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

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

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

 

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

 

And Jesus today calls us salt and light. 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"Blessed are We" (Matthew 5:1-12)

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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:

 

“Seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and taught them” (Matthew 5:1-2).

 

Today, the one holy Christian and apostolic Church observes the Festival of All Saints. The joy of this feast day is in its celebration of the unity of the Church Triumphant – those saints gathered already into rest in Christ Jesus – and the Church Militant – the present and future Church that struggles still under daily crosses. Together, both the Church Triumphant and the Church Militant constitute but one communion, one fellowship divine.

 

On this observance of All Saints, a good question to ask is who are the saints? Typically, there are three common usages for that term “saint.” The most common usage of the word “saint” are for those exceptional Christians whom from tradition or a very formal process has granted the letters “St” be placed before their names. We can think of St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Augustine.

 

The second-most common usage of “saint” is a sort of street usage of that word, like “She’s such a saint to put up with that!”

 

The third-most common usage of “saint” are those Christians who’ve died and have gone to heaven. There is certainly something to each of these definitions of “saint.”

 

But the Biblical definition of “saint” is a bit different. You see, this word “saint” comes from the Latin rendering the Greek hagios, or “holy ones.” A “saint” is a “holy one.” And who are these holy ones? Those who “have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”(Revelation 7:14b).

 

To be holy requires not just a lot of patience or the endorsement of the Church, it requires being without sin. And you know what, St. Paul, St. Peter, and St. Augustine were sinners and were each incapable of cleansing away their own sin, just as we can’t wipe away our own sins. 

So, to be without sin requires having our sins taken away. And our sins can only be taken away through the perfect sacrifice: the blood of Jesus’ death on the cross, received by faith. So, a saint – a holy one – is one who believes Jesus has died to save him or her from their sins.

 

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus emphatically says that His saints are blessed. He says, “The One who is meek, merciful, a peacemaker. You are a saint. You who are poor in spirit. You are a saint. You who hunger and thirst for righteousness. You are a saint. You who are persecuted for His sake. You are a saint.” Jesus says His saints are blessed!

 

But this is the opposite of what the Jews then expected. You see, most Jews during Jesus’ earthly ministry expected the Messiah to be, first of all, a military and political leader who would deliver them from the yoke of Rome and establish a prosperous Jewish earthy kingdom that would lead the world. They expected the Messiah to be greater than any other king, leader, or prophet in their history. In fact, after Jesus fed the five thousand, the people tried to make Jesus their king by force. These Jews saw Jesus as their anticipated leader who would create a great welfare state as He would provide for all their routine physical needs. But Jesus would not let Himself be mistaken for that sort of a king.

 

Instead, they got this Jesus, who calls the poor, blessed; the meek, blessed; the peacemakers, blessed; the persecuted, blessed. The Sermon on the Mount and its Beatitudes are utterly contrary to those of human reason.

 

But in order to properly understand this sermon of Jesus, we must keep in mind the audience. The audience was, primarily, Jesus’ disciples, although a large crowd who had been following Jesus were evidently in the background listening in. The purpose of this sermon was to give Christ’s disciples a better understanding of the God-pleasing life. However, an unbeliever may interpret Jesus’ words today as a prescription for making oneself righteous and earning a place in the kingdom of God. But that is not what Jesus is teaching.

 

You see, Jesus’ Beatitudes do not tell us how to become blessed, but they rather describe the blessedness that already belongs in Christ. These Beatitudes do not describe eight kinds of believers, but they tell eight ways all Christians are blessed.

 

Again, all Christians are poor in spirit. Christians all mourn and all are meek. Christians all hunger and thirst for righteousness and are all merciful and pure in heart. Christians are all peacemakers and are persecuted for righteousness.

 

Jesus says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Those who are poor in spirit recognize their spiritual poverty, their sinfulness and unworthiness in God’s sight. They realize that they sin daily and deserve nothing but present and eternal punishment from God. These “poor in spirit” admit that their efforts at living up to God’s standards as expressed in the Ten Commandments fall miserably short.

 

You see, God demands one hundred-percent performance, but we – you and me – are stuck at zero. So, how do we qualify to be numbered as heirs of the kingdom of heaven? Well, we are like empty vessels ready to be filled. As the “poor in spirit,” we know that we can only become rich before God though faith in Christ Jesus. 

 

You see, it is only by Christ’s perfect obedience to all of God’s commandments and His sacrificial death on the cross for all the sins of the world – and by His resurrection and ascension – that we are numbered in the kingdom of heaven. And oddly enough, God the Father gives us all the credit for Jesus’ perfect righteousness. It is only through Jesus’ blood and merit that the spiritually poor become rich by faith.

 

And so, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). The meek are not boisterous and demanding and they do not insist on their own rights without consideration with others. The meek endure mistreatment without retaliating. Like Jesus, the meek place the matter of vengeance in God’s hands. And to the surprise of many, by faith, these meek will inherit the earth.

 

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). Our hearts are naturally sinful and unclean. Our hearts are filthy. Our hearts need constant cleansing. So, it is appropriate that after we hear God’s Word proclaimed, we so often join King David as we call upon the Holy Spirit to “create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). By faith, Jesus makes us pure through His blood and merit.

 

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). Peacemakers actively strive to make peace when there is enmity or hostility. They offer their services as mediators between warring nations or quarreling relatives or hostile neighbors. 

Insofar as possible, the peacemakers strive to live in peace with all people (Hebrews 12:14), but they are to be always ready to contend for God’s truth and justice when circumstances require it. Although peace is always desirable, peace at any price is not acceptable. Even Jesus said that He – the Prince of Peace – would disrupt peace. So, His saving Gospel would divide families, but true peace is only given when we are at peace with God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. 

 

And so, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). For sure, if we are persecuted or punished for wrongdoing, we have no right to complain. But we must also expect to suffer at times for saying and doing what is right. That is what happened to Jesus, so that we must expect the same from the fallen world. 

 

We can recall how all of God’s prophets suffered persecution at the hands of sinful men who should have welcomed and honored them. This has not changed, because sinful humanity does not change. Even to this day, Christians who publicly confess the Holy Scriptures as God’s inerrant Word persecute those who proclaim the whole counsel of God to them. So often, we are prone to compromise or overlook what God so clearly says in His Word. But all who remain faithful to God’s truth will be richly rewarded in heaven. And again, this reward is all by God’s grace through faith in Christ, not yours or my merit, but by Jesus’ blood and merit alone.

 

Each of these Beatitudes remind us of the blessedness that belongs to all who are in Christ. And if you are in Christ, you are truly blessed.

 

You and I are holy because He has washed us in His blood. By faith, you are among the blessed. So, blessed are we, for Jesus continually blesses us through His Word and His Sacraments. He blesses us through His Word so that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life. He blesses us through His Sacrament as we receive the blessings of His cross: forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation. By faith, He makes us who are poor in spirit, the richest in the kingdom of heaven and all through His blood and His merit. In Jesus, yours and my sins are forgiven, so rejoice and be glad for our reward is great in heaven! In Jesus, we are declared saints and we are blessed to be united with the Church Triumphant as we, with them, constitute one communion and one fellowship divine. Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

                                                + SOLI DEO GLORIA + 

"A Glimpse of What is to Come" (Revelation 7:9-17)

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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: 

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no none could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10).

 

This vision is for us. It’s the revelation of Jesus Christ to St. John. Jesus revealed. John looked. And today, on this All Saints’ Sunday, we receive a glimpse of what Jesus revealed to John.

 

This vision helps us see the goal of every Christian currently striving in the Church Militant across the earth today. The goal to be part of this great multitude for eternity that no one can number from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before God’s throne, standing before Jesus Christ, the Lamb slain for our sin, clothed in resurrected glory for eternity.

 

This vision answers so many questions. Like: why do we establish Christian congregations? Why do we seek our prodigal sons and daughters? Why do we seek the unbelievers? Why do we call pastors? Why do we teach the one true Christian faith? Why do we give offerings sacrificially each week? Why do we plan for the future?

 

We do all those things so that we and many others from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, West Salem and the Coulee Region, can be part of this great multitude before the throne of the Lamb!

 

Now, I’d like to give you some background on what led Jesus to reveal this vision to John.

When John wrote Revelation, it was a tough time to be a Christian. If you think today is tough, you have no idea. You see, for just being a Christian, many endured unimaginable pain. They were thrown to lions while onlookers cheered. They were set on fire. They were hurled down cliffs. They were skinned alive. And they were even boiled in oil.

 

If they would have only denied their Christian faith, life would have been so much easier. They would have been liked. They would have been approved of by society. They would have been approved of by this fallen world’s prince. They would be the ones sitting in the stadium seats, rather than the ones facing certain death below.

 

So, Jesus revealed this vision to John. Jesus knew that the faithful saints had struggles in the past, and they were going through struggles in the present, and that they would encounter more struggles in the future. Sin was certainly alive and well in these pagan cities of ancient Rome.

 

To the seven churches of Revelation, Jesus warns John of the forsaking of truth, of false prophets, of false teachings, of sexual immorality, idolatry, death of true faith, Jesus meaning little, going through the motions of religion, refusing to evangelize Christ to others, spiritual lukewarmness, and only finding security in possessions and wealth.

 

This sounds like what we face today. In fact, this is what we have always faced. The Church faces persecution from the outside and the Church faces persecution from the inside. The fallen world and its prince attack us from the outside. And our sinful nature attacks us from the inside.

 

The fallen world and its prince use approval and deception to lead us away from Christ. Our sinful nature enjoys being puffed up. Our sinful nature enjoys being among the crowd. And this fallen world, and its prince most certainly knows that. So, they lead us to deny Christ and His teachings. We get ourselves caught up becoming worldly minded as we may even find ourselves mocking Christ and His teachings.

 

Today, so much of Christ’s bride – the Church – is confused on what marriage is, how sexuality should be experienced, and who created this world in the first place. We begin to doubt Christ’s love for us. We question each other on where our own prodigals have gone, instead of reaching out to them personally to welcome them back into Christ’s flock. The Church is very much confused. 

And Jesus did promise that we would face challenges. As we heard in the Beatitudes: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” (Matthew 5:11-12).

 

Jesus gave this vision to John – for us, so that we would be encouraged! For we will rise from death, live forever, worship and sing, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10).

 

We will do what every human was created to do: worship the one true God! Sin has disrupted this natural response. As, often, we would rather have nothing to do with God, since by our own flawed reason, we cannot believe in Jesus Christ or even come to Him. But God doesn’t just leave us in this state, so the Holy Spirit calls us by the Gospel, enlightens us with His gifts of Word and Sacrament, sanctifies us and keeps us in the one truth faith, so that in our resurrected state, we continue this pattern of worship already begun on earth, but now is done perfectly and without interruption as we sing, “Salvation belongs to our God …”

 

But how do we receive this future? Is it from service to our neighbor? Is it for our service to the church? No, but those are good things. Things that support our neighbor in his body and soul. The only reason for saints being in heaven is this: “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14b).

 

You see, your future is based solely on being clothed in the righteousness of Christ! Your future is based solely upon the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, who shed His blood for you and your sin! You and I are saints, holy ones, now and forever, solely through the shed blood of Jesus that was spilled for you as He was nailed to a cross.

 

Now, there is some irony to this. What happens when you nick yourself and you have blood over your clothes? Or what happens if you accidently spill red wine on yourself? You try to get it out, since it will stain permanently. But the blood of Jesus cleanses permanently, because it is a payment in full for sin. It is a blood that continues to cleanse you from sin today as you hear of it here and as you drink it at this altar. 

 

Listen to your future:

“Therefore they are before the throne of God,
    and serve him day and night in his temple;
    and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
    the sun shall not strike them,
    nor any scorching heat.

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
    and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:15-17).

 

Each of our years here on earth has been filled pain and struggle. And you can be sure that you may have many more years left filled with pain and struggle. You and I have shed tears saying our temporary goodbyes to saints who are now with their Lord.

 

But as God’s sure and certain Word proclaims, “We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).

 

Here, in the foretaste of the feast to come, in this Divine Service, Jesus refreshes us in His Means of Grace – His Word and Sacraments – for our work in this fallen world and in our service to Him in His Church. 

 

But one day, our struggle with sin will be no more – and we will no longer hunger and thirst, since the Lamb will guide us to “springs of living water” (Revelation 7:17b) as He meets all our physical and spiritual needs. Our baptismal garments will be exchanged for the permanent robe of resurrected glory, and He “will wipe away every tear from [our] eyes” (Revelation 7:17c).

 

On All Saints’ Sunday, we receive a glimpse into the bliss of heaven of our ultimate and certain future as forgiven saints through the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ! Death will be no more! Mourning will be no more! Pain will be no more!

 

This is our bright and glorious future as saints, who come out of this great tribulation – our life now– arrayed in robes made white through the blood of the Lamb! 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 All Saints' Sunday: "And So We Are" (1 John 3:1-3)

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:

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (1 John 3:1).

 

And so we are. On this All Saints’ Sunday, we are reminded that the Church is not limited to one place and time, but that the Church – the City of God – is the communion of all the saints – all with faith and trust in Jesus, whether they are here now or have gone before us to be with the Lord, or are still to come.

 

We are all God’s children! But this was not always the case. 

 

You see, when we first entered this fallen world, it was not as God’s child, but as God’s enemy. God had so many other adjectives to describe our original status: foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved. The Apostle Paul describes our status this way: we were all sinful rebels of God “passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another” (Titus 3:3).

 

It was bad. Really bad. Stuck in our fallen sinful nature without a Savior, we all have one final destination: eternal separation from God in hell where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

Now, God created us to live under His rule as His children. But we are no longer by nature children of God, because of our sin. Both the inherited sin from Adam common to all human beings, and our own sinful acts. By nature, we are not children of God, but rather spiritually blind, spiritually dead, and enemies of God. God’s Word convicts us of enmity toward Him and our own observation bears out that terrifying verdict.

 

Yet, by the grace of God, the love of God, we are God’s children now. And so we are.

 

To become God’s child is only possible because of the love of God. Oh, and never doubt His love toward you!

 

Despite being God’s enemies, He still loved us. He desired you to be His child. He desires not the eternal death of anyone. So, He choose to adopt you into His family, making you and me the brothers and sisters of His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. The Apostle Paul writes in Galatians 3:26 that we are all God’s children through faith in Christ Jesus, for all who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. In Christ, we have become naturalized citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.

 

Sit back and notice the astonishment: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (1 John 3:1). We, who are poor, miserable sinners. We, who are foolish and disobedient. We have been declared children of God. God the Father’s love for His children is far beyond anyone’s expectations.

 

And so we are. By God’s grace, through the water and the Word in Holy Baptism, we are made naturalized citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. But what would this citizen certificate look like? Well, it might look a lot like the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12. This certificate would identify you as being poor in spirit, one who mourns, meek, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, a peacemaker, persecuted. 

 

Some things on that list may seem more attractive than others, and that is the point. Those who follow Jesus are out of step with the mass of sinful humanity. Their attitudes and values and longings have been reoriented by Christ. They desire the kingdom of God.

 

You may notice, when seeing the crowds Jesus sat down on the mountain, then His disciples came up to hear Him. With these words, Jesus invites them and us to sit. Because you follow Me, this is who you are. Because they heard His call, believed in Him and trusted in Him, He speaks the word “blessed” to them for their desire of God’s kingdom. 

 

Through faith in Him, they will know, see, and live what they have desired. “Blessed” is the word Jesus uses for His followers. And so we are. 

 

With blessing, He has invited all the saints who have gone before us to listen to His voice. With blessing, He invites us to His teaching. Because of God’s love for you in Christ, because you have died and risen with Christ in Holy Baptism, you are blessed.

 

Jesus has called you, and you now sit in front of Him as He Himself teaches you everything necessary for life in the kingdom.

 

Notice what Jesus teaches immediately following the Beatitudes: you will be persecuted. More and more in society, Christians are somehow abnormal and out of step with the times. Some view Christians as dangerous. But what does Jesus say as our response when persecution comes, “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:12).

 

If, and when, you are persecuted for your faith, you will find yourselves in good company. You are one with the prophets and the apostles and all the rest who have confessed the name of Jesus Christ. You find yourself in the City of God with all the Saints, both living and departed. And so we are.

 

For those who have gone before us, such as our brother in Christ Ed Schmidt in the past year, they are all looking at Jesus. For they see Him as He is. They cannot take their eyes off Him. No longer do they see Him dimly, but they now see Him face-to-face. They are children of God who are now home with the Father. They are basking forever in the warmth of the Father’s great love for them and for us. They are there. They know they are there before the Lord solely because their robes have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus. They are blessed. Every one of Jesus’ Beatitudes is fulfilled for them, for “theirs is the kingdom” (Matthew 5:3, 10). They are comforted. They are satisfied. They see God. They are called sons of God. They are pure in heart.

 

But what about us? We, like those in the Church Triumphant in heaven, are also looking in one direction. Some days, our sinful nature may lead us to glance a different direction, but Saints in the now and not yet, are all looking at Jesus. 

 

Now, we do not see Jesus as He is, for we are still living here in the fallen world. But we do hear His Voice in His Word. We are washed by Him in Holy Baptism. We hear Him pronounce absolution of our sins. And we feed on Him in His body and blood under bread and wine, which gives us forgiveness, life, and salvation.

 

Like the saints before us, we know we live and love only by grace. Every day we come before the Lord, confessing our many sins and doubts and failures. We take comfort in the promise, “Everyone who thus hopes in Him purifies Himself as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).

We become pure only by Jesus’ blood and by His atoning death for us. He alone washes us clean, since it is only “the blood of Jesus His Son [that] cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

 

It is the blood of Jesus that washes us clean. Through Holy Baptism, we were adopted as a child of God. In the Sacrament of the Altar, the blood of Jesus is poured out for us to restore our life by forgiving our sins.

 

Now, God the Father looks at us as He sees His Son Jesus, forgiven, washed, covered, made alive with His life, and wearing the white robe of righteousness that covers all of our sin and death.

 

We, like the Saints in heaven, hear Jesus’ Beatitudes also for us. We are still “poor in spirit,” as we mourn and hunger and thirst for righteousness. We are called to be peacemakers, to be pure in heart. We are often persecuted for righteousness’ sake. But in Jesus, we hear the promise too. We can take to heart the promise of the kingdom, that the meek “shall inherit the earth.” We look for mercy and trust the promise that with hearts purified in Christ, we “shall see God.”

 

We know that we are not to seek the praise of this fallen world but seek only to be faithful to the Word of God and, through the Holy Spirit, we grow in His grace.

 

As fellow redeemed in Christ, we know that we will never achieve moral perfection and total purity in this fallen world. God’s Word says: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). So, obedience to God’s will is always less than perfect. Jesus came to declare war on sin, which in every case is rebellious lawlessness against the holy will of God. Sin is evil. So, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we hate sin too. As Christians, we refuse to get comfortable with sin, as we declare war on sin, too. 

 

As God purifies us as He is pure in His Means of Grace – His Word and Sacraments, we are reminded that true believers may fall into sin, but they never surrender. True believers may fall into sin, but they repent, welcome Christ’s forgiveness, and affirm their desire to change in the hope to be like Him. 

 

4    Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
    Alleluia! Alleluia!

For All the Saints (LSB 677, stanza 4) Text: Public domain

And so we are – children of God knowing that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. Amen.

 

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +