"The Parable of the Compassionate Father" (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32)

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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:

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear [Jesus]. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’ So [Jesus] told them this parable: 

 

“‘There was a man who had two sons’…” (Luke 15:1-3, 11).

 

The Parable of the Prodigal Son. This is a beloved parable for many. It is a parable that is certainly well known. It’s right up there with the Parable of the Good Samaritan. It’s known by Christians and non-Christians alike.

 

So, what more could be said about this beloved parable? It turns out: a lot. There is so much for us to learn and appreciate from the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

 

So, what led to Jesus telling this parable? Well, first we have tax collectors and sinners – those people caught up in public sins – drawing near to Jesus. But they weren’t alone. With them were some Pharisees and scribes who were grumbling at Jesus, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2). They are muttering about the table companions with whom Jesus fellowships. 

 

This is quite an interesting crowd: tax collectors, the especially immoral, Pharisees and scribes. They all are brought together to hear Jesus.

 

So, with this odd crowd, Jesus answers the criticism of the Pharisees and scribes by telling three parables to everyone who has ears to hear. All three have to do with the joy over finding what was once lost. A shepherd rejoices over finding the one lost sheep out of a hundred. A woman rejoices to find the one coin she had lost out of ten. And then to our parable today, a compassionate father who has two sons gives a joyous banquet to celebrate the return of a wayward son.

 

So, what were the Pharisees and scribes to think when they heard these parables, and especially the third parable? What do you think?

 

So, Jesus says: “There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me’” (Luke 15:11-12a).

 

Essentially, the younger son said, “Dad, I wish you were dead, give me my inheritance now!” What child cannot identify with disobeying and disrespecting their father? What father has not feared, if not experienced, his child’s rejection?

 

And what does this father do? He shows compassion as he gave his younger son his inheritance.

 

So, the younger son gathers his share of the inheritance, waves goodbye and says good riddance to his dad as he soon converts his possessions into cash. With his new wealth, he takes a journey to a far country. And there, he blows his inheritance by living the high life. He went from living in luxury to being penniless and hungry. 

 

And just as things were turning bad, they turned for the worse. Not only was he broke, but now a severe famine arose. In order to survive, he lowered himself to feed pigs, an unclean animal. There he is, a Jew, feeding pigs, and now he longs for what the pigs have. At least they have shelter and are provided food. He has hit rock bottom. He is scraping by as he feeds filthy unclean pigs. And as he feeds those filthy animals, he was longing for what they had, since he had nothing.

 

It was in this hardship that the younger son came to his senses. Sometimes it takes affliction for a person to finally wake up. And praise God when that happens. Sadly, we all know of cases when hardships lead a person to further dig in all the more into sin and debt. Thankfully, this is not what happened to this son.

 

So, he begins to prepare his speech. “I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants” (Luke 15:18-19). He has it all planned out. He is resolved to go back to his father, confess his sin, admit his unworthiness as a son, and beg to work as a hired hand.

 

He arose and went on his way, but before he even speaks his confession, his father sees him and runs to him. He runs to his son and welcomes him with hugs and kisses. He does not lecture him for his sins. He loves the sinner even before that sinner makes his statement of repentance. 

This father is truly compassionate. These are not the typical actions of a human father. He orders the best robe, a ring and sandals, and a feast! The celebration begins at once! The dead son lives! The lost son is now found!

 

Meanwhile, the older son was out in the field and as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. He soon learned that this party was in celebration of the return of his brother. He was fuming. He grumbled and pouted. Day after day, he was out in the field doing what he thought he should be doing. He felt slighted. And who wouldn’t be sympathetic to him? Afterall, he was faithful to his father. 

 

So, his compassionate father comes outside. He pleads for his son to join the celebration. But the father only hears criticism of his love. The older son reminds him of all the years of faithful service that he has rendered for his father. But he never received a party. “Celebrate all you want, but I won’t go inside!” He was bitter.

 

It was then that his compassionate father reminded his older son: “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours” (Luke 15:31). So, what happened with the older brother? Did he eventually go inside to join the party? We don’t know. Jesus leaves us with a cliffhanger. 

 

Again, may I ask: What were the Pharisees and scribes to think as they heard this parable? What are you thinking? What would you do if your lost child who rejected you returned to you? Would you run to your child and embrace him? Would you lecture him? What if you were the older son?

 

The Pharisees are both sons – the one who wasted his inheritance and the one who remained with his father. We are both of his sons. We are prone to wander. We are greedy. We don’t want to wait for our inheritance. We want it now!

 

And despite it all, you may see yourself as more deserving of God’s love than others. Afterall, you attend church weekly, you go to every Bible study, you give tithes and even give alms by increasing your offerings during Lent. You deserve a party! Where is your party?!

 

In this parable, it isn’t just the younger son who was lost, it is the older son, too. The younger son came to his senses. He returned home and was found. That older son appeared to not be lost – at first, but he became lost. He considered his life to be a life of a servant and not a son. He considered himself a slave. 

 

But it was their compassionate father who forgave them. 

§  To his younger son: “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found” (Luke 15:22-24).

§  To his older son: “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found” (Luke 15:32).

 

No earthly father is like this father. This father is God the Father. Although this parable is often called The Parable of the Prodigal Son, it could also be called the Parable of the Compassionate Father. What the compassionate father does is amazing, he runs to meet his wayward son. He doesn’t yell at his son. He loves his son. He forgives his son. He restores his son.

 

For Jesus says, “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7) and “There is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).

 

There is no creature on earth like the triune God. His forgiveness is incomparable. God certainly is justified in His anger over our sinful rebellion. But when we repent, when we come to our senses and return to Him, He unconditionally forgives us, He embraces us, and He feeds us. In fact, this is what occurs at each Divine Service, we poor sinners confess our sins, as we give our guilt to God, and He absolves us, He reconciles us back to Him, He forgives our sins of thought, word, and deed. And, what happens next? He throws us a banquet, a foretaste of the heavenly feast to come, of Christ’s body and blood under bread and wine that forgives sins and gives us life and salvation.

 

In this season of Lent, we marvel at how “God loved the world so that He gave His only Son the lost to save, That all who would in Him believe Should everlasting life receive” (LSB 571, stanza 1). The compassionate God the Father sent His only Son so that we might escape eternal suffering. For our sake, Jesus became poor. He hungered and thirsted and no one gave Him anything. For our sake, He spent everything. He squandered everything to find you. He gave up His life as He hung crucified on a cross among thieves, so that he would save you, so that He would find you. Every sinner who has been saved has been sought out and found by Jesus Christ Himself. Through His Word and by the power of the Holy Spirit, He finds sinners and brings them home. May we show this same compassion when a sinner repents! Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"Why Does God Allow Pain and Suffering?" (Luke 13:1-9)

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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 were some present at the very time who told [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And [Jesus] answered them, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?’” (Luke 13:1-2).

 

Today’s Gospel lesson from Luke 13 appears like news ripped from the headlines. 

 

A group of unnamed people approach Jesus with the question: “Jesus, did you hear? Pilate had all those pious Galileans killed? They came to offer godly sacrifices at the temple. Jesus, why did this happen?”

 

In other words: “Why did this bad thing happen to such good Galileans?”

 

The question they are asking or the answer they want from Jesus is “why.” Why did these terrible things happen? What did they do to deserve it?

 

First, a little background. If you recall, the histories of the northern and southern regions of Israel were such that it could be assumed that God was punishing the Galileans. Afterall, Galilee had a longer and more pronounced history of apostasy as most abandoned the one true God. So, could God have been punishing them? Did they have this coming to them? Did they deserve it?

 

It appears that these Galileans came to Jerusalem for the Passover Seder. They appeared to be pious Jews. So, did they truly deserve what was coming to them?

 

Now, the mixing of the blood of the Galileans with their sacrifices at the temple was a heinous crime. Pilate violated all holiness codes by sending his troops into the courtyard of the temple to murder Galilean Jews while they were slaughtering their lambs for the Passover Seder. Pilate supervised this heinous act. And the mingling of the Galilean’s blood with the lambs’ blood would then constitute a mockery of the Jewish religion.

 

So, why did these terrible things happen to these good people who were just doing what God had commanded them to do? If God cannot protect His people in His temple, then where can God protect His people? To this, Jesus offers no comfort.

 

In fact, Jesus adds some other news ripped from the headlines: “What about those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them? Were they worse offenders than all the others in Jerusalem?”

 

So, not only do bad things happen to good people, but also to innocent people, who were just minding their own business, living their lives, while a tower falls on them. This is so unnecessary! Why did this have to happen?

 

We, too, have the same headlines with the same question: Why did this have to happen? Terrorists take over an airplane filled with innocent people. An earthquake destroys a city. A tornado flattens a town. A train derails and spills chemicals into a river, which threatens the lives of innocent people. Airplanes collide in midair. Wildfires destroy a city. A child is hit by a stray bullet and dies. An invisible virus spreads across the globe. A person is diagnosed with lung cancer who has never smoked a cigarette his entire life. Why? Why do innocent people suffer and die? 

 

Couldn’t God prevent this? Why does God allow pain and suffering and death? This question has been asked in many ways and at many times. And we have attempted to answer this question. We have tried to make sense of the why.

 

For the people who approached Jesus, they appear to have interpreted the Galileans’ blood mingled with their sacrifices to mean that they deserved it. “They deserved it because they were not good Jews. They had it coming! Certainly, God rewards good behavior and punishes bad behavior!”

 

We, too, try to interpret both natural and human disasters. Just think about earthquakes, wildfires and mudslides in California. For many Christians, they say, “They must have deserved it. They had it coming, because of their sin!” Even secular minded people play this game of why by saying that it’s man-made climate change that is causing hurricanes, tornadoes and droughts. We all – the religious and the secular – get excited about interpreting the events of our times.

 

All we can do is to come up with theories on why God allows bad things. As if we can fathom His mind. But you may notice, Jesus does not respond this way. Jesus doesn’t come up with theories. Instead, He puts the question back on them and on us.

He says, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Jesus doesn’t linger on why these Galileans met such a violent fate. He does not address Pilate’s wickedness and cruelty. Instead, Jesus continues to address the crowd and uses this tragedy as an illustration for their need to repent.

 

Jesus says that these particular events – the slaughtering of the Galileans at the temple and those who died in the rubble of the tower in Siloam – are not signs of God’s judgment on individuals, but of His wrath against all of sinful mankind. No one is a worse sinner than another, but all have sinned. The Psalmist writes: “The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one” (Psalm 14:2-3).

 

We were all born into a creation that is broken, decaying, and falling apart. We were all born as creatures who are stained and corrupted and weakening day by day. We are all helpless. And we cannot get out of it. The problem for sinful humanity is that we owe a larger debt than we can ever repay. On our own, we cannot put things right. We will all suffer. And we will all die.

 

But it is here, in our helplessness, that God gives His response. It is in our weakness that God comes. 

 

John the Baptist called on all his hearers to repent of their sins and receive his baptism of repentance (Luke 3:3). He called his hearers to bear fruits of repentance (Luke 3:8), and he said that every tree that does not bear good fruit is to be cut down and thrown into the fire (Luke 3:9). Does this sound familiar? This is exactly what Jesus is saying in the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree.

 

Jesus is no less urgent! He calls on all to repent lest we perish in sin as the Galileans and the 18 who were crushed by the tower in Siloam.

 

Repentance includes sorrow for sin and trust in the One who brings forgiveness and release. And for humanity to be rescued, it is necessary for Jesus, the Rejected Prophet, to perish in Jerusalem (Luke 13:33).

 

So, we must repent! In the face of death, which is the wages of sin, repentance is Jesus’ solution. And repentance isn’t just doing a little bit better than we used to. God doesn’t just want us to be a little better. He wants us perfect, just as He is perfect.

 

Our suffering is connected to sin ultimately in Adam, whose sin precipitated all human suffering. But a son of Adam – the Son of Man, who is also the Son of God, brings forgiveness and the promise of release from all who suffer the effects of sin. So, for us and for our salvation, Jesus will perish on behalf of all humankind, including for those Galileans whose blood was mingled with their sacrifices and those who were crushed by the tower in Siloam.

 

In the face of death, turn to Jesus, who alone is life. We only have hope in Him, for He alone has conquered sin and its power. By His own death, He conquered death for you and me.

 

So, let us repent as Jesus calls us to do saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

 

Again, for Jesus, any tragedy should not be seen as a sign of God’s judgment on specific people for specific sins, but as a sign of His judgment for all people. Jesus does not call us to speculation, but to contrition, repentance and faith. For He says: “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish”(Luke 13:3, 5).

 

So, the Christian is never to think when analyzing the headlines, “they must have deserved it,” but rather, “I deserved the same,” yet also, we are to always thank God that Jesus perished on your behalf, and rose again three days later, so that you would not perish eternally! Amen!

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"The Rejected Prophet Comes to Save" (Luke 13:31-35)

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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: “Nevertheless, I must go on My way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem” (Luke 13:33).

 

Jerusalem has a history. It has a very bloody history when it comes to God’s prophets. You see, whenever a prophet challenges the people to repent of their sins, they want to kill them. Our Old Testament reading from Jeremiah is a great example of this.

 

Nevertheless, Jesus is very determined as nothing can get in His way. He is going to Jerusalem – a city that He has chosen as His holy city, a city He has chosen to receive His special attention and His blessings.

 

But Jerusalem is also a city that has repeatedly scorned God’s special attention and has repeatedly scored God’s blessings. Time and time again, Jerusalem had rejected the men the Lord sent to deliver His messages. Nevertheless, God still longs for His holy and special city, just as He longs to gather all who time and again have rejected Him. Oddly enough when God’s holy city only deserved wrath, the Son of God will still go to Jerusalem, His chosen city, to save His chosen people – the entire world.

 

Nothing can get in the way of God’s saving plan, not even Jerusalem’s own rejection of her Savior. Jesus will not be deterred.

 

However, in today’s Gospel lesson Jesus appears to have received some unlikely friends – some Pharisees. They say to Jesus, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you” (Luke 13:31).

 

Now, why would some Pharisees wish to protect Jesus? Could they be sympathetic to Jesus? Could this be a genuine warning, or just a trick?

 

Why, all of a sudden, are there some Pharisees who appear to be helping Jesus? Or could it be that Herod Antipas had sent these Pharisees to get Jesus out of his territory?

 

We don’t know. But we do know this: over and over again, the Pharisees have rigorously attacked Jesus by provoking Him. And we do know that Jesus has accused the Pharisees of hypocrisy. So, could this be just another way to trap Jesus?

But it is more likely that the Pharisees are trying to deceive Jesus into abandoning His journey to Jerusalem. You see, if Jesus turns and runs, He would surely lose His credibility with His followers. But perhaps, the Pharisees are even more perceptive as they realize that any man who wants to be a leader of the Jews must establish himself in Jerusalem. So, any ploy that could keep Jesus away from Jerusalem would surely foil His plans.

 

If we are playing the odds, odds are that these Pharisees are not actually being helpful to Jesus.

 

But the Pharisees here have something very correct in their warning to Jesus – the threat to Jesus is real. Jesus does face a real threat of death if and when He comes to Jerusalem. And the threat may not actually be from Herod himself, who previously just wanted to meet with Jesus. Scripture doesn’t say why he wished to see Jesus. Maybe he was just curious about all the hubbub about Jesus? But then again, Herod Antipas was a man who couldn’t be trusted. Now, most likely, the threat was not from Herod himself but from the Jewish authorities who were already plotting against Jesus.

 

But Jesus already knows His fate. He has spoken clearly on His fate with His disciples saying to them following Peter’s great confession: “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22).

 

Clearly, Jesus is not afraid of death. He has come to die. He knows His holy city will reject Him just as they rejected the true prophets He sent before Him. Nevertheless, Jesus is undeterred as He will go to Jerusalem to die.

 

So, certainly, those artificial threats of Herod will not deter Him. And neither will those real threats deter Him. Although Herod is certainly capable of killing Jesus, as his beheading of John the Baptist attests, but it would be Pontius Pilate who would be the one responsible in sentencing Jesus to death.

 

Undeterred, Jesus has set His face toward Jerusalem, a city with a long history of killing the prophets sent to it. Jesus will go to Jerusalem because it is His duty. Jesus will go to Jerusalem because it is the will of His Father.

“Nevertheless,” Jesus says, “I must go on My way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem” (Luke 13:33).

 

The Passion and cross are in full view as Jesus describes His destiny of being rejected. The goal is death. Nevertheless, Jesus’ passion must happen as it is Jesus’ divine mission.

 

You see, Jesus’ prophetic destiny of rejection, suffering, death, and resurrection must take place in Jerusalem, His holy city, the place where God dwells and atonement must take place.

 

“O Jerusalem, O Jerusalem,” Jesus says, “the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!” (Luke 13:34a). Jesus’ lament here over Jerusalem embraces both the tragedy of Jerusalem’s sin of unbelief and spiritual bankruptcy. Yes, they had all the trappings on looking outwardly religious, but Israel was only going through the motions – with no faith behind it. They abandoned and ignored God’s Word and His Name.

 

Now, Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem also serves as the way of life for every Christian. You see, a Christian cannot be deceived when life seems to offer an easier, safer way. Now, we’d all like to avoid confrontation, embarrassment, and sacrifices for our faith in Christ. But that is not an option. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34).

 

So, if you remain faithful to Christ, you will face confrontation. You will face hostility from family and friends. You will face embarrassment. You will have to make sacrifices for your faith. And all because God’s Word is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His teachings and His commandments do not change with the times.

 

Now, the world we live in today is far different than the world of twenty years ago. Today, Christianity is no longer viewed positively by the culture at large. Today, Christianity is treated negatively and even skeptically. When society changes for the worse, it affects us. Our changing culture puts pressure on Christians and that can affect us economically. Our changing culture can lead to confusion on core issues, such as marriage and sanctity of life, even among devoted Christians. The pressures from our culture do affect us physically, mentally, and spiritually.

 

God’s Word takes these temptations of this fallen world seriously and encourages us to keep the faith. Jesus says, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

 

So, even as we live in this fallen world, we should be encouraged as we continue to press on just as Jesus did on His way to Jerusalem.

 

But as we march toward the goal, we must be realistic. And the reality is this: to be a Christian requires carrying crosses. We must go on Christ’s way today and tomorrow and the next day until He brings us to His goal.

 

Jesus is not afraid to go to Jerusalem. Now, shouldn’t He reject Jerusalem, just as they rejected Him? God had tried and tried and tried to love His rebellious people. How many times can God be hurt and not give up on loving? And we’ve been there. We understand. I’m sure you have reached out to loved ones in inviting them to Prince of Peace or to another Lutheran church if they are not in the area. You have put your feelings on your sleeve. You have offered love and have been rejected. And after so many times, you have pulled back. Besides, what good is going to Jerusalem anyway? They will just reject my invite again.

 

Do we really understand? Now, how often have we rejected Christ’s love extended to us? God has made us His chosen people. He has given us eternal life and all by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. But how often have you rejected Christ’s love by skipping the Divine Service in search for something more exciting? Jesus comes to us here today, and every Sunday or Monday, in His Word and Sacraments. Do you understand how deserving we are of God’s wrath by rejecting His grace?

 

But Jesus suffers rejection for your sake, so that you aren’t rejected by God the Father. Jesus laments at the unfaithfulness of Jerusalem saying, “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings” (Luke 13:34). Jesus’ stern judgment is painful to Him as He came to gather the entire world. He doesn’t desire anyone to be lost.

 

Here, we see the darkness of sin through the rejection of Jesus. But Jesus would die for the very ones who rejected Him. Again, Jesus is persistent. He desires all to be saved and He is delaying wrath for the sake of repentance. 

 

Today, Jesus gathers the true Jerusalem wherever Christ’s people are gathered around Him in Word and Sacrament. Here, you receive His blessings!

Jesus would be rejected in Jerusalem and crucified outside God’s holy city. But this is why He came. He came to fulfill Jerusalem’s purpose: to be the place God and man would be reconciled. Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets would become the place of salvation, so that all who turn from sin and to Christ are all gathered “together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings” (Luke 13:34). By Christ’s rejection, we are saved, despite our all too frequent rejections of Him. By Christ’s rejection in Jerusalem, He has atoned for yours and my sins. The Final Prophet who fulfills the prophets’ prophecies has paid our punishment, our ransom, for our sins. Despite our unfaithfulness, Christ is ever faithful even to those who reject Him. So, may we repent of our unfaithfulness and receive God’s grace won for you and me through Christ’s atoning death through which He gives us forgiveness, life, and salvation in His Means of Grace – His Word and Sacraments. Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"The Places of Grace"

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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 way one worships, determines their belief. The Church has always had practices that are not expressly commanded or forbidden by God’s Word. 

 

Adiaphora describes these practices. Adiaphora means “things morally indifferent” or “nonessentials in faith or conduct.” Adiaphora are matters left to Christian judgment and are done in Christian freedom. 

 

There is another phrase that we should be familiar with: “Lex orandi, lex credendi,” which means, “the rule of worship, determines the rule of belief.”

 

So, the things morally indifferent, those nonessentials in faith or conduct, do actually matter. There is no law that says Christian churches must worship at a particular time of day, but each congregation must pick a time to worship.

 

Tonight, we will begin a Lenten study on what adiaphora teaches, since those things that we may think do not particularly matter, do actually matter. Each week, we will focus on sights and sounds at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Tonight, we will focus on the places of grace.

 

Church furnishings confess what we are doing in the worship space. When you enter any church, you can immediately see what that church identifies as important.

 

For churches that emphasize the Word over the Sacraments, often the altar disappears and all you have is a pulpit. For churches that emphasize the Sacrament of the Altar, over and against the proclamation of the Word, you may see a very large altar and not a place to preach from. And there are churches that don’t emphasize either Word or Sacrament. In those churches, such as the Quakers, the parishioners gather in a circle and there is no altar and no pulpit.

 

Church furnishings are a confession. Here at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, you can see what is important to us and why we gather here.

 

First, let’s look at the altar. What’s the point of the altar? Well, the altar is much like the cross or crucifix, as it is the place of life.

 

Jesus said to Nicodemus, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, what whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have eternal life”(John 3:14-16). The altar is this sign of life. This is why we have an altar cross. That altar cross is there to proclaim that from this altar, we receive life.

 

In the Old Testament times, altars were the place of death and sacrifice. Today, because of Christ the crucified who died for our sins, we receive forgiveness and life through His broken body and shed blood given and shed for us! From that altar, the very Lamb of God is here to forgive your sins and strengthen your faith to life everlasting! Today, that altar is not just the symbol of death, but it is also the symbol of Christ’s resurrection and our resurrection!

 

That altar is central to our faith. That is why our altar is in the center of the chancel and not off to the left or to the right or hidden from our view. Everything in this space is arranged around the altar. And when I speak toward the altar, I speak on behalf of myself. And when I speak away from the altar, I speak on behalf of God as His called servant of the Word.

 

From that altar, we receive the risen and ascended Christ’s body and blood under bread and wine for the forgiveness of our sins. That altar is the place of eternal life! From there, we eat in fellowship with God and with one another, along with the angels, the archangels, and the whole company of heaven. That altar is the very meeting place of heaven and earth!

 

To each side of the altar, we have the lectern and pulpit. This shows that God’s Word is held sacred among us. Now, what’s the point of the pulpit? Is it to have a grand place for the pastor to preach? Is it to elevate the pastor? Well, in typical Lutheran fashion, it’s a yes and no answer. 

 

You see, the original intention for the pulpit was so the pastor could be heard. Before we had microphones, the pulpit would help amplify the pastor’s voice so that all could hear the proclamation of God’s Word. 

 

Today, we have microphones and state of the art sound systems. So, what’s the point of the pulpit today? Well, during the Reformation, pulpits took on a special prominence as the main symbol of the centrality and authority of Scripture in the church. So, even with microphones and sound systems, the pulpit furniture is teaching that from that place, the pulpit, the authoritative Word of God norms the congregation’s confession, teaching and life together. This pulpit also serves as a reminder that the pulpit isn’t about the preacher, but about the proclamation, as this furniture removes the focus from the pastor and puts the focus on the Word of God.

 

Lastly, tonight, I’d like to focus on another piece of church furniture that isn’t in the chancel, but it is a prominent fixture. As we enter Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, we pass by the font. That baptismal font is the first place we receive Christ’s benefits through the water and the Word in Holy Baptism. That font is a continuous reminder that Baptism is a continuous gift of God and not just for one moment of time. So, every time you walk by that font, you can remember how you became a child of God through Holy Baptism.

 

That font confesses your new birth. Your rebirth through water and the Word through the Holy Spirit. 

 

From that font, the Triune God first called you, He first gathered you, and He first enlightened you to faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior so that you would hear His Word preached and partake of the forgiveness of sins and receive strength for your faith from His altar.

 

So, what do these furnishings confess?

 

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. (Built on the Rock, LSB 645, stanza 4).

 

Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"Standing Against Satan's Schemes" (Luke 4:1-13)

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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, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry” (Luke 4:1-2).

 

What first comes to your mind when you think of a cartoon character facing a moral dilemma? Odds are that you may be thinking of a comical figure wearing red tights carrying a pitchfork in his hand standing on one shoulder and an angel arrayed in white holding a harp standing on the other shoulder.

 

For many people, this is how they see Satan, as just a comical figure who shows up when you are facing a dilemma. Satan and the angel are just merely your conscience trying to figure out what action to do.

 

But here’s the thing: Satan is real, and Satan is dangerous. Satan is dedicated to dismantling God’s kingdom and God’s people. And one of Satan’s primary tactics is deception. In John 8, Jesus exposes Satan for who he truly is: “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). 

 

Every time Satan appears in the Scriptures, he is lying, deceiving, and seeking the destruction of God’s people. Satan’s ultimate goal is to lead God’s people as far away from God as possible.

 

You see, Satan wants God’s people to abandon God’s Word and to break every instruction and commandment God has given us. In fact, many of Satan’s lies are directly in contrast to the Ten Commandments. Satan lies to everyone; no one is exempt from his lies. Satan lies to everyone, including Jesus.

 

Now, the first word out of Satan’s mouth as Jesus was tempted by him for 40 days may be his favorite word: “If.” Satan begins his temptation by saying, “If you are the Son of God …” (Luke 4:3a). 

So, why is Satan asking this? It’s because God the Father had just proclaimed this from heaven at Jesus’ Baptism, “You are My beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22).

 

Satan’s use of “If you are the Son of God …” is just another way of saying, “Did God actually say…?” (Genesis 3:1). Here, Satan is misusing God’s name by casting criticism on what God says. Satan is breaking the Second Commandment: “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.” Here, Satan wants to test God, to prove God wrong, to seize for himself a level of power and control that only rightly belongs to God. Here, Satan is using his art of lying and deception.

 

Much like with Adam and Eve, Satan wants Jesus to distrust God’s Word. Satan here is trying to persuade Jesus to take the matter into his own hands. In effect, what Satan is saying to Jesus is this: “You cannot simply trust God’s Word that You are His Son. You should test that out. Prove it! Find assurance by using Your power, by testing God’s Word. Come on Jesus, turn this stone into bread and jump off the temple. You know, the actual Son of God could do just that. Prove it to me!”

 

Just as Satan attempts to seduce Jesus, he also wants you and me to question whether God’s promises are indeed trustworthy. Satan asks you:

§  “Did God actually say you should love your enemies?”

§  “Did God actually say that there are only two sexes?”

§  “Did God actually say that merely lusting at another is sin?”

§  “Did God really say your favorite sin is not ok?”

§  “Did Jesus actually claim to be divine?”

§  “Did Jesus really perform all those miracles?”

 

You see, Satan encourages us to place our trust somewhere else; anywhere else. Certainly, Satan wants us to place our trust in his deceptions and lies rather than in God’s Word of truth.

 

Satan tests you and me through interlinking related lies through a logical progression. If we cannot trust God, then we cannot trust God’s Word. If we cannot trust God’s Word, then we cannot trust His prophets and apostles. If we cannot trust His prophets and apostles, then we cannot trust the Scriptures. If we cannot trust all these things, then how can we be sure our sins are forgiven? How can we be sure Jesus rose from the dead? How can we be sure Jesus was real at all? This is Satan’s tactic. Satan wishes to carve us away at our trust so that we are no longer able to discern the true and trustworthy from the evil and manipulative. 

As true man, Jesus experienced hunger. He must eat, just as we must eat. So, Satan offers a simple solution: “Command this stone to become bread” (Luke 4:3b). In effect, what Satan is saying to Jesus is this: “Jesus, this is easy. I know how to solve your hunger problem. Show your power as the ‘supposed’ Son of God.”

 

What Satan is doing here is that he’s trying to lead Jesus to not want to suffer the inconveniences of being human. For example, hunger is not a necessary thing to endure for the divine Son of God, since one with divine power, like Jesus, is able to transform a stone to become bread. It’s all simple for Satan, just have Jesus create some bread to stop his hunger.

 

But what Satan is really attempting to do is to have Jesus not endure the inconvenience and limitations of being human. If Jesus is really the Son of God, as God the Father just proclaimed Him to be, then why not enjoy all the conveniences that has to offer? And if Jesus can be persuaded to use His power to overcome the inconvenience of hunger, perhaps Jesus can be persuaded to use His power to overcome the inconvenience of the cross?

 

Just as Satan attempted to manipulate Jesus, he is constantly working at manipulating you and me. Satan lies to us telling us that life would be so much better if we only seized more control. But what Satan means by taking more control is for us to usurp God’s authority for our own. And Satan tells us that nothing should get in our way of claiming power. Lies, threats, bribes, and murder are all fair game. For Satan, the ends justify the means.

 

In the case of the first man, Adam, he gave in to Satan’s seduction. After hearing that the tree would be good for food, he became hungry. He joined Eve and he ate from the tree in the midst of the garden. But, as for Jesus, the Second Adam, He did not succumb to the devil’s seduction.

 

You see, Jesus lives by the Word of God. He is the Man, the Son of God incarnate, who is the Word of God. Jesus is the Bread of Life from heaven who came to feed the people of Himself.

 

For you and me, we ought to be immersed in God’s Word and His Sacraments, so that we would be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Because, the thing is, Satan is also well-versed in Scripture. So, just as Jesus was refuting Satan with Scripture, Satan was refuting Jesus right back. But Satan has a major flaw. And Jesus exposes that flaw. Again, Jesus says of Satan, “There is no truth in him” (John 8:44).

You see, even though Satan claims to be speaking Scripture, he is also a liar. And liars tend to leave out important details when they speak. Satan says, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone’” (Luke 4:9b-11).

 

If you immerse yourself in God’s Word, like the Bereans, in judging to see if these were so by examining the Scriptures, you would notice that Satan left out an important detail in his quote from Psalm 91: “in all Your ways.” To this lie, Jesus says to Satan: “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Luke 4:12). Satan then departed from Jesus until an opportune time.

 

Satan would return with a vengeance on Maundy Thursday, but even at that time, God would use that evil for good as Jesus would suffer and die for our sins on Good Friday and rise for our justification on Easter, which was His plan for our salvation from the very beginning.

 

God keeps His promises. Before God calls on the people of Israel to place their trust in Him as their God, in the First Commandment, He says: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). What God is saying is this: “You can trust Me. I am your God. I brought you out of that suffering. Here are My Words, Words you can trust and live by.”

 

Again, when Satan tempts Jesus, notice how Jesus responds: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4). Jesus is sustained by that living and active Word of God through forty days of fasting and through the accusations and temptations of Satan.

 

While Satan desires our hopelessness and meaninglessness in our lives, God desires to instill us with sure and certain hope and to bring us into the fullness of abundant life through Jesus. Jesus entered into our humanity and endured the temptations of Satan without sin so that we would be saved ultimately through His sacrificial and atoning death for you and me. And now that Christ is risen and ascended, through His Word and Sacraments, He puts on us the whole armor of God, so that we may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

 keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.  

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +