The Word of the Cross

Sermon for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany based on I Corinthians 1:18-31

Dear Christians: Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Christianity is a foolish religion by all worldly standards. Christianity doesn’t make you any healthier or wealthier than the rest of humanity. It doesn’t help you get ahead in life. In fact, if anything, it keeps you from getting ahead if you follow the Christian principle of loving your neighbour as yourself and thus look out for his interests also, not just your own.

Christianity is a foolish religion by all worldly standards because we believe that God saves us through water, that He feeds us with the body and blood of His Son hidden under bread and wine, and that He sends weak, sinful men to speak for Him.

Christianity is a foolish religion by all worldly standards because it worships a God who came humbly as a man to die for mankind. What kind of a God subjects Himself to torture and humiliation at that hands of His own creation? What kind of a God becomes a curse on a cross, rejected and betrayed? What kind of a God dies?

“The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing.” It is foolishness; it makes no sense to those who are perishing. It is a scandal to those who expected the Saviour to come as a powerful military conqueror and a great warrior. It is folly to those who think that in their wisdom they know a better way.

Some people think they can find God in signs. They look for signs high and low to see where they can find Him. They look for Him in great strong winds that tear mountains and break rocks into pieces. They look for Him in earthquakes that shake the foundations of the earth and in fires that consume everything in their path (cf. I Kings 19:11-12). They look for Him in nature – in a cloud that looks like a face, in a butterfly that lingers nearby, in a rainbow that seems to point to something. But you cannot find God in such signs.

Some people think they can find God in worldly wisdom. That’s what philosophy is all about. It is an attempt to find God in your own mind, deciding for yourself what you think God should be like and what He should and should not do. But you cannot find God in worldly wisdom. You cannot find God through your thoughts, however lofty they may be.

So, then we must go to the cross, right? We can find God in the cross, can we not? Empress Helena, the mother of Constantine, who was the first Christian emperor of the Roman Empire, is claimed to have found, in the fourth century, the cross on which Jesus was crucified. Fragments of this cross were sent to churches around the Empire to be relics which the Roman Catholic Church later taught could be venerated to receive forgiveness of sins. But God has given us no promise in the wood of the cross of Jesus. Even if these fragments were from the true cross of Jesus, what promise has God attached to them? None. Add to this the fact that if you add the supposed wood fragments from the cross together from all the churches, you’d have enough wood to build Noah’s ark, and you start to realize you cannot hope to find God in the sign of the cross. There is no certainty. There are no promises from God connected to such endeavours.

We do have two signs, however, where God has promised to be found: Baptism and the Sacrament of the Altar. In these two signs, you can find God. In these two signs, you receive all the benefits of Jesus’ death on the cross. You cannot go to the cross to get these benefits, but you can come to the font and you can come to the altar. You cannot go to fragments of wood which might or might not be from the cross of Jesus and hope to receive anything. But you can come to the signs where God has promised to be found, and there you will find forgiveness of sins.

We also have the word of the cross. The word of the cross is the Gospel, that word which tells you that Jesus died for your sins and thus has set you free from the penalty of your sins; that word which tells you that all your sins were put on Jesus and He took the punishment for them in your place.

This word of the cross is foolishness to people who think they are not sinful. It is foolishness to people who don’t think they need forgiveness. It is foolishness for anyone who does not believe they deserve hell because of their sin.

This word is not foolishness to you. To you who are being saved, the word of the cross is the power of God. It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). The word of the cross has the power to snatch you from hell and the claws of the devil and give you eternal life.

To the world, it may seem like foolishness and folly. It may seem like a weakness of God that He would die. But the cross does not show God’s weakness; it shows His power. Through the cross, to which He willingly subjected Himself, He saved us. He defeated sin, death, and the devil. He won as back for Himself, saving us from our enemies which we were too weak to defeat. He did not die to defeat these enemies for Himself, but for us, and He has given us sure and certain signs through which we can receive the benefits of this victory for ourselves.

God shows His power in saving helpless infants through the waters of Holy Baptism. So simple. So easy. So powerful. God shows His power in saving the helpless infirm on their deathbeds through holy Communion. So simple. So easy. So powerful. God shows His power in saving helpless you and helpless me through these same signs to which He has attached His promises of the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

Christianity is foolishness by all worldly standards, but worldly standards don’t mean anything when it comes to salvation. The word of the cross is God’s wisdom and power. In His wisdom, He knew how to save us since we were too foolish to save ourselves. In His power, He did what we were powerless to do. Is this foolishness or folly? No, to us who are being saved, it is the power of God – the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Amen.

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

Who is Fishing?

Sermon for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany based on Matthew 4:12-25

Dear people on whom the light of Christ has dawned: grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The misapplication of the text in our Gospel reading is responsible for more unnecessary feelings of guilt in the Christian church than possibly any other. Note that I said the misapplication of the text, not the text itself.

Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” The misapplication is when you are told this is a command for you. The guilt comes in when you see that you have not done it.

The misapplication happens all the time. Sunday school curricula have taught it, as have many pastors. It appears on mission banners and in mission songs. It’s used as a slogan for evangelism programs and a rallying cry for outreach. In fact, some of you may have the idea engrained in your minds that of course Jesus has called you to be a fisher of men.

The guilt comes when you see what Jesus says this involves, and you see that you haven’t done it. Have you left all and followed Jesus? Have you left your home, your friends, and your family to tell others about Jesus? Have you left the place where you were raised and your family roots to bring the Gospel to others? Have you left your career in the secular world and become a fisher of men?

That’s what Jesus called Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John to do. Jesus called them, and Scripture says Peter and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed Him, and James and John immediately left the boat and their father and followed Him. They left their occupations and their sources of income to do what Jesus called them to do, trusting that Jesus would provide for their needs.

When you think that Jesus has called you to be a fisher of men, you can’t help but feel guilty if you haven’t done it. Jesus’ call to Peter, Andrew, James, and John was absolute. They left everything behind and followed Jesus. It wasn’t some part-time position for which Jesus was recruiting. He didn’t call them so that they could make an evangelism call in their spare time or invite their neighbour to church when they happened to bump into them at the post office. He didn’t tell them to drop a couple dollars for mission offering and consider it fishing for men.

Jesus called them to follow Him for three years, to learn from Him, to witness what He said and did, and then He sent them to the far reaches of the known world to bring the light of the Gospel to those living in darkness. He taught them and trained them and then sent them to teach and train others. Jesus called these men for this specific task.

Callings are personal. God called David to rule as king. He did not call you to rule as king. God called Abraham to sacrifice his son. He did not call you to sacrifice your son. Jesus called the rich young man to sell all his possessions and give to the poor. He has not called you to do so. Just so, Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be fishers of men. He has not called you to be a fisher of men.

If you see Jesus’ words as a command to you, you cannot help but feel guilt over what you have not done. The thing is, you have enough guilt to deal with over what Jesus has called you to do that you don’t need the additional guilt of failing to do what Jesus has not called you to do.

Jesus has called you to teach His Word to your children. He has called you to be a witness to the Gospel in your personal life, to your family, friends, and co-workers. He has called you to support those He has sent as preachers of His Word both at home and in distant lands.

There’s enough guilt here for all of us without inventing additional guilt, as we recognize how we have failed to teach our children the faith as well as we should have; how we have failed to have family devotions and teach the importance of faithful church attendance; how we have failed to witness to our family, friends, and co-workers or even invite them to church; how we have failed to support the Gospel both among us and in distant lands. Yes, here we have guilt for failing to do what God has called us to do. We have enough guilt on our hands to deserve eternal punishment in hell.

This guilt, however, is not ours to bear. Not because we’re not guilty, but because Jesus bore our guilt for us. We cannot undo what we have done. We cannot change the consequences of our past failures and mistakes. Jesus, however, has borne our guilt and sin for us. Jesus has taken the guilt of our sins away from us. His death wasn’t just a show, but rather it was a payment for sin – for our sin. It was a complete payment for all the sin of the whole world, so you know it was a payment for your sin.

This is the greatest news in the world. It’s the greatest news for your children to hear. It’s the greatest news for your family, friends, and co-workers to hear. It is the greatest news for you to hear.

It is the great news that Isaiah prophesied saying, “The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” (Matt. 4:16)

Jesus is the light of the world. He shines on us and the darkness of our sins is gone. The dark stains of our sins are removed from us as the light of Christ shines upon us.

The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world did not come to seek those who are perfect. He came to seek sinners. The Great Physician did not come for those who are well, but those who are suffering from the sickness of their sins. The light of the world did not come to seek out other lights that were shining in the darkness. Rather, He came into a world enveloped in the darkness of sin to be the light of the world. He came, shining as the radiance of the Father’s face to shine upon our human darkness, piercing the night that shrouds our race (LSB 914 st. 1). God the Father has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of light, the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:13-14). “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (II Cor. 4:6)

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5). Our past failures to let the light of Christ shine through us have not dimmed or overcome the light of Christ. Christ continues to shine on us. He continues to forgive our dark sins and strengthen us to walk in His light. He continues to shine on us, even in the shadow of death, until He takes us to be with Him in eternal light where there is no darkness at all. Amen.

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

Behold, the Lamb

Sermon for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany based on John 1:29-42

Dear recipients of the New Testament: grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

The last Old Testament prophet proclaims, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” These words must have reminded believing Jews of slavery and deliverance.

The Israelites had been in slavery in Egypt. God delivered them from slavery miraculously. God had already struck the Egyptians with nine plagues, and then the tenth and final plague was the Lord killing all the firstborn in Egypt as He passed through the land.

The people of Israel, however, were saved by a lamb. They ate the body of the lamb in the Passover meal and put the blood of the lamb on their doorposts. As they ate the body of the lamb, the blood of the lamb on their doorposts saved them from death.

Moreover, as John proclaimed and pointed to the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, believing Jews would have known about the daily sacrifices in the Temple. A sacrificial lamb was offered as a burnt offering in the morning and at twilight every day (Ex. 29:38-46). Lambs could also be offered as sacrifices for other types of offerings, even though animals such as bulls and goats were also sacrificed.

All these Old Testament sacrifices showed that purification for sins was necessary in God’s sight. Hebrews tells us, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” (Heb. 9:22)

However, these sacrifices were just a shadow of the good things to come. As Hebrews also explains to us, these Temple sacrifices continually offered could never make perfect those who drew near (Heb. 10:1). Those sacrifices could not cleanse or purify from sins. They could not take away the sins of the world. Otherwise they could have stopped performing the sacrifices. The worshipers would have been cleansed from their sins and there would have been no need to offer the same sacrifices again and again (Heb. 10:2). It is impossible for the blood of lambs or goats or bulls to take away sins (Heb. 10:4).

Then comes the final Old Testament prophet saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Behold, here is the Lamb who can take away sin.

There is only one way to take away the sin of the world. As we heard, there is no remission of sins without the shedding of blood. That’s exactly what Jesus did. He shed His blood to take away our sins. His death was foreshadowed by the twice daily sacrifices of lambs in the Temple. It was foreshadowed by the Passover Lamb which saved from death. But only Christ’s death takes away the sins of the world. Only Christ’s death takes away your sins.

Don’t cling to your sins. Christ wants to take them away from you. Don’t hold Christ up to contempt by living like His death means nothing to you. Don’t walk away from the Divine Service today thinking that you are your own god and can live as you like.

We have the warning, also from Hebrews, “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb. 10:22-31)

Jesus didn’t die for you so that you can return to your sins like a dog returning to its vomit or a sow returning to wallow in the mire (Prov. 26:11; 2 Pet. 2:22). Jesus died to take away your sins and to take away the power of sin over you, so that you don’t have to obey your sinful desires.

Jesus is so adamant about taking your sins away that He gives you His own body and blood to eat and drink. Jesus made a New Testament, or covenant, in His blood, and He gives you this blood to take away your sins.

The blood of animal sacrifices could never take away sins, but Jesus’ blood, given and shed for you does take away your sins, because Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus has, by His single offering of Himself on the cross, perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Heb. 10:14), and this perfection He gives to you in the Sacrament of the Altar. He gives you the forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life.

As those who ate the body of the lamb were saved from death by the blood of the lamb in the Passover, so you are saved from eternal death by eating the body and drinking the blood of the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world.

When you fall into temptation and sin, remember that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, so He is the Lamb of God who takes away your sins. He has paid the price of your sins by offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for all sin, and He gives you the forgiveness of all your sins in His body and blood, given and shed for you. Amen.

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

Baptism is No Empty Show

Sermon for the Baptism of our Lord based on Matthew 3:13-17

Dear baptized believers: grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

God doesn’t do things just for show. He’s not a poser or a pretender. He doesn’t care for empty pomp or ceremonies. When God does something, there is a reason He does it, and He accomplishes something through what He does.

When it comes to the baptism of our Lord, then, we know that it was not an empty show that took place. Jesus was not merely baptized to be an example or to make a demonstration. Herein can lie some confusion.

John the Baptist was baptizing with a baptism of repentance, but Jesus had no sins of which He needed to repent. All the crowds of sinners were coming and confessing their sins, repenting of them, and receiving baptism. So, if Jesus’ baptism was not just an empty show, and if He had no sins of which He needed to repent, why was He baptized? Why does Jesus stand with the crowds of sinners and receive baptism like a sinner?

That’s what John the Baptist wondered, too. He said to Jesus, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” John wasn’t just saying that he’d rather not baptize Jesus, he was saying that it doesn’t make any sense to him. Jesus is the greater; John the lesser. Jesus is perfect; John is sinful. Jesus would institute a Baptism with the Holy Spirit; John was merely baptizing with water. Why would Jesus come to John for baptism?

Jesus responded to John by saying, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” See, Jesus’ baptism was not only for show. Jesus’ baptism fulfilled all righteousness.

Righteousness is the state of being right before God. Righteousness means being acceptable before God. Righteousness is perfection, holiness, and purity. Jesus fulfilled all this in His baptism.

It cannot be for Himself that He fulfilled these things. Jesus was already right before God and acceptable before God. Jesus was already perfect, holy, and pure. Rather, Jesus fulfilled all righteousness for you. To prove this, the heavens were torn open at Jesus’ baptism, once again for you.

Heaven was already open for Jesus. He came from heaven and would return to heaven. At Jesus’ baptism, heaven was opened for you. All righteousness was fulfilled for you.

The Holy Spirit descended like a dove and rested on Jesus. God the Father announced from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

See, the Baptism of our Lord was no empty show. It was no empty ceremony or demonstration. Jesus’ baptism fulfilled all righteousness. Heaven was opened, the Holy Spirit was present, and it was well pleasing to God the Father.

So also, your Baptism was no empty show. It was no empty ceremony or demonstration. Because of Jesus’ baptism, in your Baptism you received Jesus’ righteousness. Because of Jesus’ baptism, in your Baptism heaven was torn open for you, and remains open to receive you when you die. You were given the gift of the Holy Spirit, and God the Father declared you His son with whom He is well pleased.

No one can take this away from you. God will never forget His promises to you that He made to you when you were baptized. He’s not going to change His mind about you and expect you to fulfil the righteousness that Jesus already fulfilled for you. God’s not going to close heaven to you or say that you are no longer pleasing to Him.

In order that you don’t wander from Him, God has given you His Word to strengthen your faith and teach you. In order that you won’t forget His promises to you, He reminds you again and again of His promises in the Bible.

So that you won’t walk away from all the promises that He has made to you in your Baptism, God gives you a meal that nourishes your faith and feeds your soul.

The Lord’s Supper is no empty show. It is no empty ceremony or demonstration. It’s not some meaningless ritual that we follow for the sake of tradition. God doesn’t do things just for show. He’s not a poser or a pretender. He doesn’t care for empty pomp or ceremonies. When God does something, there is a reason He does it, and He accomplishes something through what He does.

In the Lord’s Supper, God gives us the body and blood of His Son, Jesus, our Saviour, to eat and to drink. Through it, He strengthens us in the faith of our Baptism and He nourishes us to eternal life. Through it, He gives us the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

God gives us these real and certain Sacraments because He knows us. He knows how weak we are and how prone to wander. He knows that we are in a world filled with trouble and illness, doubts and temptation. He knows the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion seeking to devour us.

To save us from real sins, from real temptations, from real doubts, and from a real enemy, no empty show would do. Thus, God gives to us real gifts in the Sacraments to give to us the righteousness that Christ has accomplished through His birth, baptism, life, death, and resurrection.

Because you are baptized into Christ, when God looks at you, He doesn’t see your sins. He sees Christ’s righteousness. There is no remaining righteousness for you to fulfil. After all, Christ did say that He would fulfil all righteousness.

All righteousness is fulfilled, and has been given to you in your Baptism, because Baptism is not some empty show or ceremony. Baptism is where you received Christ’s righteousness; where you were declared right and acceptable before God – perfect, holy, and pure. Baptism is where heaven was torn open for you, and remains open to receive you when you die. Baptism is where you were given the gift of the Holy Spirit, and God the Father declared you His son with whom He is well pleased. Amen.

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