Trinity 1 Draft

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

Last week, we sang This is the Feast for the first time in 15 weeks. That's a long time. See, we normally take a break from singing it in Lent – This is the Feast or the Gloria in Excelsis go away in Lent. And the last few years I've been using DS4 in Lent, the more talky service – and then back to the Feast with gusto on Easter. And there's a reason for that – the image of joy and celebration that tops all others in the Scriptures is that of a feast. The Scriptures begin with Adam and Eve in a garden feast – I mean, that's what a garden is for – a feast. God doesn't plant a “forest” - it's a garden. Eat! And the end, Revelation – it's a wedding feast, a reception, a party. Taste and see that the Lord is good! And as let is a time of fasting – we are reserved. But normally that time of fasting is just six weeks. Not 15.

And strangely perhaps this COVID lockdown has taught us something that years and years of the six weeks of Lent just never quite did. We human beings were created by God to be together, celebrating and eating together. That's the Garden – it's not good for Adam to be alone, Eve, be with him. That's revelation – it's not good for Jesus to be alone. The Church shall be with Him forever. This is the feast. From beginning to end, God created us for joy and celebration together. And when that gets curtailed, either in the season of Lent when we pull back on things a bit, or when the world and circumstance prevent us from celebrating – from having our graduations or even our Easter dinners and the like – we see the point of celebration, and we see again what sin does. Sin tries to shutter, to cancel and close down the celebration that we have in all the good gifts that God gives us.

Alright Pastor – enough with the talk about food. Well, we're going to get it for the next three weeks at least, because this idea of feasting and celebration is going on in the background of our lessons for the next three weeks (and in an awful lot of our Gospel lessons the rest of the year too). As for today - the setting for the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus is that of a feast. Listen. There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. So who is this rich man, what do we know about him? No much other than this: for some reason he had been spared the worst ravages of sin in this life, and as such he was able to celebrate and feast daily. They were brilliant feasts – not just good food but lights, the whole shebang. Yet he is not the only character in the story. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. And there's Lazarus. Who wants to feast, well, not even feast. He'd be happy with table scraps, with left over – with trash. And this blessed rich man is so callous, so blind to his neighbor in need, that he lets Lazarus starve to death on his door step. No feast for you, no scraps for you, nothing for you, Lazarus!

This is a stark and gross depiction of what the Scriptures would call “injustice.” Justice in the Scriptures isn't about legal rights or jail time – not at all. Justice is this – recognizing that there is sin in the world, and instead of taking advantage of that fact, using the gifts you have received from God to mitigate and lessen the impact of sin. This is why we get in the Catechism things like we support our neighbor in his body and life, or to help him protect and improve his possessions and income. That's what justice is scripturally speaking. It's stewardship – it's you using the blessings God has given you for the good of your neighbor. It's you being your brother's keeper. It's you treating them fairly, even if they are desperate and couldn't fight back if you con them or rob them blind. And the rich man, who had been sheltered by God from the harshest impacts of sin in his life couldn't care one lick about justice. And Lazarus suffers for it.

But in the end, the wages of sin isn't just a bit of trouble. The wages of sin is death. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. They both die. And for the sake of the story, they can see each other. And what you probably missed is that Lazarus is at a feast. If you remember the old fashioned translations they would say that Lazarus gets taken to the bosom of Abraham. Lazarus is laying on Abraham – and do you know when you laid on each other in Jesus' day? At a feast. Because you didn't sit on a chair at a table with the person next to you at your side, you reclined at a low table, and to fit, you'd be laying up, supporting yourself on the person on your left. This was also why you didn't eat with the lepers – eating with involved contact. Or why they freak out when Jesus “eats with sinners” - it's not Jesus across an 8 foot table saying, “would you pass the Grey Poupon” - it's contact, it's closeness. Not quite the same closeness as that of a nursing child with her mother, but still pretty close.

And the rich man sees Lazarus at the feast with Abraham, and the rich man has none, and he wants it. Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame. He doesn't have to touch me, just a bit of water. Something. No dice, fella. Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. Comforted, Paracleted – the Paraclete was the comforter, the counsellor, the advisor at your side, right next to you. Lazarus knew the word of God, knew the Spirit, and by faith Lazarus was saved, even though he saw such wickedness in his lifetime. And you, well, apart from faith there's just sin and death. And I can't bridge that chasm for you.

Well, Abraham, send Lazarus to go warn my family. And Abraham refuses to dismiss Lazarus from the feast. Abraham says, “They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them.” This is lovely. What are you complaining about – they have Moses and the Prophets. I didn't have the Scriptures in my day – I didn't have the Scroll of Isaiah. I might have to wait 10 years for the Word of the Lord, they've got it all over the place. Go listen there. No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent. Yeah, Abraham, I know I'm burning in hell and you're Father Abraham and all, but you don't know what in the, well, hell, you are talking about. Arrogance and injustice go hand in hand. And Abraham has enough of it – If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead. Listen to the Word, that's where it's at.

If you don't hear the Word of God, if you ignore the Scriptures, you miss out on the feast. You don't see the world for what it is, you don't recognize sin, you don't recognize blessings, you don't understand death and you don't know where there is salvation if you don't listen to the Word.

Because you know what the Word of God proclaimed, what Moses and the Prophets taught and teach until this day? That the LORD, Jesus Christ, is Himself our shield. That He Himself will secure for us every blessing, and not just for a century or so, but for eternity. For the Scriptures declared from Genesis 3 onward that God Himself would become Man, that the LORD Himself would be our Savior, that He would take up the wages of Sin upon Himself, that He would die and rise again. And that is what Jesus Christ has done, and what He has done for you.

And so Jesus calls you here. This place – it's a place of His Word. If I'm over at that Lectern, I'm going to be speaking His Word. If I'm in this pulpit, I'm going to be preaching His Word – and it better not be just my hobby horse or my opinion, otherwise I've got no business saying that it is in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and you've got no business saying Amen at the end. And the Word of God is true – and it shows us our sin. And it shows us our disdain. And the Spirit uses it to make us see things about ourselves that we'd rather not admit. But the Scriptures also show God's plan of Salvation in Christ Jesus for you. And the Scriptures declare that Jesus is for you. And being immersed in the Scriptures, to where we are gathered here and we hear His Word and speak His Word – because the Words you've said and sung are just Scripture or pretty hymns plagiarizing the Scripture, the Holy Spirit works repentance and faith upon us. There is no repentance apart from the Word and Spirit, there is no faith apart from the Word and Spirit.

And with all that going on, all that being done to us – we say Amen. We pray the back to God the promises that He has made to us in His Word, indeed the very words that Jesus taught us (if I don't forget and skip it) – and then, out of His great love and mercy, Jesus calls us sinners to His table for His Supper, and we receive forgiveness, life and salvation. This is the feast. And here we touch upon and join in the heavenly eternal feast, with angels and archangels and all the company of heaven – even until we are there ourselves in the Resurrection.

See the feast. See the everyday feasting of daily bread that you have, and use your daily bread with justice for all. And come to the feast of forgiveness and mercy, even until our Lord brings you to the feast of Victory that will have no end. You are invited. Christ Jesus has died and risen for you, so you belong here. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

Pentecost Draft

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

So, we are moving closer to being able to reopen for worship, and there is much fear swirling around the reopening of Churches. I saw reports out of Germany earlier this week that there were 107 infections out of one church – and I saw many throwing fear and outrage over that. And California released plans for reopening – and as for Illinois...? But sooner or later we will be gathering here together again, because when they are able, the people of God gather in His house. That's just how things work – when we can we go to church. Even back on the day of Pentecost, people gathered from all over the world to God's house in Jerusalem. But Pastor, what about safety! How quickly we forget, how little we understand the history of worship – we forget that safety in worship has always been on the hallmarks of the Christian faith.

Let's start with the basics – what is the first commandment? (You shall have no other gods.) And what does this mean? (We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.) Fear has always been part of the Christian faith – a healthy fear, a proper fear, and understanding that you don't mess around with God, you don't run ram-shod over Him. That if you presume to just saunter up on to God and do things your way, things go poorly. Our lesson from Genesis today – there's no fear, no respect of God – we'll just build our way up to Him. God puts a stop to that. Or even earlier in Genesis – Cain is discouraged because he worshiped wrongly, made lousy sacrifices. There is a respect, a decorum to be had in the presence of God.

This continues throughout the Old Testament. When Moses sees the burning bush, what's the first thing he gets told? Take off your sheep-stained sandals, you are on holy ground. Holy – where there's something different, something special – and you act differently when you are here. And with the Tabernacle – you don't just traipse in there – the priests operate with respect. The second day the Tabernacle is open two of Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu decide to just ignore God's instructions and do things their way, and they die. There's a right and safe way to worship God, to give God the honor, respect, and glory due Him.

Now, we are in the New Testament times, and things are much easier with worship. As Christ Jesus has made the final sacrifice for sin, I don't really have to cut or burn anything anymore, which is just fine with me. The temple curtain was torn in two, and we enter God's house baptized and clean and forgiven – much of the danger has passed. That's a great thing. But we still have maintained a sense of reverence, a sense of decorum. This is because we do acknowledge that great things happen here in this place – that while God could choose to bring us His Word, His Baptism, His Supper in a multitude of different places, He has set aside this place for you, He has made this Holy place for you to receive His good gifts. And I would hope this break would rekindle your sense of how this place is a holy place. And we treat it as such. I'm not the most stodgy of pastors (nor as I the most casual), but you've never seen me, let's say... sit on the altar. Probably have a hard time even imagining it. It's good that that would be hard to imagine, because we maintain respect and decorum and still teach it here because of respect for what Jesus gives us here.

And so, when we do resume open worship – we'll have reverent, joyous worship where we receive Jesus' good gifts of life and salvation. We will just have some extra layers of reverence and decorum and respect that are added. Respectful of each other – which is most certainly fine, for if the temple of old was to be respected, how much more ought we show respect to each other, for we all are baptized children of God, temples of the Holy Spirit. Because this is what we see start on Pentecost. It's not that the New Testament is actually less formal or less stuffy than the Old, it's that the angle has changed. In the Old Testament, everything was funneled to Jerusalem, because it was in Jerusalem where Jesus would come and suffer and die on the Cross and redeem the world, and all eyes, all nations where to be focused there. That's why we see folks from all over the place drawn to Jerusalem in our Epistle. But now in our days, we are on the outward path – the Holy Spirit is given, is poured out, and the news, the proclamation of what happened on Cross in Jerusalem nearly 2000 years ago is take forth and away from there unto all the world. There is no longer one temple to go to, but rather every Christian is made a sacred and holy temple of God – for prayer and proclamation. And wherever Christians are gathered – be it just 2 or 3 – because I've done plenty of services for folks where there's only been the two of us – or be it 10, or 50, or whatever – there Christ Jesus is present in His Word and His gifts – all over the world. And this is a wondrous thing – and so we do have places and buildings still today so that the locals know where they can come. Any new person showing up in Herscher can see this building and tell that it is a Church, that it is a place where Christ Crucified for the forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed.

Because that is the proclamation of the Church. Even from the beginnings of the New Testament Church at Pentecost. Consider how Peter really starts his sermon: Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. The law is proclaimed. Bluntly. The Christ, the Messiah came, and He was put to death. And note – Peter is talking to many people who weren't even in Jerusalem when Good Friday happened – yet the reality is this. Their sin, our sin – that's why Jesus was on the cross. Let us in the Church never soft pedal the impact of sin, or brush it off as unimportant. Nor should we be surprised when we see the impact of sin upon the world. The wages of sin is death. We know this and teach this. And the wonder is this: Jesus decided to take up that wage in your place, so that even should you die you will not remain dead. That is a jaw-dropping awesome thing. Yes, Jesus died on our account, but also true is this - God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. Jesus who died has been raised, and life has been restored. Death has been defeated. Yes, your death has been defeated. You death from whatever, be it old age or cancer or an accident or whatever of the myriad things that have put people we know and love in the cemeteries and one day will come calling for us – your death has been defeated by Christ. Death cannot hold Christ Jesus, and because Jesus holds on to you, has bound Himself to you in Holy Baptism, death will not have any hold on you either. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. This promise indeed is for you, even though you are far off in both time and space – for you are those whom God has called unto Himself.

And Peter ends his sermon saying this way: And with many other words he bore witness to them, and comforted them saying, “Be saved from this crooked generation.” Peter comforts, exhorts – paracletes them. Proclaims the Word and the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and those who received his word were baptized and saved. Salvation happens. God's plan of rescue, your rescue, continues. Doesn't matter what you see swirl around you, it doesn't matter the fears and dangers that arise – fears and dangers arise in every day and in every generation – only a people with no fear of the Lord would expect otherwise. This still is true: You are saved and redeemed by Christ.

This is why Jesus told the disciples, and why through them He declares to you, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Jesus died and rose so that you would have peace, that you would be forgiven – and nothing stops that. Nothing can change, cancel, close, or destroy that. And while things in the world swirl around and change – in the world they need to swirl and change because the world is a dizzying and confusing place – in Christ Jesus you do have peace. And He has had His Word proclaimed to you, and He has seen you baptized, and He has poured out His Spirit upon you, and He and the Spirit dwell with you. And this is a wondrous truth – one that we should marvel at, that we should treat with reverence. It is a truth to be proclaimed in all places – and also in this specific place and building as well.

So, I do not know what the future holds – but then again, I never have. None of us ever know what the next week will hold in store – or what new strangeness and fears will pop up this June. What is steadfast and constant is what we are focused upon here – the love of Christ Jesus for you. That He has died and risen, and we are saved by Him. God grant that we might soon again safely gather together and receive His good gifts together – but know and remember that you still receive His good gifts even while we are apart. This is the joy of being the Baptized – a wondrous gift the world will never understand, nor that they can ever take away. Amen. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit +

Easter 7 Draft

Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed, alleluia! +

Man, bad stuff will happen. I mean, peel the paint off the wall bad stuff will happen. This is what Jesus tells the disciples that Maundy Thursday evening – and not just bad stuff to Jesus, but bad stuff is going to happen to them. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think that he is offering service to God. And it happens. The disciples in that upper room are all driven out of the community, forced to run – most of them are murdered cruelly and harshly. John dies naturally, but off in exile. Bad stuff will happen.

I use to get really annoyed when I'd have to run into the Christian book store to pick up supplies, because I'd pass the racks of the current best sellers, and so often they'd be these incredibly happy go lucky things. Here's the Christian guide to success and power and victory – it was like walking into a self-help section with a slathering of Jesus tossed onto it, and I would get really annoyed, because it was making a false promise. Jesus doesn't say that everything will go well. In fact, Jesus is quite often blunt, telling us that in this life, in this sinful world where you are surrounded by sinners, bad things will happen. Some you will bring upon yourself – some will just happen to you. And the lives of all the saints of both the Old and the New Testaments are examples of this. Bad things happen – and being faithful doesn't mean that they won't happen to you. In fact, being faithful to God paints a target squarely on you and Satan is going to fire away.

Bad things happen. And Jesus is honest with us about that. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. When bad things happen, we are spiritually assaulted. We are assaulted by Satan and our own sinful flesh. And fears and doubts come crashing in. It wasn't supposed to be like this, did I do something wrong, why isn't God doing X, Y, and Z to fix it? We see the bad things, and we are hounded by Satan and sin with the threat and specter of death – hounded away from Christ.

So, remember what Jesus told you. Jesus has never blown smoke up your skirt about how everything will be rosy. He's not some prosperity preacher – it's take up your Cross and follow Me. That “oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz” song isn't Scripture, it's Janis Joplin. Jesus has been utterly blunt and honest with how there will be hardship and difficulty and pain and death in your life. And so what we see today should be no surprise. Christians don't get a get out of COVID free card, we don't get to ignore governmental regulations without consequence just because we're Christians. No – Jesus has placed you as a Christian squarely in the middle of the real world, the real, harsh world. The real world that will fight tooth and nail against itself and doubly so against you because you are a Christian and Satan wants nothing more than to crush you and drive you away from Christ.

So over and against this, Jesus wants you to stay focused on the message, on the Gospel, on the good news of your salvation. Because you know what is true about all the bad stuff you see – it doesn't change the fact that Jesus Christ has died for you. Do you see your sin? Doesn't change the fact that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary that first Christmas. Doesn't matter how big that sin that bugs you is – Jesus still was born. Is the world gone all crazy and dangerous and foolish? Doesn't change the fact that Jesus, True God and True Man, died and rose for you to win you forgiveness and win you eternal life. Easter service was sort of canceled or just stuck on line – not Easter itself, not the Resurrection itself. All the hardships we face, all the trials – they're not going to catch Jesus off guard. It's not like they are some surprise twist that Jesus didn't see coming – and even with them coming, He did everything He needed to do to be your Savior, to forgive you and redeem you and save you. He doesn't forget you – we're the ones tempted to forget, but Jesus never forgets His love for you.

And thus, He sends the Holy Spirit. When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me. Jesus sends the Holy Spirit – and you know what the Holy Spirit's job is? To give you Jesus. To fix your eyes upon Jesus. To come to you in and by the Word of God, and to place your eyes smack dab upon Jesus, in good days or bad days, in normal days or strange days, yesterday, today, and forever. The Holy Spirit bears witness about Jesus – proclaims over and over to you that Jesus is your Lord and Savior, that this is true, and that nothing in the world can change that fact.

And this is what the Apostles were sent to preach. The Holy Spirit works through the Word, and the Apostles were sent to proclaim the Word of God. And we who have been given the gift of faith by the Holy Spirit, we who have heard the Word – we too are given to proclaim it.

And this is important, something much more important than the question of why do bad things happen? Bad things happen because we are sinners in a sinful world. Don't give me that “why do bad things happen to good people” junk – sinners in a sinful world. You're not “good” - you're a forgiven sinner – you are declared good and righteous in Christ Jesus. And so the bigger, the more profound question isn't “why do these bad things happen” but why did God put you right here, right now, right smack dab in the middle of this badness right now?

When we see bad things, our sinful flesh likes to jump to the idea of punishment, but often that's just our sinful flesh thinking we can dig our way out of things. If I've been bad, maybe I can be good and work my way out of it. Well, I suppose diet and exercise might make me less likely to get sick but there's something more profound at work than Jesus just telling me to put down the junk food. Might be part of it – but only a small part. No – why are you here, right now, in the middle of all this badness?

Let's ponder the Apostles again for a moment. Next Sunday is Pentecost – and we will hear them preach, and it will be neat, and all that. And they get sent into some lousy places, full of badness and wickedness. Why? Not for their own good – but to do good for the people God put into their lives. To be God's instruments of love and compassion, of proclaiming the Gospel. God put them in the middle of the bad because that is where God needed His love proclaimed the most, His love shown the most, His care given forth the most.

Why are you here, now, in the middle of all this badness? To love. To forgive. To show mercy. Over and against and in the midst of all this sin and death surrounding us – you are sent by God to love and serve your neighbor, to care for their bodily needs, as well as to proclaim the peace of Christ Jesus, His forgiveness, and the hope of the resurrection in the midst of a world that desperately needs it. Because really – the world and its situation isn't any more bad now than it was last year at this time. The main difference is perhaps we see it a bit more clearly now. We see the panic, the fear, the danger, the isolation and loneliness all the more clearly. We see it in ourselves more – we feel it more clearly ourselves. And God in His wisdom and in His love for His creation that is being sorely abused by Satan and the powers of hell has forgiven you, and been merciful to you – and He has placed you right into the middle of the fray to be His own instrument of love and mercy and forgiveness to people who desperately need His love and mercy and forgiveness.

And some won't appreciate the love. And some won't want to hear the mercy or peace. And some will scoff at the forgiveness. So be it – Jesus told you that this would happen. Show the love anyway. Forgive people anyway – even if they don't deserve it, because no one deserves God's forgiveness. That's the point of it being forgiveness. Love and forgive each other – and in that way God will see that you yourself receive His love and forgiveness, His encouragement and strength. And God will bless you with the Holy Spirit to keep you and strengthen you in Christ Jesus for the love He would have you show, for the works that He has prepared for you to walk in, even until He chooses and knows that it is best to give you rest. You have received the love of Christ, and He sends you forth with that same love to cover the multitude of sins, of badness that we see unleashed upon this world – because your neighbors need that love just as much as you do.

So, do not fear the badness that you see. Do not be shaken by it. Do not be driven away from Christ Jesus by it. Rather – know it for what it is. It's Satan attacking the world, attacking the people for whom Jesus died for. And Jesus will not stand for that – and so here you are, and He is with you, to give you daily bread as you tend to the daily needs of your neighbors, to forgive you as you forgive those who trespass against you. And He will not lead you into a temptation that you cannot bear, and He will deliver you from evil. He has done so – for you are a baptized child of God, and nothing you see can change that. You need not flee wickedness – God destroys it through His love and forgiveness that He gives to you and through you. This is what Jesus' death and resurrection for you has accomplished. Amen. Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed, alleluia.

Easter 6 Draft

Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed, alleluia!

Sinful human beings like control. We want to be in charge of things; we want things to be done our way. This is why these stay at home orders chafe so much. For almost two months I've been told I can't run up to Darien and sit down and have a nice, Lithuanian Lunch, or whatever other stupid whim of the moment that my mind fixiates on in the moment when I'm staring out my window. And on top of that, we certainly don't like being told what to do by others. Don't tell me I'm supposed to wear a mask in public – though really it's not that big of a deal and it's just a matter of being polite. See, I've got my mask on, I promise I won't cough on you (I can't wear one in service, you have a hard enough time hearing me as is). But this whole control mess – not having control, seeing places where others control you – we could even add in the times where you've been domineering over other people and tyrannical yourselves – this whole control mess epitomizes what sin is. We want control. And the fact that we don't have control angers and terrifies us.

And we can do stupid things to try to gain control back in our lives. We can jump through all sorts of justification hoops – whether it's conspiracy theories or I'm acting for the greater good, or they started it – sin is basically me wanting to control everything, me not wanting to let God be God, me not wanting to receive the days that the Lord my Maker gives unto me. We see a story about this in our Old Testament lesson. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” Now think briefly on the Exodus – the children of Israel had seen the 10 plagues shatter Egypt, they crossed the Red Sea and saw with their own eyes God destroy the armies of Pharaoh, and they saw the Pillar of Fire, the Pillar of Cloud. They saw water from the Rock, and the worthless food was manna and quail! How can they complain like this – if you are left to die in the wilderness it is because you refused to believe the Lord when He said that He would lead you into the promised land! Why do you grumble so? Well, you see God, it's like this – I really want more variation in my diet. And so they grumble. Instead of seeing the miraculous care that they had received from God, they grumble.

Sound familiar? I can look at my pantry, my freezer, and I can loathe this worthless food because I want Lithuanian and I want to get a Kugelis – which is this wonderful potato dish... get the point? We really are no different, and although we like to do the whole “if I were there, I would have behaved better” - yeah, you probably wouldn't have. I probably would have been one of the idiots swallowed up by the earth in the rebellion of Korah – thank you Lord for saving me from my own stupidity. These days – well all days, but especially these days where we are frustrated are good days to remember the 1^st Article of the Creed, the 4^th petition of the Lord's Prayer. God still is your Creator, and He still takes care of you and preserves you. He still provides you daily bread, and He still protects you from harm and danger. God keeps on being God.

But I want to continue on in the Old Testament for a moment – let's push that a bit further. Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you.” Punishment and hardship comes, and they recognize that it comes from the Lord. Yes, God is letting these serpents run around and He is teaching us a lesson – again, understand why Pastor Brown doesn't like object lessons. And the people learn from it. They are driven to repentance.

Now, consider our days. Well a virus is less exciting and more tedious than fiery serpents, but how do we understand this? We are right to understand this as something which God in His wisdom and His Fatherly love has allowed, and even sent, to us to chastize us and to drive us away from our pride and unto repentance. I'm guessing in the extra time of reflection you've had these past two months you have seen things about yourself that you realize are not good. Excellent – you are being repented by God, and the mirror of the law is doing it's work. Our sin is revealed so we can repent it and fight against it.

However, there is a danger, and false move and shift that the American preachers are want to do in times of tragedy. The temptation is to want to name someone else's sin. God's unleashing this upon America because of... sin that I conveniently don't happen to like or engage in. A conservative type might want to say this is vengeance against abortion or homosexuality; I've seen a few liberals saying that this is punishment for our capitalistic greed. But those are all pinning the tail on some other donkey – that's really blaming other people. And that's an attempt to exert control – because if we just change what THEY do, then everything will be better. And then of course, there are the more extreme attempts at control – Pastor, what if you made a pole and stuck a bronze virus on it – okay, maybe not bronze but we could take a styrofoam ball and stick push pins in it and it would make a really need crafty model for a virus.... Not the point. It's not the time to blame, it's not the time to try to control things not given to you to control. It is a time to pause and ponder our own sin.

Moving forward to the Gospel lesson – it had turned dour in the Upper Room that Maundy Thursday evening, for after dinner Jesus had given this sad, confusing speech about scary things, how He's going away and we're going to have sorrow. And then, towards the end, He says, “In that day you will ask nothing of Me. Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in My Name, He will give it to you.” And Jesus has addressed the sorrow and the hardship that the disciples will face, the sorrow and hardship that we ourselves face, and He gives the solution. Pray. You, O Christian, have been given a fantastic gift, a wonderful access to God Almighty. When you pray, the Father has promised to hear you. You do not call upon His Name in vain when you pray, but rather He has promised to hear you. And Jesus has instructed you to pray - “Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”

And here's where we need to hold our sinful horses a moment. We are control junkies, we love control – and we hear “whatever you ask” and “ask and you will receive” and we hear this through the idea of control... whatever I want? Even the pony? I want to point out two things, the important things, that we forget. In My name, in Jesus' name – and for joy.

To pray in Jesus name is to pray with His authority – it is to pray confessing that Jesus is in control, not you. It is to pray in accordance with what Jesus has instructed us to pray – like what we pray for in the Lord's Prayer. And if we go outside of what Jesus has instructed, if we try to take control of the situation we we would want, well, that's bad. Consider this as an example – let's say I tell my son Victor, “Go tell your brother Ambrose to come inside.” If he tells Ambrose, “Dad said to come inside” - that's great. If he says, “Dad said to come inside and that you are supposed to clean my room” that's missing the point and bad. Likewise, when we pray in Jesus' Name, we pray what He has told us and instructed us to pray for – that's the range of the whatever we get. Prayer isn't something we use to control God – it's not witchcraft or sorcery – that's taking God's name in vain. Rather our Prayer throws us to God, places us back in Jesus' Word, reminds us that God is in control and that He is in control for you.

And we know this, because Jesus has said that He wishes our joy to be full. Joy doesn't come from me getting my way – if I get my way on one things, I'm still grumpy and unhappy because there's something else I'll want my way on. It's why you can't please a person who constantly complains and why if you're a complainer you're never happy. That's all about control, and there is no joy in our control. Where is there joy? There is joy in Christ Jesus for you. There is Joy in Jesus Christ saying to you, “see all this sin that is driving you into misery and despair – see all you wicked thoughts and stupid wants and perverse plans – see your wretched mistakes and grating grumblings and casual cruelties – see your shame and your guilt and your anger and your fear... well, I have taken that all away from you, and I have carried it to the Cross, and I have borne it all for you, and I have died and I have risen and you are forgiven. You are forgiven and you will rise to new and glorious and utterly enjoyable life – not because of what you do, but because of what I have done for you. And what I have done for you – well, it is finished. It's good. And in Me, you are good again.

That's what Joy is. Restore unto me the Joy of Thy Salvation. And that is what God will give you, that is where His gift of prayer will lead you. When you pray in Jesus' Name you are thrust back into your Baptism where that Name of Jesus was placed upon you, washing away your sin. When you pray in Jesus' Name, you are thrust back into the words and promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation that He has made to you. And Jesus' promise to you holds true. Even in hard times. No, you needn't take control. And yes, you may see your desire for control as the sin it is an repent of it. Jesus is in control, and He is in control for you, to redeem you. And this is true even today – hear again what He has said to you. “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world. Amen. Christ has risen...

Easter 5 Draft

Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed, alleluia!

Sometimes our Lord will cut across our bravado. What's the old phrase – pride goeth before a fall? Our Lord has expressly told us that He will cut across our bravado, our false boldness, our bluster. Jesus Christ is the Truth – and tall tales and boasts are not of the truth. And so, part of what Jesus does that Maundy Thursday night is call the disciples' bluff a bit. Remember, they had been all bold and boisterous that evening – we'll never leave you Jesus. Peter had the whole “I'll never deny you” - oh really, well remember that boast Petey when you hear the Rooster crow, alright? These were the disciples, they were supposed to be in the know, in the inner circle – they could handle anything!

And Jesus takes them down a peg – gently, mind you. The Passion is terrifying for the disciples; Jesus gets them thinking so it's not quite as big a shock. Now I am going to Him who sent Me and none of you asks Me, “Where are You going?” But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Getting taken down a peg hurts, even if you need to be taken down a peg. Being reminded of your weakness, of your need for God hurts – we see this clearly today in the rampant fear. And for the disciples it was extra scary – because if Jesus goes away, it's going to fall to them to take care of things. Daunting – you betcha that is! Oh well, disciples – adulting is hard. And their boasts and pride war with their fears and doubts – a mess I'm sure you're familiar with – and Jesus is talking about going away, this is bad, isn't it?

Nope. Not bad at all. In fact – Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. What's coming is better. What's coming, what the Church will look like in 20 years is better than it is now, disciples. It will be better for everyone when you're Apostles instead of disciples. And it's true – even now, even in the midsts of pandemics and all that jazz, it's better. We've got a leg up on what the disciples had when they were following Jesus. Why? Because we live in the post-Pentecost Church.

Right here Jesus points the disciples and us to Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit is poured out – the Helper, the Comforter, the Paraclete. That's a great word there – that word “Helper” is the Greek Word Paraclete. Right, so what's a Paraclete. Well, when you were in court on trial for a crmie your Paraclete was the person who sat along side you (para, like parallel) and called (cleted) out to you to tell you whatever it is you needed to know. It's your defense lawyer, the person who faces off against the Accuser – the Satan in Aramaic. And your Paraclete would speak to you all the things you would need. He'd calm you down if you were panicking, he'd explain what the Accuser is doing with all his tactics, he'd tell you how to counter them – and if you were going to go say something stupid to the judge he'd stop you. Useful fellow, a good paraclete.

Jesus here is describing what the Holy Spirit does for you. You have received the Holy Spirit. You are Baptized, washed with water and the Word and made a temple of the Holy Spirit. You are part of the same Christian and Apostolic Church with the same Spirit given at Pentecost. Jesus sends you His Spirit along with His Word, and whenever you hear the Word of Jesus, Jesus gives you the Holy Spirit at the same time – you don't need to try to find the Holy Spirit or Catch Him – He is with you and He is with the Word.

And what does the Holy Spirit do? Well, glad you asked – And when He comes He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. When the Spirit comes He's going to lawyer on up and take the case square on, and He's going to have His fancy and fine lawyer talk and take it to the world – and He's going to smack the world around over three things – sin and righteousness and judgment. First - Concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me. The Holy Spirit will show sin to be sin. In fact, you can't really know sin to be sin apart from the Holy Spirit and believing in Jesus. Most other cultures, they don't really have the idea of sin. People might make mistakes – but most of the time they deny that fact. Or people might have bad habits – but those get swept under the rug. But the idea of sin – the idea I am corrupt and that I fight against my creator and that every action I take is tainted and twisted – that even I, Eric Brown, as I stand here in the Church and preach, am a poor miserable sinner – in thought, word, and deed – corrupted and vile and deserving of death? Or that you, the folks listening, hearing – that you yourselves are sinners to, and that even believing in Jesus you'll need to confess, that every week in service we'll rightfully start confessing our sins? That makes no sense to the world. That makes no sense to us apart from the Holy Spirit giving us faith in Jesus. In fact, the only reason we could bear to consider the weight of our sin is because we have been given to know Jesus, that He takes our sin up upon the Cross and Crucifies it. And that's what the Holy Spirit reminds you of via the Word of God, and that's what we proclaim to the world.

Second – Concerning Righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see Me no longer. The Spirit will proclaim Christ Crucified. Okay, Christ Crucified, Risen, and Ascended and seated at the right hand of the Father – Christ Crucified. Because that is what righteousness is. The world thinks that to be righteous is to be nice, a decent fellow. But in reality the world doesn't know what righteousness is. What proof? Go get into a debate with someone about how we should handle governmental policy concerning Covid. What's the “right” thing to do – oh, you'll hear so many theories about what the right thing to do is. Even we here might toss our own two cents, our own two worthless cents into the discussion. No, you want to know what righteousness is? While you were yet a sinner, Christ Jesus died for you. He takes up the weight of your sin, and in its place He gives you all that He is – for He is righteous, no one is good but God alone, and Jesus Christ, true God gives you all that He is, and you are made righteous, justified in Him. Righteousness has nothing to do with what you do or your thoughts or plans – righteousness is Jesus for you. And the Holy Spirit will proclaim Christ Jesus for you in a world that often forgets or ignores Jesus.

And the third – Concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. Oh, and just in case you get freaked out by what you see in the world, just in case the sin and death and chaos and illness and bicker that Satan has wound up gets you a bit concerned, the Holy Spirit will proclaim again and again that Satan has been defeated by Christ the Crucified, that Jesus has risen and you will rise and that there's not a thing that Satan can do to stop your resurrection. Jesus wins. Period. This world's prince may still scowl fierce as he will. He can harm us none! He's judged, the deed is done! We can forget that sometimes. Sometimes we get overwhelmed. The Holy Spirit doesn't. And so in His Church the Spirit will proclaim the Victory of Christ by Christ Jesus' own Word of Truth, and He will keep you in this victory and truth. That's what the Spirit does.

And this is the life of the Church. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. The disciples couldn't get everything right at that moment. And to be honest, we don't get everything at all moments. There are some things about the Christian faith I understand better now than I did years ago, and there are some things about the faith that I understood better as a Second Grader. That's life. And that doesn't surprise Jesus. In fact, that's why He sends the Spirit – because the Spirit will continually guide us into Truth, to Jesus – the Spirit will make you see Jesus for you in all the ways that you need to see Jesus for you on the given day you're in. He's got it under control, and He has it under control for you. And the Spirit will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. The Spirit will over again over proclaim what is coming – not what Tuesday's powerball number is going to be or when I can go to a game at Wrigley again (I'd even be happy getting up to Comiskey or whatever they call it these days again). The Spirit will proclaim to you Christ's Victory and the truth that He shall come again. And everything God knows you need to hear about Jesus until then, the Holy Spirit has got that in the bag. The Spirit will give you Jesus – He will glorify me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that He will take what is Mine and declare it to you. The Holy Spirit will Gospel you, He will pour out the good news of Christ Jesus' salvation – so that whatever else is going on, you know, you hear that you have Jesus. That you are forgiven, redeemed, and bound for eternal life. That every good blessing of the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is yours.

And that's true today. Still is. Because the Holy Spirit is still with you now, in the Word of Christ Jesus. God has comforted you, He has given you the Comforter, the Spirit – so that even now and in all your days, you know that Christ Jesus is your Lord and Savior, and that you have forgiveness and life in His Name. And this is a free gift of God, with no boasting needed. So, let the Lord cut across your bravado – He gives you something better. He gives you the Spirit, who proclaims always that Christ is Risen....

Easter 4 draft

Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed, Alleluia! Amen.

For this Sunday and the next three we are going to be moving around in John 16, listening in on the conversation Jesus had with His disciples on Maundy Thursday. I want to you think for a moment that that Maundy Thursday would have been like. Right after Supper, after the first celebration of the Lord's Supper, Jesus has a frank discussion with the disciples. They don't know it, but in less than 24 hours, Jesus will be Crucified, and that will turn the disciples' lives utterly upside down. And yes, Easter is coming – but also after Easter there will be the Ascension, and then Pentecost, and so many things for the Disciples will be so vastly different than they are now. So, Jesus teaches. He emphasizes to the Disciples and to us what life will be like in the New Testament church. For years, basically since the beginning, the people of God had been waiting for the coming of the Messiah – now what's it going to be like after the Messiah has come?

Jesus concludes a bit of a speech with the first line of our Gospel reading today. A little while, and you will see Me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see Me. Jesus just drops this out there for the disciples to ponder – and they are utterly confused. They were in fact utterly confused by a lot of what Jesus had been doing and teaching, especially that night. Actually, I think this is a good reminder for us. Jesus isn't offended or upset by our confusion. Our value, our relationship with Jesus does not depend upon how well we understand, how well our ducks are in a row, how well we have everything together. The disciples were often confused, and likewise my dear friends, we are often going to be confused in this life. There are going to be times when we have no clue what is going on, what is happening. There are going to be times we don't have the answers, even when things are staring us straight in the face. That doesn't shock Jesus. In fact, your Lord Jesus is patient enough that He will end up working through confusion and teach us patiently. Jesus doesn't demand immediate results, nor does He spoon feed answers. He knows the struggles of life, and He knows that they are indeed struggles. So be it – our confusion doesn't matter. Jesus knows what is going on, and that's the important thing.

And when the time is right, He will clear away our confusion. Jesus knew that they wanted to ask Him. Again, just another quick point. Jesus knew what the disciples wanted to ask Him. Likewise, Jesus knows all the things that you wish to ask Him. When we are in confusing times, burdensome times – those are times where we really ought to pray more often. But sometimes in our pride, we don't want to pray a confused prayer – we think our prayers should be clear, orderly, straight to the point and we ought to know what is best. That's not how the Scriptures describe prayer. St. Paul says that they are often groanings too deep for words – you know, confused and from a place of pain and stress. That's fine. Don't hesitate to pray, don't hesitate to take your concerns to Jesus, or your confusion, your uncertainity, the times you do not know what to pray for. That's fine – you don't have to know. Jesus knows. And when the time is right, when it is good for you to know, Jesus will clear away our confusion.

So Jesus decides to speak to the disciples again. Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, 'A little while and you will not see Me, and again a little while and you will see Me?' Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You guys are wondering about what's going to happen – how events will unfold. Let me give you a different heads up – I've already told you three times that I am going to be Crucified and you don't want to face that. So instead, here's the impact. You will weep, you will lament, even while people around you rejoice. And this is precisely what Good Friday is for the disciples – they are utterly devastated while the wicked cackle with mocking glee as Jesus is crucified. And Jesus doesn't sugar coat it, water it down, anything like that. He acknowledges the lousiness of the situation – He calls it like it is.

One of the hardest things about the Christian life is the fact that we are out of step with the world, that so often the world will rejoice when we are sorrowful – or that the world and people we love will ignore the joys of Christ's forgiveness and mercy and instead angrily mock and deride our Lord, mock and deride us. And it is okay to note that, to see that, to feel that. There's a massive disconnect – that's what sin and unbelief cause, a massive disconnect with God and with each other – and it is sorrowful. And it's okay to note that sorrow, to see it, to feel it. Doesn't make you less of a Christian. I mean, even Jesus Himself weeps when He comes to Lazarus' tomb, even knowing that He's going to raise him from the dead in mere moments. You're are free to feel sorrow.

But Jesus wants you to remember something in the midst of your sorrow, when the sorrow looms large. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. This sorrow, this pain, this suffering, this sin, this death – it doesn't last. It doesn't endure. It has been defeated by Christ Jesus, by His death and resurrection. Doesn't mean that sorrow is somehow less sorrowful, it doesn't mean that sin is less sinny, it doesn't mean that death is any less horrid – but what we do remember is that these enemies and foes do give way. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish for joy that a human being has been born into the world. The mothers here can attest to this – yes, there is pain, but it will go away, and there's joy to come. Doesn't mean that the pain isn't real. I didn't look at my wife while she was in labor having a contraction and say, “Oh don't worry, this isn't that bad.” But after the kids are born, a mom isn't living in the pains of labor – she's living with her kids, and that's wondrous. And worth it.

When we see hardship in this life, we must remember that Christ Jesus will bring us through it – and that it is okay to acknowledge that the moment is lousy. Terrible example – I got out of bed Sunday night and knew that I starting to throw a kidney stone. I get them. I know how they work for me – push fluid, walk, in a day or two it will pass. I knew that by Wednesday I'd feel better – that didn't change the fact that Monday was lousy. But I did know that there would be relief. And what Satan tries to do with people, with the world, with us, is he tries to convince us that there will never be relief, that there is nothing better to come – that this pain and suffering is really as good as it will ever get. And there are times even, to the way of the thinking of the world, that this is sort of true. Sometimes the Doctor says you probably won't get better – and for this life that may be true. But listen to Jesus – So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

This is the truth of your Christian faith. You will see Jesus. You will see your risen Lord. And that day, that moment, the joy of the resurrection of the body – we can't comprehend it. Even John, who was at that Maundy Thursday, who saw Jesus risen from the dead, he can't put his finger on it. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him. We are redeemed, forgiven, alive in Christ right now, even in the midst of sorrow and fear and pain. We are the baptized, we are dead to sin and alive to Christ. And yet, we still have to deal with sin and sorrow and fears and all that other junk of life. But the promise remains – You will see Jesus. He died and He rose precisely because He wanted you to see Him, He wants you to stand before Him for all eternity, washed, redeemed, forgiven, living, enjoying His good gifts. That's why He went to the Cross. So that you would see Jesus.

There's a little plaque right here on the pulpit that says, “Sir, we would see Jesus.” Now, in the Church, we see Jesus by preaching, by the Word, by Baptism, but the Supper. We get the real Jesus in these ways – but our vision is obscured by sin and the world – and sometimes that obscuring looms large and harsh. And sometimes we can be discouraged by that fact. St. Paul said that now we see as in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. There will be times you notice that dimness more and more – do not look at the dimness, do not get distracted by that – but rather, see Jesus. Know that Jesus is for you, always. Know that you are forgiven, that your sin is atoned for. This is the truth – and even the sorrows of this life don't change that. And seeing Christ, we have joy now, even in the midst of sorrow – and then we will have joy above and beyond all sorrow. And this is sure, because Christ Jesus has died and risen for you. Amen. Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed, Alleluia! +

Easter 3 Draft 2020

Christ is Risen, He is Risen indeed, Alleluia! +

We often downplay sin, we treat it as but a trifle as one old hymn puts it. I mean that – whether we talk about white lies or just bad habits – things that are bad but if they are habitual and daily it's no biggie – we tend to downplay sin. We tend to downplay the impact of our own sin – whether it's the addict who says it's not a problem or whether it's the times where we've said, “Well, they are just overreacting.”

Jesus never downplays sin. He never minimizes it. He never poo-poos it and pats it's on its head. He calls sin what it is. And in our Gospel text the image of sin that our Lord uses is that of a ravenous wolf that snatches and scatters a herd of sheep, while the hired hands all run in fear. That's sin in a nutshell, right there. Sin snatches – sin will grab a hold of us and tear into us and shakes and not let go until we die. Anyone slightly uncomfortable hearing that? I am – I am now, and I was during the week, and I was while writing it. There's a reason we tend to keep with those bad habits – they've got their claws into us deeply whenever we care to admit it. And sin scatters – folks who should be together get blasted and blown apart. We see a physical example of this right now – disease and death are a consequence of sin, and we've been scattered and separated now, more certainly. But even before last month, well, none of us have to think too hard to ponder relationships that were blown apart, friendships scattered, and people we were once close to from whom we are utterly distant. And sin drives us to fear, drives us to abandon our duties. The hired hand – he was hired precisely to protect the sheep – but he hears the growls, he sees the teeth and the strong jaws of the wolf – and terror hits him. He is “unmanned” as they would say back in the day, and he flees. I like that word “unmanned” - he ceases to be a man and instead flees like a beast. Sin lessens us – as instead of being whom we were created to be, we give into base emotion and are drive away from those whom God has placed into our lives.

Thus the reality of sin. All described neatly in one verse – He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. Actually, just Jesus just needed the second half of that verse to set up what sin looks like. And if that was all that we had to talk about, this would be a right dour day for us. And these would be right dour days for us. And we'd be left with nothing but fear and panic and dread – the fear and panic and dread that is floating in the air right now – and it's rightly to be there. People are seeing face to face the impact of sin, the impact of death – an impact long denied. People are seeing that there's not quick and simple governmental solution, that a simple change of policy won't perfect anything. Trust not in princes, they are but mortal – and seeing this drives the fear deeper into so many bellies.

But did you note what else Jesus said? All this impact, all this sin unleashed, all this terrible reaction – it's all from either the sheep or from folks who do not own the sheep. The owner, Christ Jesus, the Good Shepherd – well, His reaction to sin is quite different than ours.

I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. You aren't just left on your own – in spite of what the fear driving you away from others might try to tell you, in spite of what your own shame over derelicted duties might make you feel. Sin attempts to scatter, to isolate. Sin tries to drive a wedge between you and God, and that wedge is in a word, death. God gives life and blessing – sin brings as its wage death. And it would have, except for one mind boggling thing. Jesus Christ, your God and Lord, lays down His life for you. When you are snatched away from Him by sin into death, He dives willingly into death for you.

And at first, this sounds like the most idiotic thing in the world. What shepherd ought lay down his life for the sheep? Is not the shepherd worth more than the sheep? I mean, this doesn't seem worth it, or heroic – the economics and math don't line up. That's because we don't own the sheep – economics and price think about selling the sheep or utilizing the sheep or turning a buck off the sheep – and that's never been Christ's relationship with you. He's never viewed you simply on the basis of your utility to Him, how much wool He could sheer you for. No, simply this – you are His, and He delights in you. The great sheep story of the Old Testament is the one Nathan tells David – think on it. “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds,  but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him.” That's not economics and profitability – that's the rich man's world. No – love, loves it like a daughter. Some rich man watching a tragedy unfold won't run into a barn to save a sheep – that's why you have insurance after all. Risking all to rescue your daughter – that's another thing entirely.

And so when you hear that Jesus is your Good Shepherd, He's not a Shepherd who views you merely as a commodity – He is your Shepherd who loves you, and there is no way on His green earth that He is just going to let Sin and Satan and Death get their wolfy little paws on you. And so He lays down His life for you – He chases down sin and death, dives right on into the pit where they hid, and He rips them apart. For your good. To rescue and redeem you. You bring you back home upon His shoulder rejoicing.

Jesus doesn't abandon His duty – He loves you constantly and continually, and His steadfast love endures forever. And Jesus is not scattered from you – all the things that you think would drive Him away, He forgives – Peace be with you. And even should death snatch you – so be it, for Christ is there and yet you will live. This the reality of the Christian faith – this is the truth we hear and delight in and sing forth. This is the truth that forgives the sin in our own life and calms our fears and forgives each other when we sin – you note that – we begin service by forgiving each other. Utterly astonishing, that. Mayhaps this stay at home stuff has just taught us how much we need to be forgiven and to forgive others. Because over and against the hardship of sin, you have forgiveness in life in Christ Jesus, because you are His, and He will not let you be taken from Him.

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So there will be one flock, one Shepherd. And the voice of Christ Jesus, His Word, goes forth even today. Even unto us – we who most certainly were far from the disciples in terms of both time and space. Even through us unto our own friends and neighbors. You know them, the ones who are fearful and afraid now. Who are snatched and scattered and fleeing in panic. They too are people for whom Jesus died – and you are able to proclaim the peace of Christ Jesus, His love and forgiveness to them – and you will do so as the Holy Spirit gives you the opportunity and the words so to do. When? Beats the tar out of me, I'm not the Holy Spirit – but this is what God does – He gathers sheep into His fold by His Word, by the voice of Jesus – and the Lord does open our lips, and into the midst of a world of sin and fear, even over and against our own sin and fear, the Spirit brings forth the praise of God.

This is what Jesus has always done for you. This is His love for you, for you are His, and He will always readily forgive you and restore you to life, for you are His now and forever. God grant us His Spirit, that we might ever more see this and grow in this, even in whatever strange days we see. Amen. Christ is Risen!

Easter 2 Draft 2020

Christ is Risen! (He is Risen Indeed, Alleluia!) Amen +

We hear the Scriptures differently depending upon the events of our lives, what we have been through. You hear things differently as a child than you do as a parent, or a grandparent. Thing resonate differently. Because you have experienced different things in your life, you end up noting, keying in on different things in the text. Now, with that being said, how much different is our Gospel text, how much more keenly does it resonate in our ears this morning. Consider – On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews.... There had been the disciples, gathered together in fear. Why? We can't go out there – we go out there in public and there's a good chance we will die. I've preached on this text over 15 times, and I'd bet that every time I've preached it I've taken pains to point out how this is a reasonable fear, how it's understandable for the disciples to be locked up in fear – and I'm sure this text is familiar to you. It sounds a bit different this year, doesn't it? With us having been cooped up, staying inside, going out only when wearing masks?

I'd also be willing to wager that the disciples hated their quarantine, their hiding themselves away as much as we do. I mean, a week later, the second time around in this text, they are still locked up. Things are still rough and strange and bizarre for them. And things are rough and bizarre for us. I reckon that quite a few of us are going a bit stir-crazy, that this is some of the worst cabin or spring fever you've felt. Or the uncertainty, the random dread. Our situation isn't the same as the disciples, clearly – but perhaps now we understand it a bit better. Our comfortable lives have been disrupted, just as theirs had been. And their pious stories had been disrupted too – after all, these were the disciples, the students who had dedicated their lives to following Jesus. Well, I'd say that's been tossed out the window expect the window's closed and locked and nothing is going out it. And likewise too, so many of the pious things we do, the good works that we cherish and value, well – lots of those are are on hold. And it sits poorly, it gnaws. We're Americans – we value hard work and what we do – and that's changed now, so what does that say about me? If I'm not doing what I used to do, what does that say about me?

The disciples weren't doing anything. For three years they had been defined by following Christ, their identity was that they followed Christ and now they are hiding precisely to keep from following Christ to their own graves. What does that say about them? What does that say about how God sees them? Will there be wrath and anger and punishment? Will there be fear never ending? The disciples aren't doing anything – doesn't that mean that God must now hate them?

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Hi there disciples. Peace. With you. Shalom – for you. Yeah, I know you're freaked out, I know you've been lousy – I was there when you all ran off, and you're probably expecting some fire and brimstone, if not an angry mob... but, um... no. No, instead you get Jesus. You get Peace. You get Christ the Crucified who has died and has risen – see the nail prints, see the spear wound – it's the real Jesus. And He says peace. Jesus is the Truth, and He says Peace be with you, even in that locked room to lousy disciples who hadn't been doing a thing.

Now the lie, the terrible damnable lie that we tell ourselves is that our relationship to God is based upon what we do. That God's attitude towards us is shaped by what we do for Him, how hard we work, how devoted we are, how we keep our nose clean, how we might have our faults but at least we don't fill in the blank like the other guy. And we make idols out of our actions – and these idols seem great and good... until they fail and crumble as all idols do. As all of our own actions do. And then comes the fear, the crippling fear that locks us up and wraps us up tight. And that's all based upon a lie – the lie that our relationship to God rests upon what we do. Over and against that, over and against what we think we need to do, or ought to do, or should do – or ought to or should have done – over against all of those recriminations, over and against all of that sin comes Jesus Christ, Christ the Crucified – and He says, “Peace be with you.”

Seriously. Even now. Peace be with you. And this peace doesn't rely upon you, or your actions, or what you have done. It's on Jesus – He's died and risen for you, and so you have peace. Period. And it's not in doubt, it doesn't hang upon you or your reaction – God did it for you well before you were born. All that Jesus has done – for you. So that you would know this peace that He gives. In fact, we hear: Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Recieve the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.” There you go fellas – just as I've come into here in the midst of your fear and proclaimed peace to you – you're going to do that for others. You're going to tell them that they are forgiven by Christ the Crucified. Might have to tell them that they are loving their sin idols and not looking at Christ – but the point is to give them Jesus, Jesus Crucified for them. And thus has been the history of the Church.

There, in the upper room that Easter Evening, Christ Jesus made sure that you would have people who would speak Christ's peace to you, this day. Established well before you came along, established well before you did a cotton picking thing, but established for you. Jesus even set up this Church here for you – before any of you were born – put it here so there'd be a place where that peace would be proclaimed, that there would be pastors put here to proclaim in. Because it isn't about you or what you do or don't do – this peace is yours because of Christ Jesus and what He has done.

Oh, but the temptation to not believe! The temptation to think we have to do things, that there are hoops we have to jump through first. Consider much maligned Thomas – Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe. Surely these are the hoops I must jump through, here are the qualifications I need met. I'm going to poke around for myself. Eight days later, His disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” And still, Jesus shows up. Still Jesus proclaims peace. Even to grumpy, cynical Thomas. Peace be with you. And then, of course, in what really is one of the more humorous lines of the Scriptures we hear Jesus: Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” I heard you talking smack to My preachers that I sent out. I heard all your bluster and bravado... and I still showed up and proclaimed My Peace to you. I can take your Pepsi Challenge if you want – I mean, you can dig around here if you want to... but the important thing is that I'm here and proclaiming peace – so away with this not-faith demands about what you're going to do and let's get onto faith, shall we. And so it was – Thomas cries out, “My Lord and my God!” Yep, that's who it is who says peace. Your God and Lord.

And Christ Jesus, your Lord and your God still proclaims His peace to you here today, even right smack dab in the midst of your fears, your doubts, the bluster and false bravado you've shown this past week. Right in the midst of your foolish sins, your silly idols – all of it. And your Risen Lord has sent forth His Word and Spirit to proclaim to you this same peace, proclaim to you this forgiveness that He has won for you. It's all been written and read and proclaimed that Jesus is the Christ – that He has done it – and you... you believe. You hear, you receive what Christ does – and you simply get life. In His Name. The Name you received as your own in Baptism when He joined Himself to you. The Name proclaimed in His Church, week in and week out. The Name proclaimed in our homes in our own devotions, at our meals. The Name that does actually give peace and forgiveness and righteousness – true righteousness – His righteousness. And all we do is receive this. And even when distracted and fearful, Christ bursts in again and says Peace be with you.

So – once more. Peace be with you. All your sins are forgiven by Christ the Crucified. Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed, Alleluia! Amen.

Maundy Thursday Viral Draft

In the Name of Christ the Crucified +

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. This verse has always struck me as a bit odd. A new commandment? From the beginning we have been instructed to love one another. When Jesus sums up the Law, He sums it up as “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” How is this “new”?
Well, this is one of those places where as modern, 21^st Century people we don't hear Jesus fully. When we think of “new” we tend to think of the latest, the greatest, the new invention, the novel – that's what “novel” means in the “Novel Coronavirus” - it's just the new one, because there have been plenty of other coronaviruses before. Greek had two words that often get translated into English as new – one you know. Neo. That is new, especially as we think of it. The start, the beginning, a neophyte is a beginning, neo-new. But Jesus here uses the other word for new, and that is Kainos – and this is new, but it is more like new and fresh and clean – like if I were to say, “I love the smell of a new spring day,” I don't mean that there was nothing beforehand, but there's a renewal, freshness, the spring back in the step aspect to it.

Jesus is freshening up the Commandments, He is renewing them. Why? Because we had totally messed up God's commandments, God's law. And what I mean by that isn't just the breaking of the law – we had forgotten what the purpose and point of God's law was. Ever since the fall, ever since we sinned, mankind has misunderstood the point of the law. Sinful man thinks we can use the law to get back on God's good side. Sinful man thinks we can use the law to manipulate God – if I just do X, Y, and Z then I will make God give me blessings. We, in our sin, try to work our way back up to God – we think the law is the way that we elevate ourselves back up to God.

And that's catastrophically dumb. St. Paul points out in Romans that since the fall the Law ought to silence every mouth simply show us our sin, how we have fallen short of the glory of God and that it is impossible to work our way back up to God. But our sinful flesh always wants to try to use our works to manipulate God. That's what we do – we manipulate people by our actions, and we think we can do the same thing with God. And so every act, every thing we did, we made it something we gave up to God to work our way closer to Him.

That was the point of Jesus turning over the tables in the temple, that was why the Chief Priests and the Scribes so fought against Jesus. He overturned their “holy works” in which they trusted. This is why the Pharisees fought against Him – in your pride you leave the temple unjustified, for no one will be justified by his own works. Your scheme, your plan, your way of thinking is wrong. You cannot work your way up to God, that's not how the story goes.

And so, on the night when He was betrayed, Jesus changes the story, refocuses the Disciples and us. John gives this really long introduction to this – Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. During Supper, when the Devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. We can hear this and think, “that's a lot of preamble just to get to the story.” No, it's not. It's important. John is reframing the story. What Jesus is going to do isn't going to earn Him heaven – He's already received everything from the Father. This isn't about buttering up the Father a bit more – this isn't to earn His ticket to heaven. This is simply to love His friends, because that's what Jesus does.

And then, “He laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.” Jesus doesn't elevate Himself – He lowers Himself. He's not going to get a thing out of this action, no reward, no merit, no pat on the back. He is simply going to love His friends and serve them – because it's good for them. That's all, that's the only point. Love and care show simply for the sake of those receiving love and care.

Peter balks – Peter didn't understand. Peter would have refused – You shall never wash my feet. No, Jesus, you can't lower yourself, you can't simply serve me. That's not how the pious old story goes – I'm supposed to work and elevate myself up to you. Jesus cuts that off – If I do not wash you, you have no share with Me. Peter, I show love, if and if refuse My love and service, our relationship is broken. That's what sin is – it's refusing to receive God's love and service that He gives to you, it's running off after something else. Which is why Peter then bounds to Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head! Let me give you a better idea, let me tell you how to do things Jesus. And thus it has been since the fall – not just all the other trees, but the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil too! No, Peter – just receive the love, the good gifts that God knows you need.

And so Jesus washed the disciples feet. They had been dirty – now they are clean. And Jesus gained nothing for Himself by this – no honor, no praise. There was no elevation, no self-aggrandizing glory. Simply this – love and service flowing to take care of what was needed. No thought of pay back, no thought of restitution, no thought of merit. This is how it is now. And the commandments are freshened up.

And then Jesus fulfills it all. Then Jesus goes to the Cross, utterly lowering Himself to our level. And He dies, taking up the weight, the filth of our sin upon Himself. Then He rises – and gives us His own life as well. And we are freshened up.

You don't have to do anything to prove yourself to God. You don't have to do good works to get on His good side. You don't even need to attend Church X times to prove your love or devotion to Him. That's not the point. That's not the story. No – God loves you. You are forgiven and redeemed in Christ Jesus. And He gives you blessings. He serves you. And likewise you are free to do so to your neighbor. Not to earn anything – for God already gives you everything and more. Not to prove anything, because Christ Crucified is all the proof of life and salvation that could ever be needed. Not to atone or make up for anything – Jesus has already done that. Nope – we simply receive from God good things, and others receive from God good things sometimes through us. And we are free in Christ Jesus to delight in it all.

Because as Christ loves you, as He fills your cup – so you will love one another, so too will your cup overflow unto them. And not in a “you have to” sense, not in a “you better” sense – simply because this is what Christ gives you to and what Christ brings about in you. You've been freshened up – and yes, you are still sinful now, so there is this constant struggle. You constantly sin, and yet God constantly redeems and works good through you – daily die to sin, daily rise – the new man shining forth. But the same God who redeemed you comes to you and blesses you and enlivens you now. It doesn't hinge upon you, It hinges upon Christ the Crucified, and He has cleansed you. Sometimes sin drives us to forget this – but when He comes again we will be utterly free of sin and we will see nothing but Christ Jesus and His love and blessing for us. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Of course He will – tomorrow we will hear Him cry, “It is finished, it is complete.” He has done it all for you, and now we simply receive, Even in our works, our giving, in truth we simply receive. In the Name of Christ the Crucified +