Easter 5

John 16:5-15 - Cantate - April 24, 2016
Speaking from God

Dear saints in Christ, grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen

The Gospel lesson I just read from the lectern is from the New King James Version of the Bible.  In this translation, we read that the Spirit of Truth does “not speak on his own authority.”  The English Standard Bible says the same thing – “on his own authority.”  The New International Version says, “He will not speak on his own,” and omits the word authority.  That’s actually closer to the original Greek in which the Holy Spirit first inspired these words (the word authority isn’t there).  The King James Version comes closest, “He shall not speak of (that is, from) himself.”  That’s exactly what St. John records.  The Holy Spirit does “not speak from himself.”  Now, what does this mean?  And what does this have to do with authority? 

Easter 4

John 16:16-23 - Jubilate - April 17, 2016
While We Wait

Lord, how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph? (Psalm 94:3)

If we listened to our Gospel lesson this morning, we know the answer already.  Not long.  Our loving Savior tells us that it is just a little while until our sorrow will turn to eternal joy, which no one can take from us.  As we will sing in our closing hymn,

O little flock, fear not the Foe
Who madly seeks your overthrow;
Dread not his rage and power.
What though your courage sometimes faints,
His seeming triumph o’er God’s saints
Lasts but a little hour.

Easter 2

John20:19-31 - Quasimodogeniti - April 3, 2016
He Is Not Here — He Is Here

Jesus was crucified for all to see.  For us, his death is depicted in the preaching of the gospel, as St. Paul writes to the Galatians, “before [your] eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified” (Galatians 3:1).  He who knew no sin of his own became a sin offering for us by bearing the blame of our sin in himself (2 Corinthians 5:21).  By his bitter death, he satisfied the wrath of God against the sin of all men (Isaiah 53:11).  On the cross we behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).  The Bible tells us to “[look] unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).  This is what we see.  This is where God’s word directs our faith.  God urges us to behold him who sits at the right hand of the Father where he exercises all authority in heaven and on earth.  Yes, but so that we might behold him there, so that we might know that he intercedes for us there as our Mediator, we are first urged to behold him by faith in the image of his crucifixion. 

Easter Sunday

John 20:1-18 - Easter Sunrise - March 27, 2016
Honoring Jesus

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

     Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Good Friday

John 19:25-27 - Good Friday - March 25, 2016         
“Woman, Behold Your Son!”

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In ancient times, it was a common belief among the Jews that the day a prophet died was also the day he was conceived.  They didn’t always keep track of birthdays the way we do.  But in this way they thought they could at least figure out a prophet’s birthday.  Since the day of his death would be the same day as his conception, all they had to do was count nine months later, and there you have it, the day he was born, more or less.  Whether or not this is an accurate way to figure out someone’s birthday is beside the point.  This is how the date of Christmas was established.  First they identified when Jesus died.  Then they concluded that this must have been the day he was conceived.  And so nine months later they would celebrate his birth.  He was born to die. 

Maundy Thursday

John13:1-15 - Maundy Thursday - March 24, 2016
Jesus Serves His Honored Guests

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son …” (Hebrews 1:1-2a)

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The Lord had promised Abraham a son.  The Seed that was once promised to Adam and Eve – that is, the Seed of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head – God more specifically promised to Abraham, saying that this Seed would be one of his own descendants.  In him all families of the earth would be blessed.  Abraham believed God, and God counted his faith as righteousness in his sight (Romans 4:9).  What Abraham believed was substantially the same as what Adam and Eve believed.  And though we see it fulfilled and hear it all the more clearly preached today in the New Testament Church, yet it is also substantially the same faith that we believe and by which we also are saved.  We believe in one Church that spans all ages.  Christ is and has always been the object of saving faith.  He “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).  The one true faith has always been faith that trusted in God to be merciful for the sake of his own suffering and death – because by doing so he would remove all hostility between himself and sinful men (Ephesians 2:14, Hebrews 12:3).  The message of the gospel has always been at least this specific. 

Lent Midweek

Philippians 2:1-18 - Midweek Lenten Round Robin

 February 10, 17, 24, March 2, 9, 16, 2016   
Searching the Mind of Christ

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As we ask these questions we learn the mind of Christ.  What punishment so strange is suffered yonder?  What law hast Thou broken?  Of what great crime hast Thou to make confession?  But especially this question: Whence come these sorrows, whence this mortal anguish?  Here we see the mind of Christ.  And this question especially because while the other questions are easily answered — he has broken no law, he has committed no crime — it is this question that invites us to search out why and for what purpose such a strange punishment would be suffered.  He is the Lord God of unapproachable glory who in himself can neither suffer nor be debased.  So then, whence in the world come these sorrows and mortal anguish so seemingly unbecoming of God?  (Whence means where do they come from.)  They come from the eternal counsel of God.  That’s where.  They come from the Father’s heart as he extends himself [from his secret place] to you for your salvation.  He gives his only begotten Son to become a Man in order that he might suffer, at the hands of cruel and malicious men, the torments and punishment that your sins have merited from God.  And he does this in order that, having made satisfaction, he may gain you as his own possession and cover you forever with the innocent obedience of your Brother and God, your Redeemer Jesus Christ.