"Born of Water and the Spirit" (John 3:1-17)

Listen to today's Sounding the Scriptures POPcast here!

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: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God”(John 3:3).

 

Nicodemus was a curious man. Nicodemus was seen as a holy man. He was a Pharisee, a rabbi of the Jews. He was among the most learned men. But he was also a man of much fear. He feared what the others among the Sanhedrin would think about him visiting Jesus of Nazareth. He feared that he would lose his position among the rulers of the Jews. But he was curious. He wanted to know more about this man named Jesus.

 

So, in his curiosity, Nicodemus did visit Jesus, but not in the daylight, but under the cover of darkness. Nicodemus came to have an open conversation with Jesus and to debate Him.

 

But unlike the typical Pharisee who was savage and malicious toward Jesus, Nicodemus wanted to have a courteous and proper conversation. He did not want to deceive Jesus with cunning, nor test Jesus with wicked intent, nor to catch Him in His words. Rather, Nicodemus desired to ask Jesus how a man could be saved.

 

So, they began their conversation discussing the righteousness of the flesh and that of the righteousness of the Spirit. 

 

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Or more literally, “unless one is born ‘from above’ or ‘unless one is born not of this world.’”

 

And Nicodemus responded as any flesh-minded person would: How can this happen? “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”(John 3:4). That’s a logical question. How could that logically happen?

 

But he missed the point. Nicodemus was thirsting for righteousness and salvation, but he couldn’t get passed the idea of being physically re-born in his mother’s womb.

But Jesus says in proper Lutheran terms “You don’t have to understand it, so don’t over think it.” “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:7).

 

Of course, Nicodemus was marveling at “You must be born again.” He didn’t like what he heard. He didn’t like it, because he couldn’t understand it. He was trusting his human reason, just as we so often do. How can he be born again when he is old? This sounds like pure foolishness! How could he become newly born?

 

To this, Jesus said to Nicodemus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).

 

I’m sure this sounded like a riddle to Nicodemus. And this may even sound like a riddle to you. This means nothing other than to die to sin and live to righteousness by faith and the Holy Spirit. Jesus, here, is speaking of Baptism.

 

You see, in Holy Baptism, the old man is drowned in the water and is raised up again. The drowning is the putting to death of the flesh and the sweeping away of sins. The raising up is the renewal of the new man in the Holy Spirit. All the while, the man is the same physically, but he is changed spiritually.

 

When the children of Israel were journeying in the wilderness and murmured because of the length of the journey, God was angered and sent fiery serpents among them that bit them so that many of them died. Then God told Moses to make for himself a serpent of bronze and set it up as a sign, so that whoever is bitten and looks at it will be preserved.

 

At first, the children of Israel didn’t understand what Moses had made. They probably laughed at Moses. But soon, they understood. Soon, they realized that those who were bitten and looked up at that bronze serpent were preserved from death.

 

Outwardly, that bronze serpent was not something that would give a lot of hope. Especially when the snakes kept on coming. Remember, God never took way the serpents. But God gave His people a way out. He gave His people the way of salvation. Even though they would be bitten, the bite would not kill them, because whoever looked upon that bronze serpent in faith would live.

 

This sounds like pure foolishness. But remember, “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). For “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise” and He “chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27).

 

You see, Jesus used that event of the bronze serpent to show Nicodemus how God works in the world. 

 

God works in mysterious ways. He works in ways that our human nature thinks to be crazy. He works in ways our human reason cannot possibly fathom. 

 

To the world, the waters of Holy Baptism appear to be just water – to which it is. But when that water is connected to the Word, to the very name of God – the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, it becomes more than just water. It becomes a Sacrament. It becomes a way of salvation. Holy Baptism works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.

 

Connected with the Word of God, Baptism becomes a life-saving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit. For as St. Paul proclaims in Titus 3: “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying” (Titus 3:5-8).

 

We may not truly understand it, but we believe it and we confess it. Through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, we are born spiritually, and in spirit we are born by the Word and Sacrament.

 

It is through the working of the Holy Spirit indwelling in us as given to us through Holy Baptism that we become new people. We are born anew. We are born from above. We don’t know how this happens, but we know this happens. For through the hearing of God’s Word and by receiving His Sacraments, we grow into new people. We grow in our discipleship to Christ. We grow in living out the Christian life. We don’t just believe differently than unbelievers, we live differently. All of this happens because of being born of water and the Spirit. For, as Jesus says, “that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).

 

That bronze serpent was a strong visual reminder of the fierce wrath of God over sin. It was lifted high so that every Israelite might see it, repent of their sin, and look up to it in obedient faith. To everyone who followed this call, their faith resulted in the preservation of their life.

 

Again, God works in mysterious ways. That snake was a prefigure of what would happen not just for those Israelites of old, but also served as a prefigure for the salvation of the world. So, just as everyone who looked in faith at the snake was healed from deadly bite, everyone who would look in faith at Jesus – high and lifted up – would be saved from the bite of eternal death and have eternal life.

 

Jesus says, “Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” and “that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:16, 17). Whoever is the promise. So, whoever – no matter how bad, how despicable, how wrong, how lazy, how negligent – whoever trusts in Jesus, whoever clings to Him in repentance and faith is forgiven and is given peace and eternal life. Whoever looks to Christ alone finds comfort, joy, and a sure and certain hope.

 

To those born of the flesh, to those who only follow human reason, this sounds like utter foolishness, but this is the power and wisdom of God; this is the way of the Spirit.

 

This is God’s plan for you and for the entire world. He wants to save you. He wants to heal you. He wants to comfort you. So, no matter how much those snake bites of sin attack you, remember that you born of water and the Spirit through your Baptism into Christ. Remember that when you repent of your sin, your sin is forgiven through the merit and work of Christ alone. Remember to lift up your eyes and heart to Christ crucified for you! For through His atoning death and bodily resurrection, He has given you peace. He has given you the fruits of His cross: forgiveness, life and salvation!

 

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:16-17). 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)

Listen on your favorite podcast provider! Watch "Main Street Living" on YouTube!

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 +

"The Royal Inauguration" (Matthew 21:1-11)

Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

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:

“And when [Jesus] entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, ‘Who is this?’ And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:10-11).

 

Today, we begin a new Church Year, and the purpose of every Church Year is to put Jesus before our eyes.

 

To the world, most of their minds – maybe even yours – is on Christmas. Most of the world is thinking about Christmas decorating and shopping for loved ones. Radio stations began playing pop Christmas songs on November 1. And for so many of us, when you think about Jesus this time of year, we often think of Jesus as the babe in the manger.

 

But here we are on this First Sunday in Advent, and we hear about Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem. What’s up with that? Again, the purpose as we begin each Church Year is that we do not lose sight on what truly matters: Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen for sinners.

 

It always does seem odd though to begin the Church Year at practically the end. But this is why Jesus came in the first place. He came to bring atonement between God and man.

 

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Magi came from the east to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is He who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matthew 2:2). This question greatly disturbed King Herod. He was troubled. This troubled Herod because he was obviously nearing the end of his time and was not sure who would succeed him. And there was no doubt that Herod’s violent and bloody reign had demonstrated how determined he was to maintain his grip on power – even though his power was severely limited being under Roman rule.

 

So when Herod’s fear was aroused, all of Jerusalem was disturbed right along with him.

 

Now, some thirty-plus years have passed between that first Christmas Day and Palm Sunday, and during that interval St. Matthew does not record a single time Jesus was called a king. He was called many other titles. Jesus was called “Son of David,” and that messianic title certainly does come with royal overtones, but it was not until that Palm Sunday that Jesus was proclaimed to be a king. According to St. Luke, the crowds roared: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 19:38a). And according to St. John, the crowds cheered: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13). And once again, some thirty-some years after His birth, “the whole city was stirred up” again (Matthew 21:10).

 

They ask, “Who is this Jesus?” “Where has this Jesus come from?”

 

Back when Jesus was 12 years old, He famously went up to Jerusalem with His mother Mary and His guardian Joseph to celebrate the Feast of the Passover (Luke 2:41-52). When the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. After searching for Him, they returned to Jerusalem and after three days, they found Him in the temple. 

 

Now, traveling to Jerusalem for the Passover was something pious Jews did every year. So, we can assume that Jesus made many trips to Jerusalem to observe the Passover. But this time would be different. Very different. For this occasion, Jesus was very much aware that He was going up to Jerusalem to die. And He taught this fact to His very own apostles that He would be handed over to the chief priests and later condemned to death, but on that third day would rise again.

 

As Jesus was about to enter Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover for the last time, He wanted the attention of all the people of Jerusalem to be focused solely on Him. This is why He made some rather peculiar preparations before entering the city.

 

“Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once” (Matthew 21:1-3).

 

This would be a strange way for Jesus to be acknowledged as the King of Israel. Through the Prophet Zechariah, God calls the coming King “humble” (Zechariah 9:9). 

Normally, powerful people are not humble. Normally, powerful people are far from being called “humble.” Normally, powerful people are aware of how important they are, and they expect others to be duly impressed by and deferential to them. They can be harsh and abrasive, because they havepower. Normally, to be humble or gentle is seen as a sign of powerlessness. Not so with Jesus.

 

Jesus enters Jerusalem upon an ordinary lowly beast of burden rather than a magnificent white stallion, as other kings would have done. Jesus did not wear a kingly robe or royal crown. There was no scepter in His hand. His attendants were mostly Galilean fishermen. His procession looked far from a royal procession, yet there was an obvious and undeniable majesty about Him. This Jesus was powerful, but not in the way of the world (1 Corinthians 1:25).

 

This humility of Jesus is the theme from the manger all the way to the cross. It is a weakness according to the world, but it is powerful because God works salvation in it. Salvation is not accomplished by external force or by gaining earthly power. Jesus’ humility is not a sign of powerlessness, but of a refusal to rule by force or coercion, and of His willingness to die for us.

 

Again, Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem didn’t look like a royal procession, but the multitudes were moved to shout: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9).

 

According to earthly standards, Jesus was far from being a king. He rode into town on a donkey. That’s a far cry from any royal steed. But Jesus is the King. 

 

Because Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world, His mission has often been misunderstood. Herod feared Jesus as competition. Jesus was handed over to Pilate because He was declared a challenge to Caesar. But Jesus has not come to overthrow earthly rulers, nor to establish any earthly kingdom.

 

Jesus rules only by Word and Spirit, not by any external force. Jesus rules by calling and enlightening His disciples. He gives faith and a change of heart, so that we cling to Him as King. We didn’t choose Him as King, He chose us and made us His people.

 

Jesus is the mighty King. He is more powerful than all the great kings of all times. He is more powerful than all the world leaders of our own day.

 

Only He, by His cross, has the power to save from sin. Only He has the power to grant eternal life. Only He has the power to make enemies of God into children of God. Only He has the power to transform us so that we live godly lives.

 

Certainly, the manner by which Jesus entered Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday showed that He had no intentions of setting Himself up as an earthly king. The throne He would ascend would not be a fancy seat, but His throne to which He would ascend would be Him nailed to a crude wooden cross. The crown He would wear would not be adorned with jewels but would be a crown of thorns piercing His forehead.

 

Yet, Jesus would establish His Kingdom, but not by the traditional way by shedding the blood of his enemies, but by shedding His own holy precious blood. Through His humility, through His innocent suffering and death, Jesus would establish a Kingdom of greater glory and greater majesty than any earthly kingdom before or since. He gave all who trust in Him His Kingdom.

 

Today’s Gospel reading contain some very familiar words that we sing each Sunday: “Hosanna. Hosanna. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.” These familiar words of the Sanctus remind us that the same Jesus who rode up into Jerusalem on a donkey comes to us under the bread and wine of the Sacrament of the Altar. On our own, we would never guess that we are receiving Christ’s very Body and His very Blood in this Sacrament, but Jesus says, “This is My Body. … This is My Blood.” Through the eyes of faith, we see so much more than just simple bread and simple wine, because our ears have heard what Jesus said.

 

We sing the Sanctus as we praise Christ knowing who He is, the promised Savior. We praise Christ, who feeds us with His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins, praising Him for who He is, our Savior, and for what He richly does, forgives our sins.

 

The crowds on that Palm Sunday may not have seen the significance of their own words, but we on this First Sunday in Advent do. He came to inaugurate His royal kingdom. Jesus has come to be our King. He has come to bring reconciliation between God and man. He is Here today hidden in His Means of Grace. And He will one day truly reveal Himself again on the Last Day! Christ is King. Amen. Come Lord Jesus.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"Sir, We Wish to See Jesus" (John 12:20-33)

Listen on Spotify

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 among those who went to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus’” (John 12:20-21).

 

Today, the one holy Christian and apostolic Church observes Holy Cross Day. What is Holy Cross Day? What is the origin of Holy Cross Day? Why are we observing Holy Cross Day?

 

Well, it is not very often that we can observe a church festival day and speak with certainty as to the precise origin of that observance. Today, is one of those days. 

 

Holy Cross Day commemorates what was considered the discovery of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. It was in the early fourth century when Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, discovered some pieces of wood that she believed was originally a cross. And she believed it to be the cross of Christ when it effected a miraculous healing. 

 

In time, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was constructed on the site where this cross was found. The building was dedicated on September 13, 335, but it wasn’t until that next day, September 14, when the Holy Cross was exposed for public veneration for the first time. Hence the festival of the Holy Cross, or Holy Cross Day.

 

Wait. What? This sounds too Roman Catholic! Miracles and veneration? Didn’t Martin Luther say he was no fan of feasts dedicated to superstitions and relics? Yes, he even once said, “If all the alleged pieces of the true cross were gathered together, dozens of crosses could be constructed from them!”So, why are we observing Holy Cross Day?

 

Well, just look around you. The cross is a hugely significant part of Christianity. The cross is our symbol. When you see a cross, you think of Jesus, you think of Christianity, you think of Christians. The cross is our symbol. The cross is something that we connect with. The cross is very important to us.

 

Today, the cross is everywhere. It’s jewelry. It’s art. We hang crosses on our walls. Just look around and count all the crosses at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church: we have a lit cross hanging behind the altar; an altar cross; a processional cross; we have banners with crosses. Just to name a handful of places.

 

The cross is certainly significant. The cross is our symbol. But let us not forget what the cross was really about. The cross was a means of capital punishment. And often, we forget that. We wear the cross as beautiful jewelry. We make the cross look so beautiful at Easter. But the cross wasn’t meant to look beautiful. The cross was the place of brutality. The cross was a means of capital punishment. If Jesus would have died by electrocution on the electric chair, we would not be processing with a cross, but an electric chair. The same is true about a noose, or if Jesus was killed by firing squad or lethal injection. So, we cannot forget that the cross was a means of capital punishment.

 

Jesus could have been put to death in so many other ways, but instead He chose to endure one of the worst brutal ways to die by crucifixion upon a holy cross that wasn’t holy in itself. The cross only became holy because Jesus sanctified it through His shed blood.

 

So, why do we, as Lutherans, observe Holy Cross Day? Well, it’s not to observe a relic attested by miracles. Rather, we celebrate Holy Cross Day because of the triumph of our Lord upon the real cross that once stood on Golgotha. There, Christ’s blood blotted out the sin of the world. There, His death proved death’s destruction. We observe Holy Cross Day because of the way the triune God used and uses suffering to bring blessing. We observe this day, because of the way He worked and works so contrary to anything human reason could or would ever conceive or anticipate.

 

We observe this day, because with the Greeks in today’s Gospel lesson, we, too, “Wish to see Jesus”(John 12:21).

 

As it was custom, thousands of people would ascend to Jerusalem each year to celebrate the Passover Festival. Yet, this year, was a little different as many in the crowd came for an additional reason. They came to see Jesus. You see, the word was spreading that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The crowd took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13).

 

Now among those who went up to worship at the Passover Feast were some Greeks who came up to Philip and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus” (John 12:21). These Greeks were strange fellows to come to this feast. They were Gentiles, not Jews. And it is odd that these men went to Philip and not straight to Jesus. We don’t know why, but it could be that they felt comfortable with Philip, because “Philip” was a Greek name. So, why were these Greek men there? Our Epistle has some clues. The Holy Spirit inspired St. Paul to write: “For the Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:22). They were likely seeking wisdom.

 

You and I have also come to see Jesus. And we are not too different from the Jews and Greeks of two thousand years ago. We also demand signs and seek wisdom. We wish Jesus would cure us of our health issues of body and mind. We wish Jesus would multiply our bread, our money, so that we would not have to worry. We wish Jesus would cast out our demons of fear and anxiety. We wish Jesus would pull our loved ones out of their slumber of unbelief. We wish to see Jesus. But we also demand signs. So, where is the sign?

 

You and I have come to see Jesus. But we also seek wisdom. We wish to hear from a great teacher. We wish to learn some short, pithy sayings, so we would have the words to say when people ask us about our faith, the one true Christian faith. We wish we could always have every answer to the doubts that arise in our own hearts. We wish we could have the wisdom to combat the fallen world around us. We are like the Greeks. We wish to see Jesus. We want to behold God’s glory in wisdom.

 

To our demands of signs and wisdom, God says, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart” (1 Corinthians 1:19).

 

God says the word of the cross is certainly folly to those who are perishing.

 

Like the Jews and the Greeks of yesteryear, we don’t get what we expect. We likely won’t see any great sign. Our health issues may not miraculously go away. You may not receive a miraculous feeding or receive money out of thin air. We still struggle.

 

But we get to see Jesus. So, what did Jesus say to the request of these Greeks? He said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (John 12:23). He said, “You Jews and you Greeks demand signs and wisdom, but I will show you the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

 

For the worldly wise, the cross is utter foolishness. People, by their nature, expect something else from what God offers them. Jews demand miraculous signs. They say, “Show us a sign!” (Matthew 12:38). 

 

Jesus, indeed, gave them 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 a different sign. 

 

The Greeks demand wisdom. God still frustrates human wisdom. The greatest scholars today will never find God or understand Him if he depends on his own intellect. God has said so. Again, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart” (1 Corinthians 1:19). By means of this stumbling block, God brings salvation. By the powerful means of the word of the cross – the theology of the cross, Jesus says, “When I am lifted up from the earth, [I] will draw all people to Myself” (John 12:32).

 

There, hanging on the cross, Jesus calls us to forsake the glory you think you have. He calls you to abandon the glory of human wisdom, logic, and reason. Instead, He calls you to Himself, because there on the cross He puts to shame all the glory of this fallen world, including all it’s “supposed”strength and it’s “supposed” wisdom. There, on the cross, He gave us the only way to salvation. And that is the significance of the cross. There is no other way to salvation without Christ’s atoning death on that holy cross where He put an end to eternal death by the means of which He gives us forgiveness, life, and salvation. There, Jesus won for you what all the strength of this fallen world could never ever muster. There, He accomplished for you what the wisdom of this fallen world could never fathom: the forgiveness of your sins.

 

Now, as Lutherans we cannot deny the possibility that the cross of Christ was discovered by Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine. The same is true about the Shroud of Turin, which is a linen cloth that bears the image of a crucified man that many believe to be that of Jesus Christ Himself. I am even inclined to believe that the Shroud of Turin is Christ’s burial cloth. Could they both be real – the Holy Cross and Shroud? Possibly. 

 

But for us, whether those relics are authentic or not is not of prime importance. What does matter is that Jesus was “lifted up” just as He said. And that through His act of divine love, He still draws all people to Himself through the redemption that is in His blood, the forgiveness of our sins according to the riches of His grace. 

And better than any relic is the real presence of Jesus, who suffered, died, rose and ascended, who we receive by faith under simple bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper, which forgives our sins and strengthens our faith.

 

So, we observe Holy Cross Day because we want to see Jesus, because it is by His wounds that we have been healed. 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 Lent 3: "The Word of the Cross" (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

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 the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

 

Today, according to the fallen world, the Ten Commandments – as we heard in today’s Old Testament lesson – seem like foolishness from a time gone by. But they are the wisdom of God for all ages, given in love for the safety of His people. And to each of the Ten Commandments in the Large Catechism, Martin Luther teaches over and over and over again to not regard the Commandments as a joke, because they are no joke to God.

 

To put it into an ever-wider context, to the fallen world, the entire Bible itself is foolishness. Sadly, even many professing Christians would agree with that sentiment. But the Bible is the very Word of God from cover to cover. And through that Bible, the Holy Spirit brings us to faith in the One who is the Savior from sin, eternal death, and the devil.

 

And in our Gospel lesson, the people selling oxen, sheep and pigeons, along with the money changers in the temple show the foolishness of the people – those who turned God’s house into a marketplace.

 

Then in our text from 1 Corinthians 1, the Holy Spirit inspires St. Paul to write about the word of the cross: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

 

The word of the cross is foolishness. It’s foolishness for those who are perishing. To these people, the word of the cross makes no sense to them. We all know family, friends, and neighbors, who see the cross of Christ as utter foolishness. A God who comes to this world where everybody hates Him and everybody wants to murder Him, and this God lets them? Why? Because He loves them? To worldly thinkers, this makes no sense. In fact, it’s downright foolish. Who would humble Himself to that degree? Who would put Himself into that situation with a bunch of ingrates?

 

We all know people who truly believe that the cross is foolishness and that you are a fool for confessing your faith in Christ this day. Whenever you speak to a person who believes you are a fool for talking about Christ, you usually get that look. You know that look. The look that says, “This is a waste of time. This is foolishness.”

 

I have gotten that look more times than I can count and even from close friends and relatives. “You mean, you believe that marriage is only between one man and one woman? You’ve got to be kidding.” “You mean, you believe that the Bible is written by God? You know, it was only written by men.” “You mean, Jesus is the only Savior? You’ve got to be kidding.”

 

We’ve all been there. The word of the cross is foolishness. It’s foolishness for those who are perishing.

 

For the Jews, they see the crucifixion of the Messiah as a stumbling block because anyone killed on a cross was cursed. It was scandalous to think that their God was executed as a criminal.

 

For the Greeks of Paul’s day, the cross is foolishness, absolute nonsense, that displays a senseless act of thinking. It makes no sense. Glory or wisdom or life doesn’t come from a form of execution.

 

The cross may be foolishness for those who are perishing, but we are to tell those who are perishing about Christ anyway, because they, too, need saving. And we do this telling not through compulsion or threat, but through the Holy Spirit as He leads us through our God-given vocations – our stations, or callings – in life as a parent, a child, a sibling, a cousin, employee, teacher, or friend. Now, to those you speak about Jesus, they will think that there is something wrong with you. And there is something wrong. But this problem is not with Jesus or even with the cross. There is something terribly wrong with this world. 

 

You see, ever since Adam and Eve listened to that serpent, we’ve been wired for something different than what God has to offer. So much so, that we think that what God has to offer us is utter foolishness. Our fallen nature says this is naïve. Our fallen nature says that God is just a pipe dream. It’s not worth our time. 

 

What was it that the serpent promised Eve? He promised her wisdom. Wisdom is what Satan was offering her. “So, when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6). The Fall of man. Eve, the helper, usurped Adam’s place as head of the household, and Adam let it all happen. God’s Order of Creation became topsy-turvy; it became upside-down. The Fall happened because of Satan’s promise of wisdom. “You’ll be just like God.” 

 

Wisdom. All you have to do is to set your own agenda, forget God’s Law and everything He has told you, and listen to someone else, which so happens to be Satan. This is the world’s wisdom.

 

Paul asks, “Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age?” (1 Corinthians 1:20). 

 

The fallen world says: Wow them with what you know; wow them with your arguments. It doesn’t even have to be true. Evil is good. Good is evil. Up is down. Down is up. Men can be women. Women can be men. All it needs to be is persuasive. It doesn’t even need to be true. This is the world’s version of wisdom. If you say enough lies, the lies will become all too seductive and replace truth. This worked pretty well with Eve. And Satan knows what he’s talking about. “Did God actually say?”(Genesis 3:1). With one bite she chose to listen to Satan and his version of wisdom. She ate from the forbidden tree. And she gave that fruit to Adam and he ate.

 

Only another tree could save Adam and Eve. And this tree would not be any tree in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve would be banished from Eden for their own protection. So, it would have to be another tree. A tree planted thousands of years later outside that Garden. This tree would be the tree of life on which the Son of God would die for what Adam and Eve did so long ago as they brought sin and pride upon creation. Upon that cross, the Son of God would also die for those sins of thought, word, and deed that you and I have done all do recently.

 

The tree that brought death to our Lord brought life to the world. Upon this tree was nailed Jesus, the Lord of Life, of which we eat every time we come to the Lord’s Supper. We receive the fruit of that tree: the body and blood of our Lord given and shed for you and me for the forgiveness of our sins.

 

The tree of the cross is truly the tree of life for you and for me and for all who cling to the “God who so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). God the Father gave His only-begotten Son on that tree to remedy our sin and rebellion and our chasing after the world’s wisdom.

 

But again, for those who are perishing, that wondrous cross of which we glory is still embarrassing. It’s nothing but foolishness. 

 

The word of the cross is foolishness for those who are perishing, but we ought not give up on telling others about what Christ’s crucifixion, His bodily resurrection, and His bodily ascension into heaven mean for you and for them. It means that we have salvation and all by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. And that He is still with us to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20b). For us who are being saved, the word of the cross is not foolish; it is the power of God.

Now, the word of the cross may sound foolish to the worldly wise. We do preach Christ crucified, which is a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but for those who are saved, Christ is “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 1:24-25). Amen.

 

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

 

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +