Sermon for 29 April 2012, Fourth Sunday of Easter B

The Rev. Paul J Cain

John 10:11-18

Jesus Says, Faith Says, We Sing

Easter 4B, 29 April 2012

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, WY

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

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 through the centuries. We are heirs of an astonishingly rich tradition. Each generation 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 (Norman Nagel, Lutheran Worship, p. 6).

Jesus says: ¹¹ I am the good shepherd.

Faith says: The Lord is my shepherd.

We sing: Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

Jesus says: The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Faith says: I shall not [be in] want. I shall lack nothing.

We sing: 620:3: Under bread and wine, though lowly, I receive the Savior holy, Blood and body, giv’n for me, Very Lamb of God from heaven, Who to bitter death was given, Hung upon the cursed tree.

Jesus says: ¹² He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³ He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

Faith says: Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me…You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

We sing: 683:4: In suffering be Thy love my peace, In weakness be Thy love my pow’r; And when the storms of life shall cease, O Jesus, in that final hour, Be Thou my rod and staff and guide, And draw me safely to Thy side.

Jesus says: ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Faith says: He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

We sing: 641:1: As when the Shepherd calls His sheep, They know and heed His voice; so when You call Your fam’ly, Lord, We follow and rejoice.

Jesus says: ¹⁶ 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, one shepherd.

Faith says: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

We sing: 620:2: Christ Himself, the priest presiding, Yet in bread and wine abiding In this holy sacrament, Gives the bread of life, once broken, And the cup, the precious token Of His sacred covenant.

Jesus says: ¹⁷ For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Faith says: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

We sing: 782:1: Gracious God, You send great blessings New each morning all our days. For Your mercies never ending, For Your love we offer praise. Lord, we pray that we, Your people Who Your gifts unnumbered claim, Through the sharing of Your blessings May bring glory to Your name.

Jesus says: ¹¹ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³ He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ 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, one shepherd. ¹⁷ For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Jesus says: ¹¹ I am the good shepherd.

Faith says: The Lord is my shepherd.

We sing: 709:1: The King of love my Shepherd is, Whose goodness faileth never; I nothing lack if I am His And He is mine forever. Amen.

In the Name of Jesus . Amen.

Sermon for April 22, 2012, Third Sunday of Easter B

The Rev. Paul J Cain

Luke 24:36-49

Peace to You

Easter 3B, 22 April 2012

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, WY

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

That Philippians 4:7 apostolic blessing from St. Paul is how a Lutheran sermon often ends. Today, it is appropriate that such a blessing of peace begin and end today’s sermon on Luke 24.

The disciples were talking about the day’s events. Two men walked to Emmaus talking about Jesus. Jesus joined them, but they did not know it was Jesus until He revealed Himself in the breaking of the bread. They hurried back to tell the disciples gathered there.

The disciples in Jerusalem had other reports about Jesus that day, too. The women who had prepared spiced to take to Jesus’ tomb found the tomb empty and were greeted by angels who told them of Jesus’ resurrection. Peter ran to the tomb and verified the report that the tomb was empty.

Last week, in the sermon on John 20, we focused on the forgiveness of sins proclaimed in the stead and by the command of Jesus, proclaimed by Christians and especially pastors in Jesus’ place because He said so. We could have focused on so-called “doubting Thomas.” That would have been the easy way out. Jesus, earlier in John 20 and today in Luke 24 confronts a whole room of doubters.

³⁶ As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” ³⁷ But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. ³⁸ And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹ See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” ⁴⁰ And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. ⁴¹ And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate before them.

Startled. Frightened. They thought they saw a “spirit.” An angel? A demon? What did they expect?

Jesus calls them on their doubt, their unbelief, their unfaith: “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

It’s like Jesus said: “Why are you guys so upset? Why did you doubt? If you want to walk by sight and not by faith, take a good look. Go ahead, touch Me. If you must, put your finger here, and see My hands; and put our your hand, and place it in My side.”

The disciples “disbelieved for joy.” What an odd way for John to speak the truth about the whole situation. Matthew, in chapter 28 at the Ascension, uses similar language: “And when they saw Him they worshiped Him, but some doubted.”

So, here we are on Easter evening, the sun has gone down on the Sunday of Jesus’ Resurrection. John 20 last week told us of this same night and what happened on the eighth day after, a week after Jesus’ Resurrection. So much happened in that short amount of time that it takes days, weeks, months, and even lifetimes to make any sense of it.

It’s like what John wrote: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (20:30-31).

John concludes His account of the Gospel in this way: “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them written, I suppose that the whole world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (21:25). This is most certainly true.

Unfortunately, so many books and TV programs about Jesus and the Bible are intended to create doubt, ridicule belief, and kill faith.  Personally, I don’t think they are worth your time. It is part of my responsibility to understand what they’re saying in order to protect you and refute them. We have nothing to fear of honest questions and responsible scholarship. I will always take issue with those who mean to do Christians harm. And it is our priority to boldly and clearly say what Scripture says.

Similarly, Jesus reminds His disciples of what I taught them before.

⁴⁴ Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷ and that repentance and³ forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Jesus not only reminds them that everything that took place in His ministry, passion, death, and Resurrection is as He had told them it would be, He also tells them what will now take place in their immediate future.

One. Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in Jesus’ name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. This is good news for all people, Jew and non-Jew.

Two. You are witnesses of these things. Who will be doing the proclaiming of law and Gospel? The disciples. The Twelve will become Twelve again. Jesus will have His twelve-fold Israel again so that they will be His witnesses to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. All but one, history tells us, were witnesses even unto death.

Three. Jesus sent the promise of His Father upon them. That is why He told them to stay in the city until they were clothed with power from on high. The Jewish Festival of First Fruits, Pentecost, is the time God the Holy Spirit clothes them with power on high, emboldening their witness, and translating it in to the languages that Jews gathered in Jerusalem could understand. There, again, the Lord has His Israel, His congregation, His Church, gathered around His gifts of salvation in Messiah Jesus’ name. The Lord once again has His true “first fruits,” those who fear, love, and trust in the Lord God above all things.

Let’s review.

One. Repentance and forgiveness of sins, law and Gospel, are still proclaimed in Jesus’ name to all nations. Paul preached to the Jew first and then to the Gentile. That is still our task. We are given to keep the message pure and also to get the message out.

Two. You are witnesses of these things. No, not all are in the Office of the Holy Ministry, but all of us, according to our vocations, tell the good news about Jesus.

Fathers are given to raise their children in the faith and teach the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, Confession and the Office of the Keys, and the Sacrament of the Altar to their household. It is an honor and a privilege to help in that regard. Parents are to feed, clothe, shelter, and educate their children. Those things care for God’s gift of life and prepare children for adulthood and their vocations, yet teaching them all that the Lord Jesus gives us in the Word is a preparation for both life and eternal life.

We are given to make disciples of all nations by baptizing and teaching. The baptized are to be taught everything written about Jesus in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms as well as the New Testament. We will be having Sunday School this summer. Our Bible Class and service schedule will remain the same. And our summer adult Bible Class will focus on Jesus in the Book of Isaiah.

Why Isaiah? Well, why not? Have you ever been to a Bible study on Isaiah? It is so rich in content about Jesus, our Prophet, Priest, and King, as well as our suffering Servant and Sacrifice of Atonement, that the book has been called the Fifth Gospel. It has sixty-six chapters, just as the Bible as a whole has sixty-six books. And it has two main parts, both by Isaiah himself. The first thirty-nine chapters speak of judgment, yet also contain some of Scripture’s richest Gospel promises. Chapters 40 and following primarily point us to the Lord’s promises, while also admonishing all who worship false gods by their thoughts, words, or deeds.

Why Isaiah? As your pastor, I wanted to study a book with you that would be something fresh and engaging for all who might attend. Isaiah will be interesting to the new Christian, a key to better understanding the New Testament for someone new to intentional study of the Bible with a group, and hearty, rich, convicting, and comforting for the life-long Christian and lay Bible scholar.

Have you been frustrated by Bible study by yourself? Do you need motivation to stick with a class on one book of the Bible? Have you wanted to start reading or studying and just didn’t know where to start? Here’s your opportunity. You can just sit and listen. You don’t have to read aloud or ask questions unless you want to. And if you miss a class, don’t worry. We’ll record them all, just like we’ve been doing for years now.

Jesus calls all of His disciples, including us, out of our doubt, our unbelief, our unfaith: “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? …..a spirit does not have flesh and bones as….I have.”

Believe in joy. And taste and see that the Lord is good!

Jesus’ Resurrection means peace for you. He spent His Sabbath rest in the tomb so that His Resurrection would give you spiritual rest and peace in His Word and Gifts, peace that no one and no thing on earth can give. His Resurrection means your resurrection to glory on the Last Day. Amen.

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

Sermon for April 15, 2012, Second Sunday of Easter B

The Rev. Paul J Cain, Jr.

St. John 20:19-23

Do You Believe that My Forgiveness is God’s Forgiveness?

Second Sunday of Easter, 15 April 2012

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, Wyoming

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

            Do you believe that my forgiveness is God’s forgiveness? That’s not a question we hear or ponder every day. In fact, my computer told me so. When I ran a grammar check on this sermon, my computer said, “Non-standard question. Consider revising.”

Yes, the computer’s right about the first part. “Do you believe that my forgiveness is God’s forgiveness?” is a non-standard question. But we cannot even consider revising it based on St. John chapter twenty:

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld."

            This text is the theological basis for confession and absolution, Jesus’ Words of Institution, if you will. That is why men in the office of the Holy Ministry are given to proclaim, “Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word announce the grace of God to all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

            Take note of what we are not given to say. Pastors don’t say, “Now that you’ve confessed your horrible sins, pray to God until you feel forgiven.” That’s what some churches teach. Our feelings have nothing to do with whether we’re forgiven or not. We don’t say, “You have to come to confession. And after you do, you are to work off your sins by doing good works, saying the Our Father, and the Hail Mary.” No. Private Confession is not mandatory. That would be turning the Gospel into Law. We are forgiven, though there is no merit or worthiness in any of us. Our works are but filthy rags. We can’t burn off our own sins in this life or in some imaginary unbiblical waiting room. All of our sins are taken away by Christ, who has called us to proclaim:

            “Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of the Word, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Those Words are what pastors have been given and called to do. John 20 is the foundation. It is also the fulfillment of earlier words of Jesus. John chapter 20 fulfills Matthew chapter 16:13-19.

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"  And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."  He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 

An important word in verse 19 is “will.” I will, in the future, Jesus says, give you these keys. The keys are given in John 20. Like administering Holy Communion and Holy Baptism, the keys remain Jesus’ possession. It is as if He had one of those janitor key chains that pulls out and retracts. On earth, these keys are given to the church, the local congregation. In practice, a congregation entrusts the Office of the Keys to one they have called to the Office of the Holy Ministry. They are not the possession of that one, but given to that one to administer as the servant of the Word and servant to the congregation.

The Office of the Keys is that special authority which Christ has given to His church on earth to forgive the sins of repentant sinners, but to withhold forgiveness from the unrepentant as long as they do not repent.

The catechism further explains, “I believe that when the called ministers of Christ deal with us by His divine command, in particular when they exclude openly unrepentant sinners from the Christian congregation and absolve those who repent of their sins and want to do better, this is just as valid and certain, even in heaven, as if Christ our dear Lord dealt with us Himself.”

  Do you believe that my forgiveness is God’s forgiveness? This question has been answered by the Word. The Catechism distills that teaching in this way: Confession has two parts. First, that we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is, forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.

God’s Word has power. His Words mean something. Not only that, they do something. They are living and active. They do what they say. Words proclaimed, “Let there be light.” And there was light. Words proclaim, “This is My Body.” And we believe, according to Jesus’ Words, that His Body is there in, with, and under bread. Words proclaim, “I forgive you all your sins.” And they are forgiven before God in heaven.

Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord’s Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts. Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments: Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, or worker? Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy? Have you been hot-tempered, rude, or quarrelsome? Have you hurt someone by your words or deeds? Have you stolen, been negligent, wasted anything, or done any harm?

If, however, someone does not find himself burdened with these or greater sins, he should not trouble himself or search for or invent other sins, and thereby make confession a torture. Instead, he should mention one or two that he knows: In particular I confess that I have cursed; I have used improper words; I have neglected this or that, etc. Let that be enough. But if you know of none at all (which hardly seems possible), then mention none in particular, but receive the forgiveness upon the general confession which you make to God before the confessor.

In Luther’s example in the Catechism of a brief form of confession, following a person’s individual confession, then the confessor shall say: God be merciful to you and strengthen your faith. Amen. Furthermore, this question is asked: Do you believe that my forgiveness is God’s forgiveness? Yes, dear confessor, is the answer. Then let him say: Let it be done for you as you believe. And I, by the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, forgive you your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Go in peace.

[Dr. Luther explains in the Large Catechism that] in addition to the confession that we are discussing here, there are two other kinds, which have an even greater right to be called the common confession of Christians. I refer to the practice of confessing to God alone or to our neighbor alone, asking for forgiveness. These two kinds are included in the Lord’s prayer when we say, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,” etc. Indeed, the entire Lord’s Prayer is nothing else than such a confession. For what is our prayer but a confession that we neither have nor do what we ought and a plea for grace and a joyful conscience? This kind of confession should and must take place continuously as long as we live. For this is the essence of a genuinely Christian life, to acknowledge that we are sinners and to pray for grace.

Forgiveness is the glue that keeps any relationship together—husband and wife, parents and children, brothers and sisters, neighbors, friends, coworkers, among members of a congregation, the relationship between a pastor and a congregation, and among brother pastors in a congregation, circuit, district, or synod.

 That means we should always be pursuing reconciliation with one another. If a brother or sister sins against you, first talk to them one-on-one. The goal is to be loving and lead them to be repentant so that reconciliation and forgiveness can transpire. If the brother doesn’t listen to you, take one or two others along. Again, the goal is to gently lead the straying brother back to the fold. Finally, as a last resort, tell it to the church. The goal is to restore the brother to fellowship. But if he still refuses to listen, then treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. That’s excommunication. The goal is not to just rid the church rolls of dead wood. No. Not at all. The goal is to bring the brother or sister to restoration, to reconciliation, to repentance, to confession of sin and Jesus’ forgiveness, to a fuller appreciation of Jesus’ Truth.

            Dr. Luther concludes: Therefore, when I exhort you to go to confession, I am doing nothing but exhorting you be a Christian. If I bring you to this point, I have also brought you to confession. For those who really want to be upright Christians and free from their sins, and who want to have a joyful conscience, truly hunger and thirst already. They snatch at the bread just like a hunted deer, burning with heat and thirst, as Psalm 42:1 says, “ As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.” That is, as a deer trembles with eagerness for a fresh spring, so I yearn and tremble for God’s Word of absolution and for the sacrament, etc. In this way, you see, confession would be taught properly, and such a desire and love for it would be aroused that people would come running after us to get it, more than we would like. We shall let those people who ignore such a treasure and bar themselves from it continue to torment and torture themselves. As for ourselves, however, let us lift our hands in praise and thanks to God that we have attained to this knowledge and grace.

            Let this be our desire as well.

That first Easter evening, in spite of closed doors, Jesus came and stood in the midst of the disciples as they huddled in fear, saying “Peace be with you.”  He presents the wounds that turn our fear to gladness, which restore us to the Father. Yet, this peace, this absolution that is anchored in the Resurrection itself, is not only for them.  Jesus breathes on His disciples and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:19–31)  No wonder the traditional response to “The Lord be with you,” is “And with your Spirit.” His breath, His words are Spirit and life.  Christ now gives His ministers to speak His forgiving, Spirit-filled words to the penitent in His stead, tying forgiveness to His resurrection. 

(LSB 470, new stanza)

¯ “The Father sent Me. I send you.”

He breathed, “Receive the Spirit true.”

“Forgive the ones I give to you.”

            Alleluia!

            Amen.

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

Sermon for April 8, 2012, Divine Service, The Resurrection of Our Lord, Easter Day B

The Rev. Paul J Cain

Mark 16:1-8

Our Resurrection

The Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter Day, 08 April 2012

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sheridan, WY

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Jesus was born to die for you. He was raised that you may live. He is our Resurrection. Because of Jesus’ death and Resurrection, He gives to you forgiveness of sins, delivers you from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare in the last chapter of Mark, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” [Mark 16:16].^[1]

In the American Edition of Luther’s Works, Dr. Luther refers to Mark 16 in forty-five of the fifth-four volumes. He cites Mark 16 some 140 times.( I didn’t count the index volume.) And that’s just in the English translation. (The bulk of Luther’s writings remain untranslated from the German or Latin.) What I haven’t mentioned yet is that Luther quotes a later part of Mark 16 far more than the Gospel for Easter Day.

TLSB: Three women undertake the job of properly preparing Jesus’ body for burial, which the press of time prevented earlier. When they arrive at the tomb, they find it empty and hear the wonderful (and temporarily paralyzing) message that Jesus has risen from the dead and the tomb is empty. In spite of Jesus’ clear predictions on at least three occasions (8:31–32; 9:31; 10:33–34), His disciples do not believe. Jesus rises from the dead, proclaiming His victory to all creation and providing for all believers a resurrection to eternal life on the Last Day.

 “Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands For our offenses given; But now at God’s right hand He stands And brings us life from heaven. Therefore let us joyful be And sing to God right thankfully Loud songs of alleluia! Alleluia!” Amen. (LSB 458:1)^[2]

What is the message of today? Jesus physical resurrection from the dead! Let’s hear the message of an angel in Mark 16:1-8.

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. ² And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. ³ And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” ⁴ And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. ⁵ And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. ⁶ And 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. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” ⁸ And 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.

Verse eight is worth repeating: And 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. Does this initial reaction make sense? They fled. They said nothing. They were afraid. The angel had clearly told them, “Do not be alarmed….He has risen; He is not here.” Initially, the disciples do not believe, just as they did not believe Jesus’ clear predictions of His death AND His Resurrection. Something changed. We have the Gospel according to Mark. We have the rest of the story. We have the Gospel according to Matthew, the Gospel according to Luke, and the Gospel according to John. And we have later in Mark some of Luther’s favorite verses that point us to Gospel hope instead of trembling and disbelieving astonishment, faith instead of fear, and bold proclamation of the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name instead of astonishing silence.

Jesus Himself appears to His disciples and declares: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned….” ^[3]

Jesus continues, for He has more to say about the mission and ministry of His disciples after His ascension. Immediately, you note that something has changed. The angel’s words earlier have now been fulfilled: “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. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And so they do. And Jesus commissions them to “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned….”

Why does Luther refer to two verses of Mark 16 spoken by Jesus over the first eight verses of Mark 16, not just once, but over 150 times in his Bible lectures, sermons, and essays? Luther focuses on the Gospel, not just alarming and astonishing things. He focuses our attention on the fulfillment of the promise, and not merely the promise itself. He points to faith in contrast to unfaith, unbelief. It is the lack of faith that condemns. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. Luther presents to us Jesus Himself over and above a servant and messenger.

Jesus Himself appears to us, His disciples here and now, and declares: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned….” The time for fearful silence is over because He who was dead lives again. Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

The Resurrection of Jesus is good news for you because we live in the valley of the shadow of death. Death reigns. Death separates us from our loved ones. For those who fall asleep in Christ, that separation is painful, but merely temporary. All with God-given faith in Christ have forgiveness, life, and salvation now and an eternity with Christ and all who are with Him.

The Resurrection of Jesus is good news for you not merely because of reconciliation with God now and heaven to come. The Lord has much more in store for you that just that.  Jesus was born to die for you. He was raised that you may live. Christians also have the promised hope of the resurrection of the body. Whatever the Lord does not heal  in this life, He will perfect on Resurrection Day. If all God cared about was your soul, would He have had to send His Son to take on human flesh, physically die and physically rise? The Lord God cares for all of you, body and soul and spirit.

Jesus won salvation for you on the cross. He delivers that salvation here and now in Word and Sacrament. We are washed in the renewing flood of Holy Baptism. Absolution, a water word for forgiveness, renews us and restores us to our baptismal grace. We feed on Jesus’ very body and very blood for the forgiveness of sins, all according to His words and promise.

Because of His death and Resurrection, Jesus, in Holy Baptism, gives to you forgiveness of sins, delivers you from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare in the last chapter of Mark, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” [Mark 16:16].

The time for shock and silence has passed. Now we sing and tell of the joy of the Resurrection in anticipation of our resurrection. Amen.

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

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^[1] Concordia : The Lutheran Confessions. 2005 (Edited by Paul Timothy McCain) (339). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.

^[2] Engelbrecht, E. A. (2009). The Lutheran Study Bible (1697). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.

^[3] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Mk 16:15–18). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.