Christ Has Indeed Been Raised from the Dead - November 23, 2014 - Last Sunday of the Church Year (Proper 29) - Text: 1 Corinthians 15:20-28

In a court of law, witnesses play one of the most important roles. The prosecution, as well as the defense, each get to call their own witnesses and cross examine the others witnesses. The role of the witness is to explain what they saw. As Christians we are witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection. As we read God’s powerful Word, the Holy Spirit works through that word to work faith in our hearts. Thus, by the working of the Holy Spirit, through faith we have seen and bear witness to Jesus’ resurrection. Now that witness may be good enough for others who share the same faith, but for those who do not believe, that witness is not always nor necessarily enough. Thanks be to God that we have reliable witnesses so that we have proof positive of the resurrection. If we did not have such reliable witnesses then Paul’s words would be devastating, “19If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (v. 19, 20).
 

From my Catechetical Helps book I have a list of witness to Jesus’ resurrection. According to this list (p. 90) Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene. She is listed with Mary the mother of James, and Salome as having witnessed Jesus alive. Jesus appeared to Peter as we read in Luke (24:34).  Jesus appeared to James as we read in 1 Corinthians (15:7). He appeared to the disciples of Emmaus on that first Easter afternoon. He appeared to the disciples when Thomas was absent, again on  that first Easter evening. One week later He appeared to the disciples and Thomas. He appeared to the seven disciples by the sea, that was when He helped them catch a large number of fish. He appeared to the eleven on the mountain and possibly these were some of the 500 mentioned by Paul in 1 Corinthians (15:6).
 

These witnesses I have just mentioned are written in our Bible. What about witnesses outside our Bible? Are there any witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection outside of the Bible? The answer to that question is yes and no. No, there is no specific witness saying that the Easter Resurrection happened without a doubt, but there is evidence which supports the resurrection. The first bit of evidence is the very fact that the Jewish argument shared with Christians the conviction that the tomb was empty, but the explanations for its being empty are different. Dr. Paul Maier puts it this way, “Such positive evidence within a hostile source is the strongest kind of evidence and becomes self-authenticating.” In other words, if the enemy agrees that is one thing, but if the enemy disagrees, which they naturally would, that would mean your case holds the strongest argument. In the case of Jesus’ resurrection, the Jews agree that the grave was empty, but they disagree as to why. Another extra Biblical witness is that of the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus who mentions that it was reported that Jesus appeared alive again three days after His crucifixion. As archeology continues to find ancient relics there is no doubt that even more evidence is forthcoming.
 

There are still other reasons for believing, such as the very fact that Jesus Himself spoke of His resurrection. In passage after passage Jesus told the people that He had to suffer and die and that He would rise again. Another reason to believe in the resurrection is the fact that the disciples are trustworthy historians. The disciples were out to tell the truth, to bear witness to the facts they saw. Why would they make up such stories, especially if they knew that they would be persecuted, tortured and even executed for doing so? More than likely people make up things in order to get out of being punished, tortured and persecuted. Why would the disciples make up the stories of the resurrection in order to be executed?
 

Another reason for believing the resurrection is the change of the behavior of the disciples, and especially that of Peter who changed from being what I would call a reactionary to being a responder, someone who responded to the needs of others.
 

Another reason for believing the resurrection is the observance of Sunday as the day of rest. What else would account for the change of the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday? It would have to be something very dramatic. And it was, it was the resurrection which moved people to want to worship on Sunday in order that every Sunday would be a little Easter celebration.
 

Another reason for believing the resurrection is that of Christianity. Christianity was not some kind of new sect, rather Christianity has its roots in Genesis when God promised to send a Christ, which is the Greek word for Messiah. Christians are followers of Christ, the fulfiller of all the Old Testament prophecies and the way to eternal life. The Jewish faith of today began at the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. The Jewish faith began with those who denied Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ.
 

Another reason for believing the resurrection is because of our calendar. We are living in the year 2014 A.D. that is translated “in the year of our Lord.” The years before our Lord are cleverly referred to as the years before Christ or B.C. In recent times there has been an attempt to thwart Christianity; there are some who are trying to change our references from B.C. to B.C.E. being before the common era and C.E. being common era, but the fact remains that for so many years we have referenced time according to the days of our Lord Jesus Christ. And I really do not think you can get away from the calendar being centered on the life of Christ by simply changing the name to Common Era, whatever that means.
 

As Christians we can rest assured in the fact of the resurrection and because of the resurrection we know that we too have victory over sin, death and the devil. Going back to our text Paul says, “24Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power” (v. 24).  And “26The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (v. 26). Yes, we may still experience physical death, but because of Jesus death and resurrection we are assured that we will never experience eternal death, death in hell.
 

We have victory over sin, death, and the devil meaning we have victory over original sin as well as actual sin. Going back to our text Paul says, “21For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (v. 21-22). The genetically transferred sin of Adam which is born in each and everyone of us is forgiven as well as the sins we commit each and every day.
 

What does this mean? This means that we are free from the bondage of sin, original and actual sin, sins of omission and sins of commission. We are free from death, eternal spiritual death in hell, and we are free from the power of the devil. We will still have to face trials and temptations. We will still have the struggle of resisting sin and temptation. We will more than likely still face physical death. But now we have the added advantage that our sins have been forgiven and we have the Holy Spirit, the Comforter who is with us to help us resist sin and temptation and to overcome and win out in the end.
 

This means that we have the promise of eternal life. We may fear the way in which we may physically die, but we do not fear what will happen after our physical death. By grace, through faith in Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection we have the assurance that we have a place in heaven waiting for us, so that we may be sure, as the thief on the cross, that in the very day we die we will be with Jesus in paradise.
 

How is this done? This done by the Holy Spirit working through the means of Grace, the Word and the Sacraments, Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The Holy Spirit uses these means to bring us to faith and to keep us in faith. The Holy Spirit uses these means to impart God’s gifts to us, His gifts of faith, forgiveness, assurance of forgiveness, assurance of life and salvation and the list of gifts never ends.
 

What do we do? With the help of the Holy Spirit we respond to all our Lord has done for us not because He needs anything from us but simply because of our need to respond. We respond by taking part in God’s means of grace so that He can pour out even more of His gifts on us. When we absent ourselves from His means of grace then we take away His way of giving us His gifts and ultimately we fall away, but when we daily read His Word, when we daily remember our Baptism, when we regularly, once a week, come to Him in worship and confess our sins we then are able to hear those most beautiful and powerful words, “Your sins are forgiven,” and we know that this word does what it says, when we hear the word that we are forgiven then we know we are forgiven. We also regularly, every week, come to Him in worship and partake of His true body and blood in His Holy meal as often as we are able, then He has ample opportunity to give us His gifts and even more of His gifts. It is very much like any sport, art, craft, or talent, playing golf, bowling, playing piano or any musical instrument, the only way to continue to do well is to practice, to make time to practice, no matter how many distractions tempt you away from practice. So it is with the Lord’s gifts. We  cannot be given His gifts when we absent ourselves from them and the place where they are given out and believe me the temptations to be absent from the Lord's Word are far greater than any other.
 

With the help of the Holy Spirit we respond in gratitude and praise for all our Lord has done for us. He comes to us through His means of grace and we go to Him in pray, praise, and giving thanks.
 

“19If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (v. 19, 20). As we end this present Church Year we end in confidence. We have confidence in Christ’s resurrection and thus in our own resurrection. We are ready for, either Christ’s return or our passing from this world and going to Him. God has said it and that settles it. Thanks be to God and to Him be the glory. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Encourage One Another - November 16, 2014 - Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 28) - Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Today is the twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost and it is also the second last Sunday of this current church year. As was noted last week and as is noted every year during the last three Sundays of the church year, the lessons for these Sundays remind us of the fact that our life on this earth is short, fast and fleeting, but a breath compared to our life in heaven or in hell, which is for eternity. The importance of these texts and their reminders is that too often we spend way too much of our time focusing on this world, even to the determent of our own spiritual well being instead of being ready to meet our Lord. And we will meet our Lord, either when He returns or when we pass on and I will continue to remind you that both of those days will be sooner than we know and sooner than we might imagine. Interestingly enough, these text kind of remind me of the one commercial on television in which the person finds a note that says something to the effect that “today your heart attack will happen at four pm,” “or tomorrow you will have a car accident.” Indeed, as we earnestly desire to be feed in divine service and Bible class our eyes do see God’s little notes that we will meet Him sooner than we know.
 

Our text for this morning continues from our text from last Sunday. Remember, last Sunday Paul was writing concerning the misunderstanding of the Thessalonians concerning the Lord’s return. This morning Paul continues speaking to their concern, picking up at verse one, “1Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (v. 1-2). I would suggest that we know about the times and seasons as set at creation. Certainly there is much ado about such things in our naturalistic thinking world, but we have God’s promise and we believe Him that as long as the world remains it will remain in God’s hands and so, until He returns times and seasons will continue.
 

We also know, that is we believe that Jesus will come as He promised. We believe that He will come again as He promise just as He came the first time according to God’s prophecies. In other words, even though God waited some four thousand years or so to fulfill His first promise in the Garden of Eden to send a Savior, and He did fulfill that promise in Jesus, so He will fulfill His promise to come again. At this point we have only waited some two thousand years, but that does not necessarily mean He will wait another two thousand years, He may even come tomorrow or even today.
 

The question we need to ask and answer is, are we ready? Are we ready to meet the Lord? We might quite simply ask, “are we ready to die?,” because even if the Lord does not return during our own life time, we will return to Him.
 

Paul goes on to explain the two approaches or two ways of thinking about the end of the world and these ways were the same then as they are today, picking up at verse three, “3While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation” (v. 3-8). There are many in our world today who say, “There is peace and security.” Quite frankly I would suggest that those are the ones who are living with there heads in the sand. One look at the events of the world will show all the upheaval and turmoil that is in the world today.
 

Then there are those living in darkness, I would say that these are those living in the culture, who will attempt to divine the times, that is by using so called science, as well as astrology, and the like they will attempt to discover future events.
 

There will be those as Paul describes who will sleep and get drunk, not paying attention to the signs and being ready. Indeed, we live in a world of people who are so focused on themselves, pleasing themselves, living for the weekend, and I do not mean living for Divine Service and Bible Class, but living to be happy as they define happiness so that they are oblivious to the signs and seasons and the coming of the Lord, indeed, all of these people will not be ready.
 

So Paul encourages us as He calls us children of Light, that is believers to be ready. We are to get ready and actually we do not get ourselves ready but we are made ready by Jesus. We are made ready as He gives, strengthens and keeps us in faith. We are made ready and we know we are ready when we hunger and thirst after the gifts of God. Indeed, faith shows itself in its desire to be where the gifts of God are given out. And the opposite is also true, for there to be no desire to be given the gifts indicates that there is no faith.
 

The Lord makes us ready and He keeps us ready. He keeps us ready as we make regular and diligent use of the means of grace, those means the Lord has given through which He gives all His gifts and blessings. Again, one’s faith is seen in one’s desire to be were and when the gifts are given out and again the opposite is true as well, that is where there is no desire for the gifts, there is seen no faith. Luther writes rather extensively about this in the Large Catechism and suggest that if there is no desire for the sacrament one ought to check to see if they are still alive and in the world and he goes on to suggest that surely that one will have the devil about him.
 

Finally in our text Paul outlines our hope and response of faith. We pick up at verse nine, “9For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (v. 9-11). God has destined us to eternal life in heaven. Heaven is ours now, won for us, paid for us, given to us by the blood of Jesus. Certainly we will not move in until either we pass on or our Lord returns, but heaven is a present reality. As always, because our will is bound and has been tainted by sin, all we can do, in and of ourselves, is refuse and reject this gift of heaven, which unfortunately so many people do day in and day out, week in and week out.
 

Paul encourages us then in our faith life to live lives of faith. We are to live as priests, offering our lives as living sacrifices for our Lord. There should be no mistake, when others look at us they should know we belong to Jesus. To live life apathetically would be to live life in denial of Jesus. And so Paul encourages us and I encourage us, to live lives of faith. Certainly as we live lives of faith we do continue to sin, yet our confession and reception of God’s absolution may also be a good witness to others of what the true Christian faith life is all about.
 

And we are to encourage and build each other up. When we see people absent themselves from divine service, refusing and rejecting the gifts of God, indeed making a mockery of God and His church, the loving thing is not to allow them to continue in that lifestyle, not to allow them to continue given a bad example of the Christian faith life, the loving thing is to help them to see the error of the way so they might repent and be given forgiveness. Perhaps we have failed in the church by not taking God seriously when He tells us to expel them from the midst. Our society says live and let live and that sentiment has made its way into the church as live and let die because to let one continue to live in rejection of God is indeed to let them die eternally and that is not a loving thing to do.
 

What does this mean? In the beginning, in the Garden of Eden God promised to send a Savior. After some four thousand or so years God fulfilled His promise. He sent Jesus, God in flesh in order to fulfill that promise. Jesus came to earth, God in flesh in order to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Jesus came to live perfectly and to obey all of God’s laws perfectly for us in our place. And He did. Jesus lived perfectly and perfectly fulfilled all God’s promises. Then He took our sins and all sins on Himself. He who knew no sin became sin for us and He suffered and paid the price for our sins. Jesus suffered hell for us. And He died. But death and the grave had no power over Him. He rose from the dead defeating sin, death and the devil. And now He gives us what He earned, forgiveness of sins.
 

After Jesus showed Himself to be alive and before He ascended back in to heaven He promised He would return. He did not say when He would return, but He promised He would return. So far He has waited some two thousand years. We do not know if He will wait another two thousand years, all we know is that He promise to return and we are to be ready for His return. As Paul reminds us, God is not slow as some count slowness, rather He is patient, wanting as many people as possible to be brought to faith.
 

In the mean time, while we wait we are to wait in eager expectation. We are to wait in readiness, continually making sure we are ready, focusing our attention on the things above, not the things of this world. And we are to encourage and build each other up, through making regular and diligent use of the means of grace. We are to love others by inviting them to come and be given the gifts God has to give and by always being ready to give an answer for our faith in Jesus.
 

We are not to be in the dark concerning the coming of the day of the Lord, because we are children of light, children of Christ, we are to remain ready for the Lord’s return and we are to encourage each other until that day. We are not to remain in the dark concerning Jesus’ return, even if we do not know the exact day, but we do know He will return or that we will go to Him and until that time we continue to remain ready as He has made us ready and we are to encourage each other to be ready. And when that day comes we will rejoice and say, to God be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.