Sermon for the Third Sunday in Easter

The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.

1 John 3:1–7

Pure, Righteous Children of God

Third Sunday of Easter, 26 April 2009

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

 

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

A little girl was once asked which child in her family was her mother’s favorite. She had a ready answer: “She loves Jimmy best because he’s the oldest, and she loves Johnny best because he’s the youngest, and she loves me best because I’m the only girl.” That is exactly how God loves His children. It is wonderful to know that God loves us personally, no matter what our experiences have been. Each one of us is most precious in His sight.

St. John the evangelist would agree. 1See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

There’s a simple reason why Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father who art in heaven…” Because of the Son’s appearance to take away sins, we all are His brothers. We all share the same Father in heaven.

That Christians are called children of God means something. God has no grandchildren. He intends to be your Father, for children are heirs of their parents. Your Lord has good gifts for you. Jesus’ last will and testament described these gifts very simply: “for you for the forgiveness of sins.” His death activated the will. His Resurrection was simply uncharted territory, legally. Christ is the executor of His own testament.

Christ’s Resurrection has consequences for you, the children of God. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. Our bodies feel the effects of sin—daily. On the Last Day, suffering, sorrow, and pain will come to an end. No more uncertainty. No more worries. No more death. On that day of Resurrection, our bodies will be changed, glorified. What we will be specifically has not yet appeared; but we know that when Jesus appears, we shall have glorified Resurrected bodies like His own. It will be good. It will be better than good. It truly surpasses all human understanding.

All of this is possible because of Jesus—bottom line. No one else could be good enough, holy enough, pious enough, sinless enough. When it comes to forgiveness, salvation, resurrection, and entering heaven, our thoughts, words, and deeds are as filthy rags. Those who enter heaven do so with Jesus’ passport, His entrance Visa, His heavenly citizenship papers, signed in His own blood. And just for the record, all those jokes about St. Peter and the pearly gates are just that—jokes. There are gates of pearl, but even St. Peter gained heaven only as a gift from Christ.

Until heaven, we live in this life by faith, and not by sight. We are saved by faith alone. ….everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 4Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.

St. John says everything perfectly clearly, but our ears are unaccustomed to this kind of language. Lutheran ears are used to hearing St. Paul. We have to admit, we’re a little confused. So, let’s find the basics of the Christian faith in the text.

Jesus is Son of God and Son of Man. What else are we taught here? “He is pure.” “In Him there is no sin.” Jesus was literally perfect. He needed to be to accomplish His heavenly mission. What was Jesus sent to do for you? “He appeared to take away sins.” That was the work of His holy life, His teaching, preaching, healing, suffering, passion, crucifixion, death, and burial. The Resurrection is the exclamation point!

Jesus appeared to take away sins. This work could be done only by One who had no sin of His own. Just how serious is this “sin” stuff? “Sin is lawlessness.” “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness.” “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you.”

St. John agrees with our favorite epistle writer, St. Paul. Sin is bad. Sin is worse than bad. All human beings sin, but the baptized do not make a practice of sinning. That is lawlessness. One cannot be a participant in the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Sin kills. Sin deceives. Sin is lawlessness. Even one damns. No wonder we need a Savior from sin—Jesus.

Yet it seems like such a simple message, right? This is Sunday School 101 information to many, if not all of you. Good! Great! Wonderful! This we hear, believe, teach, confess, and do. But before we take this precious teaching for granted, remember how rare it is. This Gospel message is the common heritage of all Christians. Some Christians say the Gospel is only for new believers. You know it is something for every Sunday and every sermon and every day. Some say it is old-fashioned, irrelevant, and small minded. You know it is eternally relevant, very practical, and that salvation is open to all who believe in Christ. Some allow the Gospel to be replaced by advice preaching that is only law, while others obscure the Gospel with man-made teachings of today or a thousand years ago. Still others ignore the uniqueness of both law and gospel and end up with a mixed-up “golawspel” smoothie. There are those who never hear. Many hear and never do.

The Christian life is a life lived in Christ, for Christ lives in you. He is the vine and you are the branches. Apart from Him, you can do nothing. We are saved by faith alone, but faith is never alone. Faith is alive and breathing doing good works to serve the neighbor. A cherished hymn explains: “Faith clings to Jesus’ cross alone And rests in Him unceasing; And by its fruits true faith is known, With love and hope increasing. For faith alone can justify; Works serve our neighbor and supply The proof that faith is living.” LSB 555:9 Or, as St. John wrote, “Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous.”

Fellow children of the heavenly Father, Jesus appeared to take away sins. This could be done only by One who had no sin of His own. He saved you from the lawlessness and death of sin so that you may practice righteousness—not to earn heaven, but to serve your earthly neighbors, especially other Christians, until the Last Day. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Amen.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

10:30!

Yes, it's true, our new Sunday service time is 10:30 am!

Sunday School and Sunday Adult Bible Class both begin at 9:15 am.

Sermon for the Second Sunday of Easter

The Rev. Paul J Cain

Acts 4:32-35

Of One Heart and Soul

Second Sunday of Easter, 19 April 2009

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

 

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Tell me if you’ve heard this story at church before. An arrest. A trial before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Senate…and then a release? No, that doesn’t sound like Jesus on Holy Week. And you’d be right. This morning’s First Reading records the reaction of the Christians after Peter and John were released from custody. They had healed a man who had been lame from birth and were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. No wonder this text shows up as a reading for the Easter Season!

Peter and John were released from custody, but only after they were warned not to preach about Jesus. As you might guess, they totally ignored that command and rightly obeyed God rather than men.

³² Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. ³³ And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. ³⁴ There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold ³⁵ and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

Nearly two thousand years have passed since these events. Some of the younger folks gathered with us don’t remember the Cold War and the international threat of Communism. And for some strange reason, socialism is increasing in popularity even in the United States of America! In a recent survey, 37% of Americans under 30 prefer capitalism, 33% prefer socialism and 30% are undecided. I bring this little bit of the outside world into the sermon this morning to clear up a misconception. No, Acts 4 is not speaking about a so-called Christian Socialism or a Christian justification for Communism. No. That is not the case. The biggest difference between Christian generosity, what the LWML ladies would call “human care” and Communism is that Christian charity is voluntary. When a government comes in and socializes an industry like in some European countries or the old Soviet Union, such “giving” is mandatory. Mandatory and voluntary mark quite the contrast.

Why did these early Christians share the way that they did? They did so in response to the Gospel of the Lord. Worship is not primarily entertainment. In fact, what we do here in the Divine Service isn’t the most important part, either. We call this the Divine Service because here the Divine, God, serves us. He gives us His Word and His Gifts. Our worship of Him is a tiny response to His great Gifts.

“Our Lord speaks and we listen. His Word bestows what it says. Faith that is born from what is heard acknowledges the gifts received with eager thankfulness and praise. Music is drawn into this thankfulness and praise, enlarging and elevating the adoration of our gracious giver God.

“Saying back to him what he has said to us, we repeat what is most true and sure. Most true and sure is his name, which he put upon us with the water of our Baptism. We are his. This we acknowledge at the beginning of the Divine Service. Where his name is, there is he. Before him we acknowledge that we are sinners, and we plead for forgiveness. His forgiveness is given us, and we, freed and forgiven, acclaim him as our great and gracious God as we apply to ourselves the words he has used to make himself known to us.

“The rhythm of our worship is from him to us, and then from us back to him. He gives his gifts, and together we receive and extol them. We build one another up as we speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Our Lord gives us his body to eat and his blood to drink. Finally his blessing moves us out into our calling, where his gifts have their fruition.

“How best to do this we may learn from his Word and from the way his Word has prompted his worship throughout the centuries. We are heirs of an astonishingly rich tradition. Each tradition receives from those who went before and, in making that tradition of the Divine Service its own, adds what best may serve in its own day--the living heritage and something new” (Lutheran Worship, “Introduction,” p. 6 Norman Edgar Nagel).

 

The book of Acts also records the first Christian Pentecost, Peter’s sermon, and the response to it. Acts 2:41-47 (ESV) says: ⁴¹ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. ⁴² And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

People heard God’s Word. The Holy Spirit created faith in them and they were baptized. And then they went to church: teaching, fellowship in the breaking of bread, and the prayers. And doesn’t that sound a lot like this morning? It should! This text is one of the reasons Lutherans worship the way that we do.

The response of Christians today to what we hear and receive on Sunday flows through our lives all week long, just as it did in the first century, again in Acts Chapter 2: ⁴³ And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all who believed were together and had all things in common. ⁴⁵ And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶ And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

In response to the Gospel, Christians are responsible for inventing institutions we take for granted as being part of civilization. (Paraphrase of Alvin J. Schmidt, WORLD magazine interview about How Christianity Changed the World). The intellectual Greeks and practical Romans had no hospitals. There was a pagan void. Hospitals were first introduced in the fourth century by Christians, motivated by Christ’s words, ‘I was sick and you looked after me.’

Jesus gave women dignity and freedom unknown in the ancient world. Today, look at how women are treated in parts of the world with few Christians or little Christian influence and you will see the impact of faith in Christ here in the western world.

The early Christians welcomed all into their fold, regardless of race, sex, or ethnicity. In time, contrary to the biblical perspective, socialists and communists defined equality as economic policies. This led to coercion, depriving individuals of basic freedoms in pursuit of a utopian, economic equality…

Christianity prompted the outlawing of slavery.

The first experimental scientists, beginning with the 13^th century, were all confessing Christians. They related their scientific findings to biblical theology. Not until the 18^th century, when many scientists bowed to philosophical materialism, were Christianity and science [falsely] defined as incompatible.

To summarize, the world would be a very different place without Christianity and the faith-filled response of Christians to the Gifts of Christ in the Gospel. 2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV) is a good summary of this morning’s sermon: “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…”

When we share the mind of Christ, that means we are in agreement with Him by being in agreement with His Word. We read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Word—and take it to heart, too! True Christian unity is found in humbly surrendering our own opinions to Christ and His Word, or, when God’s Word hasn’t spoken, considering others before ourselves and how we may glorify God and extend His kingdom.

The Gospel of Christ is a bright ray of hope in a dark world. The Christian response to the forgiveness, life, and salvation found only in the Gospel of Christ is a bright ray of hope in a dark world. These early Christians give us a godly example to imitate according to the vocation we hold in common with them, that of baptized Christian, eagerly and regularly receiving the Lord’s Gifts.

³² Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. ³³ And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. ³⁴ There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold ³⁵ and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

“Our Lord speaks and we listen. His Word bestows what it says. Faith that is born from what is heard acknowledges the gifts received with eager thankfulness and praise.” In Christ Jesus we are also of one heart and soul. Amen.

In the Name of Jesus Amen.

A Former Atheist Tells His Story...

http://cyberbrethren.com/2009/04/14/why-i-believe-again-a-former-atheist-tells-his-story/

By Request: The April Newsletter Article

The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.

Gift

 

In the Name of Jesus Amen.

The old Lutheran teachers said, “Preach the Law as if there were no Gospel and then preach the Gospel as if there were no Law.”

Sometimes folks hear one thing. Sometimes, we hear the other.

Often, when we’re be-bopping along, living our lives, we have a habit that is part of our sinful human nature: we don’t notice our own sin. Remember how you get used to how you smell after working hard all day in the sun? And then, when you actually pay attention and notice, you reek and really need a shower? (It may be an unpleasant comparison, but it is quite accurate.) Sin behaves like that. Sin hates to be called sin, especially when it is true. And we’re so shocked to be called on our sin, we may—may—be so focused upon that realization that we miss hearing the Gospel.

Sometimes we hear one thing. Sometimes, folks hear the other.

When we’re already feeling guilty, we often don’t hear any further preaching of Law. We’ve had it. We know we’re done—we’re cooked—we’re without hope on our own. And then comes the preaching of the sweet Gospel. Forgiveness! Life! Salvation! Comfort! Reconciliation! Renewal!

The old Lutheran preachers said, “Preach the Law as if there were no Gospel and then preach the Gospel as if there were no Law.” They learned it from St. Paul in passages like Ephesians 2.

 

¹ And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Can it really be this bad? Yes. Why would God lie? Why would Paul lie? Dead. Worldly. Following the Devil. Disobedient. Fleshly. Selfish. Children of wrath like the rest of mankind.

Spiritually dead. That is a hard concept for many Christians to swallow. We say, “Don’t take it from me…listen to Scripture.” What choice did you have in being born? When someone needs CPR, they can’t give it to themselves. They need action from the outside.

 

⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Merciful. Loving. Enlivening. Gracious. These words inform us that the Law has paved the way for the proclamation of the Gospel. Take away one word from this newsletter article—just one—and it’s a Gospel word: GIFT.

Out of the richness of God’s mercy, because He loved you, even though you were dead in our original sin and actual sins—despite all of that, God has spiritually resurrected you and promises you a seat with Christ in heaven because of what He has done for you. That’s Gift!

Why? He did all this “so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

God graciously acts out of mercy and love. He is true to Himself, for He does not violate His own rules, His holiness, or His justice. Christ Jesus was the substitute. That too, is Gift!

And His actions have two purposes.

First, they glorify Himself. This is always true.

Second, His actions are the actions of salvation for you and for many for the forgiveness of your sins.

When we tell the good news about Jesus, when we invite someone to Bible Class, Sunday School, VBS, or Church, when we care for someone else during their time of need, we fulfill both of those purposes. We share salvation in Christ and we bring God glory.

You probably know verses 8 and 9 well. Hear them together with verse 10 and understand them all better.

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Scripture alone. Christ alone. Grace alone. Faith alone. To God alone be the glory. These are the slogans of the Reformation. And they came from this text along with many, many others.

We know we have been saved by grace through faith. We know that this is not our doing. We know it is the Gift of God. And we know that it is not a result of our works, but a result of Christ’s work. So then, what is the purpose, the role of good works in the life of a Christian?

Let’s answer that question with two more. The first is: Are good works necessary? We could ask that first question another way. Did God, in His Word, ask His people to do good things for others? Yes, He did. Therefore, yes, good works are necessary.

Now the second question: Are good works necessary for salvation? The clear answer of the Bible is No. Good works are not necessary for salvation.

Putting the two questions together gives us a better view of the big picture. Good works don’t save us, but God called for them, so we do them. Good works are a way for us to show our love and concern for a neighbor, anyone in any need, and give evidence that our faith in Christ is still alive.

“For we are his [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” You are a good work of God Himself. He created, redeemed, and sanctified you so that you would be a blessing, for you were created for good works, to do good works in the name and for the sake of your Lord.

You are a gift to your loved ones, your school, your workplace, your neighborhood, your community. You share the love of Christ, the Gift that is Christ to the end that others may be gathered by the Lord to be His people, give Him glory, and continue to share Jesus, the Gift. Amen.

 

In the Name of Jesus Amen.

Sermon for The Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter Day Divine Service

The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.

St. Mark 16:1-8

He Has Risen; He Is Not Here

The Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter Day Divine Service, 12 April 2009

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

 

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

            They didn’t remain afraid. And they didn’t remain silent. You know that these faithful women later told the news to Jesus’ disciples that very day—that first Easter Sunday. “He has risen; He is not here.” The resurrection of our Lord confesses an empty tomb, just like the angel tells the women.

            Craig Parton (The Defense Never Rests, p. 89) writes, “The issue of the missing body is one of great force. The empty tomb itself has been sufficient on its own merits to bring skeptics to Christian faith. For example, attorney Frank Morrison converted to Christianity on the sole basis of his investigation of the factual case for the resurrection. Morrison’s argument is that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then there are only three interest groups who might have had a motivation to remove the body: the Romans, the Jewish religious leaders, and the disciples. The Romans craved peace and order so that they might extract taxes from the Jews. The last thing they wanted was controversy. Morrison notes that the Jews had every motivation to preserve their religious influence and control, while the disciples would hardly steal the body and then go out and die for what they knew was a lie.”

            “He has risen; He is not here.” Because Jesus wasn’t in the tomb that Sunday morning, He can be here, for you, this Sunday morning.

            Jesus is here. Jesus is to here to deliver to you what He won for you on Good Friday.

            Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went to Jesus’ tomb. They were together. They were dedicated to their Lord, even though they didn’t seem to remember Jesus’ teaching about what He knew would happen to Him. Our faith in Christ isn’t always strong either. Without Him, without His Word, without His gifts in His Supper, our faith can wither and die. But Jesus is here. Jesus gathers His Christians to Himself together around His Word, His Baptism, His Absolution, and His Table. Jesus is here to strengthen your faith. He has promised to be present where two or three are gathered in His Name.

            The women went to anoint Jesus’ body with spices. The Resurrected Jesus turns the tables. He anoints you with the oil of faith in Holy Baptism. The Baptized are taught all that Jesus has given to us in His Word. Disciples are made by both baptizing and teaching. The two belong together. And faith holds on to Jesus for dear life and eternal life.

            The women were alarmed by the presence of the angel and the lack of Jesus’ body. We are often alarmed at what we face in life. Health problems. Financial insecurity. Wars and rumors of wars, terrorism and rumors of terrorism. Weather. Family problems. Work and all of its concerns. Your Lord Jesus has not abandoned you, although His people often abandon Him. Jesus is here. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He has promised to be with you even to the end of the age. He has provided you a pastor and fellow Christians to lean upon in your time of need and you to them in their time of need.

            Jesus is here to clothe you with a white robe of His righteousness. In Absolution we return to Baptism, for “absolution” is a word that has to do with water. We confess that we are poor, miserable sinners, saying the same thing about ourselves that God reveals in His Word. And He washes all our sins away. You are made white in the blood of the Lamb. This is only possible because Jesus was there on the cross Good Friday. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Because Jesus wasn’t there in the tomb Easter morning, you know that God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice. Jesus is here this Easter morning to forgive.

            All that work. All that walking. All those spices. And then the question: “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” By the time they got there, the stone has already been rolled away. There is no need to anoint a living body with burial spices. Jesus’ resurrection may have deprived Salome and the Marys of this work, but the angel gives them another: “…go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” Because of that simple message, the world has heard of Jesus Christ. Jesus has more in store for you. He will roll the stone away from your tomb on the Last Day. You will rise like He did because He has placed His Body and His Blood in your mouth for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus is here today to feed you with forgiveness so that you will be steadfast in the true faith, in both body and soul, until life everlasting.

            We are no longer silent. We are no longer afraid. We are in the Word. We live in peace. We tell the good news about Jesus. We care for one another. We remain faithful. And we sing!

            (HS 828:6, sung!) Christ has arisen; He sets us free. Alleluia, to Him praises be. Jesus is living! Let us all sing; He reigns triumphant, heavenly king. Let us sing praise to Him with endless joy. Death’s fearful sting He has come to destroy. Our sin forgiving, alleluia! Jesus is living, alleluia! Amen.

 

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

            1When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Sermon for the Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter Dawn Matins

The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.

1 Corinthians 5:6b-8

Celebrate the Festival

The Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter Dawn Matins

12 April 2009

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

 

In the Name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

            Ask any Lutheran what Lutherans do when we get together, and what will the answer be? (Pause) Eat! (Pause) Pastors would love to hear the other answer first: receive the Lord’s gifts and worship Him. But even the first answer confesses that we taste and see that the Lord is good when we feed on His Word and upon His Body and Blood.

            Whether it is a Circuit Pastors’ Winkel, an LWML event, the congregational “pot-luck,” or another festival, with Jesus as our guest, His gifts to us are blest, indeed.

            We rejoice in the daily bread our Lord gives. We receive it with thanksgiving. Where would we be without yeast? Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Yeast is robust and effective. Bakers know the amazing things that yeast, leavening, can do for breads and other Lutheran desserts.

            Bakers also know that yeast can be temperamental. If the yeast is too old, the water is too hot, or if salt is added to the recipe too quickly, the yeast won’t work. It could even die. Normally, we think of that as a bad thing.

Our text says, “7Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.”

You have heard it said, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” 2 Cor. 5:17 (ESV) Behold! Anyone who is in Christ is a new lump! You are unleavened! Huh? What does this mean? The old leaven is malice and evil. The Christian, the new lump that you are, is forgiven. You are reborn. You confess, “I am baptized!” You have been washed white in the blood of the Lamb. Christ, our Passover Lamb has been sacrificed and Resurrected. You are cleansed, you are redeemed, you are saved from sin, death, and the power of the devil. And, you go and sin no more. The baptized are not given to do malice and evil. That would be giving in to the old leaven, the yeast of the old Adam.

            Bakers know that yeast can be temperamental. If the yeast is too old, the water is too hot, or if salt (Pause) is added to the recipe too quickly, the yeast won’t work. Where would we be without salt?

Salt was a valuable preservative. We read of it being used in ancient times, the middle ages, and even pioneer days. In the Old Testament, salt was valuable / as were choice, unblemished lambs and the high quality grain offerings. The people of Israel are told in Leviticus: (2:13) Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.”

Salt gave a sense of continuity. God blessed Israel richly. And using salt on a sacrifice preserved the memory of these blessings in their minds. We see salt not just as a preservative of food, but a description of how God preserves His people throughout the ages.

Salt is to yeast what Christ is to malice and evil. Where would we be without Christ? For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  8Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

            Getting up for an Easter Sunrise Service can be a challenge. So it is also with holding to the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. The devil, the world, and even your own sinful flesh want to add the yeast of evil, malice, and sin to every batch of your spiritual bread. The world wants a Church that will compromise. The DaVinci Code wants you to believe that Christianity is a lie and that Jesus was just a man, faked His death, married Mary Magdalene, and fathered a daughter by her, and that His bloodline is the true Holy Grail. The Devil wants you to give in to your basest desires, and your sinful flesh is willing all-too-often. And even so-called fellow Christians want us to “get with the times” and water-down Biblical practice and doctrine until both become a matter of personal preference, indistinguishable from the rest of the world.

Holding to Christ and His Word in sincerity and truth is something for every generation. Every person should be taught the faith—the responsibility of each spiritual head of household, every pastor, and each congregation as the body of Christ.

St. Paul (2 Timothy 3:14-4:5) describes what pastors have been given to do: I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:  preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.  For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,  and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.  As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

A congregation, District, or Church Body, like the LCMS, can remain faithful only when all are faithful. A pastor who ignores Scripture under pressure from a congregation, peers, human authority, or other Christian traditions is unfaithful. Church Discipline is a helpful but rarely used resource of the Lord. What if a congregation strays from truth in doctrine or practice? Do sister congregations care enough about one another and the Lord’s truth to act out of a motivation of love?

Remaining Faithful is hard work. We have to resist the influences of the world, the devil, and our own sinful flesh. It takes time in the Word, study of the Word and doctrinal topics, as well as study of the spiritual context we live in. It takes dedication to remain true to our Lutheran Confessional heritage: the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds, and the Small Catechism, Large Catechism, Augsburg Confession, plus the rest of the contents of the Concordia, the Book of Concord.

At the same time, celebrating the festival in sincerity and truth is the easiest thing in the world. We first hear the Lord in His Word, believe it, do it, and continue Hearing, believing, and doing it. We are in the Word of God so that we know what it says—so that we know what we as Lutheran Christians believe, teach, and confess. False teaching will then stand out like dirt against white snow. And we continually are given to be at Divine Service regularly—without excuse—regularly receiving the gifts the Lord has appointed to keep us faithful until He returns or calls us home.

The Christian, the new lump that you are, you are forgiven. You are reborn. You confess, “I am baptized!” You have been washed white in the blood of the Lamb. You are cleansed, you are redeemed, you are saved from sin, death, and the power of the devil. And, you go and sin no more. For Christ, your Passover Lamb has been sacrificed and Resurrected. Let us therefore celebrate the festival with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Amen.

In the Name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sermon for Good Friday

The Rev. Paul J Cain

Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9

The Last Word

Good Friday, 10 April 2009

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

 

In the Name of Jesus. Amen

This evening, you have heard the Seven Last Words of Christ. Now we ponder the Last Word: Jesus is your salvation.

 

¹⁴Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. . . .^5:7In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. ⁸Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. ⁹And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, ¹⁰being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

The writer to the Hebrews says this: Jesus was tempted as we are with loud cries and tears. This is a hopeful word. He knows what it means to suffer and has compassion on us. Through our suffering, we can better identify with His suffering and death for us. Our own sufferings earn us nothing. His sufferings earn us everything.

Upon the cross, Jesus gave witness to the truth. He fulfilled ancient prophecies. He provided for his own mother. He promises salvation for those who trust in Him. And He forgave the very people who put Him on the cross. Are you a sinner? Then you have sinned. Your sins and my sins and the sins of the whole world put Jesus on the cross, not merely the Jewish leaders or the Roman government. Together we bear the blame. And together we are offered the gift of salvation: It is finished.

Without the Resurrection of Easter, Good Friday is not good. Jesus’ death is pointless, barbaric, and unjust. There is more to come. Every Good Friday is good because of Easter Sunday’s empty tomb and Resurrected Christ. Good Friday is the offering of the Lamb of God to atone for the sins of the world. Jesus is the ultimate Passover Lamb, an unblemished male in His prime of life.

Jesus Christ is your prophet, priest, and king. He is your prophet through His preaching and teaching. He is the king sought after by the Wise Men and proclaimed as such by Pontius Pilate. INRI on a cross is the Latin abbreviation for Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. Jesus reigns from the cross, His throne. And as priest He sacrifices the Lamb, Himself, for the sins of the people once and for all. Now, Jesus, your Great High Priest intercedes for you before the Father.

That leads us back to the Last Word: Jesus is your salvation. That is the whole point of listening to His Seven Last Words from the Cross. Amen.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen

Sermon for Maundy Thursday

The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.

Exodus 24:3-11

Blood Placed on the People

Maundy Thursday, 09 April 2009

First Sermon at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

 

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

³ Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.” ⁴ And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁵ And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. ⁶ And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. ⁷ Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” ⁸ And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” ⁹ Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, ¹⁰ and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. ¹¹ And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.

Why this Word of the Lord? Why was it chosen for this day? How does this text point to Jesus? These are certainly productive and instructive questions to ask of any Old Testament Reading, but especially tonight, Holy Thursday, Maundy Thursday.

Sometimes, Christians are put off by the Old Testament. It may be unfamiliar. It may be uncomfortable or embarrassing to try to pronounce the unfamiliar names. And it’s so big—three times the size of the New Testament! That said, let’s build some common ground. We know that the Old Testament is Holy Scripture, God’s Word. It often helps to remember what we learned long ago about Adam & Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David. Those names at least are familiar to us. While others may be hard to say, no doubt our names would be quite foreign to folks in Old Testament times. Yes, the Hebrew Scriptures are quite extensive, but that is a good thing! They are a mini library of thirty-nine books with history, poetry, and prophecy. And they all point to Jesus.

Why this Word of the Lord? Why was it chosen for this day? Blood. The writer to the Hebrews (9:22) tells us that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

⁶ And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. ⁷ Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” ⁸ And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Moses read God’s Word. The people said “Amen.” The blood was placed on the people.

Granted, this sounds…unpleasant. Yet, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. With the shedding of blood, there is the forgiveness of sins?

Why this Word of the Lord? Why was it chosen for this day? Eating and Drinking with the Lord Himself.

⁹ Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, ¹⁰ and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. ¹¹ And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.

This being Sheridan, Wyoming, I wouldn’t be surprised if more than one of you might have a stock trailer behind your vehicle out in the parking lot. At the same time, I know for sure that you did not bring animals for burnt offerings or sacrificial offerings for the Lord. You know better. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. This is most certainly true, yet animal blood of goats and bulls and sheep and oxen is no longer required. We have a better sacrifice—one that never needs to be repeated ever again.

How does this text point to Jesus? He is the once-for-all-sacrifice for your sin and my sin. His Body and His Blood are given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sin. The blood of the covenant, the testament, the Lord has made with you is put on you. And tonight we eat and drink with the Lord Himself. He is the Host and we are His guests at His Passover, His Holy Supper, His Holy Communion.

When the Lord Jesus puts into your mouth His Body and His Blood, He connects Himself to you. You are in fellowship, in communion. You are united to Him in things you have in common: His Body and Blood and His forgiveness, life, and salvation. We are “bodied and blooded together” you could say. If we are all connected to Him, we are connected to one another.

Luther teaches, “that person is truly worthy and well prepared [for the Sacrament of the Altar] who has faith in these words: ‘Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.’ But anyone who does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared, for the words ‘for you’ require all hearts to believe.”

The Lord has gathered us together on the anniversary of the night in which Jesus was betrayed. Our observance of Jesus’ passion continues tomorrow evening and Easter morning. There will be no Benediction tonight or tomorrow because the liturgy for these three holy days is all one service in three parts.

Divine Service is abbreviated tonight so that we may focus upon Jesus’ Words Instituting the Lord’s Supper. Tomorrow night, we will hear the Passion according to St. John and concentrate our attention upon Jesus’ Seven Last Words. The celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Sunday morning at 8 a.m. Matins and 10:30 Divine Service will mean the return of our hymns of praise in Easter joy.

Once again, the Lord’s servant proclaims the Word of the Lord. The people say “Amen.” And tonight, the blood is again placed on the people. Amen.

 

In the Name of Jesus Amen.