Life in His Name - April 24, 2022 - Second Sunday of Easter - Text: John 20:19-31

It is amazing how there are so many signs in our world which point to our Savior Jesus Christ, yet there are so many who do not know, or at least do not profess to know or believe in Jesus.  Here we are worshiping on Sunday, no longer on Saturday. Why? Because something important happened on Sunday. Something important enough for the world to change its pattern of worship.  We are living in the “year of our Lord” 2022. The years before our Lord was on this earth are referred to as the “Before Christ” or B.C. years. And the evidence of Jesus’ life continue, but we seem to find ways to doubt and to not believe the evidence which is before us. We are a skeptical bunch of people. And I must admit that there are times when I may be one of the most skeptical. In a few minutes we will meet up with Thomas, affectionately known as Doubting Thomas, a man with whom many of us can easily relate.
 

There are times that I believe we should be skeptical, not of our Lord and His gifts, but of the false teachers and false leaders of this world. As you have heard me say many times, we humans can get it wrong, our reasoning is flawed, but God never gets it wrong so we can always trust what He says. Our Lord has given us His Word and it is His Word which helps us to understand His Word. You may have heard the phrase, “Scripture interprets Scripture.” In other words, if you do not understand one part of the Bible, keep reading and it will explain itself. I get real skeptical when someone says, “what this means to me is . . .,” especially if they are trying to pass their interpretation off as being what God had in mind. I get skeptical when people change what happens at Baptism, when they use something other than God’s name as He has given it to us, when they baptize in some other name than Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I get skeptical when people change the Lord’s Supper to tell me that it is merely a symbolic act, when our Lord tells us that it is His body and blood, with the bread and wine. I really get skeptical when people attempt to change the Gospel of the Lord into a new law with phrases like, “all you gotta do . . .,” “if only you . . . do this or that,” or when they use the salad phrases of “let us . . .,” “may we . . .,” as if we do anything for our salvation, and the list of my skepticism goes on.
 

Because our Lord has chosen to come to us through means, namely through His Word and Sacraments as His usual means, we are reminded that when we neglect to make use of these means, when we neglect to make regular, meaning every day and every week, and diligent use of these means, when we neglect to read His Word, when we neglect to remember our baptism, when we neglect to come to His table, when we neglect to make regular confession of our sins and regularly hear His words of absolution, we take away His usual ways of giving us His good gifts and blessings and we put ourselves in jeopardy of weakening our faith. Likewise, when we misinterpret His Word, when we add our own interpretation, when we change what He has given us and how He has given what He has given, we put ourselves in jeopardy of losing His gifts.
 

As I took the time to look at what we have said about “doubting Thomas” in past years, perhaps we have been a bit unfair. Earlier in John’s Gospel, when Jesus was getting ready to go to raise Lazarus from the dead, although Thomas misunderstood Jesus’ words yet, he showed his true faith in his words that he was ready to die with Jesus (John 11:16). Yet, we beat up on Thomas because of his doubting. Perhaps we might put Thomas into a more favorable light in suggesting that his skepticism was simply a desire to be fully convinced of something that, at the time and even today, might be truly unbelievable. Is it believable that someone would be raised from the dead? What we can say about Thomas was that he was demanding that God deal with him the way he wanted. Let us look at our text and see what is happening.
 

Our text begins setting the scene. It was the evening of the first day of the week. It was Easter Sunday evening and the disciples were gathered behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jews. Of course they were afraid of the Jews, Jesus’ body was missing and the disciples were the number one suspects. John does not give any explanation, but simply says, “Jesus came and stood among them.” Jesus Christ, true man and true God, risen from the dead, stood among them. Before His death Jesus did not always nor fully use His divinity, His divine, Godly powers, but now, after His resurrection He does not limit Himself. How He got into the room is not the important thing, that He was there is what is important. Jesus stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” What wonderful words our Lord speaks. The disciples were afraid because of the Jews and Jesus tells them He has brought them peace. But Jesus peace is more than a mere human peace. His peace is the peace which only He can give. His peace is a peace which passes all understanding. The peace which Jesus is giving to His disciples is the peace which He earned for them, and for us, on the cross. Jesus peace is that of a restored relationship between us and the Father. Jesus peace is true peace. Notice here that, as always, God’s Word does what it says. When Jesus speaks His words of peace, there is peace.
 

It is our sins which separate us from our Father in heaven. It is our sins of disobeying the commandments, of putting ourselves before God, of taking His name in vain, of not letting His Word work faith and strengthening of faith in our hearts, of disobeying our parents and authorities, of murdering, hating and hurting, committing adultery, of stealing, of gossiping, coveting, and the list goes on. We are sinful human beings, we are born in sin and we daily sin much, adding to our sin, and it is our sins which keep us from a right relationship with our Father in heaven. Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection which we celebrated last Sunday and which we celebrate each and every Sunday are what brought us back into a right relationship with God the Father. It is because of Jesus’ work on the cross that He gives us His true peace, peace which only He can give.
 

John goes on to tell us that after Jesus reiterated His peace to His disciples, He gave them and His church on earth, the office of the keys. Jesus gave His church on earth the authority to preach the Gospel, to administer the Sacraments, and to forgive and retain sins. Jesus gave the office of the keys to His church which calls pastors to exercise that authority in the local congregation. Jesus has given us our church in this way for good order. It is not an either\or, but a both\and proposition. Without the congregation there can be no church. Likewise without the pastor there can be no church. A church is made up of a congregation and a pastor, again, this is for good order. God gives us His gifts for our good and this is another example of our Lord’s usual way of dealing with us, His people.
 

As we continue in our text, John tells us that Thomas, the one we call Doubting Thomas, was not with the disciples when Jesus appeared to them this first time. When Thomas returned, John explains Thomas’ response to the excitement of his fellow disciples as they told him about their seeing Jesus alive. And he tells us about his requirement of faith. Thomas, required that for him to believe that Jesus was alive, all of his senses must be convinced. Thomas required not only to see, but also to feel. He would not be convinced unless his senses were convinced.
 

Immediately we are moved to a week later. Again, all the disciples were in the house, and we are told specifically that this time Thomas was with them. Now, do not misunderstand, the Lord does not always bow to our requirements. The Lord does not always bow to do what we want Him to do in order for us to believe. Here, however, in this case, our Lord saw the value in showing Himself personally to this great skeptic Doubting Thomas. Maybe the Lord knew there would be a lot more Thomases in our world and if one were convinced it might convince others.
 

Jesus appeared and called Thomas to put his finger in His hands, to touch His side, to stop doubting and to believe. Immediately we are told that Thomas believed. We are not told that he actually touched Jesus at all, simply that Thomas’ response was “My Lord and My God!” Thomas was convinced and if he was convinced so should we be convinced.
 

Jesus’ response to Thomas’ faith may be seen as a chastisement, but for us it is a blessed assurance. Jesus said, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Although we have not physically seen Jesus, we have seen Him in His Word and we believed. How blessed are we.
 

But our text does not stop there. John goes on to give us a bit of commentary. John tells us that “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book” (John 20:30). In the very last verse of his Gospel John expands these words saying, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (John 21:25). In other words, John has not set out to give a full, detailed account of all the events of Jesus’ life. He has given us just enough and all that we need to know for our salvation.
 

John’s objective was, as he says in verse thirty-one, “But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). John’s objective was to present the Gospel to us so that the Holy Spirit might work through these words in order that we might be brought to faith, strengthened in our faith and have eternal life. Indeed, we can know for certain that we have eternal life.
 

What John has given us is our Lord’s usual order for dealing with us, His people. God’s usual order is that He works through means, namely through His means of grace. Yes, God can come directly to us, or in a vision, or a dream, but those are not His usual means. His usual means for coming to us and the way in which we can be most assured that He is coming to us is through His Word, the Bible, through confession and absolution, and the sacraments, Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. When we read His Word, when we confess our sins and hear His word of absolution, when we remember our Baptism, when we are given His body and blood at His table, that is how our Lord comes to us. He comes to us through these means to give us His gifts and blessings, the gifts of faith, forgiveness, life, eternal life, and salvation. We rejoice, because every time we hear or read God’s word, every time we confess our sins and hear His word of forgiveness, every time we remember our Baptism, every time we are given His body and blood, we are reminded that we are forgiven and that we have life and salvation in our Lord’s name.
 

It is no wonder that Thomas was skeptical, because he wanted God to work his way. Although we may be skeptical of the things of this world, when God works in and through us the way He has given Himself to, then we no longer will need to be skeptical of our Lord. Our Lord has given us His Word and His Sacraments. We know that with our Lord, He does what His Word says and when His Word says we are given faith, we are given faith. When His Word says we are forgiven, we are forgiven. When His Word says we have life, even eternal life, we can be sure that we have eternal life. Our Lord works through His means of Grace in order to give us faith, forgiveness, life and salvation. And we say, to Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

May 2022 St. Matthew Newsletter

May 2022

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I ask for your indulgence as I write this newsletter article for May of 2022 because this month and the next four hold numerous milestones for myself and my family.

May 27 marks one of the greatest milestones and events of my life, the 33rd anniversary of the marriage of Gayle and me. The second greatest event and milestone is the 27th birthday of our oldest son Caleb on May 9 (and subsequently my three other children, Joshua, Hannah and Aaron). And the next great milestone and event, not in any particular order, is the 20th anniversary of my installation here at St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Westfield, May 19, 2002, which we celebrated on the third Sunday in May, Picnic Sunday. This 20th anniversary brings my tenure at St. Matthew tied for the longest tenured pastor, Rev. Sander from 1938-58.

On July 26 I will be celebrating the milestone of the 30th anniversary of my ordination, and in August (and I am not sure of the exact date) I will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of my installation into church work, then as a teacher in one of our Lutheran Schools. With these anniversaries I give thanks and glory to God for all the earthly accomplishments He has seen gracious enough to bestow on me.

Over the last forty years the Lord has also blessed me with five children already in heaven. He has seen fit to give me the opportunities to serve as a school teacher and coach, as a youth worker, and as a Director of Christian Education. He has given me the opportunity to earn my Master of Divinity Degree, as well as, my Doctor of Ministry Degree. He has given me the privilege of serving as the Theological Advisor for Cross Ties Ministries, the Program Chair and Chairman of the Texas Confessional Lutherans meeting in Brenham, the chaplain for my sons’ Cub Scout pack, Boy Scout troop and Trail Life USA troop, as well as my daughter’s American Heritage Girls troop, opportunities which afforded me the opportunity to share the good news of the Gospel with many people who may have never heard the good news. He has seen fit to allow my nomination as the President of our National Church Body (the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod), as well as, our District Church Body (the Texas District of the LCMS) and allowed me to serve as Circuit Visitor of our own circuit. He has allowed for me to serve as a delegate to our district conventions and our synod conventions. He has allowed for me to write several books, as well as, important articles, which I hope to have published in the near future, although many are on my blog for anyone to read.

Over the years the Lord has graciously given me the opportunity and allowed for me to meet and touch the lives of hundreds, maybe even thousands of people, to share the joy of Jesus’ forgiveness. I have been amazed at how the Lord has touched the lives of others through me especially considering the fact that I would never know of such circumstances except for those who have shared them with me.

As I always encourage you, we know we get it right when we point to Jesus. Over the past forty years of church work and over the years of my life I rejoice in the great gifts and blessings with which our Lord has graciously bestowed on me, times of struggle, as well as, times of blessings. As I celebrate these many milestones and great events this year, I pray that you will celebrate with me by giving praise and glory to God alone. What is the greatest gift you can give to your pastor? Being in Divine Service and Bible Class where you are given the gifts of God which He gives him to give to you.

I thank God for the privileges He has given me over these past forty, thirty and twenty years. And I thank you for indulging me this month to reminisce.

God’s richest blessings.
In His Service,

Pastor Bogs
1 Cor. 15:3-5

Don’t forget, if you miss a Sunday, you can read the sermon on my blog: http://rabswritings.blogspot.com.

Holy Days and Holidays in May: Mother’s Day (May 8); The Ascension of the Lord (May 26); Memorial Day (May 30); The Visitation (May 31).

I AM the Resurrection and the Life - Easter Sunrise - April 17, 2022 - Text: John 11:17-27 (esp. v. 25)

He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! This morning we rejoice as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and especially as we hear Him in His Word proclaiming Himself as the Resurrection and the Life.
 

When God called Moses and sent him to deliver His people, the Children of Israel from their bondage of slavery in Egypt, “13Then Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ 14God said to Moses, ‘I AM who I am.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’” (Exodus 3:13-14). This year during the season of Lent through to Easter morning have been exploring the “I AM” words of Jesus, especially as John expounds on God’s telling Moses that His name is “I AM.” This morning we are looking at Jesus’ words as He declares, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life.”
 

Again, as we have been doing, we begin with God’s name as He tells Moses, His name is “I AM.” His name declares Him to be God from eternity, living outside of time, in the eternal present. This morning as Jesus declares Himself to be the resurrection and the Life, so He says He too is “I AM,” in other words He proclaims His divinity, from Exodus.
 

And again let me reiterate that Jesus is true God in the eternal present. Jesus is not a God who was as He has no beginning. He is not a God is to be as He has no tomorrow, at least not in the same sense of time which He created for us, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Rather He is God who is I AM such that He lives in the eternal present thus all things with Him are concurrent and outside of time as you and I sense time.
 

When God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden He gave them one rule, to not eat of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the Garden, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, with the threat that if they did eat they would die, that is they would begin to die a physical death and ultimately, apart from His salvation they would die an eternal death in hell. This morning as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection we celebrate both His physical resurrection and His saving us from an eternal death in hell meaning giving us an eternal resurrection.
 

At the moment of our conception we begin dying a physical death. Our bodies are beginning to die. Certainly, as we grow in the womb, as we are born, as we grow and mature this dying is not something we truly realize until we get older and our bodies begin the processes of aging and dying begin to set in. Of course, this aging does not negate the fact that we have no guarantee of length of life as people do die at all ages, from the moment of conception all the way through old age. However, when we are conceived, we begin to die. Thus, as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and His defeat of death, we celebrate that we too will rise again, as He gives us a physical resurrection.
 

After our physical birth, hopefully, prayerfully, our parents bring us to the Lord’s house where we are baptized and in baptism the Lord forgives us, puts faith in our hearts, writes our names in the book of life and makes us His, freeing us from eternal death and hell. Thus, as we celebrate Jesus’ defeat of sin, death and the devil, we celebrate that we too have eternal life as He gives us forgiveness and eternal life, earned and paid for by Himself, on the cross.
 

We know that Jesus is the resurrection. We know that while living in this world He gave life, that is He raised some from the dead, as mentioned in our text. As true God He had this power and although He did not always nor fully use His divine powers we do know there were some that He did raise from the dead. As true God Jesus has power over death and He used that power in raising Himself from the dead.
 

And we know that Jesus is the resurrection to eternal life. To the thief on the cross who professed his faith Jesus said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus gives eternal life in heaven.
 

Jesus says, “I AM the resurrection and the life.” Jesus is true God. He was with the Father and the Holy Spirit at the creation of the world. All things were created through Him and indeed, He is the one who gives life to all things. He gives life while we live in this world, that is here in time, which I might remind you, He created time for us as He is God and lives outside of time, in the eternal present. And the fact that He gives life here in time reminds us that there is life outside of our time in this world.
 

As Jesus proclaims Himself to be the life, not only does He proclaim the giving of life in this world, but also the giving of our forever life in eternity. As God created time for us, and as He defeated death on the cross, so He gives us His defeat of sin, death and the devil, meaning He gives us eternal life in heaven as well.
 

What does this mean? Jesus is true God, begotten of the Father from eternity. He is perfect, holy, sinless, and able to give life. He was true God and had to be true God in order to be born in perfection. The demand of God has always been to be perfect. God commanded Adam and Eve to obey His one Law, which they broke. God called Israel to be His people and to obey His Laws, which they failed to do. God gives us faith and demands we live as His people, which we, in and of ourselves are unable to do. Jesus was born as true God, perfect and holy so that He could be perfectly obedient, which He was.
 

Not only is Jesus true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, but He is also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, the human woman. Jesus was born as a human so that He might be our substitute. Remember, the price for disobedience, for sin has always been death, and not the death of an animal, not an animal sacrifice, but human death for human sin. The sacrificial system of animal sacrifices in the Old Testament were simply a reminder that the price for sin was death, that blood had to be shed, but the sacrifices pointed to the one ultimate sacrifice of the one ultimate human, Jesus. Jesus was born, true God in human flesh to do what Adam and Eve could not do, to do what the whole nation of Israel could not do, and yes, to do for us, for you and me, what we are not able to do. He was born to live the perfect, obedient life commanded and demanded of us, for us, in our place. And He did live a perfect life obeying all of God’s Laws and Commands perfectly. Then, He took all our sins and the sins of all people, of all places, of all times upon Himself and He paid the price for our sins, the price of physical death and most importantly the price of eternal death and hell. Which is why we come today, to rejoice in Jesus’ defeat of sin, death and the devil.
 

Today we celebrate that God gives. For each one of us He has given us our life at our conception. At our conception we are called to life and given physical life in this world.
 

Today we celebrate that God gives new life through the waters of Holy Baptism. As we are reminded, if we have only one birth then we have two deaths, but if we have two births, then we have only one death. If we only have our physical birth and no spiritual birth, no baptism, then we die not only a physical death, but also an eternal death. However, if we have two births, our physical birth and our spiritual birth, through Holy Baptism, then we only die a physical death, because our eternal death has been taken care of by Jesus on the cross.
 

Today we celebrate that God gives forgiveness in Holy Absolution. We rejoice in Holy Absolution. We rejoice that we can confess our sins and hear God’s most precious words, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those are the most precious and wonderful words we can hear because we know that with forgiveness is life and salvation.
 

Today we celebrate that Jesus gives His body and blood in His Holy Supper. As we celebrated last Thursday, Maundy Thursday, so we rejoice that in the bread and wine we eat and drink Jesus’ body and blood so that He becomes a part of us, marking us so that the angel of eternal death passes over us, so that we are forgiven and strengthened in our faith.
 

Today we celebrate that God gives gifts through His Holy Word. God’s Word is a Word with power, the power to give the gifts it proclaims and to do the things it proclaims to do. As we read and hear God’s Word He pours out on us and lavishes us with all the good gifts and blessings He has to give, which is what motivates us, stirs in us, moves us to make regular and diligent use of His means of grace, which is why our desire is always to be where the gifts of God are being given out, as often as we can be there, that is to be in divine service and Bible Class.
 

Today we celebrate that God gives and we are given to. God is love. God is gracious and merciful. God gives life, new life, forgiveness, faith, eternal life. God gives and He moves in us and stirs in us to rejoice and to respond, though imperfectly, living lives of faith, living as priest in the priesthood of all believers, living our lives as living sacrifices for Him.
 

We have come a long way through this Lenten season. We have heard Jesus declare Himself to be truly God, I AM. We have been strengthened and forgiven and today we are moved to respond with joy as we continue to declare, He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! To God be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

I AM the Bread of Life - Maundy Thursday - April 14, 2022 - Text: John 6:35-59 (esp. v. 35)

When God called Moses and sent him to deliver His people, the Children of Israel from their bondage of slavery in Egypt, “13Then Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ 14God said to Moses, ‘I AM who I am.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’” (Exodus 3:13-14). This year during the season of Lent through to Easter morning we are exploring the “I AM” words of Jesus, especially as John expounds on God’s telling Moses that His name is “I AM.” Today we are looking at Jesus’ words as He declares, “I AM the Bread of Life.”
 

Again, as we have been doing, we begin with God’s name as He tells Moses, His name is “I AM.” His name declares Him to be God from eternity, living outside of time, in the eternal present. In our text for today, as Jesus declares Himself to be the Bread of Life so He says He too is “I AM,” in other words He proclaims His divinity, from Exodus.
 

And again let me reiterate that Jesus is true God in the eternal present. Jesus is not a God who was as He has no beginning. He is not a God is to be as He has no tomorrow, at least not in the same sense of time which He created for us, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Rather He is God who is I AM such that He lives in the eternal present thus all things with Him are concurrent and outside of time as you and I sense time.
 

Jesus declares that He is the Bread of Life which came down from heaven. With this declaration Jesus brings to mind the Manna which God rained down on the Children of Israel while they were wondering in the wilderness. As you might remember, when Moses led the Children of Israel out of Egypt, when they were ready to enter the Promised Land they grumbled and complained and in doubt they refused to believe God and enter thus God punished them such that they wondered in the wilderness for forty years, enough time for that generation to pass on and not be able to receive the land promised to them. While they wondered they rebelled many, many, many times. Although God had dramatically rescued them from Egypt, although He promised to continually care for their needs, which He did, they continually rebelled. To their rebellion concerning food God provide Manna or “what is this” from heaven, food for them to eat.
 

Thus, we see, even in the sin and unbelief of His chosen people, the Children of Israel, God continued to keep His promises. He continued to provide for His people all that they needed. This Manna was bread from heaven, God’s providence in the wilderness.
 

As the Children of Israel were getting ready to leave Egypt and to prepare for the passing over of the Angel of Death God instituted the Passover in order to rescue, set apart and keep His people safe. A lamb was selected and set apart. The lamb was sacrificed. The blood of the lamb was painted on the door post and lintel. The lamb was roasted and eaten, it was consumed. The marking of the door post and the lintel were seen by the Angel of Death so that he passed over those houses and did not kill the first born of anyone in those houses. The lamb was eaten so that it became a physical part of those in the house.
 

When Jesus began His public ministry John the Baptist pointed to Him and told the people, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus is the Lamb of God. He is the one promised in Eden. He is the one to which all the sacrifices of the ceremonial law pointed. He is the one man sent to live for us, take our sins, suffer and die for us.
 

As Jesus was celebrating the Passover meal with His disciples, on the night in which He was betrayed, He took from that Passover meal and has given us a new sacrament His Holy Supper, the Lord’s Supper. Although this reference here in John is not necessarily a reference to the Lord’s Supper, which has not yet been given, it does help us to make a connection to what is given in the Lord’s Supper. Indeed, as God provided physical bread for His people in the wilderness, so He provides spiritual bread for us in our world today. Thus, when Jesus gives us the Lord’s Supper, when He gives us the bread and says “Take, eat, this is my body,” we can know for certain that we are eating the body of Jesus. Although human reason may not understand how this can be bread and body of Jesus, we know, we believe, teach and confess what the words of Jesus’ say, it is His body. And we understand that Jesus does not say it symbolizes His body nor is changed into His body, but it is His body. This being His body is important such that just as the Israelites ate the lamb before leaving Egypt so that the lamb became a physical part of them, so too as we eat His body, physically not symbolically, but physically eat His body He becomes a physical part of us.
 

Likewise, when in the Lord’s Supper Jesus takes the cup of wine and says, “Drink of it all of you, this is my blood,” then we can know for certain that we are partaking of the blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And again, perhaps contrary to human reason we take Jesus at His Word such that we are physically drinking the blood of the Lamb of God. So, we can rest assured that just as the house of the Israelites were marked on the door post and lintel with the blood of the lamb, so we are marked with the blood of the Lamb of God. And just as the Angel of Death passed over those homes in Egypt, so the Angel of Eternal Death and Hell will pass over us.
 

Jesus speaks words that are temporal and eternal. While we live and remain in this world we will always have a need for food, for physical food which we eat to nourish our bodies. Without physical, temporal food we would eventually starve to death. We need food to eat and water to drink. And God provides such food. He gives us gifts, talents, and abilities as well as work, a job or career so that we might earn a living so that we might have a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, shoes on our feet and food on our table. God’s promise is that He will care for our needs, notice not wants but needs.
 

Without God taking care of us, without our needs being met, without our eating, our bodies will die. Of course, this dying is the result of sin and the curse in Eden. We are conceived and born in sin such that from the moment of conception we are doomed to die. Without physical food we would die a physical death.
 

We need physical food for our physical life while we live in this world, but more important is the fact that we need eternal, spiritual food, the Word, which nourishes our souls. God also provides our spiritual nourishment which He does so through the means of grace which He provides, His Word and Sacraments. His Word is the first and foremost sustenance, Bread of Life if you will that He provides for us. As Jesus declares, “I am the Bread of Life,” so He is. As we have been hearing over the past few weeks, Jesus is the great I AM, God in flesh, with the Father and the Holy Spirit at creation. He is the oral Word of promise passed down. He is the written Word of promise passed down. He is the Word taking on flesh and blood here in person. He is the Bread of Life, that Word which gives and does what it says. He gives faith through His Word, His name and water in Holy Baptism. He gives forgiveness of sins through Holy Absolution. He strengthens faith through His read and preached Word. He gives forgiveness and strength through His body and blood in His Holy Supper.
 

Although our bodies will eventually die a physical death, should the Lord tarry, our souls will live forever. It is only as our souls are nourished with Jesus, the Bread of Life that they will live forever with Him in heaven. Apart from Jesus and faith in Him we would be eternally lost, we would suffer eternal death and hell. Thanks be to God that He feeds us with the Bread of Life.
 

What does this mean? God’s desire is that all people are saved. In order to save all people He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, God in flesh. Jesus came to do for us and all people what we are unable to do, what God demands, live a perfect, obedient life. Which Jesus did. He lived the perfect life for us in our place and then took our sins and paid the price for our sins as well as the sins of all people, of all places, of all times. He died the eternal death penalty, the price for sin, for us in our place so that we might have forgiveness and life.
 

Today we rejoice that God gives all we need, both temporal and eternal. God provides for our everyday, physical, bodily needs and most important He provides for our eternal, spiritual needs. He provides us with the Bread of Life. Even more so, this evening as we celebrate Jesus giving us His Holy Supper, the Lord’s Supper so He is the living bread of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. As we come to His table we eat His body, in, with and under the bread and we drink His blood, again, in, with and under the wine so that He becomes a physical part of us. We thus participate in Him. His perfect life becomes our perfect life. His perfect suffering becomes our perfect suffering. His eternal death becomes our eternal death. His resurrection becomes our resurrection and His eternal life in heaven becomes our eternal life in heaven.
 

Jesus continues to be with us and provide for us today. Through the means of grace which God provides, His Word and sacraments He pours out on us and lavishes us with all the good gifts and blessings He has to give. He gives faith, forgiveness, strengthening of faith life and salvation. And He stirs in us our response of faith, the joy to say, to God be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

The Stone the Builders Rejected - April 3, 2022 - Fifth Sunday in Lent - Text: Luke 20:9-20

Our text for this morning follows Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday, which we will be celebrating next Sunday. The Pharisees and teachers of the law were pretty upset that Jesus allowed the people to put up such a commotion for Him, (you remember, the waving of the palm branches, the placing of their coats on the road, the sing of Hosannas and so forth) certainly there was a lot of jealousy and envy going on, and so, they are now trying even harder to discredit Him before the people. Luke tells us that after His triumphant entry into Jerusalem that Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. And he tells us, “Every day [Jesus] was teaching at the temple” (Luke 19:47a).
 

In the verses right before our text Luke relates to us the fact that Jesus’ authority is being questioned. As Luke relates the story, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders asked Jesus, “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things? Who gave you this authority?” Jesus’ answer was a question back to the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders concerning the authority of John the Baptist, because, you see, His authority was from the same place as John’s. Thus, if they could answer His questions concerning from where John received his authority, then they would have to admit the same for Him. That is why the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders answered as they did, “We don’t know,” and that is why Jesus answered as He did, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.” As if it would have made any difference anyway.
 

Our text then, really is Jesus’ response to these chief priests, teachers of the law and elders. His response is in the form of this parable. His parable is taken right out of Isaiah 5:1-7. And while He is at it, Jesus also quotes from Ps. 118:22, but we will get to that later.
 

Jesus tells the parable, we begin at verse nine (v. 9b-15a), “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. 10When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. 13Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.”
 

Now let us break this parable down. The owner of the vineyard is God the Father. He built a most wonderful vineyard, and here we need to read Matthew’s account of this parable because he does a better job of describing this vineyard. Matthews tells us, “There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower” (Matt. 21:33). In other words, God the Father is the one who planted the vineyard of the children of Israel. He did everything imaginable for the children of Israel. He chose them, out of all the nations on the earth. By His grace, not because of anything within them, He chose them. He made them His people. He put His name on them. He blessed them. He promised to make them a great nation and that through them He would save the world. Again, through them, He would save the world. It was not just them that He would save, but the world. And He expected them to bear fruit, to live as His people, to share the message of salvation with others, so that through them He could save the world.
 

When harvest time came around, the vineyard owner sent His servants to gather His share of the harvest from those who had rented out the vineyard. Jesus’ reference is to the prophets whom God sent from time to time to proclaim His message to His people. However, the leaders of the people, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders of the people continually beat, maimed, abused and even killed these prophets.
 

Finally, the vineyard owner, God Himself, decided to send His beloved Son, Jesus. The reaction of the tenants was that if they kill the Son, then there will be no one to claim the vineyard, thus, possession being nine tenths of the law, perhaps the vineyard might then be theirs, and all the profits of the vineyard. So, they plotted to kill the Son. Interestingly enough, Jesus has spelled out the plot against Him by the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders, completely, although they do not realize it. They were secretive in their plans just like the tenants of the vineyard. Yet, they forgot one important part of the equation, Jesus is God, thus He is omniscient. Jesus knew their plans and here He is spelling out their plan to them, but they do not get it.
 

Jesus’ then asks and answers what amounts to a rhetorical question (v. 15b-16a), “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” The crowds response, (v. 16b) “When they heard this, they said, ‘Surely not!’”
 

The renters thought they could beat the owner, however, the owner was still the owner, in other words, there will be a day of judgement. The vineyard owner will judge the evil tenants and will give the vineyard to more responsible tenants. This is a warning from Jesus that the Jews will be disenfranchised and the Gentiles will be made a part of the kingdom.
 

The crowd understood what Jesus was saying and their response was one of disbelief. How can this be? Surely not! May this never be! Certainly more than the chief priest, teachers of the law and the elders, the crowd understood what Jesus was saying and they knew He was talking about their eternal inheritance.
 

Jesus then explains by quoting Ps. 118:22 (v. 17-18) “But he looked directly at them and said, ‘What then is this that is written: ‘“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” The reaction of the teachers of the law and the chief priests (v. 19), “The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people.”
 

The fact of the matter is this, that Jesus is a stumbling stone. He is a stumbling stone in order to get their attention so they will believe. A person may stumble over Jesus and be hurt, but this is not a fatal wound as a matter of fact, this might be a saving wound, if it does get their attention.
 

Jesus is the stone that was thrown away, that is, He is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant has passed away. Not because it was just tossed, but because Jesus fulfilled all its requirements. Now He is the corner stone for a new covenant. The New Testament Church is built on Jesus and faith in Him.
 

And there is the warning for those who continually disown Jesus. He is the stone that will fall on them and crush them. This is a permanent crushing, a fatal crushing, an everlasting life in hell crushing. In other words, for all those who continually reject Jesus, all they can expect is eternal death and hell.
 

As we hear this parable today we are reminded that we are the renters of the new vineyard, the new covenant. So we might ask ourselves the question, “How are we doing?” “Are we producing fruits by the power of the Holy Spirit, or are we thinking that if we get rid of the owner we can have the vineyard all to ourselves,” in other words, are our eyes focused on all we can get in this world, “the one with the most toys wins,” or are our eyes focused heavenward?
 

How do we react when we stumble over Jesus? How do we react when we are reminded of our sin and the fact that if we remain in our sin then we will ultimately reap eternal death? Are we grateful, learning to love Him more, because it is when we know our sins that we can confess our sins and are given forgiveness? Or do we despise Him, thinking He is only in our way? Do we perhaps think like the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders, that we, somehow, deserve something from God, an eternal inheritance, perhaps? Or do we realize that it is only by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ alone that we have forgiveness of sins and the gift and promise of eternal life in heaven?
 

For us, Jesus is our cornerstone. He is the base of our New Testament faith. He is the one who has chosen us, put His name on us, given His life for ours, put faith in our hearts, given us forgiveness of sins and the gift and promise of eternal life. And He expects that we bear fruits of faith. As He had chosen the children of Israel to be His people and that through them He would save the world, so He continually chooses us to be His people and through us He continually works to bring the message of salvation to the world, so that through the proclamation of His Word, His Holy Spirit will work faith, life and salvation and that is how we bear the fruits of faith, by, with His help, living lives of faith as a response to His good gifts and blessings.
 

After hearing these words of Holy Scripture for this morning, we cannot help confessing with Paul, from the words of our epistle lesson, “8Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—10that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:8-14). To Him be the glory, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.