Sermon for Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday (April 1, 2007)
“The Glory of the Cross” (John 12:20-43)
St. John says a remarkable thing towards the end of today’s Gospel reading. He quotes from the prophet Isaiah and then says, “Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.” (v. 41) The “him” there is Christ. With the perspective that God gave to the prophets of the Old Testament, Isaiah saw Christ’s glory and spoke of him.
In our midweek services this Lent, we have been listening to the Fourth Suffering Servant Song in Isaiah 52 and 53 where Isaiah describes how the Savior would suffer for us. He goes into quite a bit of detail, including the fact that the Savior would bear our griefs and carry our sorrows, “yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us piece, and with his stripes we are healed.” (Is 53:4-5)
Some would go so far as to say that Isaiah even saw Jesus in chapter 6 of his book where he says, “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.” (Is 6:1) We usually picture that throne as a seat, with God sitting upon it wearing a crown of gold. But perhaps the throne that Isaiah saw was a cross, with God nailed to it wearing a crown of thorns. After all, in our text, Jesus says, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (v. 32) Perhaps it’s the glory of the cross that Isaiah saw and of which he spoke.
The Glory That Comes From Man
Seeking the Glory...To those who saw Jesus hanging on the cross, he didn’t look very glorious. He didn’t look like someone who should be praised and honored. That’s why so many people had...and still have...a hard time believing in him. That’s why those who did believe in him were afraid of speaking up. St. John writes, “They loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” (v. 43)
We all like to be praised, honored, and lifted up for the work we do. We like to be acknowledged for who we are, for succeeding, for looking good. For some people, it’s a rush being on stage and performing. It’s almost like an addictive drug for some actors on stage and athletes on the field, having thousands of people cheering for you...with adoring fans reaching out to touch you, hoping for a piece of your sweat-stained clothing or wanting your autograph. You and I may never be in the position of an actor or an athlete. But we do like those pats on the back. And sometimes we might even be willing to compromise our principles in order to receive the favor of those whom we are trying to impress.
Ashamed of the Glory...Some of the members of the Jewish ruling council compromised their principles. They had come to believe that Jesus was the Messiah but were afraid to speak up and confess their faith in him. At this point, they remained quiet because they were afraid of the Pharisees. They were afraid that they would be excommunicated from the synagogue if it became known that they believed in Jesus. They were ashamed of the glory of Jesus. “They loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” And you and I are no different. We are afraid of what others might think of us, and so at times we fail to stand up and confess that we believe in Jesus.
Losing the Glory...But what happens when we are afraid to publicly confess faith in Jesus? Jesus said, “everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 10:32-33) When we are afraid to publicly confess Jesus, it proves that we love our own life more than Jesus (v. 25). And when we love our life more than Jesus, we will not keep it for eternal life. We will lose it eternally.
The Glory of the Cross
Jesus Glorified...Jesus did not come to get the glory. He didn’t come to this earth in order to receive fame and fortune. He humbled himself and became obedient, even to the point of death on a cross (Phil. 2:8). It wasn’t a rush for him when he rode into Jerusalem with the crowd crying, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Jn 12:13) He received their accolades, but he knew that they would soon be disappointed to see him headed toward the cross instead of being the conquering Messiah they expected. Jesus did not come to be glorified, yet he was glorified through his death, as he said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” (v. 23) His body is that “grain of wheat” (v. 24) that died and fell into the ground in order to bear much fruit...the fruit of the resurrection on Easter morning, and the fruit of forgiveness and life everlasting for all who trust in him.
In our Gospel reading today we see the very real struggle that Jesus was going through. His life was hurtling towards that awful death on the cross. “Now is my soul troubled,” he said (v. 27). That translation doesn’t really say it as strongly as it should. Jesus’ entire mind and heart was thrown into turmoil over what was coming. He was under great emotional distress. You and I have no idea really what he was going through. With the power to stop his own suffering, he was going to have to allow himself to be arrested, mocked, beaten, and nailed to a cross. Moreover, he was going to do all of this with the weight of the world’s sin placed upon him.
Jesus’ priority was you and your forgiveness. His life was not important to him. His love was not for his own life. His love was for you and your life. He gave his life up in this world so that you could keep yours for eternity. And so, in his distress, he said, “And what shall I say, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” (v. 27-28)
And then, a voice came from heaven saying, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” (v. 28) This was the third time in the Gospels that a voice came from heaven. The first time was at his Baptism in the Jordan. God the Father spoke of Jesus and glorified his name in Jesus when he said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Mt 3:17) Next, we heard the Father’s voice at the Transfiguration, where Jesus was seen shining in glory on the mountaintop, and the Father said, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him.” (Lk 9:35) And now, we hear the Father’s voice one more time, as Jesus approaches the cross where he will be lifted up. In so doing, Jesus completely obeys his Father’s will to suffer and die on the cross, and in this way, the Father’s name is glorified.
As Jesus is lifted up on the cross, “now is the judgment of this world” (v. 31)...Jesus faces the world’s judgment in our place. As Jesus is lifted up on the cross, “the ruler of this world [is] cast out.” (v. 31) Ever since Adam and Eve fell into sin, Satan has had a stronghold over the hearts of people. In that sense, he is the ruler of this world and all that is opposed to God. But now, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, “Jesus has taken away from the devil the power to keep men in his service.” 1 John 3:8 says, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” And as Jesus is lifted up on the cross, he will draw all people to himself...not only Jews, but also Greeks who “wish to see Jesus.” (v. 21) The kingdom of God is not exclusive to any one race or nationality, but Jesus draws people from every tribe and nation to his Church through the preaching of the glory of the cross.
We are Glorified through Forgiveness...Through the message of the cross, Jesus takes away the darkness that covers over our eyes and brings us into the light of his love (v. 35-36). God the Holy Spirit softens our once hardened hearts and turns us from our sinful selfishness and heals our brokenness (v. 40). The glory that comes from man is no longer important for us because the glory of Jesus’ death covers over our sin and shame. Through Jesus shed blood at the cross, we are forgiven for all our sins, including the times when we were like those authorities in the synagogue, afraid to publicly confess our faith in Christ.
The Glory of Losing Our Life for Jesus’ Sake...We don’t have to be afraid of what other people will think of us when we confess faith in Jesus. Jesus said, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (v. 25) Now, Jesus isn’t saying that we should go around with a morbid self-loathing or with suicidal impulses. Hating your life is a way of saying that we are to rearrange our priorities. Our needs are to come after serving God and others. Jesus also said, “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” (v. 26) In other words, follow him to the cross. His coming death on the cross is to serve as the model for us as we reach out and serve others. It involves sacrifice. It means being willing to get your hands dirty. It means loving those who are not always very lovable. And we can do this, knowing that Jesus will already be in those places where he asks us to go and serve him.
And Jesus has already been given the name that is above every name and exalted to the highest place (Phil. 2:9). That, too, is a place of which Jesus says, “Where I am, there will my servant be also.” And by grace, God the Father will honor us with that glorious crown of life that awaits us...because of the crown of thorns that Jesus wore for us when he was lifted up on the throne of the cross.
Amen.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Sermon for the Annunciation of Our Lord
The Annunciation of Our Lord (March 25, 2007)
“God Does the Impossible” (Luke 1:26-38; Hebrews 10:4-10)
Those old crooners Andy Williams and Perry Como both once sang, “It’s impossible—tell the sun to leave the sky, it’s just impossible—ask a baby not to cry, it’s just impossible.”
You can probably think of other things that are impossible...including someone like Mary getting pregnant. I mean, things like this just don’t happen in our world. Biologically, it’s impossible. But our Gospel reading today tells us that it did happen. The angel Gabriel visited Mary of Nazareth and told her that God’s grace was shining down upon her. “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you,” he said to her. But instead of responding, “And also with you,” as would have been appropriate, she apparently was dumbstruck wondering what this was strange visitation was all about.
And so the angel reassures her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” And he goes on to tell her that this child to be conceived in her womb would be the long awaited Savior of the world. That’s why he was given the name Jesus, because it means, “The Lord saves.”
But why are we talking about this during Lent? This sounds more like a story that ought to be retold during Advent. Well, first of all, we celebrate the birthday of our Savior on December 25. And if we believe that the moment the Word of the Lord from the angel came to Mary was the moment she conceived, then nine months before December 25 is today, March 25th, the day on which we commemorate the day when the angel Gabriel came to Mary and announced that she would be the mother of the Savior.
Second, Lent is an appropriate time to talk about this. Advent and Christmas always have their eye on Lent and Easter. The death and resurrection of Jesus are the culmination of his conception and birth. So let’s talk about the Annunciation today, since the Son of God had to become a man in order for him to be the right kind of sacrifice for us at the cross.
That Which is Impossible
In the Old Testament, God had given the people of Israel a system of sacrifices to cover the sins which they had committed. They had to come to the tabernacle and later the temple with bulls and goats and sheep. The priests would lay their hands on the heads of the animals, symbolically transferring the sins of the people on to the animals. And then, the animals were sacrificed. But these sacrifices had to be done over and over again, day after day and year after year. Why? Because these sacrifices were only a shadow of the once-for-all sacrifice to come. And so the author of Hebrews writes, as we heard in today’s Epistle lesson, that “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”
But that’s not the only thing that is impossible. In our natural sinful condition, it’s also impossible for us to do God’s will. Our sinful nature does not love God. In fact, St. Paul says that “the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” (Rom. 8:7 NIV) The sinful mind hates God and does not like him telling us what we are supposed to do and not to do.
If that’s the case...and it is...then you would think that it would be impossible for sinners to be saved. You would think that it is impossible for God to love someone so unlovable because of their disobedience to his holy will...
...except for the fact that God has done that which is only possible for him.
God Has Done the Impossible
God has done the impossible. He broke into time and space. The infinite became finite. A child was conceived in the womb of a woman who was never touched by a man. A body was prepared there for the Son of God. A body was prepared for him to be the Savior of sinners, because of God’s great love for us. The author of our Epistle lesson says, “when Christ came into the world, he said”...and here he quotes Psalm 40 where the Son of God says... “ ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, “Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written in the scroll of the book.”’”
Now, one man might be able to die in place of another. Every so often you read about someone giving up their life to save someone. For example, back in 1943 during World War II, the SS Dorchester was steaming across the North Atlantic with 903 troops and 4 chaplains on board. At 12:00 am on February 3, a torpedo from a German U-Boat ripped into the ship.
“She’s going down!” the men cried, scrambling for the lifeboats.
A young GI crept up to one of the chaplains. “I’ve lost my lifejacket,” he said.
“Take this,” the chaplain said, handing the soldier his jacket. Before the ship sank, the other three chaplains had given their lifejackets to another man. The four men then linked arms and joined in prayer as the Dorchester went down. Each lost their lives that day, but were posthumously award the Distinguished Service Cross. And in 1948, the US Postal Service issued a stamp with the words "These Immortal Chaplains" above their faces.
Yes, it’s possible for one man to die in place of another, yet even that does not happen very often.
Moreover, one man’s life would not be sufficient for all sinners of all time and places. Psalm 49:7 says, “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him.” Only God can satisfy his own justice. And a death has to occur, since the Bible says, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” (Heb. 9:22) And so God became Man in the flesh of Jesus Christ.
And in that flesh, Jesus came to do the will of God (Heb. 10:8). That will was to live perfectly according to the Law of God as our substitute. That will was to die on the cross for the sins of all people...as the perfect, unblemished Lamb of God, shedding his blood to take away our sin and the sin of the whole world.
By the way, I mentioned that our Epistle reading today from the book of Hebrews quotes Psalm 40. If you were to read Psalm 40 in the Old Testament, it wouldn’t be exactly the same. That’s because the authors of the New Testament usually quoted from the Greek Version of the Old Testament, called the Septuagint, written about 200 years before Christ. So in our New Testament book of Hebrews it says, “A body you have prepared for me.” However, in the original Hebrew it says, “you have given me an open ear,” or literally, “ears you have dug for me.”
Now don’t lose any sleep over this difference. Think about it. “Ears you have dug for me.” The Creator takes his finger and prepares a body, like a sculptor molding and modeling clay. He prepares a body, including and especially ears. He dug out an ear canal in that little baby growing in the belly of his mother. He opens his Son’s ears so that his Word can be heard, trusted, and obeyed...doing the will of his Heavenly Father in our place.
Also, when the angel brought God’s Word to Mary, you might say that God “dug out” Mary’s ears. He opened her ears so that she could have faith in the impossible thing that he was going to do for her and for all people. “Nothing will be impossible with God,” the angel said. And Mary responded, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your Word.”
Mary was enabled to be the Lord’s servant because of the Suffering Servant who was conceived in her womb, whom she bore nine months later in Bethlehem, and who thirty years later was nailed to the cross outside Jerusalem. That body prepared in Mary’s womb also rose in victory from the tomb. That body prepared in Mary’s womb appeared to his followers in the Upper Room. The fear and unbelief that had clogged up Thomas’ ears were then dug out by Christ’s almighty Word. “Put your finger here and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Hearing his Lord’s Word and seeing the risen body that once was in Mary’s womb and a rock-hewn tomb, Thomas worshiped him and declared, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:27-28)
It’s impossible for us to believe and be saved. In our sinful condition it’s impossible for us to worship the Savior as our Lord and our God. But God has done the impossible for us. He prepared a body for his Son in the Virgin’s womb, and that body always did the will of his Father...for us...including suffering and dying for your sins and mine. And now, God digs out our ears...he opens them to hear his Word, so that we might hear and trust in the work of the Suffering Servant, and so that we can say, like his mother did, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your Word.” “The power of the Most High overshadows” us. He forgives our sins and pours down grace and mercy upon us. He allows us to eat and drink of that body and blood once prepared in Mary’s womb. And where once it would have been impossible for us to love and serve God, he makes it possible for us to be his servants through the power of his Spirit working in us.
Amen.
“God Does the Impossible” (Luke 1:26-38; Hebrews 10:4-10)
Those old crooners Andy Williams and Perry Como both once sang, “It’s impossible—tell the sun to leave the sky, it’s just impossible—ask a baby not to cry, it’s just impossible.”
You can probably think of other things that are impossible...including someone like Mary getting pregnant. I mean, things like this just don’t happen in our world. Biologically, it’s impossible. But our Gospel reading today tells us that it did happen. The angel Gabriel visited Mary of Nazareth and told her that God’s grace was shining down upon her. “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you,” he said to her. But instead of responding, “And also with you,” as would have been appropriate, she apparently was dumbstruck wondering what this was strange visitation was all about.
And so the angel reassures her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” And he goes on to tell her that this child to be conceived in her womb would be the long awaited Savior of the world. That’s why he was given the name Jesus, because it means, “The Lord saves.”
But why are we talking about this during Lent? This sounds more like a story that ought to be retold during Advent. Well, first of all, we celebrate the birthday of our Savior on December 25. And if we believe that the moment the Word of the Lord from the angel came to Mary was the moment she conceived, then nine months before December 25 is today, March 25th, the day on which we commemorate the day when the angel Gabriel came to Mary and announced that she would be the mother of the Savior.
Second, Lent is an appropriate time to talk about this. Advent and Christmas always have their eye on Lent and Easter. The death and resurrection of Jesus are the culmination of his conception and birth. So let’s talk about the Annunciation today, since the Son of God had to become a man in order for him to be the right kind of sacrifice for us at the cross.
That Which is Impossible
In the Old Testament, God had given the people of Israel a system of sacrifices to cover the sins which they had committed. They had to come to the tabernacle and later the temple with bulls and goats and sheep. The priests would lay their hands on the heads of the animals, symbolically transferring the sins of the people on to the animals. And then, the animals were sacrificed. But these sacrifices had to be done over and over again, day after day and year after year. Why? Because these sacrifices were only a shadow of the once-for-all sacrifice to come. And so the author of Hebrews writes, as we heard in today’s Epistle lesson, that “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”
But that’s not the only thing that is impossible. In our natural sinful condition, it’s also impossible for us to do God’s will. Our sinful nature does not love God. In fact, St. Paul says that “the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” (Rom. 8:7 NIV) The sinful mind hates God and does not like him telling us what we are supposed to do and not to do.
If that’s the case...and it is...then you would think that it would be impossible for sinners to be saved. You would think that it is impossible for God to love someone so unlovable because of their disobedience to his holy will...
...except for the fact that God has done that which is only possible for him.
God Has Done the Impossible
God has done the impossible. He broke into time and space. The infinite became finite. A child was conceived in the womb of a woman who was never touched by a man. A body was prepared there for the Son of God. A body was prepared for him to be the Savior of sinners, because of God’s great love for us. The author of our Epistle lesson says, “when Christ came into the world, he said”...and here he quotes Psalm 40 where the Son of God says... “ ‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, “Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written in the scroll of the book.”’”
Now, one man might be able to die in place of another. Every so often you read about someone giving up their life to save someone. For example, back in 1943 during World War II, the SS Dorchester was steaming across the North Atlantic with 903 troops and 4 chaplains on board. At 12:00 am on February 3, a torpedo from a German U-Boat ripped into the ship.
“She’s going down!” the men cried, scrambling for the lifeboats.
A young GI crept up to one of the chaplains. “I’ve lost my lifejacket,” he said.
“Take this,” the chaplain said, handing the soldier his jacket. Before the ship sank, the other three chaplains had given their lifejackets to another man. The four men then linked arms and joined in prayer as the Dorchester went down. Each lost their lives that day, but were posthumously award the Distinguished Service Cross. And in 1948, the US Postal Service issued a stamp with the words "These Immortal Chaplains" above their faces.
Yes, it’s possible for one man to die in place of another, yet even that does not happen very often.
Moreover, one man’s life would not be sufficient for all sinners of all time and places. Psalm 49:7 says, “No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him.” Only God can satisfy his own justice. And a death has to occur, since the Bible says, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” (Heb. 9:22) And so God became Man in the flesh of Jesus Christ.
And in that flesh, Jesus came to do the will of God (Heb. 10:8). That will was to live perfectly according to the Law of God as our substitute. That will was to die on the cross for the sins of all people...as the perfect, unblemished Lamb of God, shedding his blood to take away our sin and the sin of the whole world.
By the way, I mentioned that our Epistle reading today from the book of Hebrews quotes Psalm 40. If you were to read Psalm 40 in the Old Testament, it wouldn’t be exactly the same. That’s because the authors of the New Testament usually quoted from the Greek Version of the Old Testament, called the Septuagint, written about 200 years before Christ. So in our New Testament book of Hebrews it says, “A body you have prepared for me.” However, in the original Hebrew it says, “you have given me an open ear,” or literally, “ears you have dug for me.”
Now don’t lose any sleep over this difference. Think about it. “Ears you have dug for me.” The Creator takes his finger and prepares a body, like a sculptor molding and modeling clay. He prepares a body, including and especially ears. He dug out an ear canal in that little baby growing in the belly of his mother. He opens his Son’s ears so that his Word can be heard, trusted, and obeyed...doing the will of his Heavenly Father in our place.
Also, when the angel brought God’s Word to Mary, you might say that God “dug out” Mary’s ears. He opened her ears so that she could have faith in the impossible thing that he was going to do for her and for all people. “Nothing will be impossible with God,” the angel said. And Mary responded, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your Word.”
Mary was enabled to be the Lord’s servant because of the Suffering Servant who was conceived in her womb, whom she bore nine months later in Bethlehem, and who thirty years later was nailed to the cross outside Jerusalem. That body prepared in Mary’s womb also rose in victory from the tomb. That body prepared in Mary’s womb appeared to his followers in the Upper Room. The fear and unbelief that had clogged up Thomas’ ears were then dug out by Christ’s almighty Word. “Put your finger here and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Hearing his Lord’s Word and seeing the risen body that once was in Mary’s womb and a rock-hewn tomb, Thomas worshiped him and declared, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:27-28)
It’s impossible for us to believe and be saved. In our sinful condition it’s impossible for us to worship the Savior as our Lord and our God. But God has done the impossible for us. He prepared a body for his Son in the Virgin’s womb, and that body always did the will of his Father...for us...including suffering and dying for your sins and mine. And now, God digs out our ears...he opens them to hear his Word, so that we might hear and trust in the work of the Suffering Servant, and so that we can say, like his mother did, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your Word.” “The power of the Most High overshadows” us. He forgives our sins and pours down grace and mercy upon us. He allows us to eat and drink of that body and blood once prepared in Mary’s womb. And where once it would have been impossible for us to love and serve God, he makes it possible for us to be his servants through the power of his Spirit working in us.
Amen.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Living Vicariously
Some parents live vicariously through their kids. That means they live their lives through the activities of their children. For example, a father wanted to be a major league baseball player when he was young. He never quite had the skills to make it, so he pushes his son to practice hard so that his son can make it to the big show one day...whether his son aspires to that or not. Or a mother always wanted to be a ballet dancer when she was young, so she pays an exorbitant amount for lessons so her daughter can perform with a prestigious dance company some day and tour the world.
One definition of the word “vicarious” is “to experience secondhand.” That fits the descriptions of the aforementioned parents. Another definition is “suffered or done by one person as a substitute for another.”
That second description fits the entire life of our Lord Jesus. His entire life was “lived vicariously.” All that he did he did for us, as our substitute (Gal. 4:4-5). He willingly, perfectly obeyed God the Father's will. Not once did Jesus ever slip and break any of the 10 Commandments in thought, word, or deed. And all this he did in your place and mine.
Likewise, Jesus willingly laid down his life at the cross as the perfect, holy, righteous sacrifice for the sins of the world (1 Pet. 1:18-19). You and I deserve to die and be eternally separated from God because of our sins. You and I deserved to be on Calvary's cross. But Jesus died there in our place, as our substitute (Is. 53:4-5; 2 Cor. 5:21). He endured death and the pain of being separated from his Father at the cross, and he cried out, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46)
On the third day, Jesus rose to life again...vicariously. His resurrection was for us, too. Because he lives, we too shall live (John 14:19; Rom. 6:4-5). His resurrection is the start of the new creation that you and I enjoy right now...a life of reconciliation and relationship with God (2 Cor. 5:17). But we are not yet bodily raised to life, as Jesus is. For us, our resurrection will happen on the Last Day when Jesus returns (1 Thess. 4:16).
It's probably not a healthy thing for parents to live vicariously through their kids. Living that way may lead to unhealthy expectations, psychological damage, and family conflict.
But it's a good thing that we have someone who lived vicariously for us...Jesus, our Savior. Joined to his vicarious life through baptism, all that he accomplished in his death and resurrection becomes ours. God now sees you as perfect and holy. You are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6). The riches of heaven are yours. And in this way, you might say that you are “living vicariously” through Jesus, because he is your substitute.
So live “vicariously.” Live knowing you are God's baptized child. Live knowing you are forgiven. Live knowing that you are reconciled to God. Live knowing that you are a new creation now. Live feeding on the body and blood of your Risen Savior. And live looking forward to the resurrection to eternal life on the Last Day.
One definition of the word “vicarious” is “to experience secondhand.” That fits the descriptions of the aforementioned parents. Another definition is “suffered or done by one person as a substitute for another.”
That second description fits the entire life of our Lord Jesus. His entire life was “lived vicariously.” All that he did he did for us, as our substitute (Gal. 4:4-5). He willingly, perfectly obeyed God the Father's will. Not once did Jesus ever slip and break any of the 10 Commandments in thought, word, or deed. And all this he did in your place and mine.
Likewise, Jesus willingly laid down his life at the cross as the perfect, holy, righteous sacrifice for the sins of the world (1 Pet. 1:18-19). You and I deserve to die and be eternally separated from God because of our sins. You and I deserved to be on Calvary's cross. But Jesus died there in our place, as our substitute (Is. 53:4-5; 2 Cor. 5:21). He endured death and the pain of being separated from his Father at the cross, and he cried out, “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46)
On the third day, Jesus rose to life again...vicariously. His resurrection was for us, too. Because he lives, we too shall live (John 14:19; Rom. 6:4-5). His resurrection is the start of the new creation that you and I enjoy right now...a life of reconciliation and relationship with God (2 Cor. 5:17). But we are not yet bodily raised to life, as Jesus is. For us, our resurrection will happen on the Last Day when Jesus returns (1 Thess. 4:16).
It's probably not a healthy thing for parents to live vicariously through their kids. Living that way may lead to unhealthy expectations, psychological damage, and family conflict.
But it's a good thing that we have someone who lived vicariously for us...Jesus, our Savior. Joined to his vicarious life through baptism, all that he accomplished in his death and resurrection becomes ours. God now sees you as perfect and holy. You are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6). The riches of heaven are yours. And in this way, you might say that you are “living vicariously” through Jesus, because he is your substitute.
So live “vicariously.” Live knowing you are God's baptized child. Live knowing you are forgiven. Live knowing that you are reconciled to God. Live knowing that you are a new creation now. Live feeding on the body and blood of your Risen Savior. And live looking forward to the resurrection to eternal life on the Last Day.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Lutheran Baseballers
Click here to read a great post by the Rebellious Pastor's Wife about Bill Wambsganss, the only baseball player to ever turn an unassisted triple play in World Series History (1920). He also happens to have been a Missouri Synod Lutheran, and the gymnasium at Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne is named after him.
And Gene Veith at Cranach adds that Scott Linebrink, relief pitcher for the San Diego Padres, attends an LCMS church and is the great-grandson of Francis Pieper, one of the greatest theologians of the Missouri Synod and author of a three-volume dogmatics text that is still used at our seminaries today.
And Gene Veith at Cranach adds that Scott Linebrink, relief pitcher for the San Diego Padres, attends an LCMS church and is the great-grandson of Francis Pieper, one of the greatest theologians of the Missouri Synod and author of a three-volume dogmatics text that is still used at our seminaries today.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Sermon for the Funeral of Dennis Luetke
Sermon for the Funeral of Dennis Luetke (March 14, 2007)
“My Sheep Hear My Voice” (John 10:27-28)
Zion Lutheran Church, Auburn, WA
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The portion of Scripture I’d like for you to consider at this time of sadness, confusion, and hurt is from the 10th chapter of St. John’s Gospel, verses 27-28, where Jesus says: “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.”
My Sheep Hear My Voice
Earlier in the chapter from which these verses are taken, Jesus calls himself “The Good Shepherd.” And this particular Shepherd has a flock of sheep for which he cares. This flock of sheep are made up of people who listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd. After all, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice.” So here we are today, listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd, to receive comfort and strength in the midst of grief.
Dennis belonged to the Good Shepherd’s flock. He first heard the Good Shepherd’s voice when he was brought to the font by his parents. The pastor poured water over his head, called his name, and said, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In this way, Dennis was marked with God’s own name. Through water and the Word, the Holy Spirit created faith in Dennis’ heart, and he became a part of Christ’s sheepfold.
Dennis continued to hear the Shepherd’s voice in Sunday School, in confirmation instruction here at Zion, and every time he came to church.
Dennis also heard the Shepherd’s voice every time he came to the Lord’s altar. Through the mouth of the pastor, Dennis heard his Good Shepherd say, “Take and eat, this is my body, given for you. Take and drink, this is my blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins.” Through the hands of the pastor, Dennis received his Savior’s precious body and blood, and in so doing received all the benefits of that gracious meal...the blessings of life, salvation, and forgiveness. And just a couple of weeks ago, it was a nice surprise to see Dennis in church up in Marysville. Once again, he heard his Shepherd’s voice as he so often did over the years.
Sheep Are Known to Go Astray
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” It’s a fact that sheep can recognize the voice of their shepherd. When several flocks are out together in a field, they will only answer to and follow their own shepherd’s voice. That’s the same with those who trust in Christ. Christ’s sheep hear his voice in the Gospel...the message of God’s love and forgiveness through the death and resurrection of Christ. Through that message, the Holy Spirit calls us to faith and then makes us followers of Jesus. By grace, he makes us into new creatures who want to love and serve God and our neighbor.
However, sheep are known to go astray. In fact, the prophet Isaiah once said, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.” (Is. 53:6) We are indeed new creations in Christ, but we still have a sinful nature clinging to us, inherited from our first parents Adam and Eve, who disobeyed God all the way back in the Garden of Eden. And since then, sin and its consequence—death—have entered the world.
There is not one of us here...even among those who are part of Christ’s sheepfold...who has not disobeyed God in one way, shape, or form. We all know perfectly well the struggles of which St. Paul described in Romans 7, “I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Even St.Paul, the great apostle and first-century missionary of the Christian church, struggled with his sinful nature. If you and I are honest, we must admit that struggle, too. Dennis certainly understood that struggle so very well.
But I’m sure glad that Paul did not leave us there. He answers his own question and gives comfort to each of us in our struggles with our sinful nature...our struggle with trying to do the right thing, yet failing time and time again. “Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25)
The Good Shepherd Laid Down His Life for the Sheep
Jesus Christ is the one who has saved us from this body of death...this body that is broken because of sin, this body that stops working the way it was originally intended, this body that one day is laid in the grave. Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) Not only does the Good Shepherd search for his sheep when they go astray and lose their way. He also loves his sheep so much that he was willing to put his life on the line...or more accurately, on the cross...for his sheep. Jesus Christ, True God and True Man, never went astray from God the Father’s will. He was perfectly obedient in your place and mine. Where we fail, Jesus was faithful. Moreover, Jesus died the death that you and I deserve because of sin. The Good Shepherd became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The weight of the world’s sin was placed on him as he suffered and died on the cross in our place. And three days later, he showed his power over sin, death, and all the powers of hell by rising to life again. On Easter morning, the Good Shepherd became our Victorious Savior.
On Easter morning 35 years ago, Dennis received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Of course, any day’s a great day to be baptized, but how cool is that...to be baptized on Easter Sunday? On that day, Dennis, like all who are baptized into Christ, was united with the Savior in his death and resurrection. St. Paul said, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:4-5) Our sins were buried with Christ in his tomb. They are forgiven, never to see the light of day again. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross, God the Father looks at us and doesn’t see our sin...he sees Jesus. And the Bible also promises that when Jesus returns again on the Last Day, he will raise our bodies to life again just as he was raised from the dead, and we will live forever in his holy presence where there will be no more tears, no more death, no more sorrow, no more pain, no more disease, no more struggles of any sort...but only joy and peace and comfort for eternity.
Dennis is with his Good Shepherd right now awaiting that wonderful day. You and I are still here on this side of the veil, looking through a glass darkly. On that day, we will all see our Savior face to face.
The Bible character Job knew this well. He had lost everything. His flocks were slaughtered by foreign marauders and a violent thunderstorm. His children died when a strong tempest blew their house down. His skin broke out in festering sores. His friends tried to pin the blame on Job...that he must have done something sinful to deserve this. But Job’s hope was not in the things of this life. His hope was in the life to come, and so he could say, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God.” (Job 19:25)
We don’t earn or deserve any of this. It’s all a gift of God’s amazing grace...his undeserved love shown to us in Jesus Christ. And so Jesus said of his sheep, “I give them eternal life and they shall never perish, and no one will be able to snatch them out of my hand.” That promise was for Dennis. And that promise is for all who trust in the Good Shepherd and are baptized into his name. That’s how you become a part of the Good Shepherd’s flock, like Dennis was...and is even now.
Amen.
“My Sheep Hear My Voice” (John 10:27-28)
Zion Lutheran Church, Auburn, WA
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The portion of Scripture I’d like for you to consider at this time of sadness, confusion, and hurt is from the 10th chapter of St. John’s Gospel, verses 27-28, where Jesus says: “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.”
My Sheep Hear My Voice
Earlier in the chapter from which these verses are taken, Jesus calls himself “The Good Shepherd.” And this particular Shepherd has a flock of sheep for which he cares. This flock of sheep are made up of people who listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd. After all, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice.” So here we are today, listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd, to receive comfort and strength in the midst of grief.
Dennis belonged to the Good Shepherd’s flock. He first heard the Good Shepherd’s voice when he was brought to the font by his parents. The pastor poured water over his head, called his name, and said, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” In this way, Dennis was marked with God’s own name. Through water and the Word, the Holy Spirit created faith in Dennis’ heart, and he became a part of Christ’s sheepfold.
Dennis continued to hear the Shepherd’s voice in Sunday School, in confirmation instruction here at Zion, and every time he came to church.
Dennis also heard the Shepherd’s voice every time he came to the Lord’s altar. Through the mouth of the pastor, Dennis heard his Good Shepherd say, “Take and eat, this is my body, given for you. Take and drink, this is my blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins.” Through the hands of the pastor, Dennis received his Savior’s precious body and blood, and in so doing received all the benefits of that gracious meal...the blessings of life, salvation, and forgiveness. And just a couple of weeks ago, it was a nice surprise to see Dennis in church up in Marysville. Once again, he heard his Shepherd’s voice as he so often did over the years.
Sheep Are Known to Go Astray
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” It’s a fact that sheep can recognize the voice of their shepherd. When several flocks are out together in a field, they will only answer to and follow their own shepherd’s voice. That’s the same with those who trust in Christ. Christ’s sheep hear his voice in the Gospel...the message of God’s love and forgiveness through the death and resurrection of Christ. Through that message, the Holy Spirit calls us to faith and then makes us followers of Jesus. By grace, he makes us into new creatures who want to love and serve God and our neighbor.
However, sheep are known to go astray. In fact, the prophet Isaiah once said, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.” (Is. 53:6) We are indeed new creations in Christ, but we still have a sinful nature clinging to us, inherited from our first parents Adam and Eve, who disobeyed God all the way back in the Garden of Eden. And since then, sin and its consequence—death—have entered the world.
There is not one of us here...even among those who are part of Christ’s sheepfold...who has not disobeyed God in one way, shape, or form. We all know perfectly well the struggles of which St. Paul described in Romans 7, “I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Even St.Paul, the great apostle and first-century missionary of the Christian church, struggled with his sinful nature. If you and I are honest, we must admit that struggle, too. Dennis certainly understood that struggle so very well.
But I’m sure glad that Paul did not leave us there. He answers his own question and gives comfort to each of us in our struggles with our sinful nature...our struggle with trying to do the right thing, yet failing time and time again. “Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25)
The Good Shepherd Laid Down His Life for the Sheep
Jesus Christ is the one who has saved us from this body of death...this body that is broken because of sin, this body that stops working the way it was originally intended, this body that one day is laid in the grave. Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) Not only does the Good Shepherd search for his sheep when they go astray and lose their way. He also loves his sheep so much that he was willing to put his life on the line...or more accurately, on the cross...for his sheep. Jesus Christ, True God and True Man, never went astray from God the Father’s will. He was perfectly obedient in your place and mine. Where we fail, Jesus was faithful. Moreover, Jesus died the death that you and I deserve because of sin. The Good Shepherd became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The weight of the world’s sin was placed on him as he suffered and died on the cross in our place. And three days later, he showed his power over sin, death, and all the powers of hell by rising to life again. On Easter morning, the Good Shepherd became our Victorious Savior.
On Easter morning 35 years ago, Dennis received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Of course, any day’s a great day to be baptized, but how cool is that...to be baptized on Easter Sunday? On that day, Dennis, like all who are baptized into Christ, was united with the Savior in his death and resurrection. St. Paul said, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:4-5) Our sins were buried with Christ in his tomb. They are forgiven, never to see the light of day again. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross, God the Father looks at us and doesn’t see our sin...he sees Jesus. And the Bible also promises that when Jesus returns again on the Last Day, he will raise our bodies to life again just as he was raised from the dead, and we will live forever in his holy presence where there will be no more tears, no more death, no more sorrow, no more pain, no more disease, no more struggles of any sort...but only joy and peace and comfort for eternity.
Dennis is with his Good Shepherd right now awaiting that wonderful day. You and I are still here on this side of the veil, looking through a glass darkly. On that day, we will all see our Savior face to face.
The Bible character Job knew this well. He had lost everything. His flocks were slaughtered by foreign marauders and a violent thunderstorm. His children died when a strong tempest blew their house down. His skin broke out in festering sores. His friends tried to pin the blame on Job...that he must have done something sinful to deserve this. But Job’s hope was not in the things of this life. His hope was in the life to come, and so he could say, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God.” (Job 19:25)
We don’t earn or deserve any of this. It’s all a gift of God’s amazing grace...his undeserved love shown to us in Jesus Christ. And so Jesus said of his sheep, “I give them eternal life and they shall never perish, and no one will be able to snatch them out of my hand.” That promise was for Dennis. And that promise is for all who trust in the Good Shepherd and are baptized into his name. That’s how you become a part of the Good Shepherd’s flock, like Dennis was...and is even now.
Amen.
Christian Symbols Website
Confirmation students...click here to go a website as a resource for your banner designs.
For the rest of you, this might also be an interesting resource for you to discover the rich symbolism and imagery that you will find in Christian artwork and architecture.
For the rest of you, this might also be an interesting resource for you to discover the rich symbolism and imagery that you will find in Christian artwork and architecture.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Sermon for the Third Sunday in Lent
Third Sunday in Lent (March 11, 2007)
“Is God Punishing Me?” (Luke 13:1-9)
The text for this morning’s sermon is from the Gospel lesson assigned for today, Luke 13:1-9. Please listen as I read it once again:
There were some present at that very time who told [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?' And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'" Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your disability." And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. (Luke 13:1-13)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
It’s hard to believe that it’s only been five and half years since the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center were brought down. I can remember that day like it was yesterday. Julie and I were on our way home from visiting my dying grandmother in California. Waking up in our northern California hotel room well before Julie did, I slipped out to get a cup of coffee in the lobby. The staff was glued to the television set and I asked, “What happened?”
“Two airplanes just slammed into the twin towers in New York,” came the reply.
Of course, everyone knew it was the action of hijackers at that point. I went back to our room, woke Julie up, turned the TV on, listened and watched as we packed up, checked out, and hit the road. It seemed as though every radio station on our drive home had non-stop coverage of the events as they unfolded...including the moments when the towers fell.
And now every time I hear today’s Gospel lesson from Luke, with its account of a falling tower, I think of 9-11-2001.
Calamities Seen As Punishment
Here in the Northwest, we have been fairly isolated from tragedy on a large scale. Even when Mt. St. Helens exploded, only 57 people died...compared to over 2,700 on 9-11; compared to over 1,800 due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005; all of which pale in comparison to the loss of 283,000 lives in the Indonesian tsunami of 2004. And the TV news brings these very real tragedies right into our living rooms.
When tragedies like those occur, someone inevitably asks the question, “Is God punishing those people?...Is God punishing that region?” I heard that question regarding all three of those recent tragedies. After 9-11, Jerry Falwell claimed that this was God’s judgment on America for its acceptance of homosexuality and abortion. But my response was, if that’s the case, why only those sins? Why not others? Sin is sin in God’s eyes and our nation has a lot of it to go around.
After Hurricane Katrina, I heard people claiming that this was God’s judgment over New Orleans and the decadence associated with Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street...despite the fact that this is such a small part of what New Orleans is all about, not to mention the fact that Katrina affected far more of the Gulf Coast than just New Orleans. What does God have against Mississippi and the rest of Louisiana?
And after the tsunami, I heard people claim that this is God’s judgment over Indonesia because it is a Muslim nation...despite the fact that people of all creeds and races were swept away in those terrifying waters.
We are no different than the people in first century Judea. They had this same idea that when tragedy strikes, God must be delivering his punishment. And so Jesus addresses two situations in particular. One involved the time when the tower of Siloam in Jerusalem fell and killed 18 people. The other was a time when Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, killed some Galileans. This event is not recorded for us outside of Scripture, so we don’t know much about it. Apparently, a group of Galileans were in the Jerusalem temple offering their sacrifices, and Pilate had them killed. In this way their blood was “mingled with their sacrifices.” We don’t know why Pilate killed them. It’s possible that they were part of a group who were planning a revolt, since many insurrectionists in those days came from Galilee.
Was God punishing those people whom Pilate killed? Were they worse sinners than all the other Galileans? Was God angry with those people on whom the tower fell? Were they worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?
Jesus answers with a clear, “NO!” They were no worse than anyone else. But he goes on and points out that really, asking those questions are pointless. It’s pointless to try to figure out why God allowed a certain tragedy to occur. It’s part of his divine providence. It’s going to have to remain a mystery. When we ask those questions, it takes the focus off of what we should really be concerned about...our own spiritual condition. And so Jesus says, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
“Was God punishing those people?” Don’t ask that question. That’s the wrong question to ask. The real question to ask is, “If that would have happened to me, would I have been ready to face my Maker?” Or am I like the unfruitful tree in the parable that Jesus told, ready to be cut down? And what happens to trees that are cut down? John the Baptist tells us: “Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 3:10)
The Punishment Fell On Jesus
When bad things happen to us, we don’t ever have to wonder, “Is God punishing me for something I did?” That’s often our first inclination. But listen to what the prophet Isaiah said about our Lord’s suffering: “upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) The punishment for all sin fell on Jesus as he suffered and died on the cross. Christ’s death reconciles us to God the Father. The blows and the beatings and the suffering and the shame he endured brings us the healing of the forgiveness of our sins.
In one of our settings of the Divine Service, we pray this in the Prayer of Thanksgiving: “In your righteous judgment you condemned the sin of Adam and Eve who ate the forbidden fruit, and you justly barred them and all their children from the tree of life. Yet, in your great mercy, you promised salvation by a second Adam, your Son, Jesus Christ, and made his cross a life-giving tree for all who trust in him.” Apart from Christ, you and I are like that fig tree in the parable. Barren. Without the fruit of faith. We have no connection to that which would produce good works that flow from a heart full of faith, as Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please [God].” But baptized into Christ, we are connected to his life-giving Word. The tree of the cross bears the fruit of Jesus’ body which bore the load of our sins. The tree of the cross bears the fruit of Jesus’ blood which was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. You and I get to eat and drink the fruit of that cross for forgiveness, life, and salvation. And in this way, you and I are made ready to stand before our God on Judgment Day... “cleansed and redeemed, no debt to pay.” (LSB 563)
Now, you may still look at yourself and say, “I don’t see any fruit. All I can see are my sins.” But remember, all God sees is Christ. That’s not to say that God doesn’t want to see any fruit in our life. He does. But he is the one who produces it. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) The branches can only produce fruit if they are connected to the vine...and you are connected to Jesus through Word and Sacrament.
Likewise, the parable makes it clear that God is patient with us. The planter of the vineyard waited for three years to see if the fig tree produced any fruit. He wanted to cut it down. But the vinedresser said, “Let me work with it for another year. Let me dig around it, put manure on it. Then we’ll see if it produces any fruit.” And St. Peter also wrote that God is “patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) Therefore, God is the vinedresser who will dig around you, ploughing up the rough ground of your heart and life, drawing you close to him, even though it may seem that you are facing a lot of difficult circumstances right now...perhaps even what you might call a tragedy...not on the scale of a 9-11 or a tsunami or a hurricane...but a tragedy for you nonetheless. And God is the vinedresser who will also feed you and give you the necessary nourishment to bear the fruit of a repentant heart that trusts in Christ alone.
And so we can sing, “Your cross I place before me; Its saving pow’r restore me, Sustain me in the test. It will, when life is ending, Be guiding and attending My way to Your eternal rest.” (LSB 453)
Amen.
“Is God Punishing Me?” (Luke 13:1-9)
The text for this morning’s sermon is from the Gospel lesson assigned for today, Luke 13:1-9. Please listen as I read it once again:
There were some present at that very time who told [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?' And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'" Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your disability." And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. (Luke 13:1-13)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
It’s hard to believe that it’s only been five and half years since the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center were brought down. I can remember that day like it was yesterday. Julie and I were on our way home from visiting my dying grandmother in California. Waking up in our northern California hotel room well before Julie did, I slipped out to get a cup of coffee in the lobby. The staff was glued to the television set and I asked, “What happened?”
“Two airplanes just slammed into the twin towers in New York,” came the reply.
Of course, everyone knew it was the action of hijackers at that point. I went back to our room, woke Julie up, turned the TV on, listened and watched as we packed up, checked out, and hit the road. It seemed as though every radio station on our drive home had non-stop coverage of the events as they unfolded...including the moments when the towers fell.
And now every time I hear today’s Gospel lesson from Luke, with its account of a falling tower, I think of 9-11-2001.
Calamities Seen As Punishment
Here in the Northwest, we have been fairly isolated from tragedy on a large scale. Even when Mt. St. Helens exploded, only 57 people died...compared to over 2,700 on 9-11; compared to over 1,800 due to Hurricane Katrina in 2005; all of which pale in comparison to the loss of 283,000 lives in the Indonesian tsunami of 2004. And the TV news brings these very real tragedies right into our living rooms.
When tragedies like those occur, someone inevitably asks the question, “Is God punishing those people?...Is God punishing that region?” I heard that question regarding all three of those recent tragedies. After 9-11, Jerry Falwell claimed that this was God’s judgment on America for its acceptance of homosexuality and abortion. But my response was, if that’s the case, why only those sins? Why not others? Sin is sin in God’s eyes and our nation has a lot of it to go around.
After Hurricane Katrina, I heard people claiming that this was God’s judgment over New Orleans and the decadence associated with Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street...despite the fact that this is such a small part of what New Orleans is all about, not to mention the fact that Katrina affected far more of the Gulf Coast than just New Orleans. What does God have against Mississippi and the rest of Louisiana?
And after the tsunami, I heard people claim that this is God’s judgment over Indonesia because it is a Muslim nation...despite the fact that people of all creeds and races were swept away in those terrifying waters.
We are no different than the people in first century Judea. They had this same idea that when tragedy strikes, God must be delivering his punishment. And so Jesus addresses two situations in particular. One involved the time when the tower of Siloam in Jerusalem fell and killed 18 people. The other was a time when Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, killed some Galileans. This event is not recorded for us outside of Scripture, so we don’t know much about it. Apparently, a group of Galileans were in the Jerusalem temple offering their sacrifices, and Pilate had them killed. In this way their blood was “mingled with their sacrifices.” We don’t know why Pilate killed them. It’s possible that they were part of a group who were planning a revolt, since many insurrectionists in those days came from Galilee.
Was God punishing those people whom Pilate killed? Were they worse sinners than all the other Galileans? Was God angry with those people on whom the tower fell? Were they worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?
Jesus answers with a clear, “NO!” They were no worse than anyone else. But he goes on and points out that really, asking those questions are pointless. It’s pointless to try to figure out why God allowed a certain tragedy to occur. It’s part of his divine providence. It’s going to have to remain a mystery. When we ask those questions, it takes the focus off of what we should really be concerned about...our own spiritual condition. And so Jesus says, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
“Was God punishing those people?” Don’t ask that question. That’s the wrong question to ask. The real question to ask is, “If that would have happened to me, would I have been ready to face my Maker?” Or am I like the unfruitful tree in the parable that Jesus told, ready to be cut down? And what happens to trees that are cut down? John the Baptist tells us: “Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 3:10)
The Punishment Fell On Jesus
When bad things happen to us, we don’t ever have to wonder, “Is God punishing me for something I did?” That’s often our first inclination. But listen to what the prophet Isaiah said about our Lord’s suffering: “upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) The punishment for all sin fell on Jesus as he suffered and died on the cross. Christ’s death reconciles us to God the Father. The blows and the beatings and the suffering and the shame he endured brings us the healing of the forgiveness of our sins.
In one of our settings of the Divine Service, we pray this in the Prayer of Thanksgiving: “In your righteous judgment you condemned the sin of Adam and Eve who ate the forbidden fruit, and you justly barred them and all their children from the tree of life. Yet, in your great mercy, you promised salvation by a second Adam, your Son, Jesus Christ, and made his cross a life-giving tree for all who trust in him.” Apart from Christ, you and I are like that fig tree in the parable. Barren. Without the fruit of faith. We have no connection to that which would produce good works that flow from a heart full of faith, as Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please [God].” But baptized into Christ, we are connected to his life-giving Word. The tree of the cross bears the fruit of Jesus’ body which bore the load of our sins. The tree of the cross bears the fruit of Jesus’ blood which was shed for the forgiveness of our sins. You and I get to eat and drink the fruit of that cross for forgiveness, life, and salvation. And in this way, you and I are made ready to stand before our God on Judgment Day... “cleansed and redeemed, no debt to pay.” (LSB 563)
Now, you may still look at yourself and say, “I don’t see any fruit. All I can see are my sins.” But remember, all God sees is Christ. That’s not to say that God doesn’t want to see any fruit in our life. He does. But he is the one who produces it. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) The branches can only produce fruit if they are connected to the vine...and you are connected to Jesus through Word and Sacrament.
Likewise, the parable makes it clear that God is patient with us. The planter of the vineyard waited for three years to see if the fig tree produced any fruit. He wanted to cut it down. But the vinedresser said, “Let me work with it for another year. Let me dig around it, put manure on it. Then we’ll see if it produces any fruit.” And St. Peter also wrote that God is “patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) Therefore, God is the vinedresser who will dig around you, ploughing up the rough ground of your heart and life, drawing you close to him, even though it may seem that you are facing a lot of difficult circumstances right now...perhaps even what you might call a tragedy...not on the scale of a 9-11 or a tsunami or a hurricane...but a tragedy for you nonetheless. And God is the vinedresser who will also feed you and give you the necessary nourishment to bear the fruit of a repentant heart that trusts in Christ alone.
And so we can sing, “Your cross I place before me; Its saving pow’r restore me, Sustain me in the test. It will, when life is ending, Be guiding and attending My way to Your eternal rest.” (LSB 453)
Amen.
Daylight Savings Time
Remember to "spring forward" tonight!
Beginning this year, the US will begin Daylight Savings Time at 2:00 am on the second Sunday in March, and back to Standard Time the first Sunday in November.
Having said that, I'll see all of you early service people who didn't read this at 9:00, just in time for Bible Class at 9:15!
Beginning this year, the US will begin Daylight Savings Time at 2:00 am on the second Sunday in March, and back to Standard Time the first Sunday in November.
Having said that, I'll see all of you early service people who didn't read this at 9:00, just in time for Bible Class at 9:15!
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Sermon for the Second Sunday in Lent
Second Sunday in Lent (March 4, 2007)
“Imitation” (Philippians 3:17-4:1)
It’s been said that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” In other words, when you model your behavior after someone, you are giving them a genuine compliment, whether you consciously meant to or not.
It’s not uncommon to see young people imitating sports stars. A little leaguer steps up to the plate, but first he has to raise his bat and tug on his sleeve like Ichiro. Or, you may have seen kids getting off the school bus in your neighborhood, and wondering to yourself, “What’s with the baggy pants, the swagger, and the caps cocked at such odd angles on their heads?” Well, they are imitating the rap musicians they listen to. When I was in high school and college, it wasn’t rap musicians we imitated...it was what we called the “hair bands”...the rock bands with big hair, tight-fitting sleeveless shirts, and parachute pants with zippers all over. Why do young people do this? I suppose it’s all part of discovering who they are, trying to develop an identity and style of their own, not to mention the fact that “everyone else is doing it”...to which my father and yours always answered, “If everyone jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge would you do it?”
Do we adults engage in this kind of imitative behavior? I suppose we do when we’re not sure what to do in a given situation. Sort of like the time when Calvin Coolidge was president, and he invited some people from his hometown to have dinner at the White House. Since they did not know how to behave at such an occasion, they thought the best policy would be to simply do what the President did. The time came for serving coffee. The President poured his coffee into a saucer. As soon as the home folk saw it, they did the same. The next step for the President was to pour some milk and add a little sugar to the coffee in the saucer. The home folks did the same. They thought for sure that the next step would be for the President to take the saucer with the coffee and begin sipping it. But the President didn’t do so. He leaned over, placed the saucer on the floor and called the cat.
More often than not, I don’t think adults are all that interested in imitating others. We’re usually a little more set in our ways. There are not a lot of folks we truly idolize. Maybe we’ve become a bit jaded. We know that there are not a lot of real “heroes” out there...and of those who are “heroes,” we know that they have their sinful failings, too, just like you and me. Or maybe we’ve finally gotten to the point where we are rather comfortable in our skin. We’ve come to the point where we know who we are...take it or leave it. But then again, there may very well be a part of each one of us that still compares ourself to certain people and says, “I wish I could be more like her...or like him.”
There is a type of imitation that’s not all that bad. A good Lenten discipline would be to begin doing as Paul says in today’s Epistle reading: “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” Imitate Paul. Keep your eyes on others who imitate Paul and his fellow pastors. And Paul can say this, because of what he wrote in the letter to the Corinthians, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1)
Imitating the Wrong People
Problems arise when we look at the wrong models. Paul warns against following the example of those who walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Now, that may seem obvious. However, some who are enemies of the cross of Christ may at first glance appear to be godly.
Who are these enemies? Paul could be referring to the Judaizers...the ones in those days who said that you had to keep the Old Testament ceremonial regulations first before you could be considered a Christian. Who are the Judaizers of today? They are those within the church who are legalistic...those who say that you have to live according to a certain set of standards before you can be considered a “good” Christian, or any sort of a Christian, for that matter.
The apostle could also be referring to those within the church who thought that once you are forgiven, that now you can go off and do anything you want to. It’s all about “freedom in Christ.” In addition, some of them may have thought that the body isn’t important, anyway. It’s the spirit that’s important. What you do with your body does not matter. It’s all about what you believe in your heart. Are there people who think like this today? There sure are. It may not be as crass as those who say, “The body doesn’t matter...only the spirit.” Nevertheless, there are Christians whose lives on Sunday morning are a lot different than their lives on Monday morning. There are church-going people who don’t really appear to understand that after repentance comes remodeled behavior.
These people may put on a good show of godliness. They may have even deceived themselves into believing that they are correct. But St. Paul makes it clear what their god is. It’s their belly. They are only interested in satisfying their stomach or their pocketbook. They glory in their shame. They are proud of what they should be ashamed of. Their minds are set on earthly things, although their lives have a thin veneer of religiosity. Paul warned the Philippians about these folks with tears in his eyes. Do we have the same compassion for those who are enemies of the cross of Christ? Do we shed tears, either real or proverbial, over those today whose “end is destruction”...that is to say, hell?
Imitating the Right People
We can, because we are citizens of heaven. We are pilgrims here on earth. But we have another home. And because we are citizens of heaven, we can imitate Paul. We can imitate others who have gone before us and whose Christian life we admire. And above all, we can imitate Christ. But keep in mind...although imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery... imitating Paul, or the saints, or even Christ, will not earn your citizenship in heaven.
Take, for example, your US citizenship. How do you gain your citizenship? Citizenship is something granted you. You don’t earn it. If you are born here, you are a US citizen. For those who are not born here, it’s granted to you from the government. Afterwards, you have all the rights and privileges of being a citizen...you can vote, you are represented and protected in other countries by the US embassy, you have all the rights contained in the Bill of Rights given to you: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to a speedy and public trial by a jury of your peers, and so forth.
In a similar way, you are a citizen of heaven by your spiritual birth...when you were born again in the waters of baptism...when you were born again through water and the Word and began to trust in Christ as your Savior. As a citizen of heaven, you have all the rights and privileges of being a citizen of heaven: forgiveness, freedom from the fear of death and condemnation because of your sins, peace of mind and heart knowing you have a Savior, everlasting life, and so forth. And when our Savior returns, he will “transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” That is your birthright as a citizen of heaven.
Imitation will not earn our heavenly citizenship. But Paul describes how we are to imitate him earlier in the chapter from which our reading comes. There he writes, “Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” (Php. 3:7-9) Therefore, if you are going to imitate Paul, imitate him in the way that nothing else mattered to him except knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. Imitate him in the way that he knew that no one has any righteousness of their own. Imitate him in the way that he believed that righteousness is a gift from God and is received by faith in Christ.
For your sake, our Lord Jesus suffered the loss off all things...humbling himself by leaving his throne in heaven...humbling himself to be born of a virgin...humbling himself by living under God’s holy and righteous law...humbling himself to brutally die a criminal’s death, with the sins of the world laid upon him. For your sake, Jesus suffered rejection from his own people. And so he cried out in compassion over those who rejected him, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” (Luke 13:34)
The blood of your Savior covers you like a hen’s wings covers her babies. You are tenderly cared for. You are forgiven. You are protected from the evil one. Covered in Christ’s forgiving blood and filled with the Holy Spirit, you can imitate Christ’s humility...not puffing yourself up over against others, but offering yourself as a living sacrifice on behalf of others. And you can also imitate Christ’s compassion for those who have strayed from Christ or have rejected Christ, and reach out to them in love.
Amen.
“Imitation” (Philippians 3:17-4:1)
It’s been said that “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” In other words, when you model your behavior after someone, you are giving them a genuine compliment, whether you consciously meant to or not.
It’s not uncommon to see young people imitating sports stars. A little leaguer steps up to the plate, but first he has to raise his bat and tug on his sleeve like Ichiro. Or, you may have seen kids getting off the school bus in your neighborhood, and wondering to yourself, “What’s with the baggy pants, the swagger, and the caps cocked at such odd angles on their heads?” Well, they are imitating the rap musicians they listen to. When I was in high school and college, it wasn’t rap musicians we imitated...it was what we called the “hair bands”...the rock bands with big hair, tight-fitting sleeveless shirts, and parachute pants with zippers all over. Why do young people do this? I suppose it’s all part of discovering who they are, trying to develop an identity and style of their own, not to mention the fact that “everyone else is doing it”...to which my father and yours always answered, “If everyone jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge would you do it?”
Do we adults engage in this kind of imitative behavior? I suppose we do when we’re not sure what to do in a given situation. Sort of like the time when Calvin Coolidge was president, and he invited some people from his hometown to have dinner at the White House. Since they did not know how to behave at such an occasion, they thought the best policy would be to simply do what the President did. The time came for serving coffee. The President poured his coffee into a saucer. As soon as the home folk saw it, they did the same. The next step for the President was to pour some milk and add a little sugar to the coffee in the saucer. The home folks did the same. They thought for sure that the next step would be for the President to take the saucer with the coffee and begin sipping it. But the President didn’t do so. He leaned over, placed the saucer on the floor and called the cat.
More often than not, I don’t think adults are all that interested in imitating others. We’re usually a little more set in our ways. There are not a lot of folks we truly idolize. Maybe we’ve become a bit jaded. We know that there are not a lot of real “heroes” out there...and of those who are “heroes,” we know that they have their sinful failings, too, just like you and me. Or maybe we’ve finally gotten to the point where we are rather comfortable in our skin. We’ve come to the point where we know who we are...take it or leave it. But then again, there may very well be a part of each one of us that still compares ourself to certain people and says, “I wish I could be more like her...or like him.”
There is a type of imitation that’s not all that bad. A good Lenten discipline would be to begin doing as Paul says in today’s Epistle reading: “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.” Imitate Paul. Keep your eyes on others who imitate Paul and his fellow pastors. And Paul can say this, because of what he wrote in the letter to the Corinthians, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1)
Imitating the Wrong People
Problems arise when we look at the wrong models. Paul warns against following the example of those who walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Now, that may seem obvious. However, some who are enemies of the cross of Christ may at first glance appear to be godly.
Who are these enemies? Paul could be referring to the Judaizers...the ones in those days who said that you had to keep the Old Testament ceremonial regulations first before you could be considered a Christian. Who are the Judaizers of today? They are those within the church who are legalistic...those who say that you have to live according to a certain set of standards before you can be considered a “good” Christian, or any sort of a Christian, for that matter.
The apostle could also be referring to those within the church who thought that once you are forgiven, that now you can go off and do anything you want to. It’s all about “freedom in Christ.” In addition, some of them may have thought that the body isn’t important, anyway. It’s the spirit that’s important. What you do with your body does not matter. It’s all about what you believe in your heart. Are there people who think like this today? There sure are. It may not be as crass as those who say, “The body doesn’t matter...only the spirit.” Nevertheless, there are Christians whose lives on Sunday morning are a lot different than their lives on Monday morning. There are church-going people who don’t really appear to understand that after repentance comes remodeled behavior.
These people may put on a good show of godliness. They may have even deceived themselves into believing that they are correct. But St. Paul makes it clear what their god is. It’s their belly. They are only interested in satisfying their stomach or their pocketbook. They glory in their shame. They are proud of what they should be ashamed of. Their minds are set on earthly things, although their lives have a thin veneer of religiosity. Paul warned the Philippians about these folks with tears in his eyes. Do we have the same compassion for those who are enemies of the cross of Christ? Do we shed tears, either real or proverbial, over those today whose “end is destruction”...that is to say, hell?
Imitating the Right People
We can, because we are citizens of heaven. We are pilgrims here on earth. But we have another home. And because we are citizens of heaven, we can imitate Paul. We can imitate others who have gone before us and whose Christian life we admire. And above all, we can imitate Christ. But keep in mind...although imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery... imitating Paul, or the saints, or even Christ, will not earn your citizenship in heaven.
Take, for example, your US citizenship. How do you gain your citizenship? Citizenship is something granted you. You don’t earn it. If you are born here, you are a US citizen. For those who are not born here, it’s granted to you from the government. Afterwards, you have all the rights and privileges of being a citizen...you can vote, you are represented and protected in other countries by the US embassy, you have all the rights contained in the Bill of Rights given to you: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to a speedy and public trial by a jury of your peers, and so forth.
In a similar way, you are a citizen of heaven by your spiritual birth...when you were born again in the waters of baptism...when you were born again through water and the Word and began to trust in Christ as your Savior. As a citizen of heaven, you have all the rights and privileges of being a citizen of heaven: forgiveness, freedom from the fear of death and condemnation because of your sins, peace of mind and heart knowing you have a Savior, everlasting life, and so forth. And when our Savior returns, he will “transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” That is your birthright as a citizen of heaven.
Imitation will not earn our heavenly citizenship. But Paul describes how we are to imitate him earlier in the chapter from which our reading comes. There he writes, “Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.” (Php. 3:7-9) Therefore, if you are going to imitate Paul, imitate him in the way that nothing else mattered to him except knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. Imitate him in the way that he knew that no one has any righteousness of their own. Imitate him in the way that he believed that righteousness is a gift from God and is received by faith in Christ.
For your sake, our Lord Jesus suffered the loss off all things...humbling himself by leaving his throne in heaven...humbling himself to be born of a virgin...humbling himself by living under God’s holy and righteous law...humbling himself to brutally die a criminal’s death, with the sins of the world laid upon him. For your sake, Jesus suffered rejection from his own people. And so he cried out in compassion over those who rejected him, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” (Luke 13:34)
The blood of your Savior covers you like a hen’s wings covers her babies. You are tenderly cared for. You are forgiven. You are protected from the evil one. Covered in Christ’s forgiving blood and filled with the Holy Spirit, you can imitate Christ’s humility...not puffing yourself up over against others, but offering yourself as a living sacrifice on behalf of others. And you can also imitate Christ’s compassion for those who have strayed from Christ or have rejected Christ, and reach out to them in love.
Amen.
Friday, March 2, 2007
More Artifacts from Jesus' Tomb!
Dave Konig at National Review Online reveals that more artifacts have been discovered in Jesus' tomb! This is a must read! Click here!
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Another Response to Jesus' Tomb
Click here to read an article by Prof. Jeffrey Kloha from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
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