John 8,3-11. The 4th Sunday after Trinity

✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠

John 8,3-11   3413

4. Sonntag nach Trinitatis  049     

Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea, † 379     

23. Juni 2013

1. O Heavenly Father, You are merciful, gracious and forgiving. Often we attempt to help our neighbors with good and loving intentions, but we usually end up treating our neighbor legalistically, judgmentally and with little forgiveness. Help us to first examine our lives by Your Holy Word, repent of these, our sins, and hear Your Holy Absolution so that we, by the power of the Holy Spirit moving within us may then help our neighbor with a heart of mercy, a gracious attitude and a forgiving spirit.  Amen.

2. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to Him: „Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?“ This they said to test Him, so that they might have some charge to bring against Him. Jesus bent down and wrote with His finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask Him, He stood up and said to them: „Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.“ And once more He bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before Him. Jesus stood up and said to her: „Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?“ She said: „No one, Lord.“ And Jesus said: „Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.“ 

3. In our Gospel Reading for this morning Jesus says to the crowd: »Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you.« (Luke 6,36-38). This teaching of Jesus was contrary to that of many of the Pharisees of His day. Many Pharisees counseled for a strict interpretation of the law with a punishment of offenders as prescribed in that law. Earlier in His Beatitudes Jesus had taught: »Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. You have heard that it was said: »An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth« [Exodus 21,24]. But I say to you: Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. You have heard that it was said: »You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy« [Leviticus 19,18; Deuteronomy 25,17-19]. But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you« [Matthew 5,17-18.38-39.43-44]. 

4. In John 8 this teaching of Jesus is put into practice. On the last day of the feast of tabernacles Jesus had gone to the temple and had taught that He is the water of everlasting life (John 7,37-38). The Pharisees were incensed and angrier that a stirred up hornets’ nest. They straightaway cursed the crowd for being ignorant of the Law since the crowd had praised Jesus as the Prophet and the Christ (John 7,40-41.49). They then chastised the temple guard for not arresting Jesus forthwith (John 7,45). The Pharisees, however, hatched a plan to trap Jesus. When Jesus returned the next day to the temple, the Pharisees were waiting and they brought before Jesus an adulteress. What do we do Jesus? Do we stone her to death as the law of Moses requires? 

5. The Pharisees wanted to entrap Jesus. To accomplish this they were willing to judge and condemn a sinful woman on a day of rest, but Jesus is not the country bumpkin the Pharisees perhaps assumed Him to be. Jesus acknowledges the law and its punishment upon the sinner. Since the Pharisees are so intent on upholding the law, Jesus then asks them: „Who among you sinners will be the first to pick up a stone and carry out judgment upon her?“ Those intent upon upholding the law were now accused by that same law they had levied against the woman; they left humbled and shamed until only Jesus remained with the woman. Jesus judged her sin under the law but refuses to carry out the law’s punishment and condemnation. Jesus extended to her unconditional love; He showed her the very mercy and forgiveness He teaches in Luke 6. 

6. Jesus did not arrive to abolish the law but to fulfill it. The law reveals sin and condemns the sinner, and as such each one of us is found guilty under the law; death and condemnation are the punishment we deserve as sinners. Jesus arrived to fulfill that law; He arrived to bear the weight of sin, the curse of death and the condemnation of the sinner upon His very own shoulders. Jesus arrived to accomplish the law, and He accomplished the law by His own crucifixion under that law. Jesus has fulfilled the old testament, and we now live under the new testament: Jesus has fulfilled and accomplished the law, yes, every iota and dot has been upheld by Christ Jesus. He perfectly obeyed the Ten Commandments, dutifully upheld the festivals, and took every iota and dot of that Law upon His very body which He offered up as the blood sacrifice. His merits are now applied to us to the fullest degree so that in Christ we have fulfilled the law (Romans 10,4). 

7. The Apostle Paul proclaims it this way: »For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says: „The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart“ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, then you will be saved. For the Scripture says: „Everyone who believes in Jesus will not be put to shame“ [Isaiah 45,17]. For „everyone who calls on the Name of the Jesus will be saved“ [Joel 2,32]« (Romans 10,4-6.8-9.11.13). 

8. Jesus arrived to show mercy, to justify, to save and to forgive sinners condemned by the law. This righteousness is in stark contrast to, and in direct confrontation with, anyone who would merit his or her righteousness by using the law. A rich young ruler would later tell Jesus that he had merited eternal life by keeping the Ten Commandments since he was a young boy (Luke 18,18-21). The Pharisees also made this same boast about themselves. Indeed, if anyone could merit everlasting life by keeping the law, then it would have been the Pharisees. These men worked very diligently to honor the law. In fact, they went beyond what the law commanded to ensure they kept that very law. 

9. Jesus responded to the Pharisees and their righteousness by saying: »Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. Woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it. Woe to you lawyers! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering« (Luke 11,39.42-44.46-47.52). 

10. Jesus pronounces misfortune upon the Pharisees, and anyone, for trusting in their self-righteousness. Eternal torment and damnation awaits everyone who seeks salvation in their own merits under the law instead of simply trusting in the righteousness that Jesus freely gives to all people. You see, Jesus rightly exposes the lie of the self-righteous: »Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy,« (Luke 12,1) »indeed, you Pharisees justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God« (Luke 16,15). 

11. Jesus chastises the self-righteous and is merciful to the self-condemned. Jesus promises: »Everyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God« (Luke 12,1.8). This promise is for all people; some, content with their pharisaism, will remain steadfast in their righteousness under the law, and in doing so they deny Jesus before men and God the Father. Others, notorious tax collectors, prostitutes and publicans, acknowledge their sinfulness but trust in Jesus and acknowledge Him before men and God. 

12. Jesus is here to save sinners. He is here for you and me. Jesus does not condemn you, but He shows you mercy. He forgives you, calls you to trust in His righteousness for your own and exhorts you to refrain from sin. The law which has accused and condemned you has been fulfilled and accomplished by the crucified and risen Jesus. His grace is given to you, and His grace is sufficient for you (2. Corinthians 12,9), so sufficient that you have full assurance and certainty of Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness. »The Law and the Prophets were until John the Baptizer; since then the gospel of the reign of God is preached« (Luke 16,16).   This gospel shames and humiliates all accusers so that only Jesus remains in your presence, and His words to you are: »I do not condemn you.« His grace is enough to declare you righteous.  Amen. 

13. Let us pray. It is good to give thanks to Yahweh, to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High, for You are the Leader and Guide of all the elect. Here we are upon wild and stormy waves, in an evil world that is quick to judge and condemn; but You are steadfast in showing us mercy and forgiveness, so that we may finally attain to Your heavenly reign through the merits of Christ (Löhe 343-44).  Amen.  

Christ crucified and risen for you 

✠

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 27. Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.  

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

Löhe, Wilhelm. Liturgy for Christian Congregations of the Lutheran Faith. Copyright © 1902 Frank Carroll Longaker. 

Luke 19,1-10. 3. Sunday after Trinity

✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠

Luke 19,1-10   3313

3. Sonntag nach Trinitatis  048    

Julitta, Quirinus, Martyrs 304 

16. Juni 2013

1. O Lord Jesus Christ, it is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that You came into the world to save sinners. You desire that no one, yes, not a single one, be lost. From all eternity You had thoughts of grace toward every human being. By Your life and suffering, by Your bleeding and dying on the cross, You reconciled every person to Your Father, redeemed them from all sins and won for them grace, righteousness, life and salvation. O Lord, awaken Your sleeping Church and fill her again with ardent love for those who are still without Christ and without hope in this world. Yes, arise, O Lord, in these last days of the world to rescue those who still may be rescued, and count also us worthy of taking part in this most blessed work.  Amen. 

2. Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Jesus, for He was about to pass that way. And when Jesus arrived at the place, He looked up and said to him: „Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.“ So he hurried and came down and received Jesus joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled: „He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.“ And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord: „Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.“ And Jesus said to him: „Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.“ 

3. In today’s Gospel Reading, Jesus tells parables about finding something precious that had been lost, namely a wandering sheep and a missing silver coin. Jesus teaches in these parables the heart and desire of God who seeks for the lost. In Luke 19, the evangelist tells us that Jesus heals a blind man who is oppressed, and then extends love to a tax collector who is an oppressor (Bailey 170). Both were lost, and Jesus found them. In reality, no one particularly cares for tax collectors: they were despised in Jesus’ day just as they are loathed in our day. The sentiment in Jesus’ day and culture was: the tax collectors were lost and should stay lost. Why would this sentiment prevail? 

4. The Roman tax code was a bit different than our current IRS system. „The system of taxation then in place was called „tax farming.“ The local person who acquired the right to collect taxes for Rome was expected to turn over a set amount to the authorities at the end of the year. How much was to be paid was at times predetermined, but in practice the tax collectors were often the only ones with precise knowledge of the relevant statutes. The tax collector was despised in rabbinic literature and in the the New Testament, and he and his family were considered unclean. Lying to him was condoned. The system naturally produced graft and economic injustice. The town naturally hated its chief collaborator (Bailey 176-77). Worse still, Zacchaeus is described as a wealthy man which means he was particularly adept in gouging his neighbors with exorbitant taxes and profited from what was left over after he rendered unto Rome what was Rome’s. 

5. We tend to look at the story of Zacchaeus with rose-colored glasses. The people in Jericho were far less inclined to think kindly of their „friendly“ neighborhood taxman. Zacchaeus was a pariah, a thief, a traitor and a collaborator. He and his family were despised, received vile epithets and were unwelcome. You could not get anymore lost than having  tax collecting as your vocation. The townsfolk can appreciate and applaud Jesus for healing the blind man, for he is a poor, downtrodden man in need of healing. But to show mercy to a tax collector, there Jesus has gone too far. How would we feel if Jesus treated former IRS commissioner Steven Miller the way he treated Zacchaeus? 

6. Solomon lamented: »Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them« (Ecclesiastes 4,1). Jesus both opposes oppressors and extends comfort to them (Bailey 170). Jesus really meant it when He came to save the lost, and that included the worst of all sinners: the despised tax collectors. 

7. Jesus is so serious about saving Zacchaeus that He allows Himself to become unclean. According to the scribes and Pharisees: as a tax collector, „Zacchaeus’ house is defiled. If Jesus enters Zacchaeus’ house, sits on his chairs and sleeps in his guest bed, then Jesus will emerge the following morning defiled and in need of ceremonial cleansing“ (Bailey 180-81). Jesus had already told a parable where a priest and a Levite refused to render assistance to a man beaten by thieves for fear that if they approach the man, and he is dead, then they become unclean and must go through the purification ritual. Rather than defile themselves, the priest and Levite ignore the plight of the beaten man. Jesus could react in a similar way to Zacchaeus. He could ignore him and remain ceremonially clean, which was important with Passover so near. 

8. Jesus, as we see in the Holy Gospels, is not one to be bound to the rules and traditions of the elders at the expense of people. If a man is ill, Jesus will work on the Sabbath and heal him. If a leper is sick, Jesus will enter his presence, make Himself unclean and heal the leper thereby making the unclean clean again. The crowds, by and large, applaud Jesus when He thumbs His nose at the Pharisees and their stifling traditions, but when it involves cavorting with a rich tax collector, then the crowds take offense at Jesus. More to the point, Jesus accepts the tax collector’s hospitality while ignoring the hospitality the townspeople of Jericho wanted to lavish upon Him. 

9. Instead Jesus lavishes hospitality, grace and the gospel upon despised Zacchaeus and his family. »Jesus said to him: „Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.“« Zacchaeus is one who is lost, and Jesus sought Him out and saved him. Jesus does the same to us. We are no less a sinner than despised Zacchaeus. O we will qualify ourselves by saying we are not as bad a sinner as a lying, cheating, spying tax collector, but in God’s eyes we are equally lying, cheating sinners who merit death and damnation for our sinful state. Jesus will turn no one away, and that is sweet gospel to our ears and troubled conscience. If Jesus will go to great depths to save despised Zacchaeus, then He will likewise go to the same depths to redeem us. 

10. „The life-changing power that entered Zacchaeus’ house was not Jesus’ decision to stay over night. Rather, it was Jesus’ deliberate act of shifting the town’s hostility away from Zacchaus to Himself“ (Bailey 182). Jesus left Jericho behind and travelled up to Jerusalem. He celebrated the Passover there, and a day later was crucified as a defiled, unclean sinner. O the depths Jesus descended to save you, me and all the world. The Clean became Unclean, the Honored became Defiled, the Saint became a Sinner. Jesus stands in solidarity with His fallen creation all the way through rejection, execution and death. He descended to the very depths of hell and proclaimed His victory over Death and Hades. On the third day He burst from the grave in resurrection glory. The One Dead is now the Living One who holds the keys to Death and Hades. Jesus gives this resurrected life to all who believe on Him. 

11. The Apostle Paul proclaims: »the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek« (Romans 1,16). The gospel changes the lives it touches. „Zacchaeus had received costly love from Jesus, and he now publicly commits himself to begin showing costly love to the community he has harmed“ (Bailey 182). Zacchaeus will repay those from whom he has stolen. The gospel has the same effect in our lives. The gospel enables us through our individual vocations and talents to show costly love to our neighbors. Our lives are dedicated to helping both the oppressed and the oppressors. Such actions will require sacrifices, but in Christ we gladly bear those burdens for the sake of the gospel and out of love for our neighbor. Paul had made a name for himself by rounding up Christians, persecuting them and even killing some of them. Jesus showed him costly love and saved him. Paul spent the remainder of his life preaching the gospel of Jesus, even facing persecution and hardship but he carried on out of love for Jesus and his neighbor. Jesus and His gospel calls us to the same and gives us the power to carry out such actions. May we join the praise of the angels who rejoice when a lost sinner repents and is saved.  Amen. 

12. Let us pray. O Merciful, Gracious Yahweh, You are slow to anger and abounding in loving-kindness, instill in us the great joy of our salvation so that we do not dwell on all the times we have become lost, but rather rejoice in all the times You have sought us out, found us and returned us unto Your holy Church.  Amen. 

To God alone be the Glory 

✠

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 27. Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

Bailey, Kenneth E. Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes. Copyright 2008 Kenneth E. Bailey. 

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

Löhe, Wilhelm. Liturgy for Christian Congregations of the Lutheran Faith. Copyright © 1902 Frank Carroll Longaker.

Isaiah 55,1-3. 2nd Sunday after Trinity

✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠

Isaiah 55,1-3b[3c-5]   3213

2. Sonntag nach Trinitatis  047     

Primus and Felicianus, Martyrs at Rome, 286     

9. June 2013

1.  O Heavenly Father, You are a consuming fire, punishing to the third and fourth generations of those who hate You. Many times we forget that You are a jealous God who brokers no rivals. And yet we live in a fallen world that does nothing but raise up other gods above You. We also in our sinful hearts strive to place ourselves above You. The results of such pride have had devastating results in our world and in our lives. Thankfully You also tell us that You are a gracious God who shows loving kindness to the thousandth generation of those who believe in You (Exodus 20,5-6). You have shown Your mercy to us through Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior, and in Him we freely receive eternal life and salvation.  Amen.  

2. Yahweh declares: „Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to Me; hear, so that you may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, My steadfast, sure love for David. 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 will run to you, because of Yahweh your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for He has glorified you.“  

3. Isaiah 55 provides the context for the teaching Jesus gives at a banquet to which He had been invited. The Prophet Isaiah proclaims that Yahweh has prepared a banquet for all people and He has invited everyone to join Him. Yahweh’s banquet is one with plenty of food and the choicest of wines. Everyone who partakes of it will be satisfied. 

4. In Isaiah’s day (the 8. century BC), the nation of Judah presumed that Yahweh’s sumptuous banquet was only for themselves, the chosen nation who traced their descent from Abraham and the promises made to the patriarchs. But Isaiah says Yahweh’s banquet is not only for Judah, but it is also for »an unknown nation, a nation that did not know Yahweh«. 

5. At the Lucan banquet, someone who reclined at table with Jesus, presumably one of His disciples or perhaps one of the apostles, exclaimed with joy: »Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the reign of God!« (Luke 14, 15). Alas, if only those invited would show up! Jesus lamented that those invited, the religious leaders of the Jews, the people who prided themselves on having the patriarchs, the law, the promises, the Prophets and the very Holy Scriptures, have by and large have ignored Yahweh’s invitation. The scribes and Pharisees, the Sadducees and the priests, gave various excuses as to why they could not attend His lavish banquet. Their excuses are as lame as ones people make today about why they cannot be in church to worship and enjoy the gifts the Holy Spirit gives each week. God the Father does not accept these excuses and becomes angry at the blasé rejection to His gracious invitation and the now ready banquet feast. Do not presume that Yahweh will always let those with excuses in, for the Holy Spirit goes out among the nations and gathers them in while others stay away. For everyone who disdains our Lord Jesus Christ’s gracious invitation the Holy Spirit is out inviting someone else to take his or her place at the banquet. 

6. Our God is a God of action. If His religious leaders will not come to His feast, then He will invite others: the poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame (Luke 14,21) and people from the highways and the hedges, too (Luke 14,23). „The poor, the maimed, the blind and the lame were the outcasts within Israel, the „people of the land,“ the common people who heard Him gladly. These folk are now welcomed into the banquet even though they are not worthy to be seated with such a noble host and the possibility of their repaying him with a similar banquet is out of the question“ (Bailey 317). Some of the excuses made by the Pharisees and the priests was that Jesus ate with sinners, healed the sick on the Sabbath and even welcomed Samaritan, Greek and Roman Gentiles; these are the very ones who now are given the invitation. 

7. God’s invitation is nothing new, and His invitation is for all people. The Prophet Micah proclaimed that all the nations will draw unto Yahweh’s presence and worship Him (Micah 4,2). The Prophet Isaiah delivered the following invitation: »On this mountain Yahweh Sabaoth will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And He will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord Yahweh will wipe away tears from all faces, and He will take away the reproach of His people from all the earth, for Yahweh has spoken. It will be said on that day: „Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, so that He might save us. This is Yahweh; we have waited for Him; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.“« (Isaiah 25,6-9). Isaiah and Micah said the invitation is for »all nations«. Paul told the Galatians the same thing: »For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For you were baptized into Christ and have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise« (Galatians 3,26-29). Paul is not teaching that there no longer exists different nationalities, classes of people or that men and women are not a single, androgynous race. Rather, Paul is teaching that these human differences and unique characteristics do not bar someone from God’s banquet and election unto salvation. 

8. God the Father has sent you an invitation to His heavenly banquet. His invitation may seem too good to you to be true, and perhaps you say to yourself: surely the Majestic God does not want an outsider like me in His feast hall. O but He does! He is a gracious and loving Heavenly Father who has invited you to be in His presence. 

9. „For Jesus, the messianic banquet has begun and that great banquet is His banquet. The religious leaders listening to Him are welcome, but if they refuse to attend, the banquet will proceed with the „people of the land,“ the outcasts of Israel and will eventually be extended to the Gentiles“ (Bailey 318). Jesus spoke of this mission to the nations, saying: »And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd« (John 10,16). You were a portion of the nations called to the feast; you were sheep Jesus found in the wilderness and brought home to be a part of His flock. 

10. He has adopted you into His family and has made you an heir of Abraham and an heir of the promises given to His chosen people Israel. There are no conditions on your part in God’s choice. When parents adopt a baby, that baby does nothing to entice his or her adoption. Rather, the parents say: „We want that one!“ Likewise, the Holy Spirit says: I want you, and you and you.“ This is a great source of certainty. God loves you, He has saved you and He has chosen you, yes, you out of the seven billion people in the world. You are His, and He is yours. The assurance for this is Jesus dying on the cross and rising from the tomb. 

11. The Pharisees took their election for-granted. They were descendants of Abraham and the covenant promises. They were saved and chosen; their certainty rested on their observance of the law. Jesus said otherwise. He could, would and did make true descendants of Abraham that has nothing to do with genealogy and DNA. Jesus grounds the certainty not on obeying the law, but on the free gift of the gospel, a gift which says: „You, yes, you there, come follow Me, for I have chosen you.“ God’s choice is grounded upon His grace and is received by faith. The Holy Spirit has chosen you; it is His promise to you. „God’s will announces itself not merely in general within His promise, but makes itself available within it; indeed, God defines Himself in the truest sense of the word in this promissio of the absolution. The promissio is in this sense a legally binding promise with an immediate effect; it is not merely a distant promise (Verheißung), nor merely declaratory, but effective“ (Martens ¶6). Yes, the Holy Spirit’s choice is declarative and effective: You are His; you are forgiven; you are saved.  Amen. 

12. Let us pray. We love You, O Yahweh, for You are our Strength, our Rock, our Fortress and our Deliverer. You have rescued us from our sinfulness and the law’s condemnation, so that we now lean upon You, and trust in You to redeem us with Your loving-kindness expressed in the crucified Christ.  Amen.  

Christ crucified and risen for you 

✠

All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 27. Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.  

ELKB. Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. www.bayern-evangelisch.de/www/index.php. Copyright © Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bayern. 

Martens, Gottfried. „Certainty of Salvation“.  LOGIA, Vol. XIV, No. 2 (Eastertide 2005). 

Nagel, Norman. Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel: From Valparaiso to St. Louis. Frederick W. Baue, Ed. Copyright © 2004 Concordia Publishing House. 

Matthew 9,35-38; 10,5-7. 1st Sunday after Trinity

✠ One Message: Christ crucified and risen for you ✠

Matthew 9,35-38; 10,1 [2-4] 5-7   3113

1. Sonntag nach Trinitatis  046    

Blandina, Virgin, Martyr in Lyon, France 177
Erasmus, Bishop, Confessor, † 303 

2. June 2013

1. O Holy Spirit, the Lord of the harvest, You sent out the apostles to proclaim the gospel of Christ crucified and risen for fallen mankind, You give us the Word and the Sacraments for the certainty of our salvation; give us Jesus who is our righteous merit, for in giving us Jesus You give us peace before our Heavenly Father.  Amen. 

2. And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the reign and healing every disease and every affliction. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He 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.“ And He called to Him His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These Twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them: „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 reign of heaven is at hand.’“    

3. Life was good for the rich man. He had no cares in this world. He was wealthy, well-clothed and amply fed. He lacked  nothing. His clothes were the finest money could by. His meals were sumptuous and the wines exquisite. He hosted friends and family each day with a banquet. The rich man was blessed by Yahweh, and all his neighbors knew it. 

4. Life was horrible for Lazarus. He was poor and afflicted with sores. He starved each day from lack of food. His clothes were dirty rags. Every day was a struggle to survive: where would he find food, where would he find shelter to sleep and where would he find charity to ease his illness? 

5. Lazarus was taken to the gate of the rich man. Surely a man richly blessed by Yahweh would have mercy upon him. He could dress him with his old clothes. He could feed him the left-overs from his meals. He could spend a little money for oil to soothe Lazarus’ sores. 

6. The rich man and his friends ignored suffering Lazarus. They walked past him as they entered and left the rich man’s home. No one brought him food, clothing or medicine. His only friends were the wild dogs who licked his wounds, snuggled next to him to keep him warm and shared their scraps they had rounded up from the garbage. 

7. While the rich man feasted and Lazarus suffered, the reign of heaven was at hand. The word of God was preached by Jesus: »Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest« (Exodus 33,14; Matthew 11,28). The apostles proclaimed the same gospel and they healed the sick. 

8. One day, Jesus and His apostolic band travelled through Bethany. Behold, there was poor Lazarus languishing outside the rich man’s house surrounded by wild, mongrel dogs! Lazarus had heard stories about this man, this Jesus who performed mighty works with Godly power. „Jesus of Nazareth, have pity on me!“ Lazarus cried. „I am merciful. Rise and be well, Lazarus“ Jesus replied. At that very moment Lazarus got up and his sores were gone. The reign of heaven had come into Lazarus’ midst and had changed his life. Lazarus became a disciple of Jesus and welcomed Him into his home whenever He was in the area. 

9. Jesus did not forget about the rich man. He preached the gospel to him, too. He wanted to be His Savior as well. But what does a rich man need in this life that he already doesn’t have? He isn’t poor, sick, struggling or anything else. His has everything in this life, and saw no need for Jesus for God had already looked favorably upon him. Jesus would give him life everlasting, but the rich man has no concern for that because he thinks heaven is his due since he is a wealthy man blessed by Yahweh. 

10. The apostles came back to the rich man every so often and proclaimed the gospel of Jesus. Even Lazarus returned to the rich man hoping that he would receive the gospel that is Jesus. The rich man refused all attempts. His heart rejected the gospel gift. He had his life, and he lived it to its full. He entertained wealthy friends and neighbors day after day. Lazarus, and his sisters Mary and Martha, entertained their guests, too. Jesus and the apostles stayed in their home on a number of occasions. The ate and talked together. Jesus taught them about the richness and goodness of God. Lazarus, Mary and Martha had riches far greater than that of their rich neighbor in Bethany, for they had the precious jewel of God in His Son, Jesus the Christ. 

11. There came a time however, when Lazarus became sick again. He was dying. Nothing Mary and Martha tried helped him. His old friends, the dogs, stayed by his side, but even their tongues could not ease Lazarus’ pain this time around. The sisters sent for Jesus to come quickly and heal his friend Lazarus once more. Jesus delayed, and Lazarus died. He was buried in his tomb and his family and neighbors wept. His faithful dogs stood watch at the stone door of his tomb. Mary and Martha shooed them away, but those old dogs would not leave Lazarus’ side; they stood at his grave as an honor guard waiting for their master to call them. 

12. At the same time, the rich man also fell ill. His servants sent for the doctor, who arrived quickly and prescribed the best medicines. His wealth, however, could not buy his health. The rich man weakened and died. His friends mourned him and entombed him in a lavish grave. 

13. The rich man awoke in Hades and in torment. He saw that one-time-beggar at the side of Abraham in Paradise. „Please, Father Abraham, send Lazarus with a cool drink to quench my parched lips!“ „I cannot, for there is a gulf between Paradise and Hades. No one may cross it“ Abraham replied. „Then send Lazarus to my brothers so they may be spared this eternal agony!“ the rich man begged. „They have Moses and the Prophets,“ Abraham responded, „and God the Father has sent them His Son, Jesus ... they should listen to Him, to His gospel, and be saved.“ 

14. Four days later, Jesus arrived at Lazarus’ home. His neighbors were still mourning his death. Jesus went to the tomb. Martha said to Jesus: „Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.“ Jesus said to her: „Your brother will rise again.“ Martha said to Him: „I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.“ Jesus said to her: „I Am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?“ She said to Him: „Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.“ (John 11,21-27). 

15. When the dogs heard the voice of Jesus, their ears perked up. They knew the Prince of the Universe was in their midst, and they barked with joy at the miracle He was about to display. Jesus approached the tomb and proclaimed: „Lazarus, walk out!“ In that instant, the rich man saw Lazarus leave the side of Abraham. Perhaps he was being sent with a cool drink of water, after all. There was a shuffling inside the tomb and Lazarus stumbled out in his burial cloth. They unbound him and rejoiced in the miracle Jesus had performed. He had raised a man dead in the grave for four days; He had called a man from the side of Abraham in Paradise and returned him to his body on earth. Jesus had spanned the chasm between heaven and earth, and Lazarus lived again! 

16. This miracle was a foretaste of what Jesus Himself would do shortly thereafter. He would be crucified, die and be buried. His body would rest in the grave for three days, but He raised it up in resurrection life. Jesus travelled from heaven to earth and to Hades. No chasm bars Him, for He is the Lord of Life and the grave. He speaks and death obeys. He says you are forgiven, and you are forgiven. He says you are healed, and you are healed. He will say to you on the last day: „Arise, O sleeper, from your bed in the grave!“ and you will arise resurrected and reunited body and soul for eternal glory in His majestic presence. The rich man got death and agony for rejecting Jesus, but Lazarus, and all who believe on Jesus, get life and joy. 

17. Jesus called His apostles, and they proclaimed: »The reign of heaven is at hand!« Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, and He has promised you that resurrection and life. You hear the words of the apostles proclaimed, and you believe. You are baptized into Jesus’ death and resurrection and now share in the glory of both. You have heard your sins absolved, and they are all forgiven for the absolution speaks the words of Jesus. Soon we will partake of the Lord’s Supper and receive His body and blood for our salvation. Jesus gives, and we receive. Like Lazarus, we rejoice in the great gift that has been revealed and will be revealed again on the last day in full glory.  Amen. 

18. O Lord Jesus Christ, You are our Heavenly Father’s Righteous Testimony, give us the pure gospel in Your Word and the Holy Sacrament today so that we may live eternally.  Amen. 

To God alone be the Glory 

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All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 by the Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 27. Edition © 1993 by Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart. 

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