What was the difference between the pharisee and the Tax collector in today’s familiar parable? It wasn’t just their station in life; it was a matter of how they viewed themselves. Today’s parable shows the contrast between pride and humility and how God views either attitude.

The Pharisee saw nothing wrong with himself. ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ I guess it was nice that he thanked God, but the reason why he thanked God was pretty messed up. Thank you that I am not like others who are sinners in various ways, and that I fast and I tithe. Is there anything wrong with tithing, that is giving 10 percent of all income back to the Lord? Of course not! In fact, it would be wonderful if everyone could or would give that much back unto the Lord in joy and gratitude. Was there anything wrong with fasting? (That is of course, going without food for a set time) No. Fasting is a way of disciplining the body and was commended in the Old and New Testaments as a good thing, in fact, so much the better if it is done as a personal sign of repentance. Was there repentance in the heart of the pharisee? No. The fasting and the tithing were signs of repentance and humility for the Pharisee, but a source of pride, a chance for him to show others how good he was. He did it for his credit, not as unto the Lord in thankfulness and mercy. He was thankful, but only in pride that he was better than others, including the tax collector. This man was not repentant, and he stood proudly before God, not even giving God credit for the good works done through him. No, he was a self made man of exceptional quality, nothing to repent of…that pride which shows itself in refusal to acknowledge sin is why he was not forgiven. His tithes, his fasts did him no spiritual good nor credit, because he did not do it in faith and humility.

Pride is dangerous. Of course, he was a sinner. His prayer even showed that. He was worshipping himself not the Lord. But he was too lost in his pride to see it. He was too convinced of his good spiritual health to see the horrible stench of spiritual death within himself.

We see the same kind of pride today. Although it is not always pride in churchly good works. We see people take pride in their sin and their shame. Yes, there are those church goers who take pride in the same way as the Pharisee who look at those who have sinned and say, “Look how good I am”, and “I don’t need to repent for I am so virtuous”. But the spirit of today actually calls sin and pride in it, “a virtue”, and the protection and promotion of those who do it is a new form of righteousness. It is terrible and destructive, but that is the nature of pride.

Are you and I immune from pride? Be honest. The answer is “no”. If you, or I, like the pharisee or the others I just mentioned try to minimize, excuse, justify, or qualify our sins of the heart, mind, and action…If we refuse to look in the mirror or attempt to cover our ears to the rebuke of God’s Law which is accurately accusing you through Scripture or the admonishment of a brother or sister in Christ, how are we any better than the Pharisee or the world in its pride?

Sin is serious business. It is actually a spiritual wound and separation from God. Pride in our sin or pride in our perceived righteousness and good works is not faith, but that which brings us under condemnation and separation from God.

What is it then that makes a man or woman justified before the Lord? Keeping the Law? Well, yes of course, if you can keep it in full. But who can? Nobody. Therefore, let us take a lesson from the tax collector in this morning’s Gospel. The only way to be justified before the Lord, is to be repentant, to be humble, to acknowledge our sin, to forsake our pride, and He will justify you in Christ. What is repentance? It is not “I am sorry I got caught,” it isn’t “I am sorry for that sin but look forward to doing it again.” It isn’t giving yourself over to your temptation and accepting it as just part of your identity.

Repentance is truly being sorry as in, “I don’t want to do this again. I was wrong, I am wrong. I do want to change. I don’t deserve mercy, but without mercy, without God’s power and strength, there is no hope for change or forgiveness for me, O Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner.

Jesus said: “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” That is the key. Humble yourself before the Lord in hope and repentance and He shall exalt you. He shall lift you up. That is what the tax collector did. When the tax collector went to the temple, what did do and say? Almost completely different from the Pharisee, he would not even lift his eyes to heaven but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’

That prayer is our prayer, at least it needs to be. “God be merciful to me, a sinner. And for the sake of Jesus Christ by faith in Him, God is merciful. For the sake of mercy Jesus came, so that those who are led to see their sinful and spiritually dead condition may hope for forgiveness and change. Jesus was and is the perfect and righteous man, the Son of God, yet He died on the cross to take our unrighteousness upon Himself, so that we may be forgiven by faith in Him and His sacrifice.

Here’s a good question for us to ponder: Was the tax collector forgiven and then freed to go back to ripping people off and overcharging them in his vocation as tax collector? No. What does that mean for you and me?

We come here and we confess our sins, and we hear the announcement of absolution in Jesus Christ. We remember our baptisms, we hear God’s Word preached in our ears, we eat Christ’s crucified and raised body and blood for the forgiveness of sins, strengthening of faith, and preparation for life eternal, but are we thinking about the greatness of God’s mercy in that? The magnificent power that He shares with us by His Holy Spirit? Do we just go home justified only to look for ways to judge others or go back to our sin using God’s grace as an excuse to sin all the more? Heaven forbid!

St. Paul said in today’s epistle lesson: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

God saved us from death, by His grace and grants it through faith in Him. You and I are freed from the bondage of death and darkness, but not freed to go back to our sin. Here He works on our hearts and minds through His Word and Sacrament to bring repentance, but to then to also be re-created in Christ Jesus to do good works to His glory, by His power, to be as Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, were supposed to be.

This is not as difficult as it sounds. It just means live in humble joy in Christ. Jesus Christ has died on the cross for you, oh, sinner! So now live each day in His grace by faith, focus on the cross, keep remembering you have no good apart from Christ and live in constant amazement at His mercy. Eagerly come to church not because you have to, but because this is where He gives you His presence and His gifts. This is where He works on you to give you mercy and strength by the ongoing forgiveness of sins. Then you can care-fully speak to others as one forgiven, not as one who is better in their own holiness and “faith walk”, but as ones who are seeking and desiring the repentance and salvation of others so that they can share in God’s grace and salvation with us. You can and should then give offerings as you are able with joy in response to what God has given you in Jesus Christ.

Dear friends, you have been justified, forgiven for the sake of Jesus Christ! Live humbly, with pride only in the cross and God’s grace. Rejoice and live by God’s grace and faith until He brings us to rest with Him for eternal life. In Jesus Christ, Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

“Err on the side of the Gospel” is what we pastors are sometimes told. That doesn’t mean put the best construction on a person when rumors are heard or when trying to understand a person’s motivation. The phrase “To err on the side of the Gospel” is almost always said as a form of permissiveness. To give permission for wrong practice, sinful lifestyles, decisions, the casting away of Scriptural teaching, while claiming it is to be done “for the sake of the Gospel”; so that people are not turned off or turned away to the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, supposedly.
Sometimes we get confused in today’s modern Christianity. A “Christianity” which seems to tend more towards excuses: almost an “anything goes” mentality. Whether we are talking morally, ethically, liturgically. We hear this: “Don’t be mean. Don’t be close minded. Don’t offend. Don’t judge.” “We are saved by grace through faith, right? Everybody sins, so why not just love people and let grace abound?”

The truth is: Grace is not permission to be sinful. A permission to indulge the flesh. It is not permission to make excuses and take the easy way out. God does not and did not redeem humanity through the precious life and death of Jesus Christ to give you, me, or anyone else permission to sin willfully, wantonly, and unashamedly.

Any pastor, any so-called teacher, who gives permission to relax the teachings/doctrines of Holy Scripture, the laws, rules, and recommendations of Scripture are to be judged. Not by me, but by the Words of Jesus Christ Himself in this morning’s Gospel: “whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Once again: Grace is not permission to do whatever we want, whenever we want, and then just expect to be given a pass by God.

However, this does mean that it is ok to add to the Law or to use it to build oneself up in pride. Do you remember the scribes and pharisees? They were the experts in the Law. The Pharisees not only tried to abide by the letter of the law in the 10 commandments, but they even added to those Laws in order to become righteous in the sight of God and their communities. “Righteous” means to be blameless in the eyes of the Law. Doing what is “right”. Jesus said: “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

How can our righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees? Are we saved by the righteousness that comes from the works of the Law? The answer: yes. Yes, we are saved by the righteousness that come from the works of the Law. How is it possible to be saved by the works of the Law? We are born into original sin. Even if we try to follow the Law in every way, we all still daily sin much, not only that, but we often use “original sin” and the universality of sin as an excuse for adding to our debt, by breaking the Law of God willingly, proudly, in thought, word, and deed.

So how can you, me, or anybody else have a righteousness that exceeds the scribes and pharisees by the obedience to the Law? How are we saved by the works of the Law?

Through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the one whose righteousness far surpasses the artificial and imperfect righteousness of the pharisees and scribes and ourselves. The sinless Son of God came and joined Himself to flesh and bone and loved God perfectly in our stead, He loved His neighbor perfectly, in our stead. He ministered and loved even those who seemed to be outcasts and the greatest sinners of society. Yes, He ate and drank with those who were prostitutes and tax collectors among others, but such is what they “were”: past tense. Jesus did not give them permission “to keep on sinning on”, for them to “you be you”, to “go back to that same old sin and way of life”. He did not give permission, but He did give forgiveness of sin, and a release from the bondage to temptation to pridefully sin, He took away the guilt of sin. He came to save you and me not so that we could sin boldly so that grace may abound, but that we could be freed from sin by Grace in order to be the people God originally created us to be: new and holy creations now in Jesus Christ.

In order to bring that righteousness to the unrighteous, Jesus also had to take the place of sinners in the judgement that sin deserved. A painful death, a rejection and judgement by God at Golgotha, to experience hell upon the cross. It was not the flood of Noah’s days, nor the fire and brimstone at Sodom and Gamorrah, where God’s terrifying presence and wrath upon the sin of the world was witnessed here on earth. It was here at the cross of Jesus. this has become the place of ultimate Sacrifice, Golgatha is the true mount Zion, the mountain of deliverance. Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it, for you.

In the flood of Holy Baptism you have been brought into that sacrificial death, into Jesus Christ’s righteousness by the obedience of the Law. He has taken you into Himself, so that you and your sinful flesh would be crucified with Him, your sins buried in the tomb, and now you are and have been raised with Him in newness of life. You have died to sin, to be made alive by His grace, to believe in Him, and do the works of the Law in the righteousness of Christ by His Spirit even now in this life.

Do we cease from sinning here on earth? Can we become perfected in soul and mind here on earth? The heretical Nazarene church and others would say “yes”. The Bible says: No.

The progressive churches and false teachers would say to that, if you can’t be perfect, then sin all you want and do so with pride. No.

Neither is a correct reaction to God’s love, grace, nor the freeing power of Jesus Christ’s work of atonement for sin.
We cannot ourselves perfectly fulfill the demands of the Law as long as this stubborn fallen flesh clings to us. That does not mean we should give up and give ourselves permission to sin, nor does it mean that we should judge whether or not we are saved by the numbers of our good deeds or measure ourselves against others.

We should realize that we do not want to sin because it separates us from God and destroys our faith. Therefore, we should measure ourselves according to the Law in repentance, returning in hope again to the Gospel: to the cross of Jesus Christ. This is the only place where life changing, life giving, forgiving of sin is given. Returning to our baptisms, to the place where Jesus has placed His sign and seal of His Spirit upon us. We confess our sins in true contrition, being sorry, not wanting to return to sin, not excusing ourselves, not placing ourselves back in those situations where we are sure to fall again into temptation.

We are then made pure once more by the blood of Jesus. We are given the power of Christ’s forgiveness once more. We are freed to be His people. To live in humility, to be selfless, to be kind to one another, tender hearted, caring. To lift one another and encourage one another in our earthly journey and pilgrimage to the Promised land of God’s eternal heavenly glory.

God comes to us and gives us the wisdom of His Word, His sacraments, the liturgy, the teachings and doctrine through which the Holy Spirit feeds us and guides into all Truth as We live in Christ, having been anointed in God’s Triune name. To sustain us, and give us strength against temptation, He affirms His truth and His love and His bond to us by coming to us in Christ’s crucified and raised body and blood in the bread and wine. Here we are reminded that Jesus has overcome the world. He has overcome even our weakness and sin, and as we abide in Him, He will abide in us with His grace and power.

Dear friends, remember, to relax the Law and to give permission for willfully sinning is really to take away from the work of Christ. It is abusing God’s grace. It is saying “God, you are a sucker, we don’t appreciate you or Christ’s sacrifice. We don’t believe it. We only believe in ourselves.” Lord preserve us from this unbelief!
Let us, instead, stand firm in the freedom of the Law fulfilled, free to be Christian, His redeemed children. We have His righteousness which exceeds the pharisees and scribes, the righteousness of Christ Jesus who fulfilled the Law for you. We are a new creation because we have been brought into Christ and have His power. As God told us through St. Paul: “We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. So, you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

In Jesus Christ, we will be kept in that baptismal grace for forgiveness and life, until we receive “in full” the resurrection of our bodies in Jesus Christ. Jesus, who shall come again to take us where we shall live forever with Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. This is most certainly true, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

How do we get somebody else to listen to us and what we have to say? In our culture today, it seems that people think they can only be heard if they scream, yell, and shout. Maybe they shout out a concern, then they yell insults, they scream in rage and threatening tone, or they constantly snipe and nag as they wail and screech at each other. Very few people ask honest questions, it seems, and even fewer people, it seems, are willing to listen. But it is hard to listen even as it is difficult to speak quietly because it almost seems like nobody is actually interested in conversation and listening to each other, but are only interested in being right or getting their way, and so they shout others down even if they are not threatened. Then the cycle continues and gets larger and worse as others pick up the habit, so that nobody believes that they can be heard or respected unless they are the loudest, the most visible, the most destructive. We as a nation have become like the worst of toddlers responding to one another in tantrums and violent outbursts.

When toddlers behave like that. When they start kicking things, throwing things around the house, punching walls, punching brothers, sisters, or even parents, what should be done? What do you think? Should they be given their way? Oh, ok little sunflower, I will give you what you want. Here you go. Is that the way to handle it. Well only if you want that child to think that it is good, acceptable, and profitable to be a violent shouting bully brat. What that child really needs is rebuke and punishment. “You cannot have a temper tantrum when you do not get your way.” You cannot fuss, cry, shriek, shout, threaten, and then abuse and destroy objects and property that is not your own or hurt or harm people verbally or physically just because you feel outraged until you get your way.” Such behavior of selfish rage is unacceptable. It is uncivil. It is certainly unchristian. It is and will be harmful to everyone, a recipe for raising violent, unhappy, and selfish people whose behavior will only worsen over time. Unchecked, our human selfish nature, which is so clearly exhibited by childish tantrums, will only grow worse, more evil and hurtful with age if the evil within us, begins to see that it gets rewarded and gets it way for misbehavior rather than begin restrained by receiving the punishment it deserves.

What are we to do? Theodore Roosevelt once said that the best foreign policy was “to speak softly but carry a big stick”. The big stick meant to be ready in case of war. To speak softly meant to be sincere and truthful, to seek justice, never bluff, but always show respect and be willing to allow the other person (or nation) to save face in defeat.

What does that mean for a Christian? Well, as good Lutheran Christians, we should examine ourselves. The stick that accompanies us, should not be our own power and might nd pride, but it is to be the power of God’s Word and His Spirit. Have we used God’s Word and are interested in Truth or only our own way and building ourselves up? Ask yourself: “Have I been guilty of abusing others, by talking over them, shouting them down, disrespecting and insulting them, or just not listening to them?” Have we been sincere and truthful, showing respect to others, and allowing them to save face if and when we need to rebuke someone in error using God’s Word in humility and love?

Or do we think that we have been a victim of unjust actions? At that time, you have two proper options, go to that person and express your concern in the most sincere way without anger or vengeance in your heart, without wanting to make someone feel bad but rather to enact forgiveness, or you can let it go and forgive, and hope that if there is a next time, you can think of a way to disarm that person in a spirit of respect even as you attempt to rebuke the manner of the other person.

If we are honest with ourselves, we see that we have failed in treating others the way we would wish to be treated. We have also gotten caught up in the evil and selfish spirit of our flesh and the world and the cycle of cruelty. This is a spiritual ill, a sin that has flooded the world and can only be checked and changed by another voice: A still small voice. The voice of God Himself.

God, of course, can speak in howling wind, rumbling earthquake, or blazing fire, and honestly because of our sin, we deserve to receive the deafening and deadening roar of God’s voice of condemnation and the heat of the flames of true justice. In many ways He does use events in our lives and around us whether it be a pandemic, uncertain financial markets, roving bands of protestors and rioters, gangs, or even scorching heat and drought or flood, or whatever discomfort it may be. God can and will use these conditions of our sinful world to turn us back to Him and to where He speaks most clearly and profoundly to us: in the still, peaceful, and comforting voice of the Word of Law and Gospel. The key to understanding God’s voice and His word is expressed in this passage from Hebrews: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but now in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”

In our Gospel text Jesus spoke to Simon Peter in simple terms through simple words, to go out to sea, to drop his nets into the water, and in this simple command came the effect of God’s powerful Word, a great catch! Then Simon Peter reacted in the same way that Elijah did in our Old Testament lesson, he realized that God had revealed Himself, and was present with him in a supernatural way. He didn’t act disrespectful or casual or that it was no big deal or like “yeah, why wouldn’t God hang out with me?” Instead he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Simon knowing his sin, knew his unworthiness for the Lord to come to him, yet Jesus did and what was Jesus’ message: “Don’t be afraid.” This is the message that we need to hear when we realize the enormity of our sin, when we understand how we cannot put all our hopes in this life, in the governments of this world, the medical community, or anything or anyone else. We need to tune out those loud and screaming voices and the selfish voice within our own soul which crying out in pride. Instead, we need to return to the place of the crucifixion, to hear the voice in the midst of the shouts and insults of the cruel mockers speak in relative whisper, “Father forgive them” and “It is finished”. The cross of Jesus Christ does not even need to speak in order to convey the words of God’s Law and His Gospel for you and me. It is God’s justice and wrath that Jesus had to die for our sins, but we see and hear His love and mercy all wrapped up into one moment in history.

These words and this message may seem to be foolishness and stumbling blocks to unbelievers, but it is the message of salvation: of your salvation. This cross is God showing His love for humanity in His own humanity taking our sin away.

This is the stick from which we are able to speak softly to others. We speak Christ crucified to them, even as you and I were spoken to in God’s still small voice through Jesus Christ. For the Lord still speaks, not always in great oratory and speeches, but by His Holy Scriptures, through the pastors and teachers called to proclaim Him publicly. He speaks through the simple Words of Holy Baptism where He declares people to be His own and washes them in the blood of that cross of Jesus bringing them into the hope and promise of eternal life by faith in Him.

He speaks through the simple words of absolution in answer to our confession of unworthiness and for the sake of Christ, He proclaims that we are forgiven and renewed again.

He speaks life and comfort in the words of Institution and in the words, “Take eat, and take drink”. In this sacrament we are visited by God’s supernatural presence and it should be taken seriously, yet, in faith, fear Him not. He desires that you take this in faith in His own words for your benefit and good: for the forgiveness of sins. Doubt not. Do not believe those who teach otherwise.

And the Lord continues to speak through you who have now heard His Word and have been gathered to Him by faith. Now you through your words, your actions, and your vocations can speak to a world that no longer understands the simple dignity and respect that all men and women deserve who are born and yet unborn. You do not have to shout others down, nor do you have to fear if unbelievers try to shout you down. Speak softly and purely God’s Word. You have the hope and joy of forgiveness and God’s love for you in Jesus Christ. And you know what? He knows your voice. He hears you in your thoughts, your songs, your actions, your prayers, sorrows, and joys, and He is leading you onward, heavenward, giving you all that you need not only for your body, but your soul. Faith to be gathered to Him here, to listen to and know His voice, to follow His cross even unto eternal life, in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

Today’s Gospel lesson contains a line that is one of the most misquoted, wrongly understood, and wrongly applied lines of Scripture. I know that sounds like a bit of an overstatement, but it’s not. The words and meaning of this text is butchered, time and time again. These words in particular from verse 37: “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned.” These words are part of a much larger context; a lengthy discourse known as “the Sermon on the Plain.”

The 6 verses for today’s Gospel lesson are just a small portion of that great sermon. The danger of course, is that when you pluck a few words or a few phrases out of context, things go badly quickly. This is often the case with these particular words of Christ. In fact, we can get so tunnel-visioned in our reading/hearing of Scripture, that even in the case of these six verses, we only really tend to focus on the two words, “Judge not.” The whole world it seems and even we can quote those two words perfectly, especially when we’re feeling accused, challenged, oppressed, or demonized for our personal choices and behaviors. Everything else in the text remains a blur. It’s like the rest of the words aren’t even there. “Judge not.” That’s all our flesh wants to know. When we want to defend ourselves, that’s all we need to know. And during our self-defense, that’s all everyone else needs to know.

I know this may or may not surprise you, but those words don’t mean what everyone seems to think they do. Those words do not mean that Christians are prohibited from distinguishing /judging between what is good and what is evil; between goodness and sinfulness. So often today people say “You can’t judge me! You can’t tell me that my behavior is bad. How dare you! Judge not, lest ye be judged!” (It is amazing how EVERYONE can quote Scripture when it suits them, right?)

This is NOT the meaning of this text. It is neither a justification for sin, nor is it condemning a loving admonishing against sin. The Lord is preaching against a critical, unloving, unmerciful, puffing yourself up kind of attitude. An attitude that despises others, saying “I am holier than you. I am better than you. I am above you.” “I have no sin worthy of being judged.” That’s not an attitude of gracious forgiveness and mercy. That is not an attitude of concern and love. That’s an attitude of condemnation and self-righteousness. It is a pietistic, Pharisaical attitude that only seeks to condemn and lord over others. 

Jesus says these famous words as a warning against a self-righteous attitude that would write people off and condemn them wholesale: “For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
“Be merciful, just as as your Father is merciful.” How often we forget that. How often we don’t even hear that part…even though they’re the FIRST words of the text! Yet that’s the whole key to understanding and making sense of this text! Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. What does that mean except we are in need of mercy? All are in need of mercy, believers and non-believers alike. Sinners all have logs in their eyes. Blinded by our sin, our pride, our desire to justify ourselves in our sin or in our perceived “holiness”, we cannot lead anyone anywhere except into a pit and together be judged to eternal hell because of that condemning sin.

So, remove that log in your eye. But how? By admitting it. Measuring by God’s Law our own lack of worthiness and disobedience and allowing the Spirit to move us into “seeing” that by thought, word, and deed we have sinned against God and our neighbor, we repent to God. We actually are sorry that we sinned. We plead for mercy from the Father for the sake of the Son, Jesus Christ.

Mercy is what we need because our own sin has caused us to be separated from God. We need to be reconciled to Him. This is different than any reconciliation here on earth because there is no fault on God’s side. He has no sins to confess. The confessing is all one way, yet, God for the love of His fallen creation sent the Son, Jesus Christ, to come to earth and take upon Himself our sin, dying on the cross in the place of sinners. All so that there can be hope. Hope for reconciliation for sinners to be given mercy and forgiveness because Jesus stands in the gap that our sins have made. For the sake of Jesus those who confess their sins and hope in Jesus by faith are declared absolved of their sins, forgiven for His sake. We are justified by His gracious act of salvation and the righteousness of Christ is imputed, that is, put upon us and our account as believers.

But those who show no mercy and those who justify their sin have declared that they don’t need mercy and so they receive no mercy because of their self-righteousness. This is sad and grieves us and all believers. That is why when those who have been locked in their sins or those who have always been self-righteous in their sin against us, come into our lives it is actually an opportunity to show them mercy. We try to love them and point them to Jesus Christ. We do not bear a grudge against them, but we pray for them, and show kindness to them. We desire that they be reconciled to God through Jesus and through Him and His love, they can also then become reconciled to us and then forgiveness can abound. Let us also seek this kind of reconciliation in all that we do, as we do it unto the Lord who has been so merciful and continues to be so merciful to each one of us.

St. Paul writes in Romans 12: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Joseph in our Old Testament lesson pointed to this Christlike love for his brothers; brothers who had sold him into slavery as an alternative to the original idea of killing him. Yet God upheld Joseph for the sake of the Israelites and for the sake of the repentance and reconciliation of those same brothers. Reconciliation not only to Joseph but also to God. Joseph did not repay their evil with evil but did what was honorable, charitable, and merciful. His own brothers who had declared him an enemy came to him hungry when he had the power of Egypt behind him, yet he fed them. He was not overcome by evil, but by God’s grace, evil was overcome by good. In this way, the brothers were finally brought to the point of confessing their sin, clearing their conscience, and were redeemed and forgiven by Joseph and by the Lord.

This steadfastness in love in mercy is not something that is natural to us. It is foreign to our flesh and the ability to do so comes only from the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God, He takes us who were His enemies and heaps the coals of God’s fiery Law and Gospel to cleanse us, and then puts out the flame which would destroy us by the waters of Holy Baptism, not only as we were once baptized but as we return to its power every time that we repent, confess, and are absolved in Jesus Christ. In Christ, then we are no longer enemies of God. We no longer try to defend our sin, nor put our trust in our own self-righteousness, but lean upon Christ and pray for His strength to be His worthy loving children because we have been freed to do so and we are glad to live under His grace and mercy.

Then as we struggle and strain under the weight of our flesh, the taunts of the world, and Satan which hates what is good, let us remember that the Lord invites us to return and live by His strength, quenching our spiritual thirst with His Word calming our hearts and minds by His wisdom. He feeds us Christ’s body and blood in the bread and wine and reconciles us once again to Himself and unites us with our brothers and sisters here in this place with whom we live in constant reconciliation. If we fail each other, He gives us the humility and love to confess and reconcile once more. Each day we are able learn in our lives and in His sacraments how great His mercy is for you and me in Jesus Christ our crucified and risen Savior, Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

Have you ever lost your wallet or purse? The value of the cash or the credit cards are not diminished just because they are lost or misplaced. Although they are out of sight, they no longer cease to be what they are. However, as you search the house, the apartment or the car, you may begin to wonder what if it is not misplaced? What if it has been stolen? If stolen, then there is the worry about the money lost, but what if it has fallen into the wrong hands? Could our identity be stolen and compromised? The effects and results of identity theft could be felt for years and create numerous problems for us. But this isn’t a commercial for lifelock or some other security company.

No, there is another force that wishes to steal, entice, lead away, and compromise your more important identity in Jesus Christ: the devil, himself. He will use the weakness of our flesh, our curiosity, our laziness, our fear to lead us astray from the one who has redeemed us as His precious possession, even Jesus Christ. And that is so often what we do, we take for granted the shepherd, or the one who keeps our house and heart in order, and we wander or try to escape God’s grasp. Perhaps we are tempted to stop coming to church for a time. Look at how so many have. The souls, minds, and hearts of those led astray are like a wallet or purse left alone on a park bench, ripe for the plucking by the Satanic foe who waits to consume, to destroy, to waste, and bring to condemnation. For those who were brought up in the church, but have ceased coming, not only are they in jeopardy or already consumed, but then also their children are raised without hearing God’s word, without receiving the grace and the gift of God through Jesus Christ in Holy Baptism through which faith is created. Without faith in Jesus Christ, without the understanding that one is lost and condemned in their sin, with no repentance and hope in the gracious redemption of Jesus Christ who was crucified for that very sin, they are left in their sin. It would be as crazy as if an animal that wandered were to reject and bite the hand of its caring master. A wallet or purse that rejects its owner. That is how odd it is for people to reject the grace of God, to take His care for granted, and yet they do. You and I do too. When we sin without thinking about it, without repenting, going after the things and the ways of this world, well is there hope for us?

Well if you had lost your wallet or purse and you had just about given up hope, but then someone recovers it for you, wouldn’t you rejoice? That means wouldn’t you have your joy restored; to be joyful again. Of course, you would. You would be relieved because you would no longer have to be afraid for yourself and what is yours.

With the parables Jesus spoke in today’s Gospel, He was explaining what God does. He seeks and saves. But unlike us humans who search for our lost coin because it means we are unable to use the coin or wallet or purse or are worried what will happen to us if it rolls into the wrong hands, God is concerned with the coin and the sheep for its own good, for its own value. For the sake of mercy, He worries that it will be misused, abused, and consumed.

Therefore, He searches, and pursues in order to restore that coin to the rest, to restore that sheep with the others. Notice that the coin and the sheep, though lost do not cease to be a sheep or a coin. The sheep is a sheep at risk of destruction, of being consumed by a wild beast. The coin, a coin at risk of its value being wasted, unused, and unspent.

So, in this way, these parables along with the prodigal son, are not about going out and evangelizing those who have never heard God’s Word, that is covered elsewhere. No, the parables here are speaking about those who have been redeemed, who were baptized, who were of the flock and the collection of coins, but for whatever reason fell away, wandered away, fled away, or just flat out rebelled against God, and left the church.

We should think of all of the inactive members of this congregation or in congregations that we know. They are at risk of being lost, their value unto the Lord being wasted, consumed by the world, their identity stolen by the pleasures and weakness of their flesh, to fall into the hands of the devil. We should pray for them, and witness to them of God’s love. Remind them that they need the protection, the feeding, the sheltering love of God who promises to value, and keep for the day of salvation His flock, His coins, His children: to bring them to Himself for eternity.

Dear Christian brothers and sisters, we too are at risk, when we depend upon our works for salvation, we are at risk, if we think we need only come to church whether it be every Sunday or only at Christmas, we are at risk. Why? Because salvation does not come from our own merits. We have fallen short of the Law. By sinning we have rejected our redeemer, and we should also be left alone in our vulnerability, in the sin and rebellion that we have chosen.

Though we were and have been lost, our value to God has not diminished. That is why God has sent His Son Jesus Christ to seek and to redeem that which was lost. By His death and resurrection, Jesus reveals the great and never ending love of God by taking our sin to the cross and dying in our place so that the sheep would not have to be lost, so that the light of God’s Word could be lit, so that our sin could be swept away. So that by God’s Word and His baptismal waters we could be washed in His sacrifice and renewed, cleaned, and restored to God here in the assembly of believers forgiven of our sins. Because God values us more than sheep or coins, but as sons and daughters for the sake Jesus Christ and by His merits we are saved.

Brothers and sisters, this promise is for you. As you have been found by the Lord, as you are restored through Jesus Christ to the household of faith to believe and hold firm to the promise of Jesus Christ crucified and raised. You are forgiven, and as you are fed and abide in His Word and grace, you are no longer vulnerable. Your strength is in His strength which is mightier than the devil, the world, or even your own flesh. Do not fight the Lord as He bears you in His arms, in the grace He gives, rather receive. Do not run or wander away. Then the joy which the Lord first worked in you by His Spirit by His Washing and His Word may fill you. Rejoice in God’s love. Rejoice with your family of believers, fellow sons and daughters of God. Call your friends and neighbors and rejoice when you repent, rejoice when they repent, and rejoice as we are built upon the strong foundation and rock of Jesus Christ.

Today we remember and observe the 493th anniversary of the presentation of the Augsburg Confession, when Christian lay men laid out before the Roman catholic authorities, the truth of God’s Word and the confession of Jesus Christ as it is proclaimed therein. They were given the courage to do so, though there was a threat that all earthly power and treasure could be removed and war begun, yet they confessed boldly, bravely, and completely the Law and Gospel of Jesus Christ. They did this because they knew how precious was and is the grace of God and His love and rejoiced for the opportunity to bear witness in confession. Let us do the same. Rejoicing to confess, rejoicing to receive forgiveness and life from our loving Savior Shepherd. And know that as you rejoice and delight in the good and the truth of God in Jesus Christ this day, all of heaven, the angels, archangels, and all the church triumphant, rejoices with us in the victory banquet of Jesus Christ our loving Savior.

Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

If there’s one thing I’ve learned since being here in Yucaipa, it’s that we love food and that time together. Picnics, treats after church on Sunday or before Lenten services. Most of us also enjoy those special occasion parties – graduations and weddings, holiday dinners of Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter. Gathered around food, we laugh and enjoy time with family and friends.

The Gospel for this Second Sunday after Trinity takes place at a meal, specifically a Sabbath meal at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees. Yet, gathered around food, these men weren’t laughing and having a great time. They were serious. Growing in conflict with Jesus, they were watching Him carefully. They were hoping that He would break one of their Sabbath rules, in order to condemn Him as a fraud.

Jesus knew their sinful hearts. Prior to this morning’s Gospel, Jesus exposed their sinful hypocrisy and pride by healing a man with dropsy on the Sabbath in front of them all. Highlighting the importance of humility and generosity, He spoke of the wisdom of taking the lowest seat at a banquet, and when you host a meal, inviting those who can’t repay you.

It’s at this point, Jesus tells the Parable of the Great Banquet. Jesus speaks of a man who, “…once gave a great banquet and invited many”. The invitations had gone out in advance. Now with the table set and the fanciest food and drink ready, the man sends his servant to say to those who had been invited, “Come, for everything is now ready”.

With such a great banquet prepared, you think the people would rush to the banquet hall. And yet, that’s not the case. “…they all alike began to make excuses”. “The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come'”.

Having thrown dinners before, you know the time, effort, and care that goes into having a nice family dinner. Imagine the frustration and anger you would have after, preparing the meal – cleaning the house – setting the table, no one showed up. “Sorry, mom – dad – grandma – grandpa, “friend” I can’t make it today. I made other plans since we talked.”

Consider the hurt and frustration the man has when his pre-announced banquet is rejected. Yet, the banquet that Jesus speaks of today isn’t just any banquet. Remember this is a parable. The banquet that Jesus speaks of today is the banquet of salvation!

The master of the house who gave a great banquet and invited many is none other than God the Father. The incredible banquet that the Father provides is none other than the Gospel – the forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation that Jesus won through His death on the cross. And with this banquet of salvation, you don’t have to bring a dish to pass or a bottle of wine. Jesus has done it all. It is all provided for. Remember what He says from the cross, “It is finished.” These words are echoed in the parable, “… everything is now ready”. It’s as if the Father were saying, “Jesus has done it all. He kept the law in your place. He bore your sins. He drank the cup of My wrath against your sin. He died the death you deserve. He won for you forgiveness and life. Nothing is left undone. Come, for the banquet of salvation is ready!”

The invitation of the servants is none other than the call, the proclamation of the gospel to faith in Christ. Through the preaching of the Word of God, the Holy Spirit calls, compels us to partake of this banquet of salvation. “Come, for the banquet of salvation is ready!” While this invitation to eat and drink of the Gospel in faith, Jesus reveals that there are those who reject it. God doesn’t force Himself on anyone. If you believe you have no need for the true God, if you do not hunger and thirst for the Grace He offers, then why come? But be prepared for the tradeoff.

The Pharisees Jesus spoke to that Sabbath day had a works-righteous faith. They believed they could save themselves through their own works. They had no hunger and thirst for the banquet of salvation that the Lord Jesus place before them. They were like those who made the excuses in the parable.

It’s easy to describe the Pharisees and then throw them under the bus. Yet, we shouldn’t be so quick to scoff at them. The old Adam that dwells within each one of us is a Pharisee. While God has called us to good works, to love Him and to serve our neighbor, the temptation is for each of us to cling to those works, to try to justify ourselves before God by them, just as the Pharisees did. The sinful flesh would lead us to believe, “I’m a good person. Sure, I’ve made a few mistakes, but overall, I’m not that bad. I’m certainly not like that sinner over there.” Looking at our works, we begin to build the case for our own righteousness before God, while at the same time minimizing and justifying our sin.

Unaware of the severity of our sin, unaware to our desperate need for God’s banquet of salvation, the sinful flesh easily rejects – sets aside – becomes bored with this Word of God, both in the church and in our homes. Other items begin to take priority over the Lord’s Word. “I have a field and I have to go out in it to work. Please have me excused, God.” “I’m yoked to my job and I have to make money. Please have me excused, God. I’ve married a wife, and we and the kids have sports, vacation, family gatherings to attend. Therefore, I can’t come right now, God. The excuses are endless.

When Jesus tells a parable about folks rejecting His banquet in order to check out a piece of land, and so on, He’s telling us that nothing is as important as this banquet. Jesus knows better than we do what’s best for us. We should listen to Him.

Christians fall from the faith and this quite often starts by making excuses to avoid God and His Word. We’re tempted to believe that saving faith can’t disappear, but it can. Therefore, God would have you live a life of daily repentance. He would have you and I repent today for the time you’ve built the case for your own righteousness or your own sinful priorities and thus despised His Word, despised His banquet of salvation. He would have you see the severity of your sins, that all your works are like filthy rags before Him. He would have you see yourself as the spiritually poor, crippled, blind, and lame because of sin, without any good works to offer Him. We are not worthy to taste of His banquet of salvation. For the punishment for sin isn’t eternal life but eternal death.

“So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'” While the master’s anger against sin is real, and while He will punish those who reject this invitation, He immediately bestows this banquet invitation to others who do not reject it. Those who understand their wretched condition, those whom the Pharisees would have considered unclean. The Beggars and others impoverished and starving.

Fellow redeemed, our Lord loves a banquet. He will fill His house. With everything ready, the food will be eaten and the drinks will be drunk. “And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled’. We who understand by God’s Word our sinful condition and compelled to confess our sin, are likewise compelled to come and receive God’s grace in answer to our repentance. This compelling is the call of the Gospel revealing the peace won by the blood of the cross of Jesus Christ, to grow in understanding to sit down at the Lord’s table, and to eat and drink that which you don’t deserve. Rejoice in the certainty of His invitation and your place at His table by faith. Here, in the divine service, the invitation goes out, “Come, for the banquet of salvation is ready,” and it’s ready for you! Jesus invites those who, on account of sin, are spiritually poor, maimed, lame, and blind. He doesn’t invite those who think that they have it all together or who have it all in the things of this world. He invites spiritually poor humbled sinners who recognize that they can’t get rid of their sins. He invites sinners to where forgiveness is freely given. He invites them to eat of His body and to drink of His blood that gives true life in Jesus Christ who has accomplished our salvation. He charges nothing. It’s for you. It’s what you need most. Enjoy God’s generous hospitality.

Jesus’ parable is a contradiction to what the man said, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God”. Jesus reveals that the banquet of salvation is ready now. You don’t have to wait until heaven. Through the blood of Christ, it is finished. All your debts are paid, all your sins are removed. All shame is forgotten in the death that Christ died once for all. He rose on your behalf to open the gates of heaven where the banquet continues in perfect eternity. There’s nothing left to do but to receive in faith. “Come for the banquet of salvation is ready!” in Jesus Christ’s name.

Amen!

Pr. Aaron Kangas

The Gospel for this First Sunday after Trinity places before us this truth. When you die, there are only two possibilities – heaven or hell – eternal life or eternal death – eternal comfort or eternal anguish and torment. Heaven is God’s gift to unworthy sinners for Christ’s sake. Hell is actually what all sinners deserve on account of sin.

The topic of eternal damnation is uncomfortable for some. As a result, they deny the existence of hell. Jehovah’s Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists teach that there’s no such place as hell where people suffer eternal punishment for their sins. Many Christians also deny hell. Or, they may say that hell exists but it’s only for really bad people, such as Joseph Stalin or Adolf Hitler.

Yet, Jesus reveals to us today that heaven and hell are real place where real people go. He teaches us that those who go to heaven stay there, and those who go to hell stay there. It is not a place of “purgation” or purgatory. We are told that “…a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from [heaven] to [hell] may not be able, and none may cross from [hell] to [heaven]” (Luke 16:26). So, why eternal life and comfort for some, and eternal death and anguish for others? To answer this question, we consider today’s Gospel – the parable of the Rich man and the beggar Lazarus.

The rich man is described as one, “…who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day”. (Luke 16:19). The poor beggar Lazarus is described as one “clothed” with sores and suffering “he was covered with sores”.

Upon hearing this description, it’s easy for us to despise the rich man and exalt the poor beggar, Lazarus. We despise the rich man because of his great wealth. We exalt Lazarus because he occupied the lowest position in the community. We picture him as a humble and lowly man. Because of this, there’s the temptation to think that this economic and social difference is why Lazarus ends up in heaven and the rich man in hell.

However, the text doesn’t say the rich man was a terrible person. If we had lived in same community as he did, maybe we wouldn’t have such a low opinion of him. The fact he was “clothed in purple and fine linen” indicates he was a prominent person in the community. Perhaps, he was leader or merchant whose businesses fueled the local economy. Perhaps he allowed Lazarus, a poor beggar, to sit at his gate specifically so that he may give him money and food.

Lazarus, on the other hand, might not have been so humble and lowly. The text says only that he’s poor, not that he’s good. He could’ve had as many sins and flaws as anyone else. He could have had possessions and wealth at one point in his life but could have gambled them away. And then, left without resources to care for himself, ended up lame and covered in sores. Who knows?

What we know is that, “The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side” (Luke 16:22-23). We must not think Lazarus went to heaven simply because he’s poor. There are poor people who end up in hell. And we must not think the rich man goes to hell simply because he was rich. There are rich people who end up in heaven – think of Abraham, Job, and King David. Additionally, we must not think the rich man was a sinner and Lazarus wasn’t. They were both sinners before God who alone is holy and righteous. So again, what’s the reason for eternal life for one and eternal death for the other?

It has to do with “faith”; faith in one’s god. Luther, under the First Commandment in the Large Catechism, writes, “A god means that from which we are to expect all good and in which we are to take refuge and comfort in all distress” (LC I 2-3).

We must deduce that based on Jesus’ description of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man ended up in hell because his faith was not in the true God, that is the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as revealed through Sacred Scripture. His gods were likely that which described him: his wealth, his clothing, food, and the like, perhaps all the things that he had achieved for himself, including his good name and reputation. These are the things to which he cleaved and found comfort.

In comparison, despite all his misfortune and sores, Lazarus’ God was the Lord – the God of Abraham – in whom Lazarus hoped despite having no good health and material goods, yet God was his help. In fact, that’s what the name Lazarus means, “God is my help.” Despite a lack of earthly success, his confession was, “…though I am a sinner…though I deserve nothing from God but both temporal and eternal punishment, I trust Him, whether for good or ill, because He is merciful to me a sinner through Jesus Christ my Lord.”

Of course, for ourselves, we would desire in the life to come: heaven; eternal life; eternal comfort. Yet, if we were to be honest, we also desire comfort now, in this life. We certainly do not wish to live here like Lazarus, who having no earthly goods, had nothing to hope in but an eternal future.

As discussed last week we sometimes doubt God and whether or not He will allow us to suffer like Lazarus, we don’t want to just hope for the future but want to experience comfort and joy now… Superficially, an argument could be made, yet there is a difference between enjoying life as it is lived, having optimism in the gift from God in this world on the one hand and worshiping those things, needing them so badly, that they define you, drive you in your work, and would eliminate your faith in God if they were taken away. That is sinful selfish human nature and response, when the created gifts become gods, because they comfort self.

So, consider this day, in who or what do you fear, love, and trust? What is the top priority in your life? Where do you spend most of your time and energy? What is it that you can’t live without? What is it that you fear most and why? Again, whatever you set your heart on, whatever you put your trust in, that is your god.

Let us this day, repent for the false gods and idols that we have made. Repent for the times you’ve feared, loved, and trusted in them instead of the true God, the Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Repent and pray that God would have mercy upon us sinful beggars, and that He keep us in the one true faith by crushing the idols of our lives, lest we lose the one thing needful for eternal life, that is faith in Christ and His life-giving Word.

The rich man in our parable never repents of his sin, not even in hell. As he’s in anguish and torment, he still doesn’t see his sin nor does he have any remorse. While there’s no hope for him, this isn’t necessarily the case with his five brothers.

You can imagine these men were just as wealthy. They trusted in the false gods of the world – wealth and a good name and reputation. Yet, they have Moses and the Prophets, that is they had the Word of God. Not only do they have God’s words of Law that accuses them of their sin. They have God’s words of the Gospel that reveals for them forgiveness of sins and eternal life through the promised Seed of Abraham.

This should be a comfort for you. While our lives closely resemble that of the rich man, we’re not without Moses and the Prophets. The certainty of eternal salvation is set before us through the words of Holy Scripture and you are here to hear God’s Word, to repent and be fed.

Remember what Jesus did for you and me beggarly sinners. Jesus, the Son of God joined human flesh to become a beggar like Lazarus. He emptied Himself entirely on the tree of the cross. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich!” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Christ set aside His divine rights, His divine wealth to accomplish redemption. It was His greatest delight to serve you, to take your sin upon Himself. He was willing to endure your punishment for sin, your hell – the torments of the flames. His death upon the cross makes the atoning sacrifice for all of your sins. And by the power of the forgiveness that He earned in His death, as the One true Lazarus, Christ rises from the dead.

It is He, your crucified and risen Lord, who says to you today, “‘Come to me…,’ as you struggle with idolatry, the things in this world you grow anxious over, the things you can’t live without. ‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest'” (Matt. 11:28). The rest He gives is the rest of sins forgiven. And where there’s forgiveness of sins, there’s also eternal life and salvation.

In the waters of Holy Baptism, He has clothed you, not with purple robes and fine linen, but with the robe of His righteousness by His shed blood. In the Sacrament of the Altar, He doesn’t feed you scraps from His table but bids you to come to His table so that He may give you His lifegiving very body and blood. Here you may feast sumptuously in the victory won for you for the forgiveness of your sins.

You don’t earn heaven by being poor. You aren’t kept out of heaven by being rich. The only way to heaven is through faith in Christ crucified and raised. The true God who is generous for us that we may live richly and generously for Him by His grace in faith and love for Him and each other. Heaven is God’s gift, and He gives it sinful beggars for Christ’s sake. Thanks be to God! Amen!

Pr. Aaron Kangas

Today being Holy Trinity Sunday, it does us good to meditate on what it means to trust in God above all things. For starters, we may ask: “who is God?”  Well…we confess every single Sunday when we use the words of our creeds that He is triune; that is, He is three-in-one; not three separate Gods, but One God and three persons. He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; almighty, all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, all-righteous, and all-merciful and all-loving. Did you catch all those “alls” in that description?  Almighty, all-powerful, all-knowing…. The Latin prefix would be “omni,” as in omnipotent/all powerful, omnipresent/everywhere present, omniscient/all knowing. Our appointed lessons for today speak to all these “omni” realities. For instance, we look to Isaiah, and we see a very clear image of the omnipotent, all-holy God in His heavenly throne room. The train of His robe fills the heavenly, smoke-filled temple. The very foundations of the thresholds of heaven shake when God speaks. The whole scene bespeaks power, might, and grandeur. 

But we liturgical Lutheran Christians get all this, don’t we? God’s omnipotence isn’t an issue with us, is it? We know He’s all-powerful. We know He’s omnipresent. We know He’s with us always where He promises to be, and we also know that He’s omniscient; that is, He knows everything all the time. He knows what we’re going through. He knows our hearts. He knows us better than we do. We understand it.  We believe it.

But…what about God’s wisdom?  I’ll admit: in our earth bound clouded judgement, God doesn’t always seem so wise. We can say: “He works all things for the good of those who love Him”…, but we say: “I know that I would do certain things differently.” Why doesn’t God use all that power to heal us or our suffering loved one? Why doesn’t God work a miracle and make the crosses we’re bearing at the moment go away? Why does He allow them? Can’t you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar? Wouldn’t the sweet honey of prosperity and abundance and wellness work a lot better at making Christians than permitting us to languish under miserable crosses? Why doesn’t God make all the wicked ones and the false Christians who stand in opposition to Him be shamed and humbled to repent and come to the Truth? Surely, He could do it if He really wanted to. Why, God?  Why don’t You do something?! 

St. Paul gives us an answer. Writing to the Roman Christians, who were being persecuted and slaughtered simply because they were Christians, St. Paul points these suffering ones to the incomprehensible wisdom of their almighty and all-powerful God. “Oh, the depth and the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable are His ways!” Folks: This isn’t a lament. This is high praise! 

Wait! What?! These Christians were being hunted down and slaughtered. Rome was beginning to increase their persecutions…and it was only going to get worse! They would soon be the “main event” to feed the animals at the coliseum. In less than 10 years, they would be the fuel for the city lamps. This isn’t like the “persecution” we Christians face here in America. There’s a lot more at stake than simply losing your cupcake business, your job or getting a 30 day ban on Facebook. Times were getting so tough for these Christians that they are literally forced underground, holding worship in catacombs—underground cemeteries. Consequently, they would be questioning God’s wisdom. They’re asking “why?” “Why is this happening to us?  Why isn’t God doing something about this?” Sound familiar? 

But here’s the thing: St. Paul doesn’t attempt to answer for God. Paul doesn’t delve into theodicy; that is, the practice of trying to give answer for God and explain why He is doing or acting in a certain way. St. Paul doesn’t do what we so often try to do. Rather, his answer to the age-old “why” question is to simply point to God’s unsearchable and inscrutable wisdom. “God is far smarter than any of us, and He knows what He’s doing! And His greatest will and act is to save us, from the damnation which our sins deserve by His Grace through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.”

It’s far easier to believe when things are going well in life, versus when life has hit the skids and all you see when you look around is uncertainty, darkness, death, despair, fear and sorrow. When you’re feeling the crushing weight of the crosses you bear, hearing that God’s wisdom is at work and He’s in control and He knows what He’s doing doesn’t exactly come across as very comforting sometimes. Sometimes it comes across as a harsh, Law-filled punch in the nose.  It’s meant as Gospel, but it’s heard as very condemning Law. “God knows EXACTLY what He’s doing to you.”

But…this is where the words of Christ Himself in our Gospel lesson show us what God’s almighty wisdom and power is really all about. “God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son to die for it, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life.” People, here, [the crucifix] is the wisdom of God, hung on a cross for all to see. Here is the unsearchable, inscrutable wisdom of God. Here is what it’s all about. Here is where every problem, every worry, every concern, every woe is ultimately directed to and answered. Here is the fullest expression of God’s powerful love, not just for you, but for all people…even the ones you don’t like. And this is wisdom that ONLY God can have. The wisdom of His grace and mercy meeting the demands of His Holy justice. God defies our logic by drawing out a plan of salvation that looks like death and defeat, forsakenness and horrific suffering for an innocent man! Yet there in the Son of God and Son of Man in His death is your victory and love and peace. He is the reason why God has not yet, destroyed the earth in totality, but has patience with all those who don’t know Him, who hate Him, and yes is patient even with us in our doubts and failures. God desires the death of no man. God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united in their will and wisdom, their almighty power and knowledge desires that all turn and repent and confess their sins and hold fast to Him and His all-loving, all-merciful peace; the peace that is found ONLY in the all-atoning sacrifice of God Himself in the flesh—Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3 tells us: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”

This world is fallen, but God is holding it together for you. He uses the bad results of your sin and the sin around you to drive you ever closer to an appreciation of His redemption for you now and for the future. I cannot explain much more as to why this now? Or why me? Look to the cross. Behold His Truth for you. Here is almighty God, Jesus Christ—the wisdom, the love, the mercy, the righteousness of almighty God—in the flesh. In fact, here is the entire Holy Trinity at work…for you and your salvation. The almighty Father sent His Son to die for you; to make atonement for you, and by His grace, through the working of the Holy Spirit, you believe it. This same almighty Father still sends His Son to you to bring you His assurance of forgiveness, grace, mercy, and peace, no matter how foolishly bad things may seem on this side of eternity.

The only-begotten Son still holds out His pierced hands to you, beckoning you to turn around and come to and cleave to Him here in His cross, in Baptism, in Absolution, and in His Holy Supper. “Come to Me, all who are heavy-laden.  Come, take, and eat.” “Those who have seen Me have seen the Father.” Yes, we still suffer.  Yes, we still bear crosses.  “My grace is sufficient. I know what I’m doing. I’m working all things for your good and for the good of all those who love Me. My grace is all-sufficient. You’re okay.  I’ve got you.” The Holy Spirit of God, proceeding forth from the Father and the Son, works in us and enables to hear and see and receive these blessed realities of salvation. The Holy Spirit of God works that life-giving, life-saving miracle in you through the hearing of God’s voice—God’s Word—opening your ears, your hearts, and your minds to recognize and give thanks for the blessed joy and peace and wisdom that is Christ crucified; the joy and peace that is Immanuel in your midst in your soul. 

Whatever you are going through or feeling, I point you to almighty God, whose voice cried out in victory, “It is finished,” and who still bears these scars as an eternal blessed reminder to His heavenly Father that all the work; all the requirements; all the wrath; all the suffering has all been paid all in full by Him for us. That’s a lot of “alls” too, isn’t it?  All the full, righteous, and fiery wrath of God against sin was poured out on Christ…not us. I direct your ears of faith to His voice, which still cries out and proclaims your innocence, your justification, and your peace. Those words of absolution and benediction that you hear aren’t the mere words of men who simply like tradition. Those are the timeless and eternal words of God for you.  By the working of His Holy Spirit, you believe and hold fast to these Words of Life, Wisdom, and Peace. 

And then, you can understand it by faith; when you trust this God-given eternal wisdom, it shakes your foundations…for joy. Everything else in life tends to get put in proper perspective when you consider it in light of Jesus Christ. It’s all so simple, so powerful, so wise and beautiful because you see the prevalence of His grace and love through it all for now and for your eternal future. Everything else becomes a lot more palatable, manageable, bearable…even joyous. Everything else seems pretty foolish in the light of the cross of Jesus; the very wisdom of God in the flesh, as it all should. 

This is the Christian faith, and the whole three persons of the one Divine Trinity have called you, and placed their name upon you, given you faith, declared you forgiven in Jesus Christ crucified, and will raise these bodies at the last to live with Him in His glory for eternity. God grant it for Jesus’ sake.

Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

How does a person learn to read? For that matter how does a person learn to speak? When does a child or an adult begin to understand the meaning behind the words of the language that they are reading or speaking?

Reading or even speaking any language are skills that must be taught. Children or adults learning a new language do not just happen upon the skills of speaking or reading and comprehension simply by chance. Parents don’t often think about it, but by merely speaking to their infants and interacting with them, they begin to teach their children to put together the pleasant burblings and blabbering noises of infant-hood and begin to form speech. The way in which the speech is used by the parents teaches the child to begin to understand the meaning behind the words being spoken. The process of acquiring language skills may be faster for some people than for others, but regardless of the inborn talents of an individual, the process of language acquirement remains the same: It always requires some amount of time with repetitive exposure to the language to be learned, and perhaps most importantly, it requires a teacher, a person already skilled in that language teaching the student the true meaning and nuance of the language being learned.

Language understanding requires a teacher, a translator, if you will, to bring understanding to the otherwise ignorant and dumb (unable to speak) individual.

This is very much what the Holy Spirit does. Over the last many Sundays we have heard Scriptures and sermons which have spoken about Jesus and who He was and is and how He would be sending the Holy Spirit to the disciples. Even to our ears, none of these Scriptures would have any meaning without the Holy Spirit opening our hearts and minds by His power working through God’s Word and sacraments. It is only by His bringing people like us to faith that we can be given true understanding.

This is the work of the Holy Spirit. We confess in the Nicene Creed: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son are worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. In the Small catechism we confess: “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the one true faith. In the same way, He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian Church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true.”

Today on Pentecost Sunday we celebrate that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon His disciples on that first Pentecost. We celebrate because in His mercy He sent the Holy Spirit to bear witness to Himself and to the salvation which He accomplished. The disciples, blinded by ignorance and unbelief like all humans begin, were still learning the language of God’s Word and the Good News of Jesus Christ. They heard the words of Jesus for three years. They knew that they had power, but much like a human child for the first 3 years of their life don’t fully understand the language to speak it or understand the true meaning of what is spoken, so too did the disciples often struggle with what Jesus was telling them. It was only by the power of the Holy Spirit sent by the Ascended Christ that the disciples’ education was accelerated at Pentecost, that they were finally brought to the point of true understanding by faith in Jesus Christ. It was, therefore, by the power of the Holy Spirit that Peter and the disciples were able to bear witness to the truth and good news of Jesus Christ so boldly and clearly. Their own minds and tongues which had been held captive by reason, unbelief, and ignorance were now made instruments of praise and proclamation to bear witness to Jesus Christ.

On that Pentecost morning there was a rushing sound as a great wind, and tongues of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them and they began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The temporary tongue of flame represented the purifying power of the Holy Spirit. It was as though the disciples’ tongues were now purified to speak the Holy things of God. The tongue of flame also showed that the Holy Spirit would work through the words of their tongues to give understanding to their hearers and by that fire, refine their hearts to gold in repentance and faith by the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The languages or tongues which the disciples were given to speak were not strange babblings and gibberish as a sign of one who was possessed of demons or new wine. These tongues or glossai (in the Greek) refer to dialects and languages. Suddenly these humble fisherman, tax collectors, and other uneducated were able to speak foreign languages without the instruction of time or repetition. It was by the power and instruction of the Holy Spirit.

This speaking was not a sign for the disciples. The languages which each disciple spoke was God’s instrument and sign to all those present who had come from different lands in Jerusalem for the festival of Pentecost: the message that the news of Jesus Christ was for all people of all languages. The confusion of languages at the tower of Babel is ultimately undone in the central message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the interpretation of the Holy Spirit.

This speaking in different languages is, according to the prophet Joel, a sign that we are in the last days. Contrary to many Christians who believe in different times or dispensations and the counting of millennia, Peter is here saying and we confess with him, that the last Days refers not to a specific amount of time but to the post resurrection of Jesus-New Testament time. Since Pentecost we have been in “the Last Days”.

The sign of these tongues served their purpose: to show forth the power of God working through His Word and sacraments. That the Holy Spirit pointed to Jesus. He was there to convict and to comfort, to bear witness to the truth of Gods Law and Gospel, to declare the salvation of Jesus Christ and the mercies of God.

It is the Holy Spirit who continues to work through the Word of God and sacrament in these latter days. He continues to convict us and all sinners of sin by the Law, but He then also leads and points to the cross of Jesus Christ. He converts us from slaves to sin to being freed in Christ and heirs of eternal life by the forgiveness of sin won for us by Christ at the cross. In Holy Baptism we were changed by the washing of Water and the Word as the old was cast away and Christ put upon us. It is the Holy Spirit who continues to turn men’s and women’s hearts from the ignorant dead deaf people that they were and teaches them the language of God’s Word by giving them faith or restoring them in the faith in the message of promise of forgiveness in the cross of Christ. In this way He gives ears to hear and tongues to speak even in our human languages the great mysterious wonders of the good news of Jesus Christ. So, in our hymns and confessions and creeds we bear witness to the truth that the Spirit has born witness to us.

In the Sacrament of the Altar we are gathered in one place, and the Spirit teaches us to accept by faith that here is Jesus offering us forgiveness of sins and life in his body and blood in the bread and wine. He is opening our hearts and our minds, our ears and our mouths, to believe and confess. Once again, the Holy Spirit, not by tongues of fire or different tongues gives us the joy and ability to speak: to witness to one another and to the world the great mercies which we have now received in Jesus Christ by the forgiveness of our sins.

It is the Holy Spirit who continues to deliver God’s Word to us and delivers our prayers to Him so that He may return with God’s comfort. It is the Holy Spirit who continues to restore us in Christ even when we sin and repent and confess. He is always pointing us back to our Savior and ahead to the time when He shall give us the breath of new life at the end of time when He shall raise us up from the dead and give unto us and all believers in Christ eternal life. All people of all times, nations, languages, and races made one, once and for all in Jesus Christ! Thanks be to God for the work of the Holy Spirit who teaches us the language of God’s grace and forgiveness that we may understand, speak, and believe in Jesus Christ our Savior.
Amen.
Pr. Aaron Kangas

This last Thursday was Ascension Day, the feast day when the church celebrates Jesus ascending into heaven 40 days after His resurrection victory on Easter Sunday. The image of the disciples watching Jesus ascend into the cloud reminds me that when I was just a young boy, I used to daydream of being able to fly. I don’t mean like Superman, I mean more like being able to float up in the air like a balloon, and then maybe fly like a bird. The idea of being able to rise up and see people, my home, my school, and church from the sky, unfettered and free without the obstruction of view like in an airplane sounded like wonderful fun. Maybe you have had this same sort of dream or maybe the idea of floating up into the sky makes you feel a little queasy, nevertheless, the reality is that, as believers in Jesus Christ, we have the promise that as Jesus has ascended on high, we too shall ascend into heaven. When He returns on the last day, He will descend in the same way that He ascended and we shall be lifted up (ascending) and shall meet Him in the sky. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17)

In the Gospel of St. Luke, and the book of Acts, the first chapter, we have the Evangelist St. Luke writing details about the Ascension Day. We are told that Jesus was looking at His disciples and blessing them, after having spoken with them, and He was lifted up. The disciples watched Him being lifted up bodily, and He went up, up, until a cloud came and surrounded Him, and He disappeared from their visible sight. This was no magic act; He didn’t disappear only to reappear out of some closet door. When He went into that cloud He in an instant was transferred into His heavenly glory. Unlike my boyhood dream of floating into the air for my own fun and amusement, when Jesus ascended into heaven, He did it not for Himself, or for fun, but for the sake of the Church and as a sign to the disciples of the hope and promise of His second coming. Jesus had spoken to the disciples about having to leave them, that by His returning to His Father all things would be accomplished in order to establish His heavenly reign, that it was necessary for Him to go and prepare a place for them, that by His leaving them, He could actually be with them all the more by His Spirit. This is exactly what Jesus has ascended to do; He has gone to prepare a place for His Church; He has gone to establish His Kingdom, to send forth His Holy Spirit, and be with us in a greater way until His final return.

In the Gospels, Jesus spoke about the kingdom of heaven saying “The Kingdom of Heaven is like…” and then He would go on to describe it. In a few of His parables, He stated that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a master, or a prince, who would go to a far-away land for a purpose. In these parables, the prince and master would always come back. Jesus is the fulfillment of the one who had to leave for a time and then come back at the proper time. The time in-between His leaving and His coming back is the time that we are living in now, and all those parables talked about how important that in-between time is, and how it is not time to be wasted, it is a time in which His subjects are to be productive, and bearing fruit, or investing the treasure of God’s Word through preaching and teaching, so that the Church may grow and expand by His grace in the message of salvation in Jesus Christ’s name. The time after Trinity Sunday is all about learning and growing to use that time well.

We speak about Jesus Christ fulfilling three offices; prophet, priest, and king. During His earthly ministry Jesus fulfilled the office of prophet in His preaching and teaching. Through His death on the cross He made the sacrifice to pay for all sins, so that through His death and resurrection, He fulfilled His high-priestly role, being both priest and sacrifice. Now in His Ascension, He has gone to claim His Kingship which continues the work of all three offices. Psalm 100, and Daniel ch. 7, declare that the Messiah would establish His kingdom forever, as He would arise and sit at the right hand of God the Father. In the book of Hebrews we are told that He is a priest forever after the order of King Melchizadek. In Ephesians we hear, “He raised him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places”, we confess in the creed that “He sits on the right hand of the Father.” This sitting at the right hand of God is not an actual physical location, but a term referring to the fact that now Jesus is ruling over heaven and earth in His state of exultation and is blessing the Church through His Word and Sacraments. In His earthly life, Jesus as true God and true Man, lived within a state of humiliation until His death on the cross. Before His death, He could not move from point A to point B in the blink of an eye; the reason for this is that He had to, in His human flesh, be humiliated, and for the most part be bound by natural law, to suffer for our sins, and then die on the cross. By His rising again from the dead, He entered into His state of glory, His state of exultation as we call it, where His divine nature now is able to communicate divine powers to His human. By His ascending into heaven, His physical, human body has now received all the power and benefit of His divine nature, so that Jesus can be physically present everywhere He promises to be, so that Jesus can be present in the Lord’s Supper in Yucaipa, CA, at the same time His body is truly present in, with, and under the bread and wine at a divine service in Japan, or Africa as He has promised. Jesus is no longer bound by time and space, so that He can be ruling in heaven, and yet present and comforting each and every one of us here on earth, right now.

Because of His state of exultation, He continues his offices of prophet, priest and king. As King, He rules over all creation and promises to return to judge both the living and the dead; as Priest, He is continually praying to His Father, and taking the prayers that believers pray in His name and interceding on their behalf; and His sacrifice on the cross continues to be effective for the forgiveness of sins. In His office of Prophet, the Word of Jesus Christ has lost no power in His Ascension, but has gained power, because, as Jesus promised, 10 days after His Ascension on Pentecost, He sent forth His Holy Spirit so that, through His Church, He continues the preaching and teaching office in His earthly ministry.

After witnessing the Ascension of Jesus while He blessed them and upon hearing the angelic message that He would return in the same way, the disciples came down that hill with great joy worshipping the Lord. You too may be filled with that same joy as we worship the Lord. Unlike the world which looks out for itself and scoffs at the mercies of God, looking for fulfillment in empty pursuits which are all vanity, we have a permanent hope in Jesus Christ. The eternal benefits of His life, death, resurrection and ascension are yours through faith. He has sent forth His Holy Spirit to you to establish you in His Church through the waters of baptism. You are freed from the bonds of your sin and forgiven for Jesus’ sake in your hearing of Christ crucified for your sins. He comes to you this day as He continues to proclaim: repentance, joy, hope, and a purpose into your heart and life and to all believers, even as He preached almost 2,000 years ago. You have been redeemed in His name, and you are given the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of your Savior Jesus Christ.

In the doctrine of Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, we as believers in Christ have these assurances:
1: Jesus Christ has fulfilled all things, through His death, resurrection, and ascension, therefore we no longer fear the condemnation of the law, but have a victory in Christ.
2: We know that through Jesus’ Ascension, He is actually with us even more now than when He was with His disciples during His earthly ministry, because of that state of exultation; He is not bound by space or time, but He comes to us in a more real sense; He comes to us spiritually in His Word, and spiritually and physically in His special presence in the Lord’s Supper. We are able to pray to Him so that no matter where we are, whether we speak it out loud or quietly in our minds, Jesus hears our prayers, and intercedes to the Father for us.

The third assurance is that, because Jesus has ascended, He promises to come again, to deliver us, and bring us to the home in heaven He has prepared for all believers in Him. He continues to reign over us and bless us with earthly joys while also being our consolation and strength during our earthly sorrows ever pointing us to the cross, empty tomb and Ascension reminding us of the greatest joy that is yet to come. So He continues to come to us and strengthen us by His Spirit in Word and Sacrament and through it prepares us to redeem the time and serve Him in joy, in our vocations, as we tell others about His love, and all that He has accomplished for us.

Today though we may not exchange gifts like on Christmas, nor do we gather together for a special family dinner, as on Easter, Ascension Day is a great and wonderful day of joy for us believers in Jesus Christ. We know that the Ascension of Jesus Christ is that which points to our own heavenly ascension for His mercy’s sake. Death shall not hold us, the grave is but a resting place, for when He comes again, we too shall arise from death to life in His Glory. On Christ’s Ascension we are now built, through faith in Jesus Christ. As we celebrate the Lord’s Supper in just a few moments, remember that we are already celebrating the eternal life which has been given you and through faith in Jesus Christ who has accomplished all things for you and all believers. May God keep us ever in that great joy and hope in Jesus’ name.
AMEN.

Pr. Aaron Kangas