"God's Obedient Son" (Luke 2:40-52)

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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 [Mary and Joseph], ‘Why were you looking for Me? Did you not know that I must be in My Father’s house?’” (Luke 2:49).

 

If you are like me, when you heard today’s Gospel text, you may have thought about the 1990 movie “Home Alone.” In that movie, Peter and Kate McCallister accidently left their son Kevin at home as they traveled with their extended family to Florida for Christmas break. But, while in a hurry one morning to get out the door in order to get to O’Hare on time, they forgot to check upstairs for their son Kevin. It was only later, while flying the friendly skies that Kevin’s mother realizes that her son was missing. Frantically, Kevin’s parents – and especially his mom – immediately begin looking for ways to get back home to find their lost son.

 

In a similar fashion, Mary and Joseph search frantically for their lost Son. Except, their Son was not lost. For Jesus remained at the temple in Jerusalem for a purpose. 

 

“Now [Christ’s] parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up according to custom” (Luke 2:41-42).

 

If you thought driving to the airport was stressful, the trip from Nazareth to Jerusalem was a grueling one of about 80 miles, which lasted three to four days. Thankfully, Mary, Joseph, and young Jesus did not travel alone, but with a large company of people in a caravan. And this caravan served multi-purposes. First, it offered an opportunity for fellowship among family and local townsfolk. Second, any large group provided for protection from the threat of highway robbers.

 

And when the Holy Family arrived in Jerusalem, they would have found the city teeming with hundreds of thousands of fellow pilgrims, who would have been trying to find lodging and a place to celebrate the Passover meal, along with purchasing their sacrificial animals. The Holy Family would have witnessed a city filled with the noise of hundreds of thousands of sheep, which the priests would have been busy butchering. Beggars would have been in full force. Roman soldiers would have been on patrol, jostlying the crowds and trying to keep some semblance of order. 

Joseph, too, would have taken their family’s lamb to be sacrificed, and one can only guess what was going through his mind. The scene in Jerusalem would have been frantic. 

 

And although the Holy Family traveled to Jerusalem every year for the Passover festival – to celebrate the redemption of the people of Israel from Egypt, this year would mark something different. Luke tells us that Jesus was 12 years old. Being a boy at 12 or 13 years of age was especially significant, for this would be when Jesus would be considered a man at His Bar Mitzvah ceremony. At the Bar Mitzvah, Jesus would now be under the full obligation of the Law.

 

“And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing Him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for Him among their relatives and acquaintances” (Luke 2:43-44).

 

At first, being in a large caravan, Mary and Joseph never suspected that Jesus was not among the group. But when they stopped at nightfall, they noticed that Jesus was nowhere to be found. Like the McCallister parents in search for Kevin, Mary and Joseph began their search. They searched everywhere! Until as it often is, they found Jesus at the last place they looked, the place that should have been obvious from the start: the temple in Jerusalem.

 

And when Mary and Joseph located Jesus at the temple courts, they were astonished at what they witnessed. Jesus wasn’t battling home invaders. Jesus was not playing with the boys. Instead, He was sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. There was twelve-year-old Jesus, sitting cross-legged on the floor sitting among the rabbis. “And all who heard [Jesus] were amazed at His understanding and His answers” (Luke 2:47).

 

Jesus, who is fully and completely God, was being filled with human wisdom. He was not only asking questions, but He was listening to their answers. And Jesus’ questions displayed the depth of His understanding of Scripture truth. And His answers to the teachers’ questions likewise revealed how far advanced Jesus was in His grasp of divine truth. Now, Jesus wasn’t a child prodigy. He wasn’t a “Doogie Howser.” This was the divine wisdom which was imparted to His human nature. Jesus through these conversations was receiving more confirmation on why He took upon human flesh.

You see, God demands perfect obedience to the Law. And all of the descendants of Adam share in Adam’s disobedience to the Word of God. Our sinful nature that we inherited from Adam manifests itself in our daily lives and in our daily vocations: Instead of using God’s name to pray and give thanks, sinful man is more inclined to use God’s name to curse and lie. Instead of holding God’s Word sacred and gladly hearing and learning it, sinful man would rather grumble and complain if the sermon or Divine Service goes too long, or if I would preach a truth of God that sinful man does not want to hear. Instead of speaking well of our neighbor, sinful man would rather tell lies about our neighbor.

 

All the descendants of Adam share in Adam’s condemnation and judgment. And what was Adam’s condemnation and judgment? It’s death. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a). And “For as in Adam all die” (1 Corinthians 15:22a). All we can do is beg God for mercy as we confess our sins to Him.

 

But Jesus is the perfectly obedient Son of God.

 

On that day in the temple, as Jesus was listening to the teachers and asking them questions, He knew His mission. He, along with the thousands in attendance at the Passover festival were there to remember God’s grace as the angel of death killed all the firstborn of the Egyptians, but “passed over” the firstborn of the Israelites, because of the blood of a lamb on their lintels and door posts.

 

And now, God the Father has shown even more grace and mercy in giving us His Son, His only-begotten Son, who is God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, … who for us men and for our salvation has come down from heaven and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary and was made man. 

 

The Word became flesh, our own flesh, by taking the form of a servant, so that He could keep the Law of God in the place of sinful man. The Son of God obeyed His Father’s will for us!

 

Now, what Jesus did that day in the temple was not an act of rebellion against His parents. For Jesus remained perfectly obedient to His parents as demonstrated on their return to Nazareth. But there could be more here. Luke tells us that Mary “treasured up all these things in her heart” (Luke 2:51b). What could this be?

 

 

This event could have served as a further reminder that Jesus was not just an ordinary son, but the Son of God. For the last time Luke used that phrase, Mary was reminded what the shepherds said concerning her Child from the angel that her very Son is the Christ, the One who has come to save His people from their sins.

 

Jesus would remain obedient to His parents just as the Fourth Commandment requires. And Jesus would identify Himself fully and completely with sinners. Finally, Jesus, as the always obedient Son, would suffer an agonizing death as He would drink the cup of His Father’s wrath for us as He would be crucified to bring atonement for yours and my sins.

 

Jesus, who at twelve years old upheld His Bar Mitzvah as He perfectly kept the Law for us.

 

So, through Christ’s obedience, by repentance and faith in Him, our disobedience is forgiven through His blood and merit. For “in Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). By faith in Christ alone, we now stand before God the Father as righteous and obedient children, covered by the robe of Christ’s perfect righteousness and obedience.

 

Through our adoption through Christ in Holy Baptism, we now put off the old man, the old sinful Adam, with His disobedience and have now put on Christ. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, we follow Christ’s example of humility before God and our neighbor as we keep His Word and obey His commandments.

 

Instead of fearing, loving, and trusting in other things, we begin in faith to fear, love and trust in God above all things. We learn to trust Him as our only hope and refuge. We resist the temptation to use God’s name to lie and deceive and instead call upon His name in every trouble as we pray, praise, and give thanks. We begin to hold God’s Word sacred as we gladly hear and learn it. And we resist the sinful urge tell lies and instead defend and speak well of our neighbor.

 

We do all of this out of love for God, and not out of fear of punishment or condemnation, but joyfully and gladly because of Christ’s perfect obedience that has been credited to us. In Christ alone, we are counted as righteous and obedient before God through our faith in His obedient Son. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"A Warning to All: The Rich Man and Lazarus" (Luke 16:19-31)

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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: 

“The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side” (Luke 16:22-23).

 

Most people think very little about their own death. After all, most people will live life to an old age. But then, there are some who try to deny they will ever die, which means they likely live with no accounting of how they live. Afterall, why not live by the motto: you only live once. So, just do it. Take the risk. Enjoy life. Whatever that may be. Enjoy life on the couch. Enjoy life on the links.

 

Today’s Gospel text pictures our mortality. We cannot deny death. God’s Word says, “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10). The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a). You and I are going to die. That is, unless Christ returns first. Life is short as our days and months and years fly by. 

 

So, to keep us prepared for the future, Jesus teaches us the story about a rich man and Lazarus. Jesus teaches us about the real places of heaven and hell.

 

Until the day of your death, or the day of Christ’s return, everyone receives their daily bread from God – Christians and heathens alike. The Lord gives us everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body for all people, as well as everything that has to do with the support and needs of our soul for us Christians. The Lord certainly blesses us daily!

 

In today’s text, Jesus tells of two men whom the Lord has blessed.

 

Now, Jesus tells us this story because of the Pharisees, who as St. Luke tells “we're lovers of money” (Luke 16:14). These Pharisees ridiculed Jesus after He told them the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, the prodigal son, and the dishonest manager. Jesus concluded those parables saying, “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Luke 16:13).

Like the rich man in today’s story, these Pharisees loved themselves. But Jesus teaches us that the love of money and selfishness can lead a person to hell, whereas proper love and trust in God will lead to eternal life.

 

Now, is today’s story told by Jesus a parable, a simple story, or was it a real event? I raise this question because there are no other parables where Jesus actually names a person. And what’s also different is that the rich man is a person without a name. While the poor man has a name: Lazarus, which means “God has helped.”

 

Now, there is something that we do know about this story Jesus told. He told this story to warn the Pharisees and also you and me. He told this story to warn everyone: believer and unbeliever alike. He warns us against greed and loveless ease.

 

Jesus calls us to help and support our neighbor for any physical need. Jesus warns us to beware of the love of money – when money becomes your idol, which might turn us away from our neighbor and even from our God. And above all, Jesus’ story today teaches us to look to our God in the midst of life’s trouble, to listen to His Scriptures and their promises, and to set our hearts on the joy and comfort of His coming kingdom. So, what can we say about the two men in today’s story? 

 

Well, there was a rich man. Jesus tells us that he “was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day” (Luke 16:19). This man lived in luxury. He spent his money on what made him feel good and look good. He thought only of himself.

 

Then, there was another man named Lazarus. Jesus tells us that he “was covered with sores” and he “desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table” (Luke 16:20, 21). Lazarus was a beggar. Lazarus was sick and crippled, and he was a pitiful sight. The rich man had more money than he could ever spend. He lived sumptuously. The poor man Lazarus only yearned for table scraps. He lived in misery.

 

Jesus also tells us that there was no act of kindness that came from this rich man toward this poor beggar. This rich man may have been monetarily rich, but he was certainly “not rich toward God”(Luke 12:21). He does not make himself clean by giving to the poor (Luke 11:41). He won’t even give the needly his leftovers that just spoil and rot. And oddly enough, it appears that this rich man did not even use his worldly wealth to gain friends, so that when he died, he would be welcomed into the eternal dwellings (Luke 16:9). This rich man appears to have only been focused upon himself. He was hoarding up earthly treasure and clothing and food.

Now the wages of sin, which is death, will come for the worldly rich and the worldly poor alike. Death comes for all people, because all people are caught in the web of sin.

 

But when death comes for Lazarus and this rich man, they experience a great reversal of fortune. Jesus pronounced blessed “who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied” (Luke 6:21) and on the other hand, He said, “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry” (Luke 6:25). This beatitude and curse that Jesus speaks about are vividly illustrated by the situation in which Lazarus and this rich man find themselves in the afterlife.

 

Lazarus, the poor man, finds himself at the banquet table of salvation, reclining next to Father Abraham. While the rich man is desiring what Lazarus now has. He calls out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame” (Luke 16:24).

 

The thoughts of this rich man then turn to his five brothers who still live on earth. He wants to warn them to repent of their life, so they would not face his fate in hell “where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:48). To this, Abraham says, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them” (Luke 16:29). But this rich man still does not believe. He wants more than God’s inerrant Word, the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. He wants his brothers scared into repentance and faith. He calls on Abraham to send Lazarus back to life, but Abraham says, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead” (Luke 16:31).

 

In other words, Abraham is saying, even if Lazarus did return, they will not change their ways. No miracle will change them. If the Word of God cannot convince them, neither will a resurrection from the dead.

 

Jesus tells this story as a warning to the Pharisees. And this story is also a warning to us. For we, too, are tempted to love the good things of this life, like wealth and honor. Of course, it is not certainly wrong to ask God for daily bread, but we are to ask with gratitude. Afterall, Jesus calls us to receive the blessings that God provides to us in this life. For all these good things, God be thanked and God be praised.

 

But God has nowhere promised anyone bounty or uninterrupted ease in this life. He has not promised anyone honor and recognition in this life. So, sometimes, His people are covered with sores and sickness. Sometimes His people face heartache. Sometimes His people face disappointment. 

Sometimes, His people face tragedies that bring life to a screeching halt. Sometimes, God’s people must endure bad things. Sometimes, God’s people must live as beggars.

 

Now, God has promised us something. He has promised us lasting bounty and lasting joy that is given to us through Jesus Christ. This is the testimony of Moses and the Prophets to whom Abraham points the rich man. For us, today, we not only have Moses and the Prophets, but we also have the Gospels and Epistles. The entirety of God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation convey the promises of God and God does not lie (Titus 1:2).

 

So, whoever turns aside from these divine promises in Christ to set his heart instead on earthly pleasures and riches is certainly a fool.

 

But whether, we are rich or we are poor, each of us will die and each of us will stand in the judgement as a beggar before God. The good news is that in Jesus Christ, we see that God makes beggars rich. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, St. Paul writes, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that you by His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Jesus set aside all of His unimaginable wealth as the Son of God lowered Himself to take on our human flesh. He was born in our flesh and then took on the form of a beggar. He said, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Luke 9:58).

 

Jesus hung naked on the cross. Men cast lots for His clothing. He was covered in wounds, but not even the dogs licked His sores. He was mocked by scoffers. They laughed at His misery. He was rejected by all. But He did this all for us. He did this to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. He suffered, died, rose and ascended for you.

 

Certainly, none of us are worthy to ask for or even inherit anything before God, not even the rich man, not even Lazarus, not you, and not me. But there is one who is worthy. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!” (Revelation 5:12) 

 

Jesus alone is worthy, and He shares this inheritance with all poor sinful beggars who look up to Him in faith. So, when you lack and worry, when you fear and weep, look up, turn your eyes to heaven. All that is Christ’s is yours. He has purchased for you the everlasting kingdom with His holy and precious blood. So, keep praying and keep waiting. For in Christ, you are as rich as Lazarus. Amen.

 

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

"Awakened in Christ" (Mark 10:14; Psalm 139)

Dear Christian friends, especially you, the grieving parents: Bryana and Corey; grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Before us this day are shattered hopes and dreams. While all deaths are difficult, there is something really unfair about the death of a child. It’s like planting a flower garden, imagining the glory that will come later in the summer. Then, just as tender shoots begin to appear, the rabbits and other rodents chew them up. It’s like watching for months as a new house takes shape only to have a fire destroy it just as you are able to move in. All the hopes and dreams with a baby registry. Then suddenly, you are preparing for a funeral. Melissa and I have been there. The hope and then the shock. We grieve with you. 

 

Today empty arms now hunger for hugs that will have to wait until the grand reunion in heaven. 

 

Amanda Jean Elaine. How we all wish we could have held her longer. How we wish we could have heard her giggle of delight. How we all wish we could have known her longer and seen her grow up.

 

But our gracious God knew her. And He still knows her. Amanda Jean’s frame was not hidden from our Lord when she was being made in secret, intricately woven in the deep darkness of her mother’s womb. The eyes of our living Lord saw Amanda Jean’s unformed substance, the days formed for her, few though they may have been on this side of heaven.

 

So, we gather here today with hearts aching, minds numbed, eyes filled with tears … and yet, you should still be hopeful in the midst of loss. You should be daring to rejoice in the midst of sorrow.

 

We rejoice in our tears because of the gift of Holy Baptism that God gave to Amanda Jean. Today, Jesus meets us in our grief head on and reminds us that in Holy Baptism, we are immersed in His death, His burial, and His resurrection (Romans 6:3-11).

 

But even in the joy of knowing Amanda Jean’s salvation through her baptism into Christ, we still mourn and grieve. We mourn and grieve because every human being has inherited that dreadful disease known as the original sin of Adam and Eve. Were it not for sin, there would not be death. Death is the consequence of the Fall into sin. So, we long for that day when Christ comes again to finally put an end to death.

 

Until that day, we mourn, but mourning is a good and godly work. Remember, Jesus wept at the death of His friend Lazarus. Jesus wept, because He loved His friend, so weeping and mourning the death of Amanda Jean or any of our loved ones is, indeed, a good and godly work.

 

But in Christ Jesus and in His Church, we have the ultimate medicine that brings true healing to our broken hearts, genuine ointment for our numbness, and the ultimate wiping away of our tears. What is it? It’s called the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Yes, we grieve, but our grieving is mixed with hope. And this hope isn’t a wish. This hope is sure and certain. So, our tears are mixed with faith. Our sadness is mixed with joy, because one day in the future “we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed … [as] this mortal body must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51b-52, 53b).

 

Jesus loves all the little children. He says, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14). Jesus has given little Amanda Jean the kingdom. The same goes for you.

 

And how did we earn the kingdom of God? By God’s grace. It is because the very Son of God came down from heaven. He took upon Himself our flesh and became man. Just try to imagine that. God became man for Amanda Jean. God became man for you, too. He came to take upon Himself yours and my sins. He suffered, bled and died. But He did not remain dead and buried. He rose! He rose three days later. Through His perfect life and atoning death, Jesus brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel – life and immortality for all of us, including little Amanda Jean.

 

And just like you and me, Amanda Jean did nothing to deserve this gift. She received life and immortality. She did nothing to deserve it, but she received it. She received it from her Creator who knew her even in her mother’s womb. Today, she receives life from her Savior to carry her into eternity.

 

All we can do is receive. We are all on the receiving end of God’s life-giving ways no matter how many hours, days, weeks, months, or years we are given. We receive everything from our Father’s hands, through His Son and the Holy Spirit. This new life is given through Holy Baptism. And He keeps us in the one true faith through His Means of Grace, His Word and His Sacraments. 

 

Each week at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, we hear God’s healing words of absolution. Each week, He literally puts forgiveness, life, and salvation in our mouths with the living Body and Blood of Jesus every time we receive His Supper. God gives and we receive.

 

Meanwhile tears will continue to flow, there will still be heartache and numbness, but we can actually find comfort and rejoice in the midst of sorrow. God knows you and He knows what you are going through. Bryana and Corey, you are still Amanda Jean’s parents. You have been Amanda’s parents since she was conceived and made in secret.

 

The Psalmist writes: “How precious are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with You” (Psalm 139:17-18).

 

Today, little Amanda Jean is awake as she is in the very presence of her Savior, Jesus Christ, the very Lamb of God. And one day, by God’s grace, you will see her again with all the saints and angels in heaven.

 

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Sermon for The Holy Trinity: "Made Holy" (Isaiah 6:1-8)

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Blessèd be the Holy Trinity and the undivided Unity! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3).

 

Isaiah had a tough assignment as God’s prophet for at the time of his calling, the Kingdom of Judah was well on its way to destruction and captivity. By including, “In the year that King Uzziah died” (Isaiah 6:1), this signaled the end for Judah.

 

However, the people had no inclination of destruction. For, under Uzziah’s son Jotham, Judah extended her boundaries to their ancient frontiers. Commerce and agriculture flourished. This created a sense of national pride. And it was a time of prosperity and peace. The kingdom was flourishing!

 

The Kingdom of Israel to the north also experienced a period of national power. Under King Jeroboam II, Israel achieved military dominance in the area. But when Jeroboam II died several years before Uzziah, Israel plunged into an age of chaos. Four of Israel’s last six kings were assassinated. Then Assyria invaded Israel and then demanded tribute.

 

Just as the death of Jeroboam II became the sunset for the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the death of King Uzziah marked the beginning of the end for the Southern Kingdom of Judah. Peace and prosperity would soon disappear.

 

As this was all happening, God never ceased sending prophets to warn of the judgements that He would send upon His people for their unbelief. Israel refused to listen to the Lord’s call to repent. In spite of the warnings, God’s people remained ignorant of the scope of the coming disaster. Worse yet, they were defiant, believing they could control their own destiny without God. The Northern Kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrian invaders in 722 B.C.

 

You’d think that the Southern Kingdom of Judah would be well aware of what happened to the north. I’m sure, they had family and friends in the north. They were all well-aware of what had just happened. But did they repent? No! They just kept on getting more and more wicked.

 

Since the Judeans refused to repent, God would use the upcoming Babylonian Empire as His judgment on Judah and Jerusalem because God’s people had forsaken Him. One century after the Northern Kingdom of Israel fell, the Southern Kingdom of Judah would fall in 586 B.C. The Babylonians ground Judah to dust and carried the Southern Kingdom into captivity.

 

Now, God never desired to punish His people. This is why He continuously sent prophets to call His people to repentance. But God’s people persisted in their rejection of the Lord and His promises. The Kingdom of Judah decayed into gross idolatry, human sacrifices, temple desecration. They turned away from God’s help and preferring only worldly help.

 

The death of King Uzziah signaled the beginning of a new era for Judah. Prosperity and peace would disappear. Judgment was on the way. This is the world Isaiah was living in. And he was the one called by God to proclaim God’s coming wrath to a people who wanted nothing to do with God at all.

 

Throughout all this coming destruction, we hear about God’s calling of Isaiah. Some have wondered why Isaiah includes his calling here in chapter 6 rather than at the beginning. One answer suggests that Isaiah first presented the heart of his message and then underscored the message with his calling. Isaiah presented in a visual way the triple phrase that we sing at each Divine Service: “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3). You see, Isaiah’s prophecy comes from the Holy One of Israel.

 

Whatever the reason, Isaiah sees the Lord seated on His throne. The prophet notices the Lord first. What a sight! Isaiah identifies the One seated on the throne as the Lord, using a name that emphasizes His authority, superiority, and power. This is no ordinary king. He is the Lord of the Church who rules all things for the benefit of His Church. This is not just an ordinary temple in Jerusalem. Isaiah looked into the heavenly sanctuary, where God may be seen by saints and angels. Isaiah had the rare privilege of standing in the presence of the Lord.

 

Isaiah heard the angels sing to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:3). This is the truest worship of God in its simplest praise and confession. This sound of the angelic hymn shook the foundations of the thresholds.

 

The One seated on the throne is holy, times three. He is set apart, infinitely separate and above all creation. In Hebrew, repetition expresses a superlative; God is supremely holy! He is perfect in power, wisdom, and majesty.

 

God’s holiness also means that He is separate and opposite from all sin. God hates sin and because of His holiness, He must destroy sin like an antiseptic must attack bacteria. God would cease to be holy if He did not oppose sin and its consequences.

 

So, where does this put us – you and me? Are we any better than the Judeans? Do we – you and me – actually fear God’s wrath more than man? Do we show any fruits of faith in our daily living? Do you despise God by neglecting the Word of God? If we are all honest, we all deserve the same wrath God put forward upon the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah. We all deserve to be grinded to dust.

 

But God’s holiness is also a positive for us poor, miserable sinners. Because of God’s holiness, He found a way to destroy sin and make sinful humanity holy. Isaiah, too, believed he should also be punished for his sin. He believed he was no better than any other sinner. He believed he deserved punishment. “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5).

 

In his vision, the Lord is responsible for the purification of Isaiah. And in his vision, those lips receive forgiveness via a means of grace.

 

The seraph obtained a burning coal from the altar in heaven. As Isaiah’s lips were touched, the seraph explained what this meant: “Your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for” (Isaiah 6:7b). As the coal touched Isaiah’s mouth, Isaiah experienced the relief of the forgiveness of his own sins.

 

This sin purging is not just for Isaiah, but for the entire world. Throughout his prophecy, Isaiah would also tell of God’s gracious plan of salvation. And like the prophet Isaiah, we are in dire need of the salvation that God alone by grace alone has accomplished and provides for us. 

 

Since God cannot be among unholiness, sinfulness, uncleanness, and darkness, He would make us – who are unworthy – worthy of being holy. Now, this is not done by our own doing. This holiness is only done as a gift from God. “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). 

You see, the Lord purged the entire world of sin through the suffering and death of Jesus! This declaration that all the world is holy and righteous because of Jesus is an act of this holy God.

 

Those who believe and trust in Jesus are called “saints” – that is, holy ones. As “saints,” we are to be separate from the fallen world with its sin and death. As “saints,” we are set apart for the Holy God and receive all His blessings.

 

God has indeed provided the only answer to sin, rebellion, and perversion that plagues humanity. He has provided us Jesus. Sin is only purged in Jesus. For those who do not believe God’s answer to sin, they refuse God’s solution. They stand in opposition to God, choosing to offer their own solution to sin and death, and they can expect the holiness of God to execute judgment on the Last Day.

 

Until the Last Day, God is still a merciful God. He could have just let Israel and Judah fall to their own demise, but instead He sent prophets, like Isaiah, to warn them of their sinful condition. And even when His people were conquered, He gave them the promise of the Savior, who would atone for the guilt of their sins. God is still showering us with His grace and mercy as He continues to send spokesmen to carry His message of Law and Gospel to those who worship Him as the only true and triune God, who still provides visible Means of Grace, the bread and wine that touches our lips to give assurance of forgiveness.

 

Today is Holy Trinity Sunday, so why did it take me this long to speak of the triune God? Well, I have been. God is always in His fullness in Trinity and Trinity in Unity. In that triple phrase, “Holy, holy, holy,” we also see the nature of the thrice holy God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Just as Isaiah was cleansed when the coal from the altar touched his lips, so our Father cleansed us in the waters of Holy Baptism by joining us to Christ in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:1-14). In Christ, we were made new creations who love God, trust in God, and have His power to live holy lives. Through the Holy Spirit, we are made aware of Jesus and our need for Him as the propitiation for our sins. We are forgiven and made holy! Being holy, we live a life dedicated to Him, serving the triune God in our various callings. Blessèd be the Holy Trinity and the undivided Unity! 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 Baptism of Our Lord: "Drowned and Buried with Life" (Romans 6:1-11)

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:

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, St. Paul writes, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2)

 

Christmas is over, but the celebration of the Word made flesh continues throughout the Epiphany season. Today, we remember how Christ fulfilled all righteousness as He was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. There in the water, Christ officially began His holy ministry. There in the water, Christ, who knew no sin, linked Himself to sinners, you and me, so that through His suffering and death, all who would trust in Him would become righteous.

 

For many people, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism has become a sort of “Get into heaven free card.” St. Mark promises, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16a). Likewise, St. Peter writes, “Baptism now saves you” (1 Peter 3:21).

 

So, does the Sacrament of Holy Baptism guarantee a free trip to heaven? Well, yes and no. Jesus inseparably connects Baptism and teaching. For He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

 

So, it is the Christian practice ordained by Christ Jesus to baptize and teach. So, Baptism and Confirmation are inseparably linked. And our faith life isn’t complete when we are Confirmed. It has only just begun. 

 

As Christians, we ought not to remain at a surface level in our faith. And it is true that God’s promises in Holy Baptism stand even if we do not believe them. He is always faithful, even when we are faithless. However, all who reject God’s promises and die in unbelief have abandoned their Baptism and do not receive what God has promised. 

 

For the Christians in Rome, many of them acted as if Baptism was indeed a “get into heaven free card”, and many were perfectly satisfied in not growing in the faith. They were content knowing that Christ died for their sins, so they would receive grace upon grace. Enough grace that they could continue living in sin.

 

Now, Satan knows how to entice human beings. He’s rather good at it. He entices us with the “dangling carrot,” that the more we sin the more God will shower us with His grace. And the Roman Christians were falling for it. And we fall for it. That is the premise for our text. To the Romans and to us, Paul takes up this question: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1).

 

Satan whispers as he tickles our ears saying, “If it makes you feel good, then do it.”

 

Like the Romans, we, too, can fall into Satan’s trap by saying:

§  “I know marriage is supposed to be a one-flesh union between one man and one woman, but I guess God’s grace covers that. I don’t want to be insensitive to someone else’s feelings. God is merciful. He surely wouldn’t send someone to hell if he doesn’t repent, would He?”

§  “I know sex is supposed to be just in marriage, but what if I really love her? We’ll probably get married someday. God is gracious and merciful, isn’t He?”

§  “I know pornography is bad, but it makes me feel so good. Doesn’t God want me to be happy?”

§  “I know God created humans as male and female, but what if I don’t feel right in my own body. God wants me to be happy, right? And what makes me happy is not wearing pants, but a skirt.”

 

Now, what’s wrong with this picture? Well, this is Satan’s talking, not God. Satan doesn’t listen to Scripture, and he doesn’t like Scripture and he won’t honor the words of Scripture. He disdains it and tries to get us to question its authenticity and accuracy. When faced with the truth, Satan will try to use it against us. He will twist the Word of God into something unrecognizable to anyone but our old sinful nature – the “Old Adam” in us.

 

This broken logic is what the fallen, sinful world clings to. To the fallen world, it makes sense that we continue in sin, since grace abounds. Sin is so fun, so how could sinning be wrong? Afterall, is it still wrong if the government legalizes it? Now, I may be speaking to the choir, but I am sure that there are some among us who believe that it’s no longer sin, if the government declares it to be so. 

But what does Scripture say? What does God say? God hates sin. He hates sin, because it’s us separating ourselves from Him. We are all poor, miserable sinners, so does God hate us? That’s what some would say. But is that really the case? Is it in God’s nature to send people to hell? No. But there are many who choose to live in sin than to repent and be forgiven. So, for those people who continue in sin, they only receive what they chose: eternal suffering in hell.

 

St. Paul says that we can’t even think about continuing in sin. Since we have been baptized into Christ, we are dead to all of this nonsense! “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:1b-4).

 

In our sinful state, mankind is satisfied to live and function in perverse thinking and doing. But Paul reminds the Roman church that this kind of perverse thinking has no power over us. In Baptism, our sin has been drowned. In Baptism, we have been set free from sin, not because they don’t matter, but because Jesus suffered and died for them. In Baptism, we are forgiven because Jesus took all these sins to the cross. Our sins of sexual immorality, our sins of silence when we know others are sinning, our failures to keep our marriage vows, every sin we commit by thought, word, and deed, were nailed to Jesus’ cross. Christ died as the eternal sacrifice for our sin.

 

Therefore, when we repent, that is, when we turn away from sin and to Jesus, we no longer bear the punishment we have earned and deserved. Christ takes those sins to the cross and exchanges them with His forgiveness and righteousness. We are delivered from hell’s power and given heaven. 

 

So, what now? How do we as the Church continue to live in this fallen, sinful world? How do we live in this world so that we don’t let Satan’s usurped authority and power take over our lives? How do we live now since we have “died to sin.” How do we live now that we have been drowned and buried in Holy Baptism?

 

Holy Baptism gives us a new life! “We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

 

As Baptized Christians, our new life is quite different, because the power of God’s Word and His Sacraments take over our lives. So, through the Holy Spirit, He leads us to conduct our lives different than that of unbelievers. But this doesn’t mean that we will never sin again. You and I will sin, but we don’t use God’s grace as an excuse to sin. Instead, we receive God’s grace each time we repent of our sins as we confess our sins to Him.

 

So, each time Satan throws his darts at you, each time Satan whispers into your ear, just say this: 

“Satan, hear this proclamation:

 I am baptized into Christ! 

Drop your ugly accusation, 

I am not so soon enticed. 

Now that to the font I’ve traveled, 

All your might has come unraveled, 

And, against your tyranny, 

God, my Lord, unites with me!”

(God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It, LSB 594, stanza 3).

 

For us, who, through Holy Baptism, are alive to Christ Jesus, we cannot go back to sin, since you were drowned and buried in Christ, who alone gives you life. Amen.

 

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

 

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +