TEXT: Luke 11:27b-28
“a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!” 28 But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (NKJV)
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Dear Robyn and Randy (Willard’s children), Fern, Clifford, Maxine; other family, and friends of Willard;
Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
This morning you gather together for two primary purposes. First you come together as those who mourn the death of father, a brother, and a friend. I pray that you have come to this service to hear the Gospel. This morning you will sing the Gospel in the hymn, speak it in the liturgy, and hear it proclaimed in this sermon. I suppose there are other things that you could do to try to ease the pain of mourning, but none of them compare to the comfort given to us in the Gospel of our dear Savior, Jesus.
The second purpose for which you gather is to properly care for the earthly remains of Willard. And how is it that you do this properly? It is done with the resurrection in mind. Because the Scriptures teach that at the End of the Age there will be a resurrection of the dead, you bury Willard’s body, knowing that it will rest until Christ comes again on the Last Day.
The text chosen is Luke 11:28 where Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” This verse was given to Willard on the day he was confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church on March 26, 2008.
Jesus spoke these words after He had driven a demon out of a man (v.14). The demon had caused the man to be a mute… he couldn’t talk. Many people today would laugh at such silly nonsense. “You mean to tell me pastor that you believe that people were (and are) actually possessed by demons?” Yes. It’s true. No it wasn’t some psychological disorder… or some strange illness that was later explained away by modern science. Demons had a diabolical way of entering people and causing them no end of misery. And demons especially love to possess Christians. If they can keep a Chrsitian’s mouth shut, then that’s one of God’s children that won’t be able to confess Jesus as Savior.
But Jesus is the Son of God… and demons can’t mess with him. The Scriptures record no end of times where Jesus spoke to demons and they had no choice but to obey him.
The people who saw it were amazed that Jesus spoke with such authority that demons would run at the sound of his voice. But some tried to discredit Him. They would say, “By Beelzebub, the prince of demons he is driving out demons. But Jesus shut them up to when He said, “… I drive demons out by the finger of God.”
One woman who saw Jesus’ miracle cried to Jesus, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” How true that is… Mary, the mother of Jesus was certainly a blessed woman. Blessed in this sense: That even while she was a sinful human being God chose her to be the mother of the sinless Son of God… and even more that her own Son would die for her that she might have everlasting life.
Baptism has often been described as an exorcism… as a driving out of demons. “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son…” Col 1:13. On Oct. 3, 1947 Willard was baptized in his home. He wasn’t quite yet two weeks old but his parents knew that Willard was born a sinner… a child of Satan and in need of the Sacrament of Baptism. On that day Willard was declared to be demon-free and was brought into the kingdom of the Son..
Fourteen years later, Willard was confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church. On that day, the pastor asked him these question, “Do you this day, in the presence of God and of this Christian congregation, confirm the solemn covenant which at your Baptism you made wit the Triune God? Do you, then, renounce the Devil and all His works and all his ways?” And to these Willard answered, “I do.” Then Willard was asked, “Do you also, as a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, intend to continue steadfast in the confession of this Church, and suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?” And to that Willard responded, “I do so intend with the help of God.”
When Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.” He means to say, “Blessed are those who hear my words and believe them. Blessed are those who are baptized. Blessed are those who confess me before men in the rite of confirmation.” Willard never denied the faith once given to him and the faith that he confessed in the rite of confirmation.
Willard will be remembered for many things. His love for cars and horses. He loved NASCAR and rooted for #24 Jeff Gordon. His generosity in mowing the lawn for his neighbors and shoveling their snow in the winters. He was quite the gardener and always had fresh produce. He loved to make watermelon bowls for friends and family. He taught Robyn how to ride a bike. He liked music, especially Dire Strait’s “Walk of Life.” He was a loving father and brother.
And while it is good to remember the earthly life of Willard let us not forget that it isn’t generosity, goodness, or sincerity that wins anyone salvation. When it comes to the gift of life eternal, these things matter very little. For the Scriptures declare that the blessed man is the one who hears the word of God and Keeps it. To “Keep” means to “BELIEVE it.”
And to believe simply means to know, to trust, and to hold fast to Jesus Christ alone. To cling to His innocent sufferings and death alone… Nothing else.
To those who keep the Word of God in this way, God gives the blessing of eternal life, the blessing of the resurrection of the body, and the gift of heaven.
God grant it for Jesus’ sake! Amen.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sermon - Last Sunday of the Church Year
TEXT: Matthew 25:1-13
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Some people are procrastinators. They like to put things off. “Never do today what can be put of until tomorrow.” But what happens when tomorrow comes sooner than you expected?
Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.” 5 were wise and 5 were fools (lit. morons). It’s a parable about the End of Time. The coming Again of the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. He’s coming for His Bride, the Church…. But His return will be the time that no one expects. “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
Five of the virgins took their lamps but were foolish because they took no oil with them. What good is a lamp without oil?
Their lack of oil is only an indication of a bigger problem…. Unbelief. This is what God’s Word says about Fools… “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile… Psalm 14.
But all ten are virgins? Virginity is a word that implies purity… not corruption… not vile deeds. How can some be foolish?
Yes all 10 are virgins. Understand it this way. The 10 virgins are those who claim a Christian church affiliation. The ten virgins are those whom you and I assume to be Christians. They are baptized. Just as a bride wears a white gown so they were given the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Many of them confirmed. Most of them are regular in church. Practically all of them wish to be married and buried at the church.
But not every virgin is a virgin. Not every so called “Christian” is a “Christian.” Some who bear the name of Christian are fools and some are wise.
And wisdom does not mean book smart. It has nothing to do with your IQ or your achievement test scores or how well you did or didn’t do in school. The brightest and the best even get straight “F’s” the Lord’s report card. In Matthew 7 the wise man is the one who builds his house upon the rock. Jesus is the rock. St. Paul told Timothy, “from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” The wise person is the person who has faith in Jesus Christ. The one who daily remembers his baptism. The one who rejoices to hear, “In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirirt.” Now, that’s wisdom!
The wise will endure persecution and false accusation for being wise. Can you imagine how foolish and moronic the 5 wise virgins looked carrying around all that extra oil? “Why do you need all that? Do you really believe the Bridegroom will come. You’re so gullible. Your Bridegroom still hasn’t come, has He? He’s not coming. There’s not going to be a wedding feast! Get over it!”
“AT midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the Bridegroom! Come out to meet Him.’”
The Bridegroom will come just as he promised. It will seem as if he’s procrastinating, that he’s long in coming. But he will come. It will be as a thief in the night. Unexpectantly.
Those who have prepared themselves have no need to fear the day of his coming… (just as the farmer who has carefully planned for the winter wind and snow) but woe to those who are not ready. For them it will be as those foolish virgins who had no oil. They day that they blew off finally came. The Lord had sent servants to warn them and to prepare them. But they laughed at them. Made fun of them. But the Lord Himself will come and then it will be too late.
In that Final day, there will be no more oil to find. The door to the eternal wedding banquet will be shut. They will be excluded. “Lord, Lord, open to us!” will be their cry. But He will answer, “Truly I say to you, I do not know you.”
Now is the day to prepare. Do not tarry. Don’t be a proscratinator. It’s a matter of eternal life or eternal death.
Listen carefully dear friends, the last days are here. The wedding feast is nearer than it was. When Jesus comes on the Last Day the oil will be taken away and it won’t be found. Don’t run to find it then, it will be too late. The dealers, that is Christ’s servants, will have none to give you. The goats will be separated from the sheep. The sky will roll up. The global earthquake will have begun, the sun will be darkened and the earth will pass away. ALL in an instant.
On that Great day there will be no more oil… no more means of grace… no more preaching, or baptisms, or Lord’s Supper. But the oil of salvation is still available. It is free and comes in large supplies. It was bought at a price… the holy precious suffering and death of your Lord. It’s given for you and Jesus wants you to have it… as much as you want… even more than you want! That oil is the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. It is a soothing oil, an anointing oil, the oil of gladness and of joy. It comes in Holy Baptism, in Holy Absolution, and Holy Communion. The Bridegroom brings his oil of salvation to you. Receive it! Bask in it! Let your cup overflow with it! Gather it up! Rejoice and be glad in it!
In Jesus Name! Amen.
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Some people are procrastinators. They like to put things off. “Never do today what can be put of until tomorrow.” But what happens when tomorrow comes sooner than you expected?
Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven will be like 10 virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.” 5 were wise and 5 were fools (lit. morons). It’s a parable about the End of Time. The coming Again of the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. He’s coming for His Bride, the Church…. But His return will be the time that no one expects. “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
Five of the virgins took their lamps but were foolish because they took no oil with them. What good is a lamp without oil?
Their lack of oil is only an indication of a bigger problem…. Unbelief. This is what God’s Word says about Fools… “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile… Psalm 14.
But all ten are virgins? Virginity is a word that implies purity… not corruption… not vile deeds. How can some be foolish?
Yes all 10 are virgins. Understand it this way. The 10 virgins are those who claim a Christian church affiliation. The ten virgins are those whom you and I assume to be Christians. They are baptized. Just as a bride wears a white gown so they were given the robe of Christ’s righteousness. Many of them confirmed. Most of them are regular in church. Practically all of them wish to be married and buried at the church.
But not every virgin is a virgin. Not every so called “Christian” is a “Christian.” Some who bear the name of Christian are fools and some are wise.
And wisdom does not mean book smart. It has nothing to do with your IQ or your achievement test scores or how well you did or didn’t do in school. The brightest and the best even get straight “F’s” the Lord’s report card. In Matthew 7 the wise man is the one who builds his house upon the rock. Jesus is the rock. St. Paul told Timothy, “from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” The wise person is the person who has faith in Jesus Christ. The one who daily remembers his baptism. The one who rejoices to hear, “In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirirt.” Now, that’s wisdom!
The wise will endure persecution and false accusation for being wise. Can you imagine how foolish and moronic the 5 wise virgins looked carrying around all that extra oil? “Why do you need all that? Do you really believe the Bridegroom will come. You’re so gullible. Your Bridegroom still hasn’t come, has He? He’s not coming. There’s not going to be a wedding feast! Get over it!”
“AT midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the Bridegroom! Come out to meet Him.’”
The Bridegroom will come just as he promised. It will seem as if he’s procrastinating, that he’s long in coming. But he will come. It will be as a thief in the night. Unexpectantly.
Those who have prepared themselves have no need to fear the day of his coming… (just as the farmer who has carefully planned for the winter wind and snow) but woe to those who are not ready. For them it will be as those foolish virgins who had no oil. They day that they blew off finally came. The Lord had sent servants to warn them and to prepare them. But they laughed at them. Made fun of them. But the Lord Himself will come and then it will be too late.
In that Final day, there will be no more oil to find. The door to the eternal wedding banquet will be shut. They will be excluded. “Lord, Lord, open to us!” will be their cry. But He will answer, “Truly I say to you, I do not know you.”
Now is the day to prepare. Do not tarry. Don’t be a proscratinator. It’s a matter of eternal life or eternal death.
Listen carefully dear friends, the last days are here. The wedding feast is nearer than it was. When Jesus comes on the Last Day the oil will be taken away and it won’t be found. Don’t run to find it then, it will be too late. The dealers, that is Christ’s servants, will have none to give you. The goats will be separated from the sheep. The sky will roll up. The global earthquake will have begun, the sun will be darkened and the earth will pass away. ALL in an instant.
On that Great day there will be no more oil… no more means of grace… no more preaching, or baptisms, or Lord’s Supper. But the oil of salvation is still available. It is free and comes in large supplies. It was bought at a price… the holy precious suffering and death of your Lord. It’s given for you and Jesus wants you to have it… as much as you want… even more than you want! That oil is the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. It is a soothing oil, an anointing oil, the oil of gladness and of joy. It comes in Holy Baptism, in Holy Absolution, and Holy Communion. The Bridegroom brings his oil of salvation to you. Receive it! Bask in it! Let your cup overflow with it! Gather it up! Rejoice and be glad in it!
In Jesus Name! Amen.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sermon - Trinity 26
Text: Matthew 25:31-46
Several years ago I received a subpoena to be a witness at a divorce hearing. It was a sobering experience.
A man and a woman who had stood before God and His church and had promised to love each other in adversity and prosperity until death do they part; were reneging on their promise. As each one told their story, it was clear that there was no longer any love left in their marriage. They hated each other. And as I listened something else became clear… both were to blame. Both had contributed to the problems in their marriage. There was no “innocent party.”
The judge listened carefully to both sides. Each lawyer was cut throat. When the wife’s lawyer announced one failure after another of her husband… she gleamed with a sinister joy that seemed to say, “I’ve got him now.” And when the husband’s lawyer had his turn he had an equally impressive list of wrongdoings… and he too rejoiced to see his wife ripped apart by her failures.
Also present were three little boys (K, 2nd and 4th grades). The judge had a decision to make. Who would get primary custody of the boys? So he asked the oldest, “If it were up to you son, who would live with?”
“I love them both,” the little boy said. “But Mommy and Daddy have been so busy fighting they haven’t paid any attention to me or my brothers. I have to make all of our lunches for school. I even tried doing the laundry but I put to much soap in and all of our underwear has turned pink. Mommy and Daddy sit in opposite rooms and they don’t sleep together. But us three boys have to share the same bedroom even when we’re not getting along. I love them both sir. But to tell you the truth, I don’t know that I would want to live with either one of them.”
How sad The two were so focused on tearing down each other that they did not minister to their own children. They did not serve (they had no mercy for) the children that God had given to them. In the end, not only was there a divorce between a man and a woman… but the children had become divorced from their own parents.
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
What I find most amazing about this apocalyptic judgment scene that will come on the Last Day (and is even happening now) is that both the righteous sheep and the cursed goats asked the same question, “When Lord?”
The righteous asked, “When Lord did we feed you or give you something to drink? When did we welcome you or clothe you? When did we visit you?” They were completely unaware of their good works. You see, for the sheep it is like this… they live the passive life. God works so mightily and lovingly through these faith-filled sheep even while they are completely unaware that when they served even the least of the sons and daughters of God, they were also serving Christ Himself.
And the unrighteous will ask the same oblivious question, “When Lord? When did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you?” They too are unaware. But their ignorance is founded in their unbelief. Oh they may have been good moral people. They may have donated plenty of money to this or that charity, served soup to the poor and needy on Thanksgiving Day and gone Christmas caroling to shut-ins. Their list of good deeds might be a mile long… but none of them… not a single one was done to Jesus. Simple morality will not get you into heaven. That’s the point.
Jesus the righteous King will come in His glory on the Last Day. “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven.” It will be the day of the Great Divorce. That Day will be a day of divorcing sheep from goats… righteous from unrighteous. It will be a day of judgment… a final verdict. In this life the righteous feebly struggle but after the Great Divorce they will in glory shine.
Therefore, dear sheep, since you are waiting for this Great and Final Divorce of yourselves from the goats, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
On that Day, a eulogy will be read on your behalf. They will be sweet and kind words. Jesus, your Shepherd will speak them on your behalf. He will stand as both your Good Pastor and King. You will know His voice. You will see His holy, precious wounds for you. You will know Him and He will know you. He will recognize you as one to whom He has clothed in a baptismal gown… a robe of righteousness. He will know you because he has fed you all these years with His own Body and Blood. He will know you who have confessed your sins and been forgiven.
On the Day of the Great Divorce the unrighteous goats will weep and gnash their teeth to hear their verdict. “Guilty! Get away from me and go into eternal punishment.”
But for the His righteous sheep there will be only joy and everlasting peace. The King has declared you justified, not guilty. To you he will say, “Come into eternal life.”
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Several years ago I received a subpoena to be a witness at a divorce hearing. It was a sobering experience.
A man and a woman who had stood before God and His church and had promised to love each other in adversity and prosperity until death do they part; were reneging on their promise. As each one told their story, it was clear that there was no longer any love left in their marriage. They hated each other. And as I listened something else became clear… both were to blame. Both had contributed to the problems in their marriage. There was no “innocent party.”
The judge listened carefully to both sides. Each lawyer was cut throat. When the wife’s lawyer announced one failure after another of her husband… she gleamed with a sinister joy that seemed to say, “I’ve got him now.” And when the husband’s lawyer had his turn he had an equally impressive list of wrongdoings… and he too rejoiced to see his wife ripped apart by her failures.
Also present were three little boys (K, 2nd and 4th grades). The judge had a decision to make. Who would get primary custody of the boys? So he asked the oldest, “If it were up to you son, who would live with?”
“I love them both,” the little boy said. “But Mommy and Daddy have been so busy fighting they haven’t paid any attention to me or my brothers. I have to make all of our lunches for school. I even tried doing the laundry but I put to much soap in and all of our underwear has turned pink. Mommy and Daddy sit in opposite rooms and they don’t sleep together. But us three boys have to share the same bedroom even when we’re not getting along. I love them both sir. But to tell you the truth, I don’t know that I would want to live with either one of them.”
How sad The two were so focused on tearing down each other that they did not minister to their own children. They did not serve (they had no mercy for) the children that God had given to them. In the end, not only was there a divorce between a man and a woman… but the children had become divorced from their own parents.
Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”
What I find most amazing about this apocalyptic judgment scene that will come on the Last Day (and is even happening now) is that both the righteous sheep and the cursed goats asked the same question, “When Lord?”
The righteous asked, “When Lord did we feed you or give you something to drink? When did we welcome you or clothe you? When did we visit you?” They were completely unaware of their good works. You see, for the sheep it is like this… they live the passive life. God works so mightily and lovingly through these faith-filled sheep even while they are completely unaware that when they served even the least of the sons and daughters of God, they were also serving Christ Himself.
And the unrighteous will ask the same oblivious question, “When Lord? When did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you?” They too are unaware. But their ignorance is founded in their unbelief. Oh they may have been good moral people. They may have donated plenty of money to this or that charity, served soup to the poor and needy on Thanksgiving Day and gone Christmas caroling to shut-ins. Their list of good deeds might be a mile long… but none of them… not a single one was done to Jesus. Simple morality will not get you into heaven. That’s the point.
Jesus the righteous King will come in His glory on the Last Day. “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven.” It will be the day of the Great Divorce. That Day will be a day of divorcing sheep from goats… righteous from unrighteous. It will be a day of judgment… a final verdict. In this life the righteous feebly struggle but after the Great Divorce they will in glory shine.
Therefore, dear sheep, since you are waiting for this Great and Final Divorce of yourselves from the goats, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.
On that Day, a eulogy will be read on your behalf. They will be sweet and kind words. Jesus, your Shepherd will speak them on your behalf. He will stand as both your Good Pastor and King. You will know His voice. You will see His holy, precious wounds for you. You will know Him and He will know you. He will recognize you as one to whom He has clothed in a baptismal gown… a robe of righteousness. He will know you because he has fed you all these years with His own Body and Blood. He will know you who have confessed your sins and been forgiven.
On the Day of the Great Divorce the unrighteous goats will weep and gnash their teeth to hear their verdict. “Guilty! Get away from me and go into eternal punishment.”
But for the His righteous sheep there will be only joy and everlasting peace. The King has declared you justified, not guilty. To you he will say, “Come into eternal life.”
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Tribulation and White Robes
TEXT: Revelation 7:14
I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Tribulation. It means to press down upon, to squash, to afflict, to oppress, to constrict, to distress, or to suffer.
Tribulation is that which goes on in a fallen, sin-sick world. Tribulation is vicious. It’s nasty. It’s real and it loves Christians.
Tribulation is the motto of the devil. Tribulation is the purpose of the demons. And you are the object of tribulation. It’s you… it’s the Christian that the devil especially wants to squash and afflict and oppress.
Look around you… you know tribulation. Tribulation is starving kids in Africa and obese kids in America. Tribulation is the abortion of unborn children. Tribulation is women pastors who serve in God's stead without His command. Tribulation is preachers who falsely tell you how to live a good enough life to get to heaven. Tribulation is feel good Chrsitianity that fools you into believing that Jesus is some happy clappy God promises you a life without tribulation. Tribulation is religious leaders who wrongly teach that homosexuality is intended by God as another gender.
Tribulation is the bully at school. Tribulation is parents who divorce. Tribulation is the son or daughter who’s disobedient. Tribulation is pre-confirmation students who could care less about the things of God.
Tribulation is the war in Iraq and rumors of war in Iran. Tribulation is hurricane Ike and forest fires in California. Tribulation is teenagers who die in car accidents.
Tribulation… it’s the result of sin… it’s the result of the devil… it’s the result of your own sinful flesh.
But after all of this tribulation, there is the Great Tribulation still to come. That Day will be marked by a great earthquake. The sun will not shine, the moon will appear as blood, the stars in the sky will shoot in all directions. The sky will roll up. On that Day even the Bill Gateses, the General Petraeuses and the President Bushes of this world will cry out to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?
Who can stand? Who can bear the tribulation of the end times? Who can stand the Great Tribulation of the Final Coming of the Lamb of God?
You can. You who have washed your robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb… that’s who can stand. In other words, it’s you who have been baptized… you who “have been clothed with the robe of Christ’s righteousness that covers all your sins. So shall you stand without fear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the inheritance prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (LSB Agenda 9)
You who have washed your robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb will stand through the Great Tribulation. Only you with your Jesus’ robe… your Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world robe… The robe that is dripping wet with the holy precious crucified blood of Jesus. You will stand because you have been baptized.
In baptism you drowned the Old Adam and you put on Christ. In Baptism, the bloody Jesus robe of righteousness you received as a gift is a status symbol… it declares you to be a child of God, even today. The Father has put his seal on you. The sign of the cross is upon your forehead and upon your heart. You are baptized, therefore you are redeemed!
In baptism, you wear the heavenly robe, the everlasting robe, the holy robe that will never wear out. Your baptismal robe glistens white even as the angel’s did at Jesus’ resurrection. Your robe is the clothing of “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.”
Your blood-soaked Lamb of God robe means that you have died with Jesus and you have been raised to newness of life. You have been clothed with the imperishable… “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where O Death is your victory? Where O Death is your sting?”
Who can stand these days of tribulation and the Great Tribulation to come? You can. You who have washed your robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.
In the Name of Jesus.
I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Tribulation. It means to press down upon, to squash, to afflict, to oppress, to constrict, to distress, or to suffer.
Tribulation is that which goes on in a fallen, sin-sick world. Tribulation is vicious. It’s nasty. It’s real and it loves Christians.
Tribulation is the motto of the devil. Tribulation is the purpose of the demons. And you are the object of tribulation. It’s you… it’s the Christian that the devil especially wants to squash and afflict and oppress.
Look around you… you know tribulation. Tribulation is starving kids in Africa and obese kids in America. Tribulation is the abortion of unborn children. Tribulation is women pastors who serve in God's stead without His command. Tribulation is preachers who falsely tell you how to live a good enough life to get to heaven. Tribulation is feel good Chrsitianity that fools you into believing that Jesus is some happy clappy God promises you a life without tribulation. Tribulation is religious leaders who wrongly teach that homosexuality is intended by God as another gender.
Tribulation is the bully at school. Tribulation is parents who divorce. Tribulation is the son or daughter who’s disobedient. Tribulation is pre-confirmation students who could care less about the things of God.
Tribulation is the war in Iraq and rumors of war in Iran. Tribulation is hurricane Ike and forest fires in California. Tribulation is teenagers who die in car accidents.
Tribulation… it’s the result of sin… it’s the result of the devil… it’s the result of your own sinful flesh.
But after all of this tribulation, there is the Great Tribulation still to come. That Day will be marked by a great earthquake. The sun will not shine, the moon will appear as blood, the stars in the sky will shoot in all directions. The sky will roll up. On that Day even the Bill Gateses, the General Petraeuses and the President Bushes of this world will cry out to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?
Who can stand? Who can bear the tribulation of the end times? Who can stand the Great Tribulation of the Final Coming of the Lamb of God?
You can. You who have washed your robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb… that’s who can stand. In other words, it’s you who have been baptized… you who “have been clothed with the robe of Christ’s righteousness that covers all your sins. So shall you stand without fear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the inheritance prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (LSB Agenda 9)
You who have washed your robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb will stand through the Great Tribulation. Only you with your Jesus’ robe… your Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world robe… The robe that is dripping wet with the holy precious crucified blood of Jesus. You will stand because you have been baptized.
In baptism you drowned the Old Adam and you put on Christ. In Baptism, the bloody Jesus robe of righteousness you received as a gift is a status symbol… it declares you to be a child of God, even today. The Father has put his seal on you. The sign of the cross is upon your forehead and upon your heart. You are baptized, therefore you are redeemed!
In baptism, you wear the heavenly robe, the everlasting robe, the holy robe that will never wear out. Your baptismal robe glistens white even as the angel’s did at Jesus’ resurrection. Your robe is the clothing of “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.”
Your blood-soaked Lamb of God robe means that you have died with Jesus and you have been raised to newness of life. You have been clothed with the imperishable… “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where O Death is your victory? Where O Death is your sting?”
Who can stand these days of tribulation and the Great Tribulation to come? You can. You who have washed your robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.
In the Name of Jesus.
Trinity 25 Sermon
TEXT: Matthew 24:15-28
“So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16 then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; 17 the one on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; 18 the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. 19 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’—do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
The abomination of desolation. It’s a term of judgment. The abomination of desolation has also been referred to as the “desolating sacrilege” (RSV). The idea is that something has been made so completely shameless, repulsive, and unclean that it is judged not fit to be lived in or used… therefore it must be disposed of or abandoned. It brings to mind items such as used toilet paper or a toothbrush that has fallen into a port-a-pot tank full of waste… some things are best not reused and flushed away or left where they are.
So what is it that Jesus is referring to? What is this abomination of desolations? There are various opinions about what Jesus is referring to. Some have suggested that Jesus was referring to the attempt of a Roman Emperor, Caligula, in A.D. 40 to set up a statue of himself in the Jewish Temple. Others take it to refer to the Roman general Titus and his conquering of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple in A.D. 70. And still others presume that Jesus was referring to the end-time antichrist or “man of lawlessness.” (See Scaer, Discourses, pg. 380)
Perhaps Jesus is referring to all of these shameless and repulsive times of judgment. Yet, another possibility must be considered… that Jesus was referring to his own death on the cross.
Jesus death on the cross is certainly the abomination of desolation… the desolating sacrilege. His gruesome, shameful death was repulsive. You’ve heard the Good Friday story… you’ve seen the movies. When you think of all that happened on Good Friday, don’t you wince to hear the blow of the hammer that drove the nails into his hands and feet? Don’t you look away in horror to see and hear and even feel the pain of the Roman whips on his back? The whole thing is disgusting. It’s repulsive.
But it gets worse... on the cross Jesus bears the sin of the world. Jesus who knew no sin, became sin. Cursed is he who hangs on a tree. Jesus takes into Himself all the sin of the world. Its more than a figure of speech or theological platitude. Jesus really truly becomes the prostitute, the murderer, the idolater, the thief, the drunk driver, the sex addict, the abusive husband, the wife who sleeps around… all of it and more. That’s why the Father forsook Him… “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” Jesus really truly becomes the repulsive and shameful chief of sinners. On the cross, Jesus is the abomination of Desolation… and so his disciples flee from Him and His Father turns away from Him.
Jesus said, “Wherever the corpse is, there the eagles (vultures) will gather.” The eagle was the insignia of the Roman soldier. There on the cross, the Roman soldiers gathered around his corpse. One of them even stuck a sword in his side and out flowed water and blood. Some guarded His tomb.
Jesus death even foreshadows the Last day itself. St. Matthew records that immediately after Jesus had died, the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened and many of the bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised… St. Mark and St. Luke add that there was darkness over the whole land from the 6th hour until the 9th hour while the sun’s light failed. So it will be on the Last Day… there will be a worldwide earthquake. The sky will roll up like freshly cut wax paper. The sun will turn black and the moon will be made red. The Crucified and risen Jesus will come with a cry of command and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will be raised first. And those who are alive to see it will then be caught up themselves with them together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.. and then you will be with the Lord forever.
Until then, there will be times of tribulation and trouble. The devil is out to get you. He won’t stop until he’s made you his own. There will be false christs and false prophets. You must test your pastors… beware of the clergy because it is these men and even women who will come to you in clerical collars wearing albs and stoles and officiating baptisms and administering the Lord’s Supper who will be liars and agents of satan. You will know them because they will not preach Christ and Him crucified…. But rather they will tell you whatever sinful ears want to hear. They will preach themselves… not Jesus…. So beware of them!
And when the last day comes, believers in Jesus will not want to look back to the fallen earth and wish that they could stay as Lot’s wife wished to stay in Sodom and Gomorrah. On the Last day, don’t worry about where the kids are, the angels will care for them. Don’t cling to your riches, you won’t need them where you’re going.
In that day rejoice to be a believer. Rejoice to be one who is baptized and who wears the heavenly robe of righteousness. Rejoice that the Lamb of God no longer bears a corpse but lives and reigns to all eternity. Rejoice that the abomination of desolation has been swallowed up in victory!
Encourage one another with these words.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
“So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16 then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; 17 the one on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; 18 the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. 19 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. 21 For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’—do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Take note, I have told you beforehand. 26 So, if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
The abomination of desolation. It’s a term of judgment. The abomination of desolation has also been referred to as the “desolating sacrilege” (RSV). The idea is that something has been made so completely shameless, repulsive, and unclean that it is judged not fit to be lived in or used… therefore it must be disposed of or abandoned. It brings to mind items such as used toilet paper or a toothbrush that has fallen into a port-a-pot tank full of waste… some things are best not reused and flushed away or left where they are.
So what is it that Jesus is referring to? What is this abomination of desolations? There are various opinions about what Jesus is referring to. Some have suggested that Jesus was referring to the attempt of a Roman Emperor, Caligula, in A.D. 40 to set up a statue of himself in the Jewish Temple. Others take it to refer to the Roman general Titus and his conquering of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple in A.D. 70. And still others presume that Jesus was referring to the end-time antichrist or “man of lawlessness.” (See Scaer, Discourses, pg. 380)
Perhaps Jesus is referring to all of these shameless and repulsive times of judgment. Yet, another possibility must be considered… that Jesus was referring to his own death on the cross.
Jesus death on the cross is certainly the abomination of desolation… the desolating sacrilege. His gruesome, shameful death was repulsive. You’ve heard the Good Friday story… you’ve seen the movies. When you think of all that happened on Good Friday, don’t you wince to hear the blow of the hammer that drove the nails into his hands and feet? Don’t you look away in horror to see and hear and even feel the pain of the Roman whips on his back? The whole thing is disgusting. It’s repulsive.
But it gets worse... on the cross Jesus bears the sin of the world. Jesus who knew no sin, became sin. Cursed is he who hangs on a tree. Jesus takes into Himself all the sin of the world. Its more than a figure of speech or theological platitude. Jesus really truly becomes the prostitute, the murderer, the idolater, the thief, the drunk driver, the sex addict, the abusive husband, the wife who sleeps around… all of it and more. That’s why the Father forsook Him… “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” Jesus really truly becomes the repulsive and shameful chief of sinners. On the cross, Jesus is the abomination of Desolation… and so his disciples flee from Him and His Father turns away from Him.
Jesus said, “Wherever the corpse is, there the eagles (vultures) will gather.” The eagle was the insignia of the Roman soldier. There on the cross, the Roman soldiers gathered around his corpse. One of them even stuck a sword in his side and out flowed water and blood. Some guarded His tomb.
Jesus death even foreshadows the Last day itself. St. Matthew records that immediately after Jesus had died, the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened and many of the bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised… St. Mark and St. Luke add that there was darkness over the whole land from the 6th hour until the 9th hour while the sun’s light failed. So it will be on the Last Day… there will be a worldwide earthquake. The sky will roll up like freshly cut wax paper. The sun will turn black and the moon will be made red. The Crucified and risen Jesus will come with a cry of command and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will be raised first. And those who are alive to see it will then be caught up themselves with them together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.. and then you will be with the Lord forever.
Until then, there will be times of tribulation and trouble. The devil is out to get you. He won’t stop until he’s made you his own. There will be false christs and false prophets. You must test your pastors… beware of the clergy because it is these men and even women who will come to you in clerical collars wearing albs and stoles and officiating baptisms and administering the Lord’s Supper who will be liars and agents of satan. You will know them because they will not preach Christ and Him crucified…. But rather they will tell you whatever sinful ears want to hear. They will preach themselves… not Jesus…. So beware of them!
And when the last day comes, believers in Jesus will not want to look back to the fallen earth and wish that they could stay as Lot’s wife wished to stay in Sodom and Gomorrah. On the Last day, don’t worry about where the kids are, the angels will care for them. Don’t cling to your riches, you won’t need them where you’re going.
In that day rejoice to be a believer. Rejoice to be one who is baptized and who wears the heavenly robe of righteousness. Rejoice that the Lamb of God no longer bears a corpse but lives and reigns to all eternity. Rejoice that the abomination of desolation has been swallowed up in victory!
Encourage one another with these words.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
All Saints Day (observed)
TEXT: Matthew 5:1-12,
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Things that are seen are not always understood. What our eyes see, our minds often cannot comprehend nor can our hearts believe.
How true this is especially for the things of God. Take the Resurrection as an example. After the women had seen the empty tomb, Peter ran to see it for himself. And looking into the tomb he “saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.” (Luke 24:12) No, not believing what he saw but marveling at what he saw.
Later, on Easter Tuesday, Jesus appeared to all the disciples. He greeted them saying, “Peace be to you!” Then Jesus asked them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” (24:36ff) Then Jesus showed them his hands and his feet as if to say, “Wake up you guys, can’t you see it? It’s me Jesus. I’m alive. I have arisen just I said I would.” Even so, Luke writes that even after all of this, “they still disbelieved.” (24:41) They did not, the could not believe what their eyes saw until “he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” Jesus preached to them… then they believed. We do not obtain faith by seeing, for “faith comes by hearing, hearing the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)
Today we commemorate All Saints Day. It’s a day where you and I look with St. John, the apostle and see the victorious church, “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.” (Rev. 7:9)
It’s a day that we look at one another in this congregation as well as the true believers in every congregation across the face of the globe and see the holy Christian and apostolic church. In other words All Saints day is a day to behold the saints of all times and all places, both those living and those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. It is a day for all the blessed… For the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, and are reviled and persecuted and are ridiculed and falsely accused on account of Jesus. IN other words, All Saints Day is about the truth of the church militant and the church victorious. The church who is in the midst of tribulation and the church who has come out of the great tribulation.
But there’s a problem for us… namely, for those of us in the church militant, the saints who are still in the battle and in the midst of tribulation. And the problem is this… what we see and what we are to believe by faith DO NOT SEEM TO MATCH UP.
Look at the church and its saints today. It’s a bloody, embarrassing mess. Isn’t it? The immorality and public sin of the parishioners of even the most pious and upright Christian congregation is downright embarrassing. The typical unbeliever looks at the average Christian and sees men, women and children whose lives are little different from the world around them and often times even worse than their pagan counterparts. The rampant sin in the average Christian congregation has led to schisms, divisions, and quarreling. It is so bad that the Holy Bride of Christ is seen as the whore of Babylon and her holy body has been sacrificed on the lude and pornographic pages of public opinion. The holy white robes of the saints have been completely and thoroughly soaked in the bloodshed of false doctrine and infighting and bickering and henpecking among the saints themselves. Let’s be honest, if we are to believe what is most often seen going on the church, then let’s do away with All Saints’ Day.
It is this defiled, mangled, sinfully sick Church that Jesus calls blessed and makes blessed. "The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." It is the saints who come out the tribulation of the devil, the world, and even their own sinful flesh who stands before the throne of God, clothed in white robes and victoriously waving their palm branches and crying with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb (that is, Jesus).”
Contrary to what the eye sees, sinners have been made holy ones. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God… beloved we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared.” The devil, that ancient liar and deceiver, would love to have you forget that you are a child of God. He would love nothing better than for you to forget or doubt that Baptism now saves you. That in Baptism you have been clothed with the white robe of Christ’s righteousness. That in Baptism you have already died and have been buried with Jesus in His death and that you have already risen from the dead to live before God in righteousness and purity forever just as Christ rose on the 3rd day and now lives to all eternity.
You are blessed. You are a child of God and the Father loves you NOW in spite of yourself. You who are in Jesus are saints because Jesus is the Saint... the Holy One of God.
Let us on this All saints day gather together as saints on earth with the saints in heaven at this altar in communion with Christ and His holy Christian church… with angels and archangels and the whole company of heaven.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Things that are seen are not always understood. What our eyes see, our minds often cannot comprehend nor can our hearts believe.
How true this is especially for the things of God. Take the Resurrection as an example. After the women had seen the empty tomb, Peter ran to see it for himself. And looking into the tomb he “saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.” (Luke 24:12) No, not believing what he saw but marveling at what he saw.
Later, on Easter Tuesday, Jesus appeared to all the disciples. He greeted them saying, “Peace be to you!” Then Jesus asked them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” (24:36ff) Then Jesus showed them his hands and his feet as if to say, “Wake up you guys, can’t you see it? It’s me Jesus. I’m alive. I have arisen just I said I would.” Even so, Luke writes that even after all of this, “they still disbelieved.” (24:41) They did not, the could not believe what their eyes saw until “he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” Jesus preached to them… then they believed. We do not obtain faith by seeing, for “faith comes by hearing, hearing the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)
Today we commemorate All Saints Day. It’s a day where you and I look with St. John, the apostle and see the victorious church, “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.” (Rev. 7:9)
It’s a day that we look at one another in this congregation as well as the true believers in every congregation across the face of the globe and see the holy Christian and apostolic church. In other words All Saints day is a day to behold the saints of all times and all places, both those living and those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. It is a day for all the blessed… For the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, and are reviled and persecuted and are ridiculed and falsely accused on account of Jesus. IN other words, All Saints Day is about the truth of the church militant and the church victorious. The church who is in the midst of tribulation and the church who has come out of the great tribulation.
But there’s a problem for us… namely, for those of us in the church militant, the saints who are still in the battle and in the midst of tribulation. And the problem is this… what we see and what we are to believe by faith DO NOT SEEM TO MATCH UP.
Look at the church and its saints today. It’s a bloody, embarrassing mess. Isn’t it? The immorality and public sin of the parishioners of even the most pious and upright Christian congregation is downright embarrassing. The typical unbeliever looks at the average Christian and sees men, women and children whose lives are little different from the world around them and often times even worse than their pagan counterparts. The rampant sin in the average Christian congregation has led to schisms, divisions, and quarreling. It is so bad that the Holy Bride of Christ is seen as the whore of Babylon and her holy body has been sacrificed on the lude and pornographic pages of public opinion. The holy white robes of the saints have been completely and thoroughly soaked in the bloodshed of false doctrine and infighting and bickering and henpecking among the saints themselves. Let’s be honest, if we are to believe what is most often seen going on the church, then let’s do away with All Saints’ Day.
It is this defiled, mangled, sinfully sick Church that Jesus calls blessed and makes blessed. "The blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin." It is the saints who come out the tribulation of the devil, the world, and even their own sinful flesh who stands before the throne of God, clothed in white robes and victoriously waving their palm branches and crying with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb (that is, Jesus).”
Contrary to what the eye sees, sinners have been made holy ones. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God… beloved we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared.” The devil, that ancient liar and deceiver, would love to have you forget that you are a child of God. He would love nothing better than for you to forget or doubt that Baptism now saves you. That in Baptism you have been clothed with the white robe of Christ’s righteousness. That in Baptism you have already died and have been buried with Jesus in His death and that you have already risen from the dead to live before God in righteousness and purity forever just as Christ rose on the 3rd day and now lives to all eternity.
You are blessed. You are a child of God and the Father loves you NOW in spite of yourself. You who are in Jesus are saints because Jesus is the Saint... the Holy One of God.
Let us on this All saints day gather together as saints on earth with the saints in heaven at this altar in communion with Christ and His holy Christian church… with angels and archangels and the whole company of heaven.
In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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