and perverted world.The Transfiguration indicates that, although Jesus was a man, he was also far more than a man. In him dwells the fullness of the deity in bodily form (Colossians 2:9). He is the only begotten Son of the Father from eternity. Jesus is both God and man in one person (Romans 9:5).The Transfiguration was a reminder of the full glory that awaited Jesus after his suffering and death. It was as if Jesus lifted the veil and gave humanity a peek of who he truly is. He does this to encourage us when we need it most, for he would go on to face the cross and tomb. He does this to encourage us, for we are called upon to take up our cross and follow Christ unto death.On this last Sunday in the season of Epiphany, Christ gives us one more epiphany of who he really is. Jesus is the God who makes his humble majesty visible in lowliness and servitude. He is the God who is so poor that he must borrow a donkey to ride into Jerusalem. He is the God who slaves away at washing his disciples' dirty feet. He is the God who gives his cheek to the betraying lips of Judas, to the slapping hand of the high priest, and to the spit of the Sanhedrin. He is the God who gives his head to the thorns, his feet to the spikes, and his side to the spear. He is the Christ whose Majestic Glory is hidden upon the bloody cross and buried deep within the tomb. He is the glorious Lord who revealed his glory once again on the third day as he rose from the dead and then forty days later ascended to his rightful place at God's the Father's glorious right hand.On that Mount of Transfiguration, the disciples were eyewitnesses of Jesus' glory. They needed this vision of glory to make sense of Christ's humiliation they would witness in a few weeks. They also needed to be eyewitnesses of this majesty during their years of persecution.We are heading into Lent in a few days with our Ash Wednesday service. Here, our worship will be muted, somber, and repentant. Out there, we will continue to endure persecution and mockery for our Christian faith. This may come publicly for all the world to see. This may also come privately that very few will see. As we enter Lent and endure mockery, humiliation, and persecution, it's important to remember Jesus' humiliation in the manger, in the desert, and on the cross. But we also remember his glory revealed on the mountain, out of the grave, and upon his heavenly throne. For we are eyewitnesses of his majesty. Amen.

Several weeks ago, I found a trailer for my side-by-side on Facebook Marketplace. Matt graciously went with me to look at the trailer. Who could have guessed? Matt knew the owner! We'll call him "Jake".We entered Jake's shop. I eventually texted Shelley, "I brought the right guy along. Matt knows Jake. They've been talking about race cars for the past 15 minutes." Jake had two race cars in his shop. Then we started moving outside to the trailer. Before we got there, we passed by Jake's very expensive snowmobile. I texted Shelley, "Now they've spent 5 minutes talking about snowmobiles."The whole time, Jake is filling each sentence with four-letter words. And not the good kind. While we were by the snowmobile, Matt introduced me as his pastor. Do you know what Jake did? Matt and I discussed it later. It seemed like Jake's language got even worse! It was like he was showing off his extensive foul language repertoire in front of the Lutheran pastor!Matt and I discussed the encounter later in my vehicle after I purchased the trailer. First, I had to stop my ears from bleeding after the assault with all those cuss words! We discussed how as Christians we try not to cuss, gossip, engage in course talk or crude jokes, and so on. We are called to be fine Christian salt in a world filled with course salty language. We are called to be Christian lights reflecting the light of Christ's purity in a world darkened by decadence and death.In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught, "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its flavor, how will it become salty again? Then it is no good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. No, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. In the same way let your light shine in people's presence, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."Salt in Jesus' time was precious. Salt was used to preserve food since there was no refrigeration. Salt was used to disinfect wounds and was rubbed on the skin of newborn babies to protect them from various diseases. Sacrifices were sprinkled with salt to purify them before they were offered to the Lord. Salt was seen as killing the sinful decay and preserving life.Salt is useful stuff. A little salt can be sprinkled on a dish to tickle the tastebuds. Salt is useful to remove the ice on your sidewalk and driveway ... if it ever gets cold enough to have snow and ice this winter.Light shines and brightens dark places. It can be a small candle or a simple oil lamp bringing light to a dark room in Jesus' day. It can be the sun shining and chasing away the darkness of the night every morning. It can be children walking through the house and turning on lights in every room. Then dad is doing his fatherly duty of walking through the house and turning off all the lights.Jesus says, "You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world." Notice that Jesus doesn't say, "You need to work on your saltiness" or "You need to become light." No, Jesus says that through your Baptism, through your conversion to Christianity, through your faith in him who is the true salt and bright light, now this is what you are. So be salt and light.This world is rotten and corrupt and needs to be salted. The world is shrouded in the darkness of sin and death and needs to be lighted.Where do you encounter this rot and feel this darkness in our culture? As salt and light Christians, we notice this rot and darkness as we are living and raising our children in an amoral culture. It used to be that we were living in a moral culture - one where people did wrong things, but they knew the difference between right and wrong. Today we are living in an amoral culture where people no longer believe in or care about right or wrong. They just do whatever comes naturally to them and feels good to them. And what is natural is evil and what feels good is sin.We are living in a culture that relishes the rot and delights in the darkness. They don't know any better. They've tasted this world's tainted garbage so long that what is good, right, and healthy is a shock to their system. They've lived in the shadows so long the light hurts their eyes. Now they want us as Christians to not only tolerate their amoral behavior, but we must also accept it and promote it. They want to drag us into their decay and darkness. Then we are to join them in persecuting anyone who refuses to tolerate, accept, and promote their wickedness.We fall victim to these scare tactics by Satan and his devilish followers. We're afraid of being called names, canceled, persecuted, prosecuted, classified as "unloving," "bigoted," or "hypocritical." We are tempted to fill up our shakers with sugar. We are in danger of losing our saltiness. We are tempted to cover our light under a bowl. We are in danger of letting our light go out.The problem is that we don't like friction. We don't want people to think of us as offensive. We believe in the make-believe 11th commandment of "thou shalt be nice!" As Lutherans, we like to stay in the middle of the road. But on this issue, the world is on one side and Jesus is on the other side. We get hit by semis in the middle of the road. There are times when we need to be all the way to one side of the road - because that's where Jesus is.We don't want to scare anyone off or offend anyone or cause any problems. It's much easier to mind our own business, keep quiet, and keep to ourselves. It's much more convenient to compromise God's truth than to shake out Christ's salty judgment upon a corrupt world. We are more willing to offend God than offend our neighbor. It's more pleasant to hide in the shadows than to shine Christ's light into the darkness. It's a whole lot easier to go with the flow than to stand against the tide, standing on the solid rock of the cross of Christ.When we do that, we are not being what Christ has made us to be - salt upon the earth and lights upon the world.Jesus often told people difficult things - like he was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, or he told the rich man to sell everything to follow him, or that he was the Bread of Life. In every instance, people rejected that message and turned away from Jesus. He didn't worry about offending people or appearing as "not nice." Jesus told the truth. The people rejected that truth. Jesus told his disciples elsewhere that when people rejected the truth, to shake the dust off their feet and move on. We would do well to follow Jesus' example and words.This means not everyone will like you. Jesus calls us to be salt. Not the sugar on top.Jesus is the salt that preserves your soul by pointing out your sins against him. He is the salt that purifies you with his perfection. He is the salt that never loses its saltiness. He is the salt that heals your wounds - physical, mental, and spiritual. He is the salt that prepares your body for death and life beyond death. He seasons your speech with salt (Colossians 4:6).At creation, God did not leave the earth wrapped in darkness. He said, "Let there be light," and there was light that pushed against the darkness (Genesis 1:3). Nor did God abandon his children to sin's darkness, either. Since the darkness is not disappearing, our Savior Jesus stepped into the darkness. "[God] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13,14). Now that we have been rescued from this darkness and brought into the Light of Christ, we need to keep following the Light. Jesus teaches, "I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).Jesus calls you salt because you are precious. You serve a purpose. You are baptized to be the salt of the earth. You are baptized to be the light of the world. Jesus calls you salt not because of how much you can do, but because of how much he has done. He loves you. He declares you forgiven of your sin. He has spared you from hell. He chases the devil away from you. He has rescued you from death. He has made you his own. He sets you apart from the rest of the world for his purpose.That purpose is to simply tell others what Jesus has done for you. Your privilege is to talk about all the wonderful things Jesus did out of love. This is your purpose as the salt of the earth. This is your purpose as his lights in the world. As Jesus has confronted your sins, now you are to confront the sins of those around you. As Jesus has shined the light of his grace upon your life, now you are to shine the light of Jesus' grace upon others. As Jesus has forgiven your sins, now you are given the opportunity to forgive the sins of the repentant around you.Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Professor August Pieper makes it very clear: "[T]here is no excuse for those who think it unnecessary to tell unbelievers about their sins right to their face and to condemn their ways with the written law, since the gospel alone is God's power for salvation, and so it is enough to make these tidings known to the world. This opinion is not based on Scripture, but on their own wisdom. It is born of their fear of men and of the curse of the cross... Wanting to be silent about sin and win the impenitent only with the sweetness of the gospel amounts to denying God's zeal and holiness and suppressing his threats. It amounts to hypocrisy, practicing spiritual quackery. It means leading the poor people to fleshly security instead of to faith and casting pearls before the swine. Under all circumstances the impenitent need the law, and only next, afterwards, the gospel." (August Pieper, Wauwatosa Theology, Vol 2, pg. 60)We take on the difficult task of being salt in an unsalty world. Even if people don't listen, we have done our duty. Then we have honored what God has made us to be. However, if we do not do our duty, then we will stand before the Lord on Judgment Day and we will observe those on Jesus' left pointing at us and accusing: "They never told me!" Then we will hear Jesus' sentence of judgment: "It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."As Christian parents, Christian citizens, and members of the Christian Church, we are called to be a part of a counterculture which works hard to shine the light of Christ into the shadowy corners of the world and the dark recesses of people's souls. You are light, shining the light of Christ. You are the moon, reflecting the greater light of the Son.The Bible says, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the people who are God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9). You have been called out, set apart, chosen for a purpose. Wherever God has shaken you out - in your home, your school, your work, your community - there you are salt, seasoning your little corner of the world. Wherever God places you in the shadows, there you are light, shining the light of Christ into the darkness that threatens to envelop those you love.This is your identity. This is your calling. No one else has this calling - only children of God in Christ Jesus. May we be such salts and lights that when others experience our saltiness and witness our shining lights, that they may praise our Father in heaven. We pray that we are what Christ has made us to be - salt and light. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/be-salt-and-light/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/be-salt-and-light/Several weeks ago, I found a trailer for my side-by-side on Facebook Marketplace. Matt graciously went with me to look at the trailer. Who could have guessed? Matt knew the owner! We'll call him "Jake".We entered Jake's shop. I eventually texted Shelley, "I brought the right guy along. Matt knows Jake. They've been talking about race cars for the past 15 minutes." Jake had two race cars in his shop. Then we started moving outside to the trailer. Before we got there, we passed by Jake's very expensive snowmobile. I texted Shelley, "Now they've spent 5 minutes talking about snowmobiles."The whole time, Jake is filling each sentence with four-letter words. And not the good kind. While we were by the snowmobile, Matt introduced me as his pastor. Do you know what Jake did? Matt and I discussed it later. It seemed like Jake's language got even worse! It was like he was showing off his extensive foul language repertoire in front of the Lutheran pastor!Matt and I discussed the encounter later in my vehicle after I purchased the trailer. First, I had to stop my ears from bleeding after the assault with all those cuss words! We discussed how as Christians we try not to cuss, gossip, engage in course talk or crude jokes, and so on. We are called to be fine Christian salt in a world filled with course salty language. We are called to be Christian lights reflecting the light of Christ's purity in a world darkened by decadence and death.In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught, "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its flavor, how will it become salty again? Then it is no good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. You are the light of the world. A city located on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. No, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. In the same way let your light shine in people's presence, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."Salt in Jesus' time was precious. Salt was used to preserve food since there was no refrigeration. Salt was used to disinfect wounds and was rubbed on the skin of newborn babies to protect them from various diseases. Sacrifices were sprinkled with salt to purify them before they were offered to the Lord. Salt was seen as killing the sinful decay and preserving life.Salt is useful stuff. A little salt can be sprinkled on a dish to tickle the tastebuds. Salt is useful to remove the ice on your sidewalk and driveway ... if it ever gets cold enough to have snow and ice this winter.Light shines and brightens dark places. It can be a small candle or a simple oil lamp bringing light to a dark room in Jesus' day. It can be the sun shining and chasing away the darkness of the night every morning. It can be children walking through the house and turning on lights in every room. Then dad is doing his fatherly duty of walking through the house and turning off all the lights.Jesus says, "You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world." Notice that Jesus doesn't say, "You need to work on your saltiness" or "You need to become light." No, Jesus says that through your Baptism, through your conversion to Christianity, through your faith in him who is the true salt and bright light, now this is what you are. So be salt and light.This world is rotten and corrupt and needs to be salted. The world is shrouded in the darkness of sin and death and needs to be lighted.Where do you encounter this rot and feel this darkness in our culture? As salt and light Christians, we notice this rot and darkness as we are living and raising our children in an amoral culture. It used to be that we were living in a moral culture - one where people did wrong things, but they knew the difference between right and wrong. Today we are living in an amoral culture where people no longer believe in or care about right or wrong. They just do whatever comes naturally to them and feels good to them. And what is natural is evil and what feels good is sin.We are living in a culture that relishes the rot and delights in the darkness. They don't know any better. They've tasted this world's tainted garbage so long that what is good, right, and healthy is a shock to their system. They've lived in the shadows so long the light hurts their eyes. Now they want us as Christians to not only tolerate their amoral behavior, but we must also accept it and promote it. They want to drag us into their decay and darkness. Then we are to join them in persecuting anyone who refuses to tolerate, accept, and promote their wickedness.We fall victim to these scare tactics by Satan and his devilish followers. We're afraid of being called names, canceled, persecuted, prosecuted, classified as "unloving," "bigoted," or "hypocritical." We are tempted to fill up our shakers with sugar. We are in danger of losing our saltiness. We are tempted to cover our light under a bowl. We are in danger of letting our light go out.The problem is that we don't like friction. We don't want people to think of us as offensive. We believe in the make-believe 11th commandment of "thou shalt be nice!" As Lutherans, we like to stay in the middle of the road. But on this issue, the world is on one side and Jesus is on the other side. We get hit by semis in the middle of the road. There are times when we need to be all the way to one side of the road - because that's where Jesus is.We don't want to scare anyone off or offend anyone or cause any problems. It's much easier to mind our own business, keep quiet, and keep to ourselves. It's much more convenient to compromise God's truth than to shake out Christ's salty judgment upon a corrupt world. We are more willing to offend God than offend our neighbor. It's more pleasant to hide in the shadows than to shine Christ's light into the darkness. It's a whole lot easier to go with the flow than to stand against the tide, standing on the solid rock of the cross of Christ.When we do that, we are not being what Christ has made us to be - salt upon the earth and lights upon the world.Jesus often told people difficult things - like he was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, or he told the rich man to sell everything to follow him, or that he was the Bread of Life. In every instance, people rejected that message and turned away from Jesus. He didn't worry about offending people or appearing as "not nice." Jesus told the truth. The people rejected that truth. Jesus told his disciples elsewhere that when people rejected the truth, to shake the dust off their feet and move on. We would do well to follow Jesus' example and words.This means not everyone will like you. Jesus calls us to be salt. Not the sugar on top.Jesus is the salt that preserves your soul by pointing out your sins against him. He is the salt that purifies you with his perfection. He is the salt that never loses its saltiness. He is the salt that heals your wounds - physical, mental, and spiritual. He is the salt that prepares your body for death and life beyond death. He seasons your speech with salt (Colossians 4:6).At creation, God did not leave the earth wrapped in darkness. He said, "Let there be light," and there was light that pushed against the darkness (Genesis 1:3). Nor did God abandon his children to sin's darkness, either. Since the darkness is not disappearing, our Savior Jesus stepped into the darkness. "[God] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13,14). Now that we have been rescued from this darkness and brought into the Light of Christ, we need to keep following the Light. Jesus teaches, "I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (John 8:12).Jesus calls you salt because you are precious. You serve a purpose. You are baptized to be the salt of the earth. You are baptized to be the light of the world. Jesus calls you salt not because of how much you can do, but because of how much he has done. He loves you. He declares you forgiven of your sin. He has spared you from hell. He chases the devil away from you. He has rescued you from death. He has made you his own. He sets you apart from the rest of the world for his purpose.That purpose is to simply tell others what Jesus has done for you. Your privilege is to talk about all the wonderful things Jesus did out of love. This is your purpose as the salt of the earth. This is your purpose as his lights in the world. As Jesus has confronted your sins, now you are to confront the sins of those around you. As Jesus has shined the light of his grace upon your life, now you are to shine the light of Jesus' grace upon others. As Jesus has forgiven your sins, now you are given the opportunity to forgive the sins of the repentant around you.Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Professor August Pieper makes it very clear: "[T]here is no excuse for those who think it unnecessary to tell unbelievers about their sins right to their face and to condemn their ways with the written law, since the gospel alone is God's power for salvation, and so it is enough to make these tidings known to the world. This opinion is not based on Scripture, but on their own wisdom. It is born of their fear of men and of the curse of the cross... Wanting to be silent about sin and win the impenitent only with the sweetness of the gospel amounts to denying God's zeal and holiness and suppressing his threats. It amounts to hypocrisy, practicing spiritual quackery. It means leading the poor people to fleshly security instead of to faith and casting pearls before the swine. Under all circumstances the impenitent need the law, and only next, afterwards, the gospel." (August Pieper, Wauwatosa Theology, Vol 2, pg. 60)We take on the difficult task of being salt in an unsalty world. Even if people don't listen, we have done our duty. Then we have honored what God has made us to be. However, if we do not do our duty, then we will stand before the Lord on Judgment Day and we will observe those on Jesus' left pointing at us and accusing: "They never told me!" Then we will hear Jesus' sentence of judgment: "It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men."As Christian parents, Christian citizens, and members of the Christian Church, we are called to be a part of a counterculture which works hard to shine the light of Christ into the shadowy corners of the world and the dark recesses of people's souls. You are light, shining the light of Christ. You are the moon, reflecting the greater light of the Son.The Bible says, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, the people who are God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9). You have been called out, set apart, chosen for a purpose. Wherever God has shaken you out - in your home, your school, your work, your community - there you are salt, seasoning your little corner of the world. Wherever God places you in the shadows, there you are light, shining the light of Christ into the darkness that threatens to envelop those you love.This is your identity. This is your calling. No one else has this calling - only children of God in Christ Jesus. May we be such salts and lights that when others experience our saltiness and witness our shining lights, that they may praise our Father in heaven. We pray that we are what Christ has made us to be - salt and light. Amen.

Nothing's been going right. There is still political unrest in Minneapolis. Gas prices have increased because of political upheaval in Iran. Casper and parts of Wyoming are very low in snowfall which means we could be in danger of fires this summer. Nothing's been going right. Yet you're told, "You should be happy!" But are you feeling it?You've had a rough day. Your grocery bill is way too high ... again. You've been called in to fix problems at work ... again. Your classmates have left you out ... again. Your football team isn't in the Super Bowl ... again. Plus, no one is rooting for either the Patriots or the Seahawks. You're only looking forward to the party at the parsonage. You've had a rough day. You're greeted with, "You're so blessed!" But do you believe it?God reminds us repeatedly in his Word that we should be joyful because we are so blessed. But our sinful nature takes our minds off God's sure Word and focuses only on life's ups and downs. We think only about how our life stinks right now.That's why it's so important to hear Jesus preach the Beatitudes in his Sermon on the Mount. God will bless his believers even if their lives are difficult in this sin-ruined world. Sometimes we have the mistaken belief that if we're going through rough times, then God is removing his blessing from us. Or if things are going nice and easy, then God must really like us and is blessing us. As Christians, God is blessing us - whether we see and feel those physical blessings or not.These Beatitudes are not what people should do to become blessed. Rather, these blessings are what God gives us as his sanctified saints. Nine times Jesus says, "Blessed are ..." (Matthew 5:3-11). Christians are blessed. This is not an uncertain wish or dreamy desire. It's a reality. Jesus doesn't demand his followers to be something they aren't. He tells them what they already are by the grace of God. The Lord's declaration that they are blessed encourages them to persevere. None of what Jesus says makes any sense ... unless you're a Christian. It only makes sanctified sense to Christ's followers. In his Beatitudes - Jesus' statements of blessing - Jesus teaches about God's kind of happiness.When the crowds came to Jesus, he understood that all these people were looking for the same thing in life. They all wanted happiness. We're just like them, aren't we? Isn't that what we want for ourselves? Isn't that what we ultimately want for our children? Happiness?The problem is that we really don't understand what makes up God's kind of happiness. That's why true happiness often eludes us. So, Jesus begins teaching, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be filled" (Matthew 5:3-6).To help us understand what Jesus is saying here, perhaps you can think about what it's like to raise children. They are poor, with lots of faults. They don't have a lot of life experience, so when they mourn the loss of a grandparent or a pet, they really mourn. They are often gentle. Even more so, they are always hungry!We are like children. Children are needy - weak, poor, unable to take care of themselves. That's why they cling so strongly to adults. They know they need help, and they're not ashamed to admit it. As God's children, we recognize our spiritual poverty - we are in total need of God's help. We are poor in spirit when we confess that not only are we born in a sinful condition, but we have our "pet sins" - those sins that we commit repeatedly. As Christians, we are never truly happy when we commit these sins. Our sinful nature may enjoy these sins of the flesh and mind, but we always end up feeling guilty afterwards. This guilt drags us down to despair and depression.Jesus teaches you are blessed and happy when you get rid of these sins. Feel sorrow over your sins. Repent and receive Christ's forgiveness. Then you will receive the kingdom of heaven. You will receive the gift of faith, forgiveness, and eternal life in Christ."Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." We're going to mourn when a loved one dies. All we have left are memories that cut like shards of glass. People might say, "Time heals all wounds." Time might help a bit. But not enough ... never enough. The ache is still there. Yet, as God's sanctified saints, we mourn knowing that our Christian loved ones are now God's glorified saints in heaven. Even as we mourn, we are blessed because we do not mourn like those who have no hope, for God us given us hope of the resurrection through Jesus Christ."Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the earth." A Christian man once asked God, "Why has my brother been blessed with wealth and I with nothing? All my life I've never missed a single day without saying morning and evening prayers. My church attendance has been perfect. I've always loved my neighbor and given my money. Yet now, as I am near the end of my life, I can hardly afford to pay my rent. My brother, though, drinks and gambles and plays all the time. He has more money than he can count. I don't ask you to punish him, but tell me, why has he been given so much and I have been given nothing?" "Because," God replied, "you're such a self-righteous pain in the neck."The gentle are believers who are humble, meek, patient, and lowly. We endure mistreatment without retaliation. We aren't noisy, demanding, "self-righteous pains in the neck." Then we'll inherit the earth. We're blessed for God works all things work together for good. We'll inherit the new heavens and the new earth (2 Peter 3:13). It may seem like we have nothing now, but we'll have everything for eternity. God will bless us with the things we need in life, not because we deserve them, but because God wishes to give them to us.Like hungry and thirsty children, we are hungering and thirsting for the righteousness we receive in Christ's Bread of Life and Water of Life. Make the Word of God a part of your daily life. Assemble regularly with your fellow Christians hearing God's Word in worship and Bible study. Receive the Lord's Supper often. Live in daily appreciation of the blessings of your Baptism. Then you are filled with all the blessings of salvation God has granted you through Jesus Christ.God's kind of happiness also comes from imitating Jesus. "Blessed are the merciful, because they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:7-9). The next three beatitudes speak of living as Christians, so others identify us as Christ's followers.Christian talk without Christian action to back it up just makes the talk sound like religious gas. If people think you're a hypocrite, it doesn't matter how true your words might be. St. James tells us bluntly, "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by actions, is dead" (James 2:17).People are starved for real Christianity. They aren't necessarily impressed by traditions, rituals, labels, or beautiful buildings. They do notice acts of compassion, generosity, and kindness. Young people especially are desiring real, authentic, and genuine.Real, authentic and genuine describe the life of Christ. We are merciful to others because Jesus was merciful to humanity. Jesus was merciful by dying and saving us, even though we didn't deserve it. He forgives us, even though he knows we will keep on asking for more forgiveness.Imitating Jesus means having a pure heart. But having a pure heart doesn't come naturally to us. Just like cholesterol can clog the arteries around the heart, so our daily sins ruin us spiritually. Every day we need to pray, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10) When we have this pure heart, we will be able to stand before God on the Day of Judgment knowing we will dwell in his presence for all eternity.The peace of Jesus flows into us so that this peace flows out from us to others. Then we are called peacemakers. Jesus doesn't call us to be "peacekeepers" - those who passively sit back and refrain from starting trouble. We are called to be "peacemakers" - those who actively strive to make peace where there are hostilities and quarrels. Jesus actively put himself into the war to reconcile us as enemies to our heavenly Father so we could be called God's sons and daughters. Now we are to actively put ourselves into uncomfortable situations to establish peace through the Prince of Peace.God's kind of happiness also comes from suffering for Jesus' sake. Jesus must have raised a few eyebrows when he said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. In fact, that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:10-12).Face it, people are going to hate you because you're a Christian. They won't understand you because you're a Lutheran. They'll call you "strict" and "close-minded" because you're WELS. Even though you may work to make peace with others, some will hate you enough to make your life miserable. What should you do? Should you lose all hope? Should you give up and throw in the towel? No! Jesus said, "Rejoice and be glad."This is again where Jesus' message turns our world upside down. Jesus wants you to rejoice when someone insults you for standing up for what is right. He wants you to be glad when they do things that try to ruin your life. He wants you to throw a party when people tell lies about you and drag your name through the mud. Well, maybe not a party, but you are to rejoice and be glad.Jesus says we are in good company when we're persecuted for our faith. We are suffering like Isaiah and Jeremiah, Moses and Daniel. We're enduring pain like Paul, Peter, and Stephen. We're abused and shamed just as Christ was abused and shamed. We're enduring it all for him. We endure this suffering because he endured it first for us. When we suffer for Jesus' sake, we aren't doing anything extraordinary. Jesus endured mockery and shame, betrayal and beatings. He endured the cross and separation from his heavenly Father. He endured all of it for us.When we suffer for Jesus' sake, we're really saying, "Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for what you went through for me. Please let me show you my gratitude by standing up for you." We rejoice in our persecution because we are being counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41). It may sound strange, but there really is a joyous and satisfying feeling that comes from suffering in the name of Jesus. That is God's kind of happiness.The message of our world is all about happiness in this world. Jesus promises to reward us greatly in heaven. In the Beatitudes, our Savior turns the world upside down. He calls blessed people this world never would. He calls blessed people that the world would use as doormats. The world praises the brash and the strong. Jesus calls blessed what others see as foolishness. To live this kind of blessedness requires a deep trust in the Lord's strength and a long-term view of life. Jesus calls us blessed even in circumstances like mourning and persecution, because he's looking beyond the troubles of this world to the reward that is waiting for the people of God. Like reading the last chapter of a book, Jesus takes the mystery out of a life filled with sorrow by showing us the end. What is that end? We're blessed!People are searching for happiness. Where can it be found? On a hill along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Upon the bloody Roman cross standing outside the walls of Jerusalem. In the open and empty borrowed tomb. Happiness is found in Word, water, bread, and wine. Happiness is found in God. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/gods-kind-of-happiness/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/gods-kind-of-happiness/Nothing's been going right. There is still political unrest in Minneapolis. Gas prices have increased because of political upheaval in Iran. Casper and parts of Wyoming are very low in snowfall which means we could be in danger of fires this summer. Nothing's been going right. Yet you're told, "You should be happy!" But are you feeling it?You've had a rough day. Your grocery bill is way too high ... again. You've been called in to fix problems at work ... again. Your classmates have left you out ... again. Your football team isn't in the Super Bowl ... again. Plus, no one is rooting for either the Patriots or the Seahawks. You're only looking forward to the party at the parsonage. You've had a rough day. You're greeted with, "You're so blessed!" But do you believe it?God reminds us repeatedly in his Word that we should be joyful because we are so blessed. But our sinful nature takes our minds off God's sure Word and focuses only on life's ups and downs. We think only about how our life stinks right now.That's why it's so important to hear Jesus preach the Beatitudes in his Sermon on the Mount. God will bless his believers even if their lives are difficult in this sin-ruined world. Sometimes we have the mistaken belief that if we're going through rough times, then God is removing his blessing from us. Or if things are going nice and easy, then God must really like us and is blessing us. As Christians, God is blessing us - whether we see and feel those physical blessings or not.These Beatitudes are not what people should do to become blessed. Rather, these blessings are what God gives us as his sanctified saints. Nine times Jesus says, "Blessed are ..." (Matthew 5:3-11). Christians are blessed. This is not an uncertain wish or dreamy desire. It's a reality. Jesus doesn't demand his followers to be something they aren't. He tells them what they already are by the grace of God. The Lord's declaration that they are blessed encourages them to persevere. None of what Jesus says makes any sense ... unless you're a Christian. It only makes sanctified sense to Christ's followers. In his Beatitudes - Jesus' statements of blessing - Jesus teaches about God's kind of happiness.When the crowds came to Jesus, he understood that all these people were looking for the same thing in life. They all wanted happiness. We're just like them, aren't we? Isn't that what we want for ourselves? Isn't that what we ultimately want for our children? Happiness?The problem is that we really don't understand what makes up God's kind of happiness. That's why true happiness often eludes us. So, Jesus begins teaching, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be filled" (Matthew 5:3-6).To help us understand what Jesus is saying here, perhaps you can think about what it's like to raise children. They are poor, with lots of faults. They don't have a lot of life experience, so when they mourn the loss of a grandparent or a pet, they really mourn. They are often gentle. Even more so, they are always hungry!We are like children. Children are needy - weak, poor, unable to take care of themselves. That's why they cling so strongly to adults. They know they need help, and they're not ashamed to admit it. As God's children, we recognize our spiritual poverty - we are in total need of God's help. We are poor in spirit when we confess that not only are we born in a sinful condition, but we have our "pet sins" - those sins that we commit repeatedly. As Christians, we are never truly happy when we commit these sins. Our sinful nature may enjoy these sins of the flesh and mind, but we always end up feeling guilty afterwards. This guilt drags us down to despair and depression.Jesus teaches you are blessed and happy when you get rid of these sins. Feel sorrow over your sins. Repent and receive Christ's forgiveness. Then you will receive the kingdom of heaven. You will receive the gift of faith, forgiveness, and eternal life in Christ."Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." We're going to mourn when a loved one dies. All we have left are memories that cut like shards of glass. People might say, "Time heals all wounds." Time might help a bit. But not enough ... never enough. The ache is still there. Yet, as God's sanctified saints, we mourn knowing that our Christian loved ones are now God's glorified saints in heaven. Even as we mourn, we are blessed because we do not mourn like those who have no hope, for God us given us hope of the resurrection through Jesus Christ."Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the earth." A Christian man once asked God, "Why has my brother been blessed with wealth and I with nothing? All my life I've never missed a single day without saying morning and evening prayers. My church attendance has been perfect. I've always loved my neighbor and given my money. Yet now, as I am near the end of my life, I can hardly afford to pay my rent. My brother, though, drinks and gambles and plays all the time. He has more money than he can count. I don't ask you to punish him, but tell me, why has he been given so much and I have been given nothing?" "Because," God replied, "you're such a self-righteous pain in the neck."The gentle are believers who are humble, meek, patient, and lowly. We endure mistreatment without retaliation. We aren't noisy, demanding, "self-righteous pains in the neck." Then we'll inherit the earth. We're blessed for God works all things work together for good. We'll inherit the new heavens and the new earth (2 Peter 3:13). It may seem like we have nothing now, but we'll have everything for eternity. God will bless us with the things we need in life, not because we deserve them, but because God wishes to give them to us.Like hungry and thirsty children, we are hungering and thirsting for the righteousness we receive in Christ's Bread of Life and Water of Life. Make the Word of God a part of your daily life. Assemble regularly with your fellow Christians hearing God's Word in worship and Bible study. Receive the Lord's Supper often. Live in daily appreciation of the blessings of your Baptism. Then you are filled with all the blessings of salvation God has granted you through Jesus Christ.God's kind of happiness also comes from imitating Jesus. "Blessed are the merciful, because they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:7-9). The next three beatitudes speak of living as Christians, so others identify us as Christ's followers.Christian talk without Christian action to back it up just makes the talk sound like religious gas. If people think you're a hypocrite, it doesn't matter how true your words might be. St. James tells us bluntly, "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by actions, is dead" (James 2:17).People are starved for real Christianity. They aren't necessarily impressed by traditions, rituals, labels, or beautiful buildings. They do notice acts of compassion, generosity, and kindness. Young people especially are desiring real, authentic, and genuine.Real, authentic and genuine describe the life of Christ. We are merciful to others because Jesus was merciful to humanity. Jesus was merciful by dying and saving us, even though we didn't deserve it. He forgives us, even though he knows we will keep on asking for more forgiveness.Imitating Jesus means having a pure heart. But having a pure heart doesn't come naturally to us. Just like cholesterol can clog the arteries around the heart, so our daily sins ruin us spiritually. Every day we need to pray, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10) When we have this pure heart, we will be able to stand before God on the Day of Judgment knowing we will dwell in his presence for all eternity.The peace of Jesus flows into us so that this peace flows out from us to others. Then we are called peacemakers. Jesus doesn't call us to be "peacekeepers" - those who passively sit back and refrain from starting trouble. We are called to be "peacemakers" - those who actively strive to make peace where there are hostilities and quarrels. Jesus actively put himself into the war to reconcile us as enemies to our heavenly Father so we could be called God's sons and daughters. Now we are to actively put ourselves into uncomfortable situations to establish peace through the Prince of Peace.God's kind of happiness also comes from suffering for Jesus' sake. Jesus must have raised a few eyebrows when he said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. In fact, that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:10-12).Face it, people are going to hate you because you're a Christian. They won't understand you because you're a Lutheran. They'll call you "strict" and "close-minded" because you're WELS. Even though you may work to make peace with others, some will hate you enough to make your life miserable. What should you do? Should you lose all hope? Should you give up and throw in the towel? No! Jesus said, "Rejoice and be glad."This is again where Jesus' message turns our world upside down. Jesus wants you to rejoice when someone insults you for standing up for what is right. He wants you to be glad when they do things that try to ruin your life. He wants you to throw a party when people tell lies about you and drag your name through the mud. Well, maybe not a party, but you are to rejoice and be glad.Jesus says we are in good company when we're persecuted for our faith. We are suffering like Isaiah and Jeremiah, Moses and Daniel. We're enduring pain like Paul, Peter, and Stephen. We're abused and shamed just as Christ was abused and shamed. We're enduring it all for him. We endure this suffering because he endured it first for us. When we suffer for Jesus' sake, we aren't doing anything extraordinary. Jesus endured mockery and shame, betrayal and beatings. He endured the cross and separation from his heavenly Father. He endured all of it for us.When we suffer for Jesus' sake, we're really saying, "Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for what you went through for me. Please let me show you my gratitude by standing up for you." We rejoice in our persecution because we are being counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41). It may sound strange, but there really is a joyous and satisfying feeling that comes from suffering in the name of Jesus. That is God's kind of happiness.The message of our world is all about happiness in this world. Jesus promises to reward us greatly in heaven. In the Beatitudes, our Savior turns the world upside down. He calls blessed people this world never would. He calls blessed people that the world would use as doormats. The world praises the brash and the strong. Jesus calls blessed what others see as foolishness. To live this kind of blessedness requires a deep trust in the Lord's strength and a long-term view of life. Jesus calls us blessed even in circumstances like mourning and persecution, because he's looking beyond the troubles of this world to the reward that is waiting for the people of God. Like reading the last chapter of a book, Jesus takes the mystery out of a life filled with sorrow by showing us the end. What is that end? We're blessed!People are searching for happiness. Where can it be found? On a hill along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Upon the bloody Roman cross standing outside the walls of Jerusalem. In the open and empty borrowed tomb. Happiness is found in Word, water, bread, and wine. Happiness is found in God. Amen.

This is disturbing and sad. Joshua Link, a 24-year-old man on transgender hormones from Belleville, Illinois, reportedly took his own life. Joshua supposedly "transitioned" five years ago.Joshua's parents are blaming their son's death on the church that employed Joshua as a custodian. The church is St. John's Lutheran Church - an LC-MS church - in Granite City. The parents blame the church because the pastor did not permit their son to wear a French maid outfit and cat ears while working.Joshua is dead. Not because the church held to God's truths. But because he believed the Devil's lies. He was trapped in physical, emotional, and spiritual darkness.There is a spiritual darkness that has fallen like a shadow over our nation. The recent political unrest is the result of long-term spiritual unrest that has been allowed to settle over America for decades. People celebrate the dismemberment of unborn children and call it a "woman's choice." They use hormones and surgery to mutilate and castrate children, and they call it "gender affirming care." They encourage an unwell, elderly person to end their God-given life and call it "dying with dignity." They burst into a worship service and liken it to Jesus overturning tables in the temple courtyard.This darkness is nothing new. A spiritual, emotional, and physical darkness had fallen upon the land of Zebulon and Naphtali in northern Galilee for centuries. This area was an invasion corridor often used by armies throughout Israel's history. Assyria and Babylon invaded from the north trampling this area. It was often humbled by the struggle of nations.Isaiah prophesies what will happen in this area. "There will be no more gloom for the land that was in anguish. In former times, he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will cause it to be glorious, along the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles" (Isaiah 9:1).The same territory where the feet of invading soldiers trampled every hope and left nothing but gloom and distress would be the scene of a bright future. God had chosen this area for a special honor. Matthew writes about the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. "[Jesus] left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. He did this to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, along the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and on those dwelling in the region and the shadow of death a light has dawned" (Matthew 4:13-16).An oppressive pall of unbelief had settled upon the people in this northern territory. It was filled with Gentiles who did not believe in the true God of Israel. It was far away from the worship in the temple in Jerusalem. True believers would travel great distances - between 70-90 miles - to bring their lambs for sacrifice on Jerusalem's altar.Yet, this dark, gloomy land of unbelief and Gentiles was blessed because this is where Jesus chose to do the bulk of his ministry. Jesus' message was simple and direct. "Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 4:17). Jesus proclaimed to Galileans that they could be free from the idolatry, work righteousness, and materialism that completely captivated them.Galileans were the first to see the light of God's day dawning over the world. The Lamb of God came not to the altar in Jerusalem but to the people in faraway Galilee. Jesus began shining his light into the shadowed nooks and crannies of the world. From fishing boats to synagogues, from workmen to lame men, Christ cast a beacon of light into the darkened world around him with his three-fold ministry of teaching, preaching, and healing. God called his children to follow the light and live in the light.Jesus is the Light of the world. His Word is the Light that confronts, converts, and consoles in present-day darkness, too. He is the Truth that confronts the Devil's lies. He is the only Way of salvation in a polytheistic world. He is the Life in a culture of death. He is the Wisdom of God in a world ruled by toxic empathy, half-truths, and illogical thought. Jesus and his Word are the solution to every issue in our world today.I've heard for years that pastors and Christians should not talk about politics. "Politics" is Greek for "the affairs of the city or citizen." I counter that politics is nothing more than Christian sanctification in the public square. What happens when pastors and Christians don't apply God's Word to the issues of the day - "politics"? Satan fills the void. When we Christians are silent on the issues of the day, men will listen to non-Christian men for leadership. Women will be filled with toxic empathy.Notice what Satan has done. He's taken religious issues on marriage, sex, children, beginning of life, end of life, rule of law, and so on, and made them political. Then many in the Church won't talk about them because they are deemed political. We do ourselves, our neighbors, and our nation a disservice when we cede these issues only to the government. But they are first moral and theological issues that Christians should be discussing, debating, and deciding based on the doctrines of the Bible.I believe we should not be silent about the cultural, social, political, or theological issues of the day. Instead, we should be sharing God's Word and wisdom on all these issues. We should preach Jesus and his doctrines to every facet of life. We preach Jesus' message, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Satan is the Prince of this world. But this world also belongs to Jesus Christ. All things are under his feet (Ephesians 1:22). We shine the light of God's Word into the darkness of this culture. When the Church is silent on issues that the culture is screaming about, then a whole generation only hears one worldview - an un-Christian worldview. The Church must speak up, pray up, disciple up, and train up generations to navigate through cultural issues with the truth of God's Word.The more we talk about issues as pastors and Christians, the less "political" they become. Soren Kierkegaard was correct when he wrote, "What looks like politics, and imagines itself to be political, will one day unmask itself as a religious movement."A darkness has moved like a shadow to cover our nation because people have replaced God's truths with the Devil's lies. They celebrate death and call it good. They praise butchery of the body and call it "health care." They admire those who are confused by their mental illness and call it brave. We need to start calling these atrocities by their proper names. When someone talks about "abortion," correct them by calling it "murder of the unborn." "Gender affirming care," we call "butchery of the body." "Transgenderism," we call "dysphoria" and "confusion." People have bought into these lies because they have placed emotions and feelings over logic and God's truths.Satan's strategy is simple - make sin look normal and make righteousness look weird. The closer you get to God, the weirder you look to people. Don't fall for it.These issues of believing the Devil's lies aren't just "out there" in the world. They are also within our own hearts. We have bought into these lies that the Devil tells and the world promotes because we don't know God's truths well enough; because we aren't bold in our preaching and teaching; and because we just want to be liked. We, too, are susceptible to these lies because our sinful nature is hostile to God and his truths. We are also naturally inclined to the Devil's untruths because they are scratching our itching ears. As Christ's modern-day disciples, we are often drawn away from God's truths and his Christian Church. We want to belong. We don't want to be left out. We don't want to be considered weird. Standing up for God's truths is hard. Sitting quietly on the sideline while other Christians are fighting is much easier and safer.We cannot become angry at those who oppose us and God's truths. St. John makes that clear. "The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is still in the darkness. The one who loves his brother remains in the light, and nothing causes him to stumble." (1 John 2:9-10). We love them with the love of Christ who first loved us.Unbelievers are trapped by the Devil. They have been tricked into believing his lies. They are enslaved by the passions of their bodies. They are where we once were. By God's grace, Jesus has saved us from our sins of believing the Devil's lies and not standing up for God's truths.We show love to those who are trapped in the Devil's lies by ourselves first resisting the Devil and his lies. We submit ourselves to God, his will, and his truths. Then we share God's will and truths with others. We work to free our friends and family from their imprisonment by telling them about a Savior and Conqueror who has come to set them free. We keep speaking the truth in love. We unleash the Holy Spirit through God's Word. He's the only one who can convert them. He can replace their spiritual darkness with the light of faith in Christ Jesus.What happens when you share the Light of Christ in the darkness of this world? Isaiah gives us a glimpse. "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. For those living in the land of the shadow of death, the light has dawned. You have multiplied the nation. You have increased its joy. They rejoice before you like the joy at harvest time, like the celebration when people divide the plunder. For you have shattered the yoke that burdened them. You have broken the bar on their shoulders and the rod of their oppressor, as you did in the day of Midian" (Isaiah 9:2-4).Jesus dawns in people's dark lives. Through his Word and the Holy Spirit, he converts sinners into saints. He changes their eternal destination from hell to heaven. He then sanctifies their lives, so they desire to escape Satan's chaos and rejoice in God's calm. He rescues them from their sexual sins to enjoy married life of a man and a woman that is blessed with lots of children. He calms their minds, so they become comfortable with who and what God made them to be. He makes them lovers of life - protectors for the men and nurturers for the women - from the unborn to the elderly. He allows them to resist and protest when they feel there is government overreach. But now that Jesus' kingdom is in their hearts, they follow St. John's words, "This is how we know that we have known [Jesus Christ]: if we keep his commands" (1 John 2:3). That means they'll resist and protest while keeping God's commandments.Jesus coming into people's lives is painful at first. His Light can hurt when our eyes are not used to his glory and our sins show up in painfully obvious ways. But it's so worth it. Like the people of Galilee, we rejoice. When Jesus enters a person's life, it is like a Wyoming sunrise. It's a brand-new day. All the hurts, pain, and anguish of the day before can be forgotten. It's a new day of Christ shining in you and you living in Christ.When Jesus enters a person's life, it's like the harvest of grain. He has converted the unbelieving weeds into believing wheat. The weeds are burned up like chaff. But the wheat is gathered by his angels into the storehouses of heaven. Like a rancher rejoices that his hard work has paid off and his grain is harvested, so Jesus rejoices that his hard work of justification and sanctification has paid off and his harvest of souls is safe in heaven.When Jesus enters a person's life and they hear and believe his message of repentance and faith, it's like a dreadful battle. The sinful nature, spurred on by Satan and the world fights. But the Holy Spirit has almighty strength. When the precious soul is baptized, converted, and crucified with Christ, the battle is won. Jesus has destroyed all the enemies that frightened his people. Nothing is left but to rejoice and divide the spoil.There is great darkness that has cast a shadow over our nation. Don't ever back down from sharing the Light of Jesus Christ. Keep speaking God's truths against the Devil's lies. Keep knocking down political arguments and point people to Jesus Christ as the way to believe and live. Keep injecting God's eternal wisdom into a world that seems to have lost common sense. Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus has become the Light that makes our lives worth living. We are his, and he is ours. Now that we have his Light, let us walk as children of the Light. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/the-light-has-dawned/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/the-light-has-dawned/This is disturbing and sad. Joshua Link, a 24-year-old man on transgender hormones from Belleville, Illinois, reportedly took his own life. Joshua supposedly "transitioned" five years ago.Joshua's parents are blaming their son's death on the church that employed Joshua as a custodian. The church is St. John's Lutheran Church - an LC-MS church - in Granite City. The parents blame the church because the pastor did not permit their son to wear a French maid outfit and cat ears while working.Joshua is dead. Not because the church held to God's truths. But because he believed the Devil's lies. He was trapped in physical, emotional, and spiritual darkness.There is a spiritual darkness that has fallen like a shadow over our nation. The recent political unrest is the result of long-term spiritual unrest that has been allowed to settle over America for decades. People celebrate the dismemberment of unborn children and call it a "woman's choice." They use hormones and surgery to mutilate and castrate children, and they call it "gender affirming care." They encourage an unwell, elderly person to end their God-given life and call it "dying with dignity." They burst into a worship service and liken it to Jesus overturning tables in the temple courtyard.This darkness is nothing new. A spiritual, emotional, and physical darkness had fallen upon the land of Zebulon and Naphtali in northern Galilee for centuries. This area was an invasion corridor often used by armies throughout Israel's history. Assyria and Babylon invaded from the north trampling this area. It was often humbled by the struggle of nations.Isaiah prophesies what will happen in this area. "There will be no more gloom for the land that was in anguish. In former times, he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will cause it to be glorious, along the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles" (Isaiah 9:1).The same territory where the feet of invading soldiers trampled every hope and left nothing but gloom and distress would be the scene of a bright future. God had chosen this area for a special honor. Matthew writes about the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. "[Jesus] left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. He did this to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, along the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and on those dwelling in the region and the shadow of death a light has dawned" (Matthew 4:13-16).An oppressive pall of unbelief had settled upon the people in this northern territory. It was filled with Gentiles who did not believe in the true God of Israel. It was far away from the worship in the temple in Jerusalem. True believers would travel great distances - between 70-90 miles - to bring their lambs for sacrifice on Jerusalem's altar.Yet, this dark, gloomy land of unbelief and Gentiles was blessed because this is where Jesus chose to do the bulk of his ministry. Jesus' message was simple and direct. "Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 4:17). Jesus proclaimed to Galileans that they could be free from the idolatry, work righteousness, and materialism that completely captivated them.Galileans were the first to see the light of God's day dawning over the world. The Lamb of God came not to the altar in Jerusalem but to the people in faraway Galilee. Jesus began shining his light into the shadowed nooks and crannies of the world. From fishing boats to synagogues, from workmen to lame men, Christ cast a beacon of light into the darkened world around him with his three-fold ministry of teaching, preaching, and healing. God called his children to follow the light and live in the light.Jesus is the Light of the world. His Word is the Light that confronts, converts, and consoles in present-day darkness, too. He is the Truth that confronts the Devil's lies. He is the only Way of salvation in a polytheistic world. He is the Life in a culture of death. He is the Wisdom of God in a world ruled by toxic empathy, half-truths, and illogical thought. Jesus and his Word are the solution to every issue in our world today.I've heard for years that pastors and Christians should not talk about politics. "Politics" is Greek for "the affairs of the city or citizen." I counter that politics is nothing more than Christian sanctification in the public square. What happens when pastors and Christians don't apply God's Word to the issues of the day - "politics"? Satan fills the void. When we Christians are silent on the issues of the day, men will listen to non-Christian men for leadership. Women will be filled with toxic empathy.Notice what Satan has done. He's taken religious issues on marriage, sex, children, beginning of life, end of life, rule of law, and so on, and made them political. Then many in the Church won't talk about them because they are deemed political. We do ourselves, our neighbors, and our nation a disservice when we cede these issues only to the government. But they are first moral and theological issues that Christians should be discussing, debating, and deciding based on the doctrines of the Bible.I believe we should not be silent about the cultural, social, political, or theological issues of the day. Instead, we should be sharing God's Word and wisdom on all these issues. We should preach Jesus and his doctrines to every facet of life. We preach Jesus' message, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Satan is the Prince of this world. But this world also belongs to Jesus Christ. All things are under his feet (Ephesians 1:22). We shine the light of God's Word into the darkness of this culture. When the Church is silent on issues that the culture is screaming about, then a whole generation only hears one worldview - an un-Christian worldview. The Church must speak up, pray up, disciple up, and train up generations to navigate through cultural issues with the truth of God's Word.The more we talk about issues as pastors and Christians, the less "political" they become. Soren Kierkegaard was correct when he wrote, "What looks like politics, and imagines itself to be political, will one day unmask itself as a religious movement."A darkness has moved like a shadow to cover our nation because people have replaced God's truths with the Devil's lies. They celebrate death and call it good. They praise butchery of the body and call it "health care." They admire those who are confused by their mental illness and call it brave. We need to start calling these atrocities by their proper names. When someone talks about "abortion," correct them by calling it "murder of the unborn." "Gender affirming care," we call "butchery of the body." "Transgenderism," we call "dysphoria" and "confusion." People have bought into these lies because they have placed emotions and feelings over logic and God's truths.Satan's strategy is simple - make sin look normal and make righteousness look weird. The closer you get to God, the weirder you look to people. Don't fall for it.These issues of believing the Devil's lies aren't just "out there" in the world. They are also within our own hearts. We have bought into these lies that the Devil tells and the world promotes because we don't know God's truths well enough; because we aren't bold in our preaching and teaching; and because we just want to be liked. We, too, are susceptible to these lies because our sinful nature is hostile to God and his truths. We are also naturally inclined to the Devil's untruths because they are scratching our itching ears. As Christ's modern-day disciples, we are often drawn away from God's truths and his Christian Church. We want to belong. We don't want to be left out. We don't want to be considered weird. Standing up for God's truths is hard. Sitting quietly on the sideline while other Christians are fighting is much easier and safer.We cannot become angry at those who oppose us and God's truths. St. John makes that clear. "The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is still in the darkness. The one who loves his brother remains in the light, and nothing causes him to stumble." (1 John 2:9-10). We love them with the love of Christ who first loved us.Unbelievers are trapped by the Devil. They have been tricked into believing his lies. They are enslaved by the passions of their bodies. They are where we once were. By God's grace, Jesus has saved us from our sins of believing the Devil's lies and not standing up for God's truths.We show love to those who are trapped in the Devil's lies by ourselves first resisting the Devil and his lies. We submit ourselves to God, his will, and his truths. Then we share God's will and truths with others. We work to free our friends and family from their imprisonment by telling them about a Savior and Conqueror who has come to set them free. We keep speaking the truth in love. We unleash the Holy Spirit through God's Word. He's the only one who can convert them. He can replace their spiritual darkness with the light of faith in Christ Jesus.What happens when you share the Light of Christ in the darkness of this world? Isaiah gives us a glimpse. "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. For those living in the land of the shadow of death, the light has dawned. You have multiplied the nation. You have increased its joy. They rejoice before you like the joy at harvest time, like the celebration when people divide the plunder. For you have shattered the yoke that burdened them. You have broken the bar on their shoulders and the rod of their oppressor, as you did in the day of Midian" (Isaiah 9:2-4).Jesus dawns in people's dark lives. Through his Word and the Holy Spirit, he converts sinners into saints. He changes their eternal destination from hell to heaven. He then sanctifies their lives, so they desire to escape Satan's chaos and rejoice in God's calm. He rescues them from their sexual sins to enjoy married life of a man and a woman that is blessed with lots of children. He calms their minds, so they become comfortable with who and what God made them to be. He makes them lovers of life - protectors for the men and nurturers for the women - from the unborn to the elderly. He allows them to resist and protest when they feel there is government overreach. But now that Jesus' kingdom is in their hearts, they follow St. John's words, "This is how we know that we have known [Jesus Christ]: if we keep his commands" (1 John 2:3). That means they'll resist and protest while keeping God's commandments.Jesus coming into people's lives is painful at first. His Light can hurt when our eyes are not used to his glory and our sins show up in painfully obvious ways. But it's so worth it. Like the people of Galilee, we rejoice. When Jesus enters a person's life, it is like a Wyoming sunrise. It's a brand-new day. All the hurts, pain, and anguish of the day before can be forgotten. It's a new day of Christ shining in you and you living in Christ.When Jesus enters a person's life, it's like the harvest of grain. He has converted the unbelieving weeds into believing wheat. The weeds are burned up like chaff. But the wheat is gathered by his angels into the storehouses of heaven. Like a rancher rejoices that his hard work has paid off and his grain is harvested, so Jesus rejoices that his hard work of justification and sanctification has paid off and his harvest of souls is safe in heaven.When Jesus enters a person's life and they hear and believe his message of repentance and faith, it's like a dreadful battle. The sinful nature, spurred on by Satan and the world fights. But the Holy Spirit has almighty strength. When the precious soul is baptized, converted, and crucified with Christ, the battle is won. Jesus has destroyed all the enemies that frightened his people. Nothing is left but to rejoice and divide the spoil.There is great darkness that has cast a shadow over our nation. Don't ever back down from sharing the Light of Jesus Christ. Keep speaking God's truths against the Devil's lies. Keep knocking down political arguments and point people to Jesus Christ as the way to believe and live. Keep injecting God's eternal wisdom into a world that seems to have lost common sense. Through his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus has become the Light that makes our lives worth living. We are his, and he is ours. Now that we have his Light, let us walk as children of the Light. Amen.

Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him (Colossians 2:6). Amen.Two weeks ago, I was on a mission trip in Gilbert, Arizona. I was learning how to evangelize to Mormons – members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.On Tuesday, we went to visit an LDS temple. Our mission team was Pastor Parsons – who is the Executive Director for Truth In Love Ministries – his wife, Molly, Pastor Nitz from Cheyenne, and his wife, Katie, and me. The mission team also had a dozen students from Martin Luther College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.Pastor Parsons organized an hour conversation that our mission team was able to have with Mormon missionaries, who are all 18 to 20 years old. Caleb, who is a second-year student at our Seminary was paired with me. He introduced me to Elder Young, a young missionary we would be speaking with. Caleb pointed to me and said, "Elder Young, this is my grandfather." Elder Young replied, "Really? That's cool. Pleased to meet you."I replied, "No. Not really, you young whippersnappers!"The LDS missionaries can never be alone. They must always have a partner. Elder Young's partner was the President of the Temple.During our conversation, I said to the President and Elder Young, "Let's say a member of my church named Joe, comes into my study. He admits he has an addiction to alcohol. He knows it's wrong and harmful to him and his relationships. He's been battling this addiction for years, but he can't overcome it. So, I lead Joe to the cross of Christ and to his open tomb. We open our hymnal and go through the order of Private Confession and Absolution."For your knowledge, that confession goes like this. The penitent confesses: Almighty God, merciful Father, I, a troubled and repentant sinner, confess that I have sinned against you in my thoughts, my words, and my actions. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved others as I should. I am distressed by the sins that trouble me and am deeply sorry for them.The minister says: Jesus says to his people: "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven." His death paid for the guilt of your sins and the sins of the whole world. Do you believe this?The penitent replies: Yes, I believe.The minister says: Because of the promise of our Savior Jesus, I forgive you all your sins. Be assured that you are a dear child of God and an heir of eternal life. Go in peace. The Lord be with you.I continued with the President and Elder Young. I said, "I then use a Bible verse you quoted on your screen earlier, Jesus said, 'Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven' (Matthew 16:19). It's like the chains on Marley's ghost in Charles Dickens' novel, 'A Christmas Carol.'"The President replied, "I've read 'A Christmas Carol'."I said, "Great! Do you know what those chains represent?""I do," the President answered. "They represent Marley's sins.""Exactly!" I said. "Those sins were bound to Marley for all eternity because he didn't accept Jesus' forgiveness for them. In my study, I absolved Joe of his sins. By Jesus' perfect life, atoning sacrifice, and glorious resurrection, I could announce to Joe that his sins were absolved. They were paid for. He was released from his chains. That forgiveness would be the power to combat his addiction."Then I asked the President, "If one of your LDS members came to your bishop to discuss his addiction, what he say?"The President admitted, "We don't have absolution like you do. The man would speak to the bishop. The bishop would give him a list of things to do to combat his addiction. He would try harder. Because he's trying, Heavenly Father would accept him."We'll be doing a Bible study at this time next year on evangelizing to Mormons. Pastor Uhlhorn will be taking over the position of executive director for TILM from Pastor Parsons. Pastor Uhlhorn is already scheduled to do a workshop on outreach to Mormons for us in spring of 2027.Did you catch one big difference between the Christian Church and the LDS church? It's Jesus! In the LDS church, there is no absolution – no forgiveness through Jesus Christ as Savior. In the Christian Church, you and I are given the authority to loose and bind people's sins based on their repentance or unrepentance. The difference is absolution through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.John the evangelist writes that the day after Jesus was baptized, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29)!"Look" is an epiphany word. "Epiphany" means "reveal," "appear," "look here, I want to show you something." John had already received an epiphany from God the previous day. That's when John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, the heavens opened, the Father spoke, and the Spirit descended like a dove. Now John is proclaiming this epiphany in the water to his disciples and audience."Look, the Lamb!" Throughout the Old Testament, animals were used for sacrifice. Bulls, goats, and birds, but especially lambs. These sacrifices were plentiful – morning and evening sacrifices, purifications, sin offerings, guilt offerings, burnt offerings, and so on. Then there were special festival sacrifices – the Feast of Tabernacles, Pentecost, Passover, and the Great Day of Atonement. The blood of lambs was continually flowing from Jerusalem's altar. When John calls Jesus "the Lamb" all these images come to mind.All devout Jews knew that they were the ones who should be allowed to die, not all these lambs. The blood flowing from the lambs only emphasized how sinful they really were. Hebrews reminds us, "Those sacrifices were an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats (and sheep) to take away sins" (Hebrews 10:3). The people knew they had earned God's eternal wrath with their sins. Just as they knew that sheep are amazingly clueless animals regarding the things of this world; they also knew that they themselves were amazingly clueless regarding the things of God. This image was so strong that God often referred to the people as his sheep with himself as their Shepherd. They understood that the sacrificial lamb was taking their place. Now John was pointing to this Man who was the Shepherd who had become a Lamb to lead by becoming a sacrifice. Like we just sang, "You, Lord, are both Lamb and Shepherd.""Look, the Lamb of God." I've learned that in the LDS church, their god – Heavenly Father – appears to me as being remote, aloof, and distant. Do you ever feel that way about the true God? That your Heavenly Father is remote, aloof, and distant? That he's out of touch? Unknowing? Uncaring? That he sees the unrest in our nation, but isn't doing anything to quell the violence? That he sees your hurt, but isn't doing anything to give you peace? That he sees your illnesses and injuries, but allows you to keep suffering?If you feel this way, then join John the Baptist on the shores of the Jordan River. Look at where he's pointing. "Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" St. Paul explains the importance – and complexity – of the incarnation when he writes, "For all the fullness of God's being dwells bodily in Christ" (Colossians 2:9). In his incarnation of the divinity taking on human flesh, Jesus proves that our God is not remote, aloof, or distant. He is Immanuel. He is God right here with us. As we'll confess today in the Nicene Creed, Jesus is God from God and Light from Light. He is the Son from eternity who entered time by taking on human flesh to become a bridge between sinful humanity and a holy God. The Son of God also became the Son of Man so we could be adopted as sons and daughters of God. He became the sacrificial Lamb of God to lead us to God as our Savior Shepherd."Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away sin!" The words "take away" in the Greek mean to "lift up and carry to another place." This means the Lamb takes the load, the curse, the damnation of the total massive amount of sin upon himself. He lifts the awful burden from us and carries it to the cross. There our sin is crucified with Christ. Blood flows. The Lamb is slaughtered. The Savior is sacrificed. The Substitute takes our place and takes our sin away.Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Sin which has plagued and plundered creation since the Fall of Man is removed. Jesus takes away sin, not just of the Jews who sacrificed lambs on Jerusalem's altars. Isaiah says of Christ, "The Lord said: It is too small a thing that you should just be my servant to raise up only the tribes of Jacob and to restore the ones I have preserved in Israel, so I will appoint you to be a light for the nations, so that my salvation will be known to the end of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6). Salvation is not restricted by race, place, culture, wealth, or age. There is no sin anywhere by anyone that this Lamb of God does not take away."Lamb" speaks of sacrifice. That's what lambs were good for. Their throats were slit, their blood poured upon the altar, sprinkled on the ark of the covenant or painted on doorframes. Their bodies roasted in the fire, sometimes consumed entirely, sometimes shared in communion for the fellowship offering. The lamb was their substitute, their vicarious victim. They owed everything to the lamb.Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! We respond to John's declaration in the Divine Service. As John baptized Jesus in the Jordan one day and the next day pointed to him as the Lamb who would ultimately lay upon the altar of the cross, so too our Baptism now leads us to the altar, to eat the body and drink the blood of the crucified Lamb of God. We sing John's song as we approach the altar, "Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us." The life we are given through water and Word is fed and strengthened and sustained through the forgiveness and life of this eating and drinking. If Baptism washes us from the outside in, here is the food that changes us from the inside out. If Baptism puts us into Christ, then here Christ is put into us.We owe everything to the Lamb.I've learned that the LDS church is all about what they must do for Heavenly Father. That's why LDS members won't smoke or drink alcohol or drink caffeine. That's why they have good paying jobs and lots of children. They must keep doing good works to gain their god's favor. When one of their members admits he is struggling with sin, he is told to do more, try harder, and be better. They are taught the Devil's lie.By God's grace, you have been brought into the Christian Church. You are taught God's truth. You can't ever do enough to earn God's favor. Doing more, trying harder, and being better doesn't work. The only thing that works to remove your burdens, release your guilt, and forgive your sins is Jesus Christ. He did the good work of living perfectly in your place. The good work of overcoming the Devil's temptations in the desert. The good works of paying for your sins with his sacrificial death, crushing Satan's power under his bloody foot, sacrificing himself on the altar of the cross, and rising from the dead to defeat Death once and for all. Jesus dies as the Lamb of God to rise to be your Good Shepherd. As the Lamb of God, he absolves your sins in private confession, in public worship, and in your daily lives as spouses, family, and friends. He then releases you from the chains of your sins to shepherd you to the green pastures and quiet waters of paradise.Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise (Revelation 5:12)! Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/look-the-lamb-of-god/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/look-the-lamb-of-god/Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him (Colossians 2:6). Amen.Two weeks ago, I was on a mission trip in Gilbert, Arizona. I was learning how to evangelize to Mormons – members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.On Tuesday, we went to visit an LDS temple. Our mission team was Pastor Parsons – who is the Executive Director for Truth In Love Ministries – his wife, Molly, Pastor Nitz from Cheyenne, and his wife, Katie, and me. The mission team also had a dozen students from Martin Luther College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.Pastor Parsons organized an hour conversation that our mission team was able to have with Mormon missionaries, who are all 18 to 20 years old. Caleb, who is a second-year student at our Seminary was paired with me. He introduced me to Elder Young, a young missionary we would be speaking with. Caleb pointed to me and said, "Elder Young, this is my grandfather." Elder Young replied, "Really? That's cool. Pleased to meet you."I replied, "No. Not really, you young whippersnappers!"The LDS missionaries can never be alone. They must always have a partner. Elder Young's partner was the President of the Temple.During our conversation, I said to the President and Elder Young, "Let's say a member of my church named Joe, comes into my study. He admits he has an addiction to alcohol. He knows it's wrong and harmful to him and his relationships. He's been battling this addiction for years, but he can't overcome it. So, I lead Joe to the cross of Christ and to his open tomb. We open our hymnal and go through the order of Private Confession and Absolution."For your knowledge, that confession goes like this. The penitent confesses: Almighty God, merciful Father, I, a troubled and repentant sinner, confess that I have sinned against you in my thoughts, my words, and my actions. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved others as I should. I am distressed by the sins that trouble me and am deeply sorry for them.The minister says: Jesus says to his people: "If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven." His death paid for the guilt of your sins and the sins of the whole world. Do you believe this?The penitent replies: Yes, I believe.The minister says: Because of the promise of our Savior Jesus, I forgive you all your sins. Be assured that you are a dear child of God and an heir of eternal life. Go in peace. The Lord be with you.I continued with the President and Elder Young. I said, "I then use a Bible verse you quoted on your screen earlier, Jesus said, 'Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven' (Matthew 16:19). It's like the chains on Marley's ghost in Charles Dickens' novel, 'A Christmas Carol.'"The President replied, "I've read 'A Christmas Carol'."I said, "Great! Do you know what those chains represent?""I do," the President answered. "They represent Marley's sins.""Exactly!" I said. "Those sins were bound to Marley for all eternity because he didn't accept Jesus' forgiveness for them. In my study, I absolved Joe of his sins. By Jesus' perfect life, atoning sacrifice, and glorious resurrection, I could announce to Joe that his sins were absolved. They were paid for. He was released from his chains. That forgiveness would be the power to combat his addiction."Then I asked the President, "If one of your LDS members came to your bishop to discuss his addiction, what he say?"The President admitted, "We don't have absolution like you do. The man would speak to the bishop. The bishop would give him a list of things to do to combat his addiction. He would try harder. Because he's trying, Heavenly Father would accept him."We'll be doing a Bible study at this time next year on evangelizing to Mormons. Pastor Uhlhorn will be taking over the position of executive director for TILM from Pastor Parsons. Pastor Uhlhorn is already scheduled to do a workshop on outreach to Mormons for us in spring of 2027.Did you catch one big difference between the Christian Church and the LDS church? It's Jesus! In the LDS church, there is no absolution – no forgiveness through Jesus Christ as Savior. In the Christian Church, you and I are given the authority to loose and bind people's sins based on their repentance or unrepentance. The difference is absolution through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.John the evangelist writes that the day after Jesus was baptized, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29)!"Look" is an epiphany word. "Epiphany" means "reveal," "appear," "look here, I want to show you something." John had already received an epiphany from God the previous day. That's when John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, the heavens opened, the Father spoke, and the Spirit descended like a dove. Now John is proclaiming this epiphany in the water to his disciples and audience."Look, the Lamb!" Throughout the Old Testament, animals were used for sacrifice. Bulls, goats, and birds, but especially lambs. These sacrifices were plentiful – morning and evening sacrifices, purifications, sin offerings, guilt offerings, burnt offerings, and so on. Then there were special festival sacrifices – the Feast of Tabernacles, Pentecost, Passover, and the Great Day of Atonement. The blood of lambs was continually flowing from Jerusalem's altar. When John calls Jesus "the Lamb" all these images come to mind.All devout Jews knew that they were the ones who should be allowed to die, not all these lambs. The blood flowing from the lambs only emphasized how sinful they really were. Hebrews reminds us, "Those sacrifices were an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats (and sheep) to take away sins" (Hebrews 10:3). The people knew they had earned God's eternal wrath with their sins. Just as they knew that sheep are amazingly clueless animals regarding the things of this world; they also knew that they themselves were amazingly clueless regarding the things of God. This image was so strong that God often referred to the people as his sheep with himself as their Shepherd. They understood that the sacrificial lamb was taking their place. Now John was pointing to this Man who was the Shepherd who had become a Lamb to lead by becoming a sacrifice. Like we just sang, "You, Lord, are both Lamb and Shepherd.""Look, the Lamb of God." I've learned that in the LDS church, their god – Heavenly Father – appears to me as being remote, aloof, and distant. Do you ever feel that way about the true God? That your Heavenly Father is remote, aloof, and distant? That he's out of touch? Unknowing? Uncaring? That he sees the unrest in our nation, but isn't doing anything to quell the violence? That he sees your hurt, but isn't doing anything to give you peace? That he sees your illnesses and injuries, but allows you to keep suffering?If you feel this way, then join John the Baptist on the shores of the Jordan River. Look at where he's pointing. "Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" St. Paul explains the importance – and complexity – of the incarnation when he writes, "For all the fullness of God's being dwells bodily in Christ" (Colossians 2:9). In his incarnation of the divinity taking on human flesh, Jesus proves that our God is not remote, aloof, or distant. He is Immanuel. He is God right here with us. As we'll confess today in the Nicene Creed, Jesus is God from God and Light from Light. He is the Son from eternity who entered time by taking on human flesh to become a bridge between sinful humanity and a holy God. The Son of God also became the Son of Man so we could be adopted as sons and daughters of God. He became the sacrificial Lamb of God to lead us to God as our Savior Shepherd."Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away sin!" The words "take away" in the Greek mean to "lift up and carry to another place." This means the Lamb takes the load, the curse, the damnation of the total massive amount of sin upon himself. He lifts the awful burden from us and carries it to the cross. There our sin is crucified with Christ. Blood flows. The Lamb is slaughtered. The Savior is sacrificed. The Substitute takes our place and takes our sin away.Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Sin which has plagued and plundered creation since the Fall of Man is removed. Jesus takes away sin, not just of the Jews who sacrificed lambs on Jerusalem's altars. Isaiah says of Christ, "The Lord said: It is too small a thing that you should just be my servant to raise up only the tribes of Jacob and to restore the ones I have preserved in Israel, so I will appoint you to be a light for the nations, so that my salvation will be known to the end of the earth" (Isaiah 49:6). Salvation is not restricted by race, place, culture, wealth, or age. There is no sin anywhere by anyone that this Lamb of God does not take away."Lamb" speaks of sacrifice. That's what lambs were good for. Their throats were slit, their blood poured upon the altar, sprinkled on the ark of the covenant or painted on doorframes. Their bodies roasted in the fire, sometimes consumed entirely, sometimes shared in communion for the fellowship offering. The lamb was their substitute, their vicarious victim. They owed everything to the lamb.Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! We respond to John's declaration in the Divine Service. As John baptized Jesus in the Jordan one day and the next day pointed to him as the Lamb who would ultimately lay upon the altar of the cross, so too our Baptism now leads us to the altar, to eat the body and drink the blood of the crucified Lamb of God. We sing John's song as we approach the altar, "Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world, have mercy on us." The life we are given through water and Word is fed and strengthened and sustained through the forgiveness and life of this eating and drinking. If Baptism washes us from the outside in, here is the food that changes us from the inside out. If Baptism puts us into Christ, then here Christ is put into us.We owe everything to the Lamb.I've learned that the LDS church is all about what they must do for Heavenly Father. That's why LDS members won't smoke or drink alcohol or drink caffeine. That's why they have good paying jobs and lots of children. They must keep doing good works to gain their god's favor. When one of their members admits he is struggling with sin, he is told to do more, try harder, and be better. They are taught the Devil's lie.By God's grace, you have been brought into the Christian Church. You are taught God's truth. You can't ever do enough to earn God's favor. Doing more, trying harder, and being better doesn't work. The only thing that works to remove your burdens, release your guilt, and forgive your sins is Jesus Christ. He did the good work of living perfectly in your place. The good work of overcoming the Devil's temptations in the desert. The good works of paying for your sins with his sacrificial death, crushing Satan's power under his bloody foot, sacrificing himself on the altar of the cross, and rising from the dead to defeat Death once and for all. Jesus dies as the Lamb of God to rise to be your Good Shepherd. As the Lamb of God, he absolves your sins in private confession, in public worship, and in your daily lives as spouses, family, and friends. He then releases you from the chains of your sins to shepherd you to the green pastures and quiet waters of paradise.Look! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise (Revelation 5:12)! Amen.

The Lord speaks of his Anointed One: Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight. I am placing my Spirit on him (Isaiah 42:1). Amen.Raising four daughters, we had plenty of stuffed animals, ponies, dolls, and Barbies in our home. But we also had - and still have - Batman. Our youngest daughter, Belle, especially loved Batman. We watched all the shows. She knew all the characters. She even had the pajamas. When she was three, I took Belle with me to Target just before Christmas to show her the Fisher Price Batcave. It was big. It was awesome. And she really wanted it!Shortly after seeing her dream toy, Belle was on the phone with Shelley's mom and was telling her all about the Batcave. Again, Belle was only 3 and she didn't always speak very clearly. Over the phone she excitedly said, "Grandma, I want the Batcave. It has Batman and Robin and Joker and Penguin and Mr. Freeze and I really want it!" But Grandma Stolzman said, "Belle, I don't understand. What are you saying? I don't think I can get it for you." An exasperated Belle replied with a deep sigh and said, "Grandma, just give me the money. I buy it myself!"You can imagine the look on Belle's face on Christmas Day as the last present to be opened was ... the Batcave! And she didn't have to buy it.The delight on a young child's face as she opens her big Christmas present. The joy on the face of a young woman as her boyfriend gets down on one knee and opens the ring box. The stunned look on the man's face as he walks into his surprise 40th birthday party. The relief on the couple's faces when the locksmith opens their car door after the keys had been locked inside and they had been standing in 10-degree weather. Expressions of delight, joy, surprise and relief - just from opening something.Today we find these same expressions on our faces at the opening of something else. It is the opening of heaven.Over the past few weeks, we have knelt with the shepherds to worship the Infant in the manger. We've traveled with the Persian astrologers who followed the star to worship the King of the Jews. Today we take a huge leap - 30 years later. We are on the banks of the Jordan River with John the Baptist. On this first Sunday after the Festival of the Epiphany, we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord.We are in the season of Epiphany. Epiphany means "reveal." During the season of Epiphany, we see the Christ Child revealed to the Magi with the miraculous star. We see the Christ revealed in the waters of the Jordan River as God's Son. We see the Messiah revealed as the miracle worker when he changes water into wine at a wedding. Jesus' Epiphany in the water is his inauguration, the official beginning of his ministry, and his anointing with the Holy Spirit and power.Until his baptism, Jesus was recognized and worshiped only by a handful of people. Shepherds at his birth. Simeon and Anna in the temple when he was 40 days old. Magi from the East when he was a toddler. The neighbors in Nazareth probably didn't have a clue. To them, Jesus was the carpenter's son, working in his father's shop.Then one day when he was 30 years old, Jesus stood in the Jordan River, shoulder to shoulder with the people he came to save. What a day this is! At Christmas we celebrate heaven opening so the Son of God may be born to live with us. At Jesus' Baptism we celebrate heaven opening so we may be reborn to live with God.We need Jesus coming to us and God opening heaven to us. On our own, we are not coming to Jesus. We are not entering heaven. That's because we are dirty with sin. We have separated ourselves from God. We have strayed from his way and rejected his will. As Isaiah said, we are like broken reeds and snuffed out wicks (Isaiah 42:3). We are filled with anger, venom, and spite. We are covered with pride, prejudice, and profanity. We are consumed with apathy, indifference, and stinginess.Heaven is closed to people like us. Hell is reserved for people like us. Adam and Eve were created by the Trinity to be holy and righteous children of God. They lost God's image with their fall into sin. As children of Adam, we are now born slaves of Satan. Sin is our master. Hell is our dungeon. Like our first parents, we hide from God and don't want to be in his presence.Jesus comes to us so he can bring us to God. As Jesus is standing in the water, God's Son is standing in solidarity with sinners. Jesus is fulfilling all righteousness in this water, so we might be made righteous ones through that same water. Jesus is baptized in our sewer, to put our sins upon him, so that with that same water, we might be cleansed. He takes the filth, stench, and sewage upon himself so we might be purified, rinsed, and restored. That's a graphic picture. But it's also an accurate picture. Our sin is the cesspool we are living and wallowing in. And without hesitation, Jesus steps in.John objects. Don't step in this water, Jesus! It's filthy! It's full of sins! But Jesus steps right on in. It's where he wants to be. It's where he needs to be!Jesus isn't washing away any one specific sin. He is washing away all our many and varied sins. He washes away our inherent, inborn, natural sins. He cleanses us from sins we commit knowingly and purposefully - the one drink too many, the angry word, the vengeful thought, the lustful glance, the covetous desire, the stress-filled impatience, the doubt-filled worry, the gossip-laden text, and the profane post. He wipes away all the sins we try to defend as righteous anger or filling loneliness or "that's the way I was born" or "everybody else is doing it" or "God wants me to be happy." He even bathes us from all the sins we have forgotten or didn't realize we were committing - our apathy toward lost souls, our uncaring for the hurting, our indifference for the less fortunate, our stinginess with our money, or our lack of prayers for God's ministry.The Spotless One was washed in Jordan's baptismal water so you might be spotless in your baptismal water. Jesus' work at the Jordan was not in power, but in weakness. Not by force but in love. Not by separating himself, but by joining us in our cesspool.God the Father is delighted with his Son's work. He opens heaven just to speak to his Son and announces, "This is my Son, whom I love. I am well pleased with him" (Matthew 3:17). Just as Old Testament prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil, so the Father sends the Holy Spirit to anoint the Son for his offices as Prophet, Priest, and King. Certainly, the Father could communicate with his only-begotten Son without parting the clouds. So, there's something else happening here. Something more than the Father needing to speak to his Son and opening the heavens like you might open the car door window to speak to the drive-thru attendant.Matthew writes, "Suddenly, the heavens were opened for him" (Matthew 3:16)! Such a small sentence. Easy to miss. But don't take this phrase lightly. When this happened before "when the floodgates of the heavens were opened," (Genesis 7:11) God sent a flood to destroy sinful humanity with whom he was displeased. He sent down judgment. He ordered his wrath upon the world. He deluged the world with the waters of absolute annihilation. But now he opens the gates of heaven to bring washed humanity to himself. He sends down the Holy Spirit with power and peace. He brings a deluge upon the world with the waters of pure grace. Heaven is opened so that the angels and archangels and all the company of heaven may see this wonder in the making.All three persons of the triune Godhead were present at Jesus' Baptism. Just as all three persons of the Trinity were involved at the beginning of the universe, now all three are involved at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. At creation, the Father was speaking, the Son was the Word being spoken, and the Holy Spirit was hovering over the waters - blessing creation. At Jesus' baptism, the Father was speaking, the Son made flesh was standing in the waters, and the Holy Spirit was hovering over the waters like a dove, blessing the event. In the same way, the Holy Trinity was present at our baptisms, as we are baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19).The Father announced, "This is my Son, whom I love. I am well pleased with him." These words comfort us because Jesus was fulfilling his purpose as God's only-begotten Son. Now, through faith in the only-begotten Son, we are made God's adopted sons and daughters. We become members of his holy family through Baptism.Because Jesus stood in the water for you, the Father has opened heaven to you. Like a child opening her special present with joy on her face, so we look with joy that heaven is opened to us. Like the young woman with delight on her face at seeing the man she loves open the ring box, so we are delighted that the God-Man has opened heaven to us and made us his eternal bride. Like the couple who have relief on their faces that their vehicle doors have been unlocked and opened so they don't have to suffer the frigid cold any longer, so we have relief on our faces that God has opened heaven and closed the gates of hell and the suffering of fire to us. Like the man with a look of shock on his face at his surprise 40th birthday party, so we are shocked and surprised that God would ever open heaven to sinners like us.Baptism is not a one-time event that happened years ago for us. It is a life-changing occurrence every day of our lives. In our Baptism, we are freed, claimed, cleansed, forgiven, born again, clothed in Christ, sealed by the Spirit, and marked with the sign of the cross. Whew! The Paschal Candle beside the font is lit today. That candle is lit only for baptisms, funerals, and the season of Easter. The Paschal Candle displays that we have died to sin, been buried with Christ, and raised to a new life in him. That's why we'll end our worship today singing, "There is nothing worth comparing To this lifelong comfort sure! Open-eyed my grave is staring: Even there I'll sleep secure. Though my flesh awaits its raising, Still my soul continues praising: I am baptized into Christ; I'm a child of paradise!" (CW: 737 v 5).Martin Luther asked in his Small Catechism, "How can water do such great things?" If it's plain water, it can't. It can only wash your body, but it cannot touch your soul. But if Jesus is in the water, it can do great, divine things. When Jesus stepped into that water, the water didn't change Jesus, Jesus changed the water. "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5). The Holy Spirit who leads you to Christ also joins you to Christ.Remember your Baptism daily. Your sin torments you. Satan plagues you. The world tempts you. Death is near you. You become weary of the fight. You appear weak, helpless, hopeless - as if there's no reason to go on. Fellow baptized saints, travel daily to the font. Your Baptism releases a forgiving flood. Your Baptism washes a guilty conscience. Your Baptism gives you strength divine. Your Baptism ends Satan's ugly accusation. Your Baptism ends Death's gladness. You no longer live a life that will end in death, but you will die a death that will end in life.When we moved to Casper, we moved all the Batman characters and vehicles. We even moved three Batcaves! Belle doesn't play with them anymore. Hopefully our grandchildren will. And hopefully, they'll love them as much as Belle did. All we have to do is open the closet door.In Jesus' baptismal river and your baptismal font, with water and Word, heaven has been opened to you ... and it shall never be closed again. Amen.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 (Isaiah 42:7). Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/heaven-is-opened/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/heaven-is-opened/The Lord speaks of his Anointed One: Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight. I am placing my Spirit on him (Isaiah 42:1). Amen.Raising four daughters, we had plenty of stuffed animals, ponies, dolls, and Barbies in our home. But we also had - and still have - Batman. Our youngest daughter, Belle, especially loved Batman. We watched all the shows. She knew all the characters. She even had the pajamas. When she was three, I took Belle with me to Target just before Christmas to show her the Fisher Price Batcave. It was big. It was awesome. And she really wanted it!Shortly after seeing her dream toy, Belle was on the phone with Shelley's mom and was telling her all about the Batcave. Again, Belle was only 3 and she didn't always speak very clearly. Over the phone she excitedly said, "Grandma, I want the Batcave. It has Batman and Robin and Joker and Penguin and Mr. Freeze and I really want it!" But Grandma Stolzman said, "Belle, I don't understand. What are you saying? I don't think I can get it for you." An exasperated Belle replied with a deep sigh and said, "Grandma, just give me the money. I buy it myself!"You can imagine the look on Belle's face on Christmas Day as the last present to be opened was ... the Batcave! And she didn't have to buy it.The delight on a young child's face as she opens her big Christmas present. The joy on the face of a young woman as her boyfriend gets down on one knee and opens the ring box. The stunned look on the man's face as he walks into his surprise 40th birthday party. The relief on the couple's faces when the locksmith opens their car door after the keys had been locked inside and they had been standing in 10-degree weather. Expressions of delight, joy, surprise and relief - just from opening something.Today we find these same expressions on our faces at the opening of something else. It is the opening of heaven.Over the past few weeks, we have knelt with the shepherds to worship the Infant in the manger. We've traveled with the Persian astrologers who followed the star to worship the King of the Jews. Today we take a huge leap - 30 years later. We are on the banks of the Jordan River with John the Baptist. On this first Sunday after the Festival of the Epiphany, we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord.We are in the season of Epiphany. Epiphany means "reveal." During the season of Epiphany, we see the Christ Child revealed to the Magi with the miraculous star. We see the Christ revealed in the waters of the Jordan River as God's Son. We see the Messiah revealed as the miracle worker when he changes water into wine at a wedding. Jesus' Epiphany in the water is his inauguration, the official beginning of his ministry, and his anointing with the Holy Spirit and power.Until his baptism, Jesus was recognized and worshiped only by a handful of people. Shepherds at his birth. Simeon and Anna in the temple when he was 40 days old. Magi from the East when he was a toddler. The neighbors in Nazareth probably didn't have a clue. To them, Jesus was the carpenter's son, working in his father's shop.Then one day when he was 30 years old, Jesus stood in the Jordan River, shoulder to shoulder with the people he came to save. What a day this is! At Christmas we celebrate heaven opening so the Son of God may be born to live with us. At Jesus' Baptism we celebrate heaven opening so we may be reborn to live with God.We need Jesus coming to us and God opening heaven to us. On our own, we are not coming to Jesus. We are not entering heaven. That's because we are dirty with sin. We have separated ourselves from God. We have strayed from his way and rejected his will. As Isaiah said, we are like broken reeds and snuffed out wicks (Isaiah 42:3). We are filled with anger, venom, and spite. We are covered with pride, prejudice, and profanity. We are consumed with apathy, indifference, and stinginess.Heaven is closed to people like us. Hell is reserved for people like us. Adam and Eve were created by the Trinity to be holy and righteous children of God. They lost God's image with their fall into sin. As children of Adam, we are now born slaves of Satan. Sin is our master. Hell is our dungeon. Like our first parents, we hide from God and don't want to be in his presence.Jesus comes to us so he can bring us to God. As Jesus is standing in the water, God's Son is standing in solidarity with sinners. Jesus is fulfilling all righteousness in this water, so we might be made righteous ones through that same water. Jesus is baptized in our sewer, to put our sins upon him, so that with that same water, we might be cleansed. He takes the filth, stench, and sewage upon himself so we might be purified, rinsed, and restored. That's a graphic picture. But it's also an accurate picture. Our sin is the cesspool we are living and wallowing in. And without hesitation, Jesus steps in.John objects. Don't step in this water, Jesus! It's filthy! It's full of sins! But Jesus steps right on in. It's where he wants to be. It's where he needs to be!Jesus isn't washing away any one specific sin. He is washing away all our many and varied sins. He washes away our inherent, inborn, natural sins. He cleanses us from sins we commit knowingly and purposefully - the one drink too many, the angry word, the vengeful thought, the lustful glance, the covetous desire, the stress-filled impatience, the doubt-filled worry, the gossip-laden text, and the profane post. He wipes away all the sins we try to defend as righteous anger or filling loneliness or "that's the way I was born" or "everybody else is doing it" or "God wants me to be happy." He even bathes us from all the sins we have forgotten or didn't realize we were committing - our apathy toward lost souls, our uncaring for the hurting, our indifference for the less fortunate, our stinginess with our money, or our lack of prayers for God's ministry.The Spotless One was washed in Jordan's baptismal water so you might be spotless in your baptismal water. Jesus' work at the Jordan was not in power, but in weakness. Not by force but in love. Not by separating himself, but by joining us in our cesspool.God the Father is delighted with his Son's work. He opens heaven just to speak to his Son and announces, "This is my Son, whom I love. I am well pleased with him" (Matthew 3:17). Just as Old Testament prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil, so the Father sends the Holy Spirit to anoint the Son for his offices as Prophet, Priest, and King. Certainly, the Father could communicate with his only-begotten Son without parting the clouds. So, there's something else happening here. Something more than the Father needing to speak to his Son and opening the heavens like you might open the car door window to speak to the drive-thru attendant.Matthew writes, "Suddenly, the heavens were opened for him" (Matthew 3:16)! Such a small sentence. Easy to miss. But don't take this phrase lightly. When this happened before "when the floodgates of the heavens were opened," (Genesis 7:11) God sent a flood to destroy sinful humanity with whom he was displeased. He sent down judgment. He ordered his wrath upon the world. He deluged the world with the waters of absolute annihilation. But now he opens the gates of heaven to bring washed humanity to himself. He sends down the Holy Spirit with power and peace. He brings a deluge upon the world with the waters of pure grace. Heaven is opened so that the angels and archangels and all the company of heaven may see this wonder in the making.All three persons of the triune Godhead were present at Jesus' Baptism. Just as all three persons of the Trinity were involved at the beginning of the universe, now all three are involved at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. At creation, the Father was speaking, the Son was the Word being spoken, and the Holy Spirit was hovering over the waters - blessing creation. At Jesus' baptism, the Father was speaking, the Son made flesh was standing in the waters, and the Holy Spirit was hovering over the waters like a dove, blessing the event. In the same way, the Holy Trinity was present at our baptisms, as we are baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19).The Father announced, "This is my Son, whom I love. I am well pleased with him." These words comfort us because Jesus was fulfilling his purpose as God's only-begotten Son. Now, through faith in the only-begotten Son, we are made God's adopted sons and daughters. We become members of his holy family through Baptism.Because Jesus stood in the water for you, the Father has opened heaven to you. Like a child opening her special present with joy on her face, so we look with joy that heaven is opened to us. Like the young woman with delight on her face at seeing the man she loves open the ring box, so we are delighted that the God-Man has opened heaven to us and made us his eternal bride. Like the couple who have relief on their faces that their vehicle doors have been unlocked and opened so they don't have to suffer the frigid cold any longer, so we have relief on our faces that God has opened heaven and closed the gates of hell and the suffering of fire to us. Like the man with a look of shock on his face at his surprise 40th birthday party, so we are shocked and surprised that God would ever open heaven to sinners like us.Baptism is not a one-time event that happened years ago for us. It is a life-changing occurrence every day of our lives. In our Baptism, we are freed, claimed, cleansed, forgiven, born again, clothed in Christ, sealed by the Spirit, and marked with the sign of the cross. Whew! The Paschal Candle beside the font is lit today. That candle is lit only for baptisms, funerals, and the season of Easter. The Paschal Candle displays that we have died to sin, been buried with Christ, and raised to a new life in him. That's why we'll end our worship today singing, "There is nothing worth comparing To this lifelong comfort sure! Open-eyed my grave is staring: Even there I'll sleep secure. Though my flesh awaits its raising, Still my soul continues praising: I am baptized into Christ; I'm a child of paradise!" (CW: 737 v 5).Martin Luther asked in his Small Catechism, "How can water do such great things?" If it's plain water, it can't. It can only wash your body, but it cannot touch your soul. But if Jesus is in the water, it can do great, divine things. When Jesus stepped into that water, the water didn't change Jesus, Jesus changed the water. "He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5). The Holy Spirit who leads you to Christ also joins you to Christ.Remember your Baptism daily. Your sin torments you. Satan plagues you. The world tempts you. Death is near you. You become weary of the fight. You appear weak, helpless, hopeless - as if there's no reason to go on. Fellow baptized saints, travel daily to the font. Your Baptism releases a forgiving flood. Your Baptism washes a guilty conscience. Your Baptism gives you strength divine. Your Baptism ends Satan's ugly accusation. Your Baptism ends Death's gladness. You no longer live a life that will end in death, but you will die a death that will end in life.When we moved to Casper, we moved all the Batman characters and vehicles. We even moved three Batcaves! Belle doesn't play with them anymore. Hopefully our grandchildren will. And hopefully, they'll love them as much as Belle did. All we have to do is open the closet door.In Jesus' baptismal river and your baptismal font, with water and Word, heaven has been opened to you ... and it shall never be closed again. Amen.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 (Isaiah 42:7). Amen.

A few weeks ago, we heard the Christmas story from Joseph's point of view through Matthew. On Christmas Eve we heard the Christmas story from Mary's point of view through Luke. Today we hear the Christmas story from eternity's point of view through John.When we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, we usually think about the story of the first Christmas passed down to us by Matthew and Luke. We listen in as the angel Gabriel tells the lowly Virgin Mary that God has chosen her to be the mother of his eternal Son. We watch Joseph the carpenter wrestle over the question to divorce his betrothed wife who is pregnant with a child he knows is not his, until an angel in a dream tells him to take Mary as his wife for the Child is God's own Son. We follow the couple to Bethlehem, and see the newborn Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger because there is no room in the inn.We hear the angel proclaiming the "Good News of great joy" to shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. We listen as the mighty angel chorus offers its praise and glory to God in the highest, expressing the peace God's Son has come to bring. We join the shepherds as they visit the Christ Child, and we journey with the wise men as they follow the star and bring their gifts to "the one who has been born King of the Jews."But the Gospel of John shows us Christ's birth from a different point of view. John takes us to the beginning of time and introduces us to the Word, the mighty Son of God who created all things. The Gospel of John begins: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). For the next 12 verses, John describes the Child of Christmas according to his divine nature, as the Son of God. He is the mighty Word of God, the eternal Son. Everything in heaven and earth was created through him. He is the light of men. Now, as John reaches the pivotal moment in all human history, he tells us in verse 14, "The Word became flesh."In that great, unfathomable mystery, Jesus takes our human nature into his divinity: he is conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary.That is the mystery of Christmas—the majesty of God's gracious plan. To save us from our sin, God's Son became human just like us. As a human he could place himself under God's Law and earn our place in heaven by his perfect life. As a human he could take our place under God's wrath, suffering and dying for our sins and disobedience. Being God, his shed blood was able to pay for the sins of the whole world. Being God, he could — and did — defeat Satan, sin and hell for all of us.Being both the Son of God and the Son of Man, through faith in the God/Man, we are adopted as God's sons and daughters (Ephesians 2:5).John continues in his Gospel: "And the Word … made his dwelling among us." Jesus birth in Bethlehem was not the first time he dwelt among us in our world. He appears for the first time in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord ministering to Hagar in her distress. He makes the unseen God known by loving the unloved, caring for the abandoned, and helping the helpless. He appears to Moses in the burning bush to give him direction in his life as the chosen leader of God's chosen people. He is at the edge of the Israelite camp, guiding and protecting them for 40 years of wandering as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.But now this will be how Jesus appears for all eternity. As both God and Man, he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. As God and Man, he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead (Nicene Creed).Verse 14 continues: "We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."How would you like to lift up your eyes any time of day or night and look upon the glory of God? The Israelites who left Egypt enjoyed that privilege for 40 years. The Lord revealed his glory in the pillar that led them across the wilderness to the Promised Land. By day it was a pillar of cloud, by night a pillar of fire. After Israel settled into the Promised Land the pillar disappeared. God was still present in their midst, but their eyes could no longer perceive his glory.On that first Christmas, God's glory shone briefly around the shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem. But when they ran into the little town they saw nothing special, just an ordinary-looking baby who was "wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." No halo shone around his head. The fullness of the deity was concealed within the dwelling of Jesus' infant body.His glory as the Son of God would not be revealed until his Baptism at age 30. Only then did he begin revealing his divine glory through the epiphany of his words and miracles, demonstrating his power over disease, accidents, nature, demons … even death.Today his glory is hidden in common, ordinary things like the words of the Bible, the water of Baptism and the bread and wine of Holy Communion. But it is through these common, ordinary things that we will one day gaze upon the glory of the One and Only.John then sets the record straight that John the Baptist was not the promised Messiah. Though he stirred up a lot of excitement, his job was always and only to point people to the true Messiah. That's why he cried out, "This was he of whom I said, "He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'"The Baptist's words line up perfectly with what the apostle John has been writing all along. Jesus of Nazareth is no mere human. He is the only begotten Son of God who has existed from eternity. Now he dwells among us in human flesh."From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another." The fact that God became human and lived here among us is the mystery and wonder of Christmas. But how often do we lose sight of that mystery after we celebrate Christmas, put away the decorations, and go back to our normal day-to-day lives? It's almost as if Christmas never came, and everything goes on the same.If Christmas is merely recalling God's Son becoming human and being born in Bethlehem, we are missing something truly significant. The important thing is to remember why he came and what he accomplished in those brief 33 years he dwelt among us.Unless we look in the right place, it looks as though his life really hasn't changed much of anything. There is still suffering, sickness and death. There is still misunderstanding, fear and hate. There is still crime, violence and war. And much of that is within our own homes.All these evils flow from our first parents' sinful disobedience when Adam and Eve ate the fruit God had forbidden and continue today through all our sins.Jesus came to deal with that sin, and the wrath of God it stirs. Jesus came to take our place, carry our guilt and sins to the cross, and suffer God's wrath that we deserve, paying the debt we can never repay. He did it all out of pure, undeserved love and mercy. And he is always here to give us the fullness of his love and grace.When you read John chapter 1, it is interesting that though John is writing about Jesus, he waits until verse 17 to name him. The Word, the Son of God has remained unnamed. But finally, the Word emerges from the shadows and is revealed in the spotlight: "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."John points out that Jesus came to replace the Old Testament Law given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. Knowing that neither the Israelites of old nor we in the new year of 2026 can keep God's laws perfectly, God sent his Son as the fulfillment of his Laws.As great as Moses was, he was merely the instrument through which God gave his people the knowledge of his laws. Jesus, the Babe of Bethlehem was different. He was the Son of God himself, and he came into our world bringing grace and truth. He fulfilled the laws of Moses, and completed the salvation first promised to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. From the cross his truth and grace pours out like an unending fountain for all time."No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known." Is John correct that no human has ever seen God? Scripture describes Moses as the friend of God (Exodus 33:11), still, Moses could only gaze upon God's "back" and not God's "face." The gracious God was protecting his servant Moses when he told him, "You cannot see My face, for man shall not see me and live." Like staring into the sun, the sinner Moses could not tolerate looking upon the full expression of God's holiness and glory, only a portion of it. So, John is correct, no sinful human ever sat gazing upon the fullness of God's glory.But Christmas marks the birth of a new Man, One who is holy and spotless – the Word who has spent all eternity looking upon the beauty of God's glorious face. For the first time in his Gospel, John names the first person of the Trinity: he calls him the "Father." The Word has come to make his Father known to us.None of us has ever seen God. Left to our own experience and imagination none of us even comes close to knowing what God is really like. The struggles and difficulties of life distort his true image. He comes off looking angry and vindictive on one hand, or unknowing and uncaring on the other.But Jesus came at Christmas to make God known to us. He revealed him as our merciful, gracious, loving Heavenly Father – the God who so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son.This, too, is the Christmas story. Not from Joseph or Mary's point of view, but from eternity's point of view. For the Christ Child is God in the flesh, the Word dwelling with us, the fullness of God's grace, making the Father known to us. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/christmas-from-eternitys-point-of-view/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/christmas-from-eternitys-point-of-view/A few weeks ago, we heard the Christmas story from Joseph's point of view through Matthew. On Christmas Eve we heard the Christmas story from Mary's point of view through Luke. Today we hear the Christmas story from eternity's point of view through John.When we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, we usually think about the story of the first Christmas passed down to us by Matthew and Luke. We listen in as the angel Gabriel tells the lowly Virgin Mary that God has chosen her to be the mother of his eternal Son. We watch Joseph the carpenter wrestle over the question to divorce his betrothed wife who is pregnant with a child he knows is not his, until an angel in a dream tells him to take Mary as his wife for the Child is God's own Son. We follow the couple to Bethlehem, and see the newborn Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger because there is no room in the inn.We hear the angel proclaiming the "Good News of great joy" to shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. We listen as the mighty angel chorus offers its praise and glory to God in the highest, expressing the peace God's Son has come to bring. We join the shepherds as they visit the Christ Child, and we journey with the wise men as they follow the star and bring their gifts to "the one who has been born King of the Jews."But the Gospel of John shows us Christ's birth from a different point of view. John takes us to the beginning of time and introduces us to the Word, the mighty Son of God who created all things. The Gospel of John begins: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). For the next 12 verses, John describes the Child of Christmas according to his divine nature, as the Son of God. He is the mighty Word of God, the eternal Son. Everything in heaven and earth was created through him. He is the light of men. Now, as John reaches the pivotal moment in all human history, he tells us in verse 14, "The Word became flesh."In that great, unfathomable mystery, Jesus takes our human nature into his divinity: he is conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary.That is the mystery of Christmas—the majesty of God's gracious plan. To save us from our sin, God's Son became human just like us. As a human he could place himself under God's Law and earn our place in heaven by his perfect life. As a human he could take our place under God's wrath, suffering and dying for our sins and disobedience. Being God, his shed blood was able to pay for the sins of the whole world. Being God, he could — and did — defeat Satan, sin and hell for all of us.Being both the Son of God and the Son of Man, through faith in the God/Man, we are adopted as God's sons and daughters (Ephesians 2:5).John continues in his Gospel: "And the Word … made his dwelling among us." Jesus birth in Bethlehem was not the first time he dwelt among us in our world. He appears for the first time in the Old Testament as the Angel of the Lord ministering to Hagar in her distress. He makes the unseen God known by loving the unloved, caring for the abandoned, and helping the helpless. He appears to Moses in the burning bush to give him direction in his life as the chosen leader of God's chosen people. He is at the edge of the Israelite camp, guiding and protecting them for 40 years of wandering as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.But now this will be how Jesus appears for all eternity. As both God and Man, he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. As God and Man, he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead (Nicene Creed).Verse 14 continues: "We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."How would you like to lift up your eyes any time of day or night and look upon the glory of God? The Israelites who left Egypt enjoyed that privilege for 40 years. The Lord revealed his glory in the pillar that led them across the wilderness to the Promised Land. By day it was a pillar of cloud, by night a pillar of fire. After Israel settled into the Promised Land the pillar disappeared. God was still present in their midst, but their eyes could no longer perceive his glory.On that first Christmas, God's glory shone briefly around the shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem. But when they ran into the little town they saw nothing special, just an ordinary-looking baby who was "wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." No halo shone around his head. The fullness of the deity was concealed within the dwelling of Jesus' infant body.His glory as the Son of God would not be revealed until his Baptism at age 30. Only then did he begin revealing his divine glory through the epiphany of his words and miracles, demonstrating his power over disease, accidents, nature, demons … even death.Today his glory is hidden in common, ordinary things like the words of the Bible, the water of Baptism and the bread and wine of Holy Communion. But it is through these common, ordinary things that we will one day gaze upon the glory of the One and Only.John then sets the record straight that John the Baptist was not the promised Messiah. Though he stirred up a lot of excitement, his job was always and only to point people to the true Messiah. That's why he cried out, "This was he of whom I said, "He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'"The Baptist's words line up perfectly with what the apostle John has been writing all along. Jesus of Nazareth is no mere human. He is the only begotten Son of God who has existed from eternity. Now he dwells among us in human flesh."From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another." The fact that God became human and lived here among us is the mystery and wonder of Christmas. But how often do we lose sight of that mystery after we celebrate Christmas, put away the decorations, and go back to our normal day-to-day lives? It's almost as if Christmas never came, and everything goes on the same.If Christmas is merely recalling God's Son becoming human and being born in Bethlehem, we are missing something truly significant. The important thing is to remember why he came and what he accomplished in those brief 33 years he dwelt among us.Unless we look in the right place, it looks as though his life really hasn't changed much of anything. There is still suffering, sickness and death. There is still misunderstanding, fear and hate. There is still crime, violence and war. And much of that is within our own homes.All these evils flow from our first parents' sinful disobedience when Adam and Eve ate the fruit God had forbidden and continue today through all our sins.Jesus came to deal with that sin, and the wrath of God it stirs. Jesus came to take our place, carry our guilt and sins to the cross, and suffer God's wrath that we deserve, paying the debt we can never repay. He did it all out of pure, undeserved love and mercy. And he is always here to give us the fullness of his love and grace.When you read John chapter 1, it is interesting that though John is writing about Jesus, he waits until verse 17 to name him. The Word, the Son of God has remained unnamed. But finally, the Word emerges from the shadows and is revealed in the spotlight: "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."John points out that Jesus came to replace the Old Testament Law given to Moses on Mt. Sinai. Knowing that neither the Israelites of old nor we in the new year of 2026 can keep God's laws perfectly, God sent his Son as the fulfillment of his Laws.As great as Moses was, he was merely the instrument through which God gave his people the knowledge of his laws. Jesus, the Babe of Bethlehem was different. He was the Son of God himself, and he came into our world bringing grace and truth. He fulfilled the laws of Moses, and completed the salvation first promised to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. From the cross his truth and grace pours out like an unending fountain for all time."No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known." Is John correct that no human has ever seen God? Scripture describes Moses as the friend of God (Exodus 33:11), still, Moses could only gaze upon God's "back" and not God's "face." The gracious God was protecting his servant Moses when he told him, "You cannot see My face, for man shall not see me and live." Like staring into the sun, the sinner Moses could not tolerate looking upon the full expression of God's holiness and glory, only a portion of it. So, John is correct, no sinful human ever sat gazing upon the fullness of God's glory.But Christmas marks the birth of a new Man, One who is holy and spotless – the Word who has spent all eternity looking upon the beauty of God's glorious face. For the first time in his Gospel, John names the first person of the Trinity: he calls him the "Father." The Word has come to make his Father known to us.None of us has ever seen God. Left to our own experience and imagination none of us even comes close to knowing what God is really like. The struggles and difficulties of life distort his true image. He comes off looking angry and vindictive on one hand, or unknowing and uncaring on the other.But Jesus came at Christmas to make God known to us. He revealed him as our merciful, gracious, loving Heavenly Father – the God who so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son.This, too, is the Christmas story. Not from Joseph or Mary's point of view, but from eternity's point of view. For the Christ Child is God in the flesh, the Word dwelling with us, the fullness of God's grace, making the Father known to us. Amen.

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/the-slaughter-of-the-holy-innocents/The Magi saw the miraculous star in the east announcing the birth of the King of the Jews. They followed the star to the Jewish capital city. It made sense that the King of the Jews would be born in the palace in Jerusalem.The Magi asked King Herod, "Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him" (Matthew 2:2). King Herod was alarmed because he had a paranoid fear of rivals. The citizens of Jerusalem were alarmed because they knew the violent actions Herod was capable of (Matthew 2:3).The Magi's expensive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were welcome gifts for the poor family. They would help fund their flight to Egypt. The Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Jerusalem because of Herod."After the Wise Men were gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream. He said, 'Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, because Herod will search for the child to kill him.' Joseph got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and left for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod" (Matthew 2:13-15)."When Herod realized he had been outwitted by the Wise Men, he was furious. He issued orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under" (Matthew 2:16).We have celebrated the joy of Christmas birth. That joy is shattered with the slaughter of the baby boys in Bethlehem ages two and under. December 28 is an annual reminder designated as the Feast of the Holy Innocents. The gleeful violence of a tyrannical king smashes the idyllic nativity scenes we have in our homes. The "Silent Night" we sang about a few nights ago is broken by the sound of soldiers' marching boots. The wailing of mothers for their children replaces the heralding of the angels.We shouldn't be surprised by this evil. We shouldn't be shocked by this violence. This is the way Satan always operates. In Revelation 12, St. John writes about how Satan is pictured as a red seven-headed dragon. The dragon pursues the woman and her child. The woman is the Christian Church. God removes her to safety. The dragon then pursues the child, who is Jesus. But he ascends to heaven. So, the dragon turns his attention to the woman's children – Christians/us. "The dragon was angry about what had happened to the woman, and he went away to make war against the rest of her children—those who keep the commandments of God and who hold on to the testimony about Jesus" (Revelation 12:17).Satan continues to make war against Christians. This is the way it has always been. Christians captured and threatened to blaspheme Christ and then forced to convert to a pagan religion. If they don't convert, the men are beheaded, the women are raped, and the children are taken as slaves. That's brutal – especially with children here. Trust me, that's the sanitized version.Satan will always find willing allies. Herod had killed one of his wives, along with her grandfather, her mother-in-law, a brother-in-law, plus three of his own sons. Herod was willing to kill a lot of people to protect his throne. Slaughtering a dozen or two infant boys fits with his evil character.Satan continues to find willing allies in Muslims around the world. Today we start the adding of a petition in the Prayer of the Church for our Christian siblings being persecuted by Islamic groups, governments, and family members. We begin with Afghanistan and will go through Yemen.In the beginning of November, 315 school children were kidnapped by gunmen from a Catholic school in Nigeria. By God's grace, 230 of those children were recently rescued from terror and death. Many those kidnapped remain in captivity. On Thursday, the U.S. government, with approval from the Nigerian government, conducted several military strikes on Islamic State terrorists for their violence against Christians.I don't know how you feel about President Trump. At least, he's one U.S. President who cares about protecting Christians around the globe. Personally, I appreciate his use of the sword of vengeance granted him by God. The government is meant to bring terror on terrorists. "[The government] is God's servant for your benefit. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because he does not carry the sword without reason. He is God's servant, a punisher to bring wrath on the wrongdoer" (Romans 13:4). I even appreciate President Trump's sarcasm, because it reminds me of the divine sarcasm of God and his Old Testament prophets. Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, "Merry Christmas to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues."Satan has always worked this way. The dragon seeks to devour Christ and his Church. From Eden to Bethlehem to Nigeria to America. His footsteps through history are filled with blood. As soon as light comes into the world, he tries to snuff it out. As soon as life enters the world, he tries to end it. If he can't get to Christ, he will come after those who look like Christ … even if that means little baby boys.The Babylon Bee, which is a Christian satire site, published an article this week entitled, "10 Clear Signs of Christian Persecution to Look For this Christmas." Here are my top 3 from the article:Someone responded "Happy Holidays" after you told them "Merry Christmas": Protect your children's ears from this horrible slur.The house across the street put up an inflatable Santa Claus instead of an inflatable Baby Jesus: An obvious display of anti-Christian bigotry.Your sister-in-law only brought gluten-free desserts to Christmas dinner: Has she no fear of the Lord?!That article was sponsored by Christian Freedom International. They wrote at the bottom of the article: "Not Satire: Every day, courageous believers face unimaginable persecution for their faith. The massive numbers of persecuted Christians can be overwhelming. Begin the new year by committing to pray for persecuted Christians. A church celebrating Christmas despite death threats. Teens gathering in a destroyed church to study the Bible. Survivors of massacres gaining confidence through job training. They aren't statistics. They are individual Christians experiencing God's faithfulness in dark places. And your prayers and support sustain them."One example of real persecution here in America happened last week in San Francisco. Anastasia Rogers is an organizer for Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust. She's a former atheist who became a Christian in 2023. She's passionate about fighting for the unborn. Anastasia was handcuffed and taken into custody by the San Francisco police for distributing pregnancy resource pamphlets outside a Planned Parenthood facility. She was not obstructing access, making threats, or violating the law. The arrest was based on a false allegation from an on-duty Planned Parenthood security guard.Satan allies himself with media and Hollywood. You don't hear these stories of persecution of Christians in America or around the world in the legacy media. Why not? Because they have a secular or even a satanic worldview. Hollywood recently cast a lesbian black woman to play the Jewish Son of God in a play. Hollywood doesn't do that with Islam, Buddhism, or any other world religion. Why not? Because they are friends with these pagan, demonic religions. They are terrified of Christianity. They must mock and destroy Christ. They realize he's the one true Son of God. Since they can't get to him, they'll mock and try to destroy Christianity. The allies of Satan desire the extermination of Christians. It's similar to the slaughter of the Holy Innocents in Bethlehem two millennia ago.It might seem unfair that these Holy Innocents in Bethlehem died. It may appear that the baby boys of Bethlehem died to save Jesus – that they gave their blood that he might escape. It was really the other way around. Jesus grew up to give his life and blood for them … and for all humanity. He didn't give up his life to Herod in the Bethlehem house. He was waiting to give up his life to Pilate on the Jerusalem cross. Though believing children who have died may no longer be cradled in the arms of their mothers, they are cradled in the arms of God. Though baptized infants may die, yet now they really live! Though martyrs continue to die for their connection to Christ, Christ rewards them with an eternal connection with him in heaven. All these saints receive a life greater than the one they lost.This Christmas it isn't important what kind of sweaters, socks, video games or jewelry we had wrapped for us under the tree. Instead, we find our riches in the divinity of God wrapped in human flesh. Our riches are found in the Son of God becoming the adopted Son of Joseph so we might become the adopted sons and daughters of God. This adoption took place when we were marked with the cross as redeemed children of God in the holy waters of our Baptism. On that day we died to sin and were raised to a new life – a new life as a child of God, a Holy Innocent, in the forgiveness of our sins. A new life where each day is Christmas Day, as Christ is born in us and we in him. A new life that however, whenever, and wherever our life ends, we will be cradled in the arms of our Father in heaven.There is joy amidst this tragedy of slaughter and persecution. God kept the Holy Family safe from Satan and his allies. Jesus was kept safe until the time was right for him to die – not to keep King Herod on his throne but to die so that all of us with faith in our Savior might receive a place around King Jesus' throne. We find our joy, not in presents under the Christmas tree, but in God's present of the Son of God hanging upon the tree of the cross. We find our pleasure, not in open gifts, but in the open grave. We find our peace, not in family feasts, but in the feasts and festivals of the Christian Church, like the Feast of the Holy Innocents.The story of the Holy Innocents doesn't spoil the spirit of Christmas. Rather, it teaches us something about Christmas. Though these children did not sing like the angels or bring gifts like the Magi or worship like the shepherds – nevertheless, it is perhaps in them that we can most see ourselves in this story. We learn from them to fix our eyes on the Holy Innocent One – who will lay down his life and shed his blood that we might live. We see the heel now wrapped in swaddling clothes will come down upon the serpent's head, to set us free. We see a Savior kept safe for a time so that he might keep us safe for all time. The Holy Innocent One transforms us into his Holy Innocent ones, willing to lay down our lives for him, for he has laid down his life for us.We learn a few things on this Feast of the Holy Innocents. Pray for the persecuted. Support ministry and financial aid for those who are hurting and being hurt because of their connection to Christ. Stop listening to and supporting institutions that hate you – phone companies, banks, stores, media, entertainment, video game manufacturers, social media companies, and so on. Find companies and media who are Christian and support Christian causes.Stand up for your faith. Speak up. Be bold. Be prepared to be threatened, fired, doxed, canceled, and arrested for your Christian stance against pagan propaganda. Satan and his allies are afraid of you. They know they can't get to Christ. So, they are coming after you. They won't admit it, but deep down, they are afraid when you stand up because they are ultimately afraid of who stands beside you. They know all this. The Baby in the manger is also the King on his throne. The Lamb crucified on the cross is the victorious lion of Judah. The Jesus they mock and taunt as a humble preacher will come again with divine vengeance and eternal wrath.They are like King Herod. They are paranoid of rivals. Jesus Christ is the rival to the pagan gods they worship. That's why they war and rage, taunt and terrorize. But they can't do anything to you. Not really. You gladly carry your cross for Christ. You welcome persecution in Christ's name. You rejoice in suffering for Christ's sake. You accept death. For then you will be named as a martyr with the Holy Innocents. Amen.

The Magi saw the miraculous star in the east announcing the birth of the King of the Jews. They followed the star to the Jewish capital city. It made sense that the King of the Jews would be born in the palace in Jerusalem.The Magi asked King Herod, "Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him" (Matthew 2:2). King Herod was alarmed because he had a paranoid fear of rivals. The citizens of Jerusalem were alarmed because they knew the violent actions Herod was capable of (Matthew 2:3).The Magi's expensive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were welcome gifts for the poor family. They would help fund their flight to Egypt. The Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Jerusalem because of Herod."After the Wise Men were gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream. He said, 'Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, because Herod will search for the child to kill him.' Joseph got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and left for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod" (Matthew 2:13-15)."When Herod realized he had been outwitted by the Wise Men, he was furious. He issued orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under" (Matthew 2:16).We have celebrated the joy of Christmas birth. That joy is shattered with the slaughter of the baby boys in Bethlehem ages two and under. December 28 is an annual reminder designated as the Feast of the Holy Innocents. The gleeful violence of a tyrannical king smashes the idyllic nativity scenes we have in our homes. The "Silent Night" we sang about a few nights ago is broken by the sound of soldiers' marching boots. The wailing of mothers for their children replaces the heralding of the angels.We shouldn't be surprised by this evil. We shouldn't be shocked by this violence. This is the way Satan always operates. In Revelation 12, St. John writes about how Satan is pictured as a red seven-headed dragon. The dragon pursues the woman and her child. The woman is the Christian Church. God removes her to safety. The dragon then pursues the child, who is Jesus. But he ascends to heaven. So, the dragon turns his attention to the woman's children – Christians/us. "The dragon was angry about what had happened to the woman, and he went away to make war against the rest of her children—those who keep the commandments of God and who hold on to the testimony about Jesus" (Revelation 12:17).Satan continues to make war against Christians. This is the way it has always been. Christians captured and threatened to blaspheme Christ and then forced to convert to a pagan religion. If they don't convert, the men are beheaded, the women are raped, and the children are taken as slaves. That's brutal – especially with children here. Trust me, that's the sanitized version.Satan will always find willing allies. Herod had killed one of his wives, along with her grandfather, her mother-in-law, a brother-in-law, plus three of his own sons. Herod was willing to kill a lot of people to protect his throne. Slaughtering a dozen or two infant boys fits with his evil character.Satan continues to find willing allies in Muslims around the world. Today we start the adding of a petition in the Prayer of the Church for our Christian siblings being persecuted by Islamic groups, governments, and family members. We begin with Afghanistan and will go through Yemen.In the beginning of November, 315 school children were kidnapped by gunmen from a Catholic school in Nigeria. By God's grace, 230 of those children were recently rescued from terror and death. Many those kidnapped remain in captivity. On Thursday, the U.S. government, with approval from the Nigerian government, conducted several military strikes on Islamic State terrorists for their violence against Christians.I don't know how you feel about President Trump. At least, he's one U.S. President who cares about protecting Christians around the globe. Personally, I appreciate his use of the sword of vengeance granted him by God. The government is meant to bring terror on terrorists. "[The government] is God's servant for your benefit. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because he does not carry the sword without reason. He is God's servant, a punisher to bring wrath on the wrongdoer" (Romans 13:4). I even appreciate President Trump's sarcasm, because it reminds me of the divine sarcasm of God and his Old Testament prophets. Trump wrote in a Truth Social post, "Merry Christmas to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues."Satan has always worked this way. The dragon seeks to devour Christ and his Church. From Eden to Bethlehem to Nigeria to America. His footsteps through history are filled with blood. As soon as light comes into the world, he tries to snuff it out. As soon as life enters the world, he tries to end it. If he can't get to Christ, he will come after those who look like Christ … even if that means little baby boys.The Babylon Bee, which is a Christian satire site, published an article this week entitled, "10 Clear Signs of Christian Persecution to Look For this Christmas." Here are my top 3 from the article:Someone responded "Happy Holidays" after you told them "Merry Christmas": Protect your children's ears from this horrible slur.The house across the street put up an inflatable Santa Claus instead of an inflatable Baby Jesus: An obvious display of anti-Christian bigotry.Your sister-in-law only brought gluten-free desserts to Christmas dinner: Has she no fear of the Lord?!That article was sponsored by Christian Freedom International. They wrote at the bottom of the article: "Not Satire: Every day, courageous believers face unimaginable persecution for their faith. The massive numbers of persecuted Christians can be overwhelming. Begin the new year by committing to pray for persecuted Christians. A church celebrating Christmas despite death threats. Teens gathering in a destroyed church to study the Bible. Survivors of massacres gaining confidence through job training. They aren't statistics. They are individual Christians experiencing God's faithfulness in dark places. And your prayers and support sustain them."One example of real persecution here in America happened last week in San Francisco. Anastasia Rogers is an organizer for Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust. She's a former atheist who became a Christian in 2023. She's passionate about fighting for the unborn. Anastasia was handcuffed and taken into custody by the San Francisco police for distributing pregnancy resource pamphlets outside a Planned Parenthood facility. She was not obstructing access, making threats, or violating the law. The arrest was based on a false allegation from an on-duty Planned Parenthood security guard.Satan allies himself with media and Hollywood. You don't hear these stories of persecution of Christians in America or around the world in the legacy media. Why not? Because they have a secular or even a satanic worldview. Hollywood recently cast a lesbian black woman to play the Jewish Son of God in a play. Hollywood doesn't do that with Islam, Buddhism, or any other world religion. Why not? Because they are friends with these pagan, demonic religions. They are terrified of Christianity. They must mock and destroy Christ. They realize he's the one true Son of God. Since they can't get to him, they'll mock and try to destroy Christianity. The allies of Satan desire the extermination of Christians. It's similar to the slaughter of the Holy Innocents in Bethlehem two millennia ago.It might seem unfair that these Holy Innocents in Bethlehem died. It may appear that the baby boys of Bethlehem died to save Jesus – that they gave their blood that he might escape. It was really the other way around. Jesus grew up to give his life and blood for them … and for all humanity. He didn't give up his life to Herod in the Bethlehem house. He was waiting to give up his life to Pilate on the Jerusalem cross. Though believing children who have died may no longer be cradled in the arms of their mothers, they are cradled in the arms of God. Though baptized infants may die, yet now they really live! Though martyrs continue to die for their connection to Christ, Christ rewards them with an eternal connection with him in heaven. All these saints receive a life greater than the one they lost.This Christmas it isn't important what kind of sweaters, socks, video games or jewelry we had wrapped for us under the tree. Instead, we find our riches in the divinity of God wrapped in human flesh. Our riches are found in the Son of God becoming the adopted Son of Joseph so we might become the adopted sons and daughters of God. This adoption took place when we were marked with the cross as redeemed children of God in the holy waters of our Baptism. On that day we died to sin and were raised to a new life – a new life as a child of God, a Holy Innocent, in the forgiveness of our sins. A new life where each day is Christmas Day, as Christ is born in us and we in him. A new life that however, whenever, and wherever our life ends, we will be cradled in the arms of our Father in heaven.There is joy amidst this tragedy of slaughter and persecution. God kept the Holy Family safe from Satan and his allies. Jesus was kept safe until the time was right for him to die – not to keep King Herod on his throne but to die so that all of us with faith in our Savior might receive a place around King Jesus' throne. We find our joy, not in presents under the Christmas tree, but in God's present of the Son of God hanging upon the tree of the cross. We find our pleasure, not in open gifts, but in the open grave. We find our peace, not in family feasts, but in the feasts and festivals of the Christian Church, like the Feast of the Holy Innocents.The story of the Holy Innocents doesn't spoil the spirit of Christmas. Rather, it teaches us something about Christmas. Though these children did not sing like the angels or bring gifts like the Magi or worship like the shepherds – nevertheless, it is perhaps in them that we can most see ourselves in this story. We learn from them to fix our eyes on the Holy Innocent One – who will lay down his life and shed his blood that we might live. We see the heel now wrapped in swaddling clothes will come down upon the serpent's head, to set us free. We see a Savior kept safe for a time so that he might keep us safe for all time. The Holy Innocent One transforms us into his Holy Innocent ones, willing to lay down our lives for him, for he has laid down his life for us.We learn a few things on this Feast of the Holy Innocents. Pray for the persecuted. Support ministry and financial aid for those who are hurting and being hurt because of their connection to Christ. Stop listening to and supporting institutions that hate you – phone companies, banks, stores, media, entertainment, video game manufacturers, social media companies, and so on. Find companies and media who are Christian and support Christian causes.Stand up for your faith. Speak up. Be bold. Be prepared to be threatened, fired, doxed, canceled, and arrested for your Christian stance against pagan propaganda. Satan and his allies are afraid of you. They know they can't get to Christ. So, they are coming after you. They won't admit it, but deep down, they are afraid when you stand up because they are ultimately afraid of who stands beside you. They know all this. The Baby in the manger is also the King on his throne. The Lamb crucified on the cross is the victorious lion of Judah. The Jesus they mock and taunt as a humble preacher will come again with divine vengeance and eternal wrath.They are like King Herod. They are paranoid of rivals. Jesus Christ is the rival to the pagan gods they worship. That's why they war and rage, taunt and terrorize. But they can't do anything to you. Not really. You gladly carry your cross for Christ. You welcome persecution in Christ's name. You rejoice in suffering for Christ's sake. You accept death. For then you will be named as a martyr with the Holy Innocents. Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/the-slaughter-of-the-holy-innocents/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/what-not-which-child-is-this/How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of a herald, who proclaims peace and preaches good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God is king!" (Isaiah 52:7). Amen.Merriam-Webster recently tried correcting the wording of a classic Christmas hymn. But the self-proclaimed "America's Most Trusted Dictionary" ended up with eggnog on its face. In a now-deleted post to social media platform X, Merriam-Webster tried to edit the Christmas hymn "What Child Is This?" by posting "Which* Child Is This?"As an author and public speaker, I'm very interested in proper words and correct English. But the online dictionary is just wrong. The dictionary presented themselves as smug, but even more biblically incorrect. The hymn isn't asking, "Which of these Jewish children born in Bethlehem is this?" That's a question of location. The hymn is asking, "What kind of child is this?" That's a question of theology."What Child is This?" was written in 1865 by William Chatterton Dix and was later paired with the ancient tune of "Greensleeves," which dates to the 16th century. In the first verse, the hymn answers the question of "What child is this?" with this statement, "This is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing."St. John also answers the question of "What Child is this?" by stating, "The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).Verse 1: What child is this who, laid to rest, On Mary's lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet With anthems sweet While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring him laud, The babe, the Son of Mary!What child is this who is sleeping on Mary's lap? This is no ordinary baby. It is a Child that the angels fill the night sky to sing about. It is a Child that shepherds leave their flocks to run and see. Why? Because this is no ordinary baby. This is Christ the King. He is the baby, the Son of Mary ... but so much more.St. John writes about this baby. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him everything was made, and without him not one thing was made that has been made" (John 1:1-3).This baby is no ordinary baby. He is also the God who formed a human body out of the dust of the ground. He is the God who was formed as a baby in the womb of the Virgin Mary. God breathed into the man's nostrils the breath of life and his heart started beating. He is the God whose very human baby heart started beating in the sixth week after his conception by the Holy Spirit within the womb of Mary. About 7 ½ months later, the Virgin gave birth to the Christ Child, and he took his first breaths of the air he had created.The One who created life was alive in the womb for 9 months, then was born on Christmas Day.The Word through whom everything was called into existence was now the Word made flesh.The One who had walked among the stars and would one day walk on water, would have to learn how walk with shaky, little toddler steps.The One who made the thunders clap would enjoy clapping his chubby, little baby hands in joy.The One who had set up a marvelous system where animals from antelope to zebras would be fed, would have to be fed with milk from his mother's breast.The One who would be like every child everywhere who has rolled mud in his hands to make a snake, would one day be pierced by the ancient snake of the Devil.Verse 2: Why lies he in such mean estate Where oxen now are feeding? Good Christians, fear; For sinners here The silent Word is pleading. Nails, spear shall pierce him through; The cross he'll bear for me, for you. Hail, hail the Word made flesh, The babe, the Son of Mary!If this Child is more than just the Son of Mary, why does he lie in such mean estate? Why is this baby lying in such lowly conditions, where the oxen are feeding? The Son of God came low to be among his lowly people. We are made poor and lowly by our sins. We are born in sin. We are dead in our sins. All we can do is evil – in our thoughts, in our words, and in our actions. We sin in what we do. We sin in what we fail to do. All that sin causes us to die. Dying with sin, wickedness, and unbelief, we are destined to an eternal death in hell.What Child is this? A Child that was born to save us from sin, death, and hell.The One who breathed life into the first man was now a man who needed to breathe to live.The One who started Adam's heart beating was the second Adam whose heart was beating.All that was reversed on Good Friday. The very people the Son of God came to save crucified him. St. John explains this. "The real light that shines on everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not recognize him. He came to what was his own, yet his own people did not accept him" (John 1:9-11). The creatures God created did not recognize or accept the Creator living among them. So, they pierced the divinely human flesh. The rough wood of the manger foreshadowed the rougher wood of the cross.On the cross, the Word made flesh had his perfect flesh pierced with nails and thorns. The sun was darkened and the earth trembled as Jesus cried out, "It is finished." Then he closed his eyes, breathed his last, and his heart stopped beating. To make sure the Son of God was dead, his heart and lungs were pierced with a spear.For three days, the corpse of the Creator of Life lay cold and dead in a borrowed tomb. Then as the first rays of sunlight began dawning on Easter morning, the darkness and death of Friday afternoon were shattered. Everything had been quiet and still in the darkness of the tomb. One moment the tomb was filled with darkness and death. The next moment the grave was filled with life and light! Darkness cannot extinguish the Light. St. John explains, "In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. The light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:4-5).He who was born, wrapped in strips of cloth, and laid in a manger arose from the slab of the tomb clothed in glory, the firstborn from the dead.Jesus took one breath and put death to death. With his first heartbeat, he defeated the Devil who imagined he had killed God's only-begotten Son.The Creator of Life died. He rose. He lives. He will never die again.When you believe in the Son of God as your Savior, you will still die because of your sins. But Jesus has removed your sins. He has endured your death. He has defeated your enemy of the Devil. Though you will die, you will live again. And you will never die again.The Lord of Light will awaken you from the darkness of death. He will open your grave on the Last Day. You will live in the light of heavenly glory. For this Child is the life and light of mankind.Verse 3: So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh; Come, peasant, king, to own him. The King of kings Salvation brings; Let loving hearts enthrone him. Raise, raise the song on high; The virgin sings her lullaby. Joy, joy, for Christ is born, The babe, the Son of Mary!How do you respond to the question, "What Child is this?" In faith, you respond by bringing him your treasures – incense, gold, and myrrh. You bring him your treasures – money, vocation, prayers, works, and worship. Praise him with hearts filled with love. Praise him with mouths filled with song. Praise him with hands and feet filled with action and motivation. As the Virgin Mary gently sings her lullaby, so we gently sing our praises to the Christ Child on this Christmas Morn.What Child is this? This Child is the One who had his birth announced to Bethlehem shepherds by angels in the sky and announced to Babylonian Magi with a miraculous star in space. This Child comes for the salvation of everyone from shepherds to Wise Men, from peasants to kings. He is the King of kings who comes into our world so we can be made heirs of his heavenly kingdom. He is the Lord of lords who enters our presence to welcome lowly sinners into his presence. He is the Word made flesh so that he can be a baby lying in a manger, then the God-Man shedding his divinely human blood as he lies on a cross, and then the resurrected Christ whose corpse is raised from the dead.Jesus – the Son of God and Mary's Son – is now flesh and divinity for all eternity. Through faith in the divine Son of God and the humble Son of Man, our Savior with flesh, we will be standing before his throne as resurrected flesh and holy soul.One commentator on Merriam-Webster's criticism of the hymn title, posted his own criticism of the online dictionary. He wrote, "I regret to inform you our modern dictionary is illiterate." The online dictionary wanted to "correct" the hymn but ended up being corrected themselves. Whoever wrote that post does not seem to understand Christianity.By the grace of God and through faith in the Child in the manger, you and I are among those who do understand Christianity. We have received Christ and been born again through water and the Word. St. John writes, "But to all who did receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. They were born, not of blood, or of the desire of the flesh, or of a husband's will, but born of God" (John 1:12-13).The 160-year-old hymn is correct. That's why we're singing it on this Christmas Day. "What (not which) Child is this?" Amen.The Lord lays bare his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation from our God. (Isaiah 52:10). Amen.

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of a herald, who proclaims peace and preaches good news, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God is king!" (Isaiah 52:7). Amen.Merriam-Webster recently tried correcting the wording of a classic Christmas hymn. But the self-proclaimed "America's Most Trusted Dictionary" ended up with eggnog on its face. In a now-deleted post to social media platform X, Merriam-Webster tried to edit the Christmas hymn "What Child Is This?" by posting "Which* Child Is This?"As an author and public speaker, I'm very interested in proper words and correct English. But the online dictionary is just wrong. The dictionary presented themselves as smug, but even more biblically incorrect. The hymn isn't asking, "Which of these Jewish children born in Bethlehem is this?" That's a question of location. The hymn is asking, "What kind of child is this?" That's a question of theology."What Child is This?" was written in 1865 by William Chatterton Dix and was later paired with the ancient tune of "Greensleeves," which dates to the 16th century. In the first verse, the hymn answers the question of "What child is this?" with this statement, "This is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing."St. John also answers the question of "What Child is this?" by stating, "The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. We have seen his glory, the glory he has as the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).Verse 1: What child is this who, laid to rest, On Mary's lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet With anthems sweet While shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring him laud, The babe, the Son of Mary!What child is this who is sleeping on Mary's lap? This is no ordinary baby. It is a Child that the angels fill the night sky to sing about. It is a Child that shepherds leave their flocks to run and see. Why? Because this is no ordinary baby. This is Christ the King. He is the baby, the Son of Mary ... but so much more.St. John writes about this baby. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him everything was made, and without him not one thing was made that has been made" (John 1:1-3).This baby is no ordinary baby. He is also the God who formed a human body out of the dust of the ground. He is the God who was formed as a baby in the womb of the Virgin Mary. God breathed into the man's nostrils the breath of life and his heart started beating. He is the God whose very human baby heart started beating in the sixth week after his conception by the Holy Spirit within the womb of Mary. About 7 ½ months later, the Virgin gave birth to the Christ Child, and he took his first breaths of the air he had created.The One who created life was alive in the womb for 9 months, then was born on Christmas Day.The Word through whom everything was called into existence was now the Word made flesh.The One who had walked among the stars and would one day walk on water, would have to learn how walk with shaky, little toddler steps.The One who made the thunders clap would enjoy clapping his chubby, little baby hands in joy.The One who had set up a marvelous system where animals from antelope to zebras would be fed, would have to be fed with milk from his mother's breast.The One who would be like every child everywhere who has rolled mud in his hands to make a snake, would one day be pierced by the ancient snake of the Devil.Verse 2: Why lies he in such mean estate Where oxen now are feeding? Good Christians, fear; For sinners here The silent Word is pleading. Nails, spear shall pierce him through; The cross he'll bear for me, for you. Hail, hail the Word made flesh, The babe, the Son of Mary!If this Child is more than just the Son of Mary, why does he lie in such mean estate? Why is this baby lying in such lowly conditions, where the oxen are feeding? The Son of God came low to be among his lowly people. We are made poor and lowly by our sins. We are born in sin. We are dead in our sins. All we can do is evil – in our thoughts, in our words, and in our actions. We sin in what we do. We sin in what we fail to do. All that sin causes us to die. Dying with sin, wickedness, and unbelief, we are destined to an eternal death in hell.What Child is this? A Child that was born to save us from sin, death, and hell.The One who breathed life into the first man was now a man who needed to breathe to live.The One who started Adam's heart beating was the second Adam whose heart was beating.All that was reversed on Good Friday. The very people the Son of God came to save crucified him. St. John explains this. "The real light that shines on everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not recognize him. He came to what was his own, yet his own people did not accept him" (John 1:9-11). The creatures God created did not recognize or accept the Creator living among them. So, they pierced the divinely human flesh. The rough wood of the manger foreshadowed the rougher wood of the cross.On the cross, the Word made flesh had his perfect flesh pierced with nails and thorns. The sun was darkened and the earth trembled as Jesus cried out, "It is finished." Then he closed his eyes, breathed his last, and his heart stopped beating. To make sure the Son of God was dead, his heart and lungs were pierced with a spear.For three days, the corpse of the Creator of Life lay cold and dead in a borrowed tomb. Then as the first rays of sunlight began dawning on Easter morning, the darkness and death of Friday afternoon were shattered. Everything had been quiet and still in the darkness of the tomb. One moment the tomb was filled with darkness and death. The next moment the grave was filled with life and light! Darkness cannot extinguish the Light. St. John explains, "In him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. The light is shining in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it" (John 1:4-5).He who was born, wrapped in strips of cloth, and laid in a manger arose from the slab of the tomb clothed in glory, the firstborn from the dead.Jesus took one breath and put death to death. With his first heartbeat, he defeated the Devil who imagined he had killed God's only-begotten Son.The Creator of Life died. He rose. He lives. He will never die again.When you believe in the Son of God as your Savior, you will still die because of your sins. But Jesus has removed your sins. He has endured your death. He has defeated your enemy of the Devil. Though you will die, you will live again. And you will never die again.The Lord of Light will awaken you from the darkness of death. He will open your grave on the Last Day. You will live in the light of heavenly glory. For this Child is the life and light of mankind.Verse 3: So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh; Come, peasant, king, to own him. The King of kings Salvation brings; Let loving hearts enthrone him. Raise, raise the song on high; The virgin sings her lullaby. Joy, joy, for Christ is born, The babe, the Son of Mary!How do you respond to the question, "What Child is this?" In faith, you respond by bringing him your treasures – incense, gold, and myrrh. You bring him your treasures – money, vocation, prayers, works, and worship. Praise him with hearts filled with love. Praise him with mouths filled with song. Praise him with hands and feet filled with action and motivation. As the Virgin Mary gently sings her lullaby, so we gently sing our praises to the Christ Child on this Christmas Morn.What Child is this? This Child is the One who had his birth announced to Bethlehem shepherds by angels in the sky and announced to Babylonian Magi with a miraculous star in space. This Child comes for the salvation of everyone from shepherds to Wise Men, from peasants to kings. He is the King of kings who comes into our world so we can be made heirs of his heavenly kingdom. He is the Lord of lords who enters our presence to welcome lowly sinners into his presence. He is the Word made flesh so that he can be a baby lying in a manger, then the God-Man shedding his divinely human blood as he lies on a cross, and then the resurrected Christ whose corpse is raised from the dead.Jesus – the Son of God and Mary's Son – is now flesh and divinity for all eternity. Through faith in the divine Son of God and the humble Son of Man, our Savior with flesh, we will be standing before his throne as resurrected flesh and holy soul.One commentator on Merriam-Webster's criticism of the hymn title, posted his own criticism of the online dictionary. He wrote, "I regret to inform you our modern dictionary is illiterate." The online dictionary wanted to "correct" the hymn but ended up being corrected themselves. Whoever wrote that post does not seem to understand Christianity.By the grace of God and through faith in the Child in the manger, you and I are among those who do understand Christianity. We have received Christ and been born again through water and the Word. St. John writes, "But to all who did receive him, to those who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. They were born, not of blood, or of the desire of the flesh, or of a husband's will, but born of God" (John 1:12-13).The 160-year-old hymn is correct. That's why we're singing it on this Christmas Day. "What (not which) Child is this?" Amen.The Lord lays bare his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation from our God. (Isaiah 52:10). Amen.View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.casperwels.com/sermons/what-not-which-child-is-this/

View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/god-with-us-and-god-for-us/To all those loved by God who are in Rome (and Casper), called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:7). Amen.Ahaz is a wicked, unbelieving king. He is a descendant of King David, but he is unlike David who cherished his children and led the nation of Israel in their worship of the true God. Ahaz sacrificed his own son in the fire as he led the nation of Israel in the worship of pagan gods.Earlier in chapter 7, Isaiah records how King Ahaz of Judah is being threatened by Pekah, the king of Israel, who has allied himself with Rezin, the king of Aram, to destroy Judah. The prophet Isaiah calls King Ahaz to trust in the Lord for protection from this alliance. Ahaz refuses. His solution to this threat is to make is own alliance with the nation of Assyria, north of Aram (2 Kings 16:1-9).Isaiah tells Ahaz that he doesn't need this alliance with the wicked nation of Assyria. The Lord will protect Judah from its enemies. To prove this, Isaiah tells Ahaz to pick a sign – any sign – as proof of his protection. The Lord spoke to Ahaz again. He said, "Ask for a sign from the Lord your God. Ask for it either in the depths below or in the heights above" (Isaiah 7:10-11).Ahaz could have asked for anything. He could have gone simple and asked for a shooting star across the sky that night. He could have gone big and asked for an asteroid to come crashing down on his enemies. He could have asked for any sign he wanted.But King Ahaz doesn't trust in God. Instead, he trusts the alliance he had made with Assyria. Because he doesn't trust God, there was no sign that would have convinced him of God's power to save his throne or country. In false humility, Ahaz refuses to "test" the Lord. Ahaz responded, "I will not ask. I will not test the Lord" (Isaiah 7:12).To prove to Ahaz and to the world that his promises can be trusted, God decides on his own sign. He is not going to allow an unbelieving king to stand in the way of the physical deliverance of Judah and the eternal deliverance of all who believe the sign. God chooses a sign that is an embarrassment to Ahaz because it is so simple, yet so miraculous. It is also a sign that would take 700 years to fulfill. So, Isaiah said, "Listen now, you house of David. Is it not enough for you to test the patience of men? Will you test the patience of my God as well? Therefore the Lord himself will give a sign for all of you. Look! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and name him Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:13-14).God promises the virgin's Son and his Son will be named Immanuel – God with us... and God for us.What does it mean that Jesus, the Son of God, is "God with us"? To help understand the relationship of God to humans, imagine the relationship of humans to ants. Young Hudson volunteered to be our resident "ant-lover" for this story.Imagine that Hudson's dad, Ty, is going to be resurfacing their driveway. But Hudson notices that there's a large anthill at the edge of the driveway. He becomes worried that when the hot asphalt is poured onto the driveway, the asphalt will also fill the anthill – killing the countless ants inside.Hudson, being the ant-lover that he is, goes outside to start talking to the ants. He tells them about his dad, the driveway, the asphalt, and their anthill. He tells them the entire story.What do the ants do? ... Nothing. They ignore Hudson, even though he's trying to help them. So, Hudson gets down on their level. He puts his face right above the anthill and shouts warnings for them to pack up and leave. The ants just run away.What can Hudson do? He loves the ants. He wants to rescue the ants. But he's too superior to them. They're too puny. He's like a "god" to them.Hudson decides that the only way they'll listen to him is if he becomes one of them. So, that's what he does. He goes to his closet and put on his Ant-Man suit from Halloween. (Ant-Man is one of the Avengers.)Hudson, in his Ant-Man suit, pushes a button and shrinks down to become the size of an ant. (This is a very high-tech Halloween costume!) In this form, he's able to communicate with the ants and save those who believe his message.It sounds like a silly story, doesn't it? It will seem even more silly when Hudson wears his Ant-Man suit to church one day.It seems ridiculous that a person would become an ant to save the ants. But that's no more ridiculous than God becoming a human to save the humans.Think of the world the Son of God left. Our classiest mansion would be an anthill to him. Earth's finest cuisine would be crumbs on heaven's table. The idea of becoming an ant with a segmented body and antennae? That's nothing compared to God becoming an embryo and entering the womb of Mary.But that's what the Son of God did. The God of the universe was born into the poverty of a peasant and spent his first night in the cow's feed trough. The God of the universe left the glory of heaven and moved into our neighborhood. The God of the universe left his eternal seat on his golden throne, surrounded by saints and angels to be born in time and laid in a manger surrounded by Saint Mary and Saint Joseph. Who could have imagined God would do such a thing?Why would Jesus come? He comes to be Immanuel. He comes to be God with us.But I want you to understand that God being with us is not necessarily good news. He has every right to be God with us in righteous anger over our sins. He can be God with us in justified judgment over how we act and live. He can be God with us in deserving punishment over our continual crimes against God and humanity.A king coming to be with his people is not good news if he's there to raise their taxes. A judge coming to be with the people in the courtroom is not good news if he's there to sentence them to prison. A human coming to be with the ants is not good news if he's there to step on their anthill. And God coming to be with his creation is not good news if he's coming to bring the hellish punishment they rightly deserve.It is significant that when the angel appears to Joseph in a dream he says, "Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21). The God who is coming is not coming to destroy his people because of their sins. Rather, he's coming to save his people from their sins. In other words, the God who is with you is the God who comes for you.We call this the incarnation. Divinity combined with humanity. God's gift of his Son wrapped in cute, little baby skin. We confess our belief in the incarnation in our three Christian universal creeds.The Apostles' Creed: "I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary..."The Nicene Creed: "For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became fully human."The Athanasian Creed: "He is God, eternally begotten from the nature of the Father, and he is man, born in time from the nature of his mother, fully God, fully man, with rational soul and human flesh, equal to the Father as to his deity, less than the Father as to his humanity..."This is what the incarnation of God taking on human flesh reveals: Jesus is the King coming to free his people from the tyranny of the Devil. He is the Judge coming to release the prisoners from the prison of hell. He is the God-Man coming to proclaim rescue to those who will listen and believe. He is the God who could come to us to wipe us out and shed our blood. However, instead he is the God who comes to wipe out our sins with his blood.God with us is only good news if God is for us. The good news is in changing the preposition. "For" means that Jesus is on our side, out to get our enemies. We are the "apple of his eye" (Psalm 17:8). He comes to live the perfect life for us, in our place. He comes to suffer for us, in our place. He comes to die for us, in our place. He comes to be the fulfillment of his names. He is Jesus because he saves us from our sins. He is Immanuel because he is God with us since he came for us.Again, why would Jesus come? Because he loves to be with the ones he loves.Dr. Maxwell Maltz tells a remarkable story of a love like this. A man attempted to save his parents from a burning house. He couldn't get to them. They perished. He was burned and disfigured in the fire. The man mistakenly interpreted his pain as God's punishment. He would not let anyone see him — not even his wife.The wife went to Dr. Maltz, a plastic surgeon, for help. He told her not to worry. He said, "I can restore his face." The wife was unenthused. Her husband had repeatedly refused any help. She knew he would refuse again.Then why her visit? She told the doctor, "I want you to disfigure my face so I can be like him. If I can share his pain, maybe he'll let me back in his life."Dr. Maltz was shocked. He denied her request but was so moved by her love that he went to speak with her husband. Knocking on the man's bedroom door, he called loudly. "Sir, my name is Dr. Maltz. I'm a plastic surgeon, and I can restore your face." No response. "Please come out." Again, there was no answer.Still speaking through the door, Dr. Maltz told the man of his wife's proposal. He said, "She wants me to disfigure her face, to make her face like yours in the hope that you let her back into your life. That's how much she loves you." There was a moment of silence, and then, ever so slowly, the doorknob began to turn.The way the woman felt for her husband is a small picture of the way God feels about us. But he did more than make the offer. He took on our face, our disfigurement. He became like us. Just look at the places he was willing to go to reach people – feed troughs, carpentry shops, deserts, and cemeteries. He visited mountain tops and temple courtyards. He went into the homes of friends, Pharisees, tax collectors, centurions, and dead little girls. The places Jesus went to reach us show how far he goes to fulfill his name, "He saves."Getting back to the story of King Ahaz... Israel and Aram failed in their plan against Judah. Both Israel and Aram were defeated by the Assyrians, with the northern kingdom of Israel falling to Assyria in 722 B.C.But then, look out, Ahaz! Assyria was not going to stop with knocking off Israel and Aram. Assyria would then turn its attention to Judah. After the promise of the virgin birth, Isaiah told King Ahaz, "The Lord will bring on you, on your people, and on your father's house, days worse than any since the day that Ephraim broke away from Judah. The Lord will bring the king of Assyria" (Isaiah 7:17).God fulfilled that promise, too. Assyria threatened Jerusalem 21 years later. At that time, Isaiah had to counsel the next king of Judah, Hezekiah, to trust in the Lord and not in political or military alliances. King Hezekiah listened to the counsel of Isaiah, and that threat again was lifted.God fulfilled his promise to wicked King Ahaz in sending a virgin's Son to be named Immanuel. This is why every Advent we sing, "Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel." Jesus is Immanuel – God with us by being God for us. He loves to be with the ones he loves. Amen.This gospel is about his Son, who in the flesh was born a descendant of David, who in the spirit of holiness was declared to be God's powerful Son by his resurrection from the dead—Jesus Christ, our Lord (Romans 1:3-4). Amen.