The Sixth Sunday after Trinity (Trinity 6)

(Audio)

Matthew 5:17-26; Romans 6:1-11; Exodus 20:1-17

 

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The fundamental error that you make concerning the Law of God is that you believe that God gave you His Law so that you would know what you must do to fulfill its demands. However, God’s Law does not state what you must do if you are to fulfill its demands. Instead it states what you must be if you are to be able to stand in the presence of God. For, the Law of God states what is right and good, and the good is always a part of the being of God. Thus, the Law of God, the Ten Commandments, do not tell you what you must do, but they tell you what you must be. Moreover, the Law of God, the Ten Commandments, tell you who God is and what He is like, and, therefore, they tell you what you must be, and what you will be, to live in Him – You must be holy, as He is holy.

Your God and LORD commands you to be holy, just as He is holy. And, this is the great curse of the Law, for you cannot make yourself to be holy through your obedience to the Law. You cannot work or earn your way into holiness, for holiness is a state, or a condition, of sinlessness and righteousness and goodness – in other words, to be holy is to be like God, for God alone is holy. And still, He commands you to be holy, just as He is holy.

Jesus’ teaching about the Law of God today follows directly after His teaching of the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, chapter 5. Jesus said to His disciples, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, no an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” It is popular to think that Jesus came to give you a new law, a law that is somehow, easier for you to do. After all, you think, “God surely would not command me to do something that I couldn’t do.” But, you are wrong. He has done precisely that. And, that is the point. Jesus taught that God’s Law of perfect goodness, righteousness, and holiness, not only will not pass away, but Jesus has made it even harder for you to fulfill than the Law and the Prophets originally appeared to teach!

Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.” Yes, you think that so long as you have not wrung anyone’s neck you have kept God’s commandment and Law. But, Jesus says that if you have been angry with someone, if you have insulted someone, you have broken the commandment. Moreover, Luther explains in the Catechism that, not only hurting or harming your neighbor in his body, but failing to help him and befriend him in his bodily needs is a transgression of God’s commandment and Law. And then, but a few verses later, Jesus teaches, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” And, after that, He continues to remake and remodel the well-known commandments of God’s Law. Do you see, then, how Jesus expands, broadens, and adds to the commandments? He would crush your sinful, rebellious, self-righteousness and pride that you might turn to Him for forgiveness. For, He will not lighten the Law and the Commandments of God for you. He will not make them easier for you to do. But, He will fulfill them for you that you may be good, righteous, and holy in Him – that you may live in Him forever.

And you thought the Pharisees were bad, right? You have heard it said, again and again, that the Pharisees were bad guys. The Pharisees were bad because they were the teachers, the shepherds, the pastors of the children of Israel, and they did not preach the Gospel, the “Good News” of forgiveness in the Messiah, but instead they burdened the people with severe preaching of the Law. You have heard it said that the Pharisees loved the Law of God, but I say to you that the Pharisees hated the Law of God. They did not keep it themselves, and they did not teach the children of Israel to keep God’s Law and commandments either. Instead, they changed God’s Law; they softened it and rounded off its sharp edges, to make it more do-able. That’s what you thought Jesus came to do, right? WRONG! God’s Law cannot, and will not, pass away. It is always in force, for it is good and holy, and it is part of God Himself. Again, you must remember, the purpose of the Law is not to teach you what you must do so that you can fulfill it, but the purpose of the Law is to teach you what you must be to stand in God’s presence – that you must be good, righteous, and holy, as God Himself is holy. And, that is to say that you must receive His righteousness and holiness as a gift – a gift that He has given in the Messiah, Jesus.

The Pharisees did not love God’s Law and commandments, but they hated them and they feared them. They did not teach them rightly to the children of Israel. Instead, they changed God’s Law; they softened it and rounded off its sharp edges, to make it more do-able. And then, they added to the Law laws, commandments, and rules of their own, cunningly designed to make them look and feel good. The Pharisees could fulfill the law of their own design. Everyone looked to them as the most good, righteous, and holy men on the planet! As for the people, well, they either became puffed up and full of self-righteous pride, believing that they too kept God’s Law well and good, or, if they were honest with themselves, they fell into hopeless despair, knowing that they did not keep the law and commandments set forth by the Pharisees, but hearing not Gospel forgiveness from their lips either. Do you see how the Law of God impacts sinful men? The Law of God is perfectly good, righteous, and holy, and it is eternal and unchanging – “not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Thus, Jesus was not teaching His disciples, and He is not teaching you, that you must do better at fulfilling God’s Law and commandments, but, instead, He is teaching you that you must believe and trust in Him, that He has fulfilled God’s Law and commandments for you by His good, righteous, and holy death upon the cross. It was upon that cross, in His last breath, that He proclaimed “τετέλεσται,” “It is accomplished,” “It is finished.”

Jesus has fulfilled God’s Law and commandments for you. Believe and trust in Him, and you have the goodness, righteousness, and the holiness that is necessary to stand in the presence of God without fear. That is the Gospel truth, plain and simple. However, you must not conclude from this Gospel truth that you need not obey God’s Law and commands any longer, for, as Jesus teaches, they have not passed away, but they have been fulfilled. Do not then get the idea that you can do whatever your sinful flesh pleases, simply asking for forgiveness after the fact, and believe that you will enter God’s kingdom. In theological jargon, that is called antinomianism – it literally means “against the law”. Dietrich Bonheoffer called it “billige gnade,” or, “cheap grace”. And, this is what St. Paul warns against in our Epistle today saying, “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?”

We Lutherans are sometimes criticized for being antinomian, for cheapening God’s grace, and often justifiably so. We have a rich doctrine of grace, centered in Christ, which glorifies God. But, let us not take that grace for granted and forget how costly it comes to us, for the price is the death of God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, on your behalf. And so, God’s grace must have its way with you, raising you from the death of sin to new life in Jesus Christ. The Law has been fulfilled so that you are free to love your neighbor and to love God with Jesus’ love poured out for you. You must not attempt to relax God’s Law, as Jesus says, and as the Pharisees did, but you are called to a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees – that is, an alien righteousness, a righteousness that comes extra nos, from outside of you, Christ’s righteousness, given to you as a free gift of God’s grace. You must, as St. Paul says, “consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

That life began in Holy Baptism, when you were buried with Jesus in His death, and were raised with Jesus to new life that can never die again. Thus, consider your obedience under God’s Law and commandments in this life to be preparation for the life that never ends. C. S. Lewis once wrote, “In the perfect and eternal world the Law will vanish. But the results of having lived faithfully under it will not.” But, perhaps St. Paul said it better still, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Blessed be the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has done all things well and has made all things new, in the most Holy Spirit. Amen.

In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.

Disordered Love and the Coldness of Sin

In Dante’s Inferno, sin is pictured as disordered love, loving the right things in the wrong way. Rooted in Augustine’s theology, this idea affirms that humans, made in the image of God, were created to love rightly: to love God supremely, and to love others rightly through Him. The Seven Deadly Sins illustrate this truth vividly, as each is a distortion of something inherently good.

Lust, for example, is a disordered love for the body, beauty, and sexual intercourse, all of which God created as very good and to be desired, in the right way. Similarly, greed is a disordered love of the good things God gives to us. Each of the Seven Deadly Sins (Pride, Greed, Wrath, Envy, Lust, Gluttony, Acedia (Sloth/Apathy) is a disordered love of a right thing in a wrong way. The root of such sin is idolatry, a sin against the First Commandment, because we have loved something or someone before and more than we have loved God.

Today, a surprising example of disordered love may be found in the modern redefinition of sympathy/compassion and empathy. While sympathy/compassion and empathy are good, biblical, Christian virtues, they can be bad, even sinful, like anything else, when they become untethered from God’s word, truth, and biblical morality.

For example, it has become common to affirm one’s self-chosen identity as inherently good, regardless of its alignment with biological or moral reality. To affirm someone's preferred gender identity or pronouns, regardless of biological sex, is seen as compassionate and empathetic. Yet, Christian love must be grounded in truth (Ephesians 4:15). When empathy becomes untethered from God's design, it is enabling deception rather than healing. Christians are called to speak the truth in love – not to affirm every self-conception, but to offer the better identity found in Christ, who reorders our disordered loves and gives us new hearts.

Dante’s imagery powerfully conveys the consequence of disordered love. Surprisingly, the lowest level of hell is not fiery but frozen. Lucifer is encased in ice, unable to move, locked in isolation and resentment. This frigid image reveals the true nature of sin: not the passionate fire of love gone wrong, but the cold lifelessness of love turned inward and away from God. This is a sobering image. Disordered love does not bring liberation but spiritual paralysis. It cannot satisfy, because it is disconnected from the Source of life and love.

The Gospel offers not just forgiveness, but reformation of our loves. Jesus Christ, the embodiment of God's love and truth, came not only to save us from sin but to reorder our affections. In him, we learn to love God supremely, others rightly, and his creation as a good gift, not a god. Through repentance and faith, we are invited into the warmth of divine love that thaws the coldness of sin. The Spirit works in us to align our desires with God's will, to restore what has been disordered, and to shape us into lovers of truth and righteousness.

Every sin is a misdirection of love. Even virtues like empathy can become disordered when separated from the truth of God. But Christ is the healing of our hearts and the reordering of our desires. His love, unlike disordered love, is not cold and self-serving, but self-giving, full of grace and truth.

May we, by His Spirit, become people who love rightly, who embody both compassion and conviction, and who reflect the warm light of God’s ordered love in a world growing increasingly cold.

The Fifth Sunday after Trinity (Trinity 5)

(Audio)

Luke 5:1-11; 1 Peter 3:8-15; 1 Kings 19:11-21

 

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The Word of the LORD is performative and creative; it brings into being what it says. Therefore, what effect does that Word have upon you as children and disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus’ Word to you, Jesus’ call to you, is “Follow me.” But, what does that mean? “Follow me” means, stop whatever it is that you are doing; stop going down that path upon which you are walking, turn around, and follow me in the path upon which I will lead you. Listen to me. Say what I say. Do what I do. Trust in me. Be my disciple, one under my discipline and instruction.

What did the fishermen, Simon, Andrew, James, and John do when Jesus called to them, “Follow me?” They immediately left their nets and their boats and they followed Him. The Word of Jesus changed them in some significant ways. They would listen to every Word of Jesus and take it into themselves. They would meditate on it, pray with it, and do it, not in fear of judgment if they failed, but in the freedom of the Gospel that the Lord would work with them and through them and despite them if necessary to accomplish the work for which He was sent. They would still be fishermen, but they would be fishermen with a new motivation, purpose and goal. Jesus signified this change by saying to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They would go to places they never would have dreamed of going to before, and they would do things that they never would have dreamed of before. And, they would go to these places and do these things without fear – fear of failure, fear of success, fear of bodily harm, fear of death. They would do bold things, even foolish things – like dropping their freshly mended nets into the deep after a toilsome night of unsuccessful fishing – at the Word of Jesus, without fear.

And, what did Levi do when Jesus called to him, “Follow me?” He rose at once and followed him, leaving his tax collector’s booth behind. Who would do such a thing, but one changed, emboldened, and empowered by the Holy Spirit through the Word of the Lord? Likewise, each of the other disciples, in their own way, hearkened to Jesus’ Word, left their old ways and lives and livelihoods behind and followed Him. For, to follow Jesus is to “come under His influence, to learn from Him.” It is to become a disciple, one “who lives under the influence of the Word of Jesus and consciously wants to do just that.”

The Churchly word for “calling” is vocation. Each of us has a calling, a vocation; indeed, each of us has many vocations. Your vocation is what you are called to do and to be. Your vocation is not merely your job or profession, though it is certainly that, but your vocation is God’s calling for you to do and to be as His child in this world. Most of your vocations are yours simply by virtue of who you are: Are you a son or a daughter? Are you a father or a mother? Then, being a faithful and obedient son or a mother is one of your vocations. That is to say, you are to not be merely a son or a mother biologically, according to nature, but you are also to be a disciple of Christ and a child of God in those vocational roles. Therefore, in your holy calling as a son or a mother, you will be as the disciples, trusting in the Word of the Lord, living under the influence of Jesus and consciously wanting to do just that.

Additionally, you have many, many other callings, other vocations: Are you an employee or an employer? Are you a teacher? A police officer? A bank teller? A butcher? A baker? Or a candlestick maker? Then, you are to do and to be your vocation as did the disciples, trusting in the Word of the Lord, living under the influence of Jesus and consciously wanting to do just that. That means that you will consciously see yourself and your vocation as something divinely given, as a gift of God and an extension of His grace, mercy, love, and compassion to others. Even the most mundane, inglorious, and boring work is holy and a means through which the Lord works to serve and preserve His people. Thus, Luther famously wrote about vocation saying that a mother changing her child’s soiled diaper is doing a holier work than any monk reciting his prayers. His meaning is that, though our God-given callings, vocations, are often not very glorious from a human and worldly perspective, nevertheless they are both necessary and glorifying of God when they are performed in Christian love, mercy, compassion, humility, and selflessness – not for one’s own glory, but God’s.

However, the as the result of our fallen nature, we are naturally impressed and drawn to miraculous signs and wonders. We also value and glorify things that are spectacular or that seem to be wise in our eyes. But, the power of God to save men is not in miraculous signs and wonders and other spectacles, nor is it in the wisdom of men, just as it was not in the wind and the fire and the earthquake which Elijah experienced, but, rather, in a still small voice. That still small voice is the preaching of Christ crucified, the Gospel.

Likewise, the preaching of Christ crucified is the net in the story of the Great Catch of Fish. Without the net, the disciples could catch nothing at all. And, even with the net, often it hardly seems sufficient to the task, even at verge of breaking so that all is lost. Yet, the preaching of Christ crucified is the “power of God and the wisdom of God.” The fishermen did as Jesus commanded, even though they thought it foolishness, having toiled all the night and caught nothing. Thus, they let down the nets into the deep at Jesus’ Word, and the catch was so great that the nets were breaking. Even when they called for help from other fishermen, the catch was so great that their boats began to sink. While the preaching of the cross will often seem ineffective and insufficient, there will be times when the success it grants will be so great that you will fear that you will not be able to manage it. Both results serve to remind you and to discipline you that it is not you at all, but the Word of the Lord that does the work and produces the fruit of faith. Moreover, you need not have the vocation of pastor to preach Christ crucified, but you preach this Good News in your vocations, whatever they may be, when you do them and be them trusting in the Word of the Lord, living under the influence of Jesus and consciously wanting to do just that.

“Do not be afraid;” Jesus says to you, “from now on you will be catching men.” Perhaps you do not feel worthy or up to the task? Good! That’s alright! In truth, that is where you need to be to be a disciple of Jesus – broken, unworthy, unable, having little or no faith, maybe even being an enemy of Christ! For, consider Peter. Peter was a common, ordinary fisherman. Still, Jesus called him, and Peter followed. Peter wasn’t perfect; in fact, he was far from it, unable to understand that Jesus had to suffer and die and rise again, and then betraying His Lord and Master three times on the night he was arrested and tried. And, what about Paul? Paul was an enemy and persecutor of Christ, arresting and even killing some of the earliest of Christians. Both men were common sinners, just like everyone else. But, the Church of Jesus Christ is not built on the foundation of our great works, our great faith, our great morals, or our great wisdom and intelligence, but the Church of Jesus Christ is built on Christ and the confession of Him as the Son of God crucified for the sins of all mankind and raised for our justification. The Church is a church of sinners, but also a source of forgiveness, where one can get help and be cleansed. Therefore, the Church is not a memorial for saints, but a hospital for sinners. And, as the saying goes, it can always use one more.

This is what Peter recognized and confessed when he fell down at Jesus’ knees and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” However, such a confession will not be left unanswered, but will always receive Jesus’ absolution, “Do not be afraid.” And, with the absolution comes a sending, a calling, a vocation, “From now on you will be catching men.” This is the ongoing vocation of all of Jesus’ disciples, carried out in and through the unique and various callings we all have. “However God calls us, he calls us for this: to be with Jesus and learn from Him, to live with Jesus and receive what only He can give.” It’s not about how great or little faith you have, but it’s about following Jesus, trusting in Him, listening to Him, saying what He says, and doing what He does. “The main thing is to stay with Jesus and follow Him. He takes care of the rest.” Thus St. Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth: “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.”

And, that you may be absolved, strengthened in faith, encouraged and uplifted in grace, and empowered to do and to be your vocations in Christ, your Lord and Master is present with His life-giving and sustaining meal of body and blood that you may eat and drink and be satisfied and that with ears to hear and hearts to believe you may be fishers of men to the glory of God the Father, in His Most Holy Son, through His Holy Spirit.

In + the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Christian Funeral for Dennis Edward Gamble

(Audio)

John 10:11-15, 27-30; Romans 8:31-39; Philippians 4:4-8, 19

 

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Dearly beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus our Lord, we are gathered here this day to remember and to give thanks to God our Father for Dennis Edward Gamble: Devoted husband, doting father, dependable friend, hard worker, wise mentor, comic genius, “The Godfather,” and one redeemed in the blood of Jesus Christ his Savior.

Dennis was born in Blackduck, Minnesota. I had to look that up. Blackduck is, shall we say, “up there” in Minnesota, nestled in the heart of the north-central part of the state appreciated for its natural beauty and abundant waterways, wooded trails, fish, and game. It’s no surprise then that Dennis was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and fishing, hiking, and simply being out in nature enjoying God’s creation. Dennis especially enjoyed the outdoors with J.D. (Gerry Duffy). On one of their hunting excursions J.D. stepped on a skunk. Dennis told him he’d have to stick his foot out the window on the ride home because he wasn’t going to let that stink up his truck. One season when deer were afflicted with Chronic Wasting Disease Dennis bagged a deer and had it processed into venison sticks. When asked if he was concerned about the Wasting Disease Dennis replied, with subtle twitching movements, “I haven’t experienced any side effects.”

Dennis and Judy were married on March 1, 1980. They celebrated their 45^th Anniversary this year. Dennis loved his family and loved attending his children’s school events, concerts, plays, and competitions, and simply spending time with them enjoying the outdoors, singing, and making jokes. Dennis and Judy were their biggest fans and supporters. They are so very proud of each of you.

I’ve only had the blessing of knowing Dennis and Judy since 2018 when they rejoined St. John after some time away. Early on I had no idea of their history in this congregation: Judy having served as church volunteer coordinator and organist, Dennis having served on the Board of Stewardship, etc. However, what was self-evident was that they were part of a tight-knit group of friends here including the Duffy’s, the Hilbert’s, the Lee’s, the Niehaus’s, and several others (not to leave anyone out). Dennis and Judy sang in the choir; I had no idea how Dennis liked to sing funny made-up songs for any occasion. Jean shared with me that Dennis once dressed up like Frankenstein for one of her Halloween student piano recitals and lead the children in singing and playing “The Monster Mash.” Get-togethers with friends would often find Dennis and J. D. harmonizing in an impromptu jam session. One time they dressed up like country folk and played and sang “Where, O Where Are You Tonight” from Hee-Haw, complete with bib overalls, a straw hat, and pitchforks. Dennis was known as “The Godfather” of the group due to his spot-on impersonation of Marlon Brando. He was also known for mixing strong drinks, particularly Irma’s. And Dennis was famous for his storytelling and his “Lena and Ole” jokes, told with a perfect Norwegian accent. I’m sorry that I missed out on many of those qualities in Dennis.

That is because, of course, it wasn’t long after that Dennis began to exhibit some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. Mercifully, that disease is relatively slow-progressing, but it effects a change in personality and mental clarity, along with motor skills, nonetheless. The Dennis I began to know was a kind, gentle, and faithful man, but I wouldn’t have guessed him the jokester, singer, and general life of the party I’ve learned him to be from other’s anecdotes and memories. I considered Dennis more the strong, silent type. But I could tell that he was kind, gentle, and faithful, like I said. Those qualities were self-evident even if some of his other qualities became somewhat muted. Dennis and Judy were in church regularly receiving the Lord’s gifts in Word and Sacrament. Eventually that became less frequent, and sometimes Judy would come without Dennis. So, I began to visit them at home. Dennis became noticeably thinner and even more quiet, but he still desired to hear God’s Word and to receive Christ’s body and blood for the forgiveness of his sins and the strengthening of his faith. Dennis’ hunger and thirst for the Lord’s gifts was sustained until the end.

I never heard Dennis complain. Perhaps he did from time to time, that would be expected, but I never heard it. Dennis had a quiet dignity about him, and he seemed content and at peace, often even hopeful and thankful. We heard in our reading a moment ago, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Is there any doubt that Dennis had that peace which passes our understanding? “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Dennis did just that. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

I regularly reminded Dennis of the Lord’s promises to him that cannot be broken, even as I remind you now: “I will never leave you or forsake you.” “I am with you always, unto the end of the age.” “Nothing can separate you the love of God in Christ Jesus.” “If God is for us, then who can be against us?” The answer, of course, is no one. Therefore, “I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Dearly beloved family and friends of Dennis Gamble, Dennis is a sheep in the Good Shepherd’s flock, and our Lord has called him home to where His sheep may safely graze. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” “If God is for us,” and He is, “then who can be against us?” What do we have to be anxious about or to fear?

Devoted husband, doting father, dependable friend, hard worker, wise mentor, comic genius, “The Godfather,” – Though Dennis was all those things and more, while those may be his qualities and characteristics we remember, that is not what brings us comfort and hope today. Today, and every day, our comfort and hope is in the fact that Dennis is one redeemed in the blood of Jesus Christ his Savior. He was baptized into Jesus, confessed his faith in Jesus, died in Jesus, and he is with Jesus now and forevermore. And more than that, Jesus is still calling His sheep by name to give them eternal life. Jesus has laid down His own life for Dennis, and for all His sheep, for you, that none should perish, but that all who trust in Him should live with Him in His kingdom forever. “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.

The Fourth Sunday after Trinity (Trinity 4)

(Audio)

Luke 6:36-42; Romans 8:18-23; Genesis 50:15-21

 

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Grace and mercy are two sides of the same coin; they are both manifestations of God’s love for you in Jesus Christ. When I teach catechumens about grace and mercy, I explain it this way: Grace is when God gives us good things that we do not deserve; Mercy is when God does not give us bad things that we do deserve. One is a giving, and the other is a withholding. Both come from God: His will, His action, His love. The seeking love of God that we heard about last week, seeking, finding, and restoring the lost, is grace. Today we focus upon God’s love shown in mercy through which He works through the sufferings, pain, and losses we experience as the result of sin to preserve and keep us in His Son unto eternal life. We hear that God works man’s intended evils for good. We hear that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. And we are exhorted to be merciful to all as God our Father has been merciful to us: to judge not, to condemn not, to forgive, and to give as we have been the benefactors of such rich and lavish love, mercy, and forgiveness.

The story of Joseph and his brothers from our Old Testament lesson is a powerful example of love, mercy, and forgiveness. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him because their father Jacob loved Joseph more than the others, being the son of his old age and his beloved wife Rachel. To add to their burning jealousy, Jacob gave Joseph a many-colored coat, and Joseph had dreams in which his brothers bowed down before him. They plotted to kill him, but after Reuben’s intercession they decided merely to sell him into slavery. Well, as the story goes, Joseph ends up in Egypt, and after much injustice and suffering ends up the right hand man of the Pharaoh. When famine hit the region, indeed his brothers did travel to Egypt and bow down before Joseph and receive food and live. When their father died, the brothers were fearful that Joseph would exact revenge upon them for the wrongs they had done to him; they were afraid that they would get what they deserved for their sins. So, they schemed once again and sent message to Joseph that their father Jacob had requested Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers as his dying wish. But the lie was unnecessary, for Joseph had already forgiven his brothers. Joseph replied, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Joseph was merciful to his brothers, he did not give them the bad things that they deserved, but he forgave them, and he restored them. They offered to be his servants, slaves, but Joseph called them brothers and he gave them an allotment of good land and provided for them and their children. This true and historical story is comparable to the Parable of the Lost Son (The Prodigal Son), told from the perspective of mercy.

In today’s Epistle lesson, we hear that the fallout of man’s fall into sin impacted not just all humanity, but all of God’s creation. All of God’s creation is in bondage and subjugation to corruption, and this is bad! But, once again, we hear that God works through this evil and corruption for the good of His creation. “For the creation waits with eager longing,” says Paul, “for the revealing of the sons of God.” Dearly beloved, we are the sons of God of whom Paul speaks! The revealing of our sonship began with the Incarnation of the Son of God as the Man Jesus Christ, but the consummation of this revealing will not be realized until the resurrection of our bodies. Paul says that all of creation, that is, the entire universe and everything in it, waits with eager longing for that moment! Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: We don’t always feel like sons of God, do we? In fact, is there not pain, suffering, sorrow, and death in our lives? Do not the people we love the most hurt us and we them? Does not sickness and disease, war and violence, economic distress, fear, depression, and sadness affect us and those we love? Yes, and this is the result of sin, the wages we have earned for sin, the reaping of what we have sown. Paul acknowledges suffering, but he says to you that all of your sufferings, all of the sufferings of humanity and of the entire creation, these “are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” As bad as things might be at times, what is to come is so glorious and joyous and wonderful that there is no point of comparison between the two! Paul compares the sufferings of this present time to a woman in the labor of childbirth. There is suffering and pain in labor and childbirth, but there is such joy in the birth of a child that the suffering and pain preceding are barely an afterthought. And so, this is how you should view pain, sorrow, suffering, trial, and tribulation, as preparation, as instruction, as catechesis for the glory in which you will soon be revealed and will live forever. But, even now, that glory has already begun to be revealed in you. It was first revealed in the Incarnation of the Son of God in the Man Jesus, and in Jesus, it has begun to be revealed in all who are in Him through Holy Baptism and faith. We have already now begun to walk in the new life, for we “have the firstfruits of the Spirit,” and we “groan inwardly as we await eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

Thus, we know the divine mercy of God’s love, that He does not give us what we deserve, what we have earned for our sins, death, but, instead, He gives us life in His Son. Nothing is held against us, but all is forgiven in Jesus. How then can we judge a brother? How then can we condemn a brother? How can we withhold forgiveness from a brother? We cannot. The debt that has been forgiven us; the guilt that has been cleansed from us; the sin that has been atoned for us; these have truly set us free. How can we keep a brother in chains and bondage? We cannot. We must give and forgive as we have been given to and forgiven, for, grace and mercy are two sides of the same coin. Your forgiveness is intimately connected to the forgiveness you show others. The judgment and condemnation that is withheld from you is intimately connected to the judgment and condemnation you withhold from others. “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

The Lord has prepared this feast today for His sons who are day by day being revealed. The feast, too, is a hidden glory as the Son of Man is present in lowly forms. We, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan and long, with all creation, for the glory to be fully revealed when we will feast with the Lord, not through veiled forms, but face to face. And this is a feast of reconciliation, that what was lost has been found and restored. It is a feast of grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness. You who come, eat, and drink do so in love, forgiveness, and mercy towards your brothers, making peace with them before you bring the gift of yourself to the Lord’s Table. It is the chains that you place upon your brother that keeps you in bondage; the Lord has set you free in Christ Jesus, do not place yourself back in chains by withholding freedom from another. He who fills the cup and satisfies the hungry heart fills you with overflowing love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness that you might shower your brothers in the same to the glory of God the Father through His eternal Son in the life of His Holy Spirit.

In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.

The Third Sunday after Trinity (Trinity 3)

(Audio)

Luke 15:1-10; 1 Peter 5:6-11; Micah 7:18-20

 

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“This man receives sinners and eats with them.” The Pharisees and the scribes intended this as a judgment upon Jesus, but it was in fact a proclamation of Gospel truth. Jesus came to call, not the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Jesus’ receiving sinners is mercy. Jesus’ eating with sinners is grace. Together they are justification and reconciliation with God. And there is rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents.

But there should be rejoicing on earth as well. And that was the problem with the Pharisees and scribes. They should have rejoiced that Jesus received and ate with sinners. They should have done the same themselves. But they didn’t, they couldn’t. Why? Because they had not love. They did not truly love God, but they resented and hated Him. They considered Him “a hard man, reaping where He did not sow, gathering where He scattered no seed.” They hated His Law, and so they eased it and lowered the bar of its demands upon themselves so they could self-righteously boast of keeping it, while keeping it high enough to make it undoable for others. And because they did not love their neighbor, their brother, but kept him under the weight of the Law, they bound themselves under the weight of the Law as well, for if you will not release your brother from his sin, then you have bound yourself as well, enslaved to keeping your brother down. While there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, there is only misery, anger, and resentment on earth for those who refuse to forgive their brother and so reject forgiveness and freedom for themselves as well.

The entirety of St. Luke chapter 15 is Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and scribes who were scandalized that Jesus received and ate with sinners. Jesus answered them with three consecutive parables: The Parable of the Lost Sheep; the Parable of the Lost Coin; and the Parable of the Lost Son (The Prodigal Son). Each of the parables involves something that was lost, followed by great rejoicing when it is found. However, the Parable of the Lost Son exposes the particular sin of the Pharisees and the scribes: They did not love God their Father, therefore they did not and could not love their brother and neighbor.

In the Parable of the Lost Sheep Jesus compares the Pharisees and scribes to a shepherd who has lost a sheep. The Pharisees were the shepherds and pastors of Israel, so they likely accepted the analogy of the shepherd, but that they had lost a sheep would not have set well with them. Jesus posited the question, “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?” Now, I believe that this question is designed to convict the Pharisees, indeed, to convict all of us pragmatists at heart, for who would leave ninety-nine sheep behind in the dangers of the open country to find one stupid, wayward sheep? “That sheep got what it deserved,” they likely thought, just like the sinners they wrote off and condemned whom Jesus received and ate with. “And when he has found it,” Jesus continued, “he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’” None of this made any sense to the Pharisees, and it likely makes little sense to us; “All this rejoicing over one lost sheep that has been found? Why all the fuss?” But Jesus says, “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

Why is that? How can that possibly be? That doesn’t make any sense, according to fallen, sin-wrecked human reason. Why would one sinner who repents be more celebrated than ninety-nine righteous persons? Ah, but it’s not just ninety-nine righteous persons, but ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Who is there, who has there ever been, who was righteous and needed no repentance? Adam and Eve? No. Abraham and Sarah? No. Moses? No. King David? No. The Pharisees and scribes? No. You and me? No, no, no. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” “There is not one who is righteous, not even one.” And that is precisely the point. The Pharisees and the scribes were not better than the sinners Jesus received and ate with. Indeed, Jesus would, and did, eat with the Pharisees and scribes as well. We’re all sinners. We’re all unrighteous. We’re all hypocrites. And there’s always room for one more. There is rejoicing in heaven over each and every individual sinner who repents. Why do we not rejoice here on earth?

In Jesus’ third parable, the Parable of the Lost Son, it is the often forgotten and overlooked elder son who represents the Pharisees. When he learns that his brother who was lost and presumed dead had returned home safe and sound, the elder son is furious – he is furious with his father for forgiving and restoring his brother! Why? Because the elder son did not love his father, but he resented him and considered him an oppressive burden; likewise, he did not love his brother. The elder son represents the Pharisees and scribes, and too often you and me as well. The elder son should have rejoiced when he learned that his brother was home safe and sound. He should have gone to the feast celebrating his return and restoration. Instead, he remained outside in his anger, resentment, and misery, weeping with rage and gnashing his teeth. That was his choice, and only his choice. The father wanted to receive him and eat with him and rejoice over him, but the elder son refused and made himself to be out. Learn from this Christian and do not make the same choice.

The Church of Jesus Christ is sometimes referred to as a mouth house of forgiveness. Forgiveness is what the Church exists for. Forgiveness is what we are here for today and every Lord’s Day. Nevertheless, it is a truism that only sinners can be forgiven. Only the lost can be found. Only the dead can be raised. Repentant sinners are invited, welcomed, and rejoiced over here, but the righteous are not invited. Those who are proud, self-satisfied, and self-righteous cannot be forgiven. They are the “ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” They cannot be forgiven because they do not believe themselves to have any sin that needs forgiveness; therefore, they do not repent. “If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.” “Who is a God like [the LORD], pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. [He] will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” Indeed, He has slaughtered the fattened calf, His Son Jesus Christ, for you, and all earth and heaven rejoices that you, O sinner, who were lost, has been found; you were dead, and you are now alive in Jesus Christ. The sign of your forgiveness is that Jesus receives you and eats with you. So must you receive repentant sinners and forgive them for Jesus’ sake. 

In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.