Sermon for Advent Midweek 1: "This is My Son: Cain" (Genesis 4:1-16)

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:

 

When parents find out that they are expecting a child, hopes and expectations come along with that discovery. Parents begin dreaming about what their child will be like. They wonder what he or she will accomplish. They hope for the best. Every parent wants to be able to point out their child at any stage in their life and gladly introduce them by saying “This is my son” or “This is my daughter.”

 

But every parent has to face certain disappointment as well. Our children will not live up to every expectation we have of them. The dad who places a tiny basketball in his son’s crib may end up with a son who is not interested in playing basketball. The mom who prays nightly for her teenage daughter and tries to raise her right may still end up getting a phone call saying her daughter has gotten into some trouble.

 

Life with children does not go as we plan or hope.

 

Throughout this Advent midweek series, we will focus upon three father-son relationships found in the Old Testament. We will explore the hopes and expectations that these fathers had for their sons, and we will look at the disappointment that each father faced as his son failed to meet those expectations. Ultimately, each sermon will end by looking at the perfect Father-and-Son relationship: the one shared by our heavenly Father and His only begotten Son upon whom the Father smiled as said: “This is My Son, whom I love, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

 

We begin our series by looking at perhaps the most disappointing son in the history of mankind – the son of Adam named Cain.

 

Adam and Eve had high hopes for Cain. This was evident not only by his name but also by what Eve, his mother, says about him. In the English Standard Version of the Bible that we use, Eve says, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD” (Genesis 4:1). However, some scholars, including Martin Luther, have understood Eve to say, “I have gotten the man of the LORD.”

 

What this could very well mean is that Eve thought that Cain was the promised Seed of Genesis 3:15 who would crush the serpent’s head and bring salvation from Adam and Eve’s sin. 

 

The name Cain comes from the Hebrew word meaning “to possess” or “to acquire.” Martin Luther puts himself into Eve’s head and imagines her thinking this: “I remember what we have lost through sin. But now let our hope and speech be of nothing else except winning this back and keeping possession of it. For I have gotten the man of God who will obtain that lost glory for us again.”[1]

 

Now, those are some high expectations! Contrast that to his brother, Abel, who gets no such welcome from his mother and whose name means “vanity” and implies something that is worthless or cast aside. The names of these two brothers reveal the hopes and expectations of their parents. But Adam and Eve were only setting themselves up for more disappointment. Cain was no savior.

 

Perhaps it was the lofty expectations placed on him that gave Cain his selfish pride that is revealed later in this history. More than likely, however, his selfish pride was simply a result of the sin that had been passed down to him from his parents. Whatever the reason, it is made clear in Hebrews 11 that Abel possessed true faith in God and received God’s favor while Cain’s offerings were rejected because his heart did not belong to God.

 

Envy and anger filled Cain’s heart and mind, ready to devour him like an animal crouching and waiting to attack its unsuspecting victim. Cain is warned by God to resist sin and to repent, but instead, when sin pounces, Cain gives in and pounces upon his unsuspecting brother, taking his life and becoming the first murderer.

 

Can you imagine the pain and disappointment of Adam and Eve when they find out what Cain had done? The son they thought would save their lives instead became a taker of life. They had to come to grips that the curse of their original sin had been passed down to their own children. And it continued to be passed down to their grandchildren, and to their great-grandchildren, through every generation up to and including our own.

 

“By the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners” Romans 5:19 tells us. We are all sons of Adam, and we have inherited the same inclination to sin that lurked in the heart of Cain. And as Jesus says in Matthew 5(:21-22), we are all as guilty of murder as Cain. Everyone who becomes angry with their brother is liable to the judgment of murder. Anyone who insults his brother or says to anyone “You fool!” will face the same condemnation that Cain did: exile from God.

When it comes to keeping God’s commandments, we have all been huge disappointments. Our offerings have not always been made with hearts full of faith and joy but out of grudging compulsion. We have harbored anger and envy in our hearts toward others. We have imagined that we are not our brother’s keeper, not responsible for the well-being of others. We are more concerned with ourselves. As children of God, we have fallen well short of expectations.

 

This is why the Psalmist instructs us: “Put not your heart in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to earth; on that very day his plans perish” (Psalm 146:3-4).

 

Adam and Eve were wrong about Cain being the promised Seed. But God’s plan was still intact. The Savior would indeed be a son of Adam – true man – but would also be the Son of God. Into our world of hatred and murder was born our God of love and life. From the moment Jesus was a little child, the spiritual heirs of Cain sought to take His life. Because He lived His life as a perfect offering to God, others grew envious and angry toward Him. Eventually, they succeeded in spilling His blood. Two hymns bring the story of Cain and the story of Jesus together.

 

“A murderer they save, the Prince of Life they slay” from My Song Is Love Unknown (LSB 430:5). For Cain and for all murderers since him, including you and me, the Lord and giver of life is murdered so that we might be given life.

 

“Abel’s blood for vengeance pleaded to the skies; but the blood of Jesus for our pardon cries” from the hymn Glory Be to Jesus (LSB 433:4). God tells Cain, “The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). The blood of Abel cried out for justice for himself. But Hebrews 12 tells us that Jesus’ blood cries out not for Himself but on behalf of the whole world. “You have come … to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22a, 24). Jesus became our murdered brother so that He might keep us from everlasting death.

 

Jesus is the true Son of Adam whose shed blood and broken body are the perfect sacrifice accepted by God the Father to wash clean our murderous hearts and make us children of God. “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man (Adam), much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).

 

Because of Jesus, our perfect brother, your heavenly Father is not disappointed in you. Instead, through your Baptism, He looks down upon you with approval and love and says gladly: “This is My son” – or “This is My daughter, with whom I am well pleased.” Amen!

 

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

 

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

 

---

[1] Martin Luther, Lectures on Genesis, vol. 1 of Luther’s Works, ed. Jaroslav Pelikan (St. Louis: Concordia, 1958).

Sermon for Advent 1: "Without Warning" (Matthew 24:36-44)

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:

 

I have a running joke with my wife, which usually comes up each time we go grocery shopping together. I don’t know about you, but when I see random shopping carts scattered around the parking lot, I say, “They couldn’t make it! They’ve been raptured! I know they wanted to return their cart, but there wasn’t enough time.” 

  

On second thought, maybe not everyone is raptured, since I have seen some people nestle their cart on top of a curb – often when the cart corral was just feet away. But for many of those other people, who knows? Maybe it was their time?

 

Now, I’m not here to judge you if you don’t return your cart. Although, it is the right thing to do. So, I guess I am judging. However, today’s Gospel text has much to do with the rapture. In fact, this is one of the so-called “proof texts” of the dispensationalists who believe that some will be “taken” and others will be “left behind.” So, let’s take a look at this claim.

 

In today’s Gospel lesson, Jesus compares the Last Day – the Day of Judgment – to be like the days of Noah. He says: “For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man” (Matthew 24:37).

 

For everyone, but Noah and his family, everything appeared to be normal. Jesus says: “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark” (Matthew 24:38). They were unaware. They were just living their lives as they did. They were living out life’s normal patterns of food and drink, forming human families and being formed in those families. They were just following the normal orders of the day.

 

But then, seemingly, without warning, the flood came and swept them all away. Every land creature that was not on Noah’s ark was swept away.

 

I say seemingly without warning, because the people who perished must have noticed the construction of the ark. This must have attracted some attention. It’s not everyday that you see a large boat being built nowhere near a body of water. There must have been some conversation among the people. They couldn’t have been oblivious.

 

When we see construction projects going up and we don’t know what is being constructed, how often do we make guesses on what it could be? Could it be another Kwik Trip? A Chick-fil-a? So, I’m sure a large boat being constructed with no water nearby would have caused some conversation. What is that Noah doing now? Who builds a ship nowhere near water? Why is Noah doing this?

 

All appeared normal for the people. Again, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. They were shopping, they were going out to eat, they were forming families. But then they were swept away. But why? Well, as Scripture says, “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continuously” (Genesis 6:5). 

 

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Noah was a righteous man, because he had a right relationship with God. He had faith. Now, Noah was just as bad as those other people, but he trusted in the Lord for his redemption. Noah was a sinner who sought forgiveness. Noah trusted the Lord and followed His commands in constructing the ark. The Lord preserved Noah, his family, and two of every living creature as God’s remnant.

 

Jesus then says, this is exactly how the Last Day will be. Everything will appear normal. Nothing unordinary. People will be watching the morning news, reading the newspaper, driving into work. They will be raising their children. They will be preparing supper. But “then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left” (Matthew 24:40-41).

 

Jesus says this is how it will be on the Last Day. But what is to be understood of the one “taken” and the other “left”? Jesus here never specifies to where the one will be taken. Is this a positive or a negative outcome?

 

Again, we have two men working in a field – one taken, one left. We have two women grinding flour at a mill – one taken, one left.

 

Well, for the dispensationalists, they believe that the rapture must take place before Jesus returns. So, they understand those taken are with God. They see the “left behind” as the wicked.

 

But how does Jesus lead into talking about the one taken and one left? He speaks of Noah and the unsuspecting flood. Who was taken and who was left behind in that scenario? 

 

The flood came upon an unsuspecting humanity. Noah went into the ark, while Jesus says, “the flood came and took – or swept – them all away.” Jesus here refers to “taken” as a word of judgment, and not salvation. So, being “left behind” is likely to be understood as an indication of salvation.

 

Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets speak frequently of God’s judgment coming upon Israel in terms of the apostates – those who claim to be followers of God, but actually live their lives not as God’s people, since they have more in common with pagans than fellow “believers” – they were taken away into exile, removed from the land, and others being left behind constituting a remnant. And this remnant would grow into faithful believers in the future.

 

Anyhow, the main point of Jesus’ teaching is the suddenness and the unknowability of that day. That day will come without any sign or warning.

 

We would all like to know when a thief would break into your home, or into your car. We never expect that. And if we would, we would like to be prepared.

 

On May 17, 1987, an Iraqi F-1 Mirage aircraft fired two Exocet missiles at the Navy frigate USS Stark, which was patrolling in the Persian Gulf.

 

The USS Stark was equipped to be prepared for anything with its state-of-the-art radar systems to detect such missiles in the air. In the nerve center of the ship was the electronic warfare operator. So if a missile was fired at the ship, he would be warned in two ways: an audible alarm would sound and a visual symbol would appear on the radar screen. But seemingly without warning, those Iraqi Exocet missiles struck the USS Stark, tearing a ten-foot hole in the ship and killed 37 American sailors.

 

How could this happen? How could a ship that is prepared to detect such missiles just not notice it? Well, after an investigation from the House Armed Services Committee, it was learned that this tragedy was not from equipment failure. It turned out that the audible alarm had been turned off. And the operator appears to have been distracted at the time when the visual signals appeared on the radar screen.

 

That ship was prepared for anything, but it was human error that caused the failure. With many warnings available to protect them, out of their own convenience, they ended up being without any warning.

 

As we begin the season of Advent, we are to be reminded that we must be ready “for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44). Lo, He comes with clouds descending!

 

So, how are you prepared for the Lord’s Coming on the Last Day? Are you going to be swept away like during those days of Noah? Are you going to turn off the audible alarm?

 

Well, in this time between His First and Second Coming, Jesus does not leave us unprepared. In fact, here you are! Just by being here, in the Lord’s House, Christ is preparing you for His coming!

 

Yes, we wait for the Lord’s return at an hour we do not expect. But we don’t have to wait for His presence! The Kingdom of God is even now in our midst through His Word and Sacrament! You see, each time we meet at His Divine Service, we confess our sins and receive His forgiveness. We remember what Christ alone has done for us. He conquered sin, death, and the devil for you! Through His atoning suffering and death, by faith in Him, we have life! Jesus came in our flesh to give everyone who clings to Him as Lord: forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation!

 

As Emmanuel – God with us – Jesus died to the punishment that our sins deserve and rose to life, so we would be restored to His Kingdom!

 

Without warning, on that Last Day, the Son of Man – the Savior from sin – will also be the Son of Man of our salvation! Amen!

 

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

 

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for Thanksgiving: "Giving Thanks Through Prayer" (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

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:

Happy Thanksgiving! This evening we have gathered in God’s house to give thanks to Him for all He has done for us!

Thanksgiving is a day with many traditions, especially with family, food, and football. Among these traditions, comes travel, since most families live states apart, but on Thanksgiving families re-unite. In recent years, the days around Thanksgiving have been among the busiest travel days of the year, and the Sunday following Thanksgiving has consistently been the busiest travel day of the year. So, we certainly desire to be with family to celebrate this national holiday.

As the family re-unites, we come together around food, especially turkey and all the fixings – the cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, casseroles, and the dinner rolls. We come together at the dining room table and share stories.

Then for many, there is football. Either sitting together watching it on television or tossing the football in the backyard, or both.

But most importantly, we come together to give thanks. 

Tomorrow is the National Day of Thanksgiving, and that day is a very specific day about giving thanks. But you may not know that the National Day of Thanksgiving has only been a fixed holiday on our calendars since 1941. But this holiday is deeply rooted in America. One could say, this is the one holiday that is uniquely American.

We celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November. Its original observance was in 1621 as a harvest festival held at the Plymouth Colony. It was observed by the pilgrims – those puritans who emigrated from Europe – and the Native Americans who helped them plant and harvest.

During the colonial period, there were many observances of thanksgiving.

After the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress recommended a day of thanksgiving for the return of peace in 1784. Then in 1789, President George Washington issued the first National Day of Thanksgiving for the establishment of this new republic. After the War of 1812, President James Madison called for a day of thanksgiving. But national interest began to wane as various cities and states picked random days for thanksgiving.

But what we think of the National Day of Thanksgiving today began under President Abraham Lincoln. In Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation, he noted that the nation had need for community prayer and thanksgiving to God.

Today, the National Day of Thanksgiving may have lost its former focus as a day of prayer. Instead, we often have this day focus upon ourselves. I’m sure we have all grown up with the question we hear so often this time of year: “What are you thankful for?” That is a good question, but what about this question: “Who are you thankful for?”

When you first heard today’s epistle read, you may wonder, what does this have to do with the Day of Thanksgiving? Well, it has everything to do with Thanksgiving! 

Abraham Lincoln was on to something. Thanksgiving is all about prayer. In fact, this is exactly what the Holy Spirit inspired St. Paul. He wrote: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people” (1 Timothy 2:1). For Paul, this is a matter of first importance. He says: “Pray, pray, and keep on praying for all people.” Here, Paul uses four synonyms for prayer, but they each have a particular nuance.

First “supplications.” So, what are supplications? Well, they are what we individually say to God when we approach Him with our needs. They are a call for help from God. “Lord, please heal my ailment.” “Lord, please help me with my finances.” But always, when we approach Him with our needs, we always end our prayer with “Your will be done.” No matter what, God knows our individual needs, but by our going to Him with our supplications we acknowledge Him as the only source who alone will satisfy our needs.

Second, we hear Paul using the general word “prayer” in our English text. But the nuance  in the original Greek [προσευχὰς (“pro-se-uch-as”)] is that of devotion and reverence as Christians approach their Lord. We acknowledge that He is the giver of all things as He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Third, Paul urges “intercessions.” So, what makes this form a prayer different? Intercessions are prayers on behalf of someone else. Here, we petition and appeal to God about the concerns we have for others. In fact, the Prayer of the Church is an intercession prayer. Through the Prayer of the Church, we pray boldly and confidently as we bring our petitions for all people according to their needs before God’s throne of grace.

Lastly, Paul urges “thanksgivings.” Thanksgivings are expressions of gratitude for past mercies received. Thanksgivings are always appropriate, even when earthly circumstances are difficult. Wemay be prone to say: “What am I thankful for?” “Do I really feel grateful?” Often, we like to focus upon our emotions, how we feel. But thankfulness is not an emotional response, but a spiritual discipline. If we feel that things don’t seem to be going your way, we are to always give thanks, because we are never separated from God’s love and mercy in Christ.

You see, thanksgiving is a response. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Why do we love God? We love Him, because “[He] sent His only Son in the world, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10). You see, while we were still enemies of God, Jesus suffered and died in our place. Again, the Lord initiates and He leads us to acknowledge it, so we then give thanks for it.

We give thanks for the gift of Christ, as our one and only Savior from the power of sin, so that through Him, we have life!

For Paul, these four terms for prayer are aspects of first importance for our prayer life. We make requests for specific needs. We bring those in view before God always knowing that His will is done. We appeal boldly on behalf of others. And we give thankfulness to God for them.

Just imagine this. As Paul urges us to pray, he doesn’t just urge us to pray for ourselves and fellow Christians to God, but he urges us to pray for all people, including “kings and all who are in high positions” (1 Timothy 2:2a). And who was the earthly ruler of Paul’s day?  Caesar Nero. During Nero’s reign Christians were persecuted because they refused to worship him, and Paul himself suffered martyrdom. Despite this, heathen rulers are among those who need our prayers for even their authority was established by God (Romans 13:1). So, all earthly authorities need our prayer, especially those who may seek to harm the church.

Prayer for our nation and her leaders has an important purpose: that we might freely confess Christ as Savior. Rather than becoming a part of today’s culture, we are set apart by God as the “communion of saints.” Therefore, we pray for those in authority “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life” (1 Timothy 2:2). The Church then - can freely carry out the Lord’s work and nourish her people by Word and Sacraments.

As Christians, the National Day of Thanksgiving has a greater meaning for us than just one day on the calendar to give thanks. Again, the word “thanksgiving” means “grateful acknowledgment for the past mercies of God.” This leads us to come to God in prayer. 

 

We have so much to be thankful for:

§  He gives us His Word, which is the living voice of our Lord. 

§  Through water and the Word of God, we are brought into His kingdom in Holy Baptism.

§  In the Lord’s Supper, we receive Christ’s Body and Blood, which is the spiritual nourishment that gives us forgiveness of sins and renewed strength for the daily tasks of this life.

Throughout all of our days, the Triune God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – provides for all of our needs of body and soul.

As we gather at each Divine Service, we come together in prayer. We ask God to continue to bestow His grace on us, as we pray for the church, other people, and our leaders, since “[He] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). We pray before God’s throne of grace the needs of the people of God.

Hearing the truth of God’s Word, we are confident in prayer. We know that God promises to hear and answer our prayers.

On this National Day of Thanksgiving, we confess Jesus Christ as Savior and the giver of all good gifts. We give thanks in our worship and in our prayers. Amen.

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for The Last Sunday of the Church Year: "Remembered" (Malachi 3:13-18)

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:

 

Christians are used to speaking up for God, but more and more today we hear strong words, words hard to hear, harsh words, spoken against God, words of defiance. We hear these words all the time: “Do whatever you want!” “If there is a God, He doesn’t care!”

 

The Lord says through His prophet Malachi: “Your words have been hard against me” (Malachi 3:13a). Here, God is calling His people to account for those words, their hard words against Him. And what were these hard words from God’s people? “Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape” (Malachi 3:15b).

 

But what about us? Have you ever uttered things like that? Have you been tempted to say: “It’s useless to serve God!” “My prayers are worthless.” “Where were you, God, when I needed you?” And often things get worse when we keep Your Commandments. “We are called old fashioned and phobic.”

 

The American culture has turned God into a figure who grants our wishes, our desires. But that isn’t God. Yes, He answers our prayers, but it is His will that is done, not our will. So, often when we don’t get what we want, we put God to the test, much like the Hebrews of old.

 

So, the Lord, by His prophet, bids us to look up from ourselves to see Him, to fear Him, to repent and stand in awe of Him, and to trust His promises. We cannot speak against Him or test Him, but He bids us to look back and remember all His works for us. Even when it seems God is far away, when we are tempted to speak against Him or put Him to the test, He leads us to remember His promises, to remember that He will never forget His people. When we remember what God does for us, we have no need speak against Him, because God always keeps His promises and in Jesus makes us His treasured possession.

[God Keeps His Promises]

 

The Lord says: “Your words have been hard against me. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?” (Malachi 3:13) Ok, slow down. Let’s listen to the whole charge God’s people bring against Him: “You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping His charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape’” (Malachi 3:14-15).

 

Do you hear what they are saying about God? “God doesn’t care about us! Why be loyal to Him if He isn’t loyal to us? These evildoers seem to always escape punishment. In fact, they are held in high esteem! If we are His people, why don’t we get a better deal? Why are we wasting our time with God!”

 

But did you catch something else? They said: “How have we spoken against you?” (Malachi 3:13b) What were they just saying to God? They were defending their own sins to God! You see, they are seeing the sins of others, but they don’t see their own sins. They see the proud, the immoral, the brazen, the violent all around them, but they don’t see it in themselves. They, too, have spoken against God!

 

Despite what it may seem to look like, God is keeping His promises. To these Hebrews, it looks so far from that. But He is. You see, God heard every complaint. He paid attention and heard them, and “a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed His name” (Malachi 3:16b).

 

So, what could be in this “book of remembrance”? Well, those who continued to worship God. Those who comforted each other. Those who fear God.

 

But what happens when the Lord remembers? Is He recalling something He has forgotten – like these Hebrews may think? No! When God remembers, He holds His promises up for all to see. Recall God’s covenant with Noah. Remember, it is for our benefit each time we see a rainbow in the sky. This is so we remember His covenant that He will never again flood the earth (Genesis 9:15-16). He remembers so all can see! He remembers His people. He keeps His promises!

 

Well, yes, we see those things, but how do we really know? How do we really know God remembers His promises? Well, we do have a book of remembrance that we can see, touch, and read. We have the Scriptures, the very Word of God. And this Word of God does what it says and brings what it promises.

 

Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament. It is God’s last word to His people before the fulfillment of His greatest promise. God spoke through the prophets then, but the next time God speaks, He would speak in person as the promised Messiah. It’s going to be some 400 years in the future, but He is going to come. Remember, what God speaks, happens.

 

In today’s Gospel lesson, the repentant thief on the cross, speaks to Jesus – the promised Messiah – “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). And Jesus, who is nailed to cross beside him says: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). And that is exactly what happened. Though being a criminal, through His faith in Jesus, he was delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of God, for in Jesus we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).

 

In Christ alone, we are reconciled to God the Father. We are reconciled through the blood of His cross shed for us. In other words, promises kept.

 

[In Jesus, We are His Treasured Possession]

 

Through Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection, by faith in Christ, we are made God’s treasured possession. Faith is what does it. 

 

Well before Malachi, God said to His people: “If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among the peoples” (Exodus 19:5). And now God says to you: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession” (1 Peter 2:9).

 

Indeed, the Lord has compassion upon His people. He says: “I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him” (Malachi 3:17b).

 

But there is some irony here. In the case of His own Son – the Son of God – the Father did not spare Him, nor did He have compassion on Him, but sent Him to the cross. He gave Him up to suffering and death. He gave Him up to what our sins deserve. But, He did all of this to have compassion upon us, so our sins would be placed upon Jesus, so He would make you a child of God, so that we would be spared from His wrath. God’s compassion is fulfilled in Christ.

 

So, whenever we doubt the goodness of God, we must repent, since He always keeps His promises. Jesus is the proof we are always remembered.

 

Now, our faith may be put to the test in this sinful world, but God never forgets you.

 

Even when we forget, He remembers you. He restores us when we fall.

 

He made us His treasured possession by putting His name on you in Baptism and speaking of His forgiveness. Through the water and the Word, we are united to Christ’s death and resurrection. And if we are united, then we have been clothed in Christ’s righteousness.

 

Through Christ alone, we have been spared from the power of sin, death, and the devil. Through His compassion, He says: “Your sin has been forgiven!”

 

Today, Christ remembers His promise to you also in the Sacrament of the Altar, there we hear Christ’s words: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” You see, He remembers His promise, and by His sure Word He places into your mouth His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins.

 

We are God’s treasured possession. He keeps His promises. One day, He will fulfill another promise when He returns on the Last Day when we “shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him” (Malachi 3:18). That day will be another great reversal. Upon the cross, Jesus took upon Himself our filthy sins and gave us His righteousness. On that Last Day, it will be another reversal. He will divide the faithful from the faithless and we, the faithful, will be remembered as His treasured possession. Amen.

 

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

 

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for Pentecost 23: "The Day Is Surely Drawing Near" (Luke 21:5-28)

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:

 

The day is surely drawing near! But what day? We just had election day. For many, that day was circled on the calendar as “the day.” But, that day has come and gone until next year. Could it be planning for Thanksgiving? What about Christmas? No, not any of those days.

 

The day is surely drawing near! The big day. The day we publicly proclaim each time we confess the Creed: “And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end” (Nicene Creed).

 

Yes, that’s the day! That day is surely drawing near! The Last Day. The Day of Christ’s Return. The Second Coming. Judgment Day. That day is surely drawing near! But when? And how will I know? We, like the Twelve disciples, ask these questions. Today, Jesus prepares us for that day that draws near – the day of our redemption.

 

As we come to the end of the Church Year, the themes we hear read on Sunday mornings take a shift. I’m sure you noticed that already. For these final weeks of the Church Year, the Christian Church renews her hopeful yearning for the return of her bridegroom, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and the redemption of all things.

 

But along with the joy of the Lord’s return, we must first face various trials, tribulations, pains, persecutions, plagues, and the like. This doesn’t sound at all like what we want, but these events prepare us for Christ’s coming.

 

In our reading today from Luke 21, the disciples were in awe of the Jerusalem Temple, and why wouldn’t they be? The temple was beautiful! It was huge! You see, for about the last 50 years, the temple had been undergoing an extensive renovation and expansion, and it would not be finished for another 30 years – until AD 64. This was the legacy of King Herod the Great. His goal was to put the temple on the map of the Roman Empire. He certainly did that. With its spectacular white stones, its 40-foot marble columns, its tapestries, its golden and bronze doors.

 

The temple was like the Empire State Building or the Chrysler Building of its time with its elegance and beauty. Everyone was in awe. Well, everyone but Jesus. “As for these things that you see,” Jesus said, “the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (Luke 21:6).

 

You see, the destruction of the temple is intended to be an advanced sample of the end of the world. Man certainly enjoys focusing on its accomplishments. But God is here to constantly humble us by reminding us on who is really in control. We may build fancy buildings, skyscrapers, and stadiums, but God has the power to wipe them completely off the face of the earth.

 

As for the destruction of the temple, it served as a sneak peak of what is to come. In Scripture, the same use is made of the Flood and of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. In an instant, the Flood wiped away unrepentant man (Genesis 6). In an instant, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, due to their sexual perversions – their homosexual lust, were destroyed when the Lord reigned on them sulfur and fire (Genesis 19:24). For each event, God gave an advance picture of the final Divine retribution on unrepentant despisers of God’s grace – the coming destruction, and of the glorious deliverance of a small remnant by God’s grace – Noah’s family and Lot.

 

Jesus speaks of Jerusalem and the temple being razed and abandoned. Here, He is foretelling of God’s withdrawal of His grace and His Means of Grace from the Jews hardened in unbelief. Spiritually, they would be left desolate and deserted.

 

This coming destruction of the temple and the city will be a preview of what is to come on the Last Day. In AD 70, Jerusalem and its temple would lay in ruins. They would lay in ruins, because they no longer served any theological purpose, since the Son of God – the Second Person of the Trinity – Jesus the Christ is the embodiment of the true Temple. And Christians were not to remain in Jerusalem, but to spread the good news of salvation to all nations, all peoples, to the ends of the earth. 

 

But then what? When is the end? When is the Last Day?

 

Well, when Jesus returns on earth! But as Jesus says, many will say, “‘I am he!’ and ‘The time is at hand!’” (Luke 21:8). Through history, many have claimed to be Jesus. But would Jesus really reveal Himself to a select few? No! When he returns all will know by sight and sound in an instant! So we must not go after these shallow imitations of the one true God. Jesus is the only one who shares the name of God. He is Yahweh in the flesh. Again, we will all know when Jesus returns. There will be no question. No doubting. We will all know. 

So, this time between His first coming and His second coming, we ought not fall for false teachings that claim to be God-pleasing, since the truth has been fully revealed in Jesus Christ as given us in Scripture.

 

So, don’t go after false teachers! But Jesus says there will be more to come – not just false teachers. There will be wars and tumults, insurrections, but do not be terrified.

 

Jesus says, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Luke 21:10). Our sinful nature and the world are often convinced that humanity can prevent wars and make world peace. But even with the League of Nations, the United Nations, and NATO, what still happens? Wars and rumors of wars. But why? Why can’t we end the prospect of war? We can’t because it proves that the day is surely drawing near.

 

“There will be earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences,” Jesus says. “And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven” (Luke 21:11). Again, our sinful nature and the world don’t see these as signs that the day is drawing near. Instead, we often hear things like: “There is no God!” “We can fix it!” “If we only had this legislation made law.” “If we only vote for this candidate, we can save the earth!” Yes, we are to be good stewards of the earth, but humankind’s actions cannot lead to the end of life on earth. Only God has that power. He is the Creator. We are only mere creatures. Again, these phenomena only prove that the day is drawing near.

 

Jesus then speaks of consequences Christians will face in the latter days. We will be persecuted. We will face religious and civic persecution for confessing the truth that Jesus is Lord. We will face betrayal by our closest loved ones. In the West, we are beginning to see the ramifications of the concept of toleration really meaning affirmation. We are seeing sin praised by the culture. For us Christians, this means that when we publicly confess the one true faith, we must be ready to be ridiculed, or worse, persecuted. This again proves that the day is drawing near.

 

Judgment is coming. The day of vengeance is coming. But for us Christians, we do not fear! We are baptized believers. The Lord has prepared for this day. You see, He died on the cross to pay for our sins and thus take away the judgment. Christ took the judgment on Himself, the very wrath of God against sinners, so that the judgment would not fall upon you!

 

So, we prepare by being in His Word and taking the coming day of judgment very seriously. We heed Christ’s call for repentance and at the same time, we look forward to this great and awesome day as a day of redemption!

 

The unrepentant sinful world, however, has much to fear. But we don’t! The world may be careening out of control. Whether it is politics and governments, or catastrophes and disasters, or terrorism, there’s a lot that could frighten us. But in the middle of it all, God provides His Word.

 

Jesus’ words give us hope and strength and perspective. He says, “This will be your opportunity to bear witness” (Luke 21:13) and “By your endurance you will gain your lives” (Luke 21:19). Jesus says to us: “I have rescued you! You are mine!” You see, God’s Word assures us that He is moving the world toward the goal of that final day.

 

As the unrepentant world lives in fear or wrongly thinks they can solve the world’s ills, we look forward to that great day with confidence in Jesus Christ!

 

The Day is surely drawing near – and God is in control of everything!

 

Yes, we often wrongly believe that we are in charge. But, gone is the Jerusalem temple. Gone is the Roman Empire. We must always be reminded that God is running the show, He controls history. So, every time you read or hear about a war or a disaster, let it remind you that this tired, troubled world is moving toward the goal, the plan, that God has in store for when the Christ returns in glory, when we “will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27). On that day, Jesus will set all things right.

 

For the unrepentant that day will be a dreadful day, but for us, Jesus says, that day will be a glorious day. He says, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise you heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28). In other words, don’t give up. We may experience bad things that could weigh us down, but our redemption draws near. Take courage! The Lord is coming! The Lord is coming to redeem you, and this is a promise we can hold on to with fullest confidence. So, we must remember and believe: The day is coming when Jesus will return to redeem His people! Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

 

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

 

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +