Today’s Gospel text has several topics going on at once. Topics which intertwine but are difficult to fully unpack in one roughly 15-minute sermon. Topics such as Confession and Absolution, Who or what is the office of Christ? What is the Rock upon which the Church will be built? But of all of these we must start with the question: Who is this Jesus of Galilee? This is really the question that the Gospel of St. Matthew, as well as the other Gospels are trying to answer for the readers and hearers of the Word.

At the point of this morning’s text Jesus is about midway through His second year of earthly ministry, and since His earthly ministry began, Jesus had been showing by action and His preaching who He was, yet many did fully not understand even as they had been wondering. But as I said, there were clues.

It is true that John the Baptizer heard the voice from heaven declare Jesus to be “God’s beloved Son” but Scripture does not clearly proclaim that anyone else heard had this. Then we are told that after the Sermon on the mount the “crowds were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” Matthew 7:28-29 Then it was the Centurion in chapter 8 who first calls Jesus, “Lord”, and implied that Jesus is holy and has authority to heal or not.

When Jesus calmed the sea in the same chapter: the disciples marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey Him?” (8:27)

In the country of the Gadarenes the demons cried out “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (8:29)

The Scribes in chapter 9 believed Jesus to be a blasphemer because He told the paralytic that His sins were forgiven before He healed him.

Matthew 11 John the Baptist sent His disciples to ask “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” “The One who is to come” is a clue to what they mean and the term that Simon Peter ends up using.

In Matthew 12 Jesus declares: The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” Hmm more clues. It is at this point that the Pharisees decide that this guy must be destroyed as a false prophet and demonic blasphemer who in various passages before today’s text make comments that “He heals and casts out demons by the power of demons”. They ask for a sign from heaven in chapter 12 and 16 but Jesus answers: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.”

He was an offense to His townspeople in Nazareth in chapter 13: They asked: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things? (55-56)

In Matthew 14:33, after the walking upon the water and coming into the boat, it is becoming much clearer for the disciples as we are told that they “worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God’.”

He was called Lord, Son of David; by the two blind men in chapter 9 and the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15.

That brings us to the question Jesus asks the disciples: Who do people say that the Son of Man is? The answer varies. The people seem to understand that He is at least a prophet of some sort. Then Jesus asks them: Who do you all say that I am? Now this is very important. How far have they come in their understanding? This is also important because Jesus had given a warning and a promise all the way back in Matthew 10 that “everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (10:32-33)

And Simon Peter responds: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Here for the first time, Jesus is called the “Christ”, specifically. This means the “anointed one”, the Messiah. This was the “One to come”. Th is Christ was to be the Savior of the world, the one who would take the sins of world upon Himself as the perfect spotless lamb of God. To die upon the cross and rise again. Did Peter understand that that is what to be the Christ, the Son of the living God meant? Well not to spoil next week’s Gospel reading too much, but no, He did not fully understand what He was saying. But even He did not understand what He was saying, it was the truth and Jesus praises His Father who revealed this truth to Him. For when it comes to confessing rightly who Jesus is, it must come by the power of God’s revelation. Without God’s revelation by His Word and the interpreting power of the Holy Spirit nobody could understand or come to faith because of our sin and fallen nature. But thanks be to God who brings forth faith in us to believe and confess even if we do not understand.

Now let us speak of the Rock upon which Jesus the Christ will build His Church. Jesus uses a play on of words here in the Greek. Peter is “petros” which means a sizeable rock or boulder, a pillar cut from quarry. But the rock upon which the church is built is “petra” which in Greek usage meant a rock strata sometimes many feet thick that has large coverage, usually acres and even square miles in extent. The kind of rock that makes a great foundation.

What is this Petra in theological terms? Sadly, the Roman Catholic church would say, that Jesus is still talking about Peter, but that is not true. Jesus tells us earlier in Matthew who and what is the “petra” when He said: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24-25)

The Rock is Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. The Rock is therefore also His Word, His teaching. The confession of the Truth of God in Jesus Christ. Those who build upon this Rock are those hewn from the same rock and as such are those who pursue righteousness as stated in Isaiah as having their true beginning in Jesus Christ. These are they who live by faith in Him and are then petros or large rocks or pillars within the Church. Can a petros cut himself and form himself or herself? No. But it is God who uses the Law to cut and then the water of Holy Baptism to shape and conform us into the likeness of Jesus Christ and not the likeness of the world or the warping of our sinful natural old Adam.

Our bodies have been redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ crucified for sin. You have been baptized into His name so that by His Spirit you are called to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship”. As you study His Word, as you confess your sins and they are loosed in Heaven by the announcement of Holy Absolution by the authority of the Son of the living God, and given forgiveness of sins. Know that you are prepared as a member of His Church which Paul refers to as Christ’s body: Living, breathing, active in Christ, much as some rocks are shaped and formed differently to fit together better, so too does God use our various human talents and abilities to build up one another by His Spirit built upon His Word, built upon the confession of who Jesus the Christ is.

So, we proudly and boldly confess who Jesus is to our community. Even if the very gates of Hades try to topple it, even as we sang in our sermon hymn it looks like the church is not growing or it is being persecuted, it cannot be destroyed. Hell and Satan cannot succeed in overcoming or obliterating the Church. Because as long as you, me, and the Church continue to be faithful in standing upon Christ and His Word, as long as we confess Christ before mankind. We cannot fail. As Jesus said. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. (Mt. 24:25)

Receive the Sacrament of the Altar where you participate in Christ’s body and blood proclaiming Christ crucified until He comes in final triumph. Be strengthened, be made ready, conformed to Him, confessing, witnessing, being made and kept faithful, looking with joy to the cross, to Christ. As God spoke through Isaiah:
“look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug…My righteousness draws near,
     my salvation has gone out,
     and my arms will judge the peoples;
the coastlands hope for me,
     and for my arm they wait.
 Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
     and look at the earth beneath;
for the heavens vanish like smoke,
     the earth will wear out like a garment,
     and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;
but my salvation will be forever,
     and my righteousness will never be dismayed..”
for our salvation has been given to us by the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

After the events of last week’s Gospel lesson, Jesus had continued His healing ministry. This raised all kinds of attention, and whenever Jesus got a lot of attention, the scribes and Pharisees soon showed up to give Jesus a hard time.

Today’s Gospel tells us that Jesus left this area and headed into the Gentile countryside near the Mediterranean Sea towns of Tyre and Sidon.

When you are in a Gentile territory, you expect to meet Gentiles. Sure enough, a Canaanite woman approached Jesus for help. Matthew specifically records that she was a “Canaanite”, a term which they wouldn’t have used in common speech. The word Canaanite reminded his readers of the pagan inhabitants of the land pre-Israelite conquest. The people who the Israelites were supposed to eliminate because of their wickedness. This highlights the fact that to the Jewish mind this Gentile woman was unclean, her daughter, was unclean, she was considered less than a Samaritan, and completely unworthy.

Now, although she is a “Canaanite” Gentile, her cry for mercy is an incredible expression of faith. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”

She began with the words that we know as the Kyrie, “Lord, have mercy upon us.” These words are a cry to the Lord for help and strength. In ancient times, the crowds would shout “Lord, have mercy” as the King entered their town. The church has taken over this prayer to greet its King Jesus Christ in the Divine service. In fact, we just sang it! As the people so long ago hoped for help from their King, so we Christians hope for and expect help from our Savior and King. The words of this Gentile woman show that she recognized Jesus as royalty who had the power and authority to help her in her time of need.

She even referred to Jesus as the “Son of David.” With these words, she confessed her faith that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed one of God. With these words, she demonstrated that she has a better handle on who Jesus is than most of the good clean Jewish people of Jesus’ day did. This Canaanite woman has given us a most beautiful way to begin any prayer in time of need. “Lord, Have mercy! O Son of David!”

After the woman confessed her faith, she stated her problem. “My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” Notice that she simply stated her concern to Jesus. She did not tell Jesus what to do about the situation. She trusted Jesus to come up with the solution that was the best for her daughter and for her.

Right here, we can learn a lot from this woman. When we ask God for help, how often do we dictate to God and tell Him exactly how He should help us? Instead of relying on the infinite knowledge and perfect wisdom of God, we often tell God exactly how and when He has to help us. This woman simply expressed what was on her mind and simply relied on Jesus for the best answer to her prayer.

So, how did Jesus respond to this marvelous prayer? He did nothing! He ignored her. This is one of those times that puzzles the reader from our western culture. Just a few paragraphs earlier in Matthew, we read about the “Feeding of the Five Thousand.” In that account, Jesus had compassion. That’s the Jesus we remember … the Jesus who had compassion. Who is this Jesus who ignores this woman in her need … especially when she prays such a beautiful prayer?

Actually, for the moment, Jesus was acting as the culture in His day expected Him in order to teach. This woman was after all a Gentile and she was, well, a woman. In the culture of that day and that place, these were two reasonable reasons for Jesus to ignore this woman.

The only thing is that this woman would not give up. Although Matthew only records the words of the woman’s prayer once, He makes it clear that she repeated these words continuously. The constant repetition started to get on the disciples’ nerves. They too, began to pray for the woman, although for entirely selfish reasons. “Send her away for she is crying after us!”

Jesus’ answered: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” This reply shocks our 21st century, American ears, but at the time of Jesus, the Pharisees had convinced most Jews that salvation was only for the Jews. In the book of Acts and the letter of St. Paul there were conflicts with people insisting that a person had to become Jewish before they could become a Christian. However, one of the many themes in Matthew’s account is the theme that the Gospel is for BOTH Jews and Gentiles alike and the main identity you need is faith in Jesus Christ regardless of your blood line. You do NOT have to be a Jew before you can become a Christian.

No doubt, the woman overheard Jesus as He rebuffed the disciples. Instead of giving up, she dropped to her knees before Jesus blocking His path and continued to pray to Him.

Jesus spoke directly to the woman, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” Wait! Did Jesus just call this woman a dog? Yes, He did. And it was just as insulting back then as it is today. Many preachers try to take some of the sting out of what Jesus said. They will say that Jesus meant a cute, little dog … the family pet, if you will. But it just doesn’t work. Jesus said that because the woman was a Gentile, she was a dog. This very well may have been what the disciples and other Jews thought of her, but Jesus was saying it to magnify her faith to the disciples.

Our culture today is so quick to take offense. We hear, “I don’t like it,” “It bothers me,” “I disagree with that,” “You are just a hater,” and so forth. How would a woman in today’s western culture respond if Jesus called her a dog? It sounds like a good excuse for a lawsuit to me.

Never the less, how does the woman respond in today’s Gospel? She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Yes Lord! If Jesus says that I am a dog, then I am a dog. Whatever Jesus says, no matter how offensive or ridiculous it is, it is the truth. If Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” then that is the truth. If Jesus says, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance,” then that is the truth.

You see, when Jesus describes us using terms that are offensive to our ears, He is saying that we are qualified to receive His salvation. The Apostle Paul demonstrates His understanding of this when he wrote to Timothy: “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Tim1:15) Here the Apostle Paul is doing the same thing that the woman did. If Jesus says I am a dog, then I am a dog. If Jesus says I am a sinner, then I am a sinner. Christ died for those who would normally be an offense to God. The comfort in knowing that you are a sinful dog is knowing that Christ died for you and your sin.

Jesus answered the woman, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. Here we see that this whole exercise has been to contrast the faith of this woman, who admitted she was a sinful dog but in faith sought help from Jesus, with the pride and unbelief of the scribes and Pharisees, who thought they were righteous by their works and needed no help.

Here, in this Gospel account, we see that it is those who admit that they are offensive before the Lord … those who confess that they are poor miserable sinners … those who confess that they deserve temporal and eternal punishment, that they deserve destruction for the wickedness of their sin… those who confess that they have loved themselves more than God … those who confess that they have exploited their neighbors whom they should love … It is these who admit that they are helpless, weak, possessed by the devil and the flesh by their sin, but come to Jesus their Lord for mercy and help in faith and hope… These receive the healing forgiveness that the Lord earned for them with His holy life and His innocent suffering and death on the cross. These are the ones who know that the resurrection of our Lord carries the promise that they too shall rise from the dead and live a new life with Him forever.

This promise of forgiveness, life and salvation is for you as well, through faith in Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. He hears and answers your prayer even if it is not when or how you have hoped He would. He gives you faith to believe and receive His strength. He feeds you more than crumbs though we deserve nothing. He gives you His body and blood, His grace and mercy of Jesus Christ crucified and raised for your eternal salvation!

What a blessing that this gift of faith is to all who believe. He has redeemed you and me by the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. Jesus is truly merciful and because of His merciful sacrifice He will continue to comfort you with His Word and His gifts. God is so gracious that even though we confess that we are offensive, sinful dogs before Him who deserve nothing but scraps, He calls us His children who are forgiven and made holy for Jesus’ sake. Not only that but He promises to seat us at the family victory table in His kingdom where we shall rejoice forever in the presence of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

Have you ever felt terrified? I mean like so terrifying it was like you felt like you or a loved one had a near death experience. You probably had absolutely no control of the situation and the outcome was completely in doubt. That lack of control is really what made the whole situation that much more terrifying, wasn’t it? Because you did not have the control you desired, you could not tell if things would work out or not. This can bring terror, worry, and anxiety. In this morning’s Gospel text, the disciples were also terrified, but they made it safely through it all, because someone else was in control.

This morning’s Gospel text picks up right where last week’s reading left off. Jesus had heard that His cousin John the Baptist had been put to death and had been on His way to be alone so that He could pray, but the people heard where He was going and got there before He did. He had mercy on them, healed their sick, and then we are told He performed the miracle of feeding over 5000 people from 5 loaves of bread and two fish.

Our text begins with the word immediately which is repeated 3 times in this section of the Gospel of Matthew. Immediately He makes the disciples get in the boat to go before Him to the other side. Meanwhile Jesus deals with and dismisses the people and finally gets to the mountain and begins to pray and meditate on the Ministry that lay before Him.

While Jesus was praying, the disciples had traveled to about the middle of the lake, but trouble had overtaken them. We are told in the English that the disciples in their boat were being beaten but in the Greek it uses a word that means tortured or tormented βασανιζόμενον. So the disciples were in their boat being tormented… by whom and for what purpose? Well, our text says that it was because the wind was hostile to them. The wind and the waves are described as though they have personalities. You may now be getting the sense that the disciples are not just battling against regular storms and seas, but these are as though they are being confronted by demonic and spiritual forces. Although the Israelites knew that nature was a servant to God and subject to Him, the weather and the location represent spiritual battle and the threat of the devil and the world which so often would terrorize us with power and situations outside our control. The sea for example was seen by the Caananite people as the realm of a god named yam which actually was their ancient word for the sea. They believed that the sea was an area that belonged to that of the demons and the keeping place for the dead. Even the Greeks spoke of the river Styx as being the place of the dead, the separator of this world and the realm of those who died. So the disciples are seemingly caught and struggling between getting to their destination of the shore and fighting forces stronger than themselves, forces that are overwhelming them physically and emotionally, that would have them give up and sink in the deep. Their efforts are not enough can not help themselves.

The very next verse we are told that Jesus then at the fourth watch of the night, sometime between 3 and 6 in the morning, came to the disciples in the middle of their distress. How does He come to them? By walking upon the same sea that is tormenting them, treading upon the dark places, the forces of evil, for they have no power over Him. He is the creator of all with the Father and the Spirit.

The disciples do not recognize Him at first nor do they recognize the comfort it should have given, instead they think He is one of those dead, a ghost, or a demon and they become even more terrified than they already were. They thought they were cursed, they were dying, they were going to be destroyed soul and body by some spiritual being. But “immediately”, there’s that word, immediately Jesus called out to them saying…, “Be of good cheer?” Does Jesus really just say cheer up, fellows? No the Greek says θαρσεῖτε which literally means “Be Couragified” or “be encouraged”. He commands and blesses with His Words fully expecting that they would be encouraged. Why should they receive courage? Jesus said “Be Couragified because ἐγώ εἰμι, that is, “I am”, so don’t be afraid.” I don’t know if you caught it, but Jesus used the old testament term for God Almighty, Yahweh, the great I AM. This why the disciples needn’t fear, their God and Lord is coming to them, the same who has come to destroy Satan and hell, to dismiss and forgive sins. The one who has ultimate control, the storms and seas must answer to God and be still, yet before the storm is stilled while it is still raging, Peter calls out, “Lord, if you are… command me to get out of the boat and walk to you.” Here Peter is actually testing Jesus, if you are who you say you are then you will do this. So often when Jesus was challenged in such a way during His ministry by those determined not to believe like the pharisees demanding a sign, Jesus would refuse. Here, however, is Peter, weak and wanting to believe, therefore Jesus has mercy and gives him something to believe in and says “Come”. Peter becomes courageous and comes out and walk for a bit, but then he did take his eyes off of Jesus and looked at his surroundings and doubt filled him again and down he went as though he were being swallowed up by unbelief and the power of the devil, but Peter looks to Him who saves and says, “Lord, save me!” Immediately, Jesus is there, grabs Peter and rescues him, saying “oh Little Faith one, why did you doubt?” When Jesus and Peter entered the boat, the storm, wind and sea ceased its tumult and everyone believed and worshipped Jesus confessing that He is the Son of God.

Dear Friends, this Gospel text is not just a nice story, a fairy tale that has no application to you or me. This occurrence happened and was recorded specifically for you, me, and all who would believe. The storms and wind and wave continue to batter and torment us in the lives of people because as long as there is sin in this world, as long as there is time and Jesus has not yet returned to judge the living and the dead, the devil, the world, and even human flesh continue to foam and rage against the boat carrying God’s people. This boat represents the Church. That is why so many churches have been built so that the roof looks like the bottom of a ship. That is why the area of the church building where we gather is liturgically called “the nave”. This comes from the Latin for ship. It is only in this ship/the Church that people are able to be saved and rescued from the spiritual torments that assail them during their earthly lives. This ship is like the ship which Noah built as commanded by God to save him and his family from the coming flood. Unlike Noah’s boat, the Church is built upon and with the very body of Jesus Christ who has overcome the Devil and has taken away the sin of the world, through His own sacrifice at the cross. Through the washing in Holy Baptism by the blood of our Savior, Jesus comes to His people, rescues them by His cross and empty tomb and invites them to, by faith, Come to Him and see that they too can walk upon and overcome the depths of Hell, doubt, and despair as they keep the eyes of faith upon Him.

When evil befalls us, and we become afraid. Perhaps we fear that God has left us, that He has left us out in the middle of the sea to drown and be tormented on our own. The terrors that come to torment us come in many forms, but they all attack us in ways that undermine our faith individually and try to wear us down and make us give up hope. These same terrors slam against the sides of the good ship, Mother Church, as if they could destroy the Church, but it cannot. Instead the purpose of Satan is to unsettle the minds of people so that they become slaves to fear and “abandon ship” thinking that it is sinking when it is those controlled by fear who sink deeper and deeper into the waves of despair, fear and doubt, when they see only the wind and wave, when they see only doom and gloom.

But here is your hope and mine. Despite our terror, our fears, our worries which are all truly spiritual. Though we seem to be sinking or that the ship around us is cracking. We cry, Lord, save me! And IMMEDIATELY he does. He comes to us, and says couragify, be of courage, have courage, because I AM. I AM the Lord your God and I have redeemed you and I love you. For the sake of Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven. He grabs us choking and sputtering and brings us back to Himself, to the cross, to the empty tomb, to the table where His body and blood are given for us to eat and to drink that we may be united once again with Him. Be of courage, I have conquered all. Do not be afraid, because I am here with you spiritually and physically. Then as we may still be weeping, He reminds us of the hope that is ours, the hope that not only will He take care of us and defend us here in this life, but that we shall receive a real and permanent place of peace and safety when we are brought to our the shores of our heavenly home. There the seas of eternity will always be placid and calm for sin shall no longer have dominion. We shall live forever in the glory of God for eternity, soul and body in the joy of our Lord who has saved us and declared us righteous through faith. Now let us always remember that in this life, through faith in Jesus we have hope, love, joy, and may always by His Power be courageous. In Jesus name. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

In today’s Gospel we are told that Jesus had compassion on the crowd as they came to Him in the wilderness. It is that same Greek Word from Matthew 9 which I preached on back on June 14. He had a deep visceral pain deep within Himself for the sake of the people; this time it is because they left all that they had to come to Him once they heard where He was.

Why is that significant? Because Jesus could have told them, “not now. I am grieving.” I need to time to pray and reflect upon what awaits Me. Why was Jesus grieving? The verse immediately preceding today’s Gospel reads: “And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.” The body belonged to none other than John the Baptizer. Then in today’s Gospel, “Now when Jesus heard this, He withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by Himself.” But any grief He had, anything else He may have been thinking took a backseat when He saw the crowds from the towns around coming to Him with their sick and their desire to hear Him preach. So He had mercy and He served by healing and preaching as the day wore on. At the end of the day, the disciples wanted Jesus to dismiss the people to go buy their own food. But Jesus would not unceremoniously and callously dismiss them. Why?

In Matthew 6 Jesus in the sermon on the Mount said this: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?… “if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:25, 30-33)

The crowd of people came to Jesus having been led by the Holy Spirit to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. They heard Jesus was there and rushed to Him who is the kingdom of God in His righteousness in one person. They left their homes to go into the wilderness to Jesus before worrying about their suppers that evening. Therefore, Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” This last remark to the disciples was Jesus telling the disciples that the massive crowds were following His words better than they. It reminds me a little of that account of Mary and Martha in Luke’s Gospel, where Jesus said. “Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)

By faith they came out into the wilderness to Jesus to be fed spiritually the bread of life through their ears by His Words from He who is the bread of life come down from heaven. Jesus and the Heavenly Father knew that even as they hungered for the Word of God, they would also become physically hungry, therefore He already knew what He would do. He would not turn those who came in curious faith empty away, and certainly not with empty stomachs.
Jesus took the 5 loaves and 2 fish, had the people sit down on the grass, took the food, blessed it, broke them and gave them to the disciples to distribute them. The people ate until they were satisfied. There were 12 baskets of leftover food fragments, and there had been 5000 men there not counting women and children. In other words, there many thousands of people.

We could ponder upon every detail in this text for its great significance and meaning and be rewarded. So what do we focus on in this account? The fact that He had them sit on the grass? Sure. The fact that Jesus as the Son of God was able to feed thousands with only two fish and 5 loaves of bread in the middle of a wilderness? Yes. The fact that Jesus blessed the food before breaking and distributing? Definitely. The fact that the people came out where they were to be gathered around Jesus? I think so. Jesus having compassion and mercy? For sure. That seeking God’s righteousness by trusting and living by faith means valuing above all else the Word of God and His presence? Absolutely! The fact that God in Jesus Christ satisfies both body and soul, that He provides more than is needed? And with that ponder the significance of the 12 baskets left over? Yes. Yes and Yes.

The wilderness, is a biblical image and symbolizes spiritual isolation, temptation, and trial. It represents the world and its wearisome troubles where true spiritual food and drink are scarce. Yet in the midst of the wilderness comes our Lord. He comes to gather, protect, feed, and lead. As the Pillar of fire and cloud led Israel out of captivity in Egypt through the wilderness feeding them with manna and quail, so Jesus who was that OT pillar gathers and leads His people through the wilderness and temptations of this world; temptations to eat what is not good and be consumed by the animalistic lusts of the flesh and fall into spiritual death. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who has His sheep lie down in good pasture as upon the grass of the wilderness. He has compassion for them as they struggle with the plagues of this sin filled world. He feeds them and gives them life and strength for the journey home.

And this whole flock of believers is represented by the crowds that came to Jesus that day because they did what all true Israel does, and that is listen to the Word of God and flee to where He is. They hearken to the voice of God in Jesus Christ as He calls out in Isaiah: “Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel…” This flock, this true Israel shall be and is made up of many nations. Which is why we even today, in the Church must ever be on our guard. We do not believe in once saved always saved. As St. Paul said in today’s Epistle “not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring.” So too we are not saved because our parents or relatives were believers. We are not saved because we come to church when it is convenient.

We are saved because the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ has had compassion upon His people and yes even for the world. He died upon the cross paying the total price for the sins of all people throughout time. His mercy is superabundant, but sadly many people reject it. Even many who call themselves Christian do not value this sacrifice. There are even times where you and I have not valued it. We have allowed our attention to turn from the voice of our loving Redeemer and hearkened instead to give priority to the cares of the world and our anxieties as we struggle with trusting God and seeking first the kingdom. In this and many ways we have sinned, and we must repent.

Take heart, Jesus has compassion upon you. He died on the cross for your sins, and as you repent and hope by faith in Jesus Christ know that you are given forgiveness and His righteousness once more. He calls and gathers by the Ministry of His Word and Sacrament you and people of every generation. He converts you even as He baptized you and declared you His own. Do not run from Him and He will bring you safely to heaven. If you fail and sin, return to your baptism, repent and be absolved in Jesus Christ, for He is quick to forgive and slow to anger. The basket of fragments reminds us that none of those who believe will be lost or forgotten by our Lord but will be gathered together with the whole Church.

Where will the whole church be gathered? Around Christ. Around Him crucified and raised, in eternity, but even here on earth where He continues to speak, to heal, to feed. To the place where the Bread of Eternal life for body and soul is distributed. Where the bread is blessed and Christ’s body and bread are given along with the quenching drink of His sacrificed blood in the wine. This we drink for the forgiveness of sins, for the strength of our faith, for the preparations of these weak bodies for eternal life. This is a feast of victory because of what He has done for us in His death and resurrection. It is a promise that He will be with us in the troubles of this life, that He will not leave us, nor turn us hungry away. And dear friends know that He cares about our whole self. As we continue to look to Him for salvation, mercy, and help by faith, He will help and provide for us spiritually and physically because He loves us and continues to have compassion with and for us.

We rejoice in His salvation and ongoing providence of body and soul. We are eager to listen to His Words, and receive with ears and mouths that which He gives for our good and our salvation. Let us delight in the rich food of forgiveness and life He gives of Himself in Jesus Christ, and having eaten the food given freely and having drunk the water and wine without price, let us be satisfied in Him so that our souls and bodies may live forever with Jesus Christ our Pillar, our Good Shepherd, and Redeemer. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

The idea of discovering buried treasure has sparked the imagination of countless men and women, boys and girls for many generations. The thrill and adventure of hunting for buried treasure is present in many stories and movies. It is present in the movie Goonies, Treasure Island, the Count of Monte Cristo, and even in the Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain.

Why would anyone bury their valuables? How common was that? Well the hiding of valuables by burying them was actually rather practical. Things that are buried outside the home in a less than obvious spot are less likely to be seen and stolen by thieves and robbers than that which is left in the open. In a time of war, the side that is getting ready to flee hides their belongings hoping to keep them safe until they are able to return.

In 1987, three families inspired by tales of sunken steam boats, looked for and found the remains of a steam boat named the Arabia. It had sunk in the Missouri river in 1856 loaded with enough goods and supplies to outfit several general stores in the Kansas Territory to help open the west to settlement. They found the steamship in a corn field half a mile from the current course of the Missouri river and 45 feet down under the water line. The families pooled their resources, took out massive loans and began to excavate the boat and its treasures. What they found was a time capsule of how people lived in 1856, because many of the artifacts were perfectly preserved in the oxygen depleted mud. After millions of dollars spent to dig up the Steamship Arabia, instead of selling off the very valuable treasure, they set up a museum in Kansas City so that other could people come and see the priceless treasure and learn from its historical value.

In our Gospel text for today we heard of a similar account of a treasure hidden in a field. We also heard two other parables as Jesus concluded the last of His seven parables describing the Kingdom of heaven.

The last few Sundays we heard parables that compared the kingdom of heaven to agricultural models. Today, Jesus turns our attention to another aspect of the Kingdom of God which is God’s ruling and working of salvation.

The first parable says the kingdom is like treasure. It is valuable and wonderful, like treasure buried in a field. Why would it be buried in a field? It is buried in a field because the treasure of God, His Grace, His Mercy, His Love and forgiveness is a precious mystery that can only be revealed to the world by faith through the revelation of the Word of God in Jesus Christ. This profound love of God is revealed in what seems to be the most unlikely of places therefore it seems hidden. It is hidden to the eyes of reason, the eyes of pride, the eyes of those driven by earthly lusts, because the mystery of God’s priceless treasure of love, mercy, forgiveness and salvation are made known through the humble suffering and death of Jesus Christ on the cross. That which seems like non-sense to many in the world is actually the greatest treasure as well as the most precious pearl, the pearl of great value. Therefore, the world walks by it or lives around it without taking notice, but there it is in an open field which represents the Church with its teachings and sacraments. It is available to all, but only some are drawn to its richness and understand by faith its value. Therefore, the man in this parable and the parable of the pearl are like anyone who comes to faith; who comes to an understanding and trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior from their sins. They go by the Spirit and sell all that they have, that is they go and get rid of all of the valuables of this world forsaking their previous sinful ways and the priorities and so-called wise philosophies of this world in order to possess an even greater treasure. It may seem as though the man or men in these parables are redeeming the field and the pearl by the sale of their earthly possessions, but in reality, they are the ones being redeemed. It is they who now belong to the treasure and the field which houses such a treasure. Now they and all who come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Savior live a life of repentance and faith as they wait and hope upon the Lord.

But none of that is possible unless we understand the primary way to understand this parable. The men in the treasure and pearl seeking parables actually represent God. God who sees you, me, and other believers, He even sees unbelievers as precious treasures buried under sin, unable to free ourselves, buried like dead bodies. God then redeems the world by selling all He has. He sends His Son, Jesus Christ to pay the redemption price through His suffering and death, so that you, me, and all sinners could be redeemed and delivered from the cold earth of our burial chambers. So that He could glorify us as His children and possession through the salvation of His Son.

In our Old Testament reading God says to Israel and His New Testament Church: “You are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord God has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession…It is because the Lord loves you, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery.” In Romans, we hear, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

We have been called to repent of our sin and come to the cross of Jesus Christ as our greatest treasure for salvation, but it is God who first did the treasure hunting. God saw us and all the people throughout history and had mercy upon us. For whatever reason, despite our sins, our warts, our filth, the wormy mud and gook of our sin caked upon us and our decomposed dead in sin flesh. God still saw us as a treasure worthy to be redeemed, worthy to be loved and valued. Therefore, God did send forth His own Son to be humbled and born in human flesh. He did what we could not, He lived the perfect life of obedience so that He could receive in His own flesh the complete and total punishment for the sins of the world as He suffered and died upon the cross to make atonement or payment for the price of sin. In this way, the sins of the whole world were paid for. Jesus then was raised from the dead to show the hope of life everlasting for those who believe. He ascended to prepare a place for believers, but also to send us His Holy Spirit in His Word and so that by His God-head He would be with us in His sacraments. We are brought forth, excavated from the grave, and washed of sin in holy Baptism and by the Holy Spirit, we shine and are clean because we have Christ and His righteousness put upon us. Now we are accounted by faith in Jesus as God’s treasure even as Jesus was and is our treasure. Now we receive more richness of His Love as He continues to shine and polish us through our lives, leading us through each difficulty, teaching us in His Word and receiving forgiveness when we are brought back to repentance and here to receive the very body and blood of Christ. Now we shine out and declare the glory and mercy and love of God to each other and our community as God uses us to call out to our neighbors to come see the treasure that we have in Jesus by the love lived out in us, the treasure into which we have been made through faith in Him.

We are given the promise then, that if it is God who has redeemed us and brought us to this saving knowledge, who has called us, justified us, and keeps us in the true faith by His gifts, then nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. He will sustain us in faith to the last that when the great dragnet comes at the end of the age, when the harvest time comes, we may be found to be of the good grain and the good fish and be saved and not cast among those to be destroyed. Thanks be to God, we are saved and seen as valuable in God’s eyes, not because we were worthy or good in and of ourselves, but because God in His goodness and great mercy loved us and redeemed us, to be His treasure, His bride and pearl of great beauty for the sake of Jesus Christ, who is now our treasure. He has forgiven you all your sins. May God keep us in that faith through Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Amen

Pr. Aaron Kangas

Last week, we heard the parable of the sower who sowed seeds on four types of soil. The four types of soil represented four types of hearts. There was the hard path that represented the hard heart that didn’t hear the Word of God at all. There was the rocky soil that represented the heart that heard the Word of God, but rejected the opportunity to study the Word of God more deeply. There was the weedy soil that represented the heart that heard the Word of God, but allowed the things of this world to become more important than studying God’s Word. Finally, there was the good soil where the Word of God put its roots deep into the heart.

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells another story dealing with seeds. This time, there are two sowers and two different seeds. The agricultural back ground of the story is sinister. The evil seed is actually a specific weed called “darnel”. It used to be known as “false wheat”. Darnel looks and grows just like wheat. It takes a very skillful farmer to notice the difference and the difference is only made clear late in the growth cycle when the heads appear. The seeds of the darnel are not only worthless. In fact, they are dangerous. They are toxic to people. It’s Latin name Lolium temulentum comes from the Latin meaning “drunk.” It refers to the drunken nausea which would occur from eating the infected plant, which can be fatal. If you depended on the wheat to feed your family and you harvested a crop of darnel instead, it would be a disaster.

This purposeful planting of darnel is a scheme of long-range diabolical hatred. The enemy would have had to divert some of his own resources to harvesting the worthless seeds of the darnel during the previous season. Then he would have to set aside storage for the darnel until the following planting season. Even then, the enemy would have to wait for the end of the growing season to witness the full destructive effect of the bad seed. The enemy might have to wait two years or more for his plan to come to completion. This is cowardly, dishonorable, cruel, and an extreme expression of hatred: all characteristics that accurately describe our enemy: the devil.

Again, this is one of those parables where Jesus Himself provides the explanation: “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil.” The sower is the same as the previous parable, the Son of Man. The seed in the previous parable put its roots down deep into the good soil and produced a yield. In today’s parable, we see that the yield is sons of the kingdom. The good Word of God puts its roots down deep into the heart of man and produces Christians. 

The exact opposite happens with the bad seed. It puts its roots into the heart and produces sons of the evil one … the hypocrites that plague every congregation. Those that look and maybe even act somewhat like Christians, but then they cause trouble, taking an emotional, spiritual, and often numerical toll upon the rest of the congregation or synod. But if this is the nature of “false wheat”, this explains one of the puzzling behaviors of human beings in the church here on earth. People will often strongly disagree with the teachings of an organization, but still want to be a member of the organization. They could join an organization with which they agree, but they don’t. Maybe they have always been a member of that church body but their ideals and faith have changed or they find a church that they disagree with and join it specifically to try to change it from within. This is diabolical.

Pick any Biblical teaching that causes controversy. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the one and only way of salvation … that no one can contribute in any way to all or part of their salvation. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit works through the external Word and not through internal feelings. The Bible teaches that marriage is between one man and one woman. It teaches that men and women should not have a physical relationship unless they are married. The Bible teaches that all life is sacred … even the life that is not yet born and the life that suffers near the end of its days. The Bible teaches that men are to serve in the office of the holy ministry and that both men and women are to receive that service with joy. The Bible teaches that it is dangerous to give the Lord’s Supper to people who refuse to repent of their sin, who refuse to forgive others, or who cannot examine themselves.

Many of these teachings and others disturb people in our culture. In fact, there are plenty of denominations today who find these teachings so offensive that they simply ignore what the Bible has to say and do what they want to do anyway. “Well, it’s a free country.” If they want to disobey God’s Word, no one will stop them. Instead, the day will come when they must answer to God.

But here’s the point to make today. If someone disagrees with the Bible in some way, they can find plenty of denominations to join, but they don’t. Many, many of these people insist on joining faithful denominations. Then they scheme and struggle in an effort to get that faithful denomination to fall away from the clear teaching of the Bible. They are not satisfied when they break the Word of God, but they want everyone else to break the Word of God with them. Then, even though they are the most divisive people in the congregation, they accuse the faithful of being divisive. Sooner or later people begin asking, “Why don’t these people join a denomination with which they agree? Why do they have to cause all these tears, griefs, and divisions when all we want to do is remain faithful to God’s Word?” Jesus has the answer in today’s parable. The devil intentionally sows his bad seed in the field of the Son of Man.

It is a very sad truth that Jesus teaches in today’s Gospel. He teaches that even the most faithful congregation will probably have unbelievers planted within in it. The devil will sow his lies in every congregation if he can. Some of you may be darnel instead of wheat. Some of you are Christians but some of you may not be, some may just be faking it. (Pastor Kangas writes: I pray that none of us are darnel but all true wheat.)

Of course, the problem is that there are times when all of us have acted like darnel. We often try to get what we want without checking the Bible to see what God wants. We often complain that we don’t feel heard, when, in fact, we do not listen to God in His Word. Instead of loving God above all things, we love ourselves. Instead of loving our neighbor, we seek to exploit our neighbor. When God’s Word specifically teaches something that we don’t like, we try to find a work-around that will let us do what we want instead of what God wants.

That part of us that acts like darnel should terrify us. Jesus’ teaching in today’s Gospel is clear. He said, “The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Jesus very clearly teaches that hypocrites in congregations will suffer an eternal fate that is like a fiery furnace … a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Fortunately for us, our Savior Himself became the good seed for us. He became the ultimate grain of wheat for us. As was quoted in last weeks’ sermon: Jesus said: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:23–24 When Jesus took our human flesh upon Himself, He became a seed just like us. But He was the seed that Adam and Eve were supposed to be. He was the Seed of God. He was the true wheat. He never acted like darnel. That is, He never sinned. Never the less, He took the punishment of darnel upon Himself for your sake. He was crucified and then buried just like a seed. While He hung on the cross, He suffered the fiery furnace. He endured the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. He endured it all so that the darnel of this world could be converted into wheat.

When the servants wanted to pull the darnel from the field, the owner said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest.’ This is the Lord waiting … giving time for the Holy Spirit to work through the proclamation of the good seed of God’s Word and convert the darnel, the sons of the evil one, into wheat, the sons of the kingdom. For “God our Savior … desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3–4

When He rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes to us darnel plants and offers to convert us into wheat by the forgiveness of sins which Jesus Christ has earned for us. The Holy Spirit calls and converts us by His Word of Law and Gospel. In Holy Baptism we die to being darnel, and are raised again in Jesus Christ to become God’s wheat. Then we grow up in Him by faith, and receive His strength and continued implanting by His Word. We are daily transformed in the remembrance of His promise in Baptism, in receiving His Absolution and when it is offered, we are joined to the whole wheat loaf as we received the Bread of life, Jesus Christ with His body and blood in the Sacrament of the Altar. As His wheat our faith is in Him and not our worthiness. We live in the peace given under His true teaching. By the power of God we become righteous for the sake of Jesus Christ and are saved, Therefore, as we live by faith, we know that the fiery furnace is not our destination. God will preserve and strengthen all believers until the day that they are gathered in the “barns”. Jesus said, “The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” And so all believers will. There we and all the saints shall reflect the glory of our God and Redeemer and shine in His righteousness and joy forevermore. God grant it for Jesus’ sake, Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

When you hear the parable of the sower as Jesus told it in this morning’s text the first thing questions you might wonder are: what in the world is this sower guy thinking? Has he ever farmed before? What is he thinking throwing seed all over the place, on pathways, on rocky ground, in an area of thorns, and yes finally on fertile ground? Why waste good seed? Why the effort to sow where surely nothing of any profit will come forth and grow?

Well, this parable is obviously not a lesson in farming or gardening in the conventional sense. The purpose of this parable is to teach something else. This parable of Jesus teaches 2 major points for us to ponder about the reign of Jesus’ kingdom, in His earthly ministry and the Church.

The first point is that the ministry of the Church will not always look successful according to earthly measurements. Even Jesus’ own ministry does not seem very successful despite Jesus casting the seed of His Word through His teaching, preaching, and healing wherever He went. Now you may ask, “What are you talking about, pastor, the text says that there were great crowds coming and gathering around Jesus?” Yes it does. However, from the beginning of chapter 11 in Matthew onward, as Jesus revealed Himself as God’s Son and the Messiah, resistance began to arise not only from the Pharisees and Scribes, but the people as well.

Up to this time Jesus had been speaking in plain speech, but still the majority of the people did not get it. Chapter 12 shows that Jesus’ own earthly family did not quite understand and were actually trying to get Him to be quiet. Therefore, Jesus began speaking to the people in parables. The disciples came to Jesus in verses 10-17and asked Him specifically why He was suddenly speaking to the people in the hidden speech of parable, Jesus answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.” In the ministry of Jesus and the Church, despite the presence of pure teaching and preaching, there will still be some who reject it, others who respond but then fade away in the face of persecution or hardship, and others who believe for a time but then let the cares and temptations of the world ensnare them and they are lost. For as Jesus explained it, the seed which the sower sowed is the Word of the kingdom, the very Word of God which is life, yet most of the seed that is sown never produces fruit.

This brings us to point 2. Point two is this, despite the lack of understanding, despite the rejection, despite the shallow roots and hearts of short lived believers, despite the easily distracted and unfaithfulness of people, God is still careless, reckless, and generous with His love and mercy. God is the sower who recklessly casts His Love through the message of His Word which is that seed.

Without His ongoing love and mercy shown to all people through the ministry of His Word and Sacrament who could be saved? Nobody. The soil, any soil, would just lay dormant with the exception of weeds. That is the condition of the human heart apart from the life giving truth of God’s Word. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Because of original sin and fallen human nature, all people are spiritually dead in their trespasses and sin and are weedy and hard packed soil with nothing good in themselves. A garden full of weeds does nothing to get itself weeded but seems to almost revel in its weediness, so to it is with humanity, seeing what masses of sin it can accumulate for itself while it has the time. Yes the weeds have their own flowers which bloom and produce seed, a flower and seed which the self-righteous sinner would call a good work and by it claim merit, but that flower and that seed produced is not of the same kind as the Lord’s. That human seed is but a false hope fashioned in sin according to mankind’s own design and shall lead nowhere but to fading glory and the destructive fires of hell.

Salvation must come from outside the thorny walls of this hard packed soil of fleshy, rocky infertility. And so it is that the Lord God, heavenly Father comes with His Word sowing it with reckless abandon and love. Never in our own earthly gardens have we seen such a seed, a seed that comes with the power to weed even as it plants, a seed that makes fertile the soil that which was infertile. What is this seed? Where did it come from? The seeds which were sown by the sower must have come from the abundance and fruitfulness of another plant. This good parent plant from which all good plants must come was the seed that descended from on high. This seed is God’s own Son, Jesus Christ, planted in the womb of the Virgin Mary, who lived in perfection keeping all statutes of His Father’s Law, so that He would be a perfect substitute for the sins of the world in His own death upon the cross and whose body was planted in the earth when He was buried. This does not sound like a successful ministry, yet as Jesus said “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” Was His death a waste of a perfectly good seed? No! By His death, death is undone, by His obedience, disobedience is forgiven as the transgressions of the world were accounted to Him as He was crucified.

Jesus is the true seed, the righteous plant, the vine, who was crucified and then planted into the earth so that after three days He would rise again and the seed of His body would show forth the sign of the salvation and forgiveness which He has accomplished. He is by His resurrection the firstfruits of all the dead. By His death and resurrection the curse of sin, the accusation of the Law, and the power of the evil One are undone. This is the message of the Word which uproots the thorns of your heart. The Law of God tears and rips open our hearts like a plow and lays bare our sin so that repentance and hope in the mercy and Good News of Jesus Christ crucified and risen for your sins is able to be planted in you by water and the Word of Holy Baptism. There you also were crucified, buried, and brought to life through and in Christ and His precious blood. It is the Holy Spirit who grants faith, who gives ear to hear this Word of salvation, who overcomes sinful pride and hard hearts making them subject to the grace of His forgiveness. It is no gimmick, it is the truth of God’s reckless love and mercy that gives faith and life. The church does not need to market with gimmicks, this message, but continues using the tools which He has given: the true preaching of His Word in its purity, and the faithful administration of His Holy instruments of Grace, Baptism, Absolution, and the Lord’s Supper. It is the body and blood of Jesus Christ who is planted in your mouths in the receiving of this consecrated bread and wine. It is He who plants you in the faith and hope of His forgiveness.

But it is important that you come and receive the gifts through which this Word works. Another reality that the parable of the sower reveals is that there is much that is warring against the planting of this seed and the growth of its fruit. There is no, “Once saved always saved”. The devil is ever trying to pluck God’s Word from your ear by keeping you home instead of going to church, the thorns and cares of this world, the aggravating words and actions of those around us, the temptation of our flesh, the false teachings of the world around us, are all constantly trying to choke out your faith, and keep you and all God’s little ones from growing into Christ, but rather are seeking to destroy that faith, and replace it with eternal damnation.

But do not be afraid, by continuing to return to the cross, here to the place of forgiveness, here where He quenches you His little plants with the rainfall of living water in Word and Sacrament, your Lord and Savior will continue to keep you in that faith and protect you from your enemies. He will continue to give you His Holy Spirit to weed out your sins and remove their strangle hold in the confession of your sins and the receiving His forgiveness. He gives you ears to hear His Word and by His body and blood. He enables you to grow up into His fullness and bear His good fruit: Fruit of repentance, of love for your neighbor, of joy for this life and the life to come. Satan may try to pluck the hope of Jesus from your midst, but He cannot compete with the reckless casting of God’s grace in Jesus Christ. As you also live for Him and speak this message of Jesus Christ, do not become discouraged by lack of response. Keep sowing the seeds. His Word will not return to Him empty. As St. Peter says in his first epistle, “you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God”. Continue to rejoice in His Word and His reckless and abundant love as it sustains you in your vocation. Then return here to your Lord as He gives rest from your labor. Which He will continue to do until He calls you to His eternal rest, gathering you and all believers to Himself at His harvest time to live with Him forever in Jesus’ name and for His sake, Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

The IRS defines a “dependent” as “a qualifying child or relative who relies on you for financial support” and is usually living with you. Therefore, a person might say that “independence” is becoming self-sufficient, a part of growing up and becoming an adult, without the need of outside support.

Yet as we think of independence and the concept of “independence” on this 250th anniversary of the birth of the United States. On July 4, 1776 when the representatives of the 13 colonies made that “Declaration of Independence”, we might want to consider what does independence mean?

For those who wished to form a new nation, independence meant not having to pay taxes to a king and parliament who did not listen to the wishes or needs of their citizens (or soon to be former citizens) who seemed to not give their colonies and dependents any recourse for self rule or representation. To the patriots, independence meant freedom for self determination. Therefore they declared what they did, took up arms and formed a new nation. But what the Patriots of this new nation were to find out was the same lesson that so many other people find out when they move out from under the roofs of their parents. Independence isn’t easy. There ae difficulties and growing pains of inexperience, of making mistakes because of the lack of oversight, of moving forward without established guidelines and rules established to help guide and restrain. Of Good intentions without proper knowledge and experience to follow through properly. Such is the way of gaining maturity. So laws had to be made. Taxes from abroad, which brought about the revolution, now had to be levied domestically in order to support the new government, much to the upset of some ideals. Other battles would yet have to be waged to form a more perfect union, and so it continues.

You see, the concept of “independence” can be a good thing if a person has a perspective that has already been formed within them from a morality and ethos formed by the law of God, if they understand that independence doesn’t mean freedom from responsibility and respect for their fellow man. The reality is that nobody is nor can they be truly “independent” of anybody or anything. We all are dependent upon God and our fellow man. We cannot provide all things for ourselves. That would be what true independence would mean. But God upholds all creation even as He created it as I said before. He continues to guide and direct all things, allowing rain to fall, the sun to shine, and life here on earth to flourish. Despite sin. God has established society and government through talents and skills of people. Not all can farm and grow their own food, not all can craft and build, not all can protect from the evil within and without the hearts of mankind, Not all can fathers, mothers, Therefore, society needs the various vocations and trades through which God establishes a semblance of order and provision. But this perspective that does not come into the hearts of men and women magically. This perspective must come from God who has created all things and continues to keep a semblance of order even after mankind’s fall into sin. He has established His law upon the hearts of men and women to restrain the flesh of people, even those who do not believe. He continues to use governments to restrain the evil within in our flesh. St. Paul speaks about the main core of the problem in the epistle lesson for today. We are by nature in our flesh: sinful.

You see, our flesh wants to rebel against the law of God which is written in our hearts, and the Law which He has revealed in Scripture. Such is the state of mankind since the fall into sin.

Sadly, because of sin and our fallen nature, for many, the idea of independence is not a maturity. Their concept of “independence” comes from an attitude of rebellion and selfish desire. A desire to throw off the shackles of responsibility, a desire to do whatever one wants to do while being answerable to no one… or certainly not to a higher power than themselves. To them “Independence” is “not wanting to be told what to do”.

That was the problem for Adam and Eve. They didn’t accept that they were dependent upon God and were therefore supposed to follow His rules for their good and protection. They rebelled against the way of truth and life, and now all humanity and creation have been tainted by sin, and a corrupted mind. Paul nails it on the head. Death has now entered the picture as a result of sin. Humans are not naturally good. Since the fall, we are selfish and sinful whose desires and actions are very often not healthy but selfish and destructive to ourselves and all too often for society as well.

As St. Paul points out: very often we may have high ideals about what good we wish to do, but our flesh gets in the way and messes it up, so that: “I do not do what we want, but I do the very thing I hate. I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

The reality is that we all need rescue. We are all sinners, we all have failed and spiritually do not have freedom but are in bondage to sin, and subject now to death and the punishment that sin deserves.

The good news is that God knows our needs. He has sends a hero to rescue, redeem, and rule in a way that no earthly government could.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;
righteous and having salvation is He.

Jesus Christ, comes as a king, not to enslave, not to rule for His own gain, but to release you from the bondage to sin, from the self-destruction of rebellion, to relieve you from the daily stresses and anxieties of trying to bear all things yourself in mad pursuit of an independence which cannot be obtained. The fact that we can be dependent upon God is a good thing.

Even though we wish like rebellious children to get out from the roof and rules of our parents who protect and provide for us, God continues to come to us, and remind us why He restrains and protects, why He applies the Law and at times, because He loves us. Therefore, He also provides the Gospel. The Good news that because Jesus Christ has come into the flesh, He has fulfilled the demands of the Law. Jesus has defeated death by dying on the cross. Therefore, we who have been imprisoned by sin, may truly be set free in Him by the forgiveness of sins. As we come to knowledge that we are dependent upon God for salvation by the forgiveness of sins which we could not attain, in that same faith, we become independent and set free from sin, death, and the power the devil. Our flesh is renewed in life by the power of Christ’s resurrection, even as it is set apart for resurrection at the last day.

Jesus, the Christ, your king speaks tenderly to you: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Dear friends, it is ok to be dependent upon God in Jesus Christ. It is important that we give Him thanks for the earthly governments that He provides to rule our society and celebrate the freedom that we have to worship Him here and to serve Him in this nation, but let us remember that we are citizens of a better nation, a heavenly kingdom which is a place of true rescue and freedom. In Christ, we are truly set free from sin, from fear, from death, and the rages of our sinful flesh.

Come and receive from Him mercy and comfort in His Word. It is good to be His children, to dwell within His household, to not seek independence from Him. Independence from Him is to return to relying on our own power which is powerless a future which is not pursuing happiness and life, but rather death and despair. In the household of the Church and His kingdom, our king provides life, mercy, forgiveness, peace, true maturity, and strength. Eat and drink at His table and be made strong in Him as your King comes to you righteous with His salvation for you in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

The Words of Jesus in today’s Gospel reading may seem jarring as He says, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth, I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” These words seem out of place for Jesus whom we also call the “Prince of Peace”.

The words of our Gospel text are a continuation of the previous verses of Matthew 10 which we heard last week. Jesus was talking originally to His disciples as He was sending them out for a time of service of preaching and teaching as practical experience for the time after He had ascended. He was letting them know that as they preached and taught this message, there would be definite reactions. There would be some who receive it, but there would also be many not only rejecting this message but who would react to the message of God’s truth by actively seeking to persecute them and those who would follow their teaching. In the verses for today, Jesus continues to describe the turmoil and grief that will most likely follow His disciples.

He mentions division in families. Is the message of Jesus anti-family as He says, that “He has come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and that a person’s enemies will be those of his own household”? No, Jesus doesn’t hate families, nor does He say that His disciples or believers must give up family ties in order to follow Him. Jesus is describing the results that may occur from the sword which He came to bring and wield.

You see, this sword which He brings is a powerful sword. It is not a sword and weapon used to cut people down and kill them mortally in the flesh, but His Sword is used to cut people down spiritually by the power of the Holy Spirit. This sword which Jesus has come to bring is the truth of God’s Word: His Law and His Gospel. St. Paul referred to God’s Word in such a way as he encouraged the Christians in Ephesians to be armored with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”. Why would the Word of God be described as a sword? Scripture says in Hebrews 4: “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

The Word of God is not a stagnant monument to ancient opinions of a few people. The Word of God is living and active, dynamic and powerful to its purpose, a purpose which the world, our own flesh, and Satan do not like one bit. The Word of God pierces, slices, and cuts. It does not kill the mortal body but it does kill the flesh and the temptations and weaknesses of the flesh spiritually and morally.

This is the purpose of the Law which St. Paul described so well in our Epistle lesson for today. It’s wonderful to see how these readings fit together. The purpose of the Law is to cut away at the hypocrisy of sin, to cleave away at people’s false exteriors and expose that sin so that it might be put to death. The Law kills. It shows a sinner that they deserve to die according to the Law, and it shows the hypocrite that they too are a sinner and cannot save themselves according to the Law, but are only fooling themselves. The Law kills, but its proper purpose is to bring the hope of healing by the forgiveness of sin. The Law exposes the sin, so that the necessity of salvation is seen outside oneself, to repent, seeking God’s mercy. The Gospel is the message of forgiveness and mercy outside oneself, the message that Jesus is the only One who can bring true peace, not the temporary peace and prosperity of this world, but peace with the Father now and throughout eternity. Peace that could only be earned through Jesus Christ’s active keeping of the Law in all its righteous demands, going to the cross to be crucified and pierced for mankind’s iniquities. In and through His flesh, He undertook the sword of righteousness to make war against Satan, the world, and sinful flesh to bring about the victory of peace and the promise of eternal life through forgiveness of sin given through faith in Him. Jesus does promise peace but As Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27) And again: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Dear Friends, this is why Jesus said in today’s text, “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” The world and sinful flesh balk and rebel against that sword which is the Word of God. Our sinful flesh and the flesh of the world does not want to be subjected to the uncomfortable truth of God’s Word. We all, like our parents before us, going all the way back to Adam and Eve want to make ourselves: god. As little gods, humans make rules which make us feel better about ourselves, and then we make exceptions to those rules to excuse us when we don’t live up to our own self-made definitions of piety. This is why proclaiming God’s Word in its truth and purity is not popular and can seem divisive, it is because when the Law does its job of killing pride; pride doesn’t want to die. The flesh wants to keep on in its sin. It doesn’t matter to our flesh that God sees through the hypocrisy of lip service when we have every intention of returning to our sin: to our adulteries, our slanders, our blasphemies. To live in such a way is to live bearing fruit only for death: eternal death. The flesh doesn’t want to be rebuked, the flesh does not want to hear that it cannot contribute to salvation, therefore its response is often venom, hatred, and persecution. It doesn’t want to be subject to God’s Word and its active piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

This objection can only be overcome by the power of the Holy Spirit working through the power of that Word of God as it works through Scripture, through preaching, teaching, rebuking, reproving, so that when all hope and faith in self and sins of the flesh are put to death in repentance, then the sweet salve and balm of God’s Word is applied in Jesus Christ. This is what happened in your baptism, the old sinful flesh was put death and crucified with Christ and so that by His Holy Spirit Christ is now placed upon you and living in you.

This name of the Holy Triune and the mark of the cross marks you as belonging to Him, as a child of promise and forgiveness in Jesus’ name. As such, however, you will be marked by your heavenly father’s enemies as one to attack. Who are these enemies? St. Paul says “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Yes they will attack the truth of God’s Word, they will invite you to doubt whether God really said this or that. They will perhaps use family, friends, and coworkers to weaken the steadfastness of your confession, who will say you are being too hardnosed about your doctrine and confession. That you are a hater for rebuking sin, and calling truth truth. Satan will try to whisper doubt and confusion in understanding that the Gospel means nothing unless the Law is applied, yet you must also be able and willing to follow the Law proclamation with the life giving message of Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the forgiveness of sins.

As Jesus said, I now say to you: Have no fear, do not be afraid: Look to the cross and remember Jesus Christ has overcome the world. So too by His strength and power He will bring you safely through all your troubles, hardships, pains, aches, and persecutions. As a believer you called to continue to battle against your flesh, the world, and the devil who would tempt you away from God. When you sin, you are called by God to examine yourself by His Word of the Law and repent as we do in confession and absolution. Then peace between you and God is restored in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You are forgiven, you are His precious child. Continue to abide in Him and His Word and you will not be moved. Take and eat, take and drink, here is the true body and blood of Jesus Christ given for you for peace, forgiveness, and strength as you hold fast to His teaching until the end. He will give you the strength by His Word to confess His name. You are able to “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” The Holy Spirit puts this armor on you as you come here to be served by Him in Word and Sacrament, as you pray, and as you come to Bible Study and be subjects and students of His Word, which is His sword. It is His living and active sword of the spirit acting to pierce the evil by the Law and give life and salvation by the Good News that Jesus Christ is crucified, resurrected and ascended. He has overcome the world for you, and by His forgiveness you have overcome the world already, and at the last day you will in fullness receive His glory, eternal peace, and resurrected victory in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas

When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36) Jesus had compassion. The Greek is esplagxnisthay. This refers to a deep visceral pain deep within himself, a primal response from deep within the essence of His being. This, we are told, happened at a few different points of His Ministry. He suffers on behalf of his pathos for the suffering of people. This compassion of Jesus is one of the deepest, richest, and most comforting of His qualities for any believer in this life. He knows what you are going through and He suffers with and for you.

The reason for this compassion within Jesus in today’s Gospel is the spiritual state of the people. They were like unprotected sheep: Sheep without a shepherd. As such, they are described as wearied, harassed, the Greek implies that they were “cast away”. How? Why? What does this mean? It means that those who were supposed to be spiritual caregivers, leaders, and guides were not doing their job. Like all too often in the Old Testament, those whom God had established to be spiritual caregivers were shirking their duties. The Levites and the Priests were not teaching the people rightly, they had not been preparing them to live in humble faith and repentance.

The words harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd tell us that the people were the constant target of an evil bully. They were like a flock of sheep surrounded by a pack of wolves. The wolves constantly probing, nipping, consuming. Who were these? The false teachers. The Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees, religious movements whose members emphasized the study of the Law and Old Testament not for the sake of understanding God and His mercy and to grow in faith but for the sake of vain philosophy and pride in doing more works than others. As Jesus said in Matthew 22: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness.” Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. (Mt. 23: 15, 23)

These false teachers, hypocrites, and blind guides, were the wolves seeking to take God’s Word, twist it and use it to deceive and destroy, while casting out as refuse and worthless those who lived simply by faith in the Messianic promises as repentant believers. Therefore Jesus groans for them and said to His disciples: “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” (Mt. 9:37-38)

With that, we are introduced to the 12 disciples and their names. These are they whom Jesus chose to be an answer to those wolves, and to supplant those who had been appointed to be shepherds but had only been unfaithful hirelings protecting God’s flock. Interesting fact here. Notice the language used. Only 2 Weeks ago on Trinity Sunday, we heard Jesus send out the disciples with the command: ” Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” But here Jesus sends them out saying: “Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Interesting. 2 things here. One is that this was temporary sending out of the disciples. This was like their internship or as we use in our churches, a type of vicarage. A time of trial for the disciples in a prophetic role which they would continue later. But this time also had a slightly different message content. It was a sending out to continue the message of preparation by repentance as John the Baptizer had proclaimed. It was to show that the kingdom of heaven was about to be proclaimed and redeemed in the very person and work of Jesus the Christ, the promised Messiah, the true and faithful Shepherd of God’s flock. The second sending was a message that redemption had been accomplished.

The second point regarding this is to answer the question “why were they sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel this time and not all nations?” Well, the reason is because these were already sheep. They were believers though weak and set upon by the wolves. This message was one of encouragement. Hang in there. Keep the faith. Do not give in to the temptations to despair or turn to a false religion of works, philosophy, or anything that Satan would try using to steal them away. Your Shepherd King is fighting for you and will deliver you from the Devil and his wolfish sons of hell!

Do you think Satan likes his lies to be debated? Do you think wolves who are feasting wish to have their lunch interrupted? O course not! That is why Jesus a few passage later in Mt. 10 tells the disciples: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

He warns them that the enemy will not be easily defeated by words and deeds, but that the Lord would protect and deliver them.

Dear Friends in Christ, the battle continues even today. There are today many false shepherds who are hirelings, false prophets, and wolves in the employ of Satan seeking to harass, destroy, and consume people in spiritual darkness, unbelief, and misbelief.
They know how to appeal to your heart and mind as you struggle in your own flesh with the wolf of human pride within. I struggle too. That voice which says “take the easy way, do your own thing” or “God doesn’t love you” or “I am pretty great”.

Jesus the Great and Good Shepherd knows what is going on in your hearts and minds even if nobody else knows or understands. Jesus in His compassion and love came for you. He came to take your sin, your troubles, the weight of your spiritual enemies off of you. Be comforted! Repent and believe that Jesus has died upon the cross for you to take your sins, to defeat the enemy. To keep you from being consumed by the wolves, to be taken to the depths of hell. Jesus became exhausted by His work and the attacks of the devil as He died so that you may be given strength by the forgiveness of sins which He has won for you by His sacrifice. He has won for you the kingdom of heaven, so that you may eternally rest in Him with the Father, Holy Spirit, the angels, and all the saints. But you are able to rest in Him now. You are able to be comforted now.

This is why He continues to send out His Word, why He sends out pastors today to be His shepherds striving to be faithful in proclaiming His Word, protecting His flocks, teaching them to fight back against the Devil, the World and the flesh, in the name of Jesus Christ who is your Savior Redeemer. He is the one who fulfilled God’s justice, by God’s mercy and faithfulness in Him.

You were lost, but God found you with His Word and brought you into His flock by Baptism into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There you received the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection and made you His child and part of the harvest of believers. Remember God’s promise to you here.

Be strengthened as His sheep huddled closely under the cross of your Shepherd, draw near to Him by hearing His Word in Scripture, hymnody, and the liturgy, wherein you hear His voice soothing and singing to you as He leads and guides you through this life as you grow in His wisdom, love, and faith.

Know that the victory of Jesus Christ over sin, death, and the devil is already yours. You have confessed your sins and have been absolved, now by the hand of His undershepherd, be fed the Holy things which bring Christ’s forgiveness for you. Be comforted as you eat and drink Christ’s body and blood in the bread and the wine. This is our victory feast in Christ Jesus. Here is where your exhaustion from the taunts and torments of the week may be shed from you and placed upon Christ once more.

Then go from here fearless even in the face of the daily battles that await. Your Father in heaven has sent you the Holy Spirit which you received in this Word and these gifts. He who has redeemed you will keep you in this faith. He who has spoken His Word to you has given you means to silence the Devil by confessing that faith which has been given unto you in Christ.
You are not helpless. You are not a sheep without a Shepherd. Your Shepherd Jesus Christ loves you and continues to not only “feel for you”, but He loves you and actively fights for you, intercedes for you, redeems you. Continue to confess and believe Jesus Christ crucified and raised and He who is faithful, will bring you safely to our eternal joy and rest: the full realization of the kingdom of heaven, in Jesus Christ, Amen.

Pr. Aaron Kangas