"Delivered, Transferred and Redeemed" (Colossians 1:14-20)

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Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

“He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

 

Last Sunday during the children’s message, we were reminded that it is getting darker these days. There is less light these days. And until December 21, the light grows more dim each day. Darkness is powerful. Darkness has an undeniable authority. Darkness forces you to do certain things and darkness prevents you from doing other things.

 

In today’s age, we can live out our lives without ever actually experiencing total, complete darkness. We can do this through artificial light, through things such as light bulbs and flashlights. So, it is easy for us to lose sight of darkness’ authority. But darkness does have real power. Darkness forces us to drive slower at night. Darkness causes us to put on the brights in hopes that a deer will still not jump out in your way. 

 

In complete darkness, you will get lost and never know where to go. Darkness certainly forces us to be cautious and sometimes that darkness causes fear, because darkness can hurt you.

 

Darkness can actually kill, because all living things need light to stay alive. In parts of the world where darkness lingers, people have to take steps to fight off depression and other maladies. In total darkness, people can become insane and become sick and die. And all because of darkness. That is authority. That is power.

 

Spiritual darkness has power too. This “domain of darkness” is a place where darkness has its way. This “domain of darkness” is dark because people cannot see their way to the truth; they cannot perceive what they should perceive about the Lord and about themselves. They grope, they stumble, they are the “blind leading the blind” to destruction because they do not have better advice or example to offer than their own impaired stumbling. Sin is dark because we live in it thoughtlessly, carelessly, recklessly, stumbling and tumbling to our own and others’ destruction.

 

This “domain of darkness” is also dark because it is precisely where Satan holds sway. He relies on darkness, both the darkness of night, when sin crouches at our door so close to us, and the darkness of the heart, where we do not even understand the things we say and do as wrong. Satan likes darkness because it affords him room to work. He can work when you don’t confess your sin. He can work when you spend your time and energy hiding your sin. He can work when you have no one else with you and you assume that no one else sees or cares what you are doing. Darkness is a favorite place for Satan. Darkness is where Satan works his hardest on you and me. 

 

In today’s epistle reading, many of the Colossians were choosing to live in spiritual darkness and because of this darkness, the Colossian church was in serious jeopardy. It was so bad that Epaphras made a 1,300-mile trip to Rome to visit St. Paul while he was in prison. 

 

So, what was the issue? Well, the city of Colossae included a mixture of both Greeks and Jews and among them were elements of Gnosticism. This Gnostic heresy taught that Jesus alone was not adequate for salvation. They taught of a secret knowledge that threatened the salvation of these Colossians. This heresy centered on the Person of Christ as they denied Christ’s humanity as they viewed Jesus as a mere spirit being who came from God. They taught a form of philosophical dualism where the spirit is good, and matter was evil. So, they said that Christ could never be man, because flesh was evil.

 

But by far, the most serious aspect of this Colossian heresy was its rejection of Christ’s deity. This is why St. Paul wrote this letter to the Colossian church. He wrote this letter because their salvation was at stake.

 

The Bible is supremely a book about the Lord Jesus Christ. The Old Testament records the preparation for His coming. The Gospels present Him as God in human flesh, come into the world to save sinners. The Epistles detail the theology of Christ’s work and personification of Christ in His Body, the Church. And Revelation presents Christ on the throne, reigning as King of kings and Lord of lords.

 

Every part of Scripture testifies about Jesus Christ. In Luke 24, “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] interpreted to [the Emmaus disciples] in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27). In John 5, Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me” (John 5:39). And Philip, too, preached Christ to the Ethiopian eunuch by using only the book of Isaiah (Acts 8:35).

But of all the Bible’s teachings about Jesus Christ, our text today may be the most significant. Today’s text is dramatic and powerful and removes any doubt or confusion over who Jesus truly is.

 

So, who is Jesus? “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of creation” (Colossians 1:15). Jesus is the absolute image of God. Now, He did not become the image of God at the incarnation, but He has been the image of God from all eternity. Jesus is the exact representation of God’s nature. He is the exact likeness of God. He is in His very form God. This is why Jesus could say: “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). In Christ, the invisible God became visible, “and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

 

Jesus is the full and final and complete revelation of God. He is God taken upon Himself human flesh. 

 

Not only is Jesus the image of the invisible God for “by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17). Jesus is the Creator. He is not a creation of God. Jesus created all things. “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing that was made”(John 1:3).

 

The entire universe exists and continues to operate only through the power and will of Jesus Christ. For, if He would for a moment cease to sustain creation, then the stars, the planets, and atoms would all spin out of control until they would disappear into oblivion. It’s Jesus who holds all things together. Jesus is God.

 

This, “in Him all things hold together” also teaches us something else. You see, on Judgment Day, everyone must pass through Him. So, those who in life knew Him in name only, or only knew Him as an inconvenience, or those who did not know Him at all, will now face Him entirely unprepared, dressed in the dirtiness of their sins and will hear Him say: “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you”(Matthew 25:12).

 

Jesus does not know those who live in darkness. For everyone who does not live by faith in Christ is among Satan’s fallen world. Without faith in Christ, the sinner stands before God guilty and condemned; the sinner stands before God as a debtor, an enemy, a stranger.

 

But we, who have been delivered from the domain of darkness by faith in Jesus will see Jesus standing before us as a familiar friend and brother. In Him, “we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

 

Despite our sins, Jesus has reconciled us back to Himself. He undertook the Great Exchange. He willingly suffered all things for you. He willingly faced mockery for you. He willingly died for you. In Christ, the sinner now stands before God as righteous. In Christ, the sinner is granted freedom. In Christ, the sinner’s debt is paid. In Christ, the sinner stands before God as friend. In Christ, the sinner stands before God as His son or daughter.

 

In Christ alone, we are at peace with God. In Christ alone, we are reconciled to God. In Christ alone, we are restored to a right relationship between God and man.

 

We are at peace with God because Jesus shed His blood on the cross and by rising again the third day from the dead to make sure that you are His.

 

In Christ, we have been delivered from the domain of darkness and have been transferred to His kingdom!

 

You were created by Christ and He has redeemed you to be His forever. Christ is the Head of the body, the Church. And since you are in Christ, you are no longer captive to sin, you are no longer of the domain of darkness. You are redeemed. You are delivered. You are forgiven. You are set free. You are cleansed. You are healed. This was accomplished because of the power of His shed blood. His blood brings peace. His shed blood brings peace between you and God. His blood cancels your sin, your idolatry, your rebellion you once owed Him.

 

Jesus has won for you peace by His blood and by His cross and by His resurrected life. Christ is all in all. By faith, Christ, your Creator and Redeemer has delivered you out of the domain of darkness by giving you redemption, the forgiveness of your sin. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"The Greatest Gift" (Hebrews 1:1-6)

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Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

Merry Christmas!

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

 

Long ago and at many times, God spoke to His people. He spoke to His people in a partial nature through the prophets.

 

We can think of Moses and the burning bush when an angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a flame out of the midst of the bush.

 

We can point to visions and dreams like Joseph and Daniel. We can point to the calling of Samuel.

 

“But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son” (Hebrews 1:2a). The word “but” has a tendency to wipe out what came before it. We say things like, “I’d like to do what you’re asking, but…”

 

However, the “but” here is not set against the sureness of God’s speaking in the Old Testament times, but it is set against its partialness and the variety of its ways: law, history, poetry, prophecy. What the Old Testament believers received from God was only partial and the message of the prophets was incomplete. More was to come, but this more to come did not cancel out what had been divinely recorded but only completes it.

 

Those prophets of old were certainly inspired by God to write and proclaim God’s Word. Through those prophets, God was speaking. Those prophets spoke God’s Word as they clung to God’s Word for their hope of salvation – for they as we, shared in that first sin and needed a Savior. We need a savior from our sin of unbelief and selfish ambition. 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). Every word in Holy Scripture is God’s Word, not just words of sinful man. The Holy Spirit inspired the prophets to write them down for us, so that we can always cling to them.

But now – “in these last days” – Jesus has the Last Word, a word that redeems us from sin and death. Today, God is no longer speaking partially through His prophets. Today, He is now speaking fully through Jesus Christ.

 

So, now that we have the Son of God, God has no more to say, since the Redeemer to whom the Old Testament pointed is the ultimate Word and the perfect revelation of God. Today, we have the Final Word of God, which is revealed in His Word, the Bible.

 

Now, some may say today: “If only if I could hear the very Word of God like Moses and Elijah and Isaiah!” Yes, that would have been awesome to hear, but what we have is so much better! They only received snippets, pieces and parts of the various ways God revealed Himself. Today, “in these last days” – God speaks to us through His Son!

 

So, what God spoke through the prophets from Moses to Malachi, we have complete through our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

And Jesus is not just a prophet of prophets. Jesus is God. This Jesus who was born of the virgin Mary is the Creator of the world. This Jesus existed before time existed. This Jesus spoke the world into existence.

 

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Here, we have a reference to God the Father. “The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). Here, we have a reference to the Holy Spirit. But where is Jesus? Then God said, “‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:3-4). Jesus is the One who spoke.

 

St. John affirms this in our Christmas Gospel this morning: “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him” (John 1:1-3a). 

 

Jesus is “the radiance of the glory of God” (Hebrews 1:3). You see, the whole array of God’s divine attributes radiates forth in Jesus. Radiance is an inner brightness that shines out like the sun in the sky with its streaming light. To see that light is to see the sun; to see Jesus is to see the God of glory.

 

Jesus is “the exact imprint of [God’s] nature” (Hebrews 1:3). You see, Jesus is an exact image of the invisible God made visible in Jesus. Jesus exactly represents God the Father. So, to know Jesus is to know God’s nature and God’s glory. For as Jesus said, “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) and “I and the Father are One” (John 10:30).

 

Not only was Jesus active in Creation, but He “upholds the universe by the Word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3). You see, we exist today because of Jesus. He keeps everything going. The sun rises each day because of Jesus. “[Jesus] is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).

 

Jesus is “the purification for sins” (Hebrews 1:3). Sin stains. Sin defiles. Sin damns. Only One could purify and that is God. And only once would God do this. At Calvary’s cross, the Creator and Sustainer became the Sin-bearer. God took upon Himself human flesh for that moment. He was born on this day with the purpose of being the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world.

 

Then, with the work of redemption done, Jesus “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3). Today, Jesus is “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion” (Ephesians 1:21a). He has all power and all honor. The ascended Lord holds the scepter in His nail-scarred hands, ruling over all in heaven and on earth.

 

“For to which of the angels did God ever say, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you’? Or again, ‘I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son’? (Hebrews 1:5). You see, no one has ever been saved by the name of an angel. But there is a name that saves. “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”(Acts 4:12).

 

Jesus is superior to the angels, because He was “begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father” (Nicene Creed). Jesus is superior because from all eternity He is God’s Son, the Second Person of the Triune God, true God with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus is Emmanuel. He is fully God become fully man – for us.

 

But what about that second phrase: “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? Those words were spoken originally about Solomon, but these words also have a deeper meaning. You see, they pointed ahead to David’s greater Son, the eternal One whose kingdom would have no end. It is not enough to call Jesus “Son,” but He also calls God “Father.” Never has there been such a divine sonship claimed for the angels.

 

“And again, when He brings the firstborn into the world, He says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship Him” (Hebrews 1:6). On that Last Day, that great day of judgment, He will stand as “the firstborn,” first in rank and position, as all the angels bow down before Him in worship.

 

Today, “in these last days” God continues to speak to us by His Son through apostolic ministry and through His priesthood of all believers. Jesus sent out His apostles to speak His Word. Pastors are called and ordained to speak what Jesus says. You are called to speak the Christmas message to your friends, your family, your neighbor “for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). Jesus has come to save you and me from the power of sin, death, and the devil. He has come to undertake the Great Exchange as He put on our human frame, and in return He gives us redemption, His glory, and His name. “For while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). In Christ alone, we are reconciled to God through His death.

 

When God speaks in Holy Baptism, we receive His name and with it everything that belongs to Jesus, including His life that conquers death. When God speaks through pastors and yourselves who say what Jesus says, forgiving one another in His name, we are forgiven. When God speaks “this is My body; this is My blood,” the incarnate Christ’s body and blood are truly present in the Lord’s Supper. When you hear, “The peace of the Lord be with you always,” the Lord’s peace rests upon you. This is the same peace the angels proclaimed at His birth.

 

On this Christmas Day, we see the supremacy of Jesus. We see the radiance of His glory as the exact imprint of God. Through His coming, we have received the Greatest Gift – which is salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. For there is no greater gift than forgiveness, life and salvation! Merry Christmas! Amen!

 

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

"Everlasting Father" (Isaiah 9:6)

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Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called … Everlasting Father …” (Isaiah 9:6).

Through these Advent midweeks, we have been going over the four titles of Jesus from Isaiah 9:6. 

 

We have learned that Jesus is the “Wonderful Counselor,” as He gave God’s counsel about our sin and His death on the cross for our salvation, which is foolishness to those who refuse to believe Him and His counsel. But for us who have been saved, the Holy Spirit has given us faith to rejoice in Jesus’ counsel as the power of God for our salvation.

 

We also learned that Jesus is “Mighty God.” Jesus is no mere human being. If He was just a mere human, then He could not have been our Savior and then we are still under the curse of our sins. Thanks be to God that Jesus is “Mighty God” who took upon Himself our human flesh to suffer and die on the cross in our place of punishment and then three days later conquered the power of death for us by His bodily resurrection.

 

Tonight, we will focus on the third title given to Jesus in Isaiah 9:6: “Everlasting Father.” You may have no issue with understanding “Wonderful Counselor” and “Mighty God”, but this third title can be a challenge. Afterall, Jesus is the Son of God, not God the Father. So, let’s focus on the word “Father.”

 

Scripture teaches us that there is only one God who exists in three distinct persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is the divine mystery known as the Holy Trinity.

 

Even though Jesus is One with the Father, He is not the Father Himself. Jesus and the Father are two distinct Persons who are unified as One God with the Holy Spirit.

 

So, what does Isaiah mean when he says that Jesus will be called “Everlasting Father”?

 

Well, by that word “Father” Isaiah means that Jesus has made us His people and rules over us like a loving father.

 

Think of it this way. Sometimes people refer to George Washington as the “father” of our nation. They don’t mean that Washington is the literal father, but that he helped found the United States and he ruled over us as our first president. In a similar way, the word “father” describes the fact that Jesus rules over us and all creation with authority and power, above every name that is named. The government – both spiritual and temporal – is upon His shoulder.

 

In Colossians 1, God’s Word says, “[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:15-16).

 

So, the One conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary is the Creator of all things and He rules over all things!

 

Now, this is very good news for us who believe in Jesus as our Savior from sin, death, and eternal damnation! You see, the title “Father” reminds us that Jesus made us to be new creations by saving us from our sins and reconciling us back to God. Also, this title “Father” teaches us that Jesus rules over all things – even when it appears that evil people have all the power in this fallen world.

 

It may appear that Jesus has no power or control at all when we pay attention to the news on tv, radio, internet or podcasts. It appears more like evil people keep getting away with evil: injustice, chaos, misery, and death.

 

But during such times, we must always remember that Jesus is in control even when circumstances seem to call that into question. You see, Jesus has always been in control – even when He was an infant in the womb of the virgin Mary.

 

So, just like children don’t always understand what their father does, we don’t always understand why Jesus rules in the way He does.

 

Nevertheless, Jesus promises to work in all things – even in trials and suffering – to bring about good for His people and glory for His Kingdom. 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, nothing happens apart from Jesus’ will, and He will save all who repent of their sin and cling to Him. Jesus is your Savior-King, and He rules you as a loving father.

 

But what about that first word of tonight’s title – “Everlasting”? What does “Everlasting” mean? Well, “Everlasting” reminds us that Jesus is not just one more earthly ruler whose reign begins at some point in history and then ends at some point in history.

 

In Micah 5, God’s Word says: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me the One who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2).

 

So, what does this mean? The Prophet Micah is saying that the future Savior who will be born in Bethlehem already exists! This Promised Savior exists before He is born! How can this be? Micah answers that too! Jesus is the eternal Son of God from ancient days!

 

Jesus is not like the rulers of earthly governments whose reigns have a beginning and then come to an end. Jesus is the eternal Creator! He is the Everlasting Father! His rule never ends!

 

Isaiah writes: “Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forever more” (Isaiah 9:7).

 

What Isaiah is saying is that there was never a time when Jesus was not in control. So, even when Jesus was lying in a manger; even when Jesus was hanging on the cross, He was still the “Everlasting Father.”

 

Jesus – eternal God – became man and was born to save us from our sins. Through faith in Him, we are cleansed from our guilt, and we are at peace with God. 

 

Even though sin and evil abound all around us, Jesus is still the Everlasting Father! Jesus still rules His Kingdom! And one day, He will return in visible power and glory! Everyone will see that Jesus is the “Everlasting Father” – even those heathens who thought they were in control. On that day, we, who are in Christ, will rejoice that we get to live forever as citizens of Jesus’ Kingdom where there will be no more sin, and what it begets: pain and death.

 

Until that day of Christ’s coming, we live by faith – faith in God’s Word. Today, Jesus’ present reign as “Everlasting Father” is hidden from those who refuse to trust God’s Word. But for you and me who trust God’s Word, we can be sure that Jesus is the “Everlasting Father”!

 

On the Epiphany of Our Lord, the Magi traveled from the East to worship the “Everlasting Father” who was being held by the virgin Mary. How could this toddler be the “Everlasting Father” – the eternal Creator and Ruler of all things? For as the angel said to Mary, “Nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). Like the Magi, we believe what we cannot see or understand.

 

You see, each time you receive the Lord’s Supper at the Divine Service, the Everlasting Father gives you His own body and blood to assure you that your sins are forgiven, and you are given strength for your weak faith. We don’t understand how, but He does it!

 

Tonight, God’s Word has assured you that Jesus is the “Everlasting Father” and that you are a citizen in His eternal Kingdom of mercy, love, and life. You can leave this place – Prince of Peace Lutheran Church – and now serve the Lord with your lives knowing that Jesus is the “Everlasting Father” and that you are secure in His hands. 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 The Last Sunday of the Church Year: "Remembered" (Malachi 3:13-18)

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:

 

Christians are used to speaking up for God, but more and more today we hear strong words, words hard to hear, harsh words, spoken against God, words of defiance. We hear these words all the time: “Do whatever you want!” “If there is a God, He doesn’t care!”

 

The Lord says through His prophet Malachi: “Your words have been hard against me” (Malachi 3:13a). Here, God is calling His people to account for those words, their hard words against Him. And what were these hard words from God’s people? “Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape” (Malachi 3:15b).

 

But what about us? Have you ever uttered things like that? Have you been tempted to say: “It’s useless to serve God!” “My prayers are worthless.” “Where were you, God, when I needed you?” And often things get worse when we keep Your Commandments. “We are called old fashioned and phobic.”

 

The American culture has turned God into a figure who grants our wishes, our desires. But that isn’t God. Yes, He answers our prayers, but it is His will that is done, not our will. So, often when we don’t get what we want, we put God to the test, much like the Hebrews of old.

 

So, the Lord, by His prophet, bids us to look up from ourselves to see Him, to fear Him, to repent and stand in awe of Him, and to trust His promises. We cannot speak against Him or test Him, but He bids us to look back and remember all His works for us. Even when it seems God is far away, when we are tempted to speak against Him or put Him to the test, He leads us to remember His promises, to remember that He will never forget His people. When we remember what God does for us, we have no need speak against Him, because God always keeps His promises and in Jesus makes us His treasured possession.

[God Keeps His Promises]

 

The Lord says: “Your words have been hard against me. But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?” (Malachi 3:13) Ok, slow down. Let’s listen to the whole charge God’s people bring against Him: “You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What is the profit of our keeping His charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape’” (Malachi 3:14-15).

 

Do you hear what they are saying about God? “God doesn’t care about us! Why be loyal to Him if He isn’t loyal to us? These evildoers seem to always escape punishment. In fact, they are held in high esteem! If we are His people, why don’t we get a better deal? Why are we wasting our time with God!”

 

But did you catch something else? They said: “How have we spoken against you?” (Malachi 3:13b) What were they just saying to God? They were defending their own sins to God! You see, they are seeing the sins of others, but they don’t see their own sins. They see the proud, the immoral, the brazen, the violent all around them, but they don’t see it in themselves. They, too, have spoken against God!

 

Despite what it may seem to look like, God is keeping His promises. To these Hebrews, it looks so far from that. But He is. You see, God heard every complaint. He paid attention and heard them, and “a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed His name” (Malachi 3:16b).

 

So, what could be in this “book of remembrance”? Well, those who continued to worship God. Those who comforted each other. Those who fear God.

 

But what happens when the Lord remembers? Is He recalling something He has forgotten – like these Hebrews may think? No! When God remembers, He holds His promises up for all to see. Recall God’s covenant with Noah. Remember, it is for our benefit each time we see a rainbow in the sky. This is so we remember His covenant that He will never again flood the earth (Genesis 9:15-16). He remembers so all can see! He remembers His people. He keeps His promises!

 

Well, yes, we see those things, but how do we really know? How do we really know God remembers His promises? Well, we do have a book of remembrance that we can see, touch, and read. We have the Scriptures, the very Word of God. And this Word of God does what it says and brings what it promises.

 

Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament. It is God’s last word to His people before the fulfillment of His greatest promise. God spoke through the prophets then, but the next time God speaks, He would speak in person as the promised Messiah. It’s going to be some 400 years in the future, but He is going to come. Remember, what God speaks, happens.

 

In today’s Gospel lesson, the repentant thief on the cross, speaks to Jesus – the promised Messiah – “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). And Jesus, who is nailed to cross beside him says: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). And that is exactly what happened. Though being a criminal, through His faith in Jesus, he was delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of God, for in Jesus we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13-14).

 

In Christ alone, we are reconciled to God the Father. We are reconciled through the blood of His cross shed for us. In other words, promises kept.

 

[In Jesus, We are His Treasured Possession]

 

Through Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection, by faith in Christ, we are made God’s treasured possession. Faith is what does it. 

 

Well before Malachi, God said to His people: “If you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among the peoples” (Exodus 19:5). And now God says to you: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession” (1 Peter 2:9).

 

Indeed, the Lord has compassion upon His people. He says: “I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him” (Malachi 3:17b).

 

But there is some irony here. In the case of His own Son – the Son of God – the Father did not spare Him, nor did He have compassion on Him, but sent Him to the cross. He gave Him up to suffering and death. He gave Him up to what our sins deserve. But, He did all of this to have compassion upon us, so our sins would be placed upon Jesus, so He would make you a child of God, so that we would be spared from His wrath. God’s compassion is fulfilled in Christ.

 

So, whenever we doubt the goodness of God, we must repent, since He always keeps His promises. Jesus is the proof we are always remembered.

 

Now, our faith may be put to the test in this sinful world, but God never forgets you.

 

Even when we forget, He remembers you. He restores us when we fall.

 

He made us His treasured possession by putting His name on you in Baptism and speaking of His forgiveness. Through the water and the Word, we are united to Christ’s death and resurrection. And if we are united, then we have been clothed in Christ’s righteousness.

 

Through Christ alone, we have been spared from the power of sin, death, and the devil. Through His compassion, He says: “Your sin has been forgiven!”

 

Today, Christ remembers His promise to you also in the Sacrament of the Altar, there we hear Christ’s words: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” You see, He remembers His promise, and by His sure Word He places into your mouth His Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins.

 

We are God’s treasured possession. He keeps His promises. One day, He will fulfill another promise when He returns on the Last Day when we “shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him” (Malachi 3:18). That day will be another great reversal. Upon the cross, Jesus took upon Himself our filthy sins and gave us His righteousness. On that Last Day, it will be another reversal. He will divide the faithful from the faithless and we, the faithful, will be remembered as His treasured possession. Amen.

 

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

 

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for Pentecost 5: "Giving Thanks to God" (Colossians 1:1-14)

 

Grace and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul addresses his epistle to the Colossians as “the saints and faithful brothers in Christ” (Colossians 1:2a). He writes this, because these Colossian Christians have been set apart from the world by the Lord to serve and glorify Him through loving the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and through love and service to their neighbor.

These Colossians are not the only ones set apart by God as saints. You see, every Christian is set apart as holy, and especially here at First Lutheran Church. Even though we are set apart by God, the sinful world around us, along with our own sinful nature, and Satan’s deceitfulness through confusion, each attempt to pull us away from God.

When Paul wrote this letter, the Colossian Christians had been faithful to the Lord, but there were troubles ahead. Despite the troubles, Paul wrote this epistle to encourage those Colossian Christians – and us today – to continue in our faithfulness to Christ.

[Encouragement and Thanksgiving]

Grave dangers were beginning to threaten the faith of the Colossians. And as it was then – as is now – these dangers stemmed from false teachings that downgraded the Person and work of Christ. But knowing the Colossians to be Christians, Paul begins with the thankful affirmation of Christ’s eternal relationship to the Father and the benefits for believers as he writes:

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before the Word of Truth, the Gospel, which has come to you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in Truth” (Colossians 1:3-6).

Yes, there were spiritual dangers that the Colossians were facing, but despite that, Paul encourages them to stand firm in Christ.

Before Paul begins with his specific warnings and encouragements, he gives thanks to God. Paul thanks God that the Colossians are believers. From all the reports he had heard, Paul was convinced of the sincerity of the Colossians’ faith and love. He is especially thankful that they are continually giving evidence of their faith in loving concern for one another, which sprang from their sure and certain hope in Christ.

So, Paul writes to encourage them to hold on to the Word of Truth, the Gospel. You see, another word – claiming to be the truth – was trying to gain entrance into their hearts and minds. So, what was this thing claiming to be the truth? It was in fact, human wisdom.

Paul’s point of encouragement to the Colossians was that they possessed the Gospel, the very Word of Truth. That Gospel is universal, and it is all-sufficient. It needs no changes or improvements. It does not need to be supplemented by human wisdom. And when human wisdom leads the Christian, instead of God’s inerrant Word, it deprives the Gospel. Paul’s warning to the Colossian Church is the same warning Paul gives us today.

[Wisdom]

So, what exactly was this human wisdom that was infecting the Colossian Church? Well, the opponents of the Gospel in Colossae boasted a great deal about their supposed “knowledge.” According to their “knowledge,” these false teachers were convincing many of the Colossians that Christ alone was insufficient to guarantee their salvation, so they taught that works of the Law were necessary for salvation, such as Jewish practices, Jewish festivals, and Jewish dietary scruples. These false teachers sought to supplement the ministry of Christ with the works of the Ceremonial Law.

Today, human wisdom has led many Christians astray into believing that they must do something to “improve” God’s Word. But how could we “improve” upon perfection? Our human wisdom certain tries. The reality is: our human wisdom – though given by God – is marred by sin. So, whatever we may do by attempting to “improve” God’s Word actually ends up doing the opposite. By adding to or subtracting from God’s Word, we are usurping God and placing ourselves in His office.

Well, if wisdom does not come from man, where does wisdom come? Job famously asked that question to which he knew the answer: “God understands the way to it, and He knows its place” (Job 28:23). You see, true wisdom belongs to God, who created the world by wisdom and imparted wisdom to His creation. Wisdom was the personal agent by whom God created (Genesis 1; Psalm 33:6).

The lack of wisdom that we experience reflects our sinful condition, lacking a right relationship with God. This lack of wisdom is evident because we are out of harmony with the way God created things to be. Therefore, wisdom must be revealed by God “for the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6) if humanity is to gain the knowledge of salvation.

Wisdom became incarnate in Jesus Christ, who is true God – wisdom made flesh. Christ restored wisdom for us by His cross, as His death provides redemption from sin. “And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Thus, divine wisdom is equivalent to forgiveness and righteousness.

As Paul writes about wisdom here, note how he concludes our text. Through the word of the cross, which the world’s wisdom sees as foolishness, this salvific Christological wisdom is revealed “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:14).

This wisdom comes through faith in “the fear of the Lord [who] is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10). To truly possess wisdom is to have the gift of eternal life and salvation. Such fear in faith moves and empowers Christians to live a life of wisdom. This life of wisdom is characterized by good works, which is living in a manner worthy of the Lord, well pleasing to Him and increasing in every good work. Now, good works are those things that are pleasing to the Lord, such as the thoughts, words, and deeds that please God, which are fruits of faith.

By faith in Christ, we increase in the knowledge of God and live a God-pleasing life. An important element in a life that pleases God is receiving the Means of Grace, which is the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. As we receive the Means of Grace, the Holy Spirit works in our hearts to strengthen us in faith and in the knowledge of God and His will, especially His saving will in us.

You see, it’s all about encouragement. The Holy Spirit uses Paul here to encourage the Colossians to joy and thanksgiving. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is encouraging us this day through joy and thanksgiving to God.

We ought to thank and praise the Triune God – the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit – every day of our lives. We give thanks because, we, who were once disqualified from salvation, have now become qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (Colossians 1:12). You see, Christ transplanted sinners from the spiritual kingdom of darkness, ignorance, and eternal death to the kingdom of wisdom, life, and light in Jesus, our Savior.

God did this for sinful human beings by one mighty act of love in human history. You see, in the fullness of time, He sent forth His Son into our world of sin and shame. That Son, took on a true human frame and became the substitute for the whole human race. He lived a perfect life to satisfy God’s Law in man’s place and to gain for sinners a righteousness that none have by nature. On Calvary’s cross, He shed His blood and died to pay the penalty God’s perfect justice demanded for man’s countless transgressions of His Law. Then by the bodily resurrection of Jesus, it was declared that the world’s sin had all been paid for. By grace through faith in Christ alone, a world of sinners has been rescued from Satan’s kingdom.

We all receive this grace personally through the Gospel when we believe and trust the good news of God’s perfect salvation in Jesus Christ. The whole world of sinners has been justified in Christ Jesus and this is the central teaching of God’s Word. You see, the primary purpose of Scripture is to bring sinners to repentance and faith in Christ, so that they also share in His perfect righteousness and inherit eternal life. If these truths are lost by “human wisdom” then there is no Christian faith left, and there is no salvation. So, Paul urges the Colossians and us to remember and continually thank God for these saving truths.

[The Lord Provides]

Like Paul before me, I, too, encourage you all to faithfulness. Even when Abraham was prepared to sacrifice His only Son Isaac, he had faith that the Lord would provide a substitute, for which He did. The Lord provided a ram caught in a thicket as a sacrifice. The Lord also provided Jesus as the one and only sacrifice for his and our sins.

In the coming weeks and months, things will be different at First Lutheran Church, but always know this: The Lord provides! At the proper time, the Lord will provide First Lutheran with another associate pastor to work alongside Pastor Welch in team ministry for Christ’s church in this place. In the meantime, the Lord provides through His Word and His Sacrament.

For today’s Divine Service, I selected some of my favorite hymns. And, I was surprised to see that the Senior Choir picked another one of my favorite hymns.

For today’s closing hymn, we will be singing “Built on the Rock.” I enjoy singing this hymn because no matter what happens, Christ never leaves us nor forsakes us. Christ always provides! Some years ago, I preached on this hymn, but I want to leave you with these words from stanza four:

645 Built on the Rock

4   Here stands the font before our eyes,
    Telling how God has received us.
The_altar recalls Christ’s sacrifice
    And what His Supper here gives us.
Here sound the Scriptures that proclaim
Christ yesterday, today, the same,
    And evermore, our Redeemer.

Text: Public domain

We are “in Christ” because of our relationship to Christ. We became one “in Christ” through Baptism. We are strengthened “in Christ” through what the Lord’s Supper gives us: forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation. We are strengthened “in Christ” knowing that God’s Word is all-sufficient!

Like the Apostle Paul, I, too, give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for placing me as your pastor alongside Pastor Welch these past five years. I thought it would be longer, but it is God’s will that I share the Gospel of Christ at Prince of Peace Lutheran in West Salem, Wisconsin. God has certainly bore fruit here and He continues to bear fruit here through the proclamation of the Gospel – the good news of Christ – which is redemption, the forgiveness of sins!

By faith in Christ, I know we will see each other again! That time will either be in this temporal life, or in life everlasting!

The Lord bless you and keep you always in His grace for which we receive by faith in Christ alone! Amen.

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +