Category Archives: Christian

Harumph, Harumph what are you doing? First St Johns Acts 4 April 26, 2015

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[For the audio version please click on the above link]

We make our beginning in the Name of God the Father and in the Name of God the Son and in the Name of God the Holy Spirit and all those who know and love the Good Shepherd said  … AMEN!

In a scene from a Mel Brooks movie, Blazing Saddles, Mel Brooks plays a rather adle-brained governor. He is asked to sign a bill and he says “We must protect our phoney-baloney jobs gentlemen and he starts to harrumph and the rest of his entourage harrumphs with him. “Hey that guy over there didn’t harrumph” he says.

Reminds me of the scene we have here. It might be a little harsh to label them as phoney-baloneys, but the scene that comes to my mind is the Sadducees and temple guards coming up on Peter and harrumphing. “Harrumph, Harrumph, what are you guys doing here? Wait a minute that guard over there didn’t harrumph. Didn’t we tell you guys to get out of Dodge? At least put a lid on this Jesus stuff and now here you are preaching this stuff right on the temple.” I can hear at least one guard saying: “I was all nice and comfortable, having a cup of coffee and a bear claw, checking my smart phone and now I have to jump up and deal with these guys?” No one was going to cut the disciples any slack.

Remember these guys, the disciples? These are the guys who couldn’t run away fast enough when the guards showed up to arrest Jesus. Big, tough Peter and he denies even knowing Jesus to a little Jewish maid. Up until now they’ve been hiding behind locked doors and closed windows scared to death that the temple guards or Roman soldiers are going to drag them away to be crucified. I’m not minimizing their fear, they had legitimate fears, there really wasn’t anything like due process in Israel at the time. Sure Pilate did try to defend Jesus. But it wasn’t like Jesus, or now the disciples, had some smart lawyers to keep them from being punished. Jesus became a serious liability to Pilate and Pilate had no compunction of washing his hands of the situation and sending Jesus to be crucified. The same could have been easily done to the disciples. There wouldn’t have been any newspaper articles condemning this, the television stations wouldn’t have had film of marches to protest this. The disciples would be flogged and it easily could have been worse.

So what was the difference here? How did these men go from quivering with fear in dark to tigers, standing out in the most public spot they could have been at in Jerusalem? Of course we’re talking about, what was probably the Day after Pentecost they are now indwelt by the Holy Spirit. No doubt Peter and the disciples wreaked some havoc the day before, and now they’ve added 2,000 more people to the crowd they had yesterday. Ya this stuff had to stop, harrumph, harrumph!

Today is Good Shepherd Sunday. This has again taken on sort of a frilly connation, but it is intended to be a very serious, very life or death meaning. You can trust Jesus and the fact that He is the faithful Shepherd that lays down His life for His flock, and continues to stand on guard in a very spiritually dangerous world. We had a great talk about this at the Men’s Retreat. We who live in this part of the country, 21st century Americans have pretty much been lulled into very comfortable, affluent lives. Okay, so what do we have to be protected from? From our complacency, from our attitude that we’ve got it all in a brown paper bag and there’s nothing that threatens us! As you’ve probably heard me say, Satan doesn’t care how he gets your attention, so long as it’s not Jesus. If he can just lull the world into this frilly la, la world, a world where we have everything, so we don’t need Jesus then he’s happy to see us lost. Apparently the last episode of Grey’s Anatomy was very traumatic to fans. One of the threads was this great romance and the wife was put in the position where she had to watch as they had to stop treating her husband. She’s sitting next to her unconscious, dying husband telling him it’s ok, everything will be alright. How the world comes to that conclusion baffles me, how will it be alright? Death is terrible trauma, a horrible rending of life, something we were never meant to endure until sin came into the world. There is nothing alright with death and for those who are not saved in Christ, who have rejected God’s plan and lived how they want to, it means eternal condemnation!

What do we have to be protected from, what does the Good Shepherd save us from? Being lulled into death with a false assurance that it’s ok, it’s not! From the spiritual warfare that goes on around us that continues to look for ways to turn us from Jesus to anything and everything, including eternal damnation.

Jesus gives us His assurance, His promise, His genuine love “I am the Good Shepherd and I lay down my life for the flock.” His love is not only to comfort and assure, but to protect, to stand against the evil all around us that can overcome and swallow us up, while we think we are safe and sound in things that we are blessed with, but rust and are destroyed, in the end don’t do anything for us, while Jesus is eternal and all-powerful. We are always so ready to trade the eternal for the trivial.

That’s what we see in our Acts reading today. There are those in the Jewish leadership who understand who Jesus is, they know, they’ve seen all the signs of the Messiah. But like Mel Brooks, harrumph, harrumph, I’m big and important and this is what is real today and I will deal with it when it’s convenient for me. Remember Jesus’s parable of the Rich Man? Where am I going to store all my crops and God comes to him and says: “Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ All of our wealth and easy living won’t mean a thing. We can either be Pentecost tigers and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit who guides us, and, like Peter, get up before those who just want to harrumph, or we can be nice and complacent. CS Lewis writes in the Screwtape Letters: “Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one–the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,….” We can harrumph all we want and feel it isn’t fair, or it should be up to us but that option wasn’t available to the disciples at Pentecost and it’s not to those who claim to be Jesus’s disciples today. Blow the dust off those journals, ask yourself and write about whether you are of the flock that Jesus shepherds or do you just harrumph your way through life?

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amin and Shalom

Fruits of the Spirit? Not unless it gets me something

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The “Fruits of the Spirit” Galatians 5: 22-23 love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. As a Christian these are supposed to be our attributes, our goals, how we should emulate the character of Jesus as we grow as His disciples. Really? No.
These are the way we see those attributes in this day and age. Our attitude is to the effect , “hey I do some good things, throw a few crumbs to help others, but come on, I have to watch out for me, it’s all about me.
I can’t (read won’t ) strive for the Fruits of the Spirit”, but sure as heck, everyone else needs to treat me according to the Fruits.
After all how can I be joyful? I don’t have everything I’m entitled to? I only know joy through what I have. Peace? No! Because people won’t give me what they should, so I resent everyone. I deserve to be treated patiently, everyone should know all my trials, I’m just suffering, so everyone has to treat me patiently.
So long as I don’t do anything mean to someone else, that should be sufficient, I deserve kindness, I shouldn’t have to be kind to others.
I can’t be good that’s weak! I have to be bad and do whatever I have to, to grab everything I can for me, yes just for me. Why be faithful? If it’s not convenient for me, then why do I have to bother? Spouse, child, parents, anyone who becomes a burden, I should just be able to just get rid of it so I’m not inconvenienced.
Resist temptation!? Are you joking? I’m entitled. There’s nothing I need to resist, and if it makes me unhealthy, too much food, alcohol, tobacco, drugs, sex, then someone else needs to fix it and someone else needs to pay for it.
I’m entitled to have other people lay down their life for me. If I was careless and start a fire, someone needs to rush in and find me. If I get in trouble someone has to step in and get me out, even if I’m some place I don’t belong and with people I shouldn’t be associating with. I don’t give anything up for anyone, they give up for me. And if they don’t do it as quickly or as much, or upset my delicate sensibilities, then I’m going to complain, March in the streets, destroy things, steal (for myself of course) and then when those who were serving have then been removed, I will start complaining again because there won’t be anyone handing me things.
It’s all about me and the fact is, until I understand living the Fruits of the Spirit (which will only happen when I stop rejecting the Holy Spirit), I’m going to be miserable, bitter, resentful and selfish and have no idea why I don’t experience joy in the Spirit.

Faithfulness in those who have vowed to be faithful

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Yea, I popped off a few days ago. I guess I am getting a little thin skinned on one subject, The Lord’s Supper. I do not come from, really, resany Christian tradition.  I frankly used to think it was a little weird thinking that I was eating someone’s flesh or blood for a few different reasons. Principally I was thinking in terms of the individual as a “person”.  Sure Jesus was a man, but He is also God. To think in any other way is to just live in denial.  And today it’s hard to overcome the sexual connotations in respect to that. It was always meant in terms of how much closer could I be to any individual then when I take the Lord’s Supper. You can’t be any closer then when when we eat His Body, our Savior becomes physically a part of us and the Holy Spirit intertwines the souls of those who are in Jesus.

Obviously that is a difficult position to get into with those in the world who are spiritually dead, but for almost all the rest of Protestant Christians, who think of the sacraments as just symbolic, some sort of initiation instead of, what they are, a genuine spiritual act that Jesus gave us in order for us to be even more intimately in Him and He in us.

It is difficult to maintain, it is unquestionably true, but hey I’m human and I get beat down standing up for what is true.  I have to deal with reluctance with those in my parish. Those who just don’t feel it’s important enough or just really don’t accept it either. Seems among other pastors I’m seen as sort of a “company man” toeing the official position of the LCMS. Guess I’m probably naive, I’ve been used to being a part of groups that may disagree but when It goes down everyone pulls together. Seems I can’t have that assurance with those who are around me. Apparently I have peers who like to do the sort of “titter, titter, isn’t that silly” stuff that I had to endure with liberal “Christians” for many years. Apparently I can’t assume that people who I thought I could count on, have  my six.  Instead seems there are those who are a little too concerned about those in the world, even those in their congregations who would just as soon have things casual, not get caught up in all these issues. So yea, I popped off, I’m not going to enable silly little discussions about what is important. If you’re on my team let’s pull together. If there should be discussion so be it.  But if it starts to sound more like adolescents then people I should be trusting and relying on then we have a problem. If you have an issue, do the genuine hard work and study to really understand. Don’t just dismiss things because you’re uncomfortable with it. If you’ve taken vows, live up to those vows in good faith.  If you have genuine concerns don’t play around. It’s not cute, it’s not clever. It’s important and deserves your respect.

Wow, do we make the wrong choices! First St Johns April 19, 2015 Acts 3:11-21

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[For the audio version of this sermon click on the above link]

We make our beginning in the Name of God the Father and in the Name of God the Son and in the Name of God the Holy Spirit and all those who have denied Jesus for the ways of the world said … AMEN!

Peter, Peter, not known for his subtlety … I know, you always recognize in someone else the thing that is your own biggest issue. Peter was as subtle as a sledge hammer, like me. But I would submit that there is a time for tact and diplomacy and there is a time for up in your grill. Don’t hand me this odd idea that Jesus was always nice and comfy and tactful. He wasn’t! There were plenty of times when Jesus wanted someone to feel uncomfortable, He wanted the other person to know Who He is. Calling Pharisees white washed sepulchers, telling the Rich Young Ruler, “you go and work out your issues with all that wealth that you have, really show me who is God in your life, sell all that stuff, give it away to those who don’t begin to have enough and then we’ll talk. The Biblical talk might seem couched, but when Jesus was calling the religious leaders, snakes, vipers, He wasn’t pulling any punches. Neither is Peter.

“But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murder to be granted to you …” There is no one more debased, more sinful, vile, more of an affront against God than a murderer. God gives us life, there is no one permitted to take it unless it is specifically granted to someone as a public authority in the left hand kingdom. Let’s not get into these arguments about the capital penalty. The state is authorized by God to protect the citizenry and that includes putting to death those who would deprive another of life. As Christians we know we are made in the imago dei the image of God: “ESV Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Every life is of value to God and yes that includes the whole discussion on abortion. Is this the “unforgivable sin”? No! Jesus died for all the sins of the world, including murder, yes. As Christians when we repent and lift up our sin for forgiveness to God He forgives, even murder, but remember, taking life, God’s creation, is grievous sin against the Creator of Life.

The issue is the terrible irony that Peter is pointing out, that when given the choice by Pilate, the people in the crowd chose to ignore all the proofs that Jesus had given, the incontrovertible evidence who Jesus was, is, who He said He is during the incarnation, the people still chose a murderer over Him: “ESV Matthew 27:17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ”?… ESV Matthew 27:21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” How do you justify that? How can you with any kind of honesty, given the choice of life “I am the way, the truth and the life.” chose someone who, with his own agenda, choses to kill? Jesus healed, gave people new life, healed them of diseases such as leprosy, an issue of blood, young people who died. He restored hope and promise in so many ways, how can you chose someone who arbitrarily decided to be judge and jury and deprived people of God’s gift?

Peter goes on to point out: “ESV Acts 3:15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.” Remember who Peter is talking to, this is all very fresh in everyone’s mind, they were either right there on Good Friday and watched while they turned against this man who had given so much or they had heard about it. Jesus raised at least three people from the dead. Two ; the ruler of the synagogue and the “widow’s son of Nain”, it happened way out of the way, up in the north, you know what kind of crazy stuff comes out of there. But the straw that broke the camel’s back, the raising of Lazarus, happened just one and a half miles outside of Jerusalem. Jesus was getting right in the face of the rulers of Israel, for that matter everyone in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is where it mattered, if it happened in Jerusalem, a statement ended with an exclamation point. “ESV John 12:10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well,” Meaning as well as Jesus. John goes on to write: “ESV John 12:11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.” Don’t try to confuse us with the facts, just because Jesus did this, doesn’t mean that we’re going to fall on our knees to Him, you can hear them saying, as too many of us often say; “There’s important things to do and we haven’t got the time to get into this Jesus stuff right now, we’ll do that when we have to. I seem to run into people who are obsessed over end times prophecy, eschatology, the study of end times prophecy. Those who are more concerned about maintaining their current life so that they can time it just right to come to Jesus at the end of time and be saved. Wow, that’s a gamble, for anyone who is like that, they are assuming they’re going to live that long and then be able to just jump right over and be saved. God is not mocked, and that makes playing with fire seem like a kiddie birthday party game.

We all play that game to an extent. Yes, we are human, Dr Luther says, the old man is constantly going to assert himself, steer us away from Jesus and to sin. Too often we make the wrong choices. It is not our choice that the Holy Spirit guides us to the church of Christ and gives us pastors and brothers and sisters in Jesus to minister to us. That is grace, that is God saving you. You do not make a choice for Jesus, He chooses you. We really have no choice, we either are led to Christ as our Lord, or anything else we do leads to destruction. The path to destruction is wide, wide enough to accommodate all the things that take us from Jesus. As Peter said, it’s not so much that the people on Good Friday made the wrong “choice”, as much as they denied Jesus. They denied the Lord, the Author of life, the one whom God raised from the dead. They were witnesses to that and we are as much today. Too often, we simply deny the Lord and turn to other things to worship. Sure we don’t turn to murders as such, but we do turn to things that clearly deny Jesus. Are we forgiven when we turn to the idols in our lives that deny Jesus? Yes, we are. Jesus died for all of our sins. As my good friend and brother pastor in Christ, Christopher Irelan writes: “”Have no fear, little flock. For the Father has chosen, to give you the Kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) You future is secured. “Lead me in good paths, for your Spirit is good.” (Psalm 143:10) Your present is secured. “Rejoice in the Lord, always.” (Philippians 4:4) You can rejoice.[1]” It’s not so much about how we deny Jesus, it’s about the fact that the Father has chosen us. We can start on the wide path to destruction, take the wrong course, deny our Lord, but He chooses us, He puts us on good paths, as Christopher says “Your present is secured in Him”, even when we deny Him.

Lift Him up and praise Him, ask the Holy Spirit to guide us around those things that turn us away from Him and as Peter promises the crowd: “ESV Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.”

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amin and Shalom

[1] Christopher Irelan FB devotional April 18, 2015

Vivir como hermanos y hermanas en Cristo First St John 12 de abril 2015

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[translation from Google Translate]

Hacemos nuestro comienzo en el Nombre de Dios el Padre y en el nombre de Dios el Hijo y en el nombre de Dios el Espíritu Santo y todos los que son hermanos y hermanas de Jesús dijo … AMEN! Entonces dijimos ¡Ha resucitado! Él ha resucitado!

Como se habrá dado cuenta, una de mis principales temas es la resurrección de Jesús. En su comentario sobre el libro de los Hechos, el Dr. McGee señala: “… en la iglesia primitiva la resurrección de Jesucristo era el centro y corazón del mensaje, y ningún sermón fue predicado sin ella. El tema de Pedro en el día de Pentecostés fue la resurrección de Jesucristo “Otra observación Dr. McGee hace, un tema que surge en cuanto a Jesús estar en el cielo:”. … Él ha ascendido … Pero Él todavía está en el trabajo! Ha trasladado su cuartel general. Mientras estuvo aquí en esta tierra, sus oficinas centrales estaban en Cafarnaúm. Ahora, su sede está a la diestra del Padre. “Eso es más de una discusión para el Día de la Ascensión, pero nunca se insistirá bastante. Jesús está en la gloria a la diestra de Dios continuamente intercediendo por su pueblo, para nosotros!

La otra cosa que pasamos por alto en la iglesia Hechos es la comunión de la iglesia. Un montón de gente le gusta decir que son una iglesia “Hechos”, pero en realidad yo no lo he visto y no estoy seguro de lo que realmente puede ser replicado. “Ahora el número total de los que habían creído era de un corazón y el alma.” Esto es algo que simplemente no se ve en la iglesia más. Creo que una de las razones es que todos estamos tan inmersos en el mundo, que proyectamos que la vida en nuestra vida de la iglesia. Demasiadas personas ven a la iglesia no como un lugar para adorar, para realmente elevar y glorificar a Dios a la que el Espíritu Santo viene a nosotros y nos da la fe, la fuerza y ​​la integridad que necesitamos para entrar en el mundo de Dios. En su lugar es donde elevamos a Dios nuestras necesidades en el sentido de “ok Dios, estoy aquí, me debes, vamos y apoyarme, me ayudo con mi agenda.” Tal vez nunca será capaz de replicar los Hechos iglesia, hasta que, me imagino que la resurrección, pero siempre debe esforzarse por que como una meta. Nuestra misión aquí en First St Johns nos da ese enfoque: “Guerreros Espirituales, los siervos fieles, discípulos de Jesús”. ¿Estamos enfocados en lo que es en Jesús o nuestra agenda? Ciertamente, la Iglesia de Jesucristo tiene una agenda, Martin Luther nos vuelve a poner en esa agenda: “” Si no me convenció por la Escritura y la razón simple – No acepto la autoridad de los papas y concilios, porque ellos han contradicho entre sí – mi conciencia es cautiva de la Palabra de Dios. No puedo y no voy a retractarme de nada, para ir en contra de la conciencia no es seguro ni saludable. Que Dios me ayude. Amén. ” Es siempre y para siempre de la Palabra de Dios y no de nuestra agenda. En un mundo en el que vemos la Escritura es tortuosamente deformado fuera de forma, la Iglesia Luterana, al menos debería ser, todo acerca de Su Palabra.

Sí, todos tenemos vidas, pero, como cristianos, no se trata de cómo tomamos la Palabra de Dios se aplica a nuestra vida ya que es cómo está Dios trabajando a través de nosotros, de acuerdo a Su Palabra, para dar forma no sólo nuestra vida, pero el mundo que nos rodea . Somos demasiado rápido para descontar que todos estamos en el Cuerpo de Cristo, todo habitado por el Espíritu Santo. Tomamos Cuerpo y la Sangre de Jesús como sustento muy real, si usted no entiende y acepta que, a continuación, usted abusa de su Cuerpo y Sangre. El Cuerpo y la Sangre que fueron abusados ​​nos dan el verdadero perdón del pecado. ¿Cómo podemos entonces reabuse ese mismo cuerpo sagrado? Nos convertimos en parte de su cuerpo cuando se nos da la Cena del Señor, pero con demasiada frecuencia cuando golpeamos la puerta al salir, ya no se trata de él, todo se trata de volver a la vida. Nuestra vida está en Él! ¿Cómo podemos justificar tratar de imponer nuestra agenda en Aquel que se entregó por nosotros cuando Él nos ha prometido “la vida y la vida más abundante” en Él? Estamos completos, cuando estamos juntos en el Cuerpo de Cristo, su iglesia, su pueblo. Eso es mucho cómo la Iglesia Hechos era, totalmente sobre el Cuerpo de Cristo.

Tenemos que recordar la vida muy difícil que la gente vino a cuando se convirtió en un cristiano. En nuestra lectura del Domingo de Ramos, leemos: “Sin embargo, al mismo tiempo, muchos, incluso entre los jefes, creyeron en él. Pero a causa de los fariseos no lo confesaban, por temor a ser expulsados ​​de la sinagoga, porque ellos amaban más la gloria de los hombres más que la gloria de Dios “(Juan 12: 42-43). Lo que tenemos en Hechos es el resultado de lo que sucedió cuando las personas estaban echados de la sinagoga. Cualquiera podía ser desechado. Hoy en día, la gente cambia iglesias en un capricho. En ese momento, podría ser la diferencia entre hacer una vida o estar en la pobreza, posiblemente, incluso dejándose morir de hambre. No Judio haría negocios con alguien que no era una parte del templo, no habrían contratarlos como un empleado. Cuando estas personas se convirtieron al cristianismo a menudo tenían poco o nada en términos de dinero o posesiones materiales. Por lo general, necesitan lo básico, alimentos y ropa. La Iglesia Hechos se encontró en la posición de tener que apoyar a sus miembros. ¡Desde luego que no tenemos hoy. He tenido esta discusión con algunas personas últimamente. Hacemos las cosas para ayudar a nuestro prójimo no cristiano, pero eso no es lo que somos. No podemos ser una agencia general de servicios sociales, el Espíritu Santo nos lleva a hacer buenas obras y hacemos buenas obras. Pero nuestra prioridad es siempre acerca de nuestros hermanos y hermanas de Jesús. First St Johns es una gran iglesia antigua, se ha sostenido maravillosamente por sus miembros. Muchos de los que vinieron aquí al principio no tenían nada y muchos miembros de esta iglesia dio con el fin de apoyar a los que estaban en necesidad. Tenemos que recuperar ese foco aquí. No tenemos mucho en términos de recursos, tiempo, tesoro y talento, nos hemos convertido en dependientes de lo que se ha dejado por los miembros y creemos que debería ser suficiente para avanzar en nuestra misión. Simplemente no es suficiente. Nos hemos vuelto demasiado auto-centrado, lo que me sale de la iglesia y que no era lo que la Iglesia Hechos trataba. Muchos hermanos y hermanas cristianos habrían muerto de hambre salvo; “Porque todos los que poseían heredades o casas vendidas y lo ponían a los pies de los apóstoles y se repartía a cada uno según su necesidad.”

Su iglesia, First Saint Johns, hace mucho, pero no hay mucho que hacer. Cuando confiamos en lo que quedaba para nosotros y decidimos que debería ser suficiente para conseguir lo que necesitamos, sin duda hemos olvidado lo que la iglesia es todo. En cierto modo esto es un sermón acerca de la mayordomía, de cómo tenemos que parte de nuestro tiempo, tesoro y talento a la iglesia. Pero también se trata de la forma en que tenemos que ser la iglesia de Jesús de la manera que se formó originalmente. El libro de los Hechos es a menudo llamado los Hechos de los Apóstoles o de los Hechos del Espíritu Santo. Es porque era una iglesia que siguió a los actos que el Espíritu Santo guió a la iglesia en. ¿Estamos viviendo hoy?

Echemos un vistazo a cómo compartimos con nuestros hermanos y hermanas en Jesús, que es parte de nuestra vida cristiana como la iglesia original Actuó en el libro de los Hechos. Los apóstoles daban “su testimonio de la resurrección del Señor Jesús, y abundante gracia era sobre todos ellos.” Yo, tú, todos podemos hacerlo mejor, no quiere decir que vamos a vender todo lo que tenemos. Pero como iglesia podemos compartir, podemos compartir el espacio en nuestro maravilloso edificio y no envidio su uso, podemos compartir nuestro tiempo para servir a los hermanos y hermanas y luego los demás, podemos compartir lo que tenemos, incluyendo pero no limitado a dinero. Pero como siempre, nos dedicamos más de nuestro tiempo para crecer en nuestra fe y compartir eso con los que no conocen a Jesús y ayudándoles en formas que les mostrarán el amor de Cristo y su iglesia.

La paz de Dios que sobrepasa todo entendimiento, guardará vuestros corazones y vuestros pensamientos en Cristo Jesús. Amin y Shalom

Living as brothers and sisters in Christ Acts 4: 32-35 First St Johns April 12, 2015

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[for the audio version of this sermon, please click on the above link]

We make our beginning in the Name of God the Father and in the Name of God the Son and in the Name of God the Holy Spirit and all those who are brothers and sisters in Jesus said … AMEN! Then we said He has risen! He has risen indeed!

As you have probably realized, one of my main themes is the resurrection of Jesus. In his commentary on the Book of Acts, Dr McGee points out: “…in the early church the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the very center and heart of the message, and no sermon was preached without it. The theme of Peter on the Day of Pentecost was the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”[1] Another observation Dr McGee makes, a subject that comes up in terms of Jesus being in heaven: “…He has ascended … But He is still at work! He has moved His headquarters. As long as He was here on this earth, His headquarters were in Capernaum. Now His headquarters are at the right hand of the Father.”[2] That’s more of a discussion for Ascension Day, but can never be overemphasized. Jesus is in glory at the right hand of God continually interceding for His people, for us!

The other thing that we overlook in the Acts church is the fellowship of the church. Lots of people like to say they’re an “Acts” church, but really I haven’t seen it and I’m not sure it can really be replicated. “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul.” This is something that you just don’t see in the church anymore. I believe one big reason is that we are all so immersed in the world, that we project that life into our church life. Too many people see the church not as a place to worship, to truly lift up and glorify God at which the Holy Spirit comes to us and gives us the faith, strength and integrity we need to go into the world for God. Instead it’s where we lift up to God our wants in the sense of “ok God, I’m here, You owe me, come on and back me up, help me with my agenda.” We may never be able to replicate the Acts church, until, I imagine the resurrection, but we should always strive for that as a goal. Our mission statement here at First St Johns gives us that focus: “Spiritual Warriors, Faithful Servants, Disciples of Jesus”. Are we focused on what is in Jesus or our agenda? Certainly the church of Jesus Christ has an agenda, Martin Luther put us back on that agenda: ““Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other – my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen.” It is always and forever about God’s Word and not about our agenda. In a world where we see Scripture being tortuously warped out of shape, the Lutheran Church, at least should be, all about His Word.

Yes, we all have lives, but, as Christians it’s not about how we make God’s Word apply to our life as it is how is God working through us, according to His Word, to shape not just our life, but the world around us. We are way too quick to discount that we are all in the Body of Christ, all indwelt by the Holy Spirit. We take Jesus’ Body and Blood as very real sustenance, if you don’t understand and accept that, then you abuse His Body and Blood. The Body and Blood that were abused to give us true forgiveness of sin. How can we then reabuse that same sacred body? We become part of His Body when we are given the Lord’s Supper, but too often when we hit that door on the way out, it’s no longer about Him, it’s all about getting back to life. Our life is in Him! How can we justify trying to impose our agenda on Him who gave Himself for us when He has promised us “life and life more abundant” in Him? We are complete, when we are together in the Body of Christ, His church, His people. That is very much how the Acts Church was, totally about the Body of Christ.

We have to remember the extremely difficult life that people came in to when they became a Christian. In our reading from Palm Sunday we read: “Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue, for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.” (John 12: 42-43) What we have in Acts is the result of what happened when people were put out of the synagogue. Anyone could be thrown out. Today, people change churches on a whim. In that time, it could be the difference between making a living or being in poverty, possibly even being left to starve. No Jew would do business with someone who wasn’t a part of the temple, they would not hire them as an employee. When these people became Christians they often had little or nothing in terms of money or material possessions. They usually needed the basics, food and clothing. The Acts Church found itself in the position of having to support its members. We sure don’t have that today. I’ve had this discussion with a few people lately. We do things to help our non-Christian neighbor, but that is not what we are about. We cannot be a general social service agency, the Holy Spirit leads us to do good works and we do good works. But our priority is always about our brothers and sisters in Jesus. First St Johns is a great old church, it has been sustained marvelously by its members. Many who came here at the beginning had nothing and many members of this church gave in order to support those who were in need. We need to recapture that focus here. We don’t have a lot in terms of resources, time, treasure and talent, we have become dependent on what has been left by members and feel that should be enough to further our mission. It is just not enough. We have become way too self-focused, what I get out of the church and that was not what the Acts Church was about. Many Christian brothers and sisters would have starved except; “for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet and it was distributed to each as any had need.”

Your church, First Saint Johns, does much, but there is so much to do. When we rely on what was left to us and decide that should be enough to get what we need, we certainly have forgotten what the church is all about. In a way this is a sermon about stewardship, about how we need to portion our time, treasure and talent to the church. But it is also about how we need to be Jesus’ church the way it was originally formed. The Book of Acts is often called the Acts of the Apostles or the Acts of the Holy Spirit. It is because it was a church that followed the Acts that the Holy Spirit guided the church in. Are we living that today?

Let’s take a look at how we share with our brothers and sisters in Jesus, which is part of our Christian life as the original church Acted in the Book of Acts. The apostles gave “their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all.” Me, you, we can all do better, it’s not to say that we’re going to sell everything we have. But as a church we can share, we can share space in our marvelous building and not begrudge its use, we can share our time to serve brothers and sisters and then others, we can share what we have, including but not limited to money. But as always we dedicate more of our time to growing in our faith and sharing that with those who do not know Jesus and helping them in ways that will show them the love of Christ and His church.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amin and Shalom

[1] J Vernon McGee “Thru the Bible Commentary Series Acts” p ix

[2] Ibid p viii

Resurrección, la verdadera vida para la eternidad Isaías 25: 6-9 Primera Saint Johns 5 de abril 2015

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[translation from Google translate]

Hacemos nuestro comienzo en el Nombre de Dios el Padre y en el nombre de Dios el Hijo y en el nombre de Dios el Espíritu Santo y todos los que están a la espera de ser resucitado en un cuerpo físico perfecto en un mundo físico perfecto dijimos … AMEN !!

Hemos estado haciendo una serie de sermones por el Reverendo Dr. Reed Lessing para la Cuaresma. Realmente me he metido mucho de esta serie, así que estoy mirando nuestro sermón Pascua observando lo que dice de Pascua: “Home! La misma palabra evoca sentimientos de amor y la risa, la seguridad y la serenidad, calidez. Significa mamá y papá, diversión y juegos, buena comida, el sueño profundo, una niña de Kansas dice mejor: “No hay lugar como el hogar”. ”

En verdad eso es lo que Pascua se trata. El mundo en su conjunto, todos nosotros, hemos llegado a ser tan acampado en nuestro hogar es el cielo. No lo es! Claro que hay consuelo cuando perdemos a un ser querido a decir que están en el cielo, y cuando mueren en Jesús, tenemos la seguridad de que están en la presencia del Señor (2 Corintios 5: 8 RV) Pero ahí es donde nos vamos que, se ha convertido de alguna manera imbuido en nuestro entendimiento de que pasaremos la eternidad en una especie de estado etéreo sentado en una nube tocando el arpa. ¡No! Vamos a morir. Vamos, a menos que Jesús regrese antes de morir, vamos a ir al cielo, pero eso no es nuestra última parada.

Vamos a hablar de la resurrección. Deberíamos estar todos los domingos. ¿Por qué? Adoramos el domingo frente al sábado, que era el día de reposo, porque todos los domingos es un poco de Pascua, que nos recuerda a nuestro destino final, el destino. Debido a que Jesús fue resucitado, también nosotros resucitaremos. Jesús volvió a este mundo, en el mismo cuerpo que murió. Esto era para darnos la promesa de que seremos resucitados como él. “ESV 1 Corintios 15:51 He aquí! Te digo un misterio. No todos dormiremos, pero todos seremos transformados, 52 en un momento, en un abrir y cerrar de ojos, a la final trompeta. Pues la trompeta sonará, y los muertos serán resucitados incorruptibles, y nosotros seremos transformados. 53 Por esto corruptible se vista de incorrupción, y esto mortal se vista de inmortalidad. 54 Cuando esto corruptible se vista de incorrupción, y esto mortal se haya vestido de inmortalidad, entonces se cumplirá la palabra que está escrita: “La muerte ha sido devorada en la victoria.”

Usted realmente tiene que tipo de maravilla, ¿por qué Pablo estar tan emocionado acerca de ser “cambiado” en una especie de forma diáfana, ralo. Esta idea viene de un sistema de creencias no relacionado con el cristianismo llamados neo-platonismo y el gnosticismo. Ambos de estos sistemas de creencias enseñan que la física es de alguna manera el mal, que como el Padre es espíritu, entonces queremos ser espíritu. Cuál es el punto del infierno, si no estamos física, ¿cómo podemos realmente sufrimos. Por el contrario, si somos espíritu y salvos en la resurrección, ¿cómo podemos realmente disfrutar de la resurrección? Nosotros no podemos. Nos hicieron ser físico. Si somos “vamos a casa” como sostiene el Dr. Lessing, es el hogar de verdad el cielo. Yo nunca he estado en el cielo, no recuerdo nada al respecto. Claro que voy a estar en la presencia de Jesús y que será una tremenda alegría, felicidad. Pero eso no es lo que estábamos hechos para, así no es como Dios nos creó.

Sabemos cómo Dios nos creó. A pesar de lo que se oye en el mundo, que no vienen de animales. El libro del Génesis nos dice cómo nos pusieron aquí, ¿por qué nos pusieron aquí y en qué forma nos pusieron aquí. Fuimos creados a la Imago Dei. Estamos, sin duda, especial, único, muy privilegiada por Dios, porque fuimos hechos completamente única en la imagen del Padre y en cuerpos tangibles, muy físicos. Adán y Eva vivían en la perfección, en sus cuerpos creados, por muchos años. Luego simplemente eligieron ese todo lo que Dios creó para ellos no era suficiente, que tenían derecho a más, que era Dios retenga incluso una cosa de la? Saludaron a Dios fuera y hacían lo que querían.

Dios no iba a tolerar su desafío, Él simplemente no lo haría, su naturaleza es ser totalmente santo, para ser completamente justo, ser completamente perfecto. Él no iba a tolerar su imperfección, su pecado, en su desafío.

Sí, Dios les arranca hacia el, mundo cruel frío. Pero nuestro Dios amoroso nunca nos deja solos. Él nunca nos rechaza, Él siempre hace un camino donde él, no tú, traerá a los que Él ha creado de nuevo a él.

Sí, sabemos que aquellos que sólo rechazan a Dios y hacer que todo sobre ellos. Pero incluso en nuestra imperfección, los que hemos sido llevados a Jesús, somos llevados de vuelta a la intención de Dios para nosotros. Él prometió a Adán y Eva que no habría un libertador, que Salvador sería el pago por nuestros fracasos, nuestros pecados y nos pondría de nuevo en relación con el Padre. Lo hizo, Jesús. Jesús murió a, a, la muerte gorey muy horripilante muy físico, Él murió para que la muerte, no a causa de lo que hizo, sino por lo que hicimos, a causa de nuestro pecado. Jesús, el Hijo de Dios, fue el sacrificio perfecto para nosotros que somos tan imperfectos.

Randy Alcorn en su libro, El Cielo, escribe extensamente que seremos resucitados, seremos resucitados en cuerpos físicos muy reales, al igual que estamos ahora. Esta es mi razón, esta es mi esperanza, la razón de la esperanza que está en nosotros. Eso es lo que significa ser un cristiano tiene que ver, ESPERANZA. Nosotros no estamos perdidos y desamparados como los que están sin Jesús. Sabemos que seremos resucitados en un cuerpo perfecto, en un mundo perfecto, para vivir la vida que siempre estaban destinados a vivir. No en esta pecaminosa, corrupta, totalmente desordenado mundo y yo desafío a cualquiera aquí y en cualquier lugar para tratar de hacer de este mundo algo que no lo es. El pecado es lo que ha causado la violencia, la enfermedad, la muerte, la deformidad. Es todo sobre nosotros, hacer usted mismo y todos los demás un gran favor y dejar de echarle la culpa a Dios.

Alcorn nos recuerda: “Como seres humanos, a quienes Dios hizo al ser tanto física como espiritual, no estamos diseñados para vivir en un reino no físico. De hecho, somos incapaces de imaginar siquiera un lugar así … Un estado incorpóreo no sólo es desconocido para nuestra experiencia, también es incompatible con nuestro Dios – constitución dada … Somos seres físicos tanto como somos seres espirituales. Es por eso que nuestra resurrección corporal es esencial para dotarnos de eterna humanidad justos. Liberándonos del pecado, la maldición y la muerte. “Alcorn señala con razón que debido a nuestra naturaleza física y cuando el cielo se presenta como un lugar no físico, que nuestros sentidos que hacen nos dan placer, el tacto, el olfato, la vista, el oído , no será una parte de nosotros, esto realmente nos repele en nuestra esencia. Alcorn escribe: “… cuando el cielo se presenta como más allá del alcance de nuestros sentidos, no nos invitan; en cambio, se aliena y hasta nos asusta … ”

Para la mayoría de nosotros, vamos a gastar nuestro tiempo en esa forma “espiritual”, pero eso es porque somos la “iglesia en espera”, el mundo se encuentra todavía en la tribulación y la “iglesia en espera” es todavía una parte de esa batalla contra el pecado y el mal. En el cielo, todavía estaremos en oración. El escritor de Hebreos nos dice que estamos “en derredor nuestro tan grande nube de testigos”. Nuestros seres queridos en el cielo no saben lo que estamos pasando, que no necesitan, saben todavía estamos siendo sometidos a la lucha espiritual que sucede a nuestro alrededor. Pero en última instancia, tenemos la promesa de la resurrección. Pablo escribe: “Así también es la resurrección de los muertos. Se siembra en corrupción; se resucita en incorrupción “(1 Corin 15:42) Tenemos la promesa que Jesús hizo a Marta:” Yo soy la resurrección y la vida. El que cree en mí, aunque esté muerto, vivirá. “(Juan 11:25). Seremos resucitados en cuerpos muy reales, a vivir vidas muy reales, pero vive como Dios originalmente pensado para que vivamos en un mundo muy real. Pero este es un mundo no limitado por el pecado, por defecto físico, es un mundo en el que las posibilidades son ilimitadas, no en este mundo, que está limitado por todas nuestras fallas humanas. Un mundo en el que el jingle de la cerveza dice “puedes tenerlo todo”. No se puede en este mundo, pero se puede en el mundo que Dios ha prometido a todos los que son salvos en Jesús. Una vida que Dios quiere para nosotros, que Jesús nos prometió cuando dijo: “. Yo he venido para que tengan vida y la tengan en abundancia” (Jn 10:10) Eso es el mundo de la resurrección, una vida de abundancia ilimitada, no más dolor, ninguna de la incapacidad del cuerpo y del pecado. Sin embargo, será un mundo de desafíos, estamos todavía esperábamos para crecer y lograr, avanzar y lograr, pero de una manera que nos edifica y nos fortalece en Jesús.

Dr. Martin Luther escribió: “Quítate consolaban, pequeño perro. Tú también en la Resurrección tendrán un poco de cola de oro. “Usted y yo tendremos mucho más que una cola de oro.

La paz de Dios que sobrepasa todo entendimiento, guardará vuestros corazones y vuestros pensamientos en Cristo Jesús. Amin y Shalom

Resurrection, true life for eternity Isaiah 25: 6-9 First St Johns Easter April 5, 2015

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[For the audio of this sermon click on the above link]

We make our beginning in the Name of God the Father and in the Name of God the Son and in the Name of God the Holy Spirit and all those who are looking forward to being resurrected in a perfect physical body in a perfect physical world said … AMEN!!

We’ve been doing a sermon series by Rev Dr Reed Lessing for Lent. I’ve really gotten a lot from this series, so I’m staring our Easter sermon noting what he says about Easter: “Home! The very word evokes feelings of love and laughter, security and serenity, warmth. It means mom and dad, fun and games, good food, deep sleep, a little girl from Kansas says it best, “There’s no place like home.””

Truly that is what Easter is all about. The world as a whole, all of us, we have become so camped on our home being heaven. It’s not! Sure there’s comfort when we lose a loved one to say that they are in heaven, and when they die in Jesus, we have the assurance that they are in the presence of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV) But that’s where we leave it, it has somehow become imbued in our understanding that we spend eternity in some kind of ethereal state sitting on a cloud strumming a harp. No! We will die. We will, unless Jesus returns before we die, we will go to heaven, but that’s not our final stop.

We are going to talk about the resurrection. We should be every Sunday. Why? We worship on Sunday versus Saturday, which was the Sabbath Day, because every Sunday is a little Easter, it reminds us of our ultimate destiny, destination. Because Jesus was resurrected, we too will be resurrected. Jesus returned to this world, in the same body He died in. This was to give us the promise that we will be resurrected just like Him. “ESV 1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

You really have to kind of wonder, why would Paul be so excited about being “changed” into some kind of diaphanous, wispy form. This idea comes from a belief system unrelated to Christianity called neo-platonism and also Gnosticism. Both of these belief systems teach that the physical is somehow evil, that because the Father is spirit, then we will want to be spirit. What’s the point of Hell, if we aren’t physical, how do we really suffer. Conversely, if we are spirit and are saved in the resurrection, how do we truly enjoy the resurrection? We can’t. We were made to be physical. If we are “going home” as Dr Lessing submits, is home really heaven. I’ve never been to heaven, I don’t remember anything about it. Sure I will be in Jesus’ presence and that will be tremendous joy, bliss. But that’s not what we were made for, that’s not how God created us.

We know how God created us. Despite what you hear in the world, we didn’t come from animals. The Book of Genesis tells us how we were put here, why we were put here and in what form we were put here. We were created in the Imago Dei. We are unquestionably special, unique, highly privileged by God because we were made completely uniquely in the Father’s image and in very physical, tangible bodies. Adam and Eve lived in perfection, in their created bodies, for many years. They then simply chose that everything God created for them wasn’t enough, that they were entitled to more, who was God to withhold even one thing from the? They waved God off and did what they wanted.

God wasn’t going to tolerate their defiance, He just wouldn’t, His nature is to be completely holy, to be completely just, be completely perfect. He was not going to tolerate their imperfection, their sin, in their defiance.

Yes, God booted them out into the cold, harsh world. But our loving God never leaves us alone. He never rejects us, He always makes a way where He, not you, will bring those He created back to Him.

Yea, we know those who just reject God and make it all about them. But even in our imperfection, we who have been brought to Jesus, are brought back to God’s intention for us. He promised Adam and Eve that there would be a deliverer, that Savior would be the payment for our failures, our sins and would put us back into relation with the Father. He did, Jesus. Jesus died a very physical, a very gruesome, gorey death, He died that death, not because of what He did, but because of what we did, because of our sin. Jesus, God the Son, was the perfect sacrifice for us who are so imperfect.

Randy Alcorn in his book, Heaven, writes extensively that we will be resurrected, we will be raised in very real physical bodies, just like we are now. This is my reason, this is my hope, the reason for the hope that lies within us. That is what being a Christian is all about, H-O-P-E. We are not lost and helpless like those who are without Jesus. We know we will be raised in a perfect body, in a perfect world, to live the life that we were always intended to live. Not in this sinful, corrupted, thoroughly messed up world and I defy anyone here, anywhere to try to make this world something that it isn’t. Sin is what has caused violence, disease, death, deformity. It’s all on us, do yourself and everyone else a big favor and quit blaming it on God.

Alcorn reminds us: “As human beings, whom God made to be both physical and spiritual, we are not designed to live in a non-physical realm. Indeed, we are incapable of even imagining such a place… An incorporeal state is not only unfamiliar to our experience, it is also incompatible with our God – given constitution… We are physical beings as much as we are spiritual beings. That’s why our bodily resurrection is essential to endow us with eternal righteous humanity. Setting us free from sin, the Curse and death.”[1] Alcorn rightly points out that because of our physical nature and when heaven is portrayed as a non-physical place, that our senses that do bring us pleasure, touch, smell, sight, hearing, won’t be a part of us, this really repels us at our core. Alcorn writes: “…when Heaven is portrayed as beyond the reach of our senses, it doesn’t invite us; instead, it alienates and even frightens us…”[2]

For most of us, we will spend our time in that “spiritual” form, but that is because we are the “church in waiting”, the world is still in tribulation and the “church in waiting” is still a part of that battle against sin and evil. In heaven, we will still be in prayer. The writer of Hebrews tells us that we are “surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses”. Our loved ones in heaven don’t know what we’re going through, they don’t need to, they know we are still being subjected to the spiritual struggle that goes on around us. But ultimately we have the promise of the resurrection. Paul writes: “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:” (1 Corin 15:42) We have the promise that Jesus made to Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me though he die, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25). We will be raised up in very real bodies, to live very real lives, but lives the way God originally intended for us to live, in a very real world. But this is a world not limited by sin, by physical defect, it is a world where the possibilities are limitless, not this world, that is limited by all our human failings. A world where as the beer jingle says “you can have it all”. You can’t in this world, but you can in the world that God has promised to all those who are saved in Jesus. A life that God intends for us, that Jesus promised us when He said: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (Jn 10:10) That is the world of the resurrection, a life of limitless abundance, no more pain, none of the disability of body and sin. It will still be a world of challenges, we are still expected to grow and achieve, move and accomplish, but in a way that builds us and strengthens us in Jesus.

Dr Martin Luther wrote: “Be thou comforted, little dog. Thou too in Resurrection shall have a little golden tail.” You and I will have so much more than a golden tail.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amin and Shalom

[1] Randy Alcorn, “Heaven” p 16

[2] Ibid p 17

Rejoice? Yes! But for what? Zechariah 9:9-12 First St Johns March 29, 2015

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[For the audio of this sermon, click on the above link]

We make our beginning in the Name of God the Father and in the Name of God the Son and in the Name of God the Holy Spirit and all those who rejoice in our Savior Jesus Christ and His sacrifice said … AMEN!

A local radio show a man was saying that he was in traffic around D C and they had just blocked off the lane that he was in and he had to get over. He rolled down his window and pleaded with a woman to let him in. He says that she just let him have it, every blank, blank, blank, what she thought about him and his mother etc. He did get into the next lane and ended up ahead of her and they were going into a toll booth. He gets up to the toll booth and goes ahead and pays her toll.

Yes today is Palm Sunday, it is the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. We also have to remember that today is Passion Sunday too. Yes, Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem, no doubt the disciples were convinced that this was it, that Jesus was finally going to make His move and restore the kingdom and that they would be on His left hand and His right hand ruling over the new Davidic Kingdom. They had no thought whatsoever of how it would really turn out. The week started in triumph, but it would end in what they probably thought at the time was disaster. There weren’t going to be any cheers, no one was “hosannaing”, cloaks weren’t being laid in front of Him. Instead, He was dragged through an all night trial, the beating began, he had no sleep, no food, no water, thrown into a cell, beaten again. The next day He would be flogged, excruciating torture, forced to drag a rough wooden cross through the streets of Jerusalem, being jeered and hounded. Finally nailed to a cross, left hanging, no mercy, suffering in front of all these people that had been cheering Him a week ago. Instead of cheering they were jeering, they were mocking Him, we can only imagine what else to make His anguish on the Cross even more wretched.

The man in the car could have driven off, cut the woman off, been a jerk too. He didn’t, he showed this woman grace, no doubt when he drove away from the toll booth he felt the satisfaction that he did show her grace. I can’t say I’m as gracious as that, and I know I should be. After Jesus had been so despicably treated, He had every reason to just proceed along. Why would He have to do anything to save these miserable sinners who treated Him so disgustingly? Who could blame Him if He said “let those miserable sinners rot, why should I do anything else for them? He could have just driven off, and let us deal with our own fate, the fate that those who are not in Jesus all face. A life without Christ and an eternity of suffering, of separation from God, of torment.

Jesus didn’t leave us to our fate. God had decided earlier in the Bible to leave people to face the results of their sickening, sinful behavior. He pulled the plug on the world, found the only righteous man and told Noah to build an ark and to save creation for a new beginning. He decided to stomp on Sodom and Gomorrah for their appalling sin, telling Lot and his family to get out of Dodge.

But that wasn’t the plan going forward, that wasn’t how Jesus, God the Son, and God the Father and God the Holy Spirit decided to leave things. They would save us, by the sacrifice of God the Son. He was going to be the payment for all of our sins. He would not destroy the world again until He decides to end time in this world. He gave us a way to be saved, He paid the toll on His way through and not only that, but then returned. Friday He was shamefully treated, on Sunday He overcame our greatest enemy, not His, God the Son will never die, but we will. Jesus overcame death in order for us to live and not just life as we know it here, or life in some spiritual state in heaven. Jesus was resurrected on the Sunday after Good Friday not to perform some magic trick, not just to show us that He could, that since He is all powerful He can overcome death, but as a very powerful promise to us that we have the hope in Him that we too will be resurrected in our perfect bodies, to live in the perfect world where He had always intended for us to have that perfect life.

Now as we enter Holy Week, we have to take it as a composite and remember not just the triumphant entry, but how that will play out, that He will be abused by sinful men, and we are well served to remember that we are sinners just like them. Looking at verse 42 in our Gospel reading, that there are too many who forget Jesus today, some even here, many that we meet outside of this church: “Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue.” You can’t be halfway about Jesus, you can’t “believe” and yet still carry on in the world. You are either a confessed child of Christ here and now or lost. The world can’t save you, the world is doomed to destruction. We can’t put our agenda on Jesus and expect that He is there for our convenience and our plans. We are His, He is our Lord, He is our Savior, He is our resurrected God. If He is not the Lord of our life in the world, He will not be the Lord of our resurrection. He will leave us to our own plans and that can only result in eternal damnation.

Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday, Holy Week are a composite of our life journey, we have to see it in terms of how the crowds cheered Him on Sunday because they expected Him to carry out their agenda and how they turned on Him on Friday. Martin Franzman lays out Holy Week very pointedly to us: “The sign of the resurrection of Lazarus has made Jesus a man of note, sought after by the Passover pilgrims in Jerusalem (John11: 55-57); Mary’s anointing of Him is a token of the devotion He has inspired in His own (John 12: 1-8); a crowd hails the King of Israel at His entry into Jerusalem (John 12: 9-19) Greek proselytes present at the Passover seek Him out ( John 12: 20-22) even among the authorities there are many who believe in Him, though they cannot find the courage to confess Him (John 12: 42-43). But to Israel as a whole the Word has been spoken in vain: Judas, one of the Twelve will betray Him … The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified (John 12:23)”[1]

We see the world glorifying Jesus because they think He has come to carry out their worldview, those who believe but want to see their agenda carried out and will then sign up with Jesus, the winning team. But Jesus clearly knows how this is going to end and He also knows why and it’s totally contrary to what everyone around Him wants: “The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified (23) The seed must fall into the ground and die before it can bear much fruit – life for the world is won by dying” (John 12: 23-26)[2] We think we know what is best, but in God’s eyes we haven’t got a clue. We have been born into this world as sinners, we have been brought to Christ, through His church, to be baptized, to be made His children. We take His body and blood, we hear the preached Word from His Word and live our lives in the church to be saved because of what He has done for us and to be given new and perfect life in the resurrection. Our friend showed grace at the toll booth to the woman who treated him so rudely, our friend Jesus, our mighty Lord and Savior showed us so much more grace, in His death for the forgiveness of our sins and His resurrection for the promise of eternal true life in the perfect world to come.

Nolan Astley writes: “In our post-9/11 world, we talk a great deal about heroes and victims. Heroes are often portrayed as utterly selfless individuals who willingly throw themselves in the path of danger to save others. Victims are often portrayed as innocent people who did nothing to deserve the tragedy that has come upon them. While there is a certain level of truth in those portrayals, God’s Word tells us something different. We all fall short of the glory of God; this world’s heroes and this world’s victims are all sinners.”

“Hero and victim are not so distinct. On Palm Sunday, we focus on the only true hero. Jesus is the true hero because He selflessly rides into Jerusalem to become the victim. Neither the heroic efforts of our lives nor the innocence of our lives makes us worthy of his love. Our salvation comes only from the Righteous King, who comes to conquer sin and death (Zechariah 9:9). He is our hero because he is the victim!”[3]

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amin and Shalom

[1] Martin Franzman “The Concordia Self-Study Commentary p 96

[2] Ibid

[3] Nolan Astley  Concordia Pulpit Resources Vol 25, Part 2, Series B p 6