“The Passion of our Lord,” John 18:15-27

¹⁵ And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. ¹⁶ But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. ¹⁷ Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” ¹⁸ Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.

¹⁹ The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine. ²⁰ Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. ²¹ “Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.” ²² And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?” ²³ Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?” ²⁴ Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

²⁵ Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not!” ²⁶ One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” ²⁷ Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed. (NKJ)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

“Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed” (Jn. 18:27 NKJ, πάλιν οὖν ἠρνήσατο Πέτρος, καὶ εὐθέως ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησεν).

Three times Peter denied Jesus. With each of the three, the pressures boils. First, a servant girl – singular. Then, they, servants and officers – plural. Lastly, just one – singular – but a relative of Malchus, whose ear Peter had cut off in the garden when Jesus was arrested. This interrogator was a witness. He saw Peter with Jesus in the garden. Peter was had – found out – no way out.

Still, Peter stuck to his story. “I am not.” Jesus denied.

Several chapters earlier in John’s Gospel, in chapter 13, there is this dialogue between Jesus and Peter.

“Jesus answered…, ‘Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.’ ³⁷ Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.’ ³⁸ Jesus answered him, ‘Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times’” (Jn. 13:36-38 NKJ).

Jesus’ words clearly come to pass. They always do. Peter thought otherwise. He thought of himself otherwise. When ‘push came to shove,” he gave in. He denied the truth – the truth of knowing Jesus – the truth of having been with Jesus – for three years. Peter’s denial confirmed Jesus’ words. Peter was not all that. What Jesus says – and does – that will stand – always!

In the heat of the moment, Peter caved. At that one point in time, it seems as if he forgot everything that he had known – heard – and seen concerning the Christ. the struggle of the moment took center stage and Peter was found wanting. Found wanting – but not forsaken.

Immediately after Jesus says those words to Peter, “The rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times” (Jn. 13:38 NKJ, ἀποκρίνεται Ἰησοῦς· τὴν ψυχήν σου ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ θήσεις; ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, οὐ μὴ ἀλέκτωρ φωνήσῃ ἕως οὗ ἀρνήσῃ με τρίς) – immediately following this ominous forth-telling, Jesus says, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me” (Jn. 14:1 NKJ, Μὴ ταρασσέσθω ὑμῶν ἡ καρδία· πιστεύετε εἰς τὸν θεὸν καὶ εἰς ἐμὲ πιστεύετε).

It’s as if Jesus is saying to Peter, “Trust not in yourself and your own thoughts and ideas about me and about what you think will happen, though I have told you otherwise. Believe me – as you believe in God. He does not and will not lie to you. I do not and will not lie to you. Believe My Word. Believe Me. What I say is true. Don’t deny it. Believe it. Trust Me.”

At the end of this section of Jesus revealing to the disciples what would be and Jesus promising to send His Spirit – just before He prays for Himself, His disciples, and for all who would believe in Him through the disciples Word (Jn 17:20, Οὐ περὶ τούτων δὲ ἐρωτῶ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τῶν πιστευόντων διὰ τοῦ λόγου αὐτῶν εἰς ἐμέ), Jesus says these words of stark reality and great comfort, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16:33 NKJ, Ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν ἵνα ἐν ἐμοὶ εἰρήνην ἔχητε. ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ θλῖψιν ἔχετε· ἀλλὰ θαρσεῖτε, ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον).

Yes, Peter would deny Jesus – contrary to Peter’s belief. But Jesus’ Word would stand – and does stand – whether believed or not. And though Peter would and did deny our Lord, the Lord’s mercy did not and would to him not cease. Because Jesus has overcome the world – the world will not overcome Him – and has not – and will not – overcome His Word to you – to Peter who denied Him. Because Jesus has overcome the world – the refusal of Peter to acknowledge knowing and having been with Jesus – though revealing human weakness – the sinner’s will for self-preservation – and man’s obstinacy and impulsiveness – These characteristics and tendencies magnify all the more God’s kindness and goodness to sinners such as Peter – to sinners such as you.

Just as Peter’s disregard and selfishness did not change at all Jesus disposition toward him – so also you. This is not to gloss over Peter’s lies at all. This we acknowledge. Nor does appreciation for Peter’s reasoning – why he did what he did – minimize the enormity of his actions. Peter still denied Jesus – three times. Yet, his doing – his lying – does not change Jesus’ love for him – His going to the cross for him – His dying for him – His rising again for him. So also you!

God’s love for you in Christ is not taken away because you sin – as sinners do. Sinners sin. To not be a sinner is to be perfect and to not need God’s mercy. With the Psalmist we say, “I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Ps. 32:5 NKJ, חַטָּאתִי אוֹדִיעֲךָ וַעֲוֹנִי לֹא־כִסִּיתִי אָמַרְתִּי אוֹדֶה עֲלֵי פְשָׁעַי לַיהוָה וְאַתָּה נָשָׂאתָ עֲוֹן חַטָּאתִי).

In our liturgies we also say those familiar words from St. John’s First Epistle, “⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Also, “¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 Jn. 1:8-10 NKJ, ⁸ ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἔχομεν, ἑαυτοὺς πλανῶμεν καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἡμῖν. ⁹ ἐὰν ὁμολογῶμεν τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, πιστός ἐστιν καὶ δίκαιος, ἵνα ἀφῇ ἡμῖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας καὶ καθαρίσῃ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ πάσης ἀδικίας. ¹⁰ ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι οὐχ ἡμαρτήκαμεν, ψεύστην ποιοῦμεν αὐτόν, καὶ ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν ἡμῖν).

Remember, too, the words of our Lord, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Mk. 2:17 NKJ, καὶ ἀκούσας ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγει αὐτοῖς [ὅτι] οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλ᾽ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες· οὐκ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλ᾽ ἁμαρτωλούς). To be a real sinner is to be really forgiven by the real Savior. To not need forgiveness is to not be a sinner or to need the Savior Jesus Whom the Father sent.

As sinners, we come boldly to God’s thrown of Grace – not in or on our own merit – we have none – but in and on the merit of Christ. On Him and in Him alone – we stand.

“¹ Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him… ⁴ For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world– our faith. ⁵ Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 Jn. 5:1, 4-5 NKJ, ¹ Πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ γεγέννηται, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν γεννήσαντα ἀγαπᾷ καὶ τὸν γεγεννημένον ἐξ αὐτοῦ… ⁴ ὅτι πᾶν τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ νικᾷ τὸν κόσμον· καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ νίκη ἡ νικήσασα τὸν κόσμον, ἡ πίστις ἡμῶν. ⁵ Τίς δέ ἐστιν ὁ νικῶν τὸν κόσμον εἰ μὴ ὁ πιστεύων ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ; (1 Jn. 5:1-5 BGT)).

Like Peter, we too fall – and will fall. We sin – and we will sin. Such is what sinners do. But with the Lord, there is forgiveness. The Lord did not forsake Peter. The Lord will not forsake you.

As Jesus says what He says for all to hear, ‘in secret saying nothing’ (John 18:20 NKJ, ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ Ἰησοῦς· ἐγὼ παρρησίᾳ λελάληκα τῷ κόσμῳ, ἐγὼ πάντοτε ἐδίδαξα ἐν συναγωγῇ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, ὅπου πάντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι συνέρχονται, καὶ ἐν κρυπτῷ ἐλάλησα), so His absolution – His forgiveness – His mercy – His grace and favor – His life – His death – His resurrection – for you – rings loud and clear. Take heart. Be of good courage. Jesus has overcome the world. His Word stands – sure and true. Amen.

“Offered Instead of,” Genesis 22:1-18

¹After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” ²He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” ³So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. ⁴On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. ⁵Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” ⁶And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. ⁷And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” ⁸Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

⁹When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. ¹¹But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” ¹²He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” ¹³And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. ¹⁴So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

¹⁵And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven ¹⁶and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, ¹⁸and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” (ESV)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

God, the true God, the One Who gives life, the One Who promises a son to Abraham and Sarah in their old ages, the God Who fulfilled such promise through their son Isaac, this God, the same God, tested Abraham by calling him to sacrifice that same Isaac as a burnt offering. It seems as if God is contradicting His promise that through the Seed of Abraham, through Isaac, all nations of the earth would be blessed. This promise God made to Abraham before, and now, it appears that God is going back on His Word, for if Isaac died, how could all the nations be then blessed through him? God seems to be telling Abraham to do a most inhumane thing, to kill his own son.

It would be true that God is telling Abraham to do a most inhumane thing, an ungodly thing, if it was not God telling Abraham to do it. But in truth, the worship of God then – and today – was – and is – only the worship of God when it was and is worship according to the very Word of God given, according to the truth, according to the way that God seeks to be worshiped, according to what He says about worshiping Him.

King Saul, the first king of Israel, thought he was rightly worshiping God when he saved what he considered the best of the things to sacrifice them to God. The problem was, God had told him to do something entirely different than what he did. In Saul’s mind, Saul decided how to worship God, even if such worship went against what God had clearly said. Hear what God through the prophet Samuel then said to Saul, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in hearing the voice of the LORD? Behold, to hear is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Sam. 15:22-23 NKJ).

True worship of God is to worship God how He seeks to be worshiped, not as we determine Him to be worshiped. This truth King Saul got wrong. Abraham got it right. He got it right because to Him was the Word given to sacrifice his son, the son whom he loved, the son of promise, Isaac by name.

What Abraham was to do was not for the purpose of obtaining God’s favor, getting on God’s good side, or earning peace with God. All false religions have this as their motive with works and sacrifices. The true religion, Christianity, does not. The Bible, both Testaments, the Old and the New, the First and the Second, reveal that God’s favor and mercy is not at all earned, achieved, merited, or gained by you doing. God’s favor and mercy are freely given of God according to His Word, by His doing.

Even before the time God tested Abraham as He did in Genesis 22, God had declared Abraham righteous—through faith. Hear this account from Genesis 15. “After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.’ But Abram said, ‘Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’ Then Abram said, ‘Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!’ And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, ‘This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.’ Then He brought him outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness” (Gen. 15:1-6 NKJ).

Before Abraham did anything, he was righteous in God’s eyes—through faith—through faith in the promise of God. God promised. Abraham believed that promise. Righteous was Abraham. St. Paul says it this way, “If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin’” (Rom. 4:2-8 NKJ).

In Romans Chapter 5, Paul also writes, “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1 NKJ). Such is also our lot, according to and through the promise of God. It is as God says, according to His Word. As we believe, so are God’s Words to us. By them, we live (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew/Luke 4:4; John 6:63).

With God’s command and promise, there is solid ground upon which faith rests and is certain. Abraham had such foundation in pressing forward to do what God had said, because God to Him had said it. But God has not given all people everywhere to do the same thing as God gave Abraham to do. To proceed in applying that Word, or any Word of God as our own when it is not, is to lay claim to what God has said when He has not said it. God did test Abraham to sacrifice His son Isaac. God does not test you in this way. Jesus told the rich young ruler with many possessions to sell all he had and give to the poor, but Jesus does not give you to do the same (Matthew 19:21).

This is where many of those who forsook their daily life, spouse, family, and livelihood in the middle ages and before, and after, to become a monk or the serve in the church in pursuit of holiness got it wrong. They did what God had not commanded. They pursued where God did not lead. Thinking they could serve God better by inventing their own ways to worship Him, they deceived themselves, convincing themselves that they could get ever closer to God apart from what God had said. Many still do these kinds of things today. To trust in God above all things – Yes! To abandon one’s calling – No!

In the text before us, Abraham had the Word of God to sacrifice his son. Yes, that Word was one that to us seems greatly out of place. To us, it is, because God does not call us to do the same. We are to sacrifice where God has given us to sacrifice only according to the Word, only according to the Command and promise of God, as St. Paul says, “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2 NKJ, Παρακαλῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, διὰ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ παραστῆσαι τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν θυσίαν ζῶσαν ἁγίαν εὐάρεστον τῷ θεῷ, τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν ὑμῶν· ² καὶ μὴ συσχηματίζεσθε τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ μεταμορφοῦσθε τῇ ἀνακαινώσει τοῦ νοὸς εἰς τὸ δοκιμάζειν ὑμᾶς τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ εὐάρεστον καὶ τέλειον).

God does not call you, or the church, to save the world. This is Christ’s job. HIS ALONE! Salvation is in and by none other (Acts 4:12). Only Jesus is “The Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). To suffer for Jesus’ sake—this Jesus gives you to do. To worship Him according to His Word—this is what Christians, God’s people, do, for they love His Word and the doing of it. Without the Word, we would be as so many others, floundering for ways to serve and please God. With the Word, the Word Incarnate, we know that we do please God—already—because of Christ—God’s only begotten Son—Who sacrificed Himself in our stead according to the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17; Romans 3:21).

Jesus is that Seed of Abraham through Whom all nations would be blessed. Truly, all nations ARE blessed through Him, the Savior of the World. His blood cleanses from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-9). None other does this. You don’t and you can’t save yourself. Only by the Son promised through Abraham you now—already—have peace with God.

How God tested Abraham is how God tested Abraham. He tests us differently, not for evil, but for good, that we be and remain His, not for His sake, but for ours (James 1:13). So also does our Lord through these tests and trials – whatever they might be – and however intense or weak we find them – direct our attention and trust and confidence to Him and to His Word alone and away from ourselves.

It was in Genesis 12 (verses 1-3), that God had said to Abraham, “…Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3 NKJ, וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥ וּמִמּֽוֹלַדְתְּךָ֖ וּמִבֵּ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אַרְאֶֽךָּ׃² וְאֶֽעֶשְׂךָ֙ לְג֣וֹי גָּד֔וֹל וַאֲבָ֣רֶכְךָ֔ וַאֲגַדְּלָ֖ה שְׁמֶ֑ךָ וֶהְיֵ֖ה בְּרָכָֽה׃³ וַאֲבָֽרֲכָה֙ מְבָ֣רְכֶ֔יךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ֖ אָאֹ֑ר וְנִבְרְכ֣וּ בְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הָאֲדָמָֽה׃).

Later, God promises a son to barren Sarah and her husband Abraham. In Isaac, that promise was fulfilled. The Word of the Lord to Abraham concerning Isaac, that Abraham sacrifice Isaac, does not contradict and does not indicate God going back on His Word at all. Rather, as the text in Genesis 22 states, “Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham” (Gen. 22:1 NKJ).

The test of Abraham was real. What is impossible with man would not be impossible with God (Matthew 19:26). Abraham’s faith was such that he believed that God would keep His Word and promise, even though Abraham did not understand or could not see how God would do so. Had Abraham sacrificed his son according to the Lord’s Word, Isaac’s death would not have nullified God’s promise that “all nations would be blessed through him.” God’s Word cannot be undone. “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). Trust in the Word of God is not uncertain or blind; nor is belief in the resurrection from the dead unfounded.

Hebrews 11 reads, in part, “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead (NKJ).

Even death is not the end of the matter. St. Paul writes of this where he says, “God…gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Rom. 4:17 NKJ, θεοῦ τοῦ ζῳοποιοῦντος τοὺς νεκροὺς καὶ καλοῦντος τὰ μὴ ὄντα ὡς ὄντα).

Of Abraham, Paul says that he, “Contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore ‘it was accounted to him for righteousness.’ Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Rom. 4:18-25 NKJ).

For Abraham and for Isaac, the Lord did provide. The Lord supplied a substitute sacrifice for Isaac. The Lord gave a ram to be the sacrifice instead of Abraham’s son. Abraham believed the Lord God. Isaac was willingly laid on the altar. But instead of Isaac, a substitute was given in his stead.

That provision of the Lord, that substitutionary sacrifice of a ram instead of Isaac – this looks forward to the fulfillment – to the One Who through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Abraham’s descendants – conceived of the Holy Spirit – born of the Virgin Mary – offered Himself freely for sinners – the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Having shed His blood for your sins, no more blood is to be shed for the forgiveness of your sins. Sacrificed on the cross as He was, so also would and did His Word come to pass, “He is risen, just as He said” (Matthew 28:6).

As the Lord’s Word and promise, even of the resurrection, was Abraham’s confidence, so it is also our own. Such faith is blessed—because it is founded on that which is certain and true.

That which is certain and true is that which God says and does. Instead of you, the Son of Man – God’s beloved Son – was sacrificed for your sin. To the cross He went – in your stead. He Who came – not to be served, but to serve, gave His life a ransom for many – a ransom for you (Mark 10:45, καὶ γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἦλθεν διακονηθῆναι ἀλλὰ διακονῆσαι καὶ δοῦναι τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ λύτρον ἀντὶ πολλῶν).

“What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom. 8:3 NKJ, ὸ γὰρ ἀδύνατον τοῦ νόμου ἐν ᾧ ἠσθένει διὰ τῆς σαρκός, ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ υἱὸν πέμψας ἐν ὁμοιώματι σαρκὸς ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας κατέκρινεν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐν τῇ σαρκί).

God “did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all” (Rom. 8:32 NKJ, ὅς γε τοῦ ἰδίου υἱοῦ οὐκ ἐφείσατο ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πάντων παρέδωκεν αὐτόν).

The Lord will provide. The Lord has provided—the Savior—Christ the Lord. Amen.

“The Kind of God We Have; The Kind of people His People Are,” Mark 8:27-38

²⁷And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” ²⁸And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” ³⁰And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

³¹And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³²And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

³⁴And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. ³⁶ For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? ³⁷ For what can a man give in return for his life? ³⁸ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (ESV)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

The Church year is a great blessing, a blessing which we ought not readily ignore. It provides guidance, direction, and a reminder to us wayfarers that the life of the church and the lives of Christians, her members, is not about the church nor about the Christian. It’s all about Christ. It’s easy to forget this truth, especially in the current climate of the day, where all who call themselves Christians are not saying the same thing. Some emphasize this, and some emphasize that. And as much as we might want to believe that the differences between us are only or insignificant, when you get down to it, they’re not, for we don’t all say the same thing about Jesus Christ. To get Christ wrong is to get salvation wrong. Only with the Jesus Christ of the Bible is there salvation and the forgiveness of sins.

It is true that all in Christendom speak of Christ in some way, but not all in the same way as Scripture speaks. Do they speak of Him as complete Savior, one who has fulfilled all that is needed for our salvation with nothing left to be done, or do they preach a Jesus who does most of the work, but we have our part to play, too, even if that part is very small part? Do they speak of Jesus as fully God and fully man, who was born of a true virgin, who died a real physical death, and who rose bodily from the dead, or do they speak of a Jesus who only appeared as a man, was not born of a pure virgin, who only apparently died, or who only spiritually rose?

To speak of Jesus any other way than God does in His Word is to get Jesus wrong. To get Jesus wrong is not to point the way to eternal life. That’s why it’s so necessary to make distinctions. Not all get Jesus right. That’s why there are so many different denominations today. The problem is not so much in using the name Jesus, but how His Name is used, and speaking rightly about Him, not only at the start, but throughout. It has to do not only with who He is, His identity as Savior, but also how He is Savior.

This is one of the reasons why the church year is such a blessing. It draws our attention to Him who is the center of Christianity, the church, and the people of God – to Jesus. It’s all about Him. Beginning with Advent, we prepare for His Second Coming. At Christmas, we celebrate His birth. During the season of Lent, especially, we reflect on what kind of Jesus Jesus is. Then we have that glorious day of Easter, the Resurrection of our Lord, where we boldly testify again that Christ is risen from the dead, that death itself has no more say over Him, and as a consequence, nor you, having been baptized in His Name and having died with Christ and now alive in Him. Then, following Easter, there is the Ascension of our Lord, then the Day of Pentecost, then the Time of the Church, where we are reminded again and again of the Lord with His people until the Last and Final Day, where no more will faith be needed, for then, and only then, will we, on account of Christ, be in His presence with the Father and the Spirit for all eternity.

The Church year is important because it points our eyes to Jesus. This Season of Lent is no different. It draws our attention to the reality of not only Christ’s existence in the flesh, but also our own. There are many who spiritualize Jesus in such a way that says that suffering and sorrow are not according to the Lord’s will; that if you’re melancholy, then you’re not acting very Christian; that Jesus wants you to be happy, and that if you’re struggling with that sin, then something is wrong with you, because if you’re Christian, then you can stop sinning; if you’re unhappy and you’re Christian, then you should be happy; if you’re melancholy, you need to be different, for such is not the Christian way of living.

But any who spiritualize Jesus this way paint Jesus and the Christian life wrongly and not according to the truth. The kind of Jesus we have is not glamorous or pretty. He’s not showy or attractive. He doesn’t draw people’s attention by the big advertisements and exaggerated claims of making everything ok in the world. But He is real! And so is the Christian life. The Christian life is not attractive to the world. But it is attractive to those who seek substance and content, to those who have real problems and don’t seek temporary answers, but the lasting solution. The Christian life doesn’t advertize itself as grand and successful in the eyes of the world. It looks just the opposite. And so does Christ.

²⁷And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” ²⁸And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” ³⁰And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

When Peter said of Jesus, “You are the Christ” (σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστός (Mk. 8:29 )), he was of course stating the truth, the truth that he hadn’t come up with himself, but the truth that had been revealed to Him by the heavenly Father. No one of himself could come to this confession of the Christ on his own – neither Peter, nor you. And no one can come faith in Christ on his own. It is for this reason that Jesus had said in St. Matthew’s Gospel, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 16:17, μακάριος εἶ, Σίμων Βαριωνᾶ, ὅτι σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα οὐκ ἀπεκάλυψέν σοι ἀλλ᾽ ὁ πατήρ μου ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς (Matt. 16:17)). Flesh and blood cannot make out who Jesus is on its own.

St. Paul draws our attention to this fact where he writes, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14, ψυχικὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ θεοῦ· μωρία γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐστιν καὶ οὐ δύναται γνῶναι, ὅτι πνευματικῶς ἀνακρίνεται (1 Cor. 2:14)). Natural man, that is, man by himself, cannot know God as He is. He knows that there is a God, but he does not know, nor can he know, who that God is unless God reveal Himself.

This is why St. Paul can say in another place that “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18, Ὁ λόγος γὰρ ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῖς μὲν ἀπολλυμένοις μωρία ἐστίν, τοῖς δὲ σῳζομένοις ἡμῖν δύναμις θεοῦ ἐστιν (1 Cor. 1:18)). Man rejects God and His work in Christ of His own free will, because he is in bondage to his own sinfulness and is unable to free himself from such a predicament. Help must come from the outside and not from within. Just as a car that won’t start can’t start itself, so the sinner can’t jump start faith in Jesus. The car must be repaired, not by the car, but by the mechanic. So also the sinner cannot know Jesus unless Jesus reveal Himself to him. And Jesus does this by means of His Word.

It was by means of Jesus’ Word that Peter confessed Jesus to be the Christ, because the Word of Jesus is the Word of the Father in Heaven. To hear Jesus is to hear the Father. To dismiss His Word is to reject God’s Word. Peter confesses Jesus to be the Christ because through Jesus’ Word, the Father was making Himself known.

The Father makes known His Son Jesus to be the Christ in no other way than by means of His Word. To confess Christ apart from the Word is to have a different Jesus. That’s where Peter later got it so wrong in our text.

³¹And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³²And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Peter was thinking of the Christ of God as one who wouldn’t suffer, who wouldn’t be rejected, and who wouldn’t be killed. He wanted a Christ who would last forever, a hero with no setbacks, trials, or afflictions, because if he had such a Christ, maybe things would be the same for him. Who wants burdens to bear, crosses to carry, sorrow, and suffering? Who wants to face the reality of the world and the reality of ourselves, with all the complexity of life’s concerns, and the trouble brought about the sins of others and our own sins.

It’s easy to try to escape from the things we struggle with in life, if even for a moment. Some start bad habits and some might even start good habits, for the purpose of making life more bearable. For some, even silence is something to be avoided because it means spending time with yourself. For others, trying to get your mind off work or problems at home is the goal because, frankly, it’s hard. So we try to find ways to make life easier or things to distract us from what is because we want something else than what we have. We want some kind of out, some kind of relief, some kind of help, any help, to make it through the day.

Some try to picture the Christian life as a life that should have minimal troubles, few problems, endless bounty, and success at every turn. And some view the Christian as one who is always happy, one who is always joyful, one who never raises his voice or gets into fights or arguments, especially over doctrinal differences, and one who doesn’t continue to struggle with sin.

But such views of the Christian and the Christian life are mistaken. They are mistaken because to be a Christian in this life does not mean that everything will be perfect. It doesn’t mean less struggle with sin, or that one is always happy, that everything now goes one’s way. It doesn’t mean success the way the world determines success. And it doesn’t mean fewer problems in life. It means difficulties all the more in life on account of the world’s hatred with Christ, and now, with us.

On account of the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh, the rage against us because we bear the Name of Christ becomes all the stronger. Sin becomes all the more recognizable and unbearable. Happiness, like the changing seasons, becomes undependable. Perfection becomes a fleeting dream in light of our corrupted nature. Struggles within ourselves become all the greater, because we recognize that we are not as God commands us to be.

As we grow in the faith, we might become more and more saddened by the fact that so few who call themselves Christians know what Christ and Christianity truly mean, not a life of peace of or from the world, but the life of peace in Christ, Who forgives our sins. Thus do we more clearly distinguish between what is of God and what is not of God. Doing so, w also become more aware of our own sins and our own failures.

Drawn to Holy Scripture, the living Word of the living God, we begin to recognize that apart from that Word, there is only man trying to make sense of what he reads in the Bible according to his own thoughts and presuppositions, and not only according to what the Lord says; and that apart from the Bible, of whom Jesus is the center, man is left to his own devices for certainty and hope with God, which lead to neither. Apart from the Bible, man makes up his own god, and as a result, he makes up his own Jesus, not one who suffers and dies, but one who conquers and stands as king over all and obeyed by all.

But the Jesus of Scripture is not this way. The Jesus of the Bible is not He who would be rebuked by Peter for telling the truth. The Jesus of the Bible is He who would rebuke Peter and who rebukes all who would have their own Jesus and their own god and not the one of the Bible. There is no other Jesus than the one who was bloodied by the scourging, who wore the crown of thorns, who suffered miserably, and who died so ingloriously. There is no other Jesus who conquered sin and death by death, even by His own death. There is no other Jesus who humbled Himself as man in flesh and blood, though He Himself is One with Father (Philippians 2:8; John 10:30). And there is no other Jesus than He who was sent of God, who was rejected by men and still is rejected by men because they don’t want to hear and refuse to believe what He says that they may have life and peace with God.

³⁴And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. ³⁶ For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? ³⁷ For what can a man give in return for his life? ³⁸ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Mark 8:27–38)

Just as there is no other Jesus than He who gave Himself for you and Who gives you His body and blood in the Lord’s Supper to eat and to drink for the forgiveness of your sins, so there is no other life of the Christian than coming after Jesus, denying self, taking up the cross, and following Him. All who would go their own way here bear the name of Christian in name only.

It is certainly the temptation to do so, that is, to be ashamed of Christ; to not follow Him; to forsake the cross, the burdens that we bear for His Name; to accept and be satisfied with ourselves and seek not to change that which we cannot or don’t want to, and to enter the wide gate and the broad way – where many go (Matthew 7:13). This is what we all do by nature, but by God’s grace and with His Spirit, we battle these temptations and seek respite and refuge in Him.

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

The Lord does not leave you without strength. He does not leave you without comfort. And He does not leave you without blessing. The Lord gives you strength, that you endure. He gives you comfort, that you remain steadfast in the faith. And He pronounces His blessing upon you in Christ, that your confidence be in Him, and in Him alone. By means of His Word does the Lord give these to you, that you bear with what befalls you and that you find your life, not here in the world, but in Jesus, for such is where it is, as St. Paul writes, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

And again, “What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:7-10).

The way of the Christian is the life of the cross. It is the way of death, not only of Christ’s death, but of one’s own—dying to sin, crucifying the sinful flesh and desires and lusts which war against the soul, and seeking help and salvation in Christ alone, casting aside lady reason and man pride; having nothing to give but only everything to be given on account of the real Jesus who suffered and died; the real Jesus then, and the real Jesus now, whose Gospel word is life, and lasting life. Amen.

“God Relented,” Jonah 3:1-5, 10

¹Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ²“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” ³So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. ⁴Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” ⁵And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. . . .¹⁰When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. (Jonah 3:1–5, 10, ESV)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

The account of Jonah is a familiar one. The “big fish story.” Though most do not believe that Jonah was swallowed by a fish – Christians do – because God reveals it to be true. However, at schools, colleges, and universities, as well as in our communities, even in many churches, it would be correct to assume that many students and faculty, members and even clergy alike – however – take Jonah to be only legend, myth, non-historical, and non-factual, having little if anything to do with reality.

Not everyone takes the Word of God – the Bible – as it is – God’s Word. Believers do. When we read Holy Scripture, we don’t come at it like it’s just any other book. However, the Bible is, generally speaking, questioned as to its historicity, its literality, its truthfulness, and its application, even within Christendom itself. Many mainline church bodies, though they may say that the Bible is God’s Word, at the same time declare that what is written in it is not historically accurate. But if not historically accurate, how can it be God’s Word? God to be God means that He speaks only the truth. If the Bible is not true, how are we to trust what’s recorded in it?

Some say that the Bible is not to be taken as it says. But if that’s the case, is any of it to be taken at face value, and if so, what part is and what part isn’t? Who decides?

Some say that what’s in the Bible doesn’t have to do so much with real events, people, and times, but more importantly, the meaning behind the stories. The important thing to many today, with regard to the Bible, is not whether or not the things really happened, but how the Bible makes one feel, what it says to me, or the effect it has on one’s life, not in the sense of recognizing one’s sin, confessing that sin, and then believing in God’s promises through Jesus Christ for eternal life, but in the sense of how one’s life might be improved only in the here and now. The emphasis is less on eternity and only on the present – on one’s personal life – not how one stands before God, but how one sees oneself – or is seen – in relation to self or others.

The pursuit of happiness and contentment with oneself has become the ultimate goal, it might seem. Mmany see the Bible only as a means to that end. But in doing so, those who use the Word of the Lord for their own gain not only miss the mark with reference to God’s Word and its application. They also are placing themselves in God’s shoes and taking His place as Lord rather than hearing the text as God’s, through which He makes His will known – what we are to believe and how we are to live.

When it comes to the Bible and the words therein, to the text before us of Jonah, it is not for us, or for anyone, to question the revelation, proclamation, declaration, condemnation, or salvation of the Lord God who gives such testimony, not for Himself, but for our sakes, that we read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest what He has both said and done for us.

When it comes to the Bible, the historicity of the event is not to be separated from the meaning of the text – and vice versa. It cannot be. If it is, you end up with myths like the Greeks and Romans. If it is, then you have theories like evolution, unbelief in the crossing of the Red Sea on dry land by the Israelites when the Egyptians were chasing them, a virgin-less birth, and ultimately, a God-less and savior-less Jesus, who was crucified, not to pay the debt for the world’s sins and yours and mine, but who died to be only an example of selflessness and to show us how we ought to be towards others, ‘turning the other cheek and loving our enemies.’

If the Bible is not true in all of its words, then what is recorded in it is not true at all – for the text itself indicates its truthfullness. If, as some believe, the Bible is only what we make out of it or get from it, then man has become god and God ceases to be God. But God is God. God remains God – if believed or not; If acknowledged or not – if known or recognized or not.

Instead of placing ourselves above the Word, we humble ourselves before it. And instead of deluding ourselves with the notion that it doesn’t apply to us, we yield to it. Not only does God justly condemn sinners. He also has removed that judgment from us and has placed it upon His Son.

God makes knows His workings in the world through Scripture, not only His judgment and anger, but especially His mercy and His patience. Jonah said it this way, “I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm” (Jonah 4:2). Ironically, this is why Jonah ran away from God the first time.

In our text it says, “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time” (Jonah 3:1). For the word of the Lord to come to Jonah the second time implies that it came to him a first time. And a first time it did. And that word to Jonah the first time was this, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me” (Jonah 1:2).

God was calling Jonah, one of his prophets, to go to a specific place, to a specific people, and to proclaim a specific message. God had called Jonah to go to Nineveh, and to preach repentance to her citizens, because destruction was soon to come upon them because of their wickedness. But instead of going in the direction God had told him to go, he went the other way. He tried to avoid God’s calling, and that’s why Jonah ended up in the water, literally.

But even though Jonah fled from God, God had other plans for him. God would use Jonah as His instrument to declare judgment upon the people of Nineveh, whether Jonah wanted to or not. And so God did use Jonah for His purpose. Jonah did go to Nineveh after being in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. And Jonah did preach the message that God told him to preach. And the people did turn from their sinful ways. And the Lord did relent from destroying wicked Nineveh, for they confessed that they were sinners, and they believed in God for deliverance.

What Jonah said of God was true, He is the “gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm” (Jonah 4:2). It was because of this that Jonah tried to avoid going to Nineveh as God’s prophet. Jonah desired God’s grace and His mercy, but only for the people of Israel. The unbelieving nations, such as the wicked Ninevites, did not deserve God’s kindness. They deserved His wrath. Jonah wished God’s goodness only for himself and his people and no one else.

This was a commonly held position in Israel. And it is also one found today. We too, like Jonah, know God to be “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and One who relents from doing harm.” We have come to know this through the One who himself said of Jonah, “As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40). Through the One who himself was three days and nights in the tomb after being hung on the cross, we ourselves have come to know that God is Good (Psalm 73:1), that God is love (1 John 4:8, 16), and that God forgives the sinner (Luke 5:21; Acts 5:31).

Though we don’t deserve God’s favor or kindness, even because of our confessing our sins to Him, and though we ourselves deserve instead to be overthrown than to be delivered, the Son of God substituted His holy life for our wickedness. Jesus gave His life for ours in death. And the Father has accepted His life and His death in our stead.

But this Good News is not just for us. The Good News of God is not just for God’s people. It’s for all and everyone. “For God so loved the World” (John 3:16). “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19). ‘The world,’ says St. Paul. ‘The world,’ says Jesus. God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

And how does God go about saving people and bringing them to the knowledge of the truth? How did people in the days of the Apostles hear about Jesus? How did the Ninevites in Jonah’s day hear about the coming destruction because of their wickedness? God made it known to them. There were those sent of God to proclaim such news. There were those sent of God to declare God’s judgment and God’s peace. And still today does God still send. Still today there are those sent of God to speak His unadulterated and true Word. And still today do God’s people confess His Name and “Proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).

How did you come to know of Christ and His love? How did you come to believe in Him as your Savior? It was through the Word of the Lord that you came to faith. It was through the Word preached and spoken to you that you believed. And it is through that same Word by which you remain and continue in true faith. And it is through that same word by which others hear, repent, and believe.

Give thanks, then, that God has so opened your eyes to see your sin and opened them that you see your Savior Jesus Christ. Give thanks for those whom God has sent and for those God does send. Give thanks that the Good News of sins forgiven is not just for you, but for all people. For just as others don’t deserve God’s forgiveness, neither do you. But neither they nor you are forgiven because of deserving it. Rather it is because of Christ, and Christ alone.

Rather than run away from God and His call to serve Him and serve others, because of Christ, wherever you are, whether near or far, here or there, be faithful to the Lord and to your calling into which He has called you. Hear His Word. Know that you are not your own, but were “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 7:23). You were washed with water and Word in Holy Baptism. Also know that God’s goodness in Christ to you also extends to your neighbor. On that account, as God is towards you in Christ, forgiving you your sins freely and showing you His kindness, so also are you toward others. As God loves us, so ought we to love one another – freely, unconditionally, unreservedly, and continually (1 John 4:11). Amen.

“He Taught as One Who Had Authority,” Mark 1:21-28

²¹And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath [Jesus] entered the synagogue and was teaching. ²²And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

²³And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, ²⁴“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” ²⁵But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” ²⁶And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.

²⁷And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

²⁸And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. (ESV)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

In today’s Gospel reading, St. Mark identifies the first work of our Lord after calling Simon, Andrew, James, and John—that of casting out an unclean spirit from a man in the synagogue. No ordinary day was this for the people in that place at that time! They saw with their own eyes the very One who had such authority – an unclean spirit exited out of a man.

The unclean spirit obeyed Jesus. The people saw. The people heard. They acknowledged the great things happening in their midst. They wondered about this man before them Who did such works of God and spoke with such authority. But Jesus did not simply cast out unclean spirits, heal those who were sick, give sight to the blind, and cleanse lepers for their own sake. By means of these, Jesus revealed that “The Kingdom of God” had come near, that it was there—In Him. These signs, these works of God, as miraculous as they were, did not come without accompaniment, nor were they the main thing of what Jesus was doing.

Even in today’s Gospel text, St. Mark tells us what Jesus was doing just immediately before casting out the unclean spirit. Jesus was teaching. He was teaching with authority, “and not as the scribes” (οὐχ ὡς οἱ γραμματεῖς (Mk. 1:22 BGT)) This distinction is not only noteworthy. It is profound. That Jesus did not teach as the scribes says something. It says that Jesus is One who authoritatively spoke. He wasn’t just reading what others had said, as the scribes did. Jesus wasn’t giving His opinion or quoting ideas that from men. Jesus knew what He was talking about. And from the writings of the New Testament, we know why—because Jesus is God in the flesh.

After John the Baptist was imprisoned, Jesus began His ministry of preaching and teaching, doing and working. He amazed. He wowed. He astonished. He spoke. The works that Jesus’ did in the presence of witnesses demonstrated who He was. Jesus Himself says as such. “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him” (Jn. 10:37-38 NKJ). A little later, Jesus also to Phillip, one of His disciples, says, “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves” (Jn. 14:10-11 NKJ).

Ponder this. The second person of the Holy Trinity condescends to become flesh and blood through the womb of the virgin. He is baptized as a sinner, though having no sin. He teaches the Word of God, in the synagogue, and the people recognize that he speaks with authority. That same Word that He was teaching was that Word revealed in the First Testament, centered on the One who would be conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin – who would save His people from their sins.

The Giver of that Word is now speaking that Word, in the flesh, for those in the synagogue to hear. And in the midst of doing this, Jesus casts out the unclean spirit—with a Word. Jesus’ word is authoritative. It is effective. It does what it says. Jesus demonstrates His authority in Word and over that which is unclean. The Word of the Lord is just like this, for God says, “As the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:10-11 NKJ).

We see Jesus’ Word accomplishing what He says throughout the Gospels. Jesus heals, cleanses lepers, gives sight to the blind, casts on demons, and yes, even raises the dead—all with the Word.

Jesus’ Word and sign reveal Himself to be Who He says He is, then, and now. Yet today, we are hesitant to even acknowledge the authoritativeness of our Lord’s Word in all circumstances and at all times, whatever they might be. When things turn out the way we think they should, we glorify God and give thanks to Him for all His benefits. But when things don’t go the way that we think they should or ought to the way the way we think they should, we ask, “Where is God? Where is His promise?”

The wonder and the astonishment of God’s Word and work among us waxes and wanes – though God’s Word and work is there for all to see. Like the world and all who live in it, we are tempted to go by what we see and by what we want to see, by what we experience and by what we want to experience —according to our own standards—and not by the very Word God gives, that we repent and believe—and continue believing—the Gospel. Like others, we, too, are tempted to become uninterested and indifferent to the Lord’s Words and blessed ways, as if the Lord need to prove Himself to us that He is God so that we hear and heed Him, as if He is God only if we make Him to be, or that He is worthy of our attention only according to our determination and not according to His revelation.

To do these things, to give to God only what we determine to be given Him, to only consider God worthy of our attention on our own schedule, to try to make God to be who we make Him to be, to neglect what He says because we don’t think such applies—all these things are the making of an idol and not the revelation of the true God.

Christians do not, like so many others, say, “I’ll seek God and honor Him on my own terms and when such is convenient.” Rather, the Christian humbly bows the knee before the Lord and confesses his need for the Word and for help. The Christian acknowledges the Lord to be merciful and to show compassion. The Christian desires to receive from God of His goodness, as God determines it to be given and as God determines the way for it to be given, whether more or less – and for it, the Christian gives thanks and gladly receives all that God freely gives.

With astonishment and amazement of what the Lord says and does, the believer boldly confesses, “God is mine, and I am His!” Contrary to disinterest and indifference to the things of God, God calls you to believe His Word and His work.

St. John records this account and these words of our Lord, where Jesus says, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” The people then responded and “said to Him, ‘What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?’ And to them, “Jesus answered and said…, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (Jn. 6:27-29 NKJ)

Later, the Lord also says, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (Jn. 8:24 NKJ).

And after those memorable words of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,”our Lord continues by saying, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (Jn. 3:16-18 NKJ).

Where the Holy Spirit creates faith by means of the Word, and that faith has taken root, there is a “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matthew 5:6) that cannot be satisfied but by Christ, the Incarnate Word, who gave Himself, for you, on the cross, that you have eternal life, and that you be sure of such life, not at all doubting, but solidly certain, even should earth and heaven give way and lose their place.

Christ is risen-from the dead-just as He had said He would (Mark 9:31; 10:34). Just as Jesus had taught with authority in that synagogue years ago, so also had He demonstrated that authority as He cast the unclean spirit out of that man. That the unclean spirit recognized Jesus for Who He was, “The Holy One of God,” shouldn’t surprise. God created the invisible beings, as well as the visible. He is, after all, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (Jn. 1:1-3 NKJ).

What should surprise is that not all of God’s creatures, originally created in His image, believe in God, but deny, reject, and mock God and what He says and does. Whereas, “Even the demons believe– and tremble!” (Jas. 2:19 NKJ), we fail to recognize our place before Him.

By God’s grace alone do any recognize their place before the Creator. By God’s grace alone do any recognize Jesus’ Word as authoritative and true, that Jesus Himself is “The Word,” whose dominion extends over things seen and unseen, over life and over death. You can’t, and you don’t, know these things to be true because they can be tested and verified according to human standards and empirical data. Human reason and understanding can only grasp so much. These have their limits. And because they have been corrupted since the Fall, such limits hide from us God and His ways—unless He reveal Himself to us according to His Word.

But the same One who created light with the Word, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) is He who disperses the darkness of your sin and its corruption and opens your eyes and your ears, to see and to hear, the wonderful works of God in Christ Jesus. The Kingdom of God is near! It is here! Where Christ is, there is He. And there His servants want to be – and are.

Jesus says, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (Jn. 10:27-28 NKJ).

Where Christ is, there His servants are (John 12:6), not because they’ve determined for themselves that that’s where Jesus is, but because His Word, His life-creating, life-giving, and life-sustaining Word, is their spoken and made known, and Christ who died and is risen is preached for the salvation of sinners.

There, here, God speaks; and there, here, astonishment and amazement beyond measure continue to be born. “What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?” (Ps. 8:4 NKJ).

For you, God sent His Son. “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham” (Heb. 2:14-16 NKJ).

“We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15-16 NKJ).

Be amazed and astonished that God, in Christ, forgives you—all—your sin! The Word and the work of our Lord testify to this. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” – for you (Mk. 10:45 NKJ).

“You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Pet. 2:9-10 NKJ).

Amen.

“This is Why Jesus Came,” Mark 1:29-39

²⁹And immediately [Jesus] left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. ³¹And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

³²That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. ³³And the whole city was gathered together at the door. ³⁴And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

³⁵And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. ³⁶And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, ³⁷and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” ³⁸And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

³⁹And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. (ESV)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

In Article III of the Apostles’ Creed, we confess, “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Christian Church, the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.” In his Large Catechism, written primarily for pastors, Luther writes this, “Neither you nor I could ever know anything about Christ, or believe in Him, and have Him for our Lord, unless it were offered to us and granted to our hearts by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel (1 Cor. 12:3; Gal. 4:6)” (LC, Part II, para. 38).

This preaching of the Gospel takes place in its proclamation, where the Word of the living God goes forth. Most especially does such preaching take place in God’s house – on the Lord’s Day. Those who willingly separate themselves from this Word and Work of God separate themselves from that which saves – that which enlivens – that which makes new – that which revives – that which gives life. God’s Word – the preaching of Christ – does all these things.

Here – many might begin to think or say more about the preacher and the dressing of his preaching rather than the content. But for the Christian, what matters most is the content. Some will always look for something else than what God gives and promises. These will always be left unsatisfied. They look for something only temporary, not eternal and lasting. Only God gives that.

If the church is about the preaching of any thing other than God’s Word alone – be weary. God has not given His body to be about the business of giving sinners what they want. What sinners need – this is what God gives. What sinners need – from the greatest to the least – all sinners – none excluded – is Christ crucified – Christ risen – the Gospel – sins forgiven – Peace with God. Those who don’t deliver Christ are only playing Church. Worse than this – they are deceiving and misleading their hearers away from the only true and lasting comfort and consolation given by God – that which hangs – not on you or anything within you – but entirely on Jesus, Who Himself says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28 NKJ, Δεῦτε πρός με πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες καὶ πεφορτισμένοι, κἀγὼ ἀναπαύσω ὑμᾶς).

Such a premium is placed on the preaching of Christ that, with Luther, we, too, say and confess, “Where Christ is not preached, there is no Holy Spirit who creates, calls, and gathers the Christian Church, without which no one can see the Lord” (LC, Part II, para. 45). The work of the Holy Spirit, says Jesus, is this, to teach and to bring remembrance the word of Christ (John 14:26. Again, of the Holy Spirit – Whom Jesus calls “the Spirit of Truth,” Jesus says, “He will testify of Me” (John 15:26, Ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ παράκλητος ὃν ἐγὼ πέμψω ὑμῖν παρὰ τοῦ πατρός, τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας ὃ παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκπορεύεται, ἐκεῖνος μαρτυρήσει περὶ ἐμοῦ ). The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ. This is what the Holy Spirit does. In doing so, He…convicts “the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in” Jesus; “of righteousness, because” Jesus goes to His Father and” the disciples see” Him “no more; Of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged” (Jn. 16:8-11 NKJ, Καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐκεῖνος ἐλέγξει τὸν κόσμον περὶ ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ δικαιοσύνης καὶ περὶ κρίσεως· περὶ ἁμαρτίας μέν, ὅτι οὐ πιστεύουσιν εἰς ἐμέ· περὶ δικαιοσύνης δέ, ὅτι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ὑπάγω καὶ οὐκέτι θεωρεῖτέ με· περὶ δὲ κρίσεως, ὅτι ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου κέκριται.).

In Lutheran Catechesis, the resource used here for the teaching of younger and older alike in the Lutheran Christian faith, this is written concerning the Holy Spirit and the Spirit’s work. “It is the work of the Holy Spirit to ‘convince’ the world ‘by announcing the verdict of God’ concerning such things as sin, righteousness, and judgment. Even if no one in the world believes the testimony, it is no less true. Through the proclamation of Law and Gospel, the Holy Spirit ‘convicts the world of what is true in Christ before the Father. The Word of God says what is so! Through the proclamation of the Word the world is convicted of sin, righteousness, and of judgment. This means that when the truth of the Gospel sounds forth, many believe it, many reject it, but the realities of what the Word proclaims are, nevertheless, eternally true in Christ Jesus” (Lutheran Catechesis, Catechist Edition, 2^nd Ed., 147).

Concerning the Holy Spirit convicting the world of sin, because they do not believe Jesus, the Law shows us our sin – our unbelief – our rebellion against God.

“We know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:19-20 NKJ, οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι ὅσα ὁ νόμος λέγει τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ, ἵνα πᾶν στόμα φραγῇ καὶ ὑπόδικος γένηται πᾶς ὁ κόσμος τῷ θεῷ· διότι ἐξ ἔργων νόμου οὐ δικαιωθήσεται πᾶσα σὰρξ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, διὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας.).

“The death of Christ for the sins of this world is the righteousness of God…Jesus ‘went to the Father’ in His death to offer up Himself as the righteous offering for the sins of the world. Christ suffered death and all that we by our sins have deserved. The righteousness of Christ’s death is the only source of salvation for the world. Unless the Holy Spirit convicts us of the righteousness of Christ through the preaching of the forgiveness of sins, we cannot be saved from sin. The proclamation of the Gospel creates faith in Christ and declares us righteous for Jesus’ sake. The proclamation of the forgiveness of sins for Jesus’ sake is the heart of the Spirit’s work” (Lutheran Catechesis, Catechist Edition, 2^nd Ed., 147).

“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Rom. 3:21-26 NKJ).

“The judgment of God that the sinner is righteous for Christ’s sake sets man free from the judgment of the Law that the devil uses to condemn the world. Since God forgives us all sin and declares us righteous for Jesus’ sake as a gift of His grace, the devil cannot accuse us of sin or damn to eternal death (Romans 8:1-4; Romans 8:31-34)” (Lutheran Catechesis, Catechist Edition, 2^nd Ed., 148).

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:1 NKJ).

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” (Rom. 8:31-34 NKJ).

The preaching of Christ is the work of the Holy Spirit. Through such preaching, faith comes. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17 NAU, ἄρα ἡ πίστις ἐξ ἀκοῆς, ἡ δὲ ἀκοὴ διὰ ῥήματος Χριστοῦ.). The preaching of Christ is not without significance. It is not without import and necessity.

To pastor Timothy does St. Paul write, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” (2 Tim. 4:1-4 NKJ).

To Timothy, Paul also says, “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim. 4:16 NKJ, ἔπεχε σεαυτῷ καὶ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ, ἐπίμενε αὐτοῖς· τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν καὶ σεαυτὸν σώσεις καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου.).

In another place, Paul even says, “If I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Cor. 9:16 NKJ, ἐὰν γὰρ εὐαγγελίζωμαι, οὐκ ἔστιν μοι καύχημα· ἀνάγκη γάρ μοι ἐπίκειται· οὐαὶ γάρ μοί ἐστιν ἐὰν μὴ εὐαγγελίσωμαι.).

The Law of God condemns us all as sinners. The Gospel of God is the preaching of salvation to condemned sinners – now no longer condemned – because of Christ’s Word and work.

It is true – as recorded in the Gospels – that Jesus healed and cast out demons – as in St. Mark chapter 1. It is also true that many – then – and now – seek Jesus only for the physical aid and relief that He might give. Many a one visits the church expecting to get free help – and to fulfill their wants. But more than wants – God meets our needs – our true need – that of a loving and gracious God in the Person of Jesus – Who delivers from death and hell.

“Everything in the Christian Church is ordered toward this goal: we shall daily receive in the Church nothing but the forgiveness of sins through the Word and signs, to comfort and encourage our consciences as long as we live here. So even though we have sins, the <grace of the> Holy Spirit does not allow them to harm us. For we are in the Christian Church, where there is nothing but <continuous, uninterrupted> forgiveness of ins. This is because God forgives us and because we forgive, bear with, and help one another (Gal. 6:1-2)” (LC, Part II, para. 56).

God’s primary work and Jesus’ ministry was – and is – not centered on healing human illnesses and casting out demons – even though He did and does these things. Jesus preaching – then – and now – takes center stage. That’s where life is – in Him – the forgiveness of sins – peace with God.

This means Christ’s church does not just preach about Christ. Christ’s church preaches Christ – for you – today – here – now – in the present. Believe the Gospel. Take eat – Take drink – for the forgiveness of sins. Amen.

“Their eyes were opened,” Luke 24:13-35

¹³That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. ²¹But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. ²²Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. ²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

²⁵And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ²⁷And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, ²⁹but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. ³¹And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. ³²They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” ³³And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, ³⁴saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (ESV)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Though the disciples of our Lord had had the Lord’s Word spoken in their ears, even that very Word by which He revealed to them what was to come, that Word of His death, and that Word of His glorious resurrection, the disciples had not first believed.

Time after time Jesus told them of what was to come, but they did not understand, they hadn’t believed, what He said.

After the third day, the words of the women declaring to the 11 that Jesus was alive seemed like an idle tale (Luke 24:11).

When the Lord first appeared to the 10 behind closed doors that Easter Sunday night, Thomas was not there.

When the disciples had told Thomas that they had seen Jesus, Thomas declared, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger, into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25).

It was not until Jesus Himself appeared to Thomas, spoke to Him, and showed Him His hands and His side, that Thomas then believed, confessing, “My Lord and My God!” (John 20:28).

Like Thomas before he saw Jesus and believed, the two men on the road to Emmaus in the today’s Gospel reading also did not believe.

They had heard the reports of others, but they did not make the connection between what Jesus had said before and then believe that it would be just as Jesus had said.

They had not put two and two together, Who Jesus truly was, that the words of Jesus spoken were as good as done.

Though Jesus truly did die, as He had said before that He would, so would He truly rise from the dead on the third day, also just as He had said.

If it was, and is, any other way, then Jesus is not God and you are still in your sins.

But Jesus is God. He is risen!

His resurrection shows that all that Jesus did and said was true, that you are not your own Savior—Jesus is.

Death is undone.

In Christ, life reigns.

In the post-resurrection accounts, we have examples of those, like Thomas and the two traveling to Emmaus, who did not believe the testimony of others.

Yet, Jesus revealed Himself to them that they not be uncertain, but certain of His resurrection – certain of His triumph over death and the grave – certain of His victory over sin.

The post-resurrection account drawing our attention today offers another example of some whose eyes remained closed to the glorious resurrection until the Lord made Himself known by Word and Sign.

Though Jesus was right before the two, and talking with them, the text says that their eyes were restrained from recognizing who Jesus was, that is, until their eyes were opened when Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them” (Luke 24:30).

Then they recognized the man before them for Who He was.

We might be able to understand why those disciples were down and out concerning the events of the Lord’s suffering and death.

They had hoped that Jesus of Nazareth would be the ONE to redeem Israel. Their expectations went unmet. Sorrow and grief filled the day. Bewilderment and confusion took root.

Reason tells us that the dead remain dead, that the dead do not rise, that death is final.

Reason also tells us that miracles do not happen – that what we see is what is true – that we must be able to understand for something to be true.

God says differently.

God reveals that we are created beings (Genesis 1), created by the Creator who is above us – by God who transcends our thoughts and our ways (Isaiah 55:9) – yet God who also becomes flesh – taking the form of a servant and coming in the likeness of men – humbling Himself – obedient to the point of death – even the death of the cross – not to be served – but to serve – and to give His life as a ransom for many (John 1:14; Philippians 2:7; Matthew 20:28).

The two disciples on the way to Emmaus had heard the news of the women who were at the tomb and came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive.

But they did not believe it.

Even with Jesus before them, they did not recognize the risen Lord.

As we go by only what we see or only by what reason tells us, and not by the Word of the Lord, Jesus remains obscured, and His promises remain hidden.

Like Peter who began to sink when He took His eyes off Jesus as he walked on water, so also our attention to Christ is off where we give attention to that which is not according to the Lord’s Word. Such is the temptation when experiencing trouble, trial, and tribulation. Though God’s Word be right in front of us as it is today – at those times – God’s promises might distant and far off from comforting. This is not because what God says is ineffective. This is the struggle to believe what God says – especially when everything else suggests otherwise.

Everything that those two disciples in the Gospel knew to be true to their experience testified against the Lord’s resurrection, everything except the Lord’s Word and work.

Though the two did not recognize their risen Lord, Jesus did not turn from them in anger or bitterness.

Instead, He walked with them, even asking the reason for their sorrow.

Even though He already knew, He asks for their sake, that He point them to Himself.

“We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 14:16).

The Lord made known to them that Christ’s suffering and death was foretold in the Old Testament and that Christ was indeed the Messiah, the ONE who would redeem Israel.

Indeed, Jesus is the redeemer.

He redeemed us “not with corruptible things, like silver or gold…but with” His “precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

All that the Old Testament had prophesied of Jesus was fulfilled in Him – Even His death and resurrection, all according to Scripture.

What the two had not yet understood was that it was through Jesus’ own death that He Himself would put sin to death and usher in new life by means of His resurrection.

Where sin has ceased, so has death.

There, the hope of life remains.

As Jesus spoke concerning Himself, beginning with Moses and the prophets, the hearts of those two burned within them.

Here, Jesus points the way to interpret the Old Testament and all of Scripture, through Himself.

Earlier, Jesus had declared to the Jews, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39).

Here, Jesus is talking about the Old Testament Scriptures.

In another place, concerning “the Holy Scriptures,” it is written that they “are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).

The reason this is so is because the Old Testament is about Christ, as is the New Testament.

Jesus is the center.

He gives you His Word, that you believe against what you only see, contrary to what your eyes alone tell you, that you take Him at His Word, before and in the present, and into the future.

It is significant that on the road and talking with Jesus, the two disciples had not recognized the risen Lord.

Only as Jesus took bread and blessed it and broke and gave it to them, then their eyes were opened.

We have seen similar words spoken before, as had the disciples.

In the upper room with the Lord’s disciples, on the night when He was betrayed, “Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it”(Matthew 26:26).

In the feeding of the 5000 (Luke 9:16), then in the feeding of the 4000 (Matthew 15:36), Jesus did the same thing. He took bread, blessed it, and broke it.

When Jesus did these things before the two, they recognized Jesus for who He was.

It was Jesus, alive from the dead, just as the others had said.

In the breaking of the bread, their eyes were opened.

With them all along was the risen Lord, preaching His Word, giving comfort, testifying to the truth of His salvation. Then He vanished from their sight.

Right then and there, Jesus left them, not in doubt, but believing.

His Word and the blessed bread were sufficient to bring about the recognition of Christ the Lord, to quicken faith, and to cast away any doubt.

The Lord continues to give you His Word and to bestow upon you His grace, that you believe and remain believing in Him who died and rose again, and that you, with the two on the road to Emmaus, recognize Christ for who He is, your Savior from death and the giver of eternal life, indeed, the Messiah. 

By means of His Word, and in the sacred meal, the Lord Jesus strengthens the weak and gladdens the heart.

The Lord continues to make Himself known that you hold fast to him, in life and in death.

In the Lord’s Supper, Christ gives His own body and blood for you to eat and to drink, and there, makes Himself known to you as your Savior and strengthens your faith.

Do not ignore the Lord’s Word or His promises, nor stay away from them, as growing numbers continue to do.

God calls you not to despair of Him, but to place your confidence in Christ alone.

Cast all your burdens upon Him, for He cares for you (Psalm 55:22).

Wait on Him and believe His Word. It is as He says. It will be as He promises. Amen.

“That they may have life ” John 10:1-10

¹[Jesus said:] “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. ²But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. ⁷So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (ESV)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

The last few words of today’s gospel reading from John 10 are these, where Jesus says, ^“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:9-10).

Entering by Jesus – through Jesus – is life – eternal life. For this reason did Jesus come – that those who enter by Him – through Him – have life and have life abundantly. Such words sound too good to be true – abundant life – in Jesus. Some immediately take these words – abundant life – to mean to have material possessions, worldly success, earthly riches beyond compare, more than we have now. Undoubtedly, many a false preacher and teacher references these words of our Lord in support of what is called the prosperity gospel – the false teaching that God will materially bless you all the more – that God will give you earthly riches and wealth – if you just – do for Him – give more to Him – sacrifice your all – in order to get. The prosperity gospel – so called – is not Gospel at all. It teaches giving to get – sacrificing to earn – doing for blessing in return – Quid pro quo – give to get.

The Gospel – in stark contrast – does not teach you doing anything. The Gospel teaches you doing nothing to merit – earn – or work – for anything – but God doing the giving – freely – not because of you – but because of Him and Who He is – the gracious – giving God – Who forgives the sinner and gives mercy to the underserving. Those who believe themselves worthy in God’s eyes are not. Those who know themselves to be unworthy – and seek God’s mercy in Christ – these have God’s favor and good will toward them.

The prosperity gospel teaches abundance of things – materially speaking – but these things are gotten conditionally – dependent on you. Others, too, use the word “abundance” as the world defines it. But abundance of earthly things and wealth and success and power are not the kind of things in abundance Jesus is speaking about and referencing in today’s text.

As is the case with what is heavenly and godly, Jesus’ meaning is not according to what the sinful nature teaches – nor what the world says. Recall that in about the middle of today’s reading from John, John records the words, “They did not understand what He (Jesus) was saying to them” (John 10:6). So, it goes with all Who look to grasp the Lord’s Words apart from context and without using God’s Word to understand God’s Word – using Scripture to interpret Scripture.

Jesus is talking about life – and having it abundantly. Such life does not come by way of earning or doing. It is life given – life given by the Giver of life – by Him Who is Himself Life – and the Way – the and the Truth (John 14:6). Such life is not merely temporary. It is eternal. It is also, therefore – abundant – forever – without end – continuing – everlasting. This kind of life comes from the Father through the Son. No other way – through Jesus – Who alone saves from sin and death by His death. No other way – Who alone by His resurrection makes known His victory over death and the grave – His victory over sin and its consequences – His victory over weighted consciences and troubled hearts.

The abundant life of which Jesus speaks is not “having more” in the sense of worldly things. But it is having what God gives – in His son – now – and into eternity: Peace with God – salvation – a clear conscience, free from anxiety – confidence before God – new life – out from the burden of the Law – thankfulness for all God does and gives – the recognition that all which God does is for our good – that we stay in the faith – repent – continually – of our sins – and trust in Him alone for our everything.

God gives you life – eternal life – now – in the present – through His Son – the Door – by Whom – through Whom – you go to the Father. We have no merit of our own to claim before the Father’s throne – but to the throne – in Jesus’ Name – we boldly place all our trust and confidence – in Jesus and in His Name – and approach God’s throne of grace, “That we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:16 NKJ). In Jesus – we are sure of these – not because of our asking – but because of His promising.

The surety of God’s favor and of His mercy – you have – because of Jesus. His shed blood is your confidence before God. In Jesus – in Jesus alone – you have life. As His sheep – you hear His voice. That voice – His Word – you know and follow. The voice – the word – the preaching of another – you do not know – nor do you follow – because it is not Jesus’ Word – Whose Word alone is that by which you know your sins are forgiven you – by which you know God is not angry with you – by which you know that you have od’s good favor toward you.

The words of a stranger you do not know – as you are the Lord’s. False teaching and false preaching you avoid and stay away from – for these are not according to the truth. That which is according to the truth make Christ and His Gospel known. It is He – Jesus – Who gives life. Those who say differently – who lay the burden on you to get God’s favor and blessing – these are strangers and thieves and robbers. God’s favor and blessing – His love and forgiveness and mercy – these are yours in Christ. Only in Him – by Him – through Him. Such is your confidence. In Him – In Jesus – you have certainty and no doubt that you are His. Baptized into His Name – and the Father and the Spirit – your identity is in Him. His Word endures forever – stands the test of time – is for always – and always is for you.

Thieves, robbers, strangers – want something different for you than God does. Those who preach a different gospel want something from you. Jesus, on the other hand – gives. Jesus gives you what you do not have and can never have of yourself. You cannot earn forgiveness for your sins. But Jesus has won for you complete forgiveness for your sins by His death on the cross. You deserve death and eternal judgment – but for you – Jesus suffered these – that you live – that you have eternal life. Jesus’ Word gives life – is life – that you be His sheep and follow Him. So, you are. Jesus leads you to the heavenly pasture. Him you follow. Jesus calls you by name. Him alone you hear. You rejoice in His teaching – in His leading – in His Word – in the life that He gives you – now – and forevermore. Amen.

“Water to drink,” John 4:5-26

⁵ [Jesus] came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. ⁶Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.

⁷There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” ⁸(For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) ⁹The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

¹⁰Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

¹¹The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? ¹²Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.”

¹³Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” ¹⁵The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

¹⁶Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” ¹⁷The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; ¹⁸for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”

¹⁹The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. ²⁰Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”

²¹Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. ²²You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

²⁴God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

²⁵The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” ²⁶Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” (ESV)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

“Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14, ESV)

Writing to the Christians in Corinth, St. Pauly says, “I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ” (1 Cor. 10:1-4 NKJ).

Just as there is earthly bread that nourishes the body, so there also is heavenly bread that feeds the soul: Jesus. He says thus, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (Jn. 6:35 NKJ). Later, Jesus says, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (Jn. 6:63 NKJ). And to the question of Jesus to His disciples, “Do you also want to go away?” (Jn. 6:67 NKJ) upon many disciples leaving Him and following Him no more, Peter replies, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (Jn. 6:68-69 NKJ).

These words – echoed in our liturgy – correspond also to the words of our Lord in response to the tempter Satan who tempted our Lord to turn stone into bread. To him did Jesus say, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’” (Matt. 4:4 NKJ).

In the first article of the Apostles’ Creed, we confess that God “richly and daily provides” us “with all that” we “need to support this body and life. He defends” us “against all danger and guards and protects” us “from all evil.  All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness” our part. God takes care of our bodily needs. Also does our Lord provide for our eternal needs, too.

In the second article of the Apostles’ Creed, we confess “that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, Who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.”

We also confess in the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed how God distributes the blessing – the gift – of Christ’s work of redemption. “The Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers” (Small Catechism).

As God takes care of us and our physical needs, so does He provide for our heavenly needs. As God feeds us with His Word – and as Jesus is also the true bread from heaven – so also is Jesus the true Rock from which the spiritual drink flows, as recorded by Paul. That Paul can say this of Jesus and that Jesus is the One Who Himself gives living water should not surprise. Writing of Jesus – the Son of God – the Second Person of the Trinity – John says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (Jn. 1:1-4 NKJ).

As Creator – with the Father and Holy Spirit – Jesus gives food. He gives drink. For the body. For the soul. Living water is not only that water which flows. Living water is that which gives life – eternal life. This kind of water is not earthly. It is heavenly – from above – from our Lord – something only He can give. It cannot sour or contaminate. It gives life – abundant life. And as Paul makes known – inspired of God – that spiritual drink is of Christ Jesus.

Speaking to that Samaritan woman in today’s text, Jesus reveals Himself to her as the One Who gives living water. None other can say this and mean it. None other can claim this and fulfill. Charlatans have tried – Many deceive – Many follow. Many false prophets and false teachers have gone out and are in the world – then and now. But none other than Christ our Lord speaks the truth – and not for personal grain – not for people to feel good about themselves – and not for people to somehow better themselves or become better in order that – so that – they can save themselves or be saved. The well from which God’s people draw living water does not come from within. The well is outside of us – as that well – that Rock – is Christ.

There – and there alone – is such a well sure and pure. There – and there alone – is such a well bottomless and life-giving and life-sustaining to eternity. Such certainty comes from him Who alone is life and salvation – Who conquered death by His own death – Who Himself drank the cup of His Father’s righteous judgment for our sins. He was pierced in His side – and blood and water flowed (John 19:34). He blessed the cup of wine in the Lord’s Supper – His blood to drink – Just as He blessed the bread – His body to eat.

Jesus is greater than Jacob and the well given by him. He is the Creator. He is the Redeemer. Jesus is the One Who speaks to sinners and calls them out of their confusion and misguided ways. This is what He did with that Samaritan woman in our text. She came to the well to draw water. Jesus revealed to her what only He could know. And many later believed. Jesus does this. By His Word – He reveals our fallenness – that He raise us up. Nothing is hidden from His sight (Luke 12:2; 1 Corinthians 4:5; Hebrews 4:13). Though we might seek to conceal our guilt and shame – before God – all is an open book. Yet – “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (1 Jn. 1:8-10 NKJ).

“If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 Jn. 2:1-2 NKJ).

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation” (Rom. 5:8-11 NKJ).

“To him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:  ^‘Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the LORD shall not impute sin’” (Rom. 4:4-8 NKJ).

Jesus – the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) – reveals Himself as the Way to the Father. “No one comes to the Father except through Me,” Jesus says (Jn. 14:6 NKJ). In our sins – we are judged. In Christ, that judgment is – not guilty. Jesus – the Messiah – the Anointed One – He Who knew no sin – became “sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Having “partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14 NKJ).

Jesus – the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) – reveals Himself as the Truth – Truth incarnate – Who reveals our need for saving from sin and death – Who Himself is our Savior and salvation. Here, the world tells us that it is all up to us – that no one can or will save us – that the world is lost unless we – we – change – and do something about it. What they do not recognize is that this is impossible. People cannot save themselves – nor can they save others. The truth that the world is deceived and that we deny of ourselves – inflating our abilities – God calls out. Salvation is of the Jews – not of a people – salvation is of God – God in the flesh – the Messiah – worshiped – not on a mountain – worshiped in spirit and truth – according to His Word and not according to man-made worship. The Father seeks such to worship Him – Who believe – not what they see or feel or experience – but what He makes known in His Word – by His Word – even Jesus – Who suffered – died – and rose again for our salvation.

Jesus – the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) – reveals Himself as the Life – resurrected from the dead – the Life Who gives life – everlasting life – to all who believe in Him. Worship in spirit and truth is believing in Him Whom the Father sent. It is believing His Word  where He says, “You are a sinner” – “You are forgiven” – and living by that Word – living in that Word – not loving the world – loving God – loving His Word – abiding in it – and finding our refuge and strength – not in ourselves or any other – only in Him Who upholds us – in Him Who nourishes us in body and soul – in Him Who feeds us with His Holy Word and body and blood – true food indeed – true drink indeed.

Just as our Lord says – so it is. Just as He says – so is He. Jesus the Savior of the World. Him we confess. He meets us at the well as we seek to fill our needs. He gives us so much more – eternal life. Amen.

“Jesus Opens the Eyes of the Blind to See,” John 9:1-41

¹As [Jesus] passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. ²And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” ³Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. ⁴We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” ⁶Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud ⁷and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

      ⁸The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” ¹⁰So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” ¹¹He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” ¹²They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

      ¹³They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. ¹⁴Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. ¹⁵So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” ¹⁶Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. ¹⁷So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

      ¹⁸The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight ¹⁹and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” ²⁰His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. ²¹But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” ²²(His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) ²³Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

      ²⁴So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” ²⁵He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” ²⁶They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ²⁷He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” ²⁸And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. ²⁹We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” ³⁰The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. ³¹We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. ³²Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. ³³If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” ³⁴They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

      ³⁵Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” ³⁶He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” ³⁷Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” ³⁸He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. ³⁹Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” ⁴⁰Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” ⁴¹Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains. (ESV)

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus “anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). So, he went and washed and came back seeing” (John 9:6, 7).

The Psalmist writes, “Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the LORD his God, Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever, Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous” (Ps. 146:5-8 NKJ).

Through Isaiah the prophet, God says, “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.” Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:  ‘I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house. I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them’” (Isa. 42:1-9 NKJ).

Blindness – Sight. Darkness – Light. Day – Night. These contrasting and distinguished elements we find in today’s text. And they have to do with Jesus. Blindness – darkness – night – these elements characterize that which contrasts with the Lord Jesus – His Work and His Word – which give sight – are of the light – of the day.

The narrative itself is easy enough to follow – yet – so loaded it is! Taking a deeper look at today’s text reveals a few things – assumptions – God’s purposes – our Lord’s authority over blindness – and not only physical – but spiritual – blindness – the works of God – the hardness of the human heart – the grace of God.

To start with – there was a man born blind. Seeing him, Jesus’ disciples asked a question not too far removed from a thought still commonly held today – not only concerning birth – and life born into – but that of cause and effect – circumstance. The thought goes like this – having done something to deserve it. Whether good or bad – positive or negative – rich or poor – stress free or suffering – something or someone caused what now is (or has been or will be). The disciples thought that that blind man had deserved his blindness because of something he either had done – or because of something his parents had done. There was – and perhaps still is – to some degree – the belief that one was born this way or that because of a certain sin committed or not committed – the idea that people will get what they deserve – whether good or ill – on the basis of action and activity or of  inaction and inactivity. In other words, consequences before God are dependent on you. Thus, one will receive “good” from God IF he does good. On the other hand – one will receive “bad” from God IF he does bad. The Bible reveals something quite different.

Before God, all are in the same boat. Before God, it is not a matter of doing right and getting God’s blessing or doing wrong and getting God’s cursing. Since the Fall of our first parents – the first man and woman – Adam and Eve – as recorded in Genesis 3 – they and their descendants after them are born corrupt – sinful – deserving of temporal and eternal death – no good from God. This includes us. That we do receive any good from God as sinners is only according to His grace and mercy and compassion – and not because of our doing or not doing. God “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9 NKJ). He does not desire the death of any – but that they turn from their sin and live (Ezekiel 18:32; 33:11).

St. Paul says it this way, “Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12 NKJ). He also writes words. “The judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation…by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one…through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation.” And, “by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners” (Rom. 5:16, 17, 18, 19 NKJ).

The life one enters into in the world – before God – is not so determined by what has been done or not done individually – by child or parent. We all have issues – some less – some more – because of sin – generally. This does not exclude consequences for personal behavior or consequences, however. Risky behavior of a mother – like smoking – doing drugs – drinking – these behaviors can negatively affect and detrimentally impact the life of the child – as well as the mother. Abortion has consequences – causing the death of the baby – and also scars the mother. What we do has consequences. Play with fire – you might get  burned. Engage in promiscuous sexual activity outside of the marriage bond – pregnancy can very well follow – as can disease and other adverse effects. Allow men who think they are women in women’s locker rooms and showers – trouble will likely result. Tell someone that they can be whatever they want to be – they might just believe you – literally – as we are seeing today a crisis of boys and girls trying to find their sexual identity – and not a few adults confusing them by giving them a choice – which they don’t have – that already being established by the Creator. Nonetheless – more are believing their own reality – which is not reality – but fantasy – contrary to the truth – not one’s own truth – as if that is a “thing” – but that which God has established – and reveals – in His Holy Word.

That question of the disciples to Jesus of that man born blind was the question of who sinned – who sinned that the that man born blind was born that way. They were looking for an explanation – a reason. They got one – but it likely was not the one they were looking for or expecting. Jesus says, “Neither sinned” (John 9:3). Neither the man born blind or his parents sinned that the man was born blind. Jesus is not saying that the blind man or his parents were without sin. Rather, Jesus was saying that the blind man was born the way he was – blind – not because of a particular sin of his own or of his parents – “but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3).

Such “works of God” displayed in that man born blind included – but is not limited to – that man seeing – that man given sight. Such “works of God” displaying in that man born blind include – especially – and most significantly – that man believing Christ to be the Son of God – confessing His Name – seeing Jesus for who He really is – not according to assumption – perception – or by what people think to be true – but according to Jesus revelation of Himself – according to His Word and work.

In John chapter 6, some Jews had asked Jesus this question, “What shall we do, that we do the works of God” (John 6:28). To them, Jesus replied, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent” (John 6:29). – The work of God – is to believe in Jesus.

In the text before us – “the works of God revealed in” that man born blind is that of God opening his eyes – literally – not only to see in real-time the things of the world – but also – and especially – to see Jesus as Savior – as Him Who opens the eyes of those who are born in sin – as David in the Psalm writes, “I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me” (Ps. 51:5 NKJ).

St. Paul says that “Those who are in the flesh” – those who live according to the flesh – and not by faith in Jesus Christ – those “cannot please God” (Romans 8:7, 1). So says our Lord Jesus Himself, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” (John 3:6a). And in another place, Jesus says, “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man” (Matt. 15:19-20 NKJ).

What Jesus did for that man born blind is something that that man – nor anyone – could do. Jesus opened his eyes. The man saw. Such work of God extends beyond mere 20-20 concerning the temporary. Jesus opened the blind man’s eyes to believe God’s Son concerning eternity. What Jesus did – the work of God – no man can do. No choice or decision can be made to go from blindness to seeing – from darkness to light – from night to day – from death to life. As the man born blind could not choose to see – so also can sinners not choose to see and see – unless God opens their eyes. St. Paul writes that, “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). Just before these words, he also said, “‘Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Rom. 10:13-15 NKJ).

This is what the church does – the faithful church. She preaches Christ. She sends workers into the harvest field – to preach and to teach – that the dead in sin be raised from death to life – that those who walk in darkness walk in the light – that those who are blind to God’ Word and work and revelation in Christ see and believe and have eternal life. And those with such faith – those who now see God’s goodness of sins forgiven – of life – and of salvation – they do not remain in their blindness – as their eyes have been opened (Romans 6:4; Ephesians 5:8; John 3:15; 1 John 5:13). They worship the Lord. They see – and they speak what they know – they tell others what they have seen and heard. They believe God’s Word and what He says – and rejoice!

Such a response and changed way of being – of living – because of the sight given and the faith of God bestowed – is a far cry from those who claim to see and do not – and those who claim not be blind – but are. Such were the Pharisees – then and today – who reject the Lord and His Word – the Lord Jesus and His work. Claiming to not be blind – they still do not see. Claiming to see – still they are blind. They deny the reality of their sin. They identify as good – righteous – and just in their own eyes. None of these things they are. God says differently. His Word they reject.

This morning’s text from John 9 reveals a truth “hard to swallow”. The text concludes with these words of our Lord. “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” ⁴⁰Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” ⁴¹Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains” (John 9:39-41).

The words “hard to swallow” are these – that one either sees or is blind. One is either blind or sees. Jesus is here not speaking of physical sight. He is speaking of either having sin or not having sin. Having sin means having sin – your sin – still yours to carry – and its consequences – its eternal consequences – yours alone to bear. Having sin means that you see yourself good and righteous – of yourself. Therefore, you are still blind – and condemned – in your sin.

Having no sin means having sin – your sin – not against you – because of Jesus. It means seeing yourself in the light of God’s Word – not as you see yourself – but as God sees you – according to His Word. Seeing yourself according to God’s Word means seeing yourself as sinner – unholy – deserving of God’s wrath. Seeing yourself according to God’s Word means seeing yourself as holy and righteous – a child of God – not by merit of your work – but because of Christ – Whom you believe – Whom you see – believe – to be your savior from sin, death, and hell.

In His kindness – God gives strength to the weak. God gives sight to the blind. God saves sinners – through His Son. But those who think that they are different than what God says – they do not see themselves as sinners in need of the salvation God reveals in Jesus. Yet, Jesus “Did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13). They who see themselves as good – as righteous and holy in their own eyes – these will not see their need for God as He says they need Him. They will reject Christ and His work. They claim to not have that sin which condemns and judges. Yet – in their sin they remain – in their sin – so God’s judgment on them remains. Claiming to see – they are blind – and in their blindness – they remain.

In contrast are they who know their blindness – their weaknesses – their sinfulness – before God. His Word they do not deny. They do not seek to save themselves but “Wait on the Lord” (Psalm 27:14; 37:9, 34; Isaiah 40:31). These know that they cannot save themselves. They believe that there is only One Who gives sight to see – only One Who gives salvation to the sinner – to the undeserving – deliverance to the dying – strength to sick – and hope to the hopeless.

It is as Luther says in the Small Catechism, in response to the question, “Who receives this Sacrament (of the Altar) worthily? “But that person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words: ‘Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.’ But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words ‘for you’ require all hearts to believe.”

The worthy one is the one who knows himself to be unworthy – yet believes the Word of the Lord. The unworthy – on the other hand – is the one who believes himself to be worthy – to be deserving – yet does not believe the Word of the Lord.

The one forgiven before God is the one who believes Jesus to be Savior – even through His suffering and death on the cross – who believes that God’s forgiveness in Christ is his – and his own. This one sees Jesus for Who He is – dying his death – the sinner’s death – now – raised from the dead. The one not forgiven before God is the one who does not believe Jesus according to His Word – who believes that his sin does not condemn him before God – who believes that God’s forgiveness in Christ is not his – not his own. This one is blind. His sin remains his own – as it is not on Christ. Amen.