Sermon for Holy Thursday

Luke 22:19 & 20

 ¹⁹ And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

Twice that night when He was betrayed, Jesus said this little prepositional phrase, “for you.” “This is my body, which is given for you.” And This cup (my blood) is poured out for you”.

These words, “for you” require all hearts to believe. These words are an invitation to believe. They are a challenge to believe. They are a call to prepare your hearts for what Jesus has to give “for you”, by repenting of sins, all wrong doing, wrong saying, wrong thinking, wrong believing, repent of those and then call on Jesus, asking Him to give what He has promised, His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.

Tomorrow we observe and remember Good Friday, our Lord’s death on the cross. Tonight we observe and remember His sacrament where the fruits of the cross are given for you for the forgiveness sins. The cross is where Jesus died for the whole world of sinners. The Good of Good Friday, what Jesus did on the cross, took care of all the sins of all those who have ever lived or who will ever live, until the end of time. More about that tomorrow. But there’s something incomprehensible about that, isn’t it? It’s for billions. If something is for everybody, free for all, then it’s easy to take for granted, like the air we breathe. Most days, it’s no big deal. So the death of Jesus on the cross can become not so interesting, not so applicable to you, most days. On the cross is the body and blood of Jesus Christ, given and shed for the for the world. Tonight in the Holy Supper for you to eat and to drink, is the body and blood of Jesus Christ given and shed for you. You need not feel like just another face in the innumerable crowd. The Lord says, “This is for you.”

And He can say such things honestly. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He has the powers and attributes of God, like forgiveness of sins and omniscience. He knows all, and everyone. He knows the hairs on your head and the cares of your heart. And He wants you to hear Him and believe Him when He says, “This is for you.” My cross is for you. My resurrection is for you. My life is for you.

Would that no one would disagree with Jesus Christ. But alas, some do. They will say, “nope, it’s not for me.” Some might not say such things with these exact words, but by their actions, they will may it clear that what Christ gives, is not for them. Even more will by their inaction say this, “no, it’s not for me.” Some say it out of arrogance. “For me? For the forgiveness of my sins? What are you talking about? There’s nothing wrong with me? I do it my way and no regrets.”

Others say “nope, it’s not for me” not out of arrogance but out of hopelessness and regret. Saying, maybe it’s for them, it’s not for me. Let not a guilty conscience say, “nope, it’s not for me, because of what I’ve said, what I’ve thought, what I’ve done.” In fact it is exactly for you the sinner that Jesus says, this is for you, for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus Christ has gone to great lengths so you would hear that and believe it.

Those great lengths started back there in Old Jerusalem in the upper room. When we hear this reading again this year of that Thursday evening when Jesus had His last supper, Most of us have some picture in our mind of what it must have been like, Da Vinci’s, or maybe a scene we have in mind from one of the movies made about Jesus’ last days. It is that nicely furnished upper room, with Jesus and 11 or 12 disciples in their various positions. It was behind closed doors. It was a closed communion. When we picture that scene we can figure that when Jesus said, “For you”, He meant at least those 12 guys.

But Jesus wanted it to go on from there. So He said “Do this, often, in remembrance of me.” Saying that, He was getting His apostles ready for the time when He would no longer be with them, but would be at the right hand of His Father in heaven. These Apostles would remember that and after His resurrection and ascension they would gather believers to hear what Jesus said and to eat and drink what Jesus promised to give. And when Jesus gave them the Holy Spirit, He said to them, “He who hears you, hears me.” Jesus wanted them and the church built up around them to “Do this, often, in remembrance of Me”.  So, by the way, this is why I asked you at the start, “Do you believe that the forgiveness I speak is not my forgiveness, but God’s?” Our Lord instituted such things so that future generations would have the forgiveness of their sins accompanied by this assurance, “This is for you.” And so it has gone, with the constant care of the Holy Spirit that His words remain, and come true over and over again. Eternal Salvation and the forgiveness of sins Jesus won on the cross back there long ago, far away. But given here and now for you. Amen.

Sermon for Lent Midweek 4

 “We preach Christ Crucified.”

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25  For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. . . . ²² For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

We preach Christ crucified. That word “Preach” has become a technical term and specifically churchly activity. But all Christians do it, when we talk about Christ crucified to others. When a mother sings “Jesus loves me” to her infant, she’s preaching Christ crucified. When a father prays with his small children and teaches them by word and action, he is preaching Christ crucified. When a Christian sees their neighbor down in the dumps and gives the consolation of heavenly forgiveness and hope of heavenly life, you’re preaching Christ crucified.

But mostly we use that word “preach” to mean what the whole church does together publicly, corporately, when the man appointed and ordained preaches, proclaims, announces the word of Jesus Christ.

Paul here in 1 Corinthians used the Greek word for preach, that was used especially of official announcements. Before there was mass media there were specially appointed messengers, or criers who would go into the center of town or at the entry gate of town, wherever people gathered and he would announce or proclaim important messages. Maybe there would be chariot races tomorrow afternoon. Maybe the king had issued an important decree. Maybe there was news to announce that the king’s armies were victorious in an epic battle.

We preach Christ crucified. And in this announcement there is good news of our King’s important decree—you are justified by His grace. There is good news of our King’s victory in an epic battle. As we sing in the hymn, he is the death of death our foe.

Christ crucified, some may think it sounds like Christ lost, God’s Son was beaten and defeated. But no, Christ crucified is the power of God. Some may think it sounds foolish. But no, “Christ crucified the power of God and the wisdom of God.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

You heard how those who passed by the crucified Christ mocked Him. They said, “If You are the Son of God, come down. But they had it all wrong. It’s just the opposite. Since He is the Son of God, He must stay on the cross. The true Savior, the true Son of God, the true Christ is the crucified Christ.

The opening hymn said it this way,

“Uplifted for the world to see

He hangs in strangest victory,

For in His body on the tree

He carries all our ills.

Romans 3 says that Christ crucified is how we who have sinned and fall short of the glory of God are redeemed and justified and given atonement for our sins. And it says this is for all who believe (vs. 22). So that we believe, we preach and we listen, to this announcement, this good news, this proclamation from on high:  Christ crucified. Amen.

Sermon for 4th Sunday in Lent

The Lord feeds His People

Exodus 16:4  ⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

This moment in the wilderness was a situation of testing for the people of God.

I’m told the Sinai Desert is like the surface of the moon or Mars. There’s no water, no vegetation, just rocks, lots of rocks. Little rocks and big rocks. It sounds like that’s what it was like back then, also. A nice place to visit, maybe, but you wouldn’t want to live there. Also, you wouldn’t want to spend 40 years walking around out there.

That place and climate made the lesson God was teaching very clear, a couple of million people camping out in a wilderness like this – within a week or two they will be completely helpless to find food or water, shelter or safety. They would have nowhere to turn for help and rescue. Nowhere but from heaven. That was their test.

The long story of the Old Testament teaches that testing is good, contrary to what we might expect. It’s good to just get a pass, an easy A, It’s nice when you can just move right along. But the truth is, it’s better for your character and for your faith, to be tested now and again.

It was good for the ancient people of Israel, that God fed them. It was also good for them to get hungry. The Lord let them get hungry that they would call out to Him and know that He is the Lord, that they would believe that He in His good mercy fed them.

Exodus 16:16-19 Moses said:  ¹⁶ This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer,^[a] according to the number of the persons that each of you has in his tent.’” ¹⁷ And the people of Israel did so. They gathered, some more, some less. ¹⁸ But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat. ¹⁹ And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.”

If you’re following along with the daily Bible readings we list in the monthly church newsletter, you’re just getting into this book of Exodus. When you read Exodus, admittedly, it can be tedious. There is so much detail, so many instructions that are exact, precise, and detailed. So think of it this way, the Lord with these meticulous instructions is training His people. He’s teaching them how to listen to His words. He said “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.”

Exodus 16:20 ²⁰ But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.

So they learned an unpleasant lesson. When the Lord speaks, it’s good to listen to Him. When He speaks there is misfortune and curses for those who will not listen to Him. There is promises and blessings for those who hear His word and keep it. Each of the commandments of God have these curses and blessings attached to them. Take the third commandment for example, Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Those who hear it and keep it are given the blessings that flow from worshipping God, hearing His word, receiving His sacrament, strengthening their faith, directing their lives for the week ahead. Those who do not listen to this commandment are left outside of the Lord’s means of grace and in danger of being left outside of His kingdom. Or take the 6^th Commandment, you shall not commit adultery. This world in which we live is hurting under the misfortune and curse of not hearing and obeying this commandment. When  marriage and the family is disrespected everything else about society and life suffer. But when Husbands love their wives and the home is filled with love and peace and joy, the family, the community, society is blessed.

Exodus 16:21 ²¹ Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat;

The Lord gave. The people ate and lived.

Many years later, Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. . . Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:54).

Jesus makes a connection between bread and eternal life. If we truly understand our daily bread, If we are truly thankful for every morsel, our Lord provides, we will come to understand and believe in His gift of life everlasting.

A good prayer before meals is this verse from the Psalms: 

Psalm 145:15-16 ¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food in due season.
¹⁶ You open your hand;
    you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

 

You can picture the living things that are daily satisfied by the Lord’s hand, feeding them. The bird in the nest, for whom the Lord provides good parents who bring the worm and bug. The lamb or calf for whom the Lord provides the nursing ewe or cow. The hungry beggar, and the Lord provides for him or her a good neighbor.

Food and faith go together. We trust the Lord to give us our daily bread, and all things we need. We trust the Lord to give us the forgiveness of our sins, salvation and eternal life. Amen. 

Sermon for Lent Midweek 3

Christ crucified. “The Wisdom of God”

1 Corinthians 3:18-22

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Christ crucified seemed to be foolish. So we who cling to Christ crucified, would seem to be fools.

Pilate was amazed that Jesus would not defend Himself, but would go forward to crucifixion. Pilate’s wife wanted him to have nothing to do with Christ crucified. In the same way, many Greeks and Romans heard the good news of Christ crucified, brushed it off as foolishness. Every century since, there have many who were wise in this world, so wise that they considered Christ crucified foolishness. It is of them, that the verse says, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.”

So we hold dear what the world says is foolish. We believe that Christ crucified is the Wisdom of God. All these years later and we talk about it, we sing about it, we pray about it, we lean our faith on it. We pray that the Lord would imprint this image on our hearts, that the full inscription be, Jesus Crucified for me.

In 1 Corinthians 3 Paul shows the great contrast between human, worldly wisdom and God’s wisdom. “If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.”

The Lord does not care how smart you are in the wisdom of this age, this world. He calls you to have His wisdom.

Now of course, there is some stuff you gotta know to get by in life. When you learn your lessons, when you pass a test, earn a certificate, you get a measurable recognition. But the true wisdom that God seeks in you is not something you can show off or boast about. It must come from above. And it is placed into you.

One of the problems that Paul was dealing with in 1 Corinthians, was that the Corinthians were dividing themselves up into different groups. Some were bragging that they were taught by the Apostle Paul. Others said well, we are of Peter’s.  Others said Apollos, is ours. It was silly, and it was missing the big idea of what it means to be a Christian. Paul tells them, “So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, ²³ and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.”

The Corinthian’s problem was that they were thinking too little of themselves and what all they have because they are saved by Christ. They had forgiveness of their sins, eternal life,  the Holy Spirit and his many gifts, and they had the wisdom of heaven.

All things are yours. You have to think that way, when you lust after pleasures in this world, why? All things are yours.  When you feel the frustration of not getting your way, All things are yours. When you suffer a loss, and lose what you thought you could never live without, All things are yours, because you are Christ’s.

There is a fear of the unknown. You might have a fear of being foolish. People often have the bad dream in which they show up to work and suddenly can’t remember how to do their job.

When it comes to knowing the heavenly truth. You don’t need to fear or worry. Don’t ever allow feelings of inadequacy into your head when it comes to your faith and wisdom. All things are yours. And you are Christ’s.

Many Christians are tongue-tied when it comes to their faith. They feel unfit to speak about the things of Christ; they are afraid to say something wrong and sound like a fool.  

Take stock of the wisdom that is yours in Christ crucified.

Christ crucified is the Wisdom of God. When Christ was crucified for you, He gave you all things. In Christ you have it all and you lack nothing. You can say, The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. Amen.