Category: Sermon Page

Third Sunday of Easter
April 18, 2021

“Witnesses: From Jerusalem to Worms to America” (Luke 24:36-49)

The disciples were in Jerusalem. They think that Jesus, their master, is dead and buried. Then suddenly Jesus is standing there in the room, and they don’t know what to think: “Is that really him? Are we imagining this? Is that his ghost? What’s going on here?” Then Jesus speaks: “Why are you confused? Didn’t I tell you I would rise on the third day? Well, here I am. So you think I’m a ghost, do you? Look, see my hands and my feet. See the nail marks there. Yes, it really is me. You can touch me and see that I’m no ghost. I’ve got flesh and bone, just like you do.”

Yes, Jesus really is risen from the dead. Physically, bodily, risen. No ghost. No hallucination. The disciples are a little slow on the uptake, but if this is true–man, what a marvelous thing this is!

Jesus has more to say to them. He says that everything he had told them during his ministry–even predicting his passion and his resurrection–that this fulfills everything written about him in the Scriptures. They hadn’t gotten it up to this point, but now they will. Jesus opens their minds to understand the Scriptures. And here’s what he tells them to sum it all up: “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

Brothers and sisters, do you want to know what the Bible is all about? Do you want to know what life is all about? It’s right here. It’s all about Jesus, who he is and what he has done for us and what this means for our lives. Jesus is the fulfillment of Holy Scripture. God’s plan for the ages, for this cosmos and all of humanity–it all comes to fruition in Christ. Jesus, the Son of God in the flesh, accomplishes God’s plan to redeem and restore sinful mankind. What was lost in the garden is regained in the cross and the empty tomb.

All the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament find their focus and fulfillment in Christ: The seed of the woman, who would stomp on the serpent’s head. The seed of Abraham, in whom all the families of the earth would be blessed. The son of David, the Messiah, who would usher in an everlasting kingdom of blessing–all these promises of God find their “Yes and Amen!” in Jesus.

Jesus’ death on the cross was not a defeat. It was not a disappointment or detour from the plan. No, it was the plan! The Suffering Servant foretold by Isaiah, the righteous one who would suffer for the sins of the people and be their healing–it’s Jesus. Now it’s all starting to come together. It was there in the Bible all along, but now their minds are being opened to understand it all. Without God opening our minds to understand the Scriptures, the Bible remains a closed book. But when God does open our minds, and gives us the key in knowing Christ as our Savior, then the Bible becomes God’s book of life for us.

His own suffering, death, and resurrection–that’s part of what Jesus says is written in the Scriptures. And then he adds something else: “and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations.” You see, this is how Christ’s work for us is applied to us: through preaching in his name. And what is preached is repentance and forgiveness. What this means for our lives is that we repent of our sins and receive the forgiveness Christ has for us. Repentance means that we acknowledge that we are indeed sinners, desperately in need of God’s forgiveness. Otherwise, we would be lost forever. We have broken God’s commandments, and there is nothing we can do to make up for that. Forgiveness means that God has had mercy on us, that our sins are not held against us, because of what God’s Son Jesus did on the cross, shedding his holy blood for us.

And who will do this preaching of Christ crucified and risen, of repentance and forgiveness in his name? Jesus tells his disciples: “You are witnesses of these things.” “You, my disciples, you will do this preaching. You will be my witnesses. You will testify to what you have seen and heard and know to be the truth. I am sending you out for this very purpose. I will establish my church on the basis of this proclamation, and it will go out to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

And that is exactly what happened. Beginning from Jerusalem, the apostles bore witness to Christ and preached what Jesus here told them to preach. Peter on the Day of Pentecost: “This Jesus, whom you crucified, God raised from the dead, and of this we all are witnesses. Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins.”

“You are witnesses of these things.” And that can involve some danger, some risk. The people to whom you are bearing witness may not like what you are saying. Again, Peter, in Jerusalem, testifying before the Sanhedrin: “This Jesus, whom you rejected–there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” A bold confession of faith, at a real point of risk and danger!

And it didn’t stop at Jerusalem in the first century. The church’s witness and bold confession of the faith continued. Next stop: Worms, a city in Germany in the 16th century. Emperor Charles V, the head of the Holy Roman Empire, has called together a diet there, “diet” meaning an official imperial meeting, with the princes and rulers of the various territories present. To this Diet of Worms, the emperor has summoned a professor from the University of Wittenberg. His name is Martin Luther. The reason the emperor has ordered him to appear is because this Luther has been causing quite a ruckus over the past few years, challenging and denouncing the papacy and the Roman church in his writings. The emperor wants him to publicly take back what he has said and written. Luther, though, is hoping to have an opportunity to explain his reasons for writing these things. So the pressure is on. The tension could not be any higher.

And there was real risk here. A century earlier, a reformer named John Hus had been burned at the stake for challenging the Roman church. What would happen to Luther? Sure, the emperor had promised him safe conduct, but what if he changes his mind?

So Luther, this little monk and professor, is standing before Emperor Charles V, the most powerful man in the world. Luther is asked two questions: 1) Are these your writings? There’s a pile of his books and treatises lying on a table. And question 2) Will you or will you not retract what you have written? Luther was hoping for a discussion of the issues. Instead, he is limited to simply giving answers to the two questions.

First answer: “Yes, these are my writings.” But then the second question, Will you or will you not recant? Luther’s answer came on this date, April 18, 1521, 500 years ago today: “You ask for a simple answer. Here it is: “Unless you can convince me by Scripture, and not by popes or councils, who have often contradicted each other, unless I am so convinced that I am wrong, I am bound to my beliefs by the texts of the Bible. My conscience is captive to the Word of God. To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Therefore, I cannot and I will not recant. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen.”

Friends, this is a bold confession! Placed under enormous pressure, faced with real danger, Luther made the good confession. Why? What gave him this courage? He said it: “My conscience is captive to the Word of God.” It was the Word of God, the gospel word–this was the only thing that gave peace to Luther’s troubled conscience. This gospel word told him of a Savior who forgives sins and gives eternal life to those who trust in him. So how could he recant that? He couldn’t. God’s Word is more powerful than all the emperors and popes and councils who have come down the pike. You may burn me at the stake, but you cannot take my salvation from me. Here I stand. I can do no other.

“You are witnesses of these things.” The apostles were those witnesses in Jerusalem. Luther was such a witness at Worms. And now what will we do here in America? Friends, the risk is real here in our country, in these days. Cancel culture would like to cancel out the church’s witness. The world does not like to hear that this or that favorite sin of theirs really is sin. But we are called to preach repentance. And so when the church speaks the truth, our society will try to make us apologize and take it all back. Instead of “Here I stand,” they want us to say, “Here I cave.” So which will it be?

It’s not that we think we are superior or without sin ourselves. No, that’s not it. But Jesus has told us to preach repentance, so that people will then be ready to hear the gospel of forgiveness. If people don’t think they are sinners, they’re not going to feel much need for a Savior. But a Savior–this Savior, Jesus Christ–is exactly what we have. This is the Savior you have. He gives real peace to your conscience, the peace and forgiveness and eternal life he won for you by his death and resurrection. “You are witnesses of these things,” Jesus tells his church. Yes, we are his “Witnesses: From Jerusalem to Worms to America.” Here we stand. We can do no other. God help us. Amen.

Second Sunday of Easter
April 11, 2021

“Believing Is Better Than Seeing” (John 20:19-31)

The doors were locked. The disciples had locked themselves in, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities, who had just had Jesus killed a couple of days earlier. And since they were Jesus’ disciples, if it became known where they were, the authorities might come after them, too. So the disciples were afraid and were staying behind closed doors.

But if a sealed tomb couldn’t keep Jesus in, a locked door couldn’t keep Jesus out. He passes right through and stands in their midst. “Shalom aleichem,” he says, “Peace be with you,” a standard Hebraic greeting. But when Jesus says it, it’s a little more than standard! Jesus really does convey peace when he speaks it! This is a blood-bought peace, peace purchased by the blood that God’s Son shed on the cross. Peace between heaven and earth. Peace between a righteous God and sinful man. Jesus made that peace for us on the cross, where he died for the sins of the world. Jesus packs real peace into his words, when he greets us with “Peace be with you.”

The disciples are mind-boggled: “Whoa! We thought you were dead, Master! They nailed you to that cross! You died! The soldier speared you in the side! They took you down and put you in a tomb! And sealed it! With guards around! How can that be you?” But then: “Wait a minute, boys. Maybe we’re imagining things. This must be some sort of hallucination. You know, we’ve been pretty stressed out lately.” “Or is it–can it be–his ghost?” “No, no, this is no ghost. It really is Jesus! Alive! In flesh and bone! God must have raised him from the dead! Look! He’s showing us the marks in his hands, where they drove in the nails. He’s showing us his side, where the soldier pierced him with the spear! Yeah, it really is him! Risen, alive! Wow!”

Well, how about those disciples, huh? Lucky them! They got to see Jesus, in the flesh, risen from the dead. They saw him with their own eyes. They touched him with their own hands. Too bad we’re not that lucky. Yeah, look at the advantage they had! Easter evening Jesus comes to them and shows them his hands and his side. No wonder they believed!

Well, most of them, at least. Thomas wasn’t there that night. Later, the other guys tell him, “We have seen the Lord.” Thomas is thinking: “Oh, yeah, right. What have you guys been drinking? He was crucified, remember? Just a few days ago. He’s dead, Jim–yeah, you James and John and Peter and the rest of you. He’s dead. Roman soldiers don’t mess up on things like that. There’s no way I can believe what you guys are saying. It’s just crazy wishful thinking.” “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Well, the next Sunday, Thomas was in the house that night, there with the rest of them. Guess who shows up? Jesus. Again, through the locked door. Again, with the hands and the side. This time Jesus does it for the benefit of Thomas. “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

See? Seeing is believing. Thomas gets to see. The rest of them got to see. And they believed. Oh, those lucky, fortunate disciples! If only we could have been in their position! Then we would be strong Christians, and we wouldn’t falter in our faith. Right?

Wrong. That’s not how Jesus sees it–or says it. He tells Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus corrects Thomas. He says that seeing is not an advantage. Seeing is not the same as believing. In fact, Jesus turns it around. He says that believing is better than seeing.

What’s going on here? What does Jesus mean by “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”? And what does this have to do with us? Well, that is us! We are the ones Jesus is talking about when he says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” So Jesus thinks we are pretty “blessed”! We are the fortunate ones! Believing is better than seeing.

We’re like the people John is writing his gospel for, people living long after the events he reports. John writes for folks who had never seen Jesus up close and personal like he had. There were only a small number of persons in the world at that time who had gotten to see Jesus during his ministry, and even fewer who saw him after he had risen from the dead.

Although, there were enough eyewitnesses who did attest to the bodily resurrection of Christ. Jesus wanted a core of witnesses who could verify the factuality and physicality of his resurrection. As Peter would later testify, “We are witnesses of these things.” As Paul would later write: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.”

So there were enough eyewitnesses to establish the facts at the time. But it wasn’t the seeing alone, it wasn’t the seeing per se, that produced faith. Seeing, by itself, is not the same as believing. No, there were lots of people who saw Jesus in the flesh who did not believe in him. His opponents, for example. They saw him, but they rejected him.

Friends, you and I are like all the millions of Christians around the world, going back to the first century. We have never seen Jesus, yet we believe in him. And Jesus calls us “blessed.” We still receive the blessings that come to us by faith. What you don’t see is what you get. You don’t see the peace that Jesus gives. You don’t see the forgiveness of sins or the sure hope of everlasting life. You don’t see the Father’s love, the presence of Christ, or the gift of the Holy Spirit. You don’t see these things. But God gives them to you, nonetheless. What you don’t see you still get.

The blessedness of believing rather than seeing is a consistent teaching in the New Testament. Peter wrote long after Christ had ascended into heaven, and he said to Christians just like us: “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” Likewise, Paul writes in Romans: “Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Again Paul writes, in 2 Corinthians: “We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.” And again: “We walk by faith, not by sight.” In the Book of Hebrews it says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” All these passages are saying the same thing: What you don’t see is what you get! Eternal things, like the salvation of our souls and the redemption of our bodies. We don’t see those things with our eyes. Yet this is our certain hope, as sure as the resurrection of Christ himself.

So how does it happen? How do we get this faith that trusts in Jesus Christ? Answer: By the Word! It is the Word of God that gives us the faith to believe in Christ our Savior. It is the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, who he is and what he has done for us. The Holy Spirit works through the gospel means, Word and Sacrament, to give us that saving faith and to keep us strong in it. There’s no other way. God’s Word is what we need.

This is why John writes, at the end of our text today, the purpose statement for his gospel: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” It’s the gospel, the good news of Christ, as it is preached to us, taught to us, sacramented to us–it’s the gospel that the Holy Spirit uses to create faith to trust in Christ and to keep us strong in that saving faith. As we learned in the explanation to the Third Article of the Creed: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.” The Holy Spirit works saving faith in us, our whole life long, from start to finish, and the means that he uses to do this is the gospel.

So what is the takeaway today? Two things: 1) Jesus really is risen from the dead, victorious over sin and death, and he gives us life in him. And 2) Since faith in Christ is created and nourished through the Word, it is essential that we regularly be in the Word.

Today our risen Lord Jesus comes to us through our locked doors, through our fears, and he reassures us with his words: “Peace be with you. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” That’s us! Dear friends, believing really is better than seeing! Thank God that you believe in Jesus Christ, your risen Savior! And thank God that you have his Word here for you, in this church, to give you that faith in Christ! Praise the Lord!

The Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter Day
April 12, 2020

“Alleluia! Christ Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!” (Matthew 28:1-10)

“Alleluia! Christ is risen!” “He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”

“He is risen indeed!” Over many centuries, this is how the church has joyfully responded to the great Easter proclamation. Why such an exuberant response? Because of the glorious good news that precedes it, the news that Christ is risen. This good news of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ brings reassurance and restoration to troubled, weary hearts. His resurrection calls forth our joyous response. On this Easter Day, then, on this most glorious of mornings, the whole church in heaven and the church on earth–all across the earth–hears the good news, “Christ is risen,” and we rejoice to respond, “He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”

But first comes God’s word to us: “Christ is risen.” That’s what the angel said to the women at the tomb: “I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.” This is the great fact of the resurrection stated–or I should say, understated—in such simple yet profound words. The reality of the resurrection itself is the first thing that grabs our attention. Jesus really did die, he was buried, and he lay in the tomb since Friday. Now he is arisen, alive, risen from the dead! Jesus Christ is the destroyer of death and the Lord of life. By his resurrection from the dead, our Lord Jesus Christ is declared to be the Son of God in power. The grave could not hold him. Our Savior broke the chains of death, and by his resurrection he has brought life and immortality to light.

“I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. . . . He has risen.” This announcement by the angel brings together the two central events at the heart of the gospel, and they are: Christ’s death and Christ’s resurrection. On the cross, Jesus finished the work of our redemption. And now his resurrection declares the sufficiency of his saving work. The resurrection testifies to the infinite worth and the astonishing effect of his atoning sacrifice. You see, on the cross Jesus Christ made the perfect sacrifice for all the sins of the whole world. Nothing else would do.

This is the good news for you: The holy precious blood of God’s own Son saves you. God has acted to save you from your sins and from the death you deserve. God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, was crucified for you! This is how much God loves you! Amazing! What grace! What a gift! And as a result, God is now at peace with you! God is reconciled to us sinners–he must be–for the sacrifice of the Son has been accepted by the Father. Easter shows that Good Friday did the job. Nothing left to be done. It is finished, complete. Christ’s death paid for all our sin and overcame death itself. The crucifixion and the resurrection together declare the glory and grace of our God. And we hear it now in the angel’s words: “Jesus who was crucified . . . has risen.”

What’s more, says the angel, “He has risen, as he said.” Just as he said! Jesus himself had foretold his resurrection. Not only had he predicted his passion, his suffering and death, but with it he also promised that on the third day he would be raised to life. The disciples didn’t understand it at the time, but Jesus had told them, nonetheless. Therefore the resurrection attests to the truthfulness of all of Christ’s teachings. His words, all of them, are true and trustworthy. They are sound and sure. Indeed, they are Spirit and life. Jesus has the words of enteral life. There is nothing more trustworthy for you to rely on. You can stake your life on the word of Christ.

You know, right now we are facing a lot of uncertainty in our life. There are uncertainties about our health and safety. Can I leave my home and go out in public? There are uncertainties about our economic future. Will I have a job when this thing is over? When will that day come? Will my life savings be evaporated by then? Plenty of uncertainty for all of us.

But there is one thing that we can be absolutely sure of. And that is the completed work and trustworthy word of Christ. Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. And amid all the uncertainties of this life, we have this solid rock on which to stand: The promise of the Lord that he forgives us of our sins, he has given us eternal life, and he will come again and raise our bodies to live with him forever. This–this is most certainly true!

Friends, you can depend on what Jesus tells you. Follow him, keep on following him and listening to his voice, as he preaches his word to you, as he teaches you what it means to be his disciple. His words are trustworthy and true, as the resurrection so powerfully demonstrates. “He has risen, as he said.”

Now you would think this proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection would bring forth nothing but pure joy. But our text says that the women “departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy.” Yes, their joy was great, yet it was mixed with fear. They weren’t sure how to put this all together.

But Jesus meets the frightened women, and he calms their fears. “Greetings!” he says. “Be of good cheer,” in other words. Jesus reassures the women with the sound of his familiar voice. He greets them with a word of well-being. And happiness and joy certainly come to these women, now that they see their Lord before them and hear his voice.

Then Jesus gives them even more reassurance: “Do not be afraid.” Fear not, for the perfect love of Christ drives out our fears. The fear of punishment, the fear of God’s judgment, the fear of death–all these fears are overcome by the comforting voice of Jesus our Savior. Jesus speaks these same words of reassurance to us today: “Greetings! Do not be afraid. I have risen from the dead. I have conquered the grave. I have the keys of Death and Hades. They are a defeated enemy. Listen, I am not angry with you. God is not angry. Listen, I have good news for you! You are forgiven. You have life with me. I give it to you freely. Be reassured by my resurrection.”

So amazing is this grace of our risen Lord! And now he says to the women, “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” This is in reference to his disciples when he says, “Tell my brothers.” But think of it, these are the same disciples who had deserted and denied their Lord, in his hour of trial, just a few nights earlier. Yet here Jesus calls them his brothers. In doing so, Jesus is speaking pardon for their lack of faith. He is speaking restoration. Jesus is restoring them to his fellowship. Instead of saying, “Forget those guys, they blew it! They were faithless when it came to crunch time”–no, instead of that, Jesus says, “Go and tell my brothers.”

Restoration to fellowship–this is a gift that Christ gives to his disciples, both then and now. Today Jesus speaks his word of restoration to you, as well. Have you wandered from the faith? Have you absented yourself from the fellowship of Christ’s church? Today Jesus is restoring you. He is calling you back to himself, back to his family, the church. Jesus calls us sinners his brothers.

What hope, what riches are ours as a result! Martin Luther writes: “If now Christ is our brother, I would like to know what we still lack? Brethren in the flesh have common possessions, have together one father, one inheritance, else they would not be brethren. So we have common possessions with Christ, and have together one Father and one inheritance.”

Brothers and sisters, in Holy Baptism, you and I were united to Christ, and we were made God’s children. Now we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. Our Lord’s resurrection, then, is the guarantee of our own resurrection. Jesus’ resurrection life has been delivered to you in the waters of Holy Baptism. On this Easter Day, my fellow baptized Christians, take hope in the victory over death that Jesus gives you. You have been raised with Christ to newness of life even now, and on the day when Christ returns, we will share in his bodily resurrection and the life that lasts forever.

Dear friends, today the Lord’s messenger announces the good news of Easter to us: “Jesus who was crucified . . . has risen, as he said.” Today our risen Lord himself cheers us with his presence, his familiar and comforting voice speaking to us his reassuring, restorative words: “Greetings! Do not be afraid. I call you my brothers and sisters.” Now hearing these gospel words, what other response could we have but one of joy and worship? This is why we say, “He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” Today we join with all Christians around the world in one big joyous Easter worship. Temporary isolation cannot stop or muffle the joy that bursts out from within us.

Jesus Christ, our crucified Savior, is risen from the dead. He is here with us now, as we are gathered in his name. Our response then? We rejoice to worship him, to give our Lord the highest honor and praise. “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” “Therefore let us joyful be and sing to God right thankfully loud songs of alleluia!”

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Good Friday
April 2, 2021

“The Light Shines in the Darkness” (John 1:1-5, 9-14)

Tonight we’re doing a traditional Good Friday evening service called “Tenebrae.” The Latin word, “tenebrae,” means “shadows” or “darkness.” This is the Service of the Shadows, the Service of Darkness–moving to complete darkness at the end of the service. This reminds us of the darkness that came over the land when Christ was hanging on the cross, the great darkness that occurred when the author of life was put to death. And then his lifeless body was placed in the tomb, and night fell, and all was darkness and shadows. The loud noise that will come at the end of this service, called the “strepitus”–that will remind us either of the earthquake at the time of Christ’s death or of the shutting of the tomb, when the heavy stone is rolled into place. In either case, the sound will signify the finality of death. Boom! Death wins.

This is the time of darkness and shadows. It seems that darkness has covered the earth. The one who had done only good, a righteous man–murdered. The one who had brought healing and had shown God’s mercy to so many–dead. The one in whom men had put their hope, now has been killed, and hope died with him. Jesus of Nazareth–crucified, dead, and buried. Now what?

The light has gone out of the world. We sit in darkness and shadows. Look around you, and all you will see are dying people. You will see suffering and hurting people, people losing hope. Shadows everywhere. The shadow called cancer, casting its gloom over lives once bright and cheerful. The shadow of old age, which creeps up on all of us and turns our hair white, our skin wrinkled, and our bones brittle. There are other shadows, too, shadows called virus and violence, divorce and depression, debt and death. Deep, dark shadows, everywhere we turn.

We sit in darkness and in shadows. Look inside you. There you will find no light of your own. The heart of darkness lies within us all. There are dark, hidden places inside, places of lovelessness and lust, of selfishness and sin–vile places, ugly places. We try to hide those dark, hidden recesses from others–and we may succeed to some extent. We can put on a good show. We may try to hide the darkness from ourselves. We may even try to hide it from God. But the fact is, that is not going to work. God sees the darkness in our heart. Don’t kid yourself.

Shadows and darkness, death and grief and sadness. People hurting other people, people hurting themselves. People turning their backs on God, wanting nothing to do with God. They have no desire to listen to God’s word. Men and women become their own gods, each one living for self, following the desires of their own sinful heart. The prevailing opinions in the pop culture–this is what people think they need to go along with. Such is our society in 2021. People have no use for God or for his church. Headline this week: “U.S. Church Membership Falls Below Majority for First Time.” We are living in a post-Christian culture. Darkness all around us.

But the darkness has been around a long time. It was there when Jesus came into this world, this land of shadows. He came bringing light with him, light from above. “In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” The eternal Son of God was coming into the world, the one who was in the beginning with God: the Word, the Logos, through whom the heavens and the earth were created, when God said, “Let there be light.” This is Jesus, the Word made flesh, the one who declares, “I am the light of the world.”

“The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” Here was the true light, but men preferred the darkness. They wanted to extinguish the light, because the light was exposing their evil deeds. That’s how we humans are. We want to hide from God, to keep his searchlight from shining in the dark recesses that we’re trying to keep hidden. That’s how sin works. And so they kill the author of life. They get him condemned falsely and nailed to a cross. Darkness falls over the land. The last candle, it seems, is going out. Extinguished. Snuffed out. Nothing but darkness. Is this the end of the story? It sure seems that way. Strepitus! Boom! Death wins.

Is this the end? No, it’s just the beginning. St. John tells us the truth: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The loud noise, the strepitus, the sound of the stone being rolled into place and sealing the tomb–that sound will be matched on Easter morning when the stone is rolled away. The loud noise, the strepitus, the sound of the earthquake when Jesus dies–that will be matched on Easter morning at the earthquake when he rises. The darkness over the land on Friday will yield to the light dawning on Sunday. Look for the return of the light this Sunday morning. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Sunday’s light comes out of Friday’s darkness. Ironically, the light of Christ is shining at its brightest in his dying. This is how the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. It is when Christ is lifted up on the cross that he shines like a beacon in the night, giving light to everyone in the world. For there on the cross Jesus took all our dark deeds, our heart of darkness, everything that causes pain and sadness and death–he took it all into himself. He became sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Our beautiful Savior shines fairest when he takes the darkness of death from us and replaces it with his light and life. Good Friday darkness leads to Easter resurrection light.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Jesus said, “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” And so now “God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” You who believe in Christ, you have the light.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” Or what shall I fear? Shall I fear condemnation and judgment? No, Christ has won forgiveness for our sins and release from our guilt. Shall I fear the Grim Reaper, Death itself? No, Christ has conquered death by his death and resurrection. Shall I fear loneliness or loss, despair or decline? No, because Christ has placed us into his loving family, the church, where we care for one another. Shall I fear whatever is my thorn in the flesh? No, for God’s grace is sufficient for me, his strength is made perfect in weakness. Whom shall I fear? No one.

Whom shall I thank? The triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father of lights, who gives us every good gift from above. His Son, Jesus Christ, the light of the world, by whose death and resurrection we have light and life. And the Holy Spirit, who enlightens our minds, working faith in our hearts through the light of the gospel. Yes, dear friends, tonight we may sit in the shadows, but, thank God, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Palm Sunday/ Sunday of the Passion
March 28, 2021

“Hosanna!” (John 12:11-19)

Today is Palm Sunday, and if there is a “word of the day” for this day, it’s “Hosanna!” How often do we see that word show up in our service today! We started the service by saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David.” Then we heard the Gospel reading, where the crowd cries out, “Hosanna!” As we processed in, we sang the refrain six times, “To whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.” And we concluded the procession by saying, “Hosanna in the highest.” So before we even sat down, we heard or said or sang “hosanna,” nine times! And when we get done singing “Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” and “Ride On, Ride On in Majesty,” you can add four more “hosannas” to the list, for a total of thirteen. Truly the word of the day for Palm Sunday is “Hosanna!”

Now what is the meaning of this word, as we have used it and heard it being used? When the crowd at Jerusalem cried, “Hosanna!” and when we today sing, “Hosanna!” the word is being used as an acclamation, an ascription of praise. We are welcoming and praising Jesus as the great King. When the crowd shouted, “Hosanna!” they added, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And in our “hosanna hymns” today, we acclaim Jesus with lines like, “All glory, laud, and honor to you, Redeemer, King,” and “For Christ is our Redeemer, the Lord of heav’n our King.” To say “Hosanna!” then is something like saying, “Hail the conquering hero!” or “Hail to our coming King!” Clearly “Hosanna!” is being used as an acclamation, an ascription of praise.

But that’s not exactly what the word means, literally, if you translate it from the Hebrew. You see, there’s one “hosanna” that we missed, and we didn’t even notice it. It was back in Psalm 118, verse 25, where it says, “Save us, we pray, O Lord!” But you say, “That doesn’t use the word, ‘hosanna.’” Well, yes it does, if you say it in the original Hebrew. The word, “hosanna,” or, as it’s pronounced, “hoshi’ah na,” literally means, and is translated there as, “Save us, we pray!” “Save now, deliver now, we pray you, we beseech you!” That’s what “hoshi’ah na” actually means. Originally “Hosanna!” was a prayer to the Lord for salvation, a plea for deliverance.

The crowd at Jerusalem, then, uses that plea for deliverance as a shout of acclamation. The prayer for salvation becomes an ascription of praise. They are praising Jesus precisely because they believe he is coming to save them, to deliver them. They are acclaiming him as the coming Messiah, sent by God to be the new and great king from the line of David, to deliver Israel from all her foes.

Now they’re right and they’re wrong at the same time. They’re right, in that Jesus is indeed the great Messiah, the deliverer sent by God to save his people. Only it will be a salvation and deliverance much bigger than they realize. And it will happen, it will come about, in a way much stranger than they expect.

Their hosannas sell Jesus a little short. He is much more than just a new national king, who will restore Israel to her glory days–peace and prosperity, and get the Romans out of town. Jesus has bigger fish to fry than that.

But, hey, are we any better? We’d be happy with a religion that validates us as we are, affirms us, makes us comfortable, makes us feel good about ourselves. We would gladly welcome a king who could boost our economy, lower our gas prices, and put an end to the virus and the face masks. That kind of a king would get lots of hosannas and look real good in the opinion polls.

But Jesus comes with a bigger and better salvation than that. He’s going to deal with a bigger problem, the underlying problem that produces all the other problems–the ones we see and the ones we don’t see or realize or admit. And that big problem is our sin. Oh, not just the sins of those other people, the bad people, the immoral people, the people we look down upon. But our own sins, the sins of us good and respectable people, God’s people, whether we’re talking temple-going Israelites or church-going Lutherans. Our sins–that’s what we need a deliverer for, a Savior. “Save us, we pray, O Lord!” “Hoshi’ah na!”

And here’s where Jesus fits the bill. In fact, his very name means, “Savior.” Remember what the angel had said: “And you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” The name “Jesus” in Hebrew is “Yehoshu’a,” and it comes from the same root as our word of the day, “hoshi’ah na.” Jesus is “Yehoshu’a,” literally, “The Lord saves.” He is the answer to our prayer, “Save us, we pray, O Lord!”

That’s why Jesus rides into Jerusalem, to do just that. But how he does it–there is the great surprise. If the word of the day on Palm Sunday is “Hosanna!” the word of the day on Friday will be “Crucify!” Another day, another crowd, a quite different mood and a quite different reception. Instead of an enthusiastic “Hosanna to the Son of David,” there will be a mocking “Hail, King of the Jews!” Instead of palm branches, a crown of thorns and a wooden cross. No longer is the prayer and the praise, “Save us, we pray, O Lord!” “Hosanna!” On Friday it will be mockery and insult: “Save yourself, and come down from the cross!” “He saved others; he cannot save himself.”

No, he cannot save himself. Because that is how, ironically, he will save others. That is how he saves you and me. Jesus is our Savior, our Yehoshu’a, precisely by not saving himself from this death he most assuredly does not deserve. Jesus saves us from our sins by dying for them, in our place. This is the bigger and better salvation that he brings. We needed a Savior to deliver us from ourselves, to deliver us from the death and judgment we earned by our sins against God. God sends that deliverer, his only Son come from heaven, the only one who can do the job, the only one whose sinless life and holy blood are sufficient to cover the sins of the whole world.

That is the strange way, the surprising way, that our conquering hero has conquered death for us. By his all-atoning death, Christ Jesus has won for us forgiveness for all our sins, and, with that forgiveness, life that comes out of the tomb–next Sunday at Easter, when he comes out of his own tomb, and at the Last Day, when he comes again and empties out our tombs and raises us up to life everlasting. So don’t sell Jesus short! His salvation is bigger than we can possibly imagine! Our hosannas now are just not big enough! But we’ll have a whole eternity to sing them to their fullest!

That reminds me, there’s one set of hosannas we haven’t mentioned yet. And that’s the hosannas we will sing in the Sanctus in just a few minutes: “Hosanna! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” We will sing those hosannas right as Jesus rides into this temple today, to give us his body and blood in the Sacrament. Again, he comes in humble, lowly fashion. But as of old he comes now having salvation to bestow. In the Blessed Sacrament, our blessed Lord gifts us with the sign and seal of salvation in his body and blood, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.

“Hosanna!” “Save us, we pray, O Lord!” The Lord does exactly that, in this humble king riding into Jerusalem and coming to us now in this service. If “Hosanna!” is the word of the day for Palm Sunday, then so is “Jesus.” “Yehoshu’a” is God’s answer to our “Hoshi’ah na!” And so our prayer for salvation becomes also our song of praise: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”