Sermon for the Ascension of Our Lord: "Hidden But Not Absent" (Acts 1:1-11)

 

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

[The Ascension]

When Jesus and His apostles met on the Mount of Olives, the apostles were full of great expectations. They asked Him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). This question is puzzling. After all they had experienced with Jesus, they ask this question. It appears that they were still expecting Jesus to establish a kingdom here on earth that, in some respects, would be like other earthly kingdoms.

But at the same time, the apostles also believed that this kingdom of God would be one that would bring them spiritual redemption. They were expecting forgiveness of sins won by their Messiah, Jesus, and all the blessings for the soul which flow from forgiveness.

So, Jesus responds saying, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8).

As Jesus spoke these words, He began His ascent into heaven. With the eyes of the apostles resting upon Him, they witnessed Jesus being slowly and visibly lifted up. They see all of this with their own very eyes as the witnesses they were to be.

There was an awed silence over the apostles. Their eyes are wide with astonishment as they follow Him and strain in their looking and then a cloud took Him out of their sight. From this event, we confess this great article of faith in the Creeds: “He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty” (Apostles’ Creed).

Although Jesus had vanished and appeared throughout those 40 days since His bodily resurrection – to the Emmaus disciples on the road, to the apostles in the locked upper room twice, at the Sea of Tiberias, and various other appearances to many – the apostles knew that something was different here. Jesus had never vanished from their sight in this way.

So, the apostles do what we would naturally do: stare into the sky. They stare even as the last cloud folds Him in. They gaze after Him – but He is gone.

The ascension was visible for the sake of the apostles. The moment the cloud hid Jesus from their sight, He was transferred timelessly into the heavenly glory. Jesus is now visible in heaven with the same body that died nailed to the cross and lay in the grave.

The obvious questions now for the apostles are: “Now what?”, “What’s next?”

So, as they stare, two angels in white robes appear and say: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). This question intends to turn their minds from mere astonishment to more important thought. You see, the Ascension and the Last Day go together.

[He Shall Return]

Christ departed visibly; He shall return visibly. He went to heaven; He shall come back from heaven. He went away bodily; He shall return bodily.

This is what the two angels spoke to the apostles. The presence of these angels marks the Ascension as one of Christ’s saving acts. Remember, when two angels appeared at the tomb on that Easter morning? What did they say? “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise?” (Luke 24:5-7). The angels did not just appear previously to proclaim the resurrection. They also announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds saying, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

Today on this Ascension of Our Lord Day, we know that because Jesus is risen from the dead, by faith in Him alone, we will also rise! Since Jesus ascended into heaven, we will also ascend! You see, the Ascension of Christ is a feast to celebrate!

So, as the apostles stood staring, these angels brought the glorious promise to them at this great moment that Jesus will come again in the same visible way.

But someone may ask, “How can Jesus be visible to everyone when He returns? If He returns on one side of the earth, how could people know on the other side of the earth?”

Oh, believe me, everyone will know. God is God and we are not. He is the Creator of heaven and earth, so He is capable of accomplishing everything.

So, Jesus will not announce His return on a television talk show or announce His return to you privately at a street corner. And if anyone does say he is Jesus, you ought to know that that man is a fraud, since He will not return in secret. So, don’t be fooled by people claiming to be Jesus. When Christ returns, there will be no mistaking Him. For He will return from heaven in the same way He ascended into heaven. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

The day of Christ’s return will be a day of comfort for all in Christ. It is a day of promise for us! But we also know that He will return as the Judge who will strike paralyzing fear into His foes (Matthew 24:30; Revelation 1:7) as He will say: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Acknowledge Me” (Revelation 1:8). But because He is and remains our Savior, the sight of Him will fill our hearts with overwhelming joy. For He will be our acquitting Judge, the Judge who will speak to us these gracious words: “Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 25:34).

[Sitting at the Right Hand of the Father]

Today, we live in the age between the Lord’s ascension and His return in glory on the Last Day. During this time, He is hidden from our physical sight, but He is not absent. The Lord’s promise of His continuing presence concludes the Gospel according to Matthew: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus is ascended, but He is still present.

For some Christians, they take Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father to be a literal location. So, for them, Jesus is stuck in heaven, so it’s impossible for Him to be with us here today. Now, how do they account for His resurrection appearances? They say He just snuck through a window or snuck in and out when the people weren’t looking. So, to this they say, “The body of Christ is enclosed in heaven, so He cannot be present in more than one place at a particular time.”[1] But, if this is the case, then Jesus is not fully God. Since Christ is true God, He is indeed present everywhere. He has “ascended far above the heavens, that He might fill all things” (Ephesians 4:10).

So, when we confess He “sits at the right hand of God the Father almighty” and as our Epistle proclaims today that God the Father “seated Him at the right hand in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:20), we are not confessing that Christ is confined or restricted to a place, but that He again has full use of all His divine powers that were His before He took upon Himself our human flesh at His incarnation. So, “right hand” means strength and power, and not a restriction. Again, the “right hand of God the Father almighty” is not a location, but instead an office. If Jesus was confined, He would not be with us always, to the end of the age.

So, for a time, Jesus willingly relinquished much of His divine power as a man, but now that He has returned to heaven as man and God, He has again taken up full use of His divine power. At the Ascension, Jesus was exalted into heaven. On earth, His exaltation was His crucifixion. But His Ascension is His triumphant enthronement as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Today, because the ascended Christ is not only God, but God and man united in one Person, therefore wherever He is, He is present as God and man. This means that He is not only present as God, but He is present also as man, with His Body. Christ is bodily present in the Lord’s Supper, where He gives us His body and blood to eat and drink for the forgiveness of sins.

In this time between the Ascension and His return, the presence of Christ for us is a hidden presence as we no longer physically see Him as a man or audibly hear the words from His mouth. Nevertheless, His presence is not spiritual in the sense that He has nothing to do with this world. Otherwise, how would we identify His presence? He is present to us and speaks to us through His Word, as it is proclaimed and read. These words are not simply written by man; they are not simply words spoken to our ears, or printed signs to our eyes. No! Through the Holy Spirit-inspired Scriptures, Christ speaks to us. For the Church is the assembly of believers around the Word and Sacrament. Around the Means of Grace, the Church gathers around the hidden, yet powerful presence of Christ.

So, the Ascension of our Lord is not a time of mourning. Jesus has not left us. His Ascension is all about our comfort, peace, joy, and confidence. Imagine the awe and delight of the angels and archangels as the Son of God returned as also the Son of Man with all power and authority in heaven and on earth, where He rules with grace and mercy, where repentance for the forgiveness of sins in preached. Jesus is not absent as He rules all things for the sake of His Body, the Church.

Even though He reigns in heaven, He still carries for us the marks of His crucifixion. He is the Lamb who was slain, who “is above all rule and authority and power and dominion” (Ephesians 1:21). He blesses us with forgiveness, lifts us up in His hands and seats us with Himself “in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:20). Alleluia! Christ is Ascended! 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] Book of Concord, Formula of Concord: Epitome, Article VII: Holy Supper. The Reformed argued that Christ cannot be present in the Lord’s Supper, since He was trapped in heaven.

Sermon for Easter 5: "Into All Truth" (John 16:12-22)

 

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:

[Intro]

On the night He was betrayed, Jesus said to His apostles: “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth” (John 16:13a).

Pontius Pilate famously asked Jesus: “What is truth?” (John 18:38). How would we know truth from fiction? From online fact checkers? From the “Ministry of Truth”?

All too recently, we were told to trust the science. But what happens when the science changes? Do we continually trust the shifting sands? Is truth today considered “fluid”? Is it the nature of truth to change?

So, what is Jesus telling us by saying, “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth”? Today on this Fifth Sunday of Easter, Jesus gives us the answer to the question that is still asked today: “What is truth?”

[The Truth is Out There]

As I have said, there are so many questions in regard to truth. Today, truth has undertaken a new meaning: opinion. Today, opinion seems to matter more than fact. Today, opinion has taken center stage to some big questions, such as: When does life begin? Is it just a clump of cells until I say it’s life? How do I know my sex or gender? Is it assigned to me, or do I choose? What is a woman? What is a man?

In a world without truth, nothing has meaning. But as the television show X-Files proclaims: The truth is out there. It’s certainly out there, but where?

How are we to distinguish truth from lies?

To this, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Truth. He does this to contrast with the spirit of lies – the devil – who turns everything on its head: evil is good, good is evil, and truth is exchanged for a lie. Jesus proclaims that the Holy Spirit will teach the apostles and show them that everything He told them is the truth.

Everything Jesus taught is the Truth, for He said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Now, many men have told us the truth, but no Man ever embodied it except for Jesus Christ. You see, if a man proposes to teach moral truth, his character makes all the difference in the world. Moral truth cannot be conveyed solely in words; it must be conveyed by example. Many people could say: “I have taught you the truth.” But only Jesus says: “I am the Truth.”

But how did the unbelieving world react to Jesus? They called Him a blasphemer. They called Him a liar. They said He was crazy. They shouted, “Crucify Him!”

What did Jesus say of Paul being His chosen instrument in proclaiming the Gospel? “I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of My name” (Acts 9:16).

How is this any different from today? It is the fate of every Christian to suffer for the truth because Christ suffered as the Truth. We are to suffer whatever grief the devil and the world can inflict upon us. The question then is: why would anyone want to be a Christian? Who would want to be a Christian if there is guaranteed suffering? Human reason says, “No way!” But the Holy Spirit says otherwise. He is the Spirit of Truth because in spite of what may appear to be suffering – when we are mocked and ridiculed for speaking God’s Word – He strengthens and preserves our hearts in the one true faith.

Without the Holy Spirit, no one would have believed in Jesus for any length of time, or would still believe today, that Jesus is the Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father, and who was crucified as a criminal by His own people is the true God.

It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to live and to die by the truth. The Holy Spirit is the guide who leads us into all truth. The Holy Spirit occupies Himself in how to rescue men from sin and death by making them children of God, righteous and heirs of eternal life. The Holy Spirit is about building the kingdom of God and destroying the kingdom of hell. He teaches us how to fight against the devil and overcome him. He gives us comfort, strength, and support to a believing conscience. The Holy Spirit does all of this so we may remain alive in the midst of death and may be able to keep a good conscience even when we are aware of our sins, so that we confess those sins to God our Father and receive reconciliation.

It is certainly necessary to fight and grapple with the devil and sin. Here nothing but eternal things – eternal life or eternal death – is at issue. As Baptized Christians, Satan constantly goes after us with all his fury. He wants us to denounce our inheritance as children of the heavenly Father. So, in this life, we are faced with either gaining the victory over the devil and sin by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, or being their captives and lost forever.

As Christians, we are opposed by an enemy who is not interested in our temporal knowledge which we possess. No, he struggles and strives to hold our consciences bound in sin and to plague us from the eternal terrors of hell and with despair to drag us down with him from the kingdom of God and from all communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and into eternal damnation and the fire of hell. Such battles cannot be fought and such victories cannot be won without the Holy Spirit. Our reason and strength alone get us nowhere, as all temporal things will pass away.

Therefore, let us cling to this truth which the Holy Spirit teaches: how we can retain faith in Christ; tread the devil, sin, and death underfoot; bear and overcome the world’s wrath and raging; build God’s kingdom and gain eternal life. And where does the Holy Spirit work in us to retain this? It is only through His Means of Grace.

[Holy Spirit in Means of Grace]

When we hear God’s Word proclaimed and preached, receive Christ’s forgiveness in holy absolution and in receiving Christ’s very Body and Blood under the bread and the wine, we receive forgiveness of sins, which is supplied through Christ’s work of reconciliation, hence God’s grace. It is through these Means of Grace that God reveals and declares to believers that he or she is fully reconciled through Christ. The efficacious power of the Means of Grace consists of this, that through Word and Sacrament, the Holy Spirit works and strengthens faith, faith in the very forgiveness, God’s love and grace, which these means declare and reveal.

So, when we avoid the Means of Grace, we are depriving the Holy Spirit from awaking and strengthening our faith in Jesus Christ. For, as Martin Luther has said, “God does not wish to deal with us otherwise than through the spoken Word and Sacraments. It is the devil himself who is extolled as spirit without the Word and the Sacrament.”[1]

It is through the Means of Grace that the Holy Spirit works through us the preservation of the pure doctrine and of faith; victory over sin, the devil, and hell; and also love and obedience to God and our neighbor.

So, we know the truth from the Holy Spirit working within us through His Means of Grace. But does truth change with the times? Can men become women? Does life begin at conception or at birth, or even after birth?

[The Guide into All Truth]

To that question, Jesus says: “He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come” (John 16:13b-c).

Here, Jesus defines the Holy Spirit’s office. The Holy Spirit is the guide into all truth.

There are two kinds of teachers. There are some who speak on their own authority by evolving their message from their own reasoning and judgment. And, there are those who do not speak on their own authority.

The Holy Spirit does not speak on His own authority, and His message will not be a human dream and thought like those who speak on their own authority of things which they have never seen nor experienced. The Holy Spirit’s message has substance: It is certain and absolute truth, for He proclaims what He has received from the Father and the Son.

We recognize the Holy Spirit by the fact that He does not speak on His own authority – as the spirit of lies, the devil, and his mobs do – but will proclaim what He will hear. The Holy Spirit speaks exclusively of Jesus and glorifies Jesus, so that people would believe in Jesus as their crucified and risen Savior.

In this way, Jesus sets the bounds for the message of the Holy Spirit Himself. He does not preach anything new or anything else than Christ and His Word. Thus, we have a sure guide and touchstone for judging false spirits.

Christ teaches His followers: “If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). We come to know the truth through the nature of the Scriptures. You see, the entire Scriptures – the prophetic and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments – are inspired by the Holy Spirit. Everything in the Scriptures has its origin in the Father, and in the Son, and in the Holy Spirit. These are the very words of Jesus that have been preserved by the Holy Spirit.

So, all who imagine that they have found truth elsewhere are deluding themselves, because as Psalm 119 proclaims: “the sum of Your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever” (Psalm 119:160).

So, what does the Spirit of Truth say to some of today’s questions?

• On Life: Jeremiah 1(:5a): “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” and Psalm 139 (:13-14a, 15-16) “For You formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. … My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”
• On Sex or gender: Genesis 1(:27): “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them,” Matthew 19(:4) “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female,” and Jesus Himself says in today’s Gospel lesson that only women give birth as He compares the birth of a baby to the joy of His resurrection (John 16:21).

We can only be adequately informed of the truth in God’s Means of Grace: Word and Sacrament.

Although, we aspire to be perfect in following God’s commandments, His Law is impossible for us since we are all sinners. We all do what we should not do, and we all forget from time to time on the things we ought to be doing. Thanks be to God that we have Jesus who is perfect and He gives us His perfection that He won for us upon the cross. He gives us reconciliation through repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

It is the Holy Spirit who takes all things that belong to Jesus and gives forgiveness of sins, life and salvation to us. So, do not be deceived by the spirit of lies, who is at work within the sinful hearts of humanity, who attempts to deceive us into lies. Instead, always remember that the Holy Spirit dwells in believers through their Baptism into Christ, through the Lord’s Supper, and in the Scriptures that “are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:5b), which reveal to us God’s love and salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who supports and comforts believers with Christ’s gift of peace! Amen.

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Portions of the Sermon cited from:

Luther, Martin. Luther’s Works American Edition: Volume 24, Sermons on the Gospel of St. John, Chapters 14-16 (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1961), 357-371.

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[1] Trigl. 495, Part III, Art. VIII, 3-10

Sermon for Easter 3: "Forgiven and Sent" (John 21:1-19)

 

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:

[Intro]

Last week’s Gospel text seemed to be the perfect ending. Jesus appeared to His apostles – first without, then with, Thomas. Through Him saying, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19, 21, 26), Jesus gave all of them the peace of forgiveness of sins.

And Christ’s apostles needed the peace of forgiveness. You see, immediately after Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and taken into custody where He would eventually suffer and die, what happened? Each apostle ran away in fear. They all scattered like sheep without a shepherd. Peter, who was the de facto leader of the Twelve, when asked if he was a disciple of Jesus on three separate occasions on that Maundy Thursday evening, said: “I am not” (John 18:17) as he stood warming himself over a charcoal fire. Upon that third time, “at once a rooster crowed” (John 18:27). Then Peter remembered Jesus’ saying: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times” (Matthew 26:75). At once, Peter wept bitterly.

But what about the other apostles? Well, they, too feared the Jewish authorities. They – with Peter – believed that they would be next to be arrested and later face death. They were scared for their lives. They truly believed that Jesus was more than a miracle worker. They believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. But now, Jesus is dead. All was lost. They believed that the last three years following Jesus was just a big mistake.

Yes, Peter and John saw the empty tomb on that Easter morning, but they still didn’t understand the Scripture “that He must rise from the dead” (John 20:9) as they were slow to believe.

But Mary Magdalene remained at the empty tomb as she wept believing that someone had stolen the body of Jesus. But as she wept, Jesus appears to her. Then in resurrection joy, Mary announces to the apostles, “I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18) and that He will soon see His apostles in Galilee (Matthew 28:10).

But even as they were slow to believe, that evening despite the doors being locked, Jesus stood among to His apostles – with the exception of Thomas – and before any of them could say a word, Jesus spoke, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19). He immediately showed them His hands and His side. For a second time, Jesus says: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21). Here, again, Jesus forgives them of their sins and He renews their commissioning as His apostles.

A week later, after first scoffing at the idea that Jesus is risen from the dead and with the doors being locked, Jesus again stands again among His apostles and immediately says, “Peace be with you” (John 20:26). Just like the week earlier, Thomas does not get a chance to speak, as Jesus forgives Thomas, and forgives the other apostles a third time.

Thomas believed as saw and felt Jesus’ wounds as he confessed: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

What a great way to end the Gospel! The apostles have all seen Jesus! Jesus is alive! Christ is risen! [He is risen indeed! Alleluia!] This is the perfect ending: “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31).

But that wasn’t the end. Curiously enough, there is one more chapter in John’s Gospel, which is our text for today, the Third Sunday of Easter.

[Jesus Appears to the Seven]

Remember the word from the women announcing to the apostles that Jesus would meet them in Galilee? Well, after Jesus left the locked room, the apostles made their way to Galilee. Why seven of the eleven apostles were present, we do not know, but surely these seven would tell the others of what would happen this day along the Sea of Tiberias, also known as the Sea of Galilee.

But before anything would happen this day. These seven apostles would wait. It may have been hours or days, since Jesus did not reveal the exact time He would make His appearance.

For Peter, this was hard. He was not the type of man to just sit and wait. He was a man of action! So, Peter says, “I am going fishing” (John 21:3) and the others reply, “We will go with you.” It was only natural for them to turn to fishing, since they were fishermen by trade. Afterall, it was against Peter’s nature just to sit. He wants to do something.

But what happens? “They caught nothing” (John 21:3). We’ve all been there. Sitting in the boat all day and not a single bite. But the apostles were not amateur fishermen. They knew what they were doing. They knew the tricks of the trade.

But early in the morning, a voice calls out to them, saying, “Children, do you have any fish?” (John 21:5). They answer, “No!” Then the voice says, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some” (John 21:6). At once the net was filled with a large number of fish, so many that they were tugging and pulling at the net with all their might as they couldn’t haul it into the boat. Something miraculous had just happened.

This sounds familiar. Didn’t this happen before? Remember when Jesus enabled His disciples to catch a net full of fish after they had fished all night and caught nothing? Last time, Peter certainly acted differently. On this day, John said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” (John 21:7) Immediately, Peter puts on his outer garment and throw himself into the sea. The other apostles followed in the boat, pulling and tugging the large catch of fish to the shore. But what did Peter do the last time Jesus enabled them to make a great catch? He fell down at Jesus’ knees, and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). Now, that was the natural reaction of a man who had not yet seen the cross. You see, without the forgiveness of sins, we would never be in God’s presence. In fact, we wouldn’t want to be. By nature, we are enemies of God.

But how different it is this time! Peter jumps into the water. He can’t wait to be near Jesus! Now, this is the natural reaction of those who have believed in the cross and the resurrection! By this time, the Resurrection has happened. Christ is risen! [He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!] You see, believing in the crucified and risen Christ creates a completely new nature. The new person knows and believes that he has the certainty of eternal life, so he is eager to do something for Christ.

So, what are Peter and the other apostles going to do? Well, what comes naturally! Remember the last time Jesus enabled them to catch all those fish? What did Jesus say? “From now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10).

From now on, they would be fishers of men. Do you suppose the apostles thought back to that previous time? Did you recall that previous catch of fish?

This is likely why the Holy Spirit inspired John to record this particular miracle. This is not just another resurrection appearance of Jesus. It is another intentional reminder of what follows after people have seen the risen Christ, believed in Him, and have received forgiveness of sins.

[Forgiven]

As Christ gives us the urge to do what we naturally want to do by spreading the good news of forgiveness of sins to others, sometimes our past sins and failures make us feel unworthy to serve God. If you have ever felt this way, you are not alone. Remember, when Jesus stood in that locked room with His apostles? What did He say to them? He said, “Peace be with you.” There, He corporately forgave His apostles’ sins. Now, this is what happens each Sunday morning as we begin the Divine Service by confessing our sins. Then we hear these words: “Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” At that moment, your sins of thought, word, and deed are wiped away by God. You are forgiven!

But how often have you thought, “Am I really forgiven?” “I don’t feel forgiven.” “Is what I have done, even forgivable?” Well, if you have thought that – you are not alone.

As soon as that rooster crowed, Peter wept bitterly. Since that night when Peter denied Jesus three times, he was forgiven three times in that locked room. He was indeed reconciled to God. But Peter’s heart remained broken. After his great fall, Peter needed further assurance of his forgiveness. On that Maundy Thursday evening, Peter warmed his hands over a charcoal fire, but on this day, Jesus prepares breakfast over a charcoal fire.

There, on the shore, Jesus has prepared a charcoal fire with fish laid out on it, and bread. The table is ready, and Jesus is the host of the meal. They are fed with bread and fish provided in advance by the Lord. Later, Jesus says, “Bring some of the fish that you have caught” (John 21:10). This was Christ’s miracle. So, when the fish come in, it is the Lord’s doing, even when we carry out His commands. The net may be strained to the breaking point, but when casting out the Gospel net, the apostles are assured of success, no matter what experience or reason may say to the contrary.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus, as the all-knowing Savior full of compassion, pulled Peter aside and spoke the word of full absolution to him that brought the peace of forgiveness of sins to his troubled heart. Jesus said, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” (John 21:15). Peter replies, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you” (John 21:15). After two more questions, Peter realizes what this is all about. Here, Jesus individually absolves Peter three times to again forgive his denial of Him, so that Peter would be among one of those fishers of men.

Now, all the apostles are ready to do what they were called to do: spread the good news of the gospel – the forgiveness of sins!

[Sent]

We, too, are forgiven, renewed, and sent by Jesus! Through Holy Baptism, our sins are forgiven as the Holy Spirit unites us to Jesus by giving us faith. Baptism is the crucial entry point, and this Sacrament establishes the ongoing connection with Jesus’ death and bodily resurrection, as well as with the Father and the Holy Spirit. But the Triune God doesn’t stop there!

He knows that Satan, the world, and our sinful nature constantly attack us. So, He reminds us of our Baptism as He forgives our sins through corporate and individual confession and absolution – just as He did for Peter and his fellow apostles. Christ says to us: “Peace be with you” … “Follow Me” as our sins are forgiven. Is that the end? No!

Christ continues to forgive and renew us through hearing His saving Word and in receiving the meal of His very Body and Blood where we see, touch, and taste Jesus under the bread and wine for our forgiveness and to strengthen our faith in Him. Just as He did for His apostles on the shore, He does for us here in the Divine Service!

Christ does all of this in order to send us into the mission field as His fishers of men!

From the earliest years of John’s Gospel, there have been questions on why the Holy Spirit inspired John to record the exact number of fish – 153 of them. Why so exact? Well, one idea is that the ancient world believed that there were 153 kinds of fish in the seas. So, could this be John reminding us that we are to go to every tribe and nation with the saving Gospel, to bring all nations into God’s net? Also, the net wasn’t torn. Perhaps this is a reminder that no believer will break from God’s net; none will be lost.

The apostles that day didn’t plan to catch exactly 153 fish. And on their own, they couldn’t catch any! But planning how many fish we are going to catch is not something we need to worry about. We just go about our business – fishing: because we are fishers of men. We share Christ’s love because we can’t be silent as Easter people. We are people who are loved and forgiven by God. We do this because it comes naturally, because Christ is risen! [He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!]

You see, new Christians are not made by brilliant theories or slick programs. New Christians just happen naturally as we seize the opportunities that God provides. We all have friends who are hurting. We do have family and friends we can invite to church. In fact, we daily testify to Christ in how we naturally go about life in our various vocations, such as employee, student, child, brother, sister, father, and mother. Now, we may not consider ourselves to be evangelists, but we all are.

Jesus is the source of the mission, and He continues to feed us through His Word and Sacrament as He fortifies our faith, just as He has fortified Peter and the other apostles as we too are forgiven and sent as His resurrection people! Christ is risen! [He is risen, indeed. Alleluia!] Amen!

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Funeral Sermon: "The Lord Leads" (Psalm 23)

 

Family and friends of Susan:

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

[Intro]

Today, Susan is resting from her labors.

Throughout her life, Susan’s heart was devoted to her family and friends as she cherished the time they spent together. She also enjoyed traveling to new and familiar places.

Susan also found joy working with hot air balloons where she participated in many balloon festivals across the country.

She was also artistic as she enjoyed spending time creating stained-glass designs, picture framing, sewing, and she often hand-crafted greeting cards to family and friends. She also enjoyed collecting swans as a hobby.

For us here this evening, as it is with any loss comes mourning. Death is our enemy. Humanity was not created by God to die. But due to our first parents – Adam and Eve – we all die, because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23a). And so, we mourn. But mourning is a good and godly work, since Jesus wept at the death of His friend Lazarus.

We mourn because of the reality of death. We mourn because we were never intended to die and should live forever. But Christians do not mourn as those of the unbelieving world who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Christians mourn, but our mourning is mixed with hope. Our tears are mixed with faith. Our sadness is mixed with joy, since despite the wages of sin being death, “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b).

But just “as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and the life for all men” (Romans 5:18). So, just as Adam’s sin infected the whole world, the righteous conduct of one Man – Jesus Christ – is credited to that same world of sinners. So, because of what Christ has done for the world of sinners through His death and His bodily resurrection, God the Father now looks upon those who cling to Jesus as being holy and sinless!

[The Lord Leads]

Through the Psalmist, God informs us about how He always provides our needs, our comfort, and our assurance. In a world that is full of distress and doubt, these words of Psalm 23 give us hope in three ways: that God leads us, that God is always present, and that God always provides.

“The Lord is my shepherd;
   I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
   He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
   He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).

In the first three verses of Psalm 23, we hear how the Good Shepherd leads us. The Good Shepherd cares for all the needs of His flock. In doing so, He cares for every human need: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

Under the care of the Good Shepherd, we shall not want. Now, this doesn’t mean that we will never have any desires. Rather, all of our needs are met. The Good Shepherd supplies the basics through His daily bread: food, drink, and protection.

Each day of our life and in the life to come God provides for us abundantly. He leads us to “lie down in green pastures” (Psalm 23:2a) where we are free to rest. These green pastures are His Means of Grace – Word and Sacrament – where He provides us pasture and sustenance, so that we may be refreshed and strengthened.

The Good Shepherd also “restores [our] soul” (Psalm 23:3a). Christ tells us: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). You see, He restores our soul as He sacrifices His life for His sheep – you and me.

The Good Shepherd also leads us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. This path of righteousness is “the right path.” You see, Jesus will never lead us to a place of slaughter. He leads us only to eternal life and salvation. Along the way, He leads us along safe paths to heaven through His Word. He leads us to heaven, for the Good Shepherd is the only Way (John 14:6) to travel the righteous path.

[The Lord is Present]

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
   Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

Even in the most frightening situation in our life, the Good Shepherd is present. So, we can always be confident of God’s guiding presence.

Even in “the valley of the shadow of death,” the Good Shepherd is with us. He is always present with us. The Good Shepherd never sends His sheep into places He will not go. He is always with us in our lives.

[The Lord Provides Forever]

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
   Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
   and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:5-6).

These verses tell how the Good Shepherd always provides for His sheep.

He prepares a table before us. This shows how the Good Shepherd is hospitable to His sheep. The Good Shepherd not only gives us our daily bread – all the needs of our body, such as food, drink and protection – but He also gives us the gift of salvation that He won for us through His suffering and death upon the cross.

The “cup runneth over” is the grace that we have received by faith in Jesus Christ. For although we were dead in sin, He took on the death we deserve upon that cross, so that we would be made righteous by grace through faith in Him. For although we sin much in thought, word and deed, God’s grace is the cup that is always runneth over. So, when we repent and confess our sins, we are forgiven.

The Good Shepherd gives all who believe in Him this goodness and mercy all their lives.

[Dwelling in the House of the Lord Forever]

For everyone who dies in Christ, they experience the ending of Psalm 23: “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6b).

As soon as those who know the Good Shepherd enter heaven, they are no longer sinners, but only saints. So, while they are in the presence of the Good Shepherd, they “hunger no more, neither thirst anymore” (Revelation 7:16a). While in heaven, the Good Shepherd continues to provide.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is always with us! He leads us and He provides for us forever! Amen.

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Susan Boesche's Obituary: https://hantge.com/obituaries/susan-kay-boesche/

Sermon for Lent 5: "It's All About Jesus" (Luke 20:9-20)

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

[Intro]

What people say about Jesus tells a lot about that person. Some say: “Jesus was just a miracle worker.” Others say: “Jesus was just another prophet among the prophets.” Even others: “Jesus was a man who hung out with sinners, so I’m comfortable in my sin.” Who is Jesus?

As C.S. Lewis has famously said, Jesus “is either God or a complete lunatic suffering from that form of delusion which undermines the whole mind of man.” Lewis also said Jesus “produced mainly three effects – Hatred – Terror – Adoration. There was no trace of people expressing mild approval.” So, Jesus is either God, a lunatic, or an evil man. Who is Jesus? Today on this, the Fifth Sunday in Lent, Jesus proclaims to His hearers on who He truly is.

Just prior to today’s Gospel text, the Jewish religious establishment challenged the authority of Jesus, saying: “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who is it that gave you this authority?” (Luke 20:2). You see, according to Jewish Law, the chief priests, scribes, and elders had divine appointment. So, they ask Jesus, where does your authority come from?

This question is what leads Jesus into telling the Parable of the Wicked Tenants to the people – those who believe Jesus’ teaching and to the Jewish religious establishment who rejected His teaching.

[The Parable of the Wicked Tenants]

Jesus began the parable saying: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while” (Luke 20:9b).

From the start, we see a vineyard. Now, what does a vineyard require? For sure, time and patience. For a vineyard to produce quality wine, it takes months or even years. So, each vineyard requires tender loving care. We also see that the owner of the vineyard is trusting His tenants to keep producing the fruit needed to make quality wine.

But when the time came to receive some of the fruit of His vineyard, the tenants would not give back what belonged to Him. Instead, “the tenants beat [His servant] and sent him away empty-handed” (Luke 20:10b). But the owner of the vineyard is patient as He keeps sending servants. But with each servant, they receive the same rejection. Now, each servant represents God’s prophetic activity during the Old Testament times, when the prophets called people to repent and to show fruits of repentance, but that call fell so often on deaf ears. Instead, these servants are beaten and sent away (Luke 20:10); beaten, treated shamefully, and sent away (20:11); and wounded and thrown out (20:12).

Eventually, the owner of the vineyard hoping against hope says, “What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him” (Luke 20:13).

Now, for some in the audience, this should have perked their ears. You see, Peter, James, and John have heard this before. By “this,” I mean “beloved Son.” For them, a lightbulb should have gone off, since they previously heard the voice from heaven proclaim about Jesus: “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him” (Luke 9:35). But for the others in the audience who weren’t on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus would explain the meaning of the parable.

You see, the preparatory catechesis is over. The prophets accomplished what God sent them to do, but now it is time for God’s own Son to visit the vineyard. But the abuse suffered by all of God’s servants will fall upon His own beloved Son so this Scripture would be fulfilled: “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell upon Me” (Psalm 69:9; Romans 15:3). So, it is the hour for the Son to be killed.

The tenants say: “This is the heir. Let us kill Him, so that the inheritance may be ours” (Luke 20:14). So, they threw Him out of the vineyard and killed Him. This is Jesus also predicting His own death outside the Jerusalem walls. The wicked tenants wanted the vineyard all to themselves. They assumed that the vineyard would be theirs due to the owner’s absence.

[The Rejection of the Stone]

The meaning of the parable is clear. Jesus is talking about Himself! It’s all about Him! But, at this point, He breaks off the parable and interprets the significance of His own death for salvation history. He asks, “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others” (Luke 20:15-16). Here, Jesus echoes Isaiah: the fruitless vineyard that has become a thicket of thorns must be destroyed (Isaiah 5:5-6). Equally clear is Jesus’ own answer to His question: “He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others” (Luke 20:16).

Since the Jewish religious establishment are unable to be good stewards of God’s vineyard, God the Father – the owner of the vineyard – will give the vineyard to tenants who would care for the vineyard. These new tenants would begin with the Twelve Apostles who, through their commission, reconstitute the Church as the New Israel.

When the Jewish religious establishment heard this, they respond in fear saying, “Surely not!” (Luke 20:16). You see, the killing of the Son, the killing of the wicked tenants, and the transfer of the vineyard to others must happen.

The audience wants to know the end of the story, but do they? Do they really want to know how this ends? Knowing this, Jesus asks them in the form of a question, “What then is this that is written:

          ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?

Everyone who falls on that that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him” (Luke 20:17-18).

For everyone there, they knew exactly what Jesus was saying, for they were familiar with this Jewish proverb: “If a stone falls on the pot, woe to the pot. If the pot falls on the stone, woe to the pot. Either way, woe to the pot!” The stone always destroys the pot.

Jesus speaks the question, but He gives no answer, because the events of the next few days will provide that answer. But the people and the Jewish religious establishment already have had the answer for a long time in the Scriptures. They should have known that according to Moses and all the prophets, it was “necessary that the Christ suffer these things and enter into His glory” (Luke 24:26).

This is what must happen to all the prophets. However, the rejection of this Prophet – Jesus – is different. What is so extraordinary about Jesus’ imminent crucifixion is that His rejection is the means by which He will become the cornerstone and is therefore a reference to His glory! So, by the stone’s rejection by the builders – the Jewish religious establishment – is the stone’s exaltation as the head of the corner.

The coming crucifixion of Jesus will become the ultimate stumbling block for all people as St. Paul was inspired to write: “We preach Christ crucified – a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles” (1 Corinthians 1:23).

[The Tenants Today]

So, what does this Parable mean for us today? That was then, what about now?

We now live in the time of the Church, since Jesus has risen from the dead and has bodily ascended into heaven. So, who are the stewards until Christ returns on the Last Day? We are.

When looking at this parable today, we see Jesus letting the vineyard to us. His servants are faithful pastors who preach Christ’s saving Word of Law and Gospel. And as it was then, is now, many of these faithful pastors today are treated shamefully by today’s tenants who would rather hear what their itching ears desire (2 Timothy 4:3), instead of God’s unchanging truth, for He is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

Christianity has always been about Jesus. Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Jesus is the entire reason the Christian Church exists to this very day and very hour and we are His stewards. So, let us not fall into the mindset of the wicked tenants in the parable who claimed the vineyard for themselves. You see, everything we have is only by God’s grace and favor. So, we cannot claim the paycheck we receive as our own doing, in fact, that paycheck is a gift from God. Remember, it is God alone who provides for all our needs of body – food, clothing, shelter, and the like – and for our soul – the forgiveness of our sins – so it is our vocation to give back what God asks of us: the fruits of our faith: repentant hearts, and our time, talents, and treasure.

Likewise, when a church wavers from its commitment to the confession of Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of the world, it takes the place of the wicked tenants. You see, the most important question Jesus asked His followers was this: “Who do you say that I am?” (Luke 9:20). Since Christ has ascended to the Right Hand of the Father, numerous Christian denominations have walked away from their confidence in the trustworthiness of God’s Word as revealed in the Scriptures. As a result, they are no longer comfortable with the teachings of Jesus and have become the wicked tenants in believing they own the vineyard. But the fact remains that Christianity is all about Jesus and He will come again.

Jesus is the Truth. So, anything that conflicts with the truth of God’s Word, that is a lie. The truth of Christ is objectively true. It is truth aside from how we may feel about it. The truth of Christ does not rest on the shaky foundation of human feeling, emotion, or opinion, for He is the cornerstone.

In ancient times, the cornerstone was used at a building’s corner to bear the weight or stress of the two walls. So, if that stone would be removed, the entire structure would fall. So, upon Jesus rests the entire structure of God’s kingdom.

[The Stone Gives Life]

Jesus is the Stone and He says that everyone will either be broken or crushed. By everyone, Jesus means everyone. We will all be crushed.

For even the most devout follower of Christ must fall into the brokenness of repentance in order to be raised again as new beings, as living stones in Christ, the temple of God. As poor, miserable sinners, all of us, no doubt, have had this experience. We have fallen on that Stone and have been broken. Christ has pulled us up short and stopped us in our path. Through faith in Christ, he has humbled us as He leads us to confess our sin to God and to the neighbor we wronged. He has caused us to see the shoddiness of our thinking and the ugliness of our living. His Word that is “sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12), cuts us to the core. But Christ picks us up. And, oh, the bliss of recovery under His gentle care! What we first regarded as a degree of punishment turns out to be the first step in the healing process as He forgives all repentant sinners. Thus, there is Gospel in what appears to be entirely Law.

But upon those who refuse to trust in Jesus as their Lord comes the crushing blow of judgment. Those who stumble over Jesus will receive the judgment caused by their rejection of Him, and when the stone falls on them, they will be utterly crushed and grounded into powder. You see, although God has a love and patience beyond the farthest reaches of our imagination, God teaches us in His Word with the possibility that one can spurn God once too often. We are reminded that with the assurances of God’s love, that “our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29).

So, the Parable of the Wicked Tenants tells us not only of God’s judgments, but also tells of God’s love and patience. He sends and sends – and keeps on sending. Finally, He sends His Son – His beloved Son. We do right to perceive that the parable is spoken against us. But we do wrong if that’s all we perceive. We need to perceive also that the parable is spoken for us as a word of hope, that it tells us of a God who keeps on sending in our behalf and even goes as far as to send His own beloved Son for our salvation! No one could take Jesus’ life away from Him, only He can lay down His life, so that He may take it up again (John 10:17).

So, who is Jesus? He is the very Lamb of God who put His face toward Jerusalem in order to suffer and die on a cross, so that He would win for all who cling to Him the vineyard, which is the Church, the place of joy, and from the fruit comes the sweet wine of His Means of Grace – His undeserved forgiveness in Word and Sacrament – and the joy of salvation. Amen.

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

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

O You of Little Faith, Why do you Doubt?

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

“Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26).

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? … But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown in to the oven, will he not much clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:25, 30).

“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31).

Over and over again, Jesus rebuked His holy apostles saying, “O you of little faith.” We are not much different from Christ’s holy apostles. We doubt. We doubt that God will provide. We worry about money and finances, especially during times of Inflation. Often, our worries are inward focused – on ourselves – instead of where they ought to be as outwardly focused on God.  

We often find ourselves playing the role of the rich fool, who would rather store up his goods, so we can say, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry” (Luke 20:19). After all, that is the American way, right? We store up goods, instead of giving back what rightfully belongs to God.

But what always happens, despite our doubting? God always provides for our needs. God is always faithful, even when we are “of little faith.”

Each Sunday, we confess our faith using the Creed (from Credo meaning, “I believe”). We confess, “I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible” at each communion Divine Service (First Article of the Nicene Creed) or, “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth” at each non-communion Divine Service (First Article of the Apostles’ Creed). But what exactly are we confessing?

Martin Luther noticed that during his time, many parishioners were just going through the motions and never gave much thought on what they were actually confessing. In his Large Catechism, Luther wrote[1]:

“Here much could be said if we were to describe how few people believe this article. We pass over it; we hear it and recite it, but we neither see nor think about what the words command us to do. For if we believed it with our whole heart, we would also act accordingly, and not swagger about and boast and brag as if we had life, riches, power, honor, and such things of ourselves, as if we ourselves were to be feared and served. This is the way the wretched, perverse world acts, drowned in its blindness, misusing all the blessings and gifts of God solely for its own pride, greed, pleasure, and enjoyment, and never turning to God to thank Him or acknowledge Him as Lord or Creator.

“Therefore, if we believed it, this article should humble and terrify all of us. For we sin daily with our eyes, ears, hands, body and soul, money and property, and with all that we have, especially those who even fight against the Word of God. Yet Christians have this advantage, that they acknowledge that they owe it to God to serve and obey Him for all these things”

So, what are all these things? What exactly are we confessing in the First Article of the Creed?

Well, we confess that God is the giver of all things. He always provides. We only receive. We don’t earn anything by our own merit. God is the giver of all wealth. God is the giver because He is the Creator of heaven and earth.

Luther again writes in his Large Catechism[2]:

“What is meant by these words or what do you mean when you say, ‘I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator,’ etc.? Answer: I hold and believe that I am God’s creature, that is, that He has given me and constantly sustains my body, soul, and life, my members great and small, all my senses, my reason and understanding, and the like; my food and drink, clothing, nourishment, spouse and children, servants, house and farm, etc. Besides, He makes all creation help provide the benefits and necessities of life – sun, moon, and stars in the heavens; day and night; air, fire, water, the earth and all that it yields and brings forth; birds, fish, animals, grain, and all sorts of produce. Moreover, He gives all physical and temporal blessings – good government, peace, security. Thus we learn from this article that none of us has life – or anything else that has been mentioned here or can be mentioned – from ourselves, nor can we by ourselves preserve any of them, however small and unimportant. All this is comprehended in the word ‘Creator.’”

In the First Article of the Creed, we confess that God provides. God always provides! Great is His faithfulness to us! He provides our temporal needs (food, clothing, shelter, and the like) to all people, believer and unbeliever alike, and He provides our eternal needs (forgiveness of sins, which begets eternal life and salvation) to all who trust in Jesus Christ alone!

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
   his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
   “therefore I will hope in him” (Lamentations 3:22-24).

In Christ,

Pastor Adelsen

---

[1] Kolb, Robert and Wengert, Timothy. The Book of Concord: The Confessions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2000), 432-433.

[2] Ibid.