"Where is the Joy?" (Matthew 11:2-15)

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

“Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to [Jesus], ‘Are You the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” (Matthew 11:2-3).

 

On this Third Sunday in Advent, we are moving increasingly closer to Christmas Day. We have passed the halfway point on the Advent wreath. Today, three candles are lit, including that oddly colored pink candle. Pink doesn’t exactly match the other candles. So, what is with this color pink this day?

 

Well, traditionally, the Third Sunday in Advent has been called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is Latin for “rejoice.” And that pink candle reminds us that the Third Sunday in Advent is about joy.

 

Now, we certainly hear about joy today. We spoke together about joy beginning in the Introit’s antiphon from Philippians 4:4 saying: “Rejoice in the Lord aways; again I will say rejoice.” Then in the Introit itself from Psalm 71, we spoke of the great joy we have in the righteous acts of the triune God. You know, those things God accomplished to save us.

 

In our Old Testament lesson from Isaiah 35, we heard joy proclaimed in that reading: “The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing” (Isaiah 35:1-2).

 

But following that reading, there was a shift. Our Epistle from James 5 speaks of patience in suffering. And then it gets worse. Today’s Gospel lesson from Matthew 11 begins by saying, “Now when John heard in prison …” (Matthew 11:2a). And what does a person do in prison? He waits.

 

Who enjoys waiting? Now, there are different kinds of waiting. There’s the kind of waiting that is limited by agonizing that you have to wait at the post office or at the license office. It may be less than an hour, but often, that short waiting feels like an eternity. The end will certainly come, but it feels so far away.

Or what is it like when you are expecting something, but you can’t control when it arrives? What if you are waiting for the cable guy? Or a package? An important phone call, or email?

 

Or what about if you are figuratively “hitting the wall”? Let’s say you are working on a project, and you need an idea, and you are coming up with nothing. You are waiting for an insight, or an epiphany. That can be nerve racking, especially, if you are working with a deadline. There are so many kinds of waiting. Some are easier and some are more difficult than others.

 

Now, waiting is not inherently bad, but waiting can come with some real difficulties – and sometimes waiting can lead to big problems, like wondering what exactly it is that you are waiting for.

 

And waiting can lead to second guessing.

 

“Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to [Jesus], “Are you the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” (Matthew 11:2-3).

 

After baptizing Jesus in the Jordan, seeing the Holy Spirit come upon Jesus in the form of a dove, and hearing the voice of God the Father saying, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:7), John the Baptist now waits in Herod’s prison after he preached against Herod’s affair with his brother’s wife.

 

Now, while we are not physically imprisoned, yours and my circumstances could lead us to second-guess Jesus’ place in our lives. Daily, we face many personal challenges regarding our health, our wealth, and our relationships. And daily, we contend with a culture that is increasingly at odds with the Christian confession. Daily, it often doesn’t feel like God’s kingdom has come. Our daily challenges can lead us to wonder if Jesus is the real deal, if Jesus is truly the Savior from sin, death and the devil.

 

Could all the waiting in a prison cell have caused John to doubt?

 

A short answer to that question is “no.” John the Baptist could not doubt what he has witnessed regarding Jesus of Nazareth. He literally saw the Holy Spirit come upon Jesus. He literally heard the voice of God the Father. John had no doubts. John knew. He trusts in Jesus.

But why is John asking this question? Well, John isn’t asking the question for his own sake, but for the sake of his disciples. You see, John’s disciples believed that the Messiah would be none other than their master John. Now, they certainly heard about Jesus, and they thought of Jesus as a possible prophet, but they did not have faith in Jesus as the Messiah.

 

Certainly, John’s disciples had heard their master speak highly of Jesus, but they had not heard the preaching or seen the miraculous signs of Jesus. So, John’s disciples persisted with the idea that John was the promised Messiah.

 

But why couldn’t John have left it at that? Why couldn’t John have left his disciples to their own opinion?

 

Well, what was the calling of John the Baptist? God called John to be the forerunner to the Messiah. John was called to prepare the way for the Lord by leading people to repentance and the forgiveness of sins. John was called to confront sinners with the mirror of God’s Law, so that they may see and discern the state of their lives toward God and their neighbor. John was called to direct all people from themselves to Jesus, the true Messiah and Savior of the world.

 

And for John’s preaching, he received disdain, persecution, imprisonment, cross and death. This is the reward that all true prophets and faithful preachers receive. The fallen world gives no other payment. This is why John was Herod’s prisoner.

 

So, while in prison, John the Baptist calls his disciples to seek Jesus out and calls them to ask this question to Jesus: “Are You the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?” (Matthew 11:3).

 

And as good disciples of John, they fulfill their calling. They go to Jesus and ask Him that question. But clearly, when they came to Jesus, they were offended by what they saw and heard. They knew their master John sent them to Jesus because John proclaimed Jesus to be the Messiah, the very Lamb of God, the One who has come to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

 

But they were not convinced. Yes, they thought John could have been the Messiah even with his quirkiness in wearing camel’s hair and eating locusts and wild honey. But if John isn’t the man, they naturally expected a kingly figure – a man wrapped in gold and purple cloth, a man found in a royal palace. 

Instead, they found a Man surrounded by sick and miserable people, a Man in the midst of the blind, the lame, the deaf, the mute. A Man among lepers. They see a Man in such a lowly form that He could be mistaken for a hospital attendant or a physician of the sick rather than regarded as the King of Israel. As John’s disciples witness this, they are reminded that their master John spoke so very highly of Jesus. Jesus speaks to John’s disciples: “Blessed is the one who is not offended by Me”(Matthew 11:6).

 

The world is filled with people who are offended by Jesus. The world sees a lowly Person in a lowly place. The world takes offense and stumbles at this rock of stumbling. Yet, if Jesus only displayed an ounce of His divine power, the world would rush to Him.

 

On this Third Sunday in Advent, where is the joy in our Gospel lesson? Trust me, it’s there. John the Baptist sees the joy even though he is awaiting his very death in a prison cell. And eventually, John’s disciples will see the joy in Jesus.

 

We are often tempted to trust only in things we see – things that fit our expectations of what God should do. That’s only natural. It is sinful. But again, that is natural. It is natural to expect that when we are faithful to God that He’ll bless us in ways that are immediate and tangible and visible. And the most visible, tangible evidence that time was that John was in prison and likely to face death. It is certainly easy to be offended with Jesus when God chooses to work that way. It is easy to give up on any idea of joy in the Lord when our circumstances seem to count up on the deficit side.

 

St. Paul was inspired to write today’s Introit antiphon – “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice” (Philippians 4:4) – from guess where? Prison! He rejoiced knowing that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah. Jesus proved to be the Messiah by healing, cleansing, forgiving, raising and teaching. 

 

Jesus is the answer to our struggles and doubts. He gave us our identity and destiny in Holy Baptism. He speaks His forgiveness to us in the Absolution. He comes to heal us in the Sacrament of the Altar. He proclaims the Gospel of restoration into our ears.

 

Joy is fulfilled in Jesus Christ alone! Through His perfect work done at the cross and through the empty tomb and now delivered to us in the Means of Grace, His kingdom has come! On this Gaudete Sunday, we have so much joy: Christ took upon Himself our sin, He died for us sinners, and He gave us forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation in return. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice”! Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

 

"The Great Confession of Faith" (Matthew 16:13-19 - St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles)

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

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, [Jesus] asked His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ … [Then] He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’”(Matthew 16:13, 15).

 

Today, the Church remembers St. Peter and St. Paul for their great confession of faith and for laying down their lives for Christ and His Gospel.

 

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus finally has the opportunity to ask the question of all questions. First, Jesus asked His disciples about what they had learned about the people’s attitudes toward Him during their recent travels. So, His disciples reported that the people generally recognized Jesus as a prophet of God. They said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (Matthew 16:14). 

 

At least some the people recognized that John and Jesus both proclaimed the coming kingdom of God and called the people to repentance. But others thought that the Son of Man must be Elijah the prophet brought back to life. They may have good reason for thinking so, since many were familiar with these words of the Prophet Malachi: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes” (Malachi 4:5).

 

But to this, Jesus said in Matthew 11 that John the Baptist was only the second Elijah to prepare the way for Him, the Messiah. To this, Jesus says, “For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come” (Matthew 11:13).

 

And others, who were still not sure, thought the Son of Man could be just another prophet of old, perhaps Jeremiah.

 

But these opinions of people did show something promising. They showed that the people generally regarded Jesus very highly as a special man of God. But they did not know Jesus as the One and Only Begotten Son of God, true God with the Father and the Holy Spirit from eternity. 

For all intents and purposes, the people during Jesus’ earthly ministry are not much different from the people of our day who just see Jesus as a great teacher, a prophet, one option among many, but don’t know Jesus as their Savior and the only Savior of the world. 

 

In our Gospel text, Jesus asks His disciples using the plural “you” saying, “But you – you all – who do y’all say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). Jesus is asking them the question of all questions: “Who am I?”

 

Now, these men had been with Jesus constantly for more than two years. They had observed how Jesus lived and had witnessed His mighty works. They heard Jesus teach them about the kingdom of God and about Himself. So, what did they think? They should know better than anyone else, right? So, did they agree with what they had heard from the public? Or did they have more of an understanding by now?

 

To Jesus’ question, Peter speaks on behalf of the apostles saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Here, Peter, on behalf of the apostles, is confessing Jesus to be the long-awaited Savior of the world, the Anointed One, the Messiah. 

 

But what does Jesus say to this confession? He says, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17).

 

Here, Jesus is commending Peter for this great confession, but He is also reminding him that no one, not even Peter himself, could have figured that out all by himself. For Peter only knew this truth of Jesus because God the Father had revealed this truth to him.

 

And like Peter, we cannot come to know who Jesus is by our own skill or knowledge. No one can believe by their own reason or strength in Jesus Christ or even come to Him. It is only through the gift of God that we come to faith. For it is the Holy Spirit who called us by the Gospel, enlightened us with His gifts, sanctified and kept us in the true faith. It is the Holy Spirit who calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.

 

You see, Peter’s confession was only revealed to him through the Word of God.

 

But what about St. Paul? For today isn’t all about St. Peter. St. Paul, too, did not come to faith in Jesus as His Lord and Savior by his own reason or strength. Remember, Paul was a Pharisee of Pharisees. He was so zealous that he wanted to hunt down, arrest, and even kill every pesky little Christian he could find. 

 

But, like Peter, God revealed to Paul the truth. Our resurrected and ascended Lord Jesus Christ confronted Paul on the road to Damascus and called him to preach the Gospel that he formerly tried to extinguish. In our Epistle, we heard of Paul’s confession, as he wrote, “I went up because of a revelation and set before them the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles” (Galatians 2:2).

 

Again, Paul, like Peter before him, did not come to the conviction of faith in Jesus by a conscious decision, but it was revealed to Him by God Himself.

 

Paul confessed the same Jesus as did Peter – the Son of the living God, the Christ who saves us, who gives His life for us, and who lives His life in us. For both Peter and Paul, this confession would consume and shape the rest of their lives. For both Peter and Paul, they would proclaim this confession of Jesus as the Christ, the Savior of sinners to any and all who would hear it, and even to many who would reject it. Peter and Paul would lay down their very lives for this same confession of Christ crucified and risen for sinners.

 

Today, Jesus asks us, this same question: “But you – y’all here at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, who do you say that I am?”

 

And like Peter and Paul before us, God reveals to us the answer. We join Peter and Paul proclaiming, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).

 

We come to this knowledge not through our own reason or strength, but through the working of the Holy Spirit in us through His Word and Sacraments. And it isn’t enough to just know Jesus as the Christ, but to cling to Him fully by fearing, loving, and trusting in Him above all things. Through the working of the Holy Spirit, He leads us to put Jesus first in our lives. He leads us to self-denial. He leads us to sacrifice our own will for the sake of Christ. He leads us to confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God even unto death.

 

Today, you will receive Christ’s very Body and Blood, which strengthens us to lay down our lives to confess this great confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God in our day. May His Body and Blood, under simple bread and wine, strengthen you in the forgiveness and life of Jesus. Afterall, “Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17).

 

Through the Holy Spirit, He has revealed to us that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and that through Him, we have peace with God and life everlasting. May we always be led to confess Jesus as our God and Lord and so remain on this unshakable rock of our salvation that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"In Christ Alone We Endure" (Mark 13:1-13)

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

Jesus said: “And you will be hated by all for My Name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:13).

 

Today is one of those Sundays where it may sound wrong saying, “This is the Gospel of the Lord.” 

 

Are you looking forward to the coming of Christ? Normally, we’d all say, “Yes!” But how are you feeling after today’s Gospel reading? Does the coming of Christ actually sound like a glorious day? Are you beginning to second guess saying, “Come, Lord Jesus”?

 

We all look forward to the day when we are sheltered in the presence of the Lamb of God. We all look forward to when we will hunger no more, thirst no more, suffer no more. But until that great and glorious day, Christ says, “There shall be a time of trouble” (Daniel 12:1). Many will be led away by false christs – false pastors – wolves in sheep’s clothing, who preach what our sinful itching ears desire to hear rather than what we need to hear, who refuse to preach God’s Word as they bend to the cultural tides. 

 

Christ warns of wars and rumors of wars. Nations rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom. Earthquakes in various places. Famines. They will bring you before councils. They will beat you. They will bring you to trial and hand you over. Brother delivering brother to death. Father delivering his child, and children rising against their parents to have them put to death. We will seemingly be hated by all.

 

Are you still looking forward to the coming of Christ? It sounds like all hell will be breaking loose. It sounds a lot like doom and gloom. Where is the good news in any of this?

 

Jesus says, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (Mark 13:2).

 

Not only will the Jerusalem temple be destroyed – for which it already has been – but everything built by human hands will be destroyed – including this building known as Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. As much as this may shock us today, this certainly shocked Christ’s disciples then. They were not only shocked, but they were disturbed!

 

You see, the temple was the heart and center of Jewish life. It was where they prayed. It was where their sins were forgiven. For any Jew, the destruction of the temple meant – really – the end of the world. 

 

Everything built with human hands will be destroyed on the Last Day. Those beautiful churches, those tall skyscrapers, those billion-dollar sports stadiums. Everything will be destroyed. Everything. So, we shouldn’t be too impressed by the structures all around us.

 

Not only that. But Satan will be spreading murder and mayhem wherever he can. He will get in as much destruction as he can in the short time he has left. 

 

But there is good news. Did you catch it? Christ says: “The one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mark 13:13b).

 

Really? We have to endure? How can we endure through deception, wars and rumors of wars, persecution, even persecution from within our own nuclear families?

 

That’s the good news? Endure? All I have to do is endure through times of trouble, troubles that will be far worse than I can even imagine, and then I will be saved? How could surviving unprecedented troubles really comfort me?

 

If we’re honest, for those who travel, we barely endure the TSA line at the airport. We have to wait in line, then when we reach the end of the line, we are treated like criminals. Many would rather pay for TSA pre-check or Clear, so they can cut in line and avoid the humiliation.

 

We barely endure traveling in a car with a toddler across state lines.

 

We barely endure when the car in front of you is going the speed limit.

 

We barely endure the thought that someone may not like you, let alone be angry with you, or actually hate you.

 

Just look at Christ’s disciples. How well did they do at enduring during trials? Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Jesus privately: “Tell us, when will these things be?” (Mark 13:4a).

 

Peter denied Jesus not just once, not just twice, but three times. And James, John, and Andrew joined Peter, and the other apostles, who hid away behind locked doors after Jesus was crucified for the fear of the Jewish authorities.

 

So, are Christ’s own apostles doomed? Are we doomed? How can anyone be saved? What hope do we have of enduring all that Christ lays out for us today?

 

So many of us struggle with just little things. So many of us feel overwhelmed already with just those little things. So, how could we endure when the bad turns to the worst?

 

Some weeks ago, we heard Christ say: “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27). Again, I bring up that rich young man from Mark 10. Christ’s disciples believed that simple wealth proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that rich people must have special access before God. But just because you are wealthy doesn’t guarantee salvation. The only guarantee of salvation is faith alone in Christ Jesus.

 

So, the only hope we have to endure all things is to look to Christ alone, who has endured everything before us and for us!

 

Christ has already been betrayed and abandoned. He was delivered over to the council and beaten. He stood before governors and kings. He was hated by all. He was scourged and crucified. The earth quaked. He died.

 

Christ endured it all for you and me, so that we would be saved. Then on that third day, He rose in victory over our evil foes: sin, death, and the devil. And Christ wasn’t done yet! He would later ascend to the right hand of God the Father in glory. Then He would send the Holy Spirit.

 

If enduring is something that we do by our own reason and strength, we would never endure. If enduring is something that we can manage, then salvation is tied to works. What Jesus describes to us today is clearly unendurable for sinners, but thanks be to God “all things are possible with God,”as He gives us the only way we can endure and that is by clinging to Jesus Christ alone!

 

Jesus says: “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). So, we only endure since Christ endured for us! Our victory is His victory! Our salvation is His salvation! 

 

Yes, endurance is tough. But it’s only tough if we endure by ourselves. In Christ alone, His yoke is easy, and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30). 

 

Jesus has endured for you! So, you can also endure in Him!

 

Today and at each Divine Service, Jesus gives you the way to endure to the end. He comes to us in His body and blood broken and shed for you and your sins! He comes to us through His Word that endures forever!

 

So, when all hell breaks loose – and it will, Christ invites us to hide in Him and thus endure through Him.

 

Remember, this is why Christ became man, why He suffered and died, why He endured all. Apart from Christ, all things are impossible. Apart from Christ, we are doomed. 

 

But remember your Baptism into Christ, where Christ claimed you as His own. Each time we eat the bread and drink the cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. And He is coming, for He has promised. And God keeps all of His promises. He never lies (Titus 1:2). He is with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

 

Even though we may see everything around us disappear, Christ tells us: don’t be alarmed. Even when the fallen world temps us through false teachings in order to lead us astray, or worldly peace comes to an end through persecution, war, earthquakes, and family ties, always remember: Christ endures. And if you cling to Christ, you will also endure!

 

Nothing, not even Christ’s dire list we heard today, can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus. By grace through faith in Christ alone, through His Means of Grace, we endure to the end. In Christ alone, we are saved! So, we say: “Come, Lord Jesus!” Amen.

 

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

"Our Reformation Cry!" (Matthew 11:12-19)

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

Jesus said to the crowd: “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12).

 

On this Reformation Sunday, we thank the Lord for the long line of saints who have remained steadfast in the truth of God’s Word – the Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist, saints of the Early Church, the reformers of the one true Faith, and countless faithful men and women today. Each one of them, including you and me, have paid a price in remaining faithful to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

Yes, we have all paid a price. Now, some much more than others. For many, they have paid the ultimate price – martyrdom. For others, they may have lost long friendships and family, because of remaining faithful to Christ.

 

As Christians, we must be prepared to suffer for God’s truth, since we know that Satan and his fallen world hate Christ and Christ’s Church. And why is that? Why can’t we just get along?

 

One chapter earlier in Matthew 10, Jesus chose His Twelve Apostles. He gave them “authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction” (Matthew 10:1). Then Jesus gave them their mission: to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand as they heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers and cast out demons (Matthew 10:7-8). Jesus also gave them His promise: “Everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33).

 

Hitched to that promise was a declaration of war: “Whoever receives you receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me” (Matthew 10:40).

 

So, why can’t we just all get along? It’s because of the enemy – Satan, his minions, and this fallen world – which doesn’t much like incursions into its domain.

 

Following His instructions to the Twelve Apostles, Jesus went on preaching and teaching. He was preaching and teaching in enemy territory – Satan’s fallen world. Jesus went on preaching and teaching, since He came to rescue and restore this fallen world.

 

As this is happening, John the Baptist is locked up in prison awaiting his execution. There, in his cell, John is wondering if, in fact, Jesus of Nazareth, is the promised Messiah, who has come to restore all of humanity. Or should his disciples look for another? To that question, Jesus says to John’s disciples, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by Me” (Matthew 11:4-6).

 

Jesus then asks the crowds about John. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing?” (Matthew 11:7b-8a)

 

Did the crowds seek someone to be swayed with the shifting winds of public opinion? No. Did they seek a man dressed in nice clothes like that of a powerful king? No.

 

What the crowds saw was the messenger preparing the way for the Christ.

 

This is what led Jesus to say: “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12).

 

You see, when God took upon Himself human flesh, the fallen world, Satan, and our own sinful nature didn’t really appreciate it. Yet, Jesus still comes. And when Jesus comes, His kingdom comes. Jesus comes forcefully into the fallen world – a world enslaved by sin, death and the devil. And where Jesus comes, His evil foes fight back. 

 

John the Baptist experienced violence for preparing the way of the Lord. He was arrested. He was imprisoned. His severed head was placed on a platter.

 

Jesus, too, experienced violent opposition. The Pharisees and Sadducees repeatedly challenged His preaching, teaching, and healing. He was falsely accused. He was beaten and flogged. He was betrayed by His own friends. He faced the worst kind of capital punishment – crucifixion. He was nailed to a tree and suffocated to death.

Jesus’ apostles and disciples also experienced violent opposition. They were locked up. They were beaten. They were stoned. They were beheaded. They were poisoned. They were crucified. And all for simply preaching salvation by grace through faith in Christ Jesus alone.

 

But despite the violence, God’s kingdom keeps pressing forward. His royal banners forward go! 

 

You see, even though Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried, He also descended into hell in victory! That third day, He rose from the dead! Then He ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty!

 

Jesus came to redeem us lost and condemned sinners. He purchased and won us from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with silver or gold, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death so that you and I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness!

 

For nearly two thousand years, the kingdom of heaven continues pressing forward in this fallen world. And His enemy is still pressing hard against it. Those “spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12) are not just going to take the loss and lie down.

 

As you and I know, Satan and his fallen world are violently opposed to Jesus and His saving and forgiving ways as He works through His Means of Grace – His Word and Sacraments – in His Church. 

 

So, Satan and his fallen world continually attack Christ and His Church. They call Christ and His Church unloving. They seek to re-make Christ’s Church into the image of the Great Deceiver. Satan and his fallen world do not want sin called out. They don’t want to live by God’s Word. Instead, Satan and his fallen world desire to remake Christ’s Church into a lazy, go along to get along type of false Christianity. This is what we face today. This is what Christ’s Church has always faced.

 

This is why Christ’s Church must always be reformed. This is why it must always be called back to the saving work of Jesus Christ, the Church’s Bridegroom. For if we get lazy and flabby by not reading, hearing and studying God’s Word, we will form a new kind a Christianity – a false Christianity. A Christianity without Jesus. 

For if we get lazy and flabby by not joining the assembly of believers, among whom the Gospel is purely preached and the Sacraments rightly administered, we will form a new kind of Christianity – a false Christianity. Again, a Christianity without Jesus.

 

Recently, CBS Mornings aired a segment called “The State of Spirituality with Lisa Ling”[1] in which she interviewed a transvestite “Lutheran” “pastor” named Drew Stever. In case you are lost, Drew is a woman cosplaying as a man. And in case you are further lost, pondering how a transvestite can be a pastor. And to calm all fears, this “pastor” is not in fellowship with us. 

 

In the interview, Lisa Ling said to Stever, “There is a lot of people who say that according to the Bible, God made man and woman, and that couldn’t be any more clearly defined. How do you respond to them?” To that question, this confused “pastor” said, “[The Bible] is hard to relate to modern-day times, because it wasn’t written for 2024. It was written for then.”

 

The thing is, God’s Word never changes and that is the message of the Reformation. In fact, that is the motto of the Lutheran reformers: “VDMA”, which is a Latin acronym for “The Word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Peter 2:24-25). If God’s Word did change, we would have no sure and certain hope. We would be tossed to and fro by wind and waves. But thanks be to God, His Word never changes. So, His eternal promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation are sure. 

Like the Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist, saints of the Early Church, and the reformers, we ought to commit fully to the purity of our Christian doctrine. For in that doctrine, we hold the great truths taught by Holy Scripture, such as God’s creating and preserving power, our justification by grace through faith in Christ alone, Christ’s presence in His Means of Grace, the clarity of God’s Law in the moral issues of our day, and of our sure forgiveness won for us through the crucified and risen Christ.

 

On this Reformation Sunday, may we take our stand and never budge from God’s truths as He teaches us in His Word. Christ says: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15). This is our Reformation cry! So, may our ears be joined to right understanding and saving faith! Let our hearing be joined to His saving Word and our hearts to His Word! Amen.

 

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

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[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDtGbosAbFA&t=73s