Sermon for Reformation Sunday: "The Lord of Hosts Is With Us" (Psalm 46)

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:

Reformation Sunday can easily become a day of celebrating German and Scandinavian heritage. Or it can easily become a day we focus on one man, a sinful man, Martin Luther. 

 

Now, Luther was important, we can’t dismiss that, but he was only an instrument of God. He was only a means God used to proclaim His truth.

 

We are not “Lutheran,” because we worship Martin Luther. We’re Lutheran because that name became synonymous with right teaching. We’re Lutheran because it became synonymous with the sound teaching of the Word of God. We are “Lutheran,” because being Lutheran means it’s all about Jesus. Behold, God is our refuge and strength!

 

Psalm 46 is well known to us. It’s well known particularly because of Luther’s hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” which is a paraphrase of Psalm 46. This hymn, which we sang earlier, has been a comfort for so many Christians. This hymn and Psalm recognize the real problems we face because of the fallen world, our sinful flesh, and the devil, but it also provides comfort and security to those who are in the fortress of Christ’s protection.

 

The world of Luther’s day was filled with plagues and death, and the devil was recognized as active in the lives of everyday people. Today, the fallen world denies the devil’s existence, but he is still at play as he tricks people into thinking that good is evil and evil is good. This psalm recognizes all these troubles and tumults, while at the same time reminding us that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Our God is a mighty fortress, He is our refuge, and all who trust in Him are safe.

 

God is our refuge and strength in the midst of natural disasters. Natural disasters are everywhere. Tsunamis, earthquakes, mudslides, wild fires, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes plague our planet. Just recently, the fires in Maui, or closer to home, the fires throughout Canada and how that Canadian smoke has affected us here. 

 

The fears that natural disasters provoke are the focus of the first section of this psalm: “Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, through the mountains tremble at its swelling” (Psalm 46:2-3). The earth is giving way. Mountains are falling into the seas. The waters are roaring and foaming. The earth is trembling.

 

It is easy for Christians to say that we will not fear, but doubt is an inevitable result of the sin within each of us. Doubt causes us to fear at the turmoil of the natural world. Some are better at hiding their fear than others. Even we Christians will not overcome the totality of fear in our lifetime since our sinful nature is still part of us.

 

In addition to natural disasters that we face in this fallen world, fallen humanity itself causes us great anxiety and fear. In so many cases, humans cause much more pain than natural disasters do. Nevertheless, God is our refuge against our worldly enemies as “the nations rage, the kingdoms totter” (Psalm 46:6a).

§  Violence, wars, and rumors of wars are all around us: the mass shooting in Maine, the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and the Ukraine-Russia war, and the wars that we are not aware of.

§  Civil unrest has become all too common. Murder, abortion, sexual sins, theft.

§  People being told to repent of their skin color, as if we can repent of how God intricately knitted us together in our mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13)

§  People violently protesting against the very foundation of what is good, right, and salutary. 

Sin does not understand itself to be sinful since it looks inward to its own desires – and sin seeks to remove anything that threatens these desires.

 

Not only are people and nations raging, but they are also doing so because the devil and his demons are real and remain active in this fallen world, seeking to do evil and bring despair and death to God’s creation. 

 

But through it all – natural disasters and nations raging – God promises to be our refuge and strength, our very present help in trouble. He is our refuge from the powers of evil. The devil is constantly on attack in this fallen world. He attacks through social secularism and spiritualism. He first seeks to remove God from the world; second seeks to provide false gods. 

§  The false gods of manna – trusting in money and possessions. 

§  The false gods of health – trusting only in sinful man for cures, rather than God. 

§  The false gods of celebrity – trusting in the advice of actors, politicians, and social media influencers, rather than God’s truth. 

All of us must repent of falling away from God and into the devil’s lies.

 

Yet, again, God promises to be with us. In the midst of all of this, “The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (Psalm 46:7). But we still have questions. “Where is God readily found in times of trouble?” “Where is He in the time of my need?” “How is God a refuge and strength?”

 

This confident voice in Psalm 46 sounds very different from the voice of Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1) Or Psalm 10: “Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide Yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1). Or Psalm 13: “How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide Your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1). In suffering, we often wonder where God is.

 

For some of us, if we are honest, the voice of Psalm 46 may sound hollow. The fact is, in times of deepest need, God seems not to be present. He seems to not be easily found. Where is He when we need Him most?

 

God answers that question. He answers that question by naming a place: a river. “There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High” (Psalm 46:4). But how is this an answer for us? What do these words have to do with us? Well, during one Passover, Jesus found men selling cattle and exchanging money in the temple. Angered at the sight, Jesus overturned the tables and threw out the merchants. When the Jewish authorities demanded to know who He thought He was in doing such an outrageous thing, Jesus said: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). Then John explained that the temple He spoke of was His body (John 2:21).

 

The voice of Psalm 46 speaks to us when we see that the temple it talks about – the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High – no longer names only a place but also a Person. In Jesus, God is present for His people. He is a help readily found. By healing the sick, feeding the hungry, raising the dead, Jesus began to restore His fallen creation to what God intended in Eden. So, to be around Jesus was to experience God’s merciful presence. No wonder Jesus is the source of “living water” (John 4:10-11; 7:38; Revelation 7:17) and is “the water of life” (Revelation 21:6; 22:1, 17). Christ also tells the Samaritan woman: “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14).

 

This River makes glad the city of God. The “city of God” is no longer a geographical place, but a people. The Church is the “city of God” gathered around the Word that God offers us in the preaching of the Gospel and in the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, which promise us forgiveness, life, and salvation! Here, we come together around these Means of Grace because it is here that God is “very present” as “a help” in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1).

 

In the Lord’s Supper, we hear God’s grace as He says, “Take, eat, this is My body; Take, drink, this is My blood … for the forgiveness of sins.” We receive His grace through His body and blood in our mouths. We also receive the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus sends to live within us and to strengthen us; and in the fellowship of “the city of God,” all these gifts give us foretastes of the feast to come.

 

So, God is “very present”, and He is easily found. He is found as “the River.” This River’s streams make glad the city of God – the Church. In a world full of chaos, there is nothing that can harm those who are in Christ Jesus. The world can torture and kill, but God has defeated the powers of sin, death, and the devil through the death and resurrection of His only Son. All the raging powers cannot stand against the crucifixion of Jesus, His bodily resurrection, and our Baptism that intimately connects us to Him. When Jesus returns in glory, He will say, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10a). Then and only then, there will be peace.

 

Until that day, we do live in a fallen world of natural disasters, wars, rumors of wars, protests and violence, and every other kind of sin. Yet, this Psalm reminds us that no matter how chaotic things may seem to be, God stand above all things, and He promises us a place of comfort and safety in the midst of evil. We find this safety in Christ – in His Word and Sacraments. Apart from Him, there is only death, fear, suffering, and the works of the devil. But in Jesus, we have the Mighty Fortress. We have peace that is beyond all human understanding as “the Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (Psalm 46:7, 11). 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 21: "Rendering to God the Things that are Gods" (Matthew 22:15-22)

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:

“Jesus said to them, ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21).

 

There is an old saying that politics make strange bedfellows. Here the Pharisees and the Herodians display a common hatred for Jesus that overshadows their sharp disagreements with each other. The Pharisees were ardent nationalists who opposed the Roman rule and despised the Herodians for their cooperation with the Roman government. They despised each other, but they did have one thing in common: their common hatred toward Jesus.

 

Today, we find ourselves where we have been the last four weeks. Again, we find ourselves at the temple grounds on Tuesday of Holy Week.

 

Tensions continue to mount between the Jewish religious leaders and Jesus. First Jesus lays on them the Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32). Then Jesus lays on them the Parable of the Wicked Tenants (Matthew 21:33-44). And to top it all off, the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14). These religious leaders knew that Jesus was talking about them, and they did not like it. They were ticked. They wanted Jesus silenced – and for good.

 

So, they leave Jesus for a time to plot how to entangle Jesus in His own words. This time a new strategy. Could there be another way to silence Jesus? 

 

You see, at this time, Jerusalem was full of pilgrims preparing for the Passover Feast, and multitudes of people are now gathering to hear Jesus preach and to heal the sick. Multitudes of people are coming to faith in Jesus by the power of the Gospel. This is further ticking off the Jewish religious authorities. They want Jesus silenced. They want Him dead. But could there be another way, so that they would not be the ones to ultimately get rid of Jesus?

 

Christ’s presence at the temple offered a forum for an assault. With the large crowds, the Jewish religious authorities thought this was their moment to flex their muscle by challenging Jesus and prove Him to be a fraud.

So, the Pharisees plotted by sending their disciples, along with their sworn enemy, the Herodians. You see, in times of war, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. And for the Jewish religious authorities, this was war. The Pharisees were going to find any possible way to get rid of Jesus, even if it took their enemy – the Herodians – to do so.

 

So, they attempt to butter up Jesus. Surely compliments can change the tenor of confrontation. Think for a moment as to why we give compliments. Why would you compliment your father or mother? You do it to show your parent that you love them and that you really appreciate everything they do for you. Why do you compliment your friends? You do it to show them that you’re glad they’re your friends and that they mean a lot to you. 

 

But in debates, compliments serve a much different purpose. The compliment is being used as venom and as deadly intention. 

 

The Herodians were a small political party among the Jews, which favored and supported the rule of the Herodian dynasty. The Herodians looked favorably upon Rome, since the Herodians ruled at the pleasure of the Caesars, the Roman emperors. So, they would be in favor with paying taxes to Caesar since the House of Herod was dependent on the Romans.

 

The Pharisees were the largest political party among the Jews, which favored national independence from the Romans and despised the Herodians for their cooperation with the Roman government.

 

But on this day, these two enemies were united.

 

So, these two sworn enemies come up to Jesus and greet Him with some very nice compliments saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and You do not care about anyone’s opinion, for You are not swayed by appearances” (Matthew 22:16).

 

We can see ourselves in these schemers. We can easily become manipulators in order to get others to do what we want. You may compliment your boss in hopes for a raise. You can help a neighbor in need in hopes of them helping you later with your project. In this, we show our sinful nature, as we fall short of any ability to truly render love to God and love to your neighbor.

 

Surely, because these men are speaking such flattering words, Jesus is almost certain to consider them as friends. Surely, Jesus will speak openly and freely with them, answering any questions they would ask. Jesus knowing what is in their hearts allows them to ask their question: “Tell us, then, what do You think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” (Matthew 22:17).

 

This debate was never about getting a wholesome desire to understand God’s Law; it was all about discrediting Jesus.

 

So, if Jesus tells the people to not pay taxes to Rome, the Herodians will report Him to Pontius Pilate and have Him executed for treason. But if Jesus tells the people to pay taxes to Caesar, the Pharisees will spread the word that Jesus is unpatriotic.

 

Jesus appears to be trapped. How can He escape this? Either way He answers, Jesus is finished: Tried for treason or as against the Jewish people.

 

Despite their plotting, the Pharisees and Herodians were correct about Jesus. He was a Man of integrity. He was true and teaches the way of God truthfully and doesn’t care about man’s opinion. Jesus never deviated from the standard of truth. So, when Jesus taught God’s way of salvation, His teaching was in absolute agreement with God’s revelation of the truth. Nor could Jesus be swayed by the so-called truth of men. He would never feel the urge to tailor His teaching to suit the people. Nor would Jesus be intimidated by others who might do harm to Him if His preaching ran counter to their likes and expectations.

 

Even if these men said the truth about Jesus, they didn’t mean it. They wanted to silence Jesus by any means necessary.

 

So, how does Jesus escape this trap? He doesn’t. Jesus, aware of their malice, says, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?” (Matthew 22:18). And to their astonishment, Jesus says, “Show Me the coin for the tax” (Matthew 22:18-19).

 

Their plot appears to be working. So, they complied by producing a denarius. Jesus asks them, “Who’s likeness and inscription is this?” (Matthew 22:20) At once, they reply, “Caesar’s” (Matthew 22:21).

Little did they know that they who had set the trap for Jesus had fallen into a trap themselves.

 

At once they admitted that the coins, they and all the Jews were using every day had the emperor’s image and title imprinted on them. They had also admitted that they were legally a part of the Roman Empire and were rightfully under the jurisdiction of Caesar. Then Jesus said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). With those words, Jesus is saying, “You are all subjects of Rome. It follows that you owe to the Roman government all the obligations of its subjects.”

 

The Pharisees wanted to isolate the question to only paying taxes, but now Jesus is compelling them to consider paying taxes as only one item among many when it comes to obedience to the Roman government – a government that God, in His good providence, has made them subjects.

 

When they heard this, they marveled at Jesus’ words and left Him and went away. But even if it sounds like Jesus won this debate, His words here would be used as one of the two accusations against Him, which ultimately would lead Him to His death on the cross three days later on Good Friday. Jesus would be accused of rebellion against the Roman government – and He would be accused of blasphemy against God for claiming to be able to forgive sins, claiming to be the Son of God, and claiming to be God Himself.

 

From today’s words from Jesus, we get the Christian doctrine known as the Two Kingdoms, also known as the Two Realms, which God has placed every one of His followers. Christians live in both the secular realm and the spiritual realm. The secular realm is the temporal government: Federal, State, County, City. The spiritual realm is the Church. These two realms have different purposes: the secular realm’s purpose is for the wellbeing and protection of people; the spiritual realm is for the spiritual wellbeing and eternal life of the people.

 

These two realms are never to mix. But so often, they do, and when they do mix, it ends with disastrous results: confusion, distress of conscience, suffering, heartache, and general spiritual decline.

 

So, if the secular realm forces the Church to change its doctrines, it is placing itself as the authority, and is stealing the seat of God. Examples of this are the definition of marriage, the definition of man and woman, or forcing churches to include abortion coverage in church healthcare plans. The secular realm has no authority to tell anyone, Christian or non-Christian, what to believe. This is purely a matter between God and the Christian.

Conversely, whenever a Church has lost sight of its spiritual mission and has reached into the domain of the State, foolishly attempting to achieve spiritual goals through earthly means, such as legislation to “make this a more Christian country” or legislation to “promote social justice,” the Church has stepped into the domain of the State. The Church cannot legislate morality. The Church is the Church and cannot step into the role of the State. Only harm for the State and for the Church is the outcome.

 

Martin Luther, who coined the terms “Two Kingdoms” and “Two Realms,” believed that there is a rational authority and a Biblical authority. In the secular realm, you argue reason. In the spiritual realm, you argue Biblical authority. When reason is operating properly, reason is always in accord with the Ten Commandments.

 

To His opponents, Jesus shows them the denarius with Caesar’s likeness and inscription. He does this to show them and us that the duty of every citizen is to keep the Fourth Commandment by honoring the ruling authorities in paying taxes. Jesus could have condemned the Roman government, but He didn’t. He didn’t place any limits on paying taxes to the government – such as funding abortions. Jesus said to honor your authorities by giving them what you owe them. This is rendering to Caesar what is Caesar’s.

 

But what does it mean to “render to God the things that are God’s”? Well, for one, respect for the government. Two, the government and Church should not mix. But most importantly, it is to do God the Father’s will. This means to repent and believe the preaching of John the Baptist, especially concerning the One who came to fulfill all righteousness. This means that you, the tenant farmers, will care faithfully for the Owner’s vineyard by acknowledging that the vineyard and its fruit belong to God and to His Son, the rightful heir of all things. This means that you honor the King by accepting His invitation to the wedding banquet and paying homage to His Son – this heavenly feast which is both now and forever. 

 

To give God what is God’s is to bow before Him – all on earth and all in heaven – since everything belongs to God. To give God what is God’s is to repent of your sins and to follow His Son in trusting obedience, since Jesus has paid your debt of sin by His suffering and death on the cross for you. He has destroyed sin’s power over you. He rose from the dead to prove that your sins are forgiven – and all by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. 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 20: "Come to the Wedding Feast!" (Matthew 22:1-14)

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:

To the chief priests, elders of the people, and to everyone else in attendance, Jesus spoke: “Tell those who are invited … Come to the wedding feast” (Matthew 22:4).

 

It is amazing how much teaching Jesus did in a single day. Again, for the third week in a row, we are hearing Jesus teach from the temple grounds on the Tuesday before His death on the cross. We are nearing the end of His earthly ministry. Tensions are mounting; hate is increasing. It is clear that the Jewish religious leaders of God’s own people have rejected Jesus as the Messiah. They have not only rejected Jesus, but they are actively plotting how to arrest Him, and ultimately put Him to death.

 

But Jesus isn’t finished yet. His time of salvation would not be until Friday. So, Jesus tells a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven – it’s not only about eternity, but God’s Kingdom now as it exists already here on earth. It is as if Jesus were speaking from the perspective of Judgment Day and looking back over the history of God’s people. 

 

In the Parable of the Wedding Feast, Jesus likens this feast to a King – God the Father, who prepared a wedding banquet, which is eternal life in heaven. And God’s Kingdom on earth is compared to all that happens in between. The King sends His servants to those who had been invited to the banquet – the Jews, His Old Testament people – to tell them that all was ready and that they should now come.

 

But they refused. These called people were just like the wicked tenants in the vineyard from the proceeding parable. Those wicked tenants refused to give the Owner His share of the crop. Instead, they beat, murdered, and stoned each servant who came for the Owner’s share of the crop, including the murder of the Owner’s Son in hopes of gaining the inheritance of the vineyard.

 

In today’s parable, the King sends His servants to invite His called people to the wedding feast of His Son. Now, this invitation should not have been a surprise. The King wasn’t inviting His guests out of the blue with only a couple hours of preparation. You see, those who were invited had been already called.

 

But at first, those called paid no attention to the King. But this King is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15), so He sent out other servants saying, “Tell those who are invited, ‘See, I have prepared My dinner, My oxen and My fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast’” (Matthew 22:4). 

 

Here, the King is giving out even more details about His gracious wedding banquet. He has prepared several of His finest cattle. He has prepared a rich food of the best beef, and the finest of wines. Everything is prepared to perfection!

 

Nevertheless, even after the second invitation, His guests continue to refuse to come. But this time, instead of complely ignoring the King’s invitation, some at least give reasons. But each reason was just being dishonest. Each reason to refuse the invitation was because they had a low opinion of the King and His Son.

 

One went to his field – representing the agricultural cares of this fallen world. Another went to his business – representing the commercial cares of this fallen world. Again, these excuses were not really excuses at all, but each displayed their opinion of the King and His Son, while at the same time showing their high opinion of earthly things, worldly things. They chose works righteousness rather than a King’s gracious banquet hall full of savory flavors and aromas of a “feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined” (Isaiah 25:6).

 

By refusing to come, these called guests insulted the dignity of the King and His Son who had counted on their attendance by graciously preparing this savory feast for them. But at least some were polite. They were wrong, but at least they were polite.

 

Still some others who were invited took a whole different direction by seizing the King’s servants, treating them shamefully, and murdering them (Matthew 22:6). Although the feast is ready, the King will not and cannot allow the murderers of His servants to go unpunished.

 

Now, God may be “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,” but there will come a time when His mercy and grace will run out. This time is known as the Last Day – Judgment Day. At that time, there will be nothing more we can do. There will be no more time for repentance and forgiveness. For these who were called and invited and refused the invitation, this was their Judgment Day. 

Due to their hardness of heart, due to their hate toward the King and His Son, and due to the way they treated His servants, the King was enraged. So, He sent His troops, executes them, and burns the city to the ground (Matthew 22:7).

 

Just like the wicked tenants who refused to give the Owner of the vineyard His share, these who were called to the wedding feast and refused the King’s invitation were destroyed. And in a matter of years, this divine judgment would come upon Jerusalem in AD 70 with the destruction of the temple. This divine judgment came because the Jewish religious leaders have, by and large, rejected God’s Son and the reign of God present in His Words and deeds.

 

Despite their refusal to come at the King’s invitation, the King desires that His banquet hall be filled anyway. If the first to be called will not come, He will show His grace and generosity to others! So, the King turns His attention to a new group of people – which will include both believing Jews and Gentiles. The King says to His servants, “The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find”(Matthew 22:8-9).

 

Lone and behold, these invited guests actually come! And guess what, those who came were “both bad and good” (Matthew 22:10), so the wedding hall was filled with guests!

 

Everyone is called to the feast! Now, these “bad and good” represent the Church here on earth. These bad people are the hypocrites, who come to church, recite the liturgy, and sing the hymns, but refuse to believe by not living out a life of faith. They withhold forgiveness. They don’t fear God’s wrath. But in the end, God always sorts out His faithful from the unfaithful by separating the true believers from the false believers.

 

So, like Jesus said previously to the Jewish religious authorities, “The tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you” (Matthew 21:31). The tax collectors and prostitutes enter the kingdom of God before the Jewish authorities only because they admit they are sinners in need of forgiveness. They enter because they are penitent sinners who desire to be in the presence of the King and His Son. They enter because they need to be saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

 

Now, the banquet hall is filled! But the parable is not over. “When the King came in to look at the guests, He saw there a man who had no wedding garment” (Matthew 22:11). Sternly and politely, the King asked this man, “Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?” (Matthew 22:12). The man was speechless.

 

Now, the banquet is the King’s, and the hospitality is His. He has the authority to receive and the authority to reject. So, when He sees a man who is not dressed in the “garment of a wedding,” He naturally confronts that man, and asks how it was possible for him to gain entrance.

 

For so much of my life, I have heard this “wedding garment” preached that it was custom in those days for the king to provide a wedding garment – as a sort of ticket to get into the wedding banquet. I’m sure you have heard that preached. In fact, I have preached that in the past. But I have since come to understand another way on interpreting this wedding garment. You see, according to Concordia Seminary Professor Jeff Gibbs, we really don’t know too much about Jewish First Century wedding customs.

 

But what do we know? Well, this “wedding garment” likely refers to “a normal, clean, festive garment.” We might say, “Church clothes” or your “Sunday Best.” So, a wedding garment is just your best outfit. So, a wedding garment could be a tux, a polo, plaid shirt, a gown. It could be wearing slacks or blue jeans. But what matters is that the garment is clean.

 

So, there is not just one type of garment here. But this person, who is without a wedding garment, is apparently dressed in dirty clothing. In other words, this man has shamed the King. This man is not treating this like a wedding feast. He flat out doesn’t care. He’s like the others who refused to come.

 

And when asked about it, this man has nothing to say. He doesn’t say that he’s sorry. He doesn’t say, “Please forgive me.” He just has nothing to say. He’s speechless. So, what should this man have said? What if he had said: “Please forgive me, since I snuck in under false pretenses.” Maybe, then, the King would have welcomed him.

 

So, to be without a wedding garment is to be without true faith. It is to insult the King and His Son. To be without a wedding garment means to oppose the claims of the Son of God as the Lamb of God who has come to take all sins upon Himself. This is what brought God’s Son to Jerusalem to be rejected, to suffer, to be crucified, and to rise from the dead.

Then the King said to His attendants, “Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 22:13). To this Jesus concludes: “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).

 

You see, called is to be invited, but not all those called end up believing.

 

The Parable of the Wedding Feast ends on a grim note. We cannot ignore that. So, by rejecting the King and His Son, this is what happens. So, we can’t treat His wedding feast like it’s going to McDonald’s or Burger King, but as a dress rehearsal for heaven when death is swallowed up forever (Isaiah 25:8).

 

Jesus is speaking this parable not only to the Jewish religious leaders of Israel, but also to you and me. So, this parable serves as a warning to us, since sham religiousness is an ever-present danger for every believer. Each Sunday morning or Monday evening, the King calls you to His banquet, but how often do you choose earthly things rather than experience a foretaste of His heavenly feast to come? At each Divine Service, the King invites you to rest, reflect on His Word and receive His forgiveness in order to strengthen your faith in Him and His Son.

 

How many of you have heard or even said, “I believe in God! I am a Christian!”? And yet, these same people often want to fit into the society of this fallen sinful world and in doing so, reject the King’s invitation. Just think about all those who claim to be followers of Christ, and yet support the evil of elective abortion by denying God’s command to be fruitful and multiply or those who deny how God created mankind as male and female. The fallen world – led by its prince Satan – wants us to focus on your sinful wants and your sinful desires, rather than God’s will for you and me.

 

This parable challenges us to ask ourselves, “Have I put on the wedding garment? Am I here on my own terms or God’s terms? Am I seeking to have a share in God’s banquet in the way He wants – by grace through faith in Christ alone who died for my sins – or on my own?

 

This is the question. And this is a life and death question – for the Lord will ultimately destroy those who reject Him.

 

There is only one way to be found at the eternal banquet hall and it is to heed His invitation. This way is to cling to Jesus and Him crucified for your sins. Upon that cross, He won for you His robe of righteousness, which He first gave to you in Holy Baptism. In Baptism, Jesus covered you with His righteousness. So, all your materialism, your earthly mindedness, all your sins – they are all paid for and covered by Christ and His righteousness.

 

Until that Last Day, God’s mercy continues. Today, He continues to urgently invite you and all people to His banquet hall. Through the preaching and teaching of His Holy Word, by the mouths of His messengers through the ministry of His Church, He invites you to trust in Him for your salvation! 

 

Today, He invites you to experience a foretaste of His eternal banquet in heaven as you come to His Table. For Jesus is the heavenly Bridegroom, and you – the Church – is His Bride. Today and each Divine Service is but a rehearsal for the never-ending feast of heaven! So, come to the wedding feast! 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 19: "The Taking Away and Giving of the Vineyard" (Matthew 21:33-46)

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:

There is something eerily familiar about our Old Testament and Gospel lessons this morning. We have a vineyard. We have a fence. We have a winepress. We have a watchtower.

 

Believe it or not, some of the best preaching might not be exactly new. If it was good 700 years ago, why not preach it again? 

 

But the thing is, the sermon inspired by God and preached by Isaiah didn’t seem to work last time. But could it work this time?

 

Will the old song bring a new ending when modified by Jesus?

 

Jesus draws His parable from a love song the Lord sang through Isaiah some 700 years earlier: “Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning His vineyard” (Isaiah 5:1a). The vineyard Isaiah was singing about was Israel and Judah, God’s chosen people. God loved His people as He gave them a rich land, protection from enemies, His continuous presence, and the promise of the coming Messiah.

 

But this love song would turn tragic. Despite His strenuous efforts, the vineyard would only produce wild grapes. The wild grapes of idolatry, injustice, and bloodshed. This vineyard produced nothing but evil. And even when God sent a line of prophets to warn them and to turn from their wicked ways, they failed to bear good fruit. So, what did God do to His vineyard of wild grapes? He removed its hedge. He broke down its wall. He destroyed it. He laid it to waste.

 

Unmistakably, Jesus’ version in telling this old love song is intended to be about the Jewish leaders of His day. Jesus said, “There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them” (Matthew 21:34-36).

 

You see, these tenants did not see themselves as sharecroppers. They didn’t see themselves as actually leasing the vineyard. They saw themselves as the vineyard owners. These tenants believed that they were in control of the vineyard. They did not fear, love, or respect their landlord.

 

So, instead of giving the owner His share of the crops, these wicked tenants just beat, killed, and stoned the owner’s servants.

 

For some reason, this master was slow to anger, and He thought He would give these wicked tenants another opportunity to give Him His share of the crop thinking, “They will respect My Son” (Matthew 21:37). So, he sends His Son. And guess what? These tenants begin to scheme as they say to themselves, “‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him” (Matthew 21:38-39).

 

You see, according to Jewish Law, if the owner would die without an heir, there would be an extremely good chance that the tenants who leased the land would end up inheriting the land.

 

Now, these wicked tenants were still heirs of the Promise. These wicked tenants were still the nation through which the Messiah would come. These wicked tenants were still blessed with God’s presence. And these wicked tenants were still warned by God’s prophets. As heirs of the promise, God expected them to bear fruit in welcoming the Messiah and to present Him to all nations.

 

So, would these Jewish leaders heed Jesus’ telling of this old song, or would they repeat the same tragic ending of Old Testament Israel? At that very moment, on Tuesday of Holy Week, the Last Messenger of the Master, the Son, was now among them, and at that very moment, these men were plotting to kill Him.

 

Instead of repenting of their sin and receiving forgiveness, they cherish their sin by plotting the murder of the Heir. For their hardness of heart, Jesus says that the Cornerstone will crush them and they would be broken to pieces. He will put those wicked tenants to a miserable death. It’s going to be the same old tragic ending as the first time. But is it the same ending?

 

There is a slight twist here. Yes, there is destruction and bloodshed, but this time only the wicked tenants are destroyed. This time, the vineyard remains. Instead of total destruction, the owner just takes away the vineyard from the wicked tenants and gives away the vineyard to other tenants who will give Him the fruits in their seasons.

 

All the while, this owner of the vineyard was showing His sheer grace to the wicked tenants. First, He established the vineyard. Second, He wonderfully supplied the vineyard with gifts that would enable an abundant harvest. Although these wicked tenants rebelled against Him, in love He sent His only Son. And though these wicked tenants rejected and murdered the Master’s own Son, God the Father raised Him up to make Him the Cornerstone.

 

Two thousand years later, Jesus’ Parable of the Wicked Tenants is now the parable for us. By God’s grace, God has given us His vineyard. And He continues to send His Son to us through the ministry of His Church.

 

Like, God’s people of old, we have been placed in God’s vineyard – God’s kingdom – by His grace. In this kingdom, God lavishly supplies us with those things that nurture fruit: His Word and His Sacraments. Like then, as now, God keeps sending us His servants – His pastors – just as He sent the Old Testament prophets. Now, prayerfully, His servants of the Word who rightly preach His Word are treated fairly – and not beaten, killed or stoned. Above all, God the Father sent us His Son.

 

Today, we retell this Parable among us to move us to render the fruit of the vineyard and receive those whom He has sent us, especially His Heir, His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

 

The fruit of the vineyard is repentance, faith, and love toward God and our neighbor that flows from faith. All of this is what Christ came to nurture in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).

 

But all too often, we also fall into the same tragic ending of the Parable of the Wicked Tenants. 

§  We show ourselves to be unfaithful tenants of God’s kingdom whenever we do not show love toward God and our neighbor as the fruit of faith. 

§  We show ourselves to be unfaithful tenants when we refuse to forgive our neighbor. 

§  We show ourselves to be unfaithful tenants when we choose to store our money rather than cheerfully giving to the Lord the first fruits of His share of the crop.

§  We show ourselves to be unfaithful tenants when we do not receive God’s only Son who comes to us through His Word and Sacraments.

 

Too often we fail to bear this fruit of love for God and our neighbor in the vocations into which He has placed us. Too often, we would rather be approved by the fallen world than speak of the grace we have received by faith through Jesus’ atoning death and bodily resurrection. Such sin renders us undeserving of the vineyard and being put to eternal death.

 

But God the Father sent His only-begotten Son, Jesus, to redeem the vineyard and its tenants. Through His earthly life, Jesus was perfectly faithful in His vocation and mission to save the lost. Although He was thrown out of Jerusalem and murdered, God the Father raised Him from the dead and placed Him as the Cornerstone of His Church.

 

Through Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection, He has redeemed the vineyard. He has taken the punishment that we deserve and has given us the vineyard, which is His kingdom! He turned what looked evil – the crucifixion – into good, the redemption of the vineyard for our salvation.

 

The death of God’s Son on the cross was not just the evil plotting of men, it was God’s plan. And since the salvation Jesus procured on the cross was for all people, even the people who plotted and carried out His execution are included. The inheritance of salvation is for everyone who clings to Jesus Christ as Lord.

 

Today, you are blessed! You are blessed once again knowing that God the Father’s Son is coming to you through His Word and Sacraments. So, let us render the vineyard’s fruit by giving God His share of the fruit and receiving His Son! Amen.

 

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +