TEXT: Luke 16:19-3119
There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table….
In the Name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
C.S. Lewis once wrote, “Prosperity knits a man to the world.” (Screwtape, pg. 143) Prosperity comes in at least two forms. The first comes as a gift. It’s just as we learned in the Catechism regarding “daily bread” which includes, “everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods,” and so forth. These are given as a gift by our benevolent Creator, God the Father Almighty. But prosperity comes in another form. It’s called, “Stealing.” Prosperity that comes by stealing includes daily bread that God has given to someone else, but we take it without permission… or take it from him in a dishonest way. It’s the kind of prosperity that is gained by lying, cheating, and stealing. i.e. - Those who climb the ladder of success never minding who they trample on the way up. Those who raise their children and send them off to school only so that they’ll make a good living. The focus is on self . These belong to the second group of Prosperity.
In ancient Egyptian civilizations, it is interesting to see the tombs of the rich and famous. The wealthy were buried with an after-life in mind. The after-life was not heaven, but something they concocted. They dreamt up the idea that all their treasures were to be stored around the deceased and that when they woke up to the after-life, all of their treasures would follow them.
In the world today, most people would laugh at such an idea. But rather, this is the way the modern man thinks, “No, I know I can’t take my treasure with me, so I’ll live it up while I’ve got it right now.” It’s almost as if, in today’s world, very few even acknowledge an afterlife, let alone Heaven or Hell.
But the word of God is clear that beyond this life there is Heaven and Hell. And that Hell is place of torment while Heaven is a place of rest. Godless men do not think about the afterlife, and so, when it comes, they are completely surprised.
St. John calls Hell a fiery pit of sulfur (Rev. 20:10)… a place where the damned will be tormented by fire and brimstone in the presence of the angels and the Lamb. The smoke of their torment will ascend up forever and ever (Rev. 14:10). Their punishment will be unceasing; they will have “no rest day or night” (Rev. 14:11).
The rich man in our Gospel lesson remains tormented even today. Those words of Abraham still burn in his ears, “Remember son, that you received good things during your life.” And his iniquity has followed Him to the dregs of the Underworld. His torment is a constant reminder of his own unrepentant heart. Today the unrighteous suffer in only their soul, but a greater and more severe Day is coming when the unrepentant will suffer in both body and soul in the resurrection of the body. In that day it will be as St. John wrote in Revelation, “They will seek death and not find it; they will yearn to die; yet death will flee from them.”
Yes, prosperity knits a man to the world… even worse, all too often; prosperity knits a man to Hell.
But it isn’t prosperity alone that knits a man to Hell…. Unbelief must be added prosperity. Jesus said, “He that does not believe is condemned.” The rich man rejected Moses and the prophets (the Word of God). Even in Hell he continued to deny the Word. The rich man didn’t believe that the Law and Prophets would do his brothers any good. Even from Hell he tried to tell God how to go about His business of saving men, “send to my father’s house – for I have five brothers – so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” God’s ways are not our ways.
But let’s not misunderstand the story of the rich man and Lazarus. Prosperity is not a straight ticket to hell. Just as drinking, or dancing, or even smoking cigarettes are not sorts of mortal sins that mandates God’s damnation. And let’s not glorify Lazarus’s suffering too much either… lest we mistakenly think that if for some reason you get dealt a bad hand in this life, God will make it all better by promising a Royal Flush in Heaven. The Scriptures do not teach that suffering is a good work that earns Eternal Life.
The difference between Lazarus and the rich man is not found in one’s prosperity, nor in another’s suffering. The difference is in their hearts. Lazarus had a repentant heart, the rich man didn’t. Lazarus was saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Lazaraus was a sorry, repentant sinner who knew that he didn’t even deserve the mercy of dogs let alone his Creator. Lazarus believed the Law and the Prophets. He believed the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness. He believed in the Messiah - the One whose heal was bruised on the cross. The stricken, smitten and afflicted Messiah: Jesus. He clung to the Word alone, even while he went hungry he was fed the Bread of Life. He clung to the Word, even while his body was sore and oppressed and naked; he was covered with the robe of Christ’s righteousness, the very Christ Who is the Sun of Righteousness who rises with healing in His wings. (Mal. 4:2)
Prosperity knits a man to the World, and very often even into the fabric of Hell. But faith in the Word – the Law and the Prophets - knits a man into the tapestry of Heaven - the bosom of Abraham and the eternal unveiled presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
“He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away… as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to His seed forever.
Whether or not God has given you earthly prosperity… pray that God would make you that like that holy beggar… weak, frail, knowing your need of forgiveness, dependent on Jesus’ mercy, grace and love… for of such is the Kingdom of God.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Monday, May 26, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Holy Trinity Sermon
TEXT: John 3:1-15
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth.” To say that we believe in a Creator doesn’t seem all that controversial when we confess this truth here in the sanctuary with like-minded Lutherans. We have become so accustomed to saying the First Article of the Creed Sunday after Sunday that it often times rolls off our tongues with little to no thought at all. But what about outside of the sanctuary of the Divine Service? Do you confess God as Creator in your vocations as mother, father, son, daughter, student, teacher, farmer, and worker? Or, do you simply put the Creed back in the pew rack after the Divine Service and forget about it until the next time you’re in church?
Confessing that you believe in a Creator may be devastating to your reputation… even to job security. Consider Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez a professor at Iowa State University. Dr. Gonzales is a Christian who is considered an authority in Astronomy. His work has led to the discovery of two new planets and his credentials are many. Dr. Gonzales was one of several people who were highlighted in a recent film documentary, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.” Ben Stein, the documentary’s host as well as an avid supporter of Intelligent Design, showed how Dr. Gonzales was estranged from other intellectuals and leaders in astronomical science after he wrote a book that suggested that scientific evidence lends credence to the possibility that the world was created by an Intelligent Designer. Sorry Will, you won’t get a chance to take a class with Dr. Gonzales. His last class at ISU ended three days ago.
The world would have us think that believing in God is an unintelligent thing to do. “God is for dummies.” Their intellectual god is atheism (truthfully, their god is themselves). Atheists such as Richard Dawkins think that Christians (you) are feeble minded… that God is some sort of mythical security blanket in a world that you can’t comprehend with your intellect, so you make up an imaginary god. And if you try to argue with the atheist, they’ll simply ask, “Well, show me your God, then maybe I’ll believe in him.” What sinners cannot comprehend apart from faith, they cannot believe.
That was Nicodemus’ problem too. Jesus had told him that “Unless a man is born again of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” But Nicodemus said, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother’s womb and be born again?” Nicodemus was well aware of the science of labor and delivery. He knew what it meant to be “born.” Then again, maybe he didn’t. Nicodemus’ logic was confined to the five senses (smell, sight, sound, touch and taste) and three dimensions (length, width, and height). He had overlooked the "sense" of faith and the "dimension" of Holy Things.
When Jesus said, “Unless a man is born again of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God,” He was referring to Baptism. Jesus sent out the Apostles at the Ascension and He had given them His authority to make disciples by baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit… and to teach all of Jesus’ doctrine. No one was to be overlooked. God desired/desires disciples of all nations… Any and every man, woman and child God wishes to wash in the Sacrament of water and the Word in the Name of the Triune God.
Baptism is that Holy Drowning whereby we die with Jesus in His death by crucifixion and are raised with Him in His Resurrection. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me.” (Gal2:20) Baptism is that blessed clothing in which you are clothed in the robe of Christ’s righteousness, so that God no longer sees your sin, but only the Holy deeds of Jesus. “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Col 3:3) That’s what we confess in the Athanasian Creed when we say, “And those who have done good will enter into eternal life.” For the Scriptures say that “if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17) Baptism is God’s way of rebirthing you. You are conceived in the womb of the one holy Christian Church and are made a child of God in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
What I have said about Heavenly Things makes no sense without faith. Try to explain the fragrant smell of homemade cinnamon rolls to someone who is not able to smell. You can’t. Try to describe the beauty of Spring, the budding trees and the flowers to someone who is blind even if their IQ ranks them with the most intelligent of men. They won’t understand. Try to explain the Triune God as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier to the brightest of scientists apart from the gift of faith… they wont get it. Try using objects like an apple, or an egg… it won’t matter if the “sense” of faith has not been created by the Word of God.
The next time someone asks you to explain the true God to them, show them the cross. Even better, show them a crucifix. Yes, that’s what Jesus would do... that's what Jesus did do. He told Nicodemus, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever has faith (believes) in him may have eternal life.”
The science of medicine has adopted the fiery serpent on a pole as their emblem of health and healing. How interesting that I’ve never seen a snakeless pole at any vet office or doctor’s office. So shall the cross never by Christless. In Christ crucified the fullness of the deity dwells. To know Jesus is to know the Father Who sent Him and the Spirit Who proceeds from Him. "For through [Jesus] we have access in one Spirit tot he Father." (Eph. 2:18) Show them the cross. To know Jesus is to be baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity. Show them the cross. To know Christ is to be touched by Him on your lips and to feast with Him in the Sacrament. Show them the cross. Yes, show them the cross.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
“I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth.” To say that we believe in a Creator doesn’t seem all that controversial when we confess this truth here in the sanctuary with like-minded Lutherans. We have become so accustomed to saying the First Article of the Creed Sunday after Sunday that it often times rolls off our tongues with little to no thought at all. But what about outside of the sanctuary of the Divine Service? Do you confess God as Creator in your vocations as mother, father, son, daughter, student, teacher, farmer, and worker? Or, do you simply put the Creed back in the pew rack after the Divine Service and forget about it until the next time you’re in church?
Confessing that you believe in a Creator may be devastating to your reputation… even to job security. Consider Dr. Guillermo Gonzalez a professor at Iowa State University. Dr. Gonzales is a Christian who is considered an authority in Astronomy. His work has led to the discovery of two new planets and his credentials are many. Dr. Gonzales was one of several people who were highlighted in a recent film documentary, “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.” Ben Stein, the documentary’s host as well as an avid supporter of Intelligent Design, showed how Dr. Gonzales was estranged from other intellectuals and leaders in astronomical science after he wrote a book that suggested that scientific evidence lends credence to the possibility that the world was created by an Intelligent Designer. Sorry Will, you won’t get a chance to take a class with Dr. Gonzales. His last class at ISU ended three days ago.
The world would have us think that believing in God is an unintelligent thing to do. “God is for dummies.” Their intellectual god is atheism (truthfully, their god is themselves). Atheists such as Richard Dawkins think that Christians (you) are feeble minded… that God is some sort of mythical security blanket in a world that you can’t comprehend with your intellect, so you make up an imaginary god. And if you try to argue with the atheist, they’ll simply ask, “Well, show me your God, then maybe I’ll believe in him.” What sinners cannot comprehend apart from faith, they cannot believe.
That was Nicodemus’ problem too. Jesus had told him that “Unless a man is born again of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” But Nicodemus said, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter his mother’s womb and be born again?” Nicodemus was well aware of the science of labor and delivery. He knew what it meant to be “born.” Then again, maybe he didn’t. Nicodemus’ logic was confined to the five senses (smell, sight, sound, touch and taste) and three dimensions (length, width, and height). He had overlooked the "sense" of faith and the "dimension" of Holy Things.
When Jesus said, “Unless a man is born again of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God,” He was referring to Baptism. Jesus sent out the Apostles at the Ascension and He had given them His authority to make disciples by baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit… and to teach all of Jesus’ doctrine. No one was to be overlooked. God desired/desires disciples of all nations… Any and every man, woman and child God wishes to wash in the Sacrament of water and the Word in the Name of the Triune God.
Baptism is that Holy Drowning whereby we die with Jesus in His death by crucifixion and are raised with Him in His Resurrection. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me.” (Gal2:20) Baptism is that blessed clothing in which you are clothed in the robe of Christ’s righteousness, so that God no longer sees your sin, but only the Holy deeds of Jesus. “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Col 3:3) That’s what we confess in the Athanasian Creed when we say, “And those who have done good will enter into eternal life.” For the Scriptures say that “if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.” (2 Cor. 5:17) Baptism is God’s way of rebirthing you. You are conceived in the womb of the one holy Christian Church and are made a child of God in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
What I have said about Heavenly Things makes no sense without faith. Try to explain the fragrant smell of homemade cinnamon rolls to someone who is not able to smell. You can’t. Try to describe the beauty of Spring, the budding trees and the flowers to someone who is blind even if their IQ ranks them with the most intelligent of men. They won’t understand. Try to explain the Triune God as Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier to the brightest of scientists apart from the gift of faith… they wont get it. Try using objects like an apple, or an egg… it won’t matter if the “sense” of faith has not been created by the Word of God.
The next time someone asks you to explain the true God to them, show them the cross. Even better, show them a crucifix. Yes, that’s what Jesus would do... that's what Jesus did do. He told Nicodemus, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever has faith (believes) in him may have eternal life.”
The science of medicine has adopted the fiery serpent on a pole as their emblem of health and healing. How interesting that I’ve never seen a snakeless pole at any vet office or doctor’s office. So shall the cross never by Christless. In Christ crucified the fullness of the deity dwells. To know Jesus is to know the Father Who sent Him and the Spirit Who proceeds from Him. "For through [Jesus] we have access in one Spirit tot he Father." (Eph. 2:18) Show them the cross. To know Jesus is to be baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity. Show them the cross. To know Christ is to be touched by Him on your lips and to feast with Him in the Sacrament. Show them the cross. Yes, show them the cross.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Funeral Sermon - Bob Miller
TEXT: Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
O LORD, OUR SHEPHERD, LEAD YOUR SHEEP IN GOODNESS AND MERCY AS WE PASS WITH YOU THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH TO YOUR ETERNAL HOME, WHERE YOU LIVE AND REIGN WITH THE FATHER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD, NOW AND FOREVER. AMEN. (LSB Agenda, pg. 100)
Dear Marj (wife), Chad (son), and Michael (son), John, Jim, and Florence (siblings), other family, friends of Bob, and fellow saints at Zion Lutheran Church,
Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
This morning we gather together for two primary reasons. First we come together as those who mourn the death of a husband, father, brother, friend and fellow saint in the Lord’s Church. We have come to this service to hear the Gospel. This morning we will sing the Gospel in hymns, speak it in the liturgy, and hear it proclaimed from the pulpit. I suppose there are other things that we could do to try to ease the hurt, but none of them compare to the comfort given to us in the Gospel of our dear Savior, Jesus.
The second purpose for which we gather is to properly care for the earthly remains of Bob. And how is it that we do this properly? It is done with the resurrection in mind. Because the Scriptures teach that there will one day be a resurrection of the dead, we bury Bob’s body knowing that it will rest until the Christ comes on the Last Day.
The text chosen is perhaps one of the most well-known in the Holy Scriptures… the 23rd Psalm.
Bob was happiest when he was outside. He loved farming. How interesting that Bob’s Savior is portrayed as a shepherd in the 23rd Psalm. A shepherd is one who farms sheep. In the Old Testament, the title, “shepherd” was sometimes used of kings or prophets. Shepherds were public servants. One of my favorite hymns is “I am Jesus little Lamb.” It’s a hymn that is often sung by little children, but it’s a good hymn for us adults too. When we say, “I am Jesus little lamb” it’s a reminder that Jesus is our Shepherd. In John 10, Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for His sheep.” Jesus is a good and loving Shepherd. He does not rule over His sheep as a selfish dictator. Rather, Jesus demonstrates His authority in a way that no other King or Prophet ever has. He willingly laid down His life for His sheep. Jesus the Good Shepherd was made to be the Lamb of God. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us. God’s ways are not our ways. What the world considers valuable and important, the Lord could care less about… wealth and power and good reputation. Jesus cares for sheep… stinking with sin, unsophisticated sheep. That’s the Lord’s concern. He is concerned about sheep who are sinners. He died upon the Old rugged cross so that His sheep would not die, but inherit eternal life. That’s the kind of Shepherd that Jesus was to Bob… and is to all of us too.
The Good Shepherd carried Bob beside still waters. Bob’s trip to the still waters first happened on April 23, 1939, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church where he was baptized with water and in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. On that day, Bob became one of the Lord’s sheep.
Bob was an avid fan of John Wayne. It has been said that John Wayne was not baptized until he lay on his deathbed with stomach cancer, drifting in and out of a coma. Not Bob. His parents saw to it that He was made a child of God in the Sacrament of Baptism and raised in the paths of righteousness. And while Bob often confessed that that He was a poor miserable sinner, He also firmly believed that in and through Baptism He was a forgiven child of God. Bob ate and drank the forgiveness of sins in the Lord’s supper. Through Word and Sacrament Bob’s cup of forgiveness runneth over.
This past Thursday at about 7:30 p.m., Bob walked through the valley of the shadow of death. It happened suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye. Last Thursday was the first day of forever for Bob. Today He dwells in the house of the Lord forever. Heaven has become his new residence. Heaven’s pastures are always green and the waters are always still. IN other words, there is no sorrow or sadness. There is only perfect joy. The joy of standing face to face with the The Good Shepherd. The joy of being reunited with his parents, grandparents and brother, George. The joy of victory over sin, death, and the Devil. All the thrill of heaven is his forever.
Bob has fought the good fight. He has finished the race. His death was only the door to eternal life. That’s the promise for the Christian who dies in true faith.
It won’t be so very long and you will see Bob again. This body will rise in the resurrection on the Last Day. That body will have a perfectly healthy heart… it will be a glorified body that will never fall apart. No aches, no pains. All believers will dwell for eternity in Heaven’s green pastures. Surely goodness and mercy has followed Bob in this life and will continue forever.
“Lord Jesus, who alone is that one Good Shepherd, thanks be unto you for all your spiritual and bodily benefits. Let the Word of Your salvation dwell in us richly, and suffer not that trusty staff, the word of your promise, to be taken from us. And when the shadow of death spreads over us, conduct us safely to the fold of the perfected saints [where Bob dwells], the tabernacle not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (Reading the Psalms with Luther, pg. 60)
Amen.
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
O LORD, OUR SHEPHERD, LEAD YOUR SHEEP IN GOODNESS AND MERCY AS WE PASS WITH YOU THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH TO YOUR ETERNAL HOME, WHERE YOU LIVE AND REIGN WITH THE FATHER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD, NOW AND FOREVER. AMEN. (LSB Agenda, pg. 100)
Dear Marj (wife), Chad (son), and Michael (son), John, Jim, and Florence (siblings), other family, friends of Bob, and fellow saints at Zion Lutheran Church,
Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you from God our Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
This morning we gather together for two primary reasons. First we come together as those who mourn the death of a husband, father, brother, friend and fellow saint in the Lord’s Church. We have come to this service to hear the Gospel. This morning we will sing the Gospel in hymns, speak it in the liturgy, and hear it proclaimed from the pulpit. I suppose there are other things that we could do to try to ease the hurt, but none of them compare to the comfort given to us in the Gospel of our dear Savior, Jesus.
The second purpose for which we gather is to properly care for the earthly remains of Bob. And how is it that we do this properly? It is done with the resurrection in mind. Because the Scriptures teach that there will one day be a resurrection of the dead, we bury Bob’s body knowing that it will rest until the Christ comes on the Last Day.
The text chosen is perhaps one of the most well-known in the Holy Scriptures… the 23rd Psalm.
Bob was happiest when he was outside. He loved farming. How interesting that Bob’s Savior is portrayed as a shepherd in the 23rd Psalm. A shepherd is one who farms sheep. In the Old Testament, the title, “shepherd” was sometimes used of kings or prophets. Shepherds were public servants. One of my favorite hymns is “I am Jesus little Lamb.” It’s a hymn that is often sung by little children, but it’s a good hymn for us adults too. When we say, “I am Jesus little lamb” it’s a reminder that Jesus is our Shepherd. In John 10, Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for His sheep.” Jesus is a good and loving Shepherd. He does not rule over His sheep as a selfish dictator. Rather, Jesus demonstrates His authority in a way that no other King or Prophet ever has. He willingly laid down His life for His sheep. Jesus the Good Shepherd was made to be the Lamb of God. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us. God’s ways are not our ways. What the world considers valuable and important, the Lord could care less about… wealth and power and good reputation. Jesus cares for sheep… stinking with sin, unsophisticated sheep. That’s the Lord’s concern. He is concerned about sheep who are sinners. He died upon the Old rugged cross so that His sheep would not die, but inherit eternal life. That’s the kind of Shepherd that Jesus was to Bob… and is to all of us too.
The Good Shepherd carried Bob beside still waters. Bob’s trip to the still waters first happened on April 23, 1939, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church where he was baptized with water and in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. On that day, Bob became one of the Lord’s sheep.
Bob was an avid fan of John Wayne. It has been said that John Wayne was not baptized until he lay on his deathbed with stomach cancer, drifting in and out of a coma. Not Bob. His parents saw to it that He was made a child of God in the Sacrament of Baptism and raised in the paths of righteousness. And while Bob often confessed that that He was a poor miserable sinner, He also firmly believed that in and through Baptism He was a forgiven child of God. Bob ate and drank the forgiveness of sins in the Lord’s supper. Through Word and Sacrament Bob’s cup of forgiveness runneth over.
This past Thursday at about 7:30 p.m., Bob walked through the valley of the shadow of death. It happened suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye. Last Thursday was the first day of forever for Bob. Today He dwells in the house of the Lord forever. Heaven has become his new residence. Heaven’s pastures are always green and the waters are always still. IN other words, there is no sorrow or sadness. There is only perfect joy. The joy of standing face to face with the The Good Shepherd. The joy of being reunited with his parents, grandparents and brother, George. The joy of victory over sin, death, and the Devil. All the thrill of heaven is his forever.
Bob has fought the good fight. He has finished the race. His death was only the door to eternal life. That’s the promise for the Christian who dies in true faith.
It won’t be so very long and you will see Bob again. This body will rise in the resurrection on the Last Day. That body will have a perfectly healthy heart… it will be a glorified body that will never fall apart. No aches, no pains. All believers will dwell for eternity in Heaven’s green pastures. Surely goodness and mercy has followed Bob in this life and will continue forever.
“Lord Jesus, who alone is that one Good Shepherd, thanks be unto you for all your spiritual and bodily benefits. Let the Word of Your salvation dwell in us richly, and suffer not that trusty staff, the word of your promise, to be taken from us. And when the shadow of death spreads over us, conduct us safely to the fold of the perfected saints [where Bob dwells], the tabernacle not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (Reading the Psalms with Luther, pg. 60)
Amen.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Funeral Sermon - Edna Brummer
TEXT: Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Dear Robert (son) and Dorothy, Kerry (granddaughter) and Brian, Tyler and Erica (great-grandchildren), and Mabel (sister), members of St. John United Church of Christ and Zion Ev. Lutheran congregations, as well as other friends of Edna….
Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Today we gather as those who mourn the death of a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, fellow church member and sister in Christ. And it is okay for us to mourn. Even our Lord Jesus Christ wept at the funeral of Lazarus. Jesus wept, even when He knew that Lazarus would be raised again. We are no different. We may weep, but our tears are not without hope. Rather we weep as those who are confident in the bodily resurrection at the End of Time.
We also gather to care for the earthly remains of Edna. And we do that with the resurrection in mind too. The Lord has taken care of Edna’s body these 97 years and we must trust that He will also do with it as He sees fit until He comes again.
The Scripture chosen for the message this morning is taken from Rev. 3:20. This verse was Edna’s confirmation verse. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
When Jesus spoke these words, He had already spoken to several churches who had some problems. The Lord was calling them to repentance for various sins they had committed. AT the end of Rev 3, The Church of Laodocia had committed the sin of being “lukewarm.” They were apathetic Christians. They stood for nothing therefore they could fall for anything. The people of the church of Laodocia were a very wealthy people… and their money had gotten the best of them. They prided themselves in their financial wealth and they no longer valued the Gospel as the highest good and only treasure worth attaining.
So, the Lord Jesus called them to repentance. He rebuked them and disciplined by saying, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.” But this knocking should not be simply understood as a passive, gentle knock on the door. This knocking was the kind of knocking that was meant to get their attention. It was as if the Lord we saying, “Wake up! Don’t you see what you are doing by placing your love of wealth above and beyond your Savior. You are destined for ruin. Listen to my knocking … pay attention to my Word of Law and Gospel. It is good for you. The god of wealth only wishes you no good!” And to the Christian who repented, the Lord promised fellowship when He said, “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him.” In other words, the Lord Jesus means to say, “Dear Christian, I have called by name you are mine. Turn away from your evil and return to me. I have died on the cross for you. I have redeemed with my holy precious blood and my innocent sufferings and death. I have made you my own dear child in Baptism. I have chosen you. You did not choose me. Come back to me.”
I cannot say that Edna ever wandered so very far from her Savior. Although, if she was typical of most Christian people, then she most certainly did. But I do know this: Edna regularly and faithfully confessed her sins to me as her pastor, and according to the office of the Holy Ministry given by Jesus in John 20, I forgave her sins in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ. She enjoyed hearing me speak the absolution. When I finished, she would say, “Thank you!”
Edna enjoyed the simple things in life. She was not given to great wealth like the people of Laodocia. She worked the land with her husband, Oscar. She was content to have a garden, and ducks. She loved the smell of fresh baked bread and cinnamon rolls.
Eventually, it became necessary for Edna to move to Pleasantview Home in Albert City… and her life on the farm would become a memory. And even though she could not get out in the garden or spend time in the kitchen, she found new ways to pass her time. I enjoyed my visits with Edna. She was usually upbeat and cheerful. She was happy to have lived well into her 90’s and was glad to have a good appetite. When a couple – three weeks ago she began to lose her appetite, she knew something was wrong.
Eventually, Edna was placed into hospice care. That first evening I heard about her turn toward death, I went to visit. It was late and Edna was in bed. So I quietly read a Psalm, prayed a short prayer, and sang a stanza of a hymn. She loved to hear the hymns. When I finished, I headed out the door. But Edna called after me, “Pastor, aren’t you going to commune me?” I should’ve known. Every visit that I had had with Edna for almost two years included the Lord’s Supper. And during her final weeks in hospice care, it was the only food she ate. She hungered and thirsted for the Body and Blood of Jesus. She trusted Jesus’ own words when He said, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” It is just as Jesus said in Rev 3:20 for the one who repents, “I will come in to her and eat with her, and she with me.”
Edna suffered from swollen ankles and arthritis in this world. Her eye sight and hearing was not as good as she wanted it to be. But none of that matters today. Today, Edna stands before the throne of God face to face with her Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. She stands with Oscar and Ronald and other family and friends. She has fought the good fight. She has finished the race. Yesterday, Edna spent her first Mother’s Day in Heaven. What a joy it must have been for her to see her own mother.
Make no mistake. You will see Edna again… at the Rersurrection on the last day. This body will be raised imperishable, with no arthritis and no need for glasses. Edna’s hand of faith has opened Heaven’s Door and today she enjoys the heavenly banquet that will have no end.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Dear Robert (son) and Dorothy, Kerry (granddaughter) and Brian, Tyler and Erica (great-grandchildren), and Mabel (sister), members of St. John United Church of Christ and Zion Ev. Lutheran congregations, as well as other friends of Edna….
Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Today we gather as those who mourn the death of a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, fellow church member and sister in Christ. And it is okay for us to mourn. Even our Lord Jesus Christ wept at the funeral of Lazarus. Jesus wept, even when He knew that Lazarus would be raised again. We are no different. We may weep, but our tears are not without hope. Rather we weep as those who are confident in the bodily resurrection at the End of Time.
We also gather to care for the earthly remains of Edna. And we do that with the resurrection in mind too. The Lord has taken care of Edna’s body these 97 years and we must trust that He will also do with it as He sees fit until He comes again.
The Scripture chosen for the message this morning is taken from Rev. 3:20. This verse was Edna’s confirmation verse. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
When Jesus spoke these words, He had already spoken to several churches who had some problems. The Lord was calling them to repentance for various sins they had committed. AT the end of Rev 3, The Church of Laodocia had committed the sin of being “lukewarm.” They were apathetic Christians. They stood for nothing therefore they could fall for anything. The people of the church of Laodocia were a very wealthy people… and their money had gotten the best of them. They prided themselves in their financial wealth and they no longer valued the Gospel as the highest good and only treasure worth attaining.
So, the Lord Jesus called them to repentance. He rebuked them and disciplined by saying, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.” But this knocking should not be simply understood as a passive, gentle knock on the door. This knocking was the kind of knocking that was meant to get their attention. It was as if the Lord we saying, “Wake up! Don’t you see what you are doing by placing your love of wealth above and beyond your Savior. You are destined for ruin. Listen to my knocking … pay attention to my Word of Law and Gospel. It is good for you. The god of wealth only wishes you no good!” And to the Christian who repented, the Lord promised fellowship when He said, “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him.” In other words, the Lord Jesus means to say, “Dear Christian, I have called by name you are mine. Turn away from your evil and return to me. I have died on the cross for you. I have redeemed with my holy precious blood and my innocent sufferings and death. I have made you my own dear child in Baptism. I have chosen you. You did not choose me. Come back to me.”
I cannot say that Edna ever wandered so very far from her Savior. Although, if she was typical of most Christian people, then she most certainly did. But I do know this: Edna regularly and faithfully confessed her sins to me as her pastor, and according to the office of the Holy Ministry given by Jesus in John 20, I forgave her sins in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ. She enjoyed hearing me speak the absolution. When I finished, she would say, “Thank you!”
Edna enjoyed the simple things in life. She was not given to great wealth like the people of Laodocia. She worked the land with her husband, Oscar. She was content to have a garden, and ducks. She loved the smell of fresh baked bread and cinnamon rolls.
Eventually, it became necessary for Edna to move to Pleasantview Home in Albert City… and her life on the farm would become a memory. And even though she could not get out in the garden or spend time in the kitchen, she found new ways to pass her time. I enjoyed my visits with Edna. She was usually upbeat and cheerful. She was happy to have lived well into her 90’s and was glad to have a good appetite. When a couple – three weeks ago she began to lose her appetite, she knew something was wrong.
Eventually, Edna was placed into hospice care. That first evening I heard about her turn toward death, I went to visit. It was late and Edna was in bed. So I quietly read a Psalm, prayed a short prayer, and sang a stanza of a hymn. She loved to hear the hymns. When I finished, I headed out the door. But Edna called after me, “Pastor, aren’t you going to commune me?” I should’ve known. Every visit that I had had with Edna for almost two years included the Lord’s Supper. And during her final weeks in hospice care, it was the only food she ate. She hungered and thirsted for the Body and Blood of Jesus. She trusted Jesus’ own words when He said, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” It is just as Jesus said in Rev 3:20 for the one who repents, “I will come in to her and eat with her, and she with me.”
Edna suffered from swollen ankles and arthritis in this world. Her eye sight and hearing was not as good as she wanted it to be. But none of that matters today. Today, Edna stands before the throne of God face to face with her Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. She stands with Oscar and Ronald and other family and friends. She has fought the good fight. She has finished the race. Yesterday, Edna spent her first Mother’s Day in Heaven. What a joy it must have been for her to see her own mother.
Make no mistake. You will see Edna again… at the Rersurrection on the last day. This body will be raised imperishable, with no arthritis and no need for glasses. Edna’s hand of faith has opened Heaven’s Door and today she enjoys the heavenly banquet that will have no end.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Mother Church
TEXT: John 14:23-3123
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. 25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither et them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
At times the Holy Christian Church has been called “Mother Church.” Mother Church is descriptive of the Creed where a literal translation might read, “one holy catholic church.” Or as Luther also wrote in the Catechism, “one holy Christian Church.” Mother Church cannot be used exclusively of the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Church or even the LCMS. Mother Church is the term associated with the Church universal. In this church there is no denominational affiliation. There is no false doctrine, no sects or schisms. In Mother Church there is a single congregation of saints. Mother Church is the historic Church… not any era’s contemporary flavor of it. There is one Lord, one baptism, one faith, and one God and Father of us all. Mother Church has saintly children on earth and sainted children who have already inherited eternal life. Mother Church is not the New Testament Church or the Old Testament Church. It is the Church built on the prophets and apostles with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone.
The Scriptures also speak in terms that teach us that it is good for us to consider the Lord’s Church as Mother Church. Isaiah personifies the church as mother when he writes, “All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.” (54:13) Jesus quoted this in John 6, saying of the Church, “You all shall be taught be God.” And if the Church is Mother. Then Who is the Father? None other than, the One to Whom we pray in the Lord ’s Prayer, “Our Father, Who art in Heaven.”
Today is Mother’s Day… an honoring of earthly mothers, but we might also think of the Church’s festival of Pentecost as Mother Church’s Day. As it is so often true, the way in which the Lord orders the universe is meant to be a blessing for us. Not only that we live together peaceably, but that in this order we might also understand and believe the doctrine of God.
Proverbs 31 teaches us much about an excellent woman and a noble mother. Many of these things are evident in Christian mothers… “She is far more precious than jewels… the heart of her husband trusts in her…She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life… She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong… She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hand to the needy… Strength and dignity are her clothing… she opens her mouth with wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue… She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed… her husband also, and he praises her. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
And while these platitudes may be true of virtuous mothers, they are always absolutely true for Mother Church. Mother Church is more precious than jewels…. She opens her arms to the poor and her mouth with wisdom. She looks after her household. She is praised by God, her husband. All of Proverbs 31 is descriptive of the one Holy Christian Church.
The Gospel lesson is taken from Jesus’ sermon on the night when He was betrayed. It was Maundy Thursday. In less than 18 hours, Jesus would be crucified, and the Spirit would be handed over. Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit who would come to be Mother Church’s Advocate, Comforter and Helper. Jesus would never leave His one Holy Church, but He had to ascend to the right Hand of the Throne of God after His resurrection. We shouldn’t think of the right hand of God so much as a place. Rather, it is a position, or even better, an “office.” Humanity can no longer be despised. For flesh and blood now occupies the Highest Office in the Church.
In Jesus’ Maundy Thursday sermon He reminds us once again of the importance of His Word for the Church. “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we (the Holy Trinity) will come to him and make our home with him.” When a mother coddles her little child and sings songs to her baby or reads the Bible to him, she loves her child. When she nurses her infant and nourishes it with her own breast milk, it is a picture of the Church nursing the children of God with the pure spiritual milk of the preached Word of God and Sacraments. When a mother is in labor and delivers her child, there is also the picture of a poor miserable sinner at the baptismal font being born anew with the water and the Word into the family of God. And all of this through the sending of the Holy Spirit who is THE ONLY evangelist in Mother Church. It is the Holy Spirit who calls, gathers, and enlightens the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. That’s the blessing of Pentecost Sunday…. The sending of the Holy Spirit to create and preserve the New Testament Mother Church.
Pentecost Sunday has been mistakenly called the birthday of the Church. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The Church has been in existence since the beginning of time. A proper understanding of the marks or identifications of the Church is where the Word is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered. In the early Church, Adam preached the Word of God and administered the sacrament from the Tree of Life. And after the fall, the Lord continued to provide His Word. Men were appointed to be pastors and godly women served in submission. The sacraments took different forms – a rainbow, a burning bush, a bronzen snake on a pole, and circumcision. When the Christ came, baptism was given and so was the sacrament of the altar. The Office of the Apostolic Ministry was established to continue the preaching office of the prophets and the priestly office of administers of the sacrament. Of course all of them were appointed by the one Prophet and High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. All of them were to proclaim the stricken, smitten and afflicted Savior who was to die as the Lamb of God for the sins of the world. Their message could also never ignore the Truth that my Redeemer lives (Job). That message has always been and will always be a message of peace in a world where there is no other peace. Even today that apostolic office continues. It is not an office inherited genealogically. God calls Men through Mother Church to serve the one holy Christian Church in Word and Sacrament.
May God grant all mothers a blessed and holy Mother’s Day… and even more, may He preserve Mother Church through the work of the Holy Spirit for you and for me.
The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
She is His new creation by water and the Word.
From Heav’n He came and sought her to be His holy Bride;
With His own blood he bought her, and for her life He died.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. 25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither et them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
At times the Holy Christian Church has been called “Mother Church.” Mother Church is descriptive of the Creed where a literal translation might read, “one holy catholic church.” Or as Luther also wrote in the Catechism, “one holy Christian Church.” Mother Church cannot be used exclusively of the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Church or even the LCMS. Mother Church is the term associated with the Church universal. In this church there is no denominational affiliation. There is no false doctrine, no sects or schisms. In Mother Church there is a single congregation of saints. Mother Church is the historic Church… not any era’s contemporary flavor of it. There is one Lord, one baptism, one faith, and one God and Father of us all. Mother Church has saintly children on earth and sainted children who have already inherited eternal life. Mother Church is not the New Testament Church or the Old Testament Church. It is the Church built on the prophets and apostles with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone.
The Scriptures also speak in terms that teach us that it is good for us to consider the Lord’s Church as Mother Church. Isaiah personifies the church as mother when he writes, “All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.” (54:13) Jesus quoted this in John 6, saying of the Church, “You all shall be taught be God.” And if the Church is Mother. Then Who is the Father? None other than, the One to Whom we pray in the Lord ’s Prayer, “Our Father, Who art in Heaven.”
Today is Mother’s Day… an honoring of earthly mothers, but we might also think of the Church’s festival of Pentecost as Mother Church’s Day. As it is so often true, the way in which the Lord orders the universe is meant to be a blessing for us. Not only that we live together peaceably, but that in this order we might also understand and believe the doctrine of God.
Proverbs 31 teaches us much about an excellent woman and a noble mother. Many of these things are evident in Christian mothers… “She is far more precious than jewels… the heart of her husband trusts in her…She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life… She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong… She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hand to the needy… Strength and dignity are her clothing… she opens her mouth with wisdom and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue… She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed… her husband also, and he praises her. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
And while these platitudes may be true of virtuous mothers, they are always absolutely true for Mother Church. Mother Church is more precious than jewels…. She opens her arms to the poor and her mouth with wisdom. She looks after her household. She is praised by God, her husband. All of Proverbs 31 is descriptive of the one Holy Christian Church.
The Gospel lesson is taken from Jesus’ sermon on the night when He was betrayed. It was Maundy Thursday. In less than 18 hours, Jesus would be crucified, and the Spirit would be handed over. Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit who would come to be Mother Church’s Advocate, Comforter and Helper. Jesus would never leave His one Holy Church, but He had to ascend to the right Hand of the Throne of God after His resurrection. We shouldn’t think of the right hand of God so much as a place. Rather, it is a position, or even better, an “office.” Humanity can no longer be despised. For flesh and blood now occupies the Highest Office in the Church.
In Jesus’ Maundy Thursday sermon He reminds us once again of the importance of His Word for the Church. “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we (the Holy Trinity) will come to him and make our home with him.” When a mother coddles her little child and sings songs to her baby or reads the Bible to him, she loves her child. When she nurses her infant and nourishes it with her own breast milk, it is a picture of the Church nursing the children of God with the pure spiritual milk of the preached Word of God and Sacraments. When a mother is in labor and delivers her child, there is also the picture of a poor miserable sinner at the baptismal font being born anew with the water and the Word into the family of God. And all of this through the sending of the Holy Spirit who is THE ONLY evangelist in Mother Church. It is the Holy Spirit who calls, gathers, and enlightens the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. That’s the blessing of Pentecost Sunday…. The sending of the Holy Spirit to create and preserve the New Testament Mother Church.
Pentecost Sunday has been mistakenly called the birthday of the Church. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The Church has been in existence since the beginning of time. A proper understanding of the marks or identifications of the Church is where the Word is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered. In the early Church, Adam preached the Word of God and administered the sacrament from the Tree of Life. And after the fall, the Lord continued to provide His Word. Men were appointed to be pastors and godly women served in submission. The sacraments took different forms – a rainbow, a burning bush, a bronzen snake on a pole, and circumcision. When the Christ came, baptism was given and so was the sacrament of the altar. The Office of the Apostolic Ministry was established to continue the preaching office of the prophets and the priestly office of administers of the sacrament. Of course all of them were appointed by the one Prophet and High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. All of them were to proclaim the stricken, smitten and afflicted Savior who was to die as the Lamb of God for the sins of the world. Their message could also never ignore the Truth that my Redeemer lives (Job). That message has always been and will always be a message of peace in a world where there is no other peace. Even today that apostolic office continues. It is not an office inherited genealogically. God calls Men through Mother Church to serve the one holy Christian Church in Word and Sacrament.
May God grant all mothers a blessed and holy Mother’s Day… and even more, may He preserve Mother Church through the work of the Holy Spirit for you and for me.
The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
She is His new creation by water and the Word.
From Heav’n He came and sought her to be His holy Bride;
With His own blood he bought her, and for her life He died.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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