The Promise of the Helper - June 1, 2025 - Seventh Sunday of Easter - Text: John 15:26-16:4

Today is the Seventh Sunday of Easter meaning that next Sunday we will celebrate the Pentecost of our Lord and we will rejoice in God’s sending of the Holy Spirit. You remember the Holy Spirit, the person of the trinity of which we rarely like to speak and I would suggest for good reason. Too often in our world today the Holy Spirit is misrepresented, misunderstood, and miss proclaimed. This morning in our text Jesus is preparing His Apostles for the sending of the Holy Spirit and is giving them a bit of a better understanding of the Holy Spirit before He is given.
 

Our text begins with Jesus teaching concerning the Holy Spirit, 26“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.”
 

Jesus begins by telling us that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. Perhaps this image of Truth might remind you of Jesus’ response to the Jews, “31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” (John 8:31-33).
 

Or perhaps this image of Truth might remind you of Jesus’ Jesus’ response to Thomas: “6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7).
 

Or perhaps this image of Truth might remind you of Jesus before Pilate when Jesus said, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” (John 18:37b-38a).
 

Jesus is the Truth and as you may or may not have heard the adage, “No (N-O) Jesus, No Truth, Know (K-N-O-W) Jesus, Know Truth.” Indeed, apart from Jesus there truly is no such thing as truth. Have you ever wondered why our world has such a problem with truth? Today truth is said to be relative and there are no absolutes. What may be true for me may not be true for you and vica versa. Have you ever wondered why someone is more interested in truth than facts? Because facts can be explained away according to my own truth. It is no wonder we have such a problem because our world has become so Jesus-less it is quite truth-less.
 

Continuing on, Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father (and the Son), as we proclaim in the Nicene Creed. Of course we want to be careful so as not to misunderstand the Holy Spirit and our Triune God for that matter. We certainly believe that our God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three equal persons in one eternal Godhead. And we do not want to gravitate to any form of Modalism, such that God came first in the from of the Father, then the mode of the Son and now the mode of the Holy Spirit. Rather, Jesus is speaking of the fact that although the Holy Spirit was at work even in the Old Testament, now He will be the primary one at work in our New Testament times.
 

Moving on in our text, Jesus speaks of the persecution of the Apostles “1I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me” (John 16:1-3).
 

Jesus gives quite a warning to His Apostles and I might add, to us today. They will be put out of synagogues. Now, that might not sound so bad to us today, but in the days of the Apostles to be put out of the synagogue was tantamount to excommunication. Of course, the Apostles and we today understand that because of Jesus’ defeat of sin, death and the devil, because Jesus fulfilled all the Law and prophets perfectly, the symbol of the synagogue no longer had the meaning it once had. Even Martin Luther was excommunicated by the Roman church. Yet, for the Apostles to be put out of the synagogue could mean a separation from family and friends.
 

But their difficulties would not simply be being put out of the synagogue, but also the possibility and the eventuality of their being murdered. And we do know that all the Apostles, except John were persecuted and died a martyrs death.
 

Jesus tells the Apostles that people will persecute them because they will be believing they are doing God a favor. Very much like the Apostle Paul himself who was out persecuting the early Christian church because he believed they were a false church, that they were blaspheming God. And I would say, just like many people in our world today who are constantly bombarded with false, misleading lies about Christians and the Christian church there are Christians around the world who are being martyred for their faith. Fortunately, for us here in America our persecution is not necessarily so open. Today our persecution is more subtle and yet I would say it may get worse in the near future.
 

Thanks be to God that Jesus goes on to give words of courage, “But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you (John 16:4). We might say that Jesus is speaking to preempt the fears of His Apostles. Jesus is warning them of the persecutions they will be facing. His intent in not to discourage them because He has a great task laid out for them. He will be sending them out to bear witness of what they have seen, the initiation of the end times. They have seen Jesus as He lived the perfect life demanded of us, took our sins, paid the complete price for our sins and the sins of the world, and rose from the dead. And they will be taking that message to others, many who will reject that good news.
 

So, Jesus is offering encouragement now because as He tells them, before He sends the Holy Spirit He was with them, but when the Holy Spirit comes He will no longer be with them physically. Although He will continue to be watching over them, ruling over them, and interceding for them.
 

What does this mean? First and foremost it means that today we have the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is with us. As we learn in catechesis the Holy Spirit is God with all the attributes of God. He is everywhere present. He is all powerful. He is almighty. And so He is with us, as we hear, where two or three are gathered together in my name I am with you.
 

The Holy Spirit is with us and He is working in and through us. How does the Holy Spirit work? First and foremost the Holy Spirit works through means, namely the means of grace, the Word, Holy Baptism, Holy Absolution, and the Holy Supper. This working through means is His usual way of working with us. Now, although working through means is His usual way of working with us that does not mean He cannot work otherwise, after all He is God and can do whatever He wants to do, but His usual way is through means, thus the importance of the means of grace.
 

Just to be clear, the Holy Spirit’s usual way of coming to us is through means. We call that mediately or through a mediator of sorts, Word and Sacrament. He does not usually come to us immediately that is directly as in a dream or vision or voice and again that is not to say He cannot come in those ways. However we are also told that we are to test the spirits to see if they are from God or not. Thus, when anyone speaks of an immediate speaking of the Holy Spirit my response is to test the spirit. If what is said contradicts what God says elsewhere, then that is not the Holy Spirit. If it is in agreement, then maybe. Yes, I will always be a skeptic.
 

One good test of the spirit, is the fact that the Holy Spirit always points to Jesus, never Himself, which is why we do not hear much about Him. The Holy Spirit points to Jesus through the Word, and in particular the Word in flesh, Jesus Himself. He points to Jesus through the Word in Holy Absolution as the one forgiving us, in Holy Baptism as the one who’s name is put on us and in the Holy Supper as we partake of Jesus’ body and blood.
 

How is this done? How does the Holy Spirit go about His work? The Holy Spirit works through means, in particular through the means of grace. Thus, first and foremost we should see the necessity of our coming to Divine Service and Bible Class so that we might be given the gifts the Holy Spirit has to give. Our desire as Christians is to making regular and diligent use of the means of grace, that is to be where and when the gifts of God are being given out. The gifts of faith, forgiveness, strengthening of faith, life and salvation. It is only as we are filled and refilled each and every Sunday, yes, each and every day through our own personal reading of God’s Word, our own personal and family devotions, that we are and can be filled. I liken this filling to God being a never empty vessel and we are cups who are filled every time we make use of the means of grace. However, should we be filled and then absent ourselves, just like a cup of water will evaporate, so when we absent ourselves from the means of grace our faith may evaporate as well. Indeed, it is only as we are filled that we will ever reach a point that we overflow and then we too become instruments to carry out the means of grace, the Word of God to others.
 

Which brings us to God’s desire that we are always ready to give an answer for the hope that we have. Paul says that we are to be ready to give an apology which means a defense. And yet, he tells us that this defense is not something we try to force on others, but is what we are to be ready to offer when we are asked. And he says to do it with gentleness. As we live lives of faith. As we live as priests in the priesthood of all believers. As we offer our lives as living sacrifices, other people see and notice that we are different. Ultimately they may ask, what is different about us. It is only as we have been filled with the gifts of God that we can be ready to give an answer. And as Jesus promised His Apostles so He promises us. He is with us. The Holy Spirit is with us. The Holy Spirit will give us the Words to speak, those words we heard in the Divine Service and Bible Class, those words we read in our devotions. The Holy Spirit will give us the words and the courage to speak those words. And the Holy Spirit will work and give faith, when and where He pleases. Ours is not to give faith, ours is simply to give an answer.
 

Next week we will celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit. This week Jesus is preparing us as He prepared His Apostles. We have the Holy Spirit. He is with us. We have the Truth, which sets us free. We live in a world in opposition to Jesus and thus in opposition to us. We have God’s Word which sets us free to be His people. And we have His promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. This morning we are thus encouraged as we continue celebrating Easter that we worship a living God who has taken care of everything for us and gives everything to us. And He even gives us the joy of sharing that message of forgiveness and salvation to others. To Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Thoughts on a Lutheran Identity Vs. a Lutheran Confession

The following are my personal thoughts concerning the 2025 Texas District Convention Resolution 02-03-25: To Define and Affirm Lutheran Identity.

I am against the resolution. To quote from the resolution, “The Lutheran Church is not defined by cultural or national identity but by its confession of Christ and the pure teaching of His Gospel. To be Lutheran is to confess what the Scriptures teach and what the Church has always believed.” – Herman Sasse, Here We Stand: Nature and Character of the Lutheran Faith.

Unfortunately the overuse of the word “identity” has almost emptied it of its meaning. With that said, there is a distinct and great difference between one’s “identity” and one’s “confession.” Today anyone may identify as just about anything, a woman may identify as a man (however that does not change her XX chromosome to XY) and a man may identify as a woman (again that does not change his XY chromosomes to XX), and yet neither identity is true or real.

In the Lutheran Church and in our Confessions we do not use the term “identity,” but we use the word “confession” because to have a confession means so much more than simply to have an identity. To have a confession means that one not only confesses with their lips, but believes in their heart and that belief is then acted out and seen in their life. Thus, a true confession is a combination of faith and life or better said, doctrine and practice. For one to practice something different than their doctrine or to simply say they identify as something means that they are truly not confessing. As mamma always said, “Practice what you preach.” Or as we hear today, “If you’re gonna talk the talk, then you better walk the walk.”

Unfortunately, this denominational identity seems to be as divisive as identity politics. Also, as memory serves, it was during the Seminary Walkout that the one group wanted to have a Lutheran “identity” very much like we heard in recent times from Concordia Austin. Yet, simply to have a Lutheran “identity” does not mean one is a confessional Lutheran. One example of how this is happening and is so divisive in our synod today is what happens on Sunday mornings. Back in the early 1980s this Texas District was involved in the Chuck and Win Arn Church Growth movement. That movement defined what was done on Sunday morning as worship and suggested that in worship God was the audience, the congregation were the actors, the pastor and choir were the prompters, thus, if not outright stating, it was implied that people were to attend worship in order to do something for God and thus needed to have a part in the worship service, such as read the lessons, be in the praise band or the drama team, etc. As confessional Lutherans we understand that what we do on Sunday morning is Divine Service wherein God is the actor and the congregation are the ones being acted on and given to, such that the called and ordained pastor is the one through which God works to deliver the gifts He has to give and the laity are there to be given to. The response of the laity is simply to offer hymns (good sound theological hymns), offer prayers, and offer their firstfruits and tithes (which were hopefully the same). So, we see in this example the difference between an identity and a true confession which is acted out.

Finally, to quote again from the resolution, “The Lutheran Church is not defined by cultural or national identity but by its confession of Christ and the pure teaching of His Gospel. To be Lutheran is to confess what the Scriptures teach and what the Church has always believed.” - Herman Sasse, Here We Stand: Nature and Character of the Lutheran Faith. Notice the difference in the words, identity and confession. So, to simply identify as a Lutheran does not make one a Lutheran. Only to confess with the lips and live that confession makes one a true Lutheran.

It Is Done - May 18, 2025 - Fifth Sunday of Easter - Text: Revelation 21:1-7

So, when I sit down to write a sermon (and no, we do not get our sermons from Synod and someone once actually asked me that question) after thirty years of preaching, I have seen every text at least three times, anyway, I always pull up my work from the last time I preached on the text. When I pulled up the work from nine years ago the title was “It Is Done,” and I thought that would be a great title for my last official sermon here at St. Matthew. As usual, I think God has an interesting sense of humor in that the timing of this text was such that the title would be so fitting.
 

But, getting to today. I know we have heard the saying, because I have said it before, that goes something like this: “God said it, I believe it, that settles it.” Unfortunately, as you hear me rail in Bible Class so often, why are we interjecting ourselves into the equation, as if we have something to do with anything. The more correct saying would be: “God said it, that settles it.” Our belief or unbelief has no affect on what God says or does. If I deny the existence of China, that does not mean it does not exist. If I say I believe in fairies, that does not mean they exist. In our text for today, as we continue on in the Revelation of John we see, as always, God’s Word does what it says, and gives the gifts He speaks.
 

John begins by describing the new heaven and the new earth, “1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (v. 1-4).
 

In the beginning God created the first heaven and earth. The heaven and earth God initially created was perfect and holy. As we read of God’s creating in the first two chapters of Genesis we hear that as God is the one doing the doing, everything is perfect and holy. When we get to chapter three we hear of Adam and Eve and when Adam and Eve hit the scene that is when everything which God created as perfect and holy becomes imperfect and cursed. Thus, God’s perfect creation fell into sin, and is perfect no more.
 

In his vision John now sees the new heaven and the new earth which will be without sin. When God created all things out of nothing His intent was for all things to remain without sin. We see God’s great love, however, in the fact that even though He knew what was going to happen, what we call His Divine foreknowledge, even knowing He would have to suffer and die for His creation, He created all things anyway. Now as we approach the end of His revealed Word to us, He speaks to us of what will happen in the end, that is that He will make all things new.
 

John sees how God will dwell with man once again. Remember how in the Garden of Eden we are told that Adam and God had a very intimate relationship. God and Adam would walk together in the Garden. After the fall into sin and the curse, the relationship of God and man has been tenuous at best. After Adam broke his perfect relationship with God, having been cursed, the sin of Adam has been passed down from generation to generation so that even today man’s relationship with God is tenuous at best. Yet, because of Jesus, because of His perfect life for us in our place, because He took our sins and paid the price for our sins, because He died and rose thus earning forgiveness for us and restoring our relationship with Himself, even with God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit our hearts are being renewed daily. So, John speaks of what he sees in his vision and tells us that in the end God will once again dwell with us.
 

And we might, I think, obviously surmise that it will be a place of perfection. God is perfect and holy. God dwells in perfection and holiness. Where God dwells is perfection, thus as God dwells with man once again it will be a place of perfection.
 

John goes on to tell us that he was told to write this down, “5And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true” (v. 5). As we began so we hear from the one speaking to John, God said it and that settles it. God is the one speaking. God is the one who makes all things new. In heaven there will be no more sin.
 

John, the same John who wrote the Gospel of John in which many times he refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved, and as he bears witness that his testimony is true, even as he speaks of Jesus own testimony that He is truth, indeed, the Way, the truth and the life, he is told to write this down, because it is trustworthy and true, that is as we say, God’s Word is efficacious it does what it says and gives the gifts of which it speaks.
 

Finally he says, it is done, “6And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son”(v. 6-7).
 

It is done. As we heard Jesus say on the cross, “It is finished,” so He declared that the sins of all people, of all places, of all times had been paid for. The price for sin, death, eternal death and hell has been paid for by Jesus’ suffering and dying. Indeed as we hear declared here again in this revelation to John, it is done, all sins have been forgiven. Notice this is an already accomplished, past action, completed action. Nothing more needs to be done, as if there is anything we need to do or can do. And so as began saying it is not necessary that we believe it for it to be done and true. All sins have been paid for because Jesus paid the price, because we are declared forgiven and so as God declares it is accomplished. You are forgiven, thanks be to God.
 

As we laid out a few weeks ago, Jesus is alpha and omega, beginning and end, even without beginning or end, there at the creation of the world and here at the end of the world, or better said here at the beginning of eternity. Jesus is the alpha and the omega, the one who died and has been raised to life. Jesus is God in flesh who accomplished all things for us.
 

Jesus gives eternal life, as He is the one who paid the price for our sins in order to earn eternal life for us. We do nothing to gain eternal life. We do nothing to earn eternal life. Eternal life is a gift given to us by the one who earned and paid for it, Jesus. Indeed, we come before our Lord as wretched beggars. He is the one who scoops us up our of the muck and mire of our own sin. He washes us in His blood and robes us with His robes of righteousness. He makes us His own through the waters of Holy Baptism and His Holy Word. He gives us eternal life.
 

Yet not just to us for He gives this inheritance of eternal life to all who believe. As we have heard many times, we are the true children of Abraham, the true Israel, not by DNA, but by faith. God’s covenant first given in Eden, to Adam and Eve, before there ever was a Jew or Gentile, His covenant reiterated to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and so forth was always a covenant of grace, always pointing to Jesus. God said it and that settles it.
 

What Does this mean? I attended college enrolled in the teacher education program. Having taken many methods of teaching classes and student teaching and one phrase that continually sticks in my mind is that the best way to teach is to teach and reteach, in other words to teach the same thing over and over until it is mastered. The reason we attend Divine Service and Bible class every week is because we so easily forget. Thus we need the constant reminder of God’s love and forgiveness for us. This morning John, through his vision reminds us once again of the fact that in the beginning God created all things perfect and holy and man sinned.
 

As we approach the end of God’s revealed Word of Holy Scripture, in this book of revelation of the vision to John we hear what John sees which is God’s recreation, that is the fact that Jesus has paid the price for sin, for all sin, for all people, and most especially for your sin and mine. In the Gospel reading for this morning, John’s Gospel nonetheless, we are reminded of Jesus’ words to love one another. Indeed, as we hear these words most certainly they remind us of how much we fail. Time and again we fail to love one another. And as I have said many times, it is only as we see just how sinful we truly are that we can then truly understand how gracious and loving God truly is. The less sinful we are the less we think we need Jesus and truly the more we simply think we can rely on ourselves, which leads only to death. The more sinful we realize we are the more we understand how much Jesus has suffered and forgiven and the more we understand God’s grace and love.
 

John sees the end. Johns sees God recreating, making a new heaven and a new earth. John sees how God makes all things new, like in the beginning, except this time God will not allow for sin and a curse. God creates everything new, perfect and holy and dwells with us in perfection and holiness.
 

God gives eternal inheritance to all who believe. Heaven is not a matter of DNA. It is not a matter of who are your parents. It is not a matter of having your name on the roles of a congregation, especially if you never step foot in the door of that congregation. It is not a matter of what you know rather it is a matter of who knows you, who has redeemed you, who has given you faith, and who gives you eternal life, Jesus.
 

As we read and hear John’s words we know that we can believe his words because they are God’s words and He is faithful and true. And it is not a matter of our believing that make it faithful and true, rather it is a matter of the fact that He said it that makes it faithful and true. God said it and that settles it because He is all powerful and gives what He says and makes what He says happen.
 

This morning on my last official Sunday here at St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Westfield I might say, “It is done.” My work here is complete, but as are all things earthly, God’s work in this place will continue and I most certainly believe that as the members of this congregation continue to be about the Lord’s business, continue steadfast in the Apostles’ Doctrine, the breaking of bread and prayers, the Lord will continue to bless you, as He has blessed and sustained you for the past 125 years. Your work, God’s work, even my work will continue until the Lord returns and as I have said time and again, each day we live moves us one day closer and it will happen. We will each meet the Lord either at our own passing or when He returns and yes, that day will be sooner than we know and sooner than we can imagine. As I said last week so I repeat, the main thing in this life is being ready for the life to come. No matter what we may believe are our accomplishments in this world, none of that will matter in heaven. It is all about Jesus. And I have to say it one more time, as you always hear me say, we get it right when we point to Jesus. God said it, that settles it. It is done. Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. To God be the glory. Amen.

Washed in the Blood of the Lamb - May 11, 2025 - Fourth Sunday of Easter - Text: Revelation 7:9-17

Let me begin by wishing our mothers a happy Mother’s Day. We are glad you are here and we rejoice in your most blessed vocation of being a mother.
 

Thus, we might say how fitting is our text for this morning as we continue our look into heaven. We see, again, the enumerable number of people in heaven, not only the four creatures, the twenty-four elders, the enumerable number of angels, but also the enumerable number of Christians. We see them wearing white robes and holding palm branches. We hear them sing. We see how, even John, is unable to answer the question from God concerning what he is seeing, so he refers the question back to God answering, “Sir, you know.” John’s answer reminds us that we do not need to know all the answers to all the questions about God or about the Bible, rather we need to realize that God is so much bigger than we are and He does know all the answers. Which in turn encourages us to continue steadfast in the Apostles’ Doctrine to learn more about Him and be strengthened in our faith.
 

Our text begins with John telling us that he sees “a great multitude that no one could number.” These words remind us that the reference to 144,000, mentioned in the verses at the beginning of this chapter, as being the number of people in heaven, is not a counting figure, but is a symbolic figure. The 144,000 means the Old Testament believers from the twelve tribes of Israel times (X) the New Testament believers from the twelve apostles times (X) the number of completion, ten, cubed (v.9-10). In other words, the number 144,000 is what John is seeing, that is a great multitude, all believers who ever lived, from Old and New Testament times. Everyone who believes in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection is included in the great multitude, and in the 144,000. We, you and I are included in that 144,000.
 

Their song reminds us that salvation is given by God to those who believe. Salvation is not something we get. It is not something we earn. It is not something we claim for ourselves. Salvation belongs to God. It was earned by Him and it is given out by Him. It is given by His grace through faith in Jesus. And it is given out through the means of grace, His Word and sacraments.
 

The song of the great multitude is followed by a song by the angels, elders and four living creatures and it is again a sevenfold song of praise. We are told that “they fell on their faces before the throne” (v. 11b). They fell down in fear, in awe and in respect. In the Old Testament we are often told of people falling prostrate before the Lord, or a king or whoever. To fall prostrate means to fall on your face, completely flat, face down on the ground. This falling is a posture of complete submission. Thus, even the angels, elders and four living creatures recognize Jesus as Lord and fall down in complete submission to Him. And they sang another sevenfold song of blessings, something like the song in last week’s reading, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen” (v. 11- 12).
 

They worshiped and said “Amen!” They spoke the word which reminds us that God is faithful. In His faithfulness He remembered His promise to send a Savior, Christ the Lord. In His faithfulness Jesus came to earth to live perfectly. In His faithfulness Jesus fulfilled all God’s laws and prophecies, perfectly and completely. In His faithfulness Jesus took our sins, your sins and my sins and the sins of all people, on Himself and He suffered and paid the price for our sins. In His faithfulness He gave His life for ours on the cross. And in His faithfulness He rose from the dead, victorious over sins, death and the devil. In His faithfulness Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to bring us to faith, to give us faith, and to keep us in faith until He comes again.
 

John is then questioned by one of the elders. He asks, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?”(v. 12-17). John rightly answers, “Sir, you know.” John does not know and so he turns the question back to the man who asked so that he might get an answer. The answer is that they are those who have suffered for their faith. The word in our text that is used for tribulation is the same word that Jesus used when He said that we would have trouble in this world, but we are to take heart, because He has overcome the world. This trouble, this tribulation that we suffer is what we have suffered since the fall into sin in the Garden of Eden. To be a Christian means that you inevitably suffer trials and tribulations.
 

You might think of it this way, the devil does not spend as much time working on those he already has. Why should he if they already belong to him? Instead, he spends his time working on those he does not have. Which means that if you are not suffering from the trials and tribulations of the devil you might want to take a hard look at yourself to make sure that he does not have you already [smile :)]. And yet, we have to admit that we do daily fall for the lies and temptations of the devil. We daily sin much and are in need of forgiveness. We daily become the means and instruments the devil uses, not only for our own sin, but for the sin of others. Here again, that is why we come to Divine Service every Sunday, in order to confess our sins and hear our Lord’s most beautify words of absolution, that our sins are forgiven.
 

The elder continues by saying that these are they who “have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.” It is faith in Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross, the shedding of His blood that brings the white robes of righteousness. By faith in Jesus, we stand before God in His perfection, in His white robes of righteousness.
 

“Therefore,” the elder says, meaning, as a result of Jesus redeeming work, because Jesus shed His blood on the cross, by faith in Him, therefore, salvation comes to those who believe. The perfect bliss of the redeemed people of God is described in the next series of ten statements. Remember too, that the number ten is the number of completeness and perfection and so we are reminded by these ten statements that there is complete release from all evil and complete fullness of joy which is ours, given to us by God in heaven.
 

The first three lines describe the blessedness of the redeemed who stand in the presence of God spending their days and nights in service to Him. Their service is a worship service, time spent in praise and adoration to Jesus.
 

The next four lines speak about the freedom we Christians have from the effects of sin. The curse which was placed on all creation in the Garden of Eden is now broken. In heaven there is no hunger, no thirst, no begin beaten down by the sun.
 

The final three lines describe heaven in positive terms. We are reminded first that Jesus is the Good Shepherd as we read in the Gospel lesson for today. Jesus compares us to His sheep and He is our Shepherd. He leads us beside the quiet waters as we read in the Psalms. Jesus is the living water. We are Baptized into faith through water. We need water to live. Jesus is that living water for us. And with God there will be no suffering, no more tears. Heaven is a place of complete and unending joy.
 

This morning we get another glimpse of heaven. We are reminded that heaven is a gift, given by God, earned by Jesus’ death on the cross and the shedding of His blood. We are reminded that heaven is a place of forever joy. And we are reminded that heaven is a place of forever worship.
 

Again, the question we might ask ourselves this week is “are we ready?” If you ask young people “are you ready to go to heaven?” Many times you will get the answer, “Yes, I am ready, but I would rather grow up before I go.” How often do we find ourselves answering in like manner. “I think I am ready for Jesus to come again, but I would rather get done doing the things I think I need to do here on earth.” I think that begs the question even more. Are we ready? Are we ready if we believe that there is more for us to do on this earth than to get ourselves ready for Jesus’ coming? And maybe spending time getting others ready. I wonder if we are ready as we continue to keep our focus on the things of this world instead of focusing on things heavenward.
 

To help us know if we are ready, perhaps we would do well to ask the question, why are we here? Why are we here as a church, even as a Christian congregation, St. Matthew Lutheran church? Are we here to be self-serving? Are we here to only to be an outreach post? Might I suggest that we are here for a three-fold purpose. We are here for the sake of encouraging and building up each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, in other words, we are here for our own faith and to be strengthened in our own faith. Of course that means, as you hear me so often say, making regular and diligent use of the means of grace, being in Divine Service and Bible class, every Sunday, in order to be strengthened. We are also here to extend God’s kingdom in this place. We are here as an outreach post in order to invite others, our unchurched family and friends and the community to come and see the Lord, to come and be given faith, to come and be a part of His family. And we are here to give praise and glory to His holy name. As we go about the business of being the church in this place, perhaps at every meeting, and concerning all the decisions we make we should ask the question, “How is what we are doing encouraging and building up the body of Christ? How is what we are doing helping to reach out to share the Gospel with others? How is what we are doing giving glory to God?” And if we cannot answer those questions or if we cannot answer them in a God pleasing way, them maybe we need to rethink what we are doing? Our time on this earth is short. Now more than ever is the time to be about the Lord’s business.
 

When I was attending the Seminary, one of my classes followed chapel. Every morning we had chapel at 9 a.m. It was a short service in which we heard the Word of God and sang some hymns. The professor in our class that immediately followed chapel, noticed that some of the men from our class were not making it to chapel, but were missing for some reason. He chastened us one morning by using the following words, “Gentlemen, receive the gifts.” So, too, I come to you and as I come to you I ask you to share these words especially with those who are not here, those who are rejecting the gifts. Ladies and gentlemen, receive the gifts. Because it is only through the gifts God gives, the gifts of His Word and Sacraments and the gifts given through His Word and Sacraments that He can prepare us for Jesus’ coming. And now more than ever is the time to be prepared. And, as the angels and elders and the four living creatures say, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen” (v. 12). Amen.