John 17:1-11 Easter 7, 2020

“Glory, glory, hallelujah, glory glory halleluia.”  I never was much for patriotic songs. I love my country but singing tunes like “you’re a grand old flag, you’re a high flyin flag” reminds me of being in kindergarten.  I don’t mean disrespect to our country, but there is a greater glory than the American flag.  There is such a thing as greater freedom than we enjoy in the United States.  Singing “Glory, glory, hallelujah,”  raises some questions in my mind.  Are we praising our country or our God?  I looked up the lyrics to this spiritual song and found a version that is giving praise to God.  The “spiritual song version which we don’t sing goes like this: “I’m goin’ home to be with Jesus, Since I laid my burden down.”

The song is about Jesus but for some reason I think of it as a patriotic song and want to sing, “Glory glory halleluia, glory glory halleluia, the teacher hit me with a ruler.”  We thank and praise God for the wonderful gift of our country this Memorial Day weekend

The version we will sing at the cemetery tomorrow is quite different and does give praise to Jesus.  We are thanking the One True God for the blessings of our country.

“In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,

With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me;

As He died to make us holy, let us live to make all free,

While God is marching on.

Glory, glory! Hallelujah!  Glory, glory! Hallelujah!

Glory, glory! Hallelujah!  His truth is marching on.

            So where does true freedom come from?  Glory is not about the flag, or our nation.  We give glory to the God who created this nation, the God who rules over all nations of the earth.  Glory belongs to God alone.  In our text Jesus prays, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.”  This Memorial Day we remember the men and women who died for our country.  They laid down their lives for their brothers and sisters on the battlefield.  They died so we can have the freedoms we enjoy (some of the freedoms that have been so quickly taken away during this nationwide lockdown).

Those who died for America are not the ones with the greatest glory.  Instead they reflect the one with the true glory.  Jesus Christ is the completely innocent one who died on the cross so that we could have spiritual freedom.  On Memorial Day it might seem like we are worshipping our country or giving glory to veterans who were killed in action.  All glory belongs to God alone.  Christians who died for our country were copying Jesus, the glory does not belong to them.  All glory should be directed to Jesus.  We thank God for our gifts, we thank God for the good land we have, for the freedom to speak and write our opinion freely.  Above all we are thankful that we can freely worship the One True God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the USA.

The glory belongs to Jesus and Jesus was glorified on the cross.  In John 2 at the wedding at Cana Jesus does His first miracle and John says he revealed His glory to His disciples.  However in John 7, he says the Holy Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not been glorified.

Jesus asks the Father to glorify Him, but He is going to be glorified on the cross.  The glorification of Jesus is not what we picture glory to look like.  We expect a glorious person to be magnified.  The glorious king should ride into Jerusalem on a warhorse and wear purple robes.  He should have a bright golden crown with priceless jewels.  The world wants a glorious king who will drive the Romans out of Israel, or maybe today one who will drive the Palestinians out of the Holy Land.

Perhaps glory reminds the Israelites of God’s presence at the Tabernacle, or the pillar of fire and pillar of cloud that led the Israelites through the desert.  We want to go to Mt. Sinai and see the thunder and lightning of God’s glorious presence.  Instead now we come to Mt. Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem.  We come to the mountain of God’s grace and to a host of angels in festal gathering.  We come to the altar and receive the very Body and Blood of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins.  It may just look like bread and wine, but Jesus is there.  He is there to forgive you and show you the grace He won for you on the cross.  He gives you His grace and forgiveness.  Jesus gives everlasting life.  It doesn’t look very glorious, but Jesus is powerfully working through His Word and bread and wine.  He is here for you.  It didn’t look like glorious Jesus on the cross.  He was beaten, stripped and humiliated.  Jesus was punished for our transgressions.  He was stricken, smitten and afflicted.

When we think of Jesus being glorified we usually think of the Transfiguration, His resurrection or Ascension.  However Jesus is glorified not just in the resurrection, but also in His passion and death.  It is through His sacrificial death that Jesus shows us the greatest love. The glory of God is in His gift to us: the gift of forgiveness and eternal life.

Ironically the glorification of Jesus looks like humiliation. In fact it is humiliation.  True glory is found in darkness and suffering.  Glory is found in the pain that Jesus endured.

TRUE GLORY IS FOUND AT THE CROSS TRUE FREEDOM IS ACCOMPLISHED IN THE RESURRECTION

At the resurrection Jesus sets the captives free.  We are captive not to the Romans or Palestinians.  We were caprice to sin, death and the devil.  Jesus has set us free by bursting forth from the grave.

Jesus is glorified when lifted up on the cross.

Through the Holy Spirit Jesus is glorified in us (v.10.)  The Holy Spirit comes to us, the comforter, the helper.  He came to you at your Baptism.  Not all of us are called to die for our country.  All of you are called to love your neighbors, you are called to serve your family and friends.

The Holy Spirit works in you and God is glorified through you.  The glory of Mt. Zion we get a foretaste of when we gather together at this altar.  It is important that we gather together, and pray for one another.  We encourage one another when we meet.  We are all looking foreword to the greater glory, when the glory will no longer be hidden, when Jesus comes back with all His angels and shines forever.  Yet Jesus will always be the one with those nail marks in His hands, the Lamb who was slain.  His greatest glory is found in His love for you.

Amen.

1 Peter 3:13-22 Easter 6, 2020- “Do Not Be Afraid”

What in the world is going on in the world around us?  Not just our country, but the entire world has been locked down at a stand still in fear of this virus.  Huge cities looked like ghost towns.  Industries shut down, people stay at home, almost everything stops except for what someone “wiser than us” deems essential.  What are we so afraid of?  The contagious COVID-19 Coronavirus: that’s what.  We don’t want to spread it.  We don’t want to get sick and die.  Yes we could get germs out at the store.  We could get germs if we ate at crowded restaurants or bars.  If we were at crowded events like a concert or ballgame we could catch this bug and get seriously ill.  We could get  germs anywhere. We could die.  We could also die in a car accident or many  other painful ways.  What’s the big deal about death?  Are you afraid to die?  What are you afraid of the most?  Whatever you fear, love and trust in, that is your God isn’t it?  Well, we have a God who has overcome death.  Jesus died for us.  Jesus rose from the dead and if you believe in Him you will live forever.  Do you believe you are going to heaven when you die?  Then what are you afraid of?

Certainly we don’t want to leave our loved ones behind.  We aren’t ready to go.  We fear the unknown.  We are afraid, but God tells us time and time again not to be afraid.

We are Baptized into Christ.  Just as the waters of the flood cleansed the earth, and Noah and his family were saved, Baptism now saves you.  Through the water and the Word God takes away the uncleanliness of your sins and saves you from eternal death.  “Baptism now saves you.”  We should not be afraid of death.  Also, we should not be afraid of being persecuted for our Christian faith.

Peter is talking about Christians being persecuted and suffering for doing the right thing.  We don’t want to take this out of context.  We are not being put to death yet or persecuted to the point of the Christians in the Roman Empire.  Yes it does seem like we are being persecuted more and more.  Thankfully we live in a state where our governor recognizes religious freedom and the constitution.  In some states they are still not allowed to worship.  Pastors are being fined or arrested for holding drive-in services while there are more people at the fast food drive in and the authorities don’t issue any citations to “Colonel McBurger-King.”  Churches must close their doors but everyone is free to go to Walmart and spend the almighty dollar.  There are even states where there are rumors of pastors having to give a list of everyone who attended their worship service to the authorities.  We know it is for the protection of the community, they say we need to know who might have been exposed to the virus.  Persecution is a reality for many Christians in the world.  It may become more real and severe for us.  Against all of this opposition to Christianity, Peter says, “Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect”

DO NOT BE AFRAID!

Do not be afraid of what people might think of you if you act like a Christian.  Do not be afraid to stand up for your belief in Jesus as your Savior. Don’t worry about being rejected by friends or family because you trust in Jesus as your Savior and you live a life that reflects your Christian values.  We should not be afraid to take a stand and defend our faith.  We should not be afraid of anything, on earth or under the earth.  Do not fear what man can do to you.  Do not fear what might happen to you in this fallen world.  We might feel pain, we might get sick, we might suffer from cancer or diabetes.  We might suffer from mental illness and depression.  May is mental health awareness month. We continue to pray for those who suffer from depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, Alzheimer, dementia and all the other mental illnesses the devil attacks us with in this fallen world.  There is much we suffer from in this world, both physical and mental, seen by others and pain kept inside.  No matter what happens, no matter what could happen we should not be afraid. This includes the coronavirus.  We should not be overcome by fear of COVID-19.

If you are young and healthy, do not be afraid to come back to church.  If you are older; if you have an underlying condition; if you have a fever you have the freedom to stay home and worship via the internet or TV.  Do not be afraid to talk to your neighbors.  You can keep your social distance or give them a call.  Please talk to your friends and family who are still isolated.  Our dear members and loved ones in nursing homes have been quarantined a long time now.  They need our phone calls and prayers.  You might know someone who is older or has an underlying condition.  Please check on them and see if they need any groceries or anything.  This is our calling to help our neighbors especially those who are believers in our church.  It sounds like favoritism but St. Paul instructs us to care for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

This doesn’t mean we neglect unbelievers; yes we reach out to the unchurched.  They need our care, they need to hear the saving words of the Gospel.  The unbelievers should see our care for one another.

They should see our selfless service to everyone, believers and unbelievers.  Because we are caring for each other, because of the way we act we should beg the question.  People should look at us and wonder why we act differently from the rest of the world.  Early Christians were known for their generosity and love.  When people look at you and me can they tell we are Christians by the way we act?

Has anyone ever come up to you and asked you why you are doing what you are doing?  Has anyone ever asked you the reason for the hope that is in you?  If they have not we might be doing something wrong.  Or we might just be faithfully living out our Christian life in our vocation.  You don’t get a reward for going the speed limit.  Sometimes doing the right thing goes unnoticed.

The saving words of the Gospel are that Jesus died for our sins on the cross.  He took all our iniquities away by dying on the tree.  Jesus was really dead and He was really buried.  On the third day Jesus came back to life from the dead.

Jesus Christ is risen, and He indeed gives all who believe in Him eternal life.

Our text says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,”

The Holy Spirit gives us the power to not be afraid.  Right now our biggest fear may be the coronavirus or its effects.  Our text is about is not being afraid to suffer for standing up for your faith.  We should not be ashamed to be Christians.  We should not be afraid to tell our neighbors about Christ.  The Holy Spirit gives us hope.  He is our comforter.

The Holy Spirit He has already come to us but right now in our celebration of the church year we are getting ready for Pentecost.  Jesus has risen from the dead and the disciples are being prepared for Jesus to ascend into heaven.  In our Gospel lesson Jesus says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever” (John 14:16).  Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to be our helper, our comforter when we first heard the words of Jesus in our mother’s womb, or whenever you first heard the saving Gospel of Jesus.  The Holy Spirit came to you to strengthen your faith at Baptism.

Baptism saves you as an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  God sees you as His Baptized child.  His Holy Spirit helps us to not be afraid of anything that could happen to our bodies because our souls are safe with Christ and our bodies will rise again to live with Jesus forever.  We will arise, just as He is risen.

 

Amen.

 

John 14:1-14 Easter 5, 2020

Jesus Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed, Alleluia!

The pounding of a hammer as stones are hewn into place.  More stones are carried from the quarry to the site.  Each stone has to be the right size, the right fit as it is laid on the next one.  Mortar is mixed and the stones are locked securely together to make a wall.  It looks like a construction scene as he labors day after day to get the house finished in time.

The wedding is approaching and all the preparations are being made.  There is so much to be done.  Today we think about all the details of the service and the reception.  Long ago in the time of Christ the wedding feast was a grand, joyous occasion.  There was something else that went along with the wedding preparation.  It is still a factor to think about today, but what Jesus says to us has special meaning.  It is a practical consideration, but very important.  After the new couple gets married they need a place to live.  Where is the new couple going to make their home and have a place for their new family to live and grow?  It was assumed that after the couple got married the new wife would become a mother.

She would give birth to children and care for them.  They would need a home; they would need a shelter.  They would need a roof under which this new bride could show her love to her children.  When Jesus says He is going to prepare a place for us, He is using nuptial language, marriage, wedding language.

The groom to be isn’t just buying a house.  He isn’t searching for a place that will be fitting.  The groom is literally building a home for his new wife.  The groom would usually be responsible for providing a home for his new wife and their future family.  Jesus is our Bridegroom and we are His church, we are His bride.  Jesus did the work of preparing the way for us to get to our new heavenly home.  Jesus is the Way to heaven.  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through Him.

Jesus is now literally preparing a place for us in heaven.  What exactly that means we do not know.  Whether it is a physical space, a room, a mansion, or a beautiful garden, we do not know for sure.  We know it will be wonderful beyond our imagination.

We do know that Jesus Himself is the only way we can get to heaven.  Jesus is the only way to these mansions He has prepared for us.

Part of Jesus’ preparation of our place in heaven is what He did on Good Friday and Easter Sunday.  Jesus suffered, was insulted and beaten.  He was humiliated and crucified to prepare our place in heaven.  Jesus made it possible for sinners like us to get into heaven.  Not only did He suffer and die for our sins.  On the third day Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus won the victory over the grave.  Jesus lives so we can live.  Jesus is risen and death is no more.  Whoever believes in Jesus will not die, but will have eternal life.

Jesus is preparing a great banquet for us in heaven.  We are His bride the church and heaven will be a great wedding feast as He welcomes us to our new home.  We get a foretaste of that feast every time we partake of the Lord’s Supper.  Holy Communion is the wedding feast of the Lamb while we are still here on earth.  As part of the body of the church we are fed within the church.  Our faith is nourished in the Lord’s Supper.

We look forward to heaven and we look forward to lowered risks from coronavirus when we can all gather again around one cup.

The Church is sometimes referred to the bride of Christ.  The church is also sometimes referred to as our mother.  The church gives birth to us in Baptism.  We are both the bride of Christ and children of the church, our mother.  As children come from their mother and grow within their mother’s flesh so we are.  We are born from the church as we are united to Christ in Baptism and we are raised in the church.  We grow in faith in the Holy Christian Church just like children grow in their mother’s care.  The church is our mother that raises us like a loving earthly mother.

We are nurtured by the pure spiritual milk while we are young.  Our faith grows by the power of the Holy Spirit working through God’s Word.  We are taught at home by our physical mothers and fathers.  We go to Worship and Sunday School.  Through Kingdom Kids and Vacation Bible School we continue to be nurtured by our mother the church.  Eventually through more Worship in the Divine Service and through Confirmation Class we move from spiritual milk to spiritual meat as we are able to gain a greater understanding of God’s Word.  In Worship and Bible Class we are fed with the meat of God’s Word.

Sometimes we need to be refreshed by the milk of God’s Word.  Sometimes we need to return to our childlike faith.  We will never outgrow the most important parts of the Bible we find in the Catechism.

Our mother the church shows us the way to Christ.  Today we give thanks for our earthly mothers.  God gives us our daily bread through our mothers.  God nurtures and cares for us physically through good, faithful mothers.  Just as good mothers must sometimes discipline their children and show them the way, Jesus and our mother the church must correct us sometimes and show us the way.  

            Jesus said, “And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?””  We have God’s Word in front of us.  We know His commands; we know His promises.  Yet somehow we miss the directions.  The map is right in front of us.

We have Jesus and His Word, yet somehow we still get lost.  We sin.  We disobey our parents.  We are not faithful, obedient children.  We don’t show our mothers respect.  We don’t do enough to care for our mothers and fathers in their old age.  We aren’t willing to care for them with the same level of love they cared for us with.  Sometimes as parents we aren’t perfect.  We don’t give our children the time they deserve.  We are selfish and want to do our own thing.  We don’t love our children like our heavenly Father loves us.  We have sinned; we have lost the way.  We look for other ways to get to heaven, to get back on track.  We listen to false teachers who don’t point us to Christ but just give earthly or satanic advice.  We are lost and condemned creatures.

Then Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.“

Jesus forgives us by His death on the cross.  Jesus died and rose again so we can have life eternal.  Believing in the truth that Jesus died and rose for us grants us eternal life.  Jesus is your way to salvation.

Your mother, the church and the Holy Spirit remind you of the truth.  We hear God’s refreshing Word that Jesus is the way.

How do you get to the place in heaven that is prepared for us?  How do you get to the new home?  It is through the Bridegroom.  Jesus is the Way!  By becoming the bride of Christ, by becoming part of the church through Baptism.  You are joined to Jesus Christ through faith.  He is the way to heaven.  We will look forward to the wedding feast in heaven by receiving the Body and Blood of the Way, the Truth and the Life under the bread and wine.

Jesus is preparing a place for you. He is the Way to get there.  By His true death and resurrection Jesus is our path to heaven.  He truly died and rose so you can have eternal life.

 

Amen.

John 10:1-10 Easter 4 2020

           There is a great difference between the shepherd and a thief.  Shepherds take care of the flock; robbers do the opposite.  Jesus talks about a thief and a robber.  It’s the one who does not enter by the sheepfold but comes in another way.  The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy.  There are many false prophets in our world that try to lead us astray.  There are many evil people who want to rob us and destroy us.  The devil and his angels seek to do us harm.  Disease and sickness and many other maladies cause death in this fallen world.  In a year that we have all the data from like 2017, 18 million people died from heart disease, 9.5 million died from cancer, 3.9 million from respiratory diseases, 2.5 million from lower respiratory infections and 2.5 million from dementia, 2.3 million from digestive diseases, 1.3 million from diabetes, 1.2 million from car accidents and the list goes on.  The leading cause of death is abortion with 46-50 million abortions happening every year.  Still the number of deaths that everyone seems to be talking about today is from the COVID-19 corona virus.  Over 250,000 people have died from the corona virus (and over 1.1 million people have recovered.)  The thief brings death, but Jesus brings life.  Jesus brings us life and He brings life abundantly.  In our world full of death Jesus is the giver of life.

In the world where we seem to focus on death, God gives life.  Jesus was with His Father at creation.  The Word spoke life and created life.  He continues to create life.  While we might be overwhelmed by all the people who are dying, we forget that while 19.3 million people have died this year from various causes, over 45.8 million people have been born.  There are more people being born than are dying.  More importantly than that, those who die with faith in Christ do not die.

Jesus is the resurrection and the life.  Whoever lives and believe in in Jesus will never die.  You have passed from death to life.  Whoever believes in Jesus though he die, yet shall he live.  Jesus is the door we go through to enter everlasting life.  Jesus is the door to abundant life.  Whoever enters by Jesus will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

In our first reading from Acts we hear about how the early Christians gathered together around the Word and Sacraments like we are able to do again today or are looking forward to again soon.  They devoted themselves to the Word: the apostles teaching about Jesus, fellowship, the breaking of bread and the prayers.  We can hear the Word over the radio, TV or internet.  We can pray at home, but we can’t break bread and have the same kind of fellowship unless we are physically together.  We look forward to the time when we can all be together again.   We should love our brothers and sisters and not judge one another.  No one should feel compelled to gather for public worship just yet.  For some of those in our flock, it is best to stay in the sheep pen for the time being.  For those with underlying conditions and those who are more elderly or at risk, it is OK to stay in the sheep pen of your homes.  The time will come again soon hopefully when the Shepherd will lead us all out into the pastures where we can feed on the food the Lord gives us.

Jesus the Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep on the cross.  He laid it down that He may take it up again. The Good Shepherd is unique in that He is also the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  Jesus was led like a Lamb to the slaughter where as the Good Shepherd, He laid down His life for the sheep.  Now in the Lord’s Supper He feeds us with His own Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins.

What the Holy Spirit was doing in Acts, he continues to do today.  “The Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”   Jesus brings life abundantly.  More and more people are being saved every day.  More and more people are coming to faith in Christ and being Baptized.  The Holy Spirit is giving them life.  They are reborn by the living waters.

Jesus is the door to everlasting life.  Jesus is our source of life.  Jesus is the way to life.  He is the only way to life eternal.  The thief and the robber steal and kill and destroy.  The Shepherd takes care of the sheep.  He leads them in and out and they find pasture.  Jesus is the door.  If anyone enters by Him, you will be saved.

There is only one door into the sheep pen, one way to get in and one way to get out.  There is no other way to heaven; there is no other way to eternal life.  We sometimes try to follow other ways.  We all like sheep have gone astray.  The Good Shepherd seeks us when we are lost.  The Holy Spirit calls us back and returns us to the Shepherd.

The Good Shepherd has risen from the dead and He gives you life.  Christ is risen, He lives to give life.

JESUS CAME THAT WE MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY

Jesus is the door to life and He is the Shepherd who leads us to life.

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23 KJV)

We have the Good Shepherd.  Jesus is also the door.  He is the only way into the Church.  He is the only way to the Father, the only way to heaven.  In Baptism we receive His Name.  Jesus calls us and we are made righteous for His Name’s sake.  The devil and his false teachers come to snatch us away and kill us.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd who comes to bring life.  He is the good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep.  Jesus died for us and He came back from the dead.   The Good Shepherd is our risen and victorious king.  He died and rose so that we might have life and have it abundantly.

Jesus says, “I am the door.  If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.”  When we enter by Jesus we are saved.  Our sins are forgiven and we are given eternal life.  We are rescued from sin and damnation.  We are rescued and delivered.  We are brought to a safe place.  Jesus is the door.  There is no other way to be saved.

The one who is the door, the one who leads the sheep to safe pasture is the one who has risen from the dead.  Jesus died but He dies no more.  He lives and He gives us life.  Jesus leads us into everlasting life.  He is the door to life eternal.  Jesus is the door to the pastures of salvation.  He feeds us with the food of heaven, which we eat and get eternal life.  Jesus gives us life.  He gives it to us abundantly.

Amen.