Sermon for Pentecost 18: "By What Authority?" (Matthew 21:23-32)

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:

As Jesus was teaching on the temple grounds, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to Jesus and asked Him: “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave You this authority?” (Matthew 21:23)

 

To give some context to this question on authority, it may be best to know the situation. This is Tuesday of Holy Week. With the Palm Sunday praises of “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matthew 21:9) still echoing in His ears, Jesus had again entered Jerusalem. Since that Palm Sunday procession, He cleansed the temple as He tossed the tables of the money changers and tossed the seats of those who sold pigeons (Matthew 21:12). Jesus had driven out those buying and selling in the temple. Since then, He has taught in the temple with great power and authority. In this context, the chief priests and the elders come and interrogate Jesus saying, “By what authority are you doing these things?” (Matthew 21:23).

 

For these chief priests and elders, they had the right to challenge the authority of Jesus. For they were the body to which the spiritual care and welfare of the people were entrusted. So, their question was a good question. Afterall, they had seen and heard of Christ’s miracles and the striking authoritative manner that Jesus taught. But even if their question was a proper question, they weren’t asking it in a manner to fully understand. They were, in fact, insincere and treacherous in asking this question as they were asking it with hardened hearts. Again and again, they had a chance to hear the truth of Scripture, and just as often, they kept bringing up their same old and tired arguments against Jesus.

 

And in a way that may seem surprising, Jesus actually answers these Jewish leaders on the question of authority in a way that is most surprising. Again, “by what authority are you doing these things?”This is a question put to Jesus that is also a frequent question in Christ’s Church today. I have heard this question on occasion -- especially from non-Lutherans about Confession and Absolution: “By what authority does a pastor pronounce forgiveness?” Well, it’s not my forgiveness, but God’s forgiveness. 

 

You, see, Jesus works through Means and the pastor is one of those means by which He gives forgiveness through what’s known as the Office of the Keys. 

The Office of the Keys is the special authority that Christ has given to His Church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent. For Christ says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven” (John 20:22-23). So, even as keys lock and unlock, so the authority to forgive sins and retain sins opens and closes heaven.

 

Another question on authority is often: “Who is in charge in the Church?” When we ask a question like that, it is always a heart issue. It’s a matter of pride. If Jesus isn’t in charge, then this fellowship here is no longer the Church, but is more like a club -- a group of likeminded people who choose what is right and what is wrong.

 

Questions such as these can reveal the pride that lurks in our sinful hearts. So, we must be on guard against the assaults of the devil and our flesh in questions on authority. Martin Luther once wrote, “The subtle poison of ambition is just under the surface. This sin has often tripped even those who have grasped God’s Word purely. From this sin, all heresies have arisen; ambition is the mother of all heresies and sects. Against this secret villain we must pray to God daily to suppress our self-esteem” (LW 12:188).

 

So, we must learn that we do not need self-esteem, but humility before Christ, who tries our hearts and knows how full they are with ambition, pride, and selfishness.

 

A case in point on authority is the question on John’s authority and his Baptism. Is Baptism by divine authority or simply by man’s authority? The Baptism of John, was it “from heaven or from man?”(Matthew 21:25) Now, Jesus’ question here to the chief priests and elders is no simple debating tactic. The point of our text is not the skillful use of language by Jesus. Although Jesus is certainly skillful at debating. The real point gets to the heart of the issue: the proclamation of Jesus as the Messiah. 

 

John the Baptist is the one who proclaimed Jesus to be the very Lamb of God, who has come to take away the sins of the world. So, if John’s Baptism was from heaven, his words would be authoritative too, and Jesus must be the Christ.

 

So, like the Baptism instituted by Jesus, John’s Baptism was a Baptism into the remission of sins. John’s Baptism worked regeneration and renounced the works-righteousness of the Pharisees. So, the Baptism of John was not merely “from man,” but “from heaven.” It was a Means of Grace with the power to give the forgiveness of sins. It was from heaven!

But what about our Baptism? What about the other Means of Grace? Are they by heavenly authority or merely by human authority? These questions are great issues in the Church today. 

 

So, are the Sacraments from heaven or from man? Well, what does Jesus say? “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). In Holy Baptism, God works the forgiveness of sins, He rescues the baptized from eternal death and the devil, and He gives eternal salvation.

 

But what about the Lord’s Supper? Is that of heaven or of man? Well, who instituted the Lord’s Supper? As the disciples were eating on Maundy Thursday, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it, He gave it to His disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:26-28). So, it is only our Lord Jesus Christ’s words that establish the Sacrament of the Altar -- and Christ means what He says. We receive His Body and Blood under the bread and the wine for our forgiveness and strength for our weak faith.

 

Now, what about the Bible? Is it from heaven or from man? Is the Bible inspired by God or is it just ethical teachings from man? If the Bible is just ethical teachings from man, we might as well turn off the lights right now and go home, because if the Bible is from man, what’s the point of being here? If the Bible were of man, there would be no hope, no salvation, no resurrection. But in fact, the Bible is of God, because the Bible is the very Word of God. The Apostle Peter writes, “For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21). And the Apostle Paul wrote, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

 

Now, did Jesus ever say that the Bible was from heaven? Well, one day Jesus came to Nazareth and as it was His custom, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and He stood up to read. He unrolled the scroll of Isaiah and read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me…” Then He rolled up the scroll and sat down. As all the eyes of the men and women were fixed upon Jesus, He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). The Bible is from heaven, since every Word is God breathed!

Like all the Means of Grace - Word and Sacraments - they can only be understood through the eyes of faith. Our trust in their blessings is only dependent on the authority of the One who gave them, Jesus Christ.

 

But getting back to the question of the chief priests and the elders, “By what authority are you doing these things?”, Jesus answers their question by not actually answering the question.

 

In refusing the answer, Jesus is actually asserting His authority by refusing to submit to His interrogators. He is above them because He is from above. He is the Man who is from heaven.

 

So, by the chief priests and the elders asking the question on authority, they are rejecting the authority of the One who has come down from heaven and are demonstrating that they reject the One who is from heaven. You see, their thinking is shown to be from men, from below.

 

Ultimately, Jesus would demonstrate His authority over death and the devil by suffering and dying on the cross and bodily rising from the dead. Therefore, the Means of Grace He instituted are also authoritative! So, His Word, every Word of Holy Scripture, is reliable and certain! The forgiveness He spoke was authoritative, so the sins He forgives are forgiven! The Sacraments He gave His Church truly deliver forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation!

 

Now, Jesus’ authority is not just of times’ past. His authority is still at work today in the Office of the Holy Ministry -- the pastoral office. So, when Jesus’ under shepherds preach His Word, you hear Jesus. As Jesus said, “The one who hears you hears Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me, and the one who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me” (Luke 10:16). So, through Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper, Jesus’ under shepherds forgive sins by His authority.

 

On this LWML Sunday, we recall the mission work of God’s people. We recall that Christ’s Church is to proclaim the good news of salvation to all people. We do this, not by our authority, but by Christ’s authority: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

 

So, through a little thing such as the widow’s mite (Luke 21:1-4), those offerings that go above and beyond just our congregation’s offerings, these mites support the Church’s mission of making disciples of all nations, both here and abroad.

 

The Church rejoices in the authority of Jesus! For by His authority, we hear His Word, we tell others of His Word, and through His very Word, we are absolved of our sins. 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 Epiphany 5: "Living as Salt and Light" (Matthew 5:13-20)

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:

Some time ago, I heard it said to me: “You know what would gain church attendance?” “What?” I asked. “Stop talking about repentance. People don’t want to hear that. Let me worship God in my own way. You need to adapt to the culture.”

 

Let me ask you, what would happen if we did just that? Our numbers may increase, but that’s doubtful. It’s doubtful, because the ones who want the church to adapt to the culture are the ones who have no intention on coming anyway. But, if we did that, would Prince of Peace Lutheran Church still be a Christian Church? If you ceased speaking God’s truth, would you still be a Christian? If we ceased calling sinners to repentance, would we still need a Savior from our sins?

 

Last week, Jesus began His most famous sermon, which is known as “The Sermon on the Mount” with the Beatitudes. Jesus began speaking of God’s blessings that rests on every true believer in Him. Today, Jesus continues as He speaks of the blessings we prove to be to the unbelieving world as we live as salt and light.

 

Jesus begins saying to His followers: “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13a). It is likely that when you think of salt, you think of salt as a seasoning. It certainly is, but in the first century salt was used primarily for another purpose: as a preservative. Back in a time before refrigerators and freezers, salt was used to preserve food from spoiling. But how are we “salt of the earth”? How are we a preservative?

 

Jesus says “blessed are you” to be salt of the earth. We are blessed to be given a responsibility. As the preservative, Christians are called to be the check of moral corruption in the world. Jesus says, “You are,” and not, “You ought to be.” As the salt of the earth, we curb the immoral, godless living of the unconverted world. 

 

Oh, how things would have been much different if there had been ten righteous preservatives in the city of Sodom. God would have spared Sodom. Today, God preserves the whole world through His salt of the earth – you and me. God uses us as His preservative in order for Him to rescue lost souls from destruction by bringing them the saving gospel of Christ.

 

But the sinful and corrupt world will not love us for acting as salt in it. The sinful and corrupt world would rather prefer us to be like honey. This is the greatest temptation for Christians. As honey, we try to not offend unbelievers by trying to be a salt that doesn’t really bite into those who ignore or reject God. This is what Jesus was referring to when He said: “But if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown down and trampled under people’s feet” (Matthew 5:13b).

 

Remember, Satan rules this fallen world that we live in. He is known by what he first said to our first parents: “Did God really say?” Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, each generation has faced that age-old question: “Did God really say?”

 

To the unbelieving world, they are not as aware of Satan’s deception as we are. Most think of Satan as a cartoon character with a pitchfork, or really as a figment of man’s imagination. And that is the way Satan prefers it to be. He isn’t all about wanting credit for his deceptions. He just wants us to go down with him. He never wanted to eternally suffer in hell by himself so he tries to take as many of us down with him.

 

Satan’s first deceit was questioning the truth of God. He has perfected this age-old trick. “Did God really say every Word He says in the Bible is true?” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) “Did God really say repent?” (Matthew 4:17) “Did God really say there are only two sexes: male and female?” (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6) “Did God really say living together before marriage is immoral?”(Genesis 2:24; 1 Corinthians 7:8-9; Hebrews 13:4) “Did God really say abortion is murder?” (Psalm 139; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) “Did God really say that adulterers and homosexuals will not inherit His kingdom?” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) “Why not just adapt to the culture?” “Isn’t God working through the culture to show what He approves of anyway?”

 

As the world has become less salty, we see the outcome. The world has become more and more rotten, since there are fewer preservatives. Life is no longer sacred. This past Tuesday in our neighboring state of Minnesota, elective abortion was legalized up until birth.[1] The Wisconsin governor hopes to do the same.

 

In years past, we heard it said, “Why do you care what goes on in the privacy of the bedroom?” to justify civil unions. So many Christians remained quiet. Suddenly, out of nowhere, it’s deemed medically necessary to mutilate children if they feel like they are of the opposite sex. 

From what was deemed private has come into the public sphere with drag shows at libraries and even during the halftime show at a recent Milwaukee Bucks game. The rotten world is actively grooming both children and adults.

 

Many wonder what happened? What happened to our culture? I have heard it said: “It didn’t used to be this way!” Maybe it’s because Christians by and large toned down our witness of Christ? Or we said things and did things that would make Christianity more palatable to the unbelieving world? Or are we attempting to serve Christ from our sofas, rather than engaging one another? In doing so, much of Christianity has lost its saltiness.

 

Within the recent past, so many Christians and their denominations have lost their saltiness as they have failed to live and practice what they professed. One thing to note: if the corrupt and sinful world approves and respects you as a Christian or as a church, are you really being “salt of the earth”? Now, that is a good question.

 

So, if we should yield completely to the temptation and try to be salt that has no bite to it, if we should pattern our lives after those of the world, we would cease to be members of His kingdom. Then we bring the Lord’s judgment upon ourselves: we are no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled upon.

 

During the earthly life of Jesus, impure salt would not be thrown into a field, since it would kill the vegetation. It was certainly not good enough to eat. Instead, impure salt would be thrown into the roads, since there it would do no harm, for nothing could grow there anyway.

 

As Christians, we preserve the world as a curb to immoral living. We live as “salt of the earth” as we preserve the earth from spoiling. But Jesus continues. He also says that we “are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). 

 

Again, Jesus says, “You are the light of the world,” and not, “You ought to be light of the world.” Due to sin, this whole earth is corrupt. To this corruption, God uses us as His salt. But this world is still living in deep darkness, deep ignorance, falseness, and spiritual blindness. To dispel this darkness, Jesus has placed His followers as the light of the world. 

 

But how are we “light”? Recall what Jesus calls Himself: “I am the Light of the World” (John 8:12). So, when we follow Him, we walk in the Light, and only then. Apart from Jesus, we are not the light of the world. In other words, we have all our light from Him. Jesus is the sun (s-u-n), and we are the moons reflecting His light. Our Lord transmits this light to us and fills us with it through His Word and Sacrament.

 

In Christ, we are the light that shines in a dark world. Jesus adds: “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14b). What Jesus is saying is this: “The Christians in the world, will, by their very nature, bring the saving light God has given them to a world lying in otherwise hopeless night.”

 

Though the light shining from Christ’s church cannot and will not be hidden, we may be tempted to hide the light, just as we may be tempted to become tasteless salt – out of fear of those who shun and hate all light from above. To this, Jesus adds: “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 5:15).

 

It makes no sense for a lamp to be placed under a basket, since the room is as dark as it was before. Instead, people put the lamp on a lampstand, so that light can shine out and illuminate the room for those using it.

 

So, a Christian who hides his light in this world is acting contrary to the character Jesus has given him. So, if we cease to bring the Light of Christ to others, we not only fail to carry out our function as the light, but we would also lose the light and plunge back into darkness.

 

Think of it this way: if you put a burning lamp under a bowl, eventually the burning lamp will use up all of its oxygen and go out.

 

Now, Jesus is not telling us to parade our piety. He is rather urging us to live our faith even in the presence of the ungodly. 

 

A couple weeks ago, a Philadelphia Fliers defenceman named Ivan Provorov was criticized and called “homophobic” and “transphobic” for refusing to wear a “Pride Night” hockey sweater during warmups. One sports commentator said of Provorov: “The theme is hockey is for everyone. … Stop offending people. This [sport] is supposed to be about inclusivity. What I heard him say was offensive. It didn’t make any sense.”[2]

 

So, what did this hockey player say? “I respect everybody’s choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion. That’s all I’m going to say.” Then the media questioned him, “What’s your religion?” He said: “Russian Orthodox.”[3]

 

To this, that sports commentator concluded: “Nothing scares me more than any human being who says: ‘I am not doing this because of my religious beliefs.’ Don’t give me that! Don’t feed me the religious beliefs line. The [NHL] today needs to fine that organization a million dollars and reevaluate how they support gay rights, because that is insulting.” In other words, he’s saying: keep your Christian faith to yourself, keep it hidden.

 

Provorov could have given in and wore the hockey sweater, but he didn’t. He refused to relax his Christian faith. He may not have realized it, but he was salting the earth and being a light of the world. Even if the ungodly ridicule our godly ways, the time will come when they have to acknowledge our works to be good. St. Peter proclaims: “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” – that is, the day God reveals Himself to them (1 Peter 2:12). You see, experiences with Christians may make unbelievers more likely to consider what Christians teach.

 

The question for all of us is this: Do people outside these church walls know that you are a Christian? Or do you just blend in with the world? It is not enough to say that you are a Christian. It’s not enough to only know God intellectually. We must also bear witness to the world that He is our Father and we are His children.

 

Now, in case you are wondering if your saltiness and your light isn’t where it should be, the Triune God – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – has the antidote. This antidote is His Means of Grace: Word and Sacrament! This is why you are here in this place today! Through hearing His Word and receiving Christ’s Body and Blood, He strengthens our faith so that it is tasted and is seen!

 

Yes, we may still be hesitant in proclaiming the one true Christian faith. But all it takes is courage. If we do not publicly profess what we believe, to a certain point, we won’t believe it. Remember what Christ’s calls His disciples: blessed. And so, we are!  

 

Praise be to God that He is patient and does not quickly discard us when we fail. He leads us to repent, to renounce the ways of sin and darkness, to be forgiven for the sake of the cross, and to strive anew to follow Him and live a godly Christian life as the salt and 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 +

---

[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/walz-to-sign-pro-act-tuesday-codifying-abortion-rights-in-state-law/?fbclid=IwAR083GCUsst7yYRPY0ia4-A7KXAyV-rboceWw2G3YRapscVE8Dd5xtLPJt4

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yGm_E9Nj2Y&t=205s

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nce9VTthdgE&t=34s

Sermon for Pentecost 19: "Continuing in What You Have Learned" (2 Timothy 3:14-4:5)

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:

 

[Watching You]

 

“As for you,” Paul says to Timothy, and us – “continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).

 

Timothy had learned well. From his teachers – his grandmother Lois, his mother Eunice, and the Apostle Paul – he had acquired strong convictions. From these convictions, he is taught that he should stand by them and not let himself be shaken from them.

 

But notice, Lois and Eunice didn’t wait until Timothy was “old enough” to make his own decisions. They didn’t wait to see if Timothy would decide to become a Christian. No, they started indoctrinating – that is teaching him the fundamentals – right away “from childhood.” Now, literally, “from childhood” means “from infancy.” That is really the best time to start any teaching. So, right as soon as any infant is baptized, parents ought to raise their child in the one true faith, teaching him or her the ABCs of the faith. It is the expectation of parents that they will bring their child to the Divine Service in God’s house, regularly, each week. It is the expectation of the parents to teach their child the Ten Commandments, the Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer, as well as leading the child to the reception of the Sacrament of the Altar. All of that, and more, is what it means to teach your child the sacred writings.

 

But how well do our children know the Bible? And, how well do adults know the Bible? Are we even teaching our children? Well, yes, we are. We are constantly teaching, even if we don’t intend to be teaching. You see, whatever we do as adults is catechizing our children – for good or for bad. So, if attending church is not a high priority, then your children will see church as not a priority. If you see sports and recreation as important, your children will likely see it that way, too.

 

Again, children tend to imitate their parents. Now, there are always exceptions to every rule, but this Proverb is true: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

 

Yes, we have all known children who departed from the faith who had God-fearing parents, but how many children remained in the faith who had God-fearing parents? No matter what, children typically follow their parents’ example for good or for bad.

 

The 2006 country song “Watching You” by Rodney Atkins shows this at work through song. He sang:

Driving through town just my boy and me
With a happy meal in his booster seat
Knowing that he couldn't have the toy
'Till his nuggets were gone.

 

A green traffic light turned straight to red.
I hit my brakes and mumbled under my breath.
His fries went a flying and his orange drink covered his lap.
Well then, my four-year-old said a four-letter word
That started with "s" and I was concerned.
So I said, “Son, now where did you learn to talk like that?”

 

He said, “I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool?
I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you. …
I wanna do everything you do,

So, I've been watching you.”

 

You see, our children – even if they say they don’t – they model their lives after their parents. So, whatever the parent does is ultimately catechizing their children. But as that child noticed what his dad spoke, he also noticed his dad’s other actions. That night, he witnessed his son do something else, as he sung:

He crawled out of bed and he got down on his knees
He closed his little eyes, folded his little hands
And spoke to God like he was talking to a friend
And I said, “Son, now where'd you learn to pray like that?”

 

He said, “I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool?
I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you. …
I wanna do everything you do,
So I've been watching you.”

 

Our children are always watching. So, what are you teaching your children?

 

This is what Timothy was doing. He watched and learned from Eunice and Lois, just as we learn from our parents and guardians on what is good and right. So, Timothy from infancy heard the writings of the Old Testament. And from those Writings, the Holy Spirit brought him to faith in Christ Jesus, the promised Messiah.

 

So, if you haven’t been the best teacher when it comes to God’s Word, the good news is this: God is gracious. He forgives our sins. He restores and renews us. This, in fact, is the very message of Scripture: the forgiving, renewing, restoring grace of God in Christ. This is God’s Word for all of us this morning. You see, God is gracious. The blood of Christ covers all of our sins. The Holy Spirit will pick us up and help us to do better. God is always faithful, despite our unfaithfulness.

 

Now, did you also notice that Paul is writing to an adult Timothy when he writes: “continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed” (2 Timothy 3:14)? The point is, the learning of Holy Scripture does not stop when we are confirmed. In fact, we are called to be lifelong learners. Even for the most-astute pastor, he is still consistently learning more from God’s Word. 

 

So, we must continue in what we have learned. We must continue in learning from the Scriptures. But why? Why can’t I just worship God in nature?

 

Well, yes, God is seen in nature. He is the Creator of all things. But what is missing? What do we not notice in nature that is revealed in Scripture? Well, Scripture is how we “are able to [be] wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). There it is! Scripture is the means by which God reveals our salvation.

 

[Doubting Faith]

 

Now, back some years ago when I was a teenager, I began to doubt my Christian faith. Just a couple years earlier in catechism class, my pastor taught me that the Bible was entirely God’s Word. He proclaimed what Paul proclaims to Timothy: “All Scripture is breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16) – that all Scripture is “God breathed” or “Divinely inspired.” He said the Bible is true from cover to cover, since every word of the prophets, evangelists, and apostles were inspired by – and willed by – the Holy Spirit.

 

Now, all of a sudden, I was hearing the opposite from another pastor. He claimed that portions of the Bible were inspired, while other portions were products of human imagination. I thought, “If the Bible cannot be trusted, why even come to church?” I began questioning the crucifixion and resurrection. I was questioning everything.

 

In my moments of doubt, I remembered the previous pastor mentioning an obscure book called The Book of Concord, so I purchased this book and I began looking through it until I came across this statement in the Epitome of the Formula of Concord: 

“We believe, teach, and confess that the only rule and guiding principle according to which all teachings and teachers are to be evaluated and judged are the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments alone, as it is written, ‘Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’ (Psalm 119:105), and Saint Paul: ‘If … an angel from heaven should proclaim to you something contrary, … let that one be accursed!’ (Galatians 1:8).” 

It also stated: 

“Holy Scripture alone remains the only judge, rule, and guiding principle, according to which, as the only touchstone, all teachings should and must be recognized and judged, whether they are good or evil, correct or incorrect.”

 

When I read that, the Holy Spirit strengthened my weak faith and assured me of the truthfulness of the Scriptures. And this is what eventually led me to The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, since this church body is still tethered to God’s inerrant Word.

 

“All Scripture” – the Old and New Testaments – points us to Christ, so that we can take a hold of Him by faith. Jesus Himself said, “[The Scriptures] bear witness about Me” (John 5:39). The entire Bible is about the dying and rising Christ conquering death for us, and the message of repentance and forgiveness in His name.

 

[Continue in the Sacred Writings]

 

So, we must continue in what we have learned in these sacred writings! Paul teaches Timothy – as well as us – that all Scripture is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that a man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16b-17). 

 

So why are the Scriptures profitable? Well, they are for reproof, that is, to expose and convict sin. But the logical question is this: What is sin? Is abortion sin? Is gender-affirming surgery sin? Is cohabitation sin? Is gossiping sin? Is being discontent sin? Now, not everyone will give the same answer. But who is right? This confusion in the world can also confuse the Christian. Where do we turn to know what is truly a sin? Well, God determines what is sin. In His Scripture, He gives us the only reliable standard on what is right and what is wrong.

 

 

 

Another way Scripture is profitable is for correcting, which means restoring those who fall into sin. The Law certainly rebukes and convicts, but to restore the sinner, the Gospel is essential. The Gospel moves the heart, strengthens faith, and builds up so that correction takes place.

 

The Scriptures are also profitable for “training in righteousness.” In His Word, we receive training in how to live as God’s child. One way we are trained is that we are to speak God’s Word when we are tempted by our sinful nature. Do you recall what Jesus did when He was tempted by Satan? Did He comply to temptation? No! He responded saying, “It is written” (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). He spoke the very Word of God to combat Satan’s lies.

 

God’s Word as revealed in the Scriptures are our tools to fight the lies around us. As Paul wrote, “The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3).

 

As a result of the Fall, our sinful nature is not satisfied with the Bible. Instead, our sinful nature doesn’t want to hear what we have done wrong to God and to our neighbor, but desires to be flattered. So, instead of listening to the Truth, many of us wander off into myths. This chief myth is that God serves me as He agrees with whatever I want. This false god is like a Disney genie who always agrees with their wishes. So many people search out false teachers who flatter us, instead of being taught God’s unchanging truth.

 

The Old and New Testaments carry the Lord’s own authority. Make no mistake, every word belongs to God and was breathed out by God. They are powerful for accomplishing His own purpose, namely, creating in our hearts saving faith in Jesus Christ. Within this Book, through the merit and work of Jesus, salvation for sinners is revealed!

 

So, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, let us continue in what we have learned, so that we may be wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ!

 

Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that, by patience and comfort of Your Holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 

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

 

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Why Do We Confess the Creeds?

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

In everything, Christians are to adorn and teach the doctrine of God our Savior (Titus 2:1-10; 2 Timothy 3-4). This is what the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write to Timothy and Titus, as well as to you and me. In everything, we are to adorn the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

Some decades ago, the seemingly innocent phrase “No Creed but the Bible” became popular among many Christians, especially among Baptists and Pentecostals. But they were not the only ones with this idea. This phrase seems innocent since Christians are to revere God’s Written Word, after all, this is where God speaks to us. But there is some irony here, “No Creed but the Bible” is in fact a creed, since a creed is a statement that expresses what people believe and teach.

Shortly after Christ bodily ascended into heaven (from whence He came and will one day return from), false teaching arose. Many of these false teachings were taught against immediately by Christ’s apostles Paul, Peter, and John in their epistles, since they were taught by Christ who is Himself the Truth (John 14:6). One of the earliest Creeds was in fact written by Paul: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). As the Apostles all eventually died, their teachings did not die. It was due to the Holy Spirit’s work that the apostolic teaching has survived all these centuries even as this one holy Christian and apostolic Church had to combat false teaching after false teaching. Now, most of these false teachings dealt with the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. In order to confess the truth and avoid errors, the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed were written to defend the truth of what the Bible teaches about the triune God. Every word from each of the creeds is taken directly from Scripture.

Each Creed was written to protect the Christian Church – and each individual Christian – from false doctrine, since only sound doctrine has the power to save.

Even better yet – with possibly the exception of the Athanasian Creed – each Creed was written in a way that they would be easily memorized. This is certainly a comfort to remember God’s saving work through the Creeds. So, when we have a question about the Christian faith, we can always remember what we have been taught in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds.

In Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms, the Creed immediately follows the Ten Commandments. This is all on purpose. The Ten Commandments are written on the hearts of all people by virtue of their creation. They reveal our sin and prepare us to receive the gifts of salvation confessed in the Creed. Luther teaches in the Large Catechism that “the Commandments teach what we ought to do. But the Creed tells what God does for us and gives to us.”

In each Creed, we recite a summary of all of God’s work in creation and human history as taught in the Bible.

Ultimately, we need the Creeds. Although we can believe in a god through what we see and touch in nature, we cannot fully know the one true God by nature alone. Nature cannot reveal God’s identity and His name. The Creed and its source – God’s inerrant Scriptures – however, gives us as Paul Harvey famously used to say: “the rest of the story.” The Creeds teach us to know God more fully and about how all of humanity was saved and how God continually provides for His people through Word and Sacrament in the one holy Christian and apostolic Church:

I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.

And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Adelsen

Sermon for Easter 3: "Here We Stand" (Luke 24:36-49)

 

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

[1]On April 16, 1521, Martin Luther, who months earlier was excommunicated by Pope Leo X, entered the city of Worms in a Saxon two-wheeled cart with a few companions. Although it was evening, more than 2,000 people turned out to greet Luther as he went to his lodging.

That next day – April 17 – Luther was told by the herald and imperial marshal to avoid the crowds as he went on his way to a meeting with the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, the electors, and German princes, who all waited with anticipation to hear whether Luther would recant his writings, or not.

Luther was about to speak in front of the Church and the Holy Roman Empire with the fear of death weighing upon him. Just imagine what Luther was feeling. Here, we have a simple monk with nothing to sustain him, except his own faith in the inerrant Word of God. Luther knew that he and the emperor alike were called upon to answer before Almighty God.

Upon entering the assembly, known as the Imperial Diet of Worms, Luther was examined by an official of the Archbishop of Trier. Immediately, Luther was confronted with a pile of his own books and was asked whether they were his. Luther replied: “The books are all mine, and I have written more.”

The official said, “Do you defend them all, or do you care to reject a part?”

Luther replied: “This touches God and His Word. This affects the salvation of souls. Of this Christ said, ‘He who denies Me before men, him I will deny before My Father’ (Matthew 10:33). To say too little or too much would be dangerous. I beg you, give me time to think this over.”

After discussion, the emperor would grant Luther until tomorrow. Justifiably so, Luther is terrified. He knew he had to give an answer before Almighty God and before the emperor.

That next day – April 18, 1521 – Luther returned to the Diet, but this time a larger hall was chosen, to allow for a larger crowd. It was standing room only, as only the emperor would find a seat.

The archbishop’s official reiterated the question of the previous day. As the day went on, the heat of the room increased. But Luther held his ground. Eventually, the official got to the point saying, “I ask you, Martin – answer candidly and without horns – do you or do you not repudiate your books and the errors with they contain?” Luther replied in his native German language saying:

“Since then Your Majesty and your lordships desire a simple reply, I will answer without horns and without teeth. Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other – my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. Amen.”

Luther was asked to repeat his answer in Latin. As sweat beaded upon him, Luther made his affirmation in Latin. He threw up his arms in the gesture of a victorious knight, and slipped out of the hall. The hall erupted. Some rejoiced; others demanded Luther’s death.

That next day, Luther was declared a heretic. He was condemned and declared the enemy of the pope and the empire. The pope and the empire had placed a bounty on Luther’s head.

Today, we stand in the footsteps of Martin Luther 500 years later. We stand boldly as we continue to proclaim Jesus who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. We stand, by the grace of God, steadfast and ready – like Luther, to suffer all rather than fall away. We do not stand on Luther, but we will gladly stand with him, firm on the testimony of the Holy Scriptures to confess the saving Gospel of Christ, our Good Shepherd, who died and rose, in whose name is forgiveness of sins for all people. Here we stand. We can do no other. God help us all.

[Firm Testimony of the Scriptures]

Five hundred years ago, Luther had a choice. He could either denounce God’s Word, or he could boldly proclaim God’s Word. In today’s Gospel lesson, Jesus gives us the charter of the Church’s proclamation. Jesus taught His disciples saying, “‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem’” (Luke 24:44-47).

Did you catch what Jesus just said? Here Jesus is saying that to comprehend His teaching, their minds – and our minds – must be opened by Jesus to understand the Scriptures.

Here, Jesus is teaching us three aspects of our Christian faith and what we preach and confess:

·        First, the death and resurrection of Christ is the central event of our faith. By this means, Christ reconciles us to God the Father and Jesus is proclaimed the victor over sin and death. (Luke 24:46)

·        Second, the Scriptures are the firm testimony of this. The Old Testament prophets foretold it, pointing forward to the Christ. The New Testament apostles bear witness to the Christ who has come. (Luke 24:44)

·        Third, the delivery and purpose of this central event and the reason for the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures is this: the proclamation of repentance for the forgiveness of sins in Christ’s name. The Law calls to repentance by exposing sin; the Gospel proclaims “peace” over such exposed sinners from the wounds of the risen Christ. (Luke 24:47)

Christ’s death and resurrection were accomplished to win a good conscience for us. Our conscience is “bound up” not simply to facts of history for their own sake, but to these blessed facts that are “for us and for our salvation” as we proclaim in the Nicene Creed.

On this day, 500 years ago, Luther was bound to the Holy Scriptures and their inerrant truth because they are the authority of God’s own Word concerning Jesus Christ, in whom we have peace for our consciences in the forgiveness of sins. You see, Luther appealed to the Scriptures, just as Christ did to His disciples.

[Hold Fast the Confession]

Now, due to our sinful nature, our natural tendency is to not perceive that Jesus is the Christ and that He has indeed accomplished our salvation. Our human eyes are blind to the reality of Christ’s presence even when He stands directly in sight, and our ears are deaf to His Word even when He speaks them audibly. Due to our sinful nature, this is a sad reality.

Today, the world around is us changing, but the more things change, the more they stay the same. You see, Satan hates the triune God and he wants us to doubt God’s saving Word. He wants us to question God’s Word. He wants us to turn from God’s Word.

Satan and the sinful world constantly come after us trying to wedge any doubt between us and God as he uses the same tactics he did with Adam and Eve saying, “Did God really say?” Most recently, Satan is coming after us in hopes of causing us to doubt ourselves. He wants us to doubt our own created being as God created us male and female. This is nothing new. He’s done this before. And he’ll keep on attempting to sow any doubts so he can pull us from God’s kingdom. You see, Satan and the sinful world constantly send their flaming darts at us in hopes of stealing one of us from Christ’s flock.

You see, Satan and the sinful world want us to put our trust in human wisdom and rely on shifting ground. Satan wants us to worry. Satan wants us to fail to recognize Jesus. But, do you know what? The more we may worry, the sure and certain Hope is right in front of us. Christ Jesus cannot be hidden. He cannot be locked away. You see, our sinful nature often overpowers us to look in all the wrong places for safety and security. We look in all the wrong places when the right place is right in front of us in God’s Holy Scriptures where God comes to us proclaiming certainty saying, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28).

Even in our disbelief, Jesus the Good Shepherd, comes to us saying, “Peace to you!” (Luke 24:36) and “Do not disbelieve, but believe” (John 20:27b). “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?” (Luke 24:38) He says, “Come, eat and drink. This is My Body, which is given for you. This cup is the new testament of My Blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

Although Jesus is truly present with His disciples that day, He also implies that He is no longer “with” them in the same way as before His death and resurrection. This is as Christ is today, as He comes to feed us His very body and His very blood for the forgiveness of sins and to strengthen our faith.

Here, Jesus Himself heals our spiritual blindness and deafness. Through the power of the Holy Spirit – the “power from on high” (Luke 24:49) – our faith grows and is strengthened. He also gives us the preached Word, which is the instrument through which the Holy Spirit manufactures faith. From this preached Word, the triune God gives us peace, joy, and the forgiveness of sins.

Through the hearing and reading of the Scriptures – from Genesis to Revelation – our eyes are opened through the working of the Holy Spirit. Our eyes are opened as God reveals how we have received peace with Him through our crucified and risen Lord. Our eyes are opened to see that the triune God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Our eyes are opened as these Scriptures – breathed out by God – teach us, reproof us, correct us, and train us in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

So, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:23-25).

At Worms, Luther held fast the confession without wavering. He refused to be moved from his teaching except by the Holy Scriptures’ correction, because in the Scriptures we hear the voice and promise of Christ Himself – He who promised, who alone is trustworthy. The Scriptures are that trustworthy testimony of God to us, a promise that brings God with His benefits to us: forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

On this third Sunday of Easter – 500 years to the date when Luther took his stand at Worms – the Scriptures remind us what the Church stands for: Christ’s death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins and the certainty of peace with God and eternal life in His name. Just as Christ stood among His disciples then, He comes to us here, through His Word and Sacraments saying, “Peace to you!” (Luke 24:36)

So whatever political power struggles, social and ethical debates, or humanitarian disasters we must engage in our lives, our mission and existence does not begin or end there. We preach Christ crucified and risen for eternal salvation. That is the center and focus of the Holy Scriptures, to which every other Scriptural truth also leads.

God help us in our day to be bold to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God. God help us to stand on the sure testimony of the Holy Scriptures alone as the source and norm of faith and life, to repent of sin and pride, and to trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Here we stand! God help us. Amen.

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

 

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

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[1] Roland H. Bainton, Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther (Abingdon: Nashville, 1978), 177-182.