"Overcoming Satan for Us" (Matthew 4:1-11)

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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:

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1).

 

Immediately after Jesus’ baptism to fulfill all righteousness for us, Jesus faced the temptation of the devil – just as we face being baptized into Christ. It was for this purpose that Jesus had come into the world: to overcome Satan for us. And this was the first thing Jesus did at the start of His public ministry. Again, He confronted Satan for us.

 

Every temptation we face is a test. Each second of our lives, we are being tested. And this test is only a pass or fail. There is no “C” grade for passing. It’s either A+ or F.

 

Temptation comes from every angle. As long as we live in this fallen world, we will be attacked, hunted, and harassed on all sides. From the flesh: we want what we want now, things like filling the belly and riches. From the world: we want to be honored as we are tempted by ambition and worldly glory for power and dominion. From Satan: Did God really say?

 

Temptations come in many different forms. Temptations come when we face unpleasant experiences, such as pain, suffering, illness, disappointment and bereavement. Such experiences may cause us to question God’s wisdom and His love. But temptations can also come when life appears to be going well. Sometimes when we experience success or good health, we may think that we can handle temptations when they come.

 

The temptations Jesus faced were indeed serious efforts by the devil to rob the world of its Redeemer. And Satan had been very successful in the past as he led the first Adam into sin so that a Redeemer would be necessary. Now, Satan attacks the second Adam, Jesus Christ, in an effort to frustrate His work of redemption.

 

At one time, Satan had been created as one of God’s holy angels, but now he was a fallen angel. He had rebelled against God and had been cast out of heaven together with many other fallen angels who followed him in his rebellion against God.

But as smart as Satan thinks he is, God is still much wiser and more powerful than Satan could ever be. And Satan cannot overpower us as long as we place our trust in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

The Greek word used for devil is diabolos (from which we get the English word diabolical). The meaning of this word is slanderer or liar. You see, the devil is not just a clever liar, or a habitual liar; he is a constant liar. He is the father of lies. Satan invented the very idea of lying and told the very first lie. Yes, he makes wonderful promises, as he did to Eve (“You will not surely die” [Genesis 3:4]), but he has never kept a single one of them, and he never will. And if Satan does occasionally speak a few words of truth – as he does with Jesus, he distorts them or misapplies them or takes them out of context or immediately proceeds to contradict them.

 

We know all of these things about the devil, yet, what do we so often do? We so often keep falling for his lies. He tells us that life will be so much more enjoyable if we only disobey God’s Commandments. So, he persuades us to lie, cheat, and steal as he says there is nothing wrong with that. He persuades us into taking the easy way out. His lies always lead to all kinds of trouble, sorrow, grief, and regret. Yet, each time, he convinces us that in this particular case, it will end up different. But in every single case, the devil’s promises are never intended for our good or for our benefit. His only goal is to keep us separated from God.

 

So, what are we to learn from Satan’s temptation of Jesus? Well, for one, it would be a mistake to read this text from Matthew 4 as a “do it yourself” strategy on how to resist temptation.

 

So often, we read this text that way. If we only followed Jesus’ example, then we can handle Satan’s temptations. But how well are we at doing just that? Not very good. I’d say, with pretty good certainty, that we would all receive a failing grade.

 

So, clearly this text isn’t a “do it yourself” guide on how to resist temptation.

 

So, why did the Holy Spirit bring Jesus into direct confrontation with Satan? Well, He’s there, because Jesus is Israel reduced to One. Jesus is the embodiment of Israel.

 

In the past, the nation of Israel had failed every time its people faced even the smallest of temptations. The people of God were weak. They always gave in. They murmured. 

 

Jesus is out there because the nation of Israel needed someone to represent them. Jesus is out there because the nation of Israel needed someone to take their place. Jesus is out there, because, frankly, the nation of Israel blew their chance.

 

For the nation of Israel, it was often all too convenient for them to serve some other false “god.”

 

So, Jesus isn’t out there to serve as an example for Jews and Christians. Because that is too hard for us to follow. We are sinners and we all too often get persuaded by lies in hopes of an easier life. This battle is too hard. This conflict is too difficult.

 

Jesus is there doing battle with God’s great enemy, Satan, the accuser. And nobody can fight that battle except for Jesus. 

 

And this is the battle: will you fall for Satan’s lies to make your life easier? Will you choose the bread that perishes?

 

You all know what you have chosen. So often, we choose the easier option, just as the nation of Israel did before us. But Jesus never chooses the path of least resistance. Not once. He depends upon “every Word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

 

The battle also consists of this: will you wonder whether God’s ways are right? Will you wonder whether God can be trusted? Will you put God to the test? You can’t win this battle. You have lost this battle many times before, but Jesus never doubts. Jesus never doubts the will of God the Father. Not once.

 

The battle also consists of this: who are you with? Whom do you serve? To whom do you belong? This is the greatest battle of all.

 

As Christians, we confess that Jesus is Lord. We confess that we worship the one true God. But how many times have you taken that first step, or second or third step toward repudiating the God to whom you belong? This battle is just too hard.

 

But Jesus never does anything or says anything or thinks anything apart from God the Father. So, there in the desert, He joins the battle against Satan and He wins. Jesus turns failure into faithfulness.

 

You see, those temptations and those sufferings that Jesus endured throughout His earthly ministry are actually greatly magnified versions of the trials that we endure daily. Yet, Jesus never faltered. All we do is keep falling into sin. So, what does Jesus do about our faltering? 

 

Jesus willingly suffers the punishment that we all deserve because of our sin and failures, and on top of that, Jesus gives us all the credit for the blessings of all of His success simply by faith in Him. Jesus was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. With His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53). Jesus died, so that we may live!

 

There in the desert, all we can do is watch. We are watching not that we can be like Jesus, but that so we can belong to Him, and to be with Him to this very day.

 

Jesus’ temptation by Satan is not a “do it yourself” playbook on how to resist temptation, but this temptation is to show us the faithfulness of Jesus. And being baptized into Christ, we can say, “I am with Him.”

 

But is there anything we can do? I guess there is something. Knowing that Jesus has overcome all temptation, we can say, no thanks, “I am with Jesus.” When the temptation comes to run after something that you shouldn’t have, some thing, someone, some feeling, some whatever, you face that temptation and say, “No thanks, I am with Jesus.” When temptation comes, and it will come, fix your eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God – for you! Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"Ashes and Repentance" (Matthew 6:16-18)

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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: “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you”(Matthew 6:16-18).

 

Our Gospel lesson for tonight is the traditional Ash Wednesday reading about alms – or increased giving, fasting and prayer. Tonight’s lesson is a good one as Jesus warns us not to make a show of our piety “as the hypocrites do.”

 

But one can wonder, what is the meaning behind those ashes on our foreheads? Could those ashes on our foreheads be “practicing [our] righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them”? (Matthew 6:1). 

 

And later Jesus says in our reading, “But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face” (Matthew 6:17).

 

So, what are we doing with these ashes on our foreheads? 

 

Well, there is a difference between private piety and public piety. Christians do not observe Ash Wednesday individually, but corporately with the public Ash Wednesday Divine Service. So, when we are here in this public space with ashes marked on our foreheads, this practice is much bigger than just someone’s individual piety.

 

Likewise, when Jesus says, “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so they may be seen by others. … But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:5, 6).

 

Now, keep this in mind, here Jesus is talking about individual prayer, not corporate, liturgical prayer. So, it would be certainly weird if I would just step away from the chancel and go into the sacristy during the Prayer of the Church so that nobody could hear my prayers.

 

Certainly, I can pray individually for my flock – for which I do, but this would be rather weird during the corporate Divine Service. 

 

The same goes with ashes. If I put ashes only upon myself that would be weird. But if we all put on ashes, this would be a congregational activity.

 

But do the ashes mean that we are all fasting? That answer is no. The ashes are a mark of death upon us. It shows that we are all a dying people. And they are in the shape of the cross, because although we are dying, we are still redeemed in Christ, the crucified. So, those ashes on our foreheads are no different from wearing a crucifix or cross necklace in public. Or, wearing a shirt that proclaims that you are a Christian.

 

For us on this Ash Wednesday, those ashes are not declaring to people that we are bragging, like the hypocrites that Jesus is referring. Again, those ashes are really a mark of death upon you, but again, those ashes are in the shape of the cross to show that you are redeemed and that you have life despite of sin and death.

 

Those ashes in the shape of the cross upon your forehead represent your only hope: your only hope as one redeemed by Christ, the crucified.

 

As we begin Lent, we are conditioned to set aside this season for self-examination and assessment. We use this season to focus upon repentance. 

 

But all too often, our repentance is seldom pure. Our intentions may be sincere, but our piety is seldom pure. At some level, we usually repent with the idea in mind that we may receive some reward. 

 

For in at least a part of us, in our repentance, we are not really sorry that we sinned. But we still repent because we fear the consequences before a just and righteous God. For so much of the time, we are like the boy who is caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. He is sorry. But he isn’t sorry for stealing the cookie. He’s only sorry that he got caught.

 

This is the life of a sinner. The truth is that sin is double-mindedness, distorted devotion, and self-concern. And we can’t change that. We can’t overcome who we are by ourselves. We are self-centered, self-serving people. Even our repentance is tinged with concern for our own advantage.

 

We cannot save ourselves.

 

But here we are with those ashes on our foreheads in the form of Christ’s cross. “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Those ashes are the mark of death. But they are so much more than that. They also represent our only hope. By faith in Christ, God the Father will not judge you as you deserve, but He sees you as His beloved child, one who has been redeemed by Christ, the crucified, who by His blood has won forgiveness, life and salvation for you.

 

Now that we have God’s grace, I will challenge you with something. Instead of giving up something, if you do that, why not add something beneficial during this Lenten season? Why not study the catechism? And you are in luck this Lenten season as for our upcoming midweeks, we will consider the Table of Duties from Luther’s Small Catechism. Or you could set aside time for prayer, Bible study, devotion, or singing hymns. And we do this not to earn any favor from God, but to grow in the one true Christian faith.

 

Our only hope is in Jesus, whose cross is marked on our foreheads. May our deeds reflect Christ’s mercy and His glory. Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"Eyewitnesses of His Majesty" (2 Peter 1:16-21)

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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:

 

“For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).

 

The attacks of Satan and the fallen world come upon the flock of Christ’s Church sooner or later. And this attack is as old as Eden: “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1) asked Satan in the form of a serpent.

 

False teachers under the control of Satan were disparaging the reliability of Peter. And not just Peter, but the other apostles, and even the message of the Old Testament prophets.

 

Thanks be to God that Peter came to realize the deadly peril of these false teachers, since they were denying the power and coming of Jesus the Christ. You see, these false teachers, these heretics, were leading people to doubt that Jesus is fully and completely God, and that Jesus works on the behalf of all people’s lives. These false teachers, these heretics, were leading people to think that Jesus was never coming back and that they were not accountable to Jesus for their beliefs and their own lives. Does this sound familiar? Remember those words of the serpent: “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4). But as we know, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a).

 

These heretics were making up “cleverly devised myths” (2 Peter 1:16) and they believed that if they would tell these lies long enough and loudly enough, then more and more people would start to believe the lie, no matter how shocking and no matter how outrageous.

 

So, like the Apostle Paul, Peter knew that the foundation of all Christian doctrine was the message of the prophets and the apostles. And without that sure bedrock, the Christian faith would come crashing down.

 

And so, with this in mind, Peter tells of a moment in time that changed his life. Peter tells of the Transfiguration of Our Lord upon that mountaintop. After Jesus went on a retreat by Himself, six days later He “took with Him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a mountain by themselves” (Matthew 17:1). There, Jesus was transfigured before them. Jesus was glowing with the brightness of the presence of God Himself. Jesus’ face shone like the sun. And His clothes shone white; whiter than today’s Clorox could ever bleach them!

 

There, upon that mountaintop, surrounding the shining Messiah was a bright cloud that Peter calls the “Majestic Glory” (2 Peter 1:17).

 

In the Old Testament times, “the glory of the LORD” referred to an appearance of God in cloud and fire to mark a significant moment in His plan of salvation. God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. God appeared to the people of Israel and to the Egyptian army as a pillar of cloud and fire. God appeared in a cloud at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem. Through this “glory,” God signaled His approval and His presence among His people.

 

There, upon that mountaintop, surrounding Jesus was “a bright cloud” (Matthew 17:5) and from that bright cloud, God the Father demonstrated His approval of His only-begotten Son saying: “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5).

 

Like a lawyer making his case, Peter declares: “We ourselves heard this very voice from heaven, for we were with Him on the holy mountain” (2 Peter 1:18). In the Greek, Peter is even more forceful than the ESV. Literally, Peter is saying, “We, we heard the voice!” This “hemeis ekousamen” is a double-second-person plural showing further credibility as Peter emphasizes that this voice was not just heard by him, but by also James and John!

 

We, too, also have a problem with our old Adam, our old sinful nature, because, so often, we are not convinced by the Word of God. And Peter, too, fell into this temptation. For after hearing Jesus say that He must be crucified and rise from death, Peter rebuked Him saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you” (Matthew 16:22). And after Jesus said Peter would deny that he ever knew Him, what did Peter say? “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death”(Matthew 22:33). But what did Peter end up doing? He denied that he ever knew Jesus and at once a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered Jesus saying to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times” (Matthew 22:61). 

 

We, too, are prone to such temptations and such failings. Satan whispers to you: “Can you really trust the testimony of men who lived two-thousand years ago?” Others may say, “Jesus didn’t do enough for you, you must do good works to please God.” Even, others may say, “You know, God is still speaking but only through your feelings and your desires, so don’t trust those old words of the Bible.”

 

We each face so many temptations. And the Old Adam in all of us is often all too willing to listen and deny the eternal truth of which the Bible speaks. We do like to get credit for being a “good Christian” by doing “good works.” We would rather enjoy following those who preach “cleverly devised myths” rather than following the Word of the prophets and the apostles. And when those moments come: repent! Repent and ask Jesus for your forgiveness.

 

Now, Peter was not just an eyewitness. He was also an earwitness. He saw the “Majestic Glory,” but he also heard the voice of God the Father.

 

There were three times in Christ’s earthly ministry where God the Father boomed His voice over His only-begotten Son. First, at His Baptism in the Jordan, where John the Baptist anointed Jesus for His work of salvation. Second, upon the Mount of Transfiguration to the delight of three terrified men and two great prophets: Moses and Elijah. And third, during Holy Week, when God the Father confirmed that Christ’s work was indeed bringing Him glory. 

 

Each time God the Father’s voice was boomed, He forcefully proclaimed His love, His approval, and His pleasure in His only-begotten Son for His determination to go to the cross for sinful mankind.

 

This plan of salvation was not a “cleverly devised myth” of man, but this plan was the will of God from eternity. This plan called for sacrificial blood to be spilled. This plan called for a perfect sacrifice: a sacrifice without sin, stain, or blemish. This blood of the Son of God would become a light to the world, glowing from the very face of Jesus upon the Mount of Transfiguration.

 

This plan of salvation is the will of God the Father and Jesus carries out the plan until it is finished. 

 

For Peter, James and John who witnessed the glory of God’s Son and heard the voice of God the Father, their faith would often become shaky, to put it mildly. They often heard from their Lord, “O you of little faith.” Yours and my faith can also get shaky at times. For we often get disappointed by the subtle, hidden way in which Christ comes: the manger, the cross, in Scripture, the absolution, and the Lord’s Supper. Sometimes, we ask for more. But there He is. Jesus came in lowly form. He died a sinner’s death, yet without sin. We hear His voice in His Word, in the absolution, in the Lord’s Supper. And not only that, we receive Christ’s very body and blood under bread and wine for the forgiveness of our sins and for the strength of our faith.

 

Yes, Peter was blessed to have witnessed and heard what happened that day upon that holy mountain. And He certainly never forgot that moment. And He doesn’t want us to forget either. As soon as Christ, the Son of Man, was raised from the dead, Peter and the other apostles and disciples told of what Christ has done for them, for us, and for our salvation.

 

For us, let us never take for granted the “Majestic Glory” that we witness and hear at each Divine Service as we receive the fruits of Christ’s cross: forgiveness of our sins, life and salvation! God’s plan of salvation is finished! So let us give thanks for what the Lord has done! For His Word is sure and certain. With Peter, we too, are eyewitnesses to His Majesty! Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"You are Salt and Light" (Matthew 5:13-20)

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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: “You are the salt of the earth. … You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13a, 14a).

 

Last week, Jesus described how blessed are those who have faith in Him. Today, Jesus continues the Sermon on the Mount as He declares that those who trust in Him are salt and light.

 

Salt is a preservative. Salt keeps food from spoiling. Salt is also used as a seasoning as it gives food more flavor. I, for one, like to always add salt to my fries, even before I even taste them. I am a fan of salt.

 

Now, what if you find yourself in a dark room. What do you do to bring light to that dark space? You could open the shades or curtains if there is daylight outside. You could flip a switch and let electricity light the room. You could light a candle. Or you could turn on a traditional flashlight or click the flashlight on your smartphone.

 

Although there are many ways to bring light to a dark room, there is only one way to pierce the darkness of sin and unbelief. This one way is Jesus. He is the Light of the world. Jesus alone is the Light that scatters the darkness of sin and unbelief. And it was the Holy Spirit who enlightened us to trust in Jesus.

 

When the disciples heard Jesus say to them, “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19), they were changed. You see, Jesus called them with authority, as only God can. And so, they listened and followed Jesus. We, too, had this change as we were taken out of the fallen world of sin and darkness and were brought the Light of Christ through Holy Baptism. For as St. Paul says in Ephesians 5:8: “For at one time you were in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”

 

Now, light can also be painful. Maybe you have been awakened from a dead sleep by a bright light. Maybe you were awakened during REM and now you have that twitch. Being awakened by the light hurts. We say, “Turn it off!” That is how many reacted when they heard the Light of the World speak. You see, sin loves darkness. No wonder so many crimes happen at night and in the shadows. 

Light casts out darkness. And darkness is associated with evil, with danger, with the condition of being lost and unable to find one’s way. 

 

The world we live in, well, it’s in bad shape. It needs salt. It needs some preserving. It needs some flavor. The world is also a dark place. And there is a great need for light, so that people can see the truth and see what God is really like. 

 

And Jesus today calls us salt and light. 

 

He says, “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house” (Matthew 5:13-15).

 

Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.” So, what do you think about that? How do you respond to that proclamation? What are we to do? Well, we are to believe it.

 

But what happens if you don’t believe that you are salt and light? Well, that’s not the brightest idea, because what Jesus says is, well, always true. But if you don’t believe it, then, Jesus gives us the answer to that. He says, if you don’t believe that, then you will be “thrown out and trampled under people’s feet” (Matthew 5:13b). That doesn’t sound like too much fun.

 

So, what are we to do? We should believe Jesus, because this is what Jesus says we are.

 

You see, our identity is created and preserved by the very Word of Jesus, who has also declared everyone in Christ to be blessed.

 

Now, we should not narrow the meaning of “salt” too precisely, because we can get caught up on what it means to be salty. “Salt” is parallel with “light,” and it is true that salt served many useful functions in the ancient world. And it is clear that the earth is evil, corrupt, and deficient. The earth needs to be salted: people need to be called to repent and believe the Good News that in Jesus “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).

 

For, if Christ’s disciples – you and me – would become tasteless – by living unrepentant lives, then how would the earth be salted?

 

Jesus calls us salt and light. As salt and light, Jesus is giving us our vocation. He is declaring who we are in Christ.

 

You see, followers of Jesus do not just believe differently than unbelievers; we live differently. The truth is, if we can’t be easily distinguished from the unbelieving world, it’s either because they are becoming like us – which would be a great thing – or most likely, we are behaving like them – a very bad thing. If that’s the case, there’s as much wrong with us as with the unbelieving world.

 

To this, Jesus says, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

 

Shades in windows are good for privacy, but don’t draw down the shades of your faith as you live through life. And a covered lamp is a waste of light – and a pretty stupid way to waste that light – and so is concealed faith.

 

We can’t hide our faith. We must live out our faith. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, St. James writes: “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:14-17).

 

It is one thing to say you have faith. It’s another thing to live out that faith.

 

Now, what is expected when you flip a light switch? You expect Electricity to give power to the light and for the light to shine. Likewise, that Word that brought the light of faith to you and me is also the Word that enables us to bring that light of Christ to the world.

 

Again, Jesus declares that you and I are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. This is our blessing in Christ and our responsibility in Christ. Again, following Jesus is not just for our personal benefit, but for the benefit of our neighbor. Being salt and light, Jesus calls us to be the hope in this dark world. 

 

So, Jesus calls us to do good works that are public and visible and done with one purpose in mind: that others may glorify the heavenly Father. And to glorify the heavenly Father, one must know Him rightly. And one can only know the heavenly Father rightly through the right knowledge of His only-begotten Son.

 

These good works are done in ordinary ways as we live out our daily vocations. But in these ordinary ways, Jesus calls us to be extraordinary as we are called to live lives of remarkable purity, faithfulness, piety, love, and generosity. So, we don’t live lives in the same ways that non-Christians do. We are called by Jesus to be extraordinary husbands and wives, remarkable neighbors and employees, powerful friends and citizens. So, how is this seen in action? Some may say going on a mission trip is a good work. But so is shoveling your neighbor’s sidewalk, or having devotions with them, or inviting them to church, or holding your temper, or not lying, or by confessing your sins and asking for forgiveness, instead of blaming others or finding excuses for your actions. You see, through our words and deeds, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will be like salt and light in this darkness.

 

Again, both words and deeds are necessary. Words without deeds will not be heard. Deeds without words will bring no one to praise the Father in heaven.

 

Christ’s apostles were often dim in reflecting the Light of Christ, and so are we. Thanks be to God that He is patient and does not so quickly discard us when we fail. While we were still stuck in the mire of sin, God showed His love for us as He sent His Son Jesus to live our life and to suffer the death we all deserve because of our sins. On Good Friday, His lifeless body was laid in a cold, dark tomb. But in the bright light of Easter, Jesus threw open the door of the grave and death! He opened salvation to all who would believe in Him.

 

So, when we fail to be salt and light, the Holy Spirit leads us to repent as we renounce the ways of sin and darkness, as we are forgiven for the sake of Jesus’ cross, and we strive anew as we follow Him.

 

When we love as Christ loves, people will take notice. And that may lead others to see the Light of Christ, the light of hope in this dark world. And we can do nothing apart from Jesus, who declares us salt and light. So, listen to Jesus. All of God’s blessings belong to you. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"The Paradox: The Word of the Cross" (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

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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:

“For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:22-25).

 

Throughout this Epiphany season, Jesus is revealing His glory. Through inspiration, Peter said of Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus turned a persecutor of the faith into the greatest defender of the faith. And Christ’s ultimate glory is Him crucified onto a cross as He died for our sins. This is what Lutheran pastors preach. We preach the Word of the Cross: Christ crucified for sinners. It is by this Word of the Cross is how God saves.

 

Now, back in October, Kurt, Willie and I were working on how to get a portion of our church parking lot lit. As you know, it tends to get dark at night, and when it is October, it gets darker earlier each night until the winter solstice each December 21^st. 

 

So, here we are, trying to figure out how to make the parking lot brighter until we noticed something off the end of the church’s canopy. It was a light! But the light didn’t work and hasn’t worked for years. So, we all tried to learn more about this light. Then Willie climbed the ladder and found out that the power to that dead light was still live. The next question was how to replace that light with a new light and not shock Willie in the process. So, Kurt and myself made our way to the circuit breaker boxes and began flipping switches: Canopy – nope; Emergency Lights – nope; Entry/office – nope; Narthex – nope; Barn – nope. We were at whit’s end. We were puzzled.

 

We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles. You know that phrase “Christ crucified,” that phrase too, sounds like utter nonsense. How is that a good thing? That sounds more like defeat than a victory!

 

“Christ crucified” is a paradox. That seems so contrary to anything good! That word “Christ” also means “Messiah” and a messiah is someone who is of royal dignity. And the word “crucified” tells of an executed criminal, who has lost any and all claims to human dignity or any positive status at all!

 

But “Christ crucified” is what we preach. “Christ crucified” is certainly a stumbling block.

 

To Jews, a crucified Messiah was certainly an obstacle in coming to faith in Jesus. In fact, as Deuteronomy 21 tells us, anyone who has been crucified was seen as repugnant, unacceptable, and cursed by God. So, for Jews, crucifixion on a cross was the most shameful death imaginable.

 

To Greeks, who are entangled in a culture enamored by power and success, “Christ crucified” also made no sense. How could a crucified criminal ever be considered as the Savior of the world? Now, Greeks were known for their worldly wisdom, but they were not alone. Romans, too, also thought any worship of a crucified Messiah as ridiculous. In fact, Romans spoke of Christians as “worshipping a dead man” – which was utterly absurd!

 

For all nonbelievers, mankind is the measure of all things. For nonbelievers, they demand evidence that falls within the parameters of their own lived experience. 

 

Even with the differences between Jews and Greeks of yesteryear, St. Paul says that they are very much alike. He says that both Jews and Greeks have much in common. For they both have a common quest for impressive signs of outward success, whether that be a display of power, such as the plagues of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, or ejecting the Romans from Palestine, to today’s modern demands for health and wealth. 

 

The Jews demanded signs. They demanded Jesus give them a powerful sign to prove His Messianic claims. And Jesus gave them many signs. He healed the sick; He opened the eyes of the blind; He raised the dead; He preached good news to the poor in spirit. But they wanted different signs.

 

These Jews of Jesus’ earthly ministry demanded Jesus to do signs according to their own demands. You see, they wanted to be in control. They wanted Jesus to do their bidding. They wanted a Disney Genie-kind of Jesus who just grants their wishes.

 

So, in response to their demands, Jesus said: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:39-40).

 

In other words, if you really want a sign, look to what will soon happen. He says, “Look to My death and resurrection!” Look to the word of the cross!

 

For the Greeks, they have demands too. Now, not signs, but they demand wisdom. They wish to hear from a great teacher. They wish to learn pithy sayings. But, what wisdom is there from a dead Messiah? Again, “Christ crucified” is just foolishness. “Christ crucified” is just silly. “Christ crucified” is just a waste of time.

 

On top of this, the Greeks weren’t that interested in learning from a dead man about the problems of sin and guilt. You see, the Greeks and Romans believed they had sin and guilt all figured out. They believed they had all the answers.

 

The Word of the Cross is certainly foolishness to the worldly wise who are perishing, but to us, who are being saved, it is the power of God.

 

For the Jews and Greeks of yesteryear, they were seeking what is known today as the Theology of Glory. This Theology of Glory emphasizes human achievement and worldly success as paths to God’s favor and His glory. It’s all about personal glory, easy answers, self-improvement, wealth and comfort. It downplays sin and suffering. In John 14, Philip spoke to Jesus with this Theology of Glory saying: “Show us the Father” (John 14:8). Jesus then set Philip aside and said, “How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?”(John 14:9b-10). Philip was looking for signs and wisdom, but Jesus said to just look to Him saying, “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). What Jesus is saying to Philip and us is that God can only be found through suffering and the cross.

 

We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles. We preach the Theology of the Cross. True signs and true wisdom is only found in Christ the crucified.

 

For sure, the power of God through the Theology of Glory is certainly visible in creation, but the Theology of the Cross, which is the grace of God is only found through His cross and His Means of Grace: His Word and Sacraments. For, the grace of God certainly appears weak and foolish to unbelievers. But for us, it is the true power of God.

 

Jesus preached the Theology of the Cross. He preached that suffering is central to understanding God and the human condition. He preached that He must die to atone for the sins of the world – yours and my sins of all of human history. Jesus preached that through His atoning death that He would put an end to eternal death. He preached that through His death and bodily resurrection He would give us forgiveness, life, and salvation. So, it is only through the Word of the Cross that we receive the forgiveness of yours and my sins.

 

By the Word of the Cross, God outsmarted and overpowered all human wisdom and all human power. And it was from those Jews and Greeks of yesteryear that God would grow His Church as a new race, a royal priesthood. He made us all one in Christ Jesus!

 

So, if you are looking for signs and wonders as a display of God’s power, you will find that power displayed in Christ the crucified. And if you are on a quest for wisdom, you will find God’s wisdom perfectly revealed in the Word of the Cross.

 

For as God’s Word proclaims in Isaiah 55: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

 

So, did we ever figure out which circuit breaker switch was connected to that canopy light? Well, after flipping the breakers for the canopy, the emergency lights, the narthex, the barn, we came to another switch, a switch that just seemed that it couldn’t possibly work, it said “Cross.” So, we flipped it. It was the one. Always look to the cross. It seemed like folly, but it was the wisdom of God. We have light and salvation through the Word of the Cross! We preach Christ crucified and risen for sinners, because for us who are being saved, it is the power of God! Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +