Sunday, November 17, 2019

Sermon for Pentecost 23: "Built on the Rock" (Luke 21:5-36)

 


Built on the Rock the Church shall stand
    Even when steeples are falling.
Crumbled have spires in ev’ry land;
    Bells still are chiming and calling,
Calling the young and old to rest,
But above all the souls distressed,
    Longing for rest everlasting.
              (LSB 645, stanza 1)
Public domain

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

 

[Intro]

 

“Why has the Lord’s Word disappeared from His house?” This is how a 27-year-old pastor began his first sermon back in 1810.

 

Again, he said: “Why has the Lord’s Word disappeared from His house?”

 

From the very start, this newly ordained pastor caught the attention of his parish and that of the Church of Denmark.

 

You see, this pastor had become so opposed to the Rationalism of his day – which is the belief that reason is the chief source and test of all knowledge.

 

At this time, the Church of Denmark was placing reason above Scripture. So, to put it bluntly, God’s inerrant Word was taking a back seat to human reason. So, much of the Bible was being dismissed, since they did not see it happening in their time. Also, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper were not seen with much reverence.

 

Now, Denmark wasn’t alone when it came to Rationalism. It was in Germany where Rationalism really took off. And, for that reason, among others, the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod was formed from the many Saxons who left Germany for the United States.

 

For this Danish pastor, he was criticized for saying that the Church of Denmark wasn’t following Christian doctrine. Now, for the Church of Denmark, they argued that they were still Lutheran and still Christian because they worship God in ornate churches.

 

You see, the Church of Denmark focused more on the beauty of the building than the teaching inside that building. They focused on outward appearance, rather than proper teaching. In response, this pastor wrote poems that became hymns that criticized the Rationalism within the church. In time, this pastor was fined by Denmark and his poems and hymns were forbidden to be used.

 

Upon hearing this, he resigned his call – or rather he was forced to quit since he was suspended by the Church of Denmark – and he later moved to England.

 

While in England, he continued to study theology and poetry.

 

He later returned to Denmark and many of his friends convinced him to lead a Divine Service again, but the Church of Denmark wouldn’t allow it. But, he was allowed to hold an afternoon service at a German church in Christianshavn. There he preached for eight years and he wrote his own hymn book titled “Song-work for the Danish Church.”

 

This pastor’s goal was to reform the Church of Denmark back into a Christian church that was not just a state-church, but a Lutheran gospel-teaching national church.

 

Well, what happened to this Danish pastor? Did the Church of Denmark reform? I’ll get back to him later.

 

[The Presence of the Lord]

                     Surely in temples made with hands
    God, the Most High, is not dwelling;
High above earth His temple stands,
    All earthly temples excelling.
Yet He who dwells in heav’n above
Chooses to live with us in love,
    Making our bodies His temple.
          (LSB 645, stanza 2)
Public domain

 

In our gospel lesson from Luke this morning, Jesus responds to the uttering of many who said how beautifully adorned the temple was.

 

Jesus then takes this opportunity to teach His disciples, the crowds and the religious establishment that the location of the presence of the Lord is not built in temples made with hands, but by faith and confession.

 

Jesus said: “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (Luke 21:6).

 

This is as if Jesus is saying: “Yes, the Jerusalem temple is a beautiful place, but it has served its purpose. God is not dwelling inside that building. I am He. Come follow Me.”

 

Just like that, some in the crowd asked Jesus: “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” (Luke 21:7)

 

The crowds aren’t getting it. We likely wouldn’t get it, either. Yes, the temple is wonderful and all, but it has served its purpose. The temple is now obsolete through the Incarnation of Jesus – the Son of God.

 

So, Jesus takes this opportunity to teach. Now, the crowd desires signs when these things will happen, but Jesus teaches them what they really need to hear. He teaches them warnings and how to remain faithful.

 

[The Warnings]

 

Jesus said: “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them” (Luke 21:8).

 

Oh, how easily we can be misled! For the crowds, they were obsessed with the beauty of the stone temple and with signs. We too, can become obsessed with how beautiful churches and cathedrals can be. We too, can become obsessed with signs – just look at all the different interpretations of the Book of Revelation.

 

Instead, we are to be prepared so that we are not misled. We are to be prepared at all times, because we are never able to predict the exact time for anything. Just look at the weather or how we believe our day will go. We should always expect the unexpected.

 

So, how are we to be prepared so we are not misled? First, false prophets will come with a different teaching than the one Jesus brings. Now, they may use the same vocabulary – such as saved by grace – but they have a different meaning. So, instead of being saved purely out of God’s grace without any merit of our own, they may teach that we need to do something to earn God’s grace. Or, they could take “saved by grace” to another level by eliminating God’s moral law altogether.

 

Here, Jesus is alerting us to the many who will come “in His name”, but will instead lead the flock down a different road. Now, their teaching may sound authentic, but we are to test their teachings with the true teaching of God’s inerrant Word as the Holy Spirit inspired the prophets and apostles to write.

 

Jesus continues with His second warning saying: “And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once” (Luke 21:9).

 

In other words: do not panic! There will be wars and tumults, but don’t focus upon them. Sin has brought forth division. Sin has brought forth disorder. So, when you hear about wars or murmuring or wars, or when you hear of protests on the streets for this or that, don’t panic!

 

Another warning is betrayal. Jesus tells us: “You will be delivered up [before kings and governors (Luke 21:12)] even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives” (Luke 21:16-19).

 

Here, Jesus is warning His disciples then and His disciples now that betrayal is to be expected as a follower of Christ. Because of sin, we are not living our “best life now.” We will face persecution for our faith in Christ – even from the people we would least expect.

 

[Living Stones]

 

                     We are God’s house of living stones,
    Built for His own habitation.
He through baptismal grace us owns
    Heirs of His wondrous salvation.
Were we but two His name to tell,
Yet He would deign with us to dwell
    With all His grace and His favor.
      (LSB 645, stanza 3)
Public domain

 

The name of Jesus defines our identity, for Christians bear in our bodies Jesus, the New Temple. For that reason, Christians are living stones and our bodies are temples. Christians are marked in the family of Jesus, not by ancestral blood, but by His Word alone.

 

As Christ’s living stones, we will experience persecution for no other reason than our connection with Jesus. We have come to know Jesus as our Savior through the teaching of the Holy Spirit that began at our Baptism.

 

Through our Christian identity, Jesus also calls us to remain faithful to His teachings in the midst of persecution, so that others may hear the proclamation of the one, true Christian faith. Even if we die not even a hair from our head would perish, but instead we will be alive eternally.

 

[The Means of Grace]

                     Here stands the font before our eyes,
    Telling how God has received us.
The_altar recalls Christ’s sacrifice
    And what His Supper here gives us.
Here sound the Scriptures that proclaim
Christ yesterday, today, the same,
    And evermore, our Redeemer.
            (LSB 645, stanza 4)
Public domain

God is present with us here today! When we began today’s Divine Service saying “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” we know that God is here and He is here to forgive our sins and to strengthen our weak faith.

 

God dwells forever in His Word and Sacraments. God’s grace will no longer come through animal sacrifices at the stone temple. Rather, His grace will come through what the Lord has instituted to be the worship life of His church: Catechesis, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Through the Means of Grace, the church is prepared for when Christ comes again in great glory (Luke 21:27).

 

At each Divine Service, we are strengthened knowing that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. We remember what Christ alone has done by making us righteous in God the Father’s sight through His death and resurrection. Each time we receive Christ’s true body and His true blood under the bread and wine, we remember and confess Christ’s cross and passion, His blessed death, His rest in the tomb, His ascension into heaven, and His coming for the final judgement.

 

We know that by grace through faith in Jesus, we share in His victory over sin, death and Satan. We know what we have received though His grace: forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation!

 

As Lutherans, we also take to heart the Reformation sola “Sola Scriptura” or Scripture Alone. We know that these words of Jesus are true: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Luke 21:33). We know that the world will end, but the catechesis of Jesus will never pass away. We know that when the world passes away those who reject Jesus’ teachings will pass away with it. But those who hear and keep His Word, they will remain and inherit the kingdom He has prepared for all believers!

 

[Jesus Prepares Us]

 

Well, what ever happened to that Danish pastor? Was he ever able to reform the Church of Denmark?

 

Well, his suspension was later removed and he was appointed a hospital chaplain. He held this position until he died on September 2, 1872. With his suspension ended, his poetry and hymns were made legal again. One of those hymns is “Built on the Rock the Church shall stand.” This man’s name was Rev. Nikolai Fredrik Sevrin Grundtvig. He wrote this hymn to teach us that it is not the church building that is important, but of the most importance is that God’s Word is rightly taught and that His Sacraments be rightly administered.

 

This hymn reminds us that our faith in Jesus is not built on human reason, instead our faith is built on Christ alone and that He will never leave or forsake His flock. We are also reminded that our faith is not determined by the beauty of the church building we worship at, but instead on our confession that we trust Christ’s every Word.

 

Christ is always faithful, even when we aren’t faithful. He is always here for you and me. He always gives us hope through His Word.

 

Now, Pastor Grundtvig never saw a reformation in the Church of Denmark, but upon his death the Church of Denmark gave him the honorary title of bishop.

 

Although he never saw the Church of Denmark return to orthodox Lutheranism, he did leave his mark reminding us that our Lord is Jesus Christ alone and through His Means of Grace He gives all believers the strength to be prepared for His coming – when we “see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27).

 

                     Grant, then, O God, Your will be done,
    That, when the church bells are ringing,
Many in saving faith may come
    Where Christ His message is bringing:
“I know My own; My own know Me.
You, not the world, My face shall see.
    My peace I leave with you. Amen.”
             (LSB 645, stanza 5)
Public domain

 

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

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