Enarratio

"Everlasting Clothing!"

2008-12-14T09:33:00.000-08:00

"Everlasting Clothing!"
Isaiah 61:10-11

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

My Dear Friends in Christ,
The clothing we wear says something about us – about who we think we are, and what
we stand for. The first clothing ever worn on planet earth was, you may recall, made of fig
leaves! And its very design told an enormous story about its wearers. For they were created
to remain naked, and as unashamed about it as any animal is. Bears, for instance, don’t blush
when human beings approach them. Neither do alligators, as far as I know – but then maybe
no one ever stopped to see of the gaping jaws were surrounded by pinkish hued flesh. But back
to Adam and Eve’s makeshift modesty garments. Were they not wearing them only because
they were ashamed? And were they not ashamed because they had sinned? And does not their
clothing speak more of what they had become than what they had done? In fact, their rebellion
caused the first death of any animal life, as recorded in Genesis 3:21, “And God their SAVIOR
made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them1" Thus God showed them that
“the wages of sin is death,” if not for the sinner, then certainly for some other, poor soul.
Therefore, most people carefully select what they will wear when they want to make an
impression (at least they used to, before “baggy” somehow became a fashion statement!). But
sadly, even the finest clothing we own – even our favorite outfits – eventually wear out, and
must be replaced. In fact, only once in the history of the world did people's clothing last an
exceptionally long time (Deut. 29:5), and that wasn't nearly forever! Therefore, lest we be
found "naked and ashamed" as were Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:7), we shall need somehow to
obtain "Everlasting Clothing" before we can enter into heaven. But where will we find such
clothing, of which the world has never even conceived? Isaiah tells us that God Himself has
prepared and given to us:

I. "A Robe of Righteousness!" (vs. 10d "He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness!")
A. We have no righteousness of our own.
1. We were conceived in sin.
a. How many of you had to teach your little children to sin?!?
b. Yet no one "shrink-wrapped in sin," as human beings enter into the
world, can get into heaven! (Matt. 5:48)
c. Sin is not merely an "outer covering," like clothing, but now part and
parcel of our nature, "woven" through and through us! Therefore:
2. We continually sin in thought, word and deed.
a. We often cannot even admit to ourselves when we have been wrong!
b. Just as Adam & Eve did in Eden, we constantly seek to justify ourselves
– to ourselves, to others, and even to God
(1) We are continually, madly sewing fig leaves together, hoping at last
to find some fashion that will cover our spiritual nakedness!
(2) We even hold “high fashion” shows, parading down the runway in
the latest futile, ghastly attempts to disguise our disfigurement:
“I’m ok, you’re ok,” “you’ve got to love yourself before you can love
others,” and currently the most popular of all, “Self Esteem is the
most important thing we can teach our children.”
B. Christ has wrapped us in the robe of His Righteousness. (We are passive in this
work.)
1. A robe woven for every human being (objective justification) of:
a. The warp of Christ's perfect obedience to God's Law which we have
broken.
(1) His virgin birth by the Holy Spirit freed Him from the inborn
inheritance of Adam.
(2) His life, although "in the likeness of sinful flesh," was entirely
without sin, spot or blemish.
b. The woof of Christ's suffering and death to atone for our sins.
(1) Thus He "made amends" to the fabric of mankind's torn relationship
with God.
(2) What sinner could satisfy the wrath of God? What poor beggar
could pay off our national debt? What mere earthly tailor could sew
up the rent that ran through all of God's creation?
(3) Only Christ, "Who knew no sin," but whom "God made to be sin on
our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him!"
(2 Cor. 5:21)
(4) Thus, He did not merely “patch up” this ruined creation, but
actually re-wove it in His Image – He who is the Image of God, born
of the Virgin Mary into the image of man, for our salvation!!!
2. A robe placed by God Himself upon every Christian (subjective justification)
through:
a. His Word and Sacraments spread throughout the world. (vs. 11 "The Lord
our SAVIOR will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all
the nations!")
(1) There is no nation on earth where the Gospel of Christ has not been
proclaimed with effect.
(2) We are blessed to live in one in which it is still being proclaimed,
though who knows for how long?
b. His Holy Spirit working through these means to create faith in human
hearts. (vs. 10a "My soul will exult in my God!")
(1) Just as preparing this garment is entirely the work of God, so is
putting it on us!
(2) Isaiah 26:13 O God our SAVIOR, other masters besides Thee have
ruled us; but through Thee alone do we confess Thy name.
(3) 1 Co. 2:14 "But a natural man does not accept the things of the
Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot
understand them, because they are spiritually understood."
II. "Garments of Salvation!" (vs. 10c "He has clothed me with garments of salvation, (i.e.,)
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness!")
A. This miraculous Robe of Righteousness grants everlasting life to all who wear it.
1. Like some miraculous suit of armor, except not external!
2. We cannot enter the Kingdom of God in the filthy rags of our sins.
a. Is. 64:6 "For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our
righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away."
b. Matt. 22:11-13 "But when the king came in to look over the dinner
guests, he saw there a man not dressed in wedding clothes, and he said
to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?' And
he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand
and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall
be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' (This was at His Son's wedding
feast!!)
3. We must be properly clad in this eternal clothing which, in this case, literally
"make the man!"
a. Rev. 7:14 (from Epistle lesson) "These are the ones who come out of the
great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb!"
b. Gal. 3:27 "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed
yourselves with Christ!!!"
c. Eph. 5:25-27 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the
church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having
cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might
present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle
or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless!!!"
B. All who wear these garments glorify their Savior.
1. They rejoice in Him! (vs. 10a-b "I will rejoice greatly in my SAVIOR, my soul
will exult in my God!")
a. Many of the Christmas cards we send and receive say something like,
"May the joy of Christmas be yours throughout the New Year!"
b. But Christmas lasts only a few days.
c. So Isaiah gives us good reason to keep the joy of Christmas all year long!
2. They praise His Name! (vs. 11 "The Lord our SAVIOR will cause righteousness
and praise to spring up before all the nations!")
a. It is our doubts about Him that cause us despair!
b. He wants us to come hear His Word of Promise – the forgiveness of our
sins – and rejoice & give thanks!!!
c. He wants us to proclaim His fame to all we meet: "Christ has redeemed
you!"
III. The Glory of a Bride! (vs. 10e-f "As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as
a bride adorns herself with her jewels.")
A. Our glory is for now visible only to the eyes of faith.
1. The Church seems to be losing her influence in the world.
a. In Europe, only a small percentage are still Christian.
b. The U.S. is now called "a post-Christian society."
2. Individual Christians may be persecuted, poor, unemployed, sick, etc.
B. Our glory is nevertheless real!
1. It is assured by the Word of God.
a. "As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland" – I have translated,
"turban," thus:
(1) "As a Bridegroom acts as a Priest, wearing a turban..."
(2) Isaiah here speaks of Christ's sacrifice once again!
b. "As a bride adorns herself with her jewels," which "jewels" are:
2. It is the glory of the Gospel of Christ, which we both possess and dispense. (Is.
62:1-2 "For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will
not keep quiet, until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, and her
salvation like a torch that is burning! And the nations will see your
righteousness, and all kings your glory; and you will be called by a new name,
which the mouth of your SAVIOR will designate!")
3. It is the very glory of Christ, given to His dear Bride. (Is. 62:3-5 "You will also
BE a crown of beauty in the hand of your SAVIOR, and a royal diadem in the
hand of your God. It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken," nor to your land
will it any longer be said, "Desolate"; but you will be called, "My delight is in
her," and your land," Married "; for your SAVIOR delights in you, and to Him
your land will be married. for as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons
will marry you; and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will
rejoice over you!!!"

Dear Fellow Wearers of the Robe of Righteousness,
The animals God killed to cloth Adam and Eve were only the first in a never-ending
stream of the bloodshed needed to cover our sin. Well, of course it will end at The End of time,
when Jesus returns. For just as it was only His shed blood that prevented God from killing
Adam and Eve in the first place, so also it is that same blood that covers our shame, and
preserves our lives forever. Therefore, it does indeed appear that only our SAVIOR could
prepare such "Everlasting Clothing" as would be fit for eternal life in His Kingdom. And here
in Isaiah He has also proclaimed that the Church is not only the home of those who are so
dressed, but His very clothier, the wardrobe of God, from which we have been clothed in the
height of fashion of heaven itself – the righteousness of Christ! Therefore, we can now discard
our self-righteousness, our need and desire to justify ourselves, our hypocrisy, and trust in this
"Everlasting Clothing!" May God grant such deep and abiding faith to you this day, as you
rejoice in your resplendent new covering. Amen.
The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts & minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

"Christ the King!”

2008-11-23T23:51:00.000-08:00

"Christ the King!”
Ephesians 1:15-23

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

Dear Friends in Christ,
This Scripture passage is one grand prayer of the Apostle Paul for the Congregation at
Ephesus. He prays that in the midst of all trials and persecution, they might not forget who they
are: children of the King, Jesus Christ! For even though it always appears that the world, the
devil, and our own flesh are winning the battle against the Kingdom of Heaven, it can never be
so, for Christ has already won! Yet this, too, is an article of faith, which must be believed, but
cannot be seen in this life! In essence, then, the Apostle encourages the saints with the ultimate
good news: our Lord Jesus Christ is the King of heaven and earth, and He is even now ruling all
things for our good. Rejoice and be glad in Christ the King for:

I. Jesus Christ is the Only King whom God Himself has Crowned!

A. Because of His suffering and death. (Phil. 2:6-11) “Although He existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a
bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
1. Far from being defeated in these things, He actually gained His victory
through them. (Heb. 2:14-15) “Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He
Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him
who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and might deliver those who through fear of
death were subject to slavery all their lives.”
2. This was the Father’s plan all along. (John 10:17-18) "For this reason the Father
loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. "No one has taken it away from
Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have
authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."
a. To accomplish what we could not.
b. To purchase for Himself a Bride!

B. By means of His resurrection, ascension and seating at the Right Hand of God. (vs.
20)
1. Thus “He led captivity captive”! (Eph. 4:8) Therefore it says, "When He ascended
on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men."
a. This is “the working of the strength of His might.” (vs. 19b)
b. This is “the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.”
(vs. 19a)
2. Thus He established that our God is God our Savior! (Is. 43:10-15 O.T. lesson)

II. "Christ the King” Rules All Things!!

A. In the spiritual realm. (vs. 21) “...far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.”
1. In this age.
2. In the age to come.
B. In this world. (vs. 22a)
1. Now, as He sits at the Right Hand of His Father in heaven.
a. A man rules the universe!
(1) (Ps. 110:1-2)
(2) (Matt. 22:42-45) "What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?"
They said to Him, "The son of David." He said to them, "Then how does
David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at
My right hand, Until I put Thine enemies beneath Thy feet"'? "If David then
calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his son?"
b. He rules it entirely for the sake of the Gospel. (Matt. 24:14) "And this
gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the
nations, and then the end shall come.”
2. In The End, when His awesome power is fully revealed to everyone.
a. Then He shall return to earth “coming on the clouds, with power and
great glory!” (Matt. 24:30)
(1) Then “He will shatter kings in the Day of His wrath.” (Ps. 110:5)
(2) And He will judge all men. (Matt. 25:31)
b. But “He will gather together His elect (saints)” to take them to heaven
forever. (Matt. 24:31) "And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet
and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky
to the other.”

III. "Christ the King” Rules All Things in the Interest of His Church!!!

A. She to whom He has been given as her Head, i.e., her Bridegroom! (vs. 22b)
1. For whom He died. (Eph. 5:23-25) For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ
also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is
subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything. Husbands,
love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her;
2. In order to purify her for Himself. (Eph. 5:26-27) that He might sanctify her,
having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself
the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should
be holy and blameless.
a. This is the ultimate wisdom and revelation of God. (vs. 17)
b. This is “The hope of His calling, and the riches of the glory of His
inheritance in the saints.” (vs. 18)
B. She who is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all!!! (vs. 23)
1. As branches fill out the Vine. (John 15:5, 8) "I am the vine, you are the branches;
he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.
"By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
2. As a woman is a man’s glory. (1 Cor. 11:7) For a man ought not to have his head
covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man.”
a. So we will glorify Him in heaven. (John 17:24) "Father, I desire that they
also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may
behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the
foundation of the world.
b. All of which will be fully revealed only when He returns. (Col. 3:4)
When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in
glory.

St. Paul prayed for the saints at Ephesus “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened,
so that you may know what is the hope..., the riches..., and the power of Christ toward us. For
he knew that the more and the better we know these things and trust in them, the more we will
eagerly look for Jesus’ return. And the more we think about that great Day, the more we will be
moved to speak His saving Name to the rest of the world while we wait, as David said, “Thy
people will volunteer freely in the day of Thy power!” (Ps. 110:3) May He grant that it be so
among us both now and forever. Amen.

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

"Not the word of men... but the Word of God!"

2008-11-16T10:18:00.000-08:00

"Not the word of men... but the Word of God!"
1 Thessalonians 2:1-6, 13

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

Dearly Beloved in Christ,
We suffer in our day from having too much information coming at us to comprehend. This forces us to become extremely selective in what we read, watch and listen to. Unfortunately, we naturally select the easier material to digest in place of solid, substantive material. But we Christians, of all people, ought to make and take time for the Word of God, because no other message can possibly do us so much good in so little time!

Thus faithful preachers refuse to cut down on the Word of God, because God's people increasingly need more of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not less. For we "Believe, teach and confess" in our Church: "Not the word of men... but the Word of God!"

I. We preach the Word of God, not the word of men.

A. Because man's word is never completely right about anything.
1. The creation we contemplate is temporal because of sin.
a. Thus the "laws" which govern our universe are not really universal! (Time, space, matter,
energy, gravity, etc.)
b. So even Christians who are alive at Christ's return must be changed before they can enter
heaven. (1 Cor. 15:50-53)

2. Our human logic is flawed by sin.
a. So that even in the realm of science, yesterday’s “truths” are today’s laughing-stock.
b. Today’s scientific “truths” are just as vulnerable. Those who hook their star to such will be
disappointed.

3. Our natural minds cannot even comprehend a perfect God!
a. (1 Cor. 2:14) "A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are
foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised!”
b. Which is why false prophets can so easily deceive people. (Isa. 52:5)

B. Because God's Word is always perfectly true and accurate.

1. God cannot lie.
a. This does not deny His omnipotence, but is a natural corollary of it.
b. His very Name, “I AM that I AM,” declares this truth! (Ps. 119:89)

2. He has told us all we need to know about us and Himself.
a. That we are helplessly stuck in this thing called sin – so deeply that we cannot even
understand that we are, until His Word reveals it to us by His Law!
b. That He Himself is the only reasonable object of trust. (vss. 6 & 9)

3. Human beings can understand & communicate what God says.
a. 1 Cor. 2:14-16 (Repeat 14 and add 16) "A natural man does not accept the things of the
Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they
are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is
appraised by no man. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should
instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ!"
b. How? 1 Cor. 2:12-13 "We have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from
God, so that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak,
not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual
thoughts with spiritual words." (vs. 13)

II. We preach salvation in Jesus Christ alone.

A. Because it is God's greatest revelation of Himself.
1. That He cares about us sinners.
a. Greater than the 1st Article, though that, too, is true and necessary.
b. Greater than the 3rd Article, without which we could not know it.

2. That He has come in Christ to suffer and die for us. (1 Thess. 1:9-10; Matt. 16:16-17)

3. That He has risen from the dead, returned to His heavenly home, and will soon return for us!
a. The Christian Church Year begins celebrating His 1st coming and ends preparing for His 2nd
coming!
b. When? “Soon,” say the Scriptures. “Any moment now” repeats God’s Word over and over.

B. Because only this Word changes human beings from damned sinners to blessed saints.
1. Such as are willing to preach this Word of God, not for gain, nor to please men, but for Christ!

2. Such as are willing to suffer al things for the sake of this Kingdom, no matter how persecuted.

3. Such as are wiling to listen to and learn the Word of God! (vs. 13)

No other message on earth can do what this Word of God does – save souls for eternity! No other message can reduce our frustration or calm our hearts like Scripture. For there is no one but God who is daily, constantly in control of our lives and destinies. Therefore, no other message is as worthwhile for human beings as this one.

Remember that Jesus promised that when "This Gospel of the Kingdom has been preached in the whole world for a witness to the nations, (only) then shall The End come!" (Matt. 24:14) This is what Isaiah foresaw, c. 700 B.C., saying, “Our SAVIOR has bared His holy Arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God!” (Isa. 53:10)
Jesus is that holy Arm of God, who is also the very Word of God by which alone you may be saved. Therefore, may He make you among those who increasingly want to hear it, and who are also privileged to do so throughout their lives, to His glory and to your salvation. Amen.

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

“Contend Earnestly for the Faith Once and for All Delivered to the Saints!”

2008-10-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

“Contend Earnestly for the Faith
Once and for All Delivered to the Saints!”
Jude 3

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

Dearly Beloved in Christ Jesus,
Many people have noted that war is just about the only thing we humans do well –
unfortunately, we’re very good at it! Beginning with conflicting ideology, escalating to harsh
words, and culminating in bloodshed, as St. Paul says in Romans 3:15-17, "Their feet are swift
to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not
known." Lest anyone think this is something only from the New Testament, mark that the
Apostle is actually quoting Isaiah 59:7–8. And lest anyone else think he or she is excused from
this terrible condemnation, note also that it is spoken of all mankind, both Jews and Gentiles,
including Paul himself! (Rom. 3:9)
Some, maybe even most people in our society nowadays, categorically deny this truth,
especially of themselves. Thus “they deceive themselves, and the truth is not in them.” (1 John
1:8) Many such people actually call this denial “Christian truth,” even though it is a clear
rejection of the Word of God on the subject. But even a cursory glance at human history will
demonstrate that even if most of the people simply want to be left alone to live our their lives
in peace, there are always those who will not let them do it.
So throughout the Bible, we are assured that such warfare, from mild to wild, must and
will go on until the end of the world. Jesus Himself says it will be so until the Day when He
returns, at the end of time. (Luke 21:5ff) So the many, many preachers who speak as if this
were not so – who teach that mankind can achieve lasting world peace – are liars, “teaching
as their doctrines, the precepts of men.”(Mark 7:7) Therefore, we are forced by the very Word
of God to speak these words of war – spiritual war – against them! This is to illustrate for you
that while there may occasionally be brief periods of time and place which are free from
outward warfare on earth, from Adam’s fall into sin there never has been, nor will there ever
be, even a moment of Spiritual peace on earth, for the Devil rules in this kingdom. In this
warfare, the weapons are not knives and guns and bombs, but words. And these words are
often harsh words, bayonet sharp words, words designed to cut and wound and yes, even to
kill! Jesus used such words against people, especially the Greek word @Û"Â, which means
“woe,” and because it is the exact opposite of “Bless you,” should be translated “Damn you!”
when used like this: "Woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. Woe
to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall
mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for in the same way their fathers
used to treat the false prophets!” (Luke 6:24-26) Especially did He use it against His spiritual
enemies, the Pharisees, saying seven times in Matthew, “Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites...!” (Matt. 23:13-29) And in Luke’s account, when one of the Lawyers complained
that He was insulting them, Jesus tripled the woe! (Luke 11:42-52) Likewise, the Apostles of
our Lord hurl vicious, but true, attacks against those who oppose them, calling them “enemies
of the Cross of Christ,” “foolish (lit. stupid) ”Galatians,” “adulterers,” etc. Even our brief lesson
from Jude contains such condemnation in verse four, and later on, in verse eleven, Jude
pronounces a “Woe” against them. But this shouldn’t surprise anyone, since our text in verse
three is a clear call to spiritual warfare. Thus St. Jude, in what has become the penultimate
book of the Bible, here urges us to “Contend earnestly for the faith once and for all delivered
the Saints!”
After the Apostles, there is hardly anyone in Church history who can compete with
Martin Luther in the matter of contending for the faith. It really began 491 years ago next
Friday, October 31, 1517, when he nailed his 95 theses for debate on the door of the Castle
Church at Wittenberg, Germany. That was the day that marked the beginning of the end of
the most powerful and successful attack that Satan has ever brought to bear against Christ’s
holy Church. Girded with the Sword of the Spirit, as David once opposed the giant Goliath
with a slingshot, a single monk toppled the kingdom of Antichrist in such a way that it seems
unlikely that it will ever be able to raise itself to its former glory. And yet all this was not
accomplished in a single moment, as it was with David. It took years of mortal struggle, yet
in the end, God prevailed through Luther, and the Gospel of Christ was once again restored
to its rightful supremacy in Christian doctrine.
Did the battle of the Reformation bring peace to the Church? Oh no! For ultimate
triumph comes to Jesus’ Bride only in heaven above. Here on earth, the battle must be carried
on till the last trumpet sounds! But why? Why must we spend our lives involved in this
spiritual warfare? Tell us, St. Jude, why must we “Contend earnestly for the faith once and for
all delivered the Saints?” He answers:

I. Because this Faith isn’t Our to Give Up!

A. Because it is The Faith – the only true one!
1. This is the objective faith which we believe, not the subjective faith by
which we believe. It is Christian Doctrine!!!
a. It was delivered to us, not asked for, not invented by man, not
deserved!
b. Tens of thousands of Christians have given their lives for this Soul-
Saving Doctrine, beginning with Abel, 2nd son of Adam & Eve.
2. It is the only faith by which anyone can be saved!
a. All other religions of man teach that if you would enjoy life after
death, you must both earn and deserve it!! They are All religions of
the Law!
b. But Christ’s religion is of the Gospel, the forgiveness of sins
through His sacrifice on the Cross.
(1) Are you a sinner? If you answered “yes,” Good for you!!!
(2) For Christ did not come to seek and to save the righteous
people, but only sinners!

B. But what of love for our neighbor? How can we fight against him, especially if he
thinks he is a Christian?
1. What kind of love would allow a neighbor to be lost forever for lack of The
Truth of Christ?
a. Even Jesus’ “woes” pronounced against the Pharisees were a last
attempt to save them!
b. Thus Jude writes:“Concerning our common salvation, I was
compelled (by Christ) to write to you, encouraging you to contend
earnestly for the faith once and for all delivered to the saints!!!”
2. This faith is not what men believe by nature or emotion – it was delivered
from God to mankind!
a. In the O.T., through the Promise of the Christ to come.
b. In the N.T., through the Witness of His coming, His life, His death
– His sacrifice for the sins of all men of all time.

II. Because a False Peace is Worse than any War!

A. Many say, “peace, peace, when there is no peace!” (Jer 6:14) “From the prophet
to the priest, everyone deals falsely. They have healed the wound of My people
superficially, saying, ‘peace, peace!’ when there is no peace. And were they
ashamed when they committed this abomination? No, not at all – they didn’t
even know how to blush! Therefore they shall fall when I punish them, and they
shall be cast down!”
1. Out of love of a peaceful and comfortable life, such words seek to deny the
existence of evil on earth!
a. Such teaching as that the Christian should always be at peace with
the world, or that worldly peace is possible or God-pleasing, no
matter what the cost!
b. Men are lost eternally in this “peace.” We battle not for earthly,
temporal goods, but for eternal values; not for human honor, but for
the honor of God; not for this life, but for the next, the eternal one!
“Whoever wishes to save his life, he shall lose it, but whoever loses
his life for My sake, and the Gospel’s, shall save it!” (Mark 8:35)
2. But love demands sacrifice, even of life itself if necessary, and there are
many casualties in this war.
a. Who wants to be considered a heartless and loveless person?
b. Our Lutheran Confessions say, “It is a sad and difficult thing when
one separates so many countries and peoples by teaching a singular
doctrine (of Christ). But here stands God’s command that each
person shall guard himself, and not be in fellowship with those who
teach a wrong doctrine.”
c. Many confessors fall by the wayside and give in to the constant
pressure to just give up a little in doctrine to make friends!
d. Many at the periphery of the Church give up without even firing a
shot: “If that’s what this Church is about, I’m going elsewhere.”

B. The “Peace that passes all understanding” is not among men, but between God
and man through Christ!
1. Jesus let our sin kill Him to win this peace, saying:
a. “My Kingdom is not of this world!” (John 18:36) (Below: Matt. 10:34)
b. “Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth, but a sword!
c. “Peace I give you, My peace I give you, not as the world gives, do I
give to you!” (John 14:27)
2. Which is worth more: earthly, temporal peace; or the Word of God which
alone give eternal peace?!? C.F.W. Walther: “Dare we, can we, be silent
just so that the temporal peace is not disturbed” Is it more horrible that
the temporal peace is taken from man, or is it not much more horrible that
the Word of God, which alone is able to save our souls, is pilfered from us?
‘What shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world, and forfeit
his soul?” (Mark 8:36)

III. Because this Warfare is Commanded by God our Savior, and is Therefore Most Blessed!

A. No man of sound mind wants war!
1. Yet equally, no man of sound mind wants capitulation to the eternal enemy
of mankind, Satan, for eternal salvation is at stake – ours & theirs.
2. Thus we mourn and lament over the attacks of satanic forces against our
Savior – but we fight!
a. But it is those who want to be “liberated” to interpret God’s Word
according to their own prejudices, who cause the battle, not us.
b. “Surely, aborting an unborn fetus, especially when it’s not wanted
by the mother is more godly than forcing a unwanted child on a
woman’s body!”
c. “God didn’t write these condemnations of homosexuals, woman
pastors, etc., men did!”

B. But no Christian has the right to be at peace with an evil world! (James 4:4-5
“You adulteresses!, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility
toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself
an enemy of God!! Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He
jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"?)
1. This battle is commanded by our Savior. Who will hear God’s “Contend,”
and argue, “Don’t contend”?
2. Will we be universally loved for our contention? Was Jesus?
a. "They will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will
be hated by all nations on account of My Name!” (Matt. 24:9)
b. But in heaven...in Heaven... “Blessed is a man who perseveres
under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown
of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”(James
1:12)
3. Then can we win this battle? Answer: “That’s not our business here and
now, but ultimately, Yes!!!”

Dear Fellow Redeemed in the Blood of Christ,
The festival of the Reformation is a great one in our Church, not because it brings to
remembrance such beautiful scenes and a peaceful past, but the opposite. The very word, “Reformation,”
denotes a struggle to make over again something that had gone far astray from its
God-intended purpose! And the struggle goes on. This is a day of shouting “Victory to our God,
and to His Christ!” It is also a day of renewing our purpose, our resolve and our vigor to fight
on to the end of our lives, even as did our fathers in the faith. After all, to do so is merely to
follow in the footsteps of Isaiah and Jeremiah, of Paul and Jude, of Luther and Chemnitz, and
of all those who have faithfully fought for, and thereby brought “the faith once and for all
delivered to the Saints” down to us here today! And even while we do so, we have perfect peace
through that very faith: the faith that consists of Christ and Him crucified, dead, buried,
raised on the third day, and returned to His Father’s Right Hand to rule all things on our
behalf. These things are more than adequate. Thanks Be To God for His infinite grace in
mercy in Jesus. Amen.

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

“The Two Great Questions of Religion”

2008-10-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

“The Two Great Questions of Religion”
Matthew 22:34-46

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

Dearly Beloved in Christ Jesus,
People have many questions about religion, but they ultimately boil down to just one:
“What must I do to be saved?” The Pharisees thought they had the answer, so they sought out
Jesus in order “to trap Him” concerning the fundamental question of their religion: “Which is the
great commandment of the Law?” They thought that if he answered wrongly, they could discredit Him in the eyes of the people, and if He answered correctly, they would be able to claim Him as their ally against their enemies, the Sadducees. But Jesus has a surprise for them, because after answering their question correctly, He in turn asks them the fundamental question of His religion: “What do you think of the Christ?” These two questions, are in fact “The Two Great Questions of (all) Religion”: 1) Which is the great(est) Commandment of the Law?; and 2) What do you think of the Christ? It becomes clear from Jesus’ presentation that day that no one can be saved who cannot answer both of them correctly!

I. The First Great Question: “Which is the Great(est) Commandment of the Law?

A. The Pharisees only ask the question to try to trap Jesus. (vs. 35)
1. He had just “Put the Sadducees to silence” by proving that there is such a
thing as resurrection from the dead. “Our God calls Himself the God of
Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob; but He is not the God of
the dead, but of the living!” (Matt. 22:32)
2. The Pharisees hated the Sadducees, and were glad that Jesus had put them
in their place.
3. Yet they still hated Jesus, because He constantly disagreed with their
doctrines – perhaps they could trick Him into agreeing with them by means
of a deep theological question.
a. If He selects one Commandment above the others, they would charge
Him with disrespect for the Law of God.
b. They had 613 commandments, 248 positive and 365 negative!
c. They sent one of their greatest “Lawyers” to question Jesus.

B. Jesus answers: “The highest Law is Love!”
1. Love God your SAVIOR (Yahweh) with all you are. (Dt. 6:5; vs. 37)
a. With all your Heart (the seat of your will.)
b. With all your Soul (your very life-force, your being.)
c. With all your Mind (your intellect)
2. Love your neighbor as yourself. (Lev. 19:18, 34; vs. 39)
a. Not commanding love of self, as liberals claim, but only acknowledging
it. (Buls: “you can’t read an imperative after a comparative (ñH), it
isn’t grammatical!”
b. This Commandment puts everyone else at the very least equal to
yourself, but really above yourself, as Jesus consistently taught.

C. The Moral Law (the 10 Commandments) is as important in the New Testament as
the Old, serving as:
1. A Curb,
a. 1 John 3:15 “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you
know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him!”
b. 1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the
lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father,
but is from the world!”
2. A Mirror,
a. Romans 7:7-9 “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never
be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through
the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not
said, "You shall not covet. But sin, taking opportunity through the
Commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from
the Law sin is dead. And I was once alive apart from the Law; but
when the Commandment came, sin became alive, and I died!!”
b. Rom. 3:20 “By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His
sight; for through the Law comes (only) the knowledge of sin.” and
3. A Guide (Ruler). (vss. 37 & 39, plus:)
a. Ps. 50:15 “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and
you will glorify Me."
b. Ps. 119:105 “Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light to my path!”
c. Rev. 2:10 “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life!”

D. But God’s Law can save no one!
1. Because no one can keep it perfectly, as it demands. (Gal. 3:10-11 For all who
rely on the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "CURSED IS
EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE
LAW, TO DO THEM. Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the
Law; for "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.")
2. St. Paul, continuing in Romans 7:10-11 “And this Commandment, which was
supposed to bring life, proved to be death for me; for sin, taking opportunity
through the Commandment, deceived me (into thinking I could please God by
keeping it), and by it killed me!
3. Therefore, far from making sinners better, the Law actually makes them
worse in the sight of God!!
a. The “Lawyer” (Scribe) is amazed at Jesus answer. (Mark 12:32-33
"Right, Teacher, You have truly stated that He is One; and there is no
one else besides Him; and to love Him with all the heart and with all
the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor
as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.")
b. And Jesus responds to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God!”
(Mark 12:34)
(1) Because he had nearly understood and expressed that no one
can keep the Law of God and thus be saved!
(2) Yet this Lawyer was not yet in the Kingdom, but just close,
because he did not know the One who was speaking to him; so
Jesus issues him an invitation by means of the other “Great
Question”of religion:

II. The Second Great Question: “What do You Think of the Christ – Whose Son is He?”

A. The Pharisees are quick to answer: “The son of David.”
1. As clearly taught throughout the Old Testament.
a. Is. 9:7 “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no
end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that
time on and forever. The zeal of the SAVIOR of hosts will accomplish
this!”
b. And as commonly confessed by the people of Judah: Matt. 21:9 “The
crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed shouted,
"Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is He who comes in the Name
of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!"
(1) This had happened only two days earlier!
(2) Jesus is having His final go at converting the Pharisees, on the
Tuesday of Holy Week! (God’s grace is incredibly long suffering!)
2. But they expect a Messiah who is no more than a human “son of David!”
a. A political Messiah, to deliver them from the grip of Rome.
b. A “Bread-king” to feed them for free: John 6:14 “After the people saw
the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, ‘Surely this is
the Prophet who is to come into the world.’ But Jesus, knowing that
they intended to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to
a mountain by Himself!”
c. Even as many people today still think of the Messiah: Jews, Liberal
Christians, Millennialists, Mormons, etc.

B. Yet Jesus wants to bring them closer – even into – to the Kingdom of God!!!
1. Jesus’ next question is designed to get the Lawyer to admit that he doesn’t
know the answer, so that He who is the Christ can explain it to him: "How
is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls Him 'Lord, saying, 'YAHWEH SAID TO
MY LORD, “SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT THINE ENEMIES BENEATH THY
FEET” (Quoting Ps. 110:1, the most quoted O.T. vs. in the N.T., 5 times in full,
plus at least another 8 times quoted in part or referenced.)
a. For the Old Testament is equally clear that the Messiah is also true
God!!!
b. Thus Jesus Himself must explain that He is both man and God – two
natures in One Person, which is utterly inconceivable to human
reason!!!
2. This “Personal Union” of God and man in Jesus is of utmost importance to our
salvation.
a. Only the God-man can keep the Law in our place!
b. Only the God-man can pay the penalty for our sins!
(1) Heb. 2:14 “Since then the children share in flesh and blood, He
Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death
He might render powerless him who had the power of death,
that is, the devil!”
(2) As a sufficient sacrifice: Ps. 49:7 “No man can by any means
redeem his brother, or give to God a ransom for him, for the
redemption of his soul is too costly, and he should cease trying
forever.”“
c. Only the God-man can trample His enemies under His feet! (vs. 44b)
d. Only the God-man can be seated at the Right Hand of God! (44a)

Dear Fellow Redeemed in the Blood of Christ,
All these things the learned Lawyer, the self-sufficient Scribe had yet to learn. For he and
his fellow Pharisees did not understand that answer to the first great question of religion does not gain one entry into the Kingdom of God, but absolutely prevents it!! Nor had they carefully
considered that the second great question of religion is designed to lead one to the solution for the problem posed buy the first question: Only the Christ of God, the Savior who is God incarnate – God clothed in our humanity – can and does save all who trust in Him. Correctly understood,
the first question leads only to despair, but the second one saves!!! So, dear Christians, what do
you think of the Christ – Who is He, and what has He accomplished on your behalf? Answer:
“Why, He is the Only-Begotten Son of God, who has willingly taken on our sin, that we might gain His righteousness!!!” Thanks be to God for this heaven-sent answer, and the faith by which we believe it. Amen.

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

“Government of our Savior, by our Savior and for our Savior!”

2008-10-12T06:01:00.000-07:00

“Government of our Savior, by our Savior and for our Savior!”

Romans 13:1-7

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

Dearly Beloved in Christ Jesus,
In his Gettysburg address, Abraham Lincoln described our government as “of the people,
by the people and for the people.” Obviously, he was referring to the democratic ideal by which
each person can vote for the representatives who are to govern the country as a republic. But,
of course, Mr. Lincoln was also quite religious, and most likely a Christian (albeit an errant one).
So he began this brief address with reference to “the proposition that all men are created equal,”
and concluded it, “that this nation under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that
government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” It
is clear that he was fully aware of the greater and ultimate power behind this human form of
government – that is, God. Therefore, I do not doubt for a moment that Mr. Lincoln would have
heartily agreed to the proposition implied by our sermon title, namely, that all governments of all peoples and of all times are actually and ultimately the “Government of our Savior, by our Savior and for our Savior!”

I. All Government on Earth is Of our Savior!

A. Lincoln’s “Of the people” means government over the people.
1. He was apparently rephrasing a line out of a sermon by abolitionist minister
Theodore Parker, which read, “Democracy is direct self-government, over all
the people, for all the people, by all the people.” (Reported by Lincoln’s law
partner, William Herndon, who wrote a biography of Lincoln in 1888)
2. Therefore, Lincoln was not arguing that the every individual was to be selfgoverning.
This requires either a Republican form of government, or the
ability to hear every citizen’s opinion on every issue – ugh!

B. But God rules over all men, whether peasant or king, rich or poor, believer or
unbeliever!
1. In the Kingdom of the Right (hand), He rules by His Gospel, as preached by
His called servants.
2. In the Kingdom of the Left, He rules through various forms of governments,
as led by his appointed servants. (vs. 4 “For he (your ruler) is God’s servant
to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the
sword for nothing; for he is God’s servant, an avenger who brings wrath
upon the one who practices evil!”)
a. Payback is the name of the game – revenge through government, not
private citizens! (Rom 12:19 “Never take your own revenge, beloved,
but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is
Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord!!”
b. The ruler’s job is to reward good behavior and punish evil behavior
both among the citizens of the country, and over against other
governments, whether friendly and hostile. (vss. 3-4 “For rulers are
not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have
no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from
the same.”)
c. We Christians are therefore subject to whatever government God has
placed over us, just because it is He who has placed us under that
government! (vss. 1-2 “Let every person be in subjection to the
governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God,
and those which exist have been appointed by God. Therefore he
who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who
have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.”)

II. All Government on Earth is By our Savior!

A. If the government is good, this should be obvious to all, especially Christians.
1. But since both governors and those governed are sinners, there will always
be complaints about government, mostly from below, which is sin.
2. And no one can agree with their government all the time, because it is God’s
avenger for our sin!

B. If the government is evil, only Christians can understand that it is because the
citizens deserve evil!!
1. To many of his subjects, Cyrus the Great II (559-530 B.C.), king of the Medes
and Persians, was evil.
2. Yet he was especially chosen by God, and given divine protection as he
slaughtered tens of thousands of enemies to create his empire!
a. (Isaiah 45:1-3 “Thus says Yahweh to Cyrus His anointed, whom I have
taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him, and to loose the
loins of kings; to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:
I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter
the doors of bronze, and cut through their iron bars. And I will give
you the treasures of darkness, and hidden wealth of secret places, in
order that you may know that it is I, Yahweh, the God of Israel, who
calls you by your name!”)
b. This was written by Isaiah at least 120 years before Cyrus was born!

III. All Government on Earth is For our Savior!

A. The only good governments are those that promote the only true God, Yahweh, who
is identified as Jesus Christ in the New Testament!!! (“Jesus” means “Yahweh
Salvation,” which in turn means “I Am Salvation!”)
1. The Persian government of Cyrus was “good” because God established it to
free His people!!!
a. He captured Babylon on Oct. 12, 539 B.C., and killed king Belshazzar
that very night. (Dan. 5:25-30 "Now this is the inscription that was
written by the hand that appeared and wrote on the palace wall
'MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.' "This is the interpretation of
the message: 'MENE' - God has numbered your kingdom and put an
end to it. "'TEKEL' - you have been weighed on the scales and found
deficient. "'PERES' - your kingdom has been divided and given over to
the Medes and Persians." That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean
king was slain!”)
b. 2,547 years ago today!!)
c. Then Cyrus sent the Jews home with the Temple vessels and money
to rebuild both it and the city!
2. Even Nebuchadnezzar, who had captured the Jews 70 years earlier, was
appointed by God to do so!
a. Dan. 1:1-2 “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah,
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with
some of the vessels of the house of God.”
b. Dan. 2:37-38 "You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of
heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the strength, and the glory;
and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the
birds of the sky, He has given them into your hand and has caused you
to rule over them all.”
c. Dan. 2:40 "Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron;
inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that
breaks thing in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces!” (The
Roman Empire, prophesied 400 years before it existed!!)
d. Dan. 2:44 "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set
up a Kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that Kingdom will
not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these
kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever!” The Kingdom of Christ!!!
e. Dan. 4:17 "The Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and
bestows it on whom He wishes, and sets over it the lowliest of men."

B. But even evil governments must work for God our Savior, and accomplish His good
purpose!
1. The Roman government of Caesar was certainly evil toward Judah, but Jesus
created it to bring about His own birth, life, death and resurrection in a way
that would glorify Him and His Kingdom!
a. Its appointed census was used to bring Joseph & Mary to Bethlehem,
“too little to be counted among the clans of Israel From you One will go
forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from eternity!!!”
(Micah 5:2)
b. Its government over Judah was used to prevent the Jews from stoning
Jesus to death, and to provide that He might be cursed by “hanging on
a tree.” (Deut. 21:3; Gal. 3:13)
c. Thus the entire “Pax Romana” was designed and established by God
to provide the setting for the salvation of the world!!!
2. So can we pay taxes to an Emperor who claims to be a god? Jesus says, “Give
back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.” For these are the things of the
Kingdom of God’s Left hand!
3. But what about God? Jesus says, “Give back to God the things that are
God’s!” For these are the things of the Kingdom of His Right Hand , which
is to say, of Jesus, the Christ, the Savior of all the World!!!

Dear Fellow Redeemed in the Blood of Christ,
We Christians are indeed citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven – forever!!! But so long
as we live as sinners in a fallen world, we must also be citizens of whatever earthly kingdom God
has placed us in. There we are to be good citizens, obeying the laws of the land, until and unless
they conflict with God’s law (Acts 5:29). And there we are to glorify our Savior by hearing His
Word, partaking of His Sacraments, and spreading the fame of His Name throughout all the
world! This is your privilege as citizens of whatever “Government of our Savior, by our Savior and for our Savior” you find yourself members of. Thanks be to God for His everlasting mercy in
Christ. Amen.

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

“The Peace of God Which Passes all Understanding Shall Keep Your Hearts and Minds in Christ Jesus!”

2008-10-05T08:32:00.000-07:00

“The Peace of God Which Passes all Understanding

Shall Keep Your Hearts and Minds in Christ Jesus!”

Philippians 4:4-13

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

Dearly Beloved in Christ Jesus,
Lutheran Pastors are generally taught to end every sermon with the words of
Philippians 4:7, except that rather than stating it as a promise, they speak it as a blessing,
“The peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ
Jesus.” Thus God actually bestows this blessing on His dear people through the mouth of His
appointed spokesmen to them. And it is an effective and a marvelous blessing indeed, for it
conveys the very peace of God in Christ Jesus, that is, the forgiveness of sins. And this is God’s
answer to:

I. Our Main Problem: Sinful Anxiety about Life.

A. All our worry displays our lack of faith in God.
1. Jesus commands us: “Do not be anxious for your life!” (Matt. 6:25 “...as to
what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what
you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?)
2. St. Paul says we should be anxious for nothing! (vs. 6)
a. Neither for this life.
b. Nor for the next one!

B. All our complaining denies the power and love of God.
1. He feeds even the birds of the air – are you not worth much more than
they? (Matt. 6:26 [even though “They neither sow nor reap nor gather into
barns!”])
2. He clothes even the grass of the field - how much more you? (Matt.6:28-29
"And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the
field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even
Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. But if God
so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is
thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of
little faith?”)

C. All our self-centeredness is idolatry!
1. We are often jealous of “the prosperity of the wicked.” (Ps. 73:2-3 “As for
me, my feet came close to stumbling; my steps had almost slipped. For I
was envious of the arrogant, as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.)
a. We think that we deserve better because we are more godly. (Ps.
73:13-14, 16 “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure, and washed
my hands in innocence; for I have been stricken all day long, and
chastened every morning! When I pondered to understand this, it
was troublesome in my sight.”)
b. Our attitude proves us to be as “senseless and ignorant as beasts.”
(Ps. 73:21-22 “When my heart was embittered, and I was pierced
within, then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before
Thee.”)
(1) We are “A nation of whiners”! (Dr. Jack Fyans)
(2) We complain of our lack even though we have more than
anyone else on earth!
2. Christians are here commanded to “Rejoice in the Lord always!” (vs. 4
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”)
a. But I would rather feel sorry for myself.
b. And I would rather be able to rejoice in my own goodness!

II. Our Only Solution: Peace from God through Faith in Christ Jesus!

A. Through Christ, God has “Swallowed up death forever”! (Is. 25:7-8 “Upon this
mountain He will swallow up the covering which covers all peoples, even the veil
which veils all nations. He will swallow up death forever!”)
1. He came and suffered for the wicked even for us!
a. He gave up everything for us. (Phil. 2:5-7 “Although Christ Jesus,
although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with
God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of
a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”)
b. He took our sins upon Himself.
(1) (Phil. 2:8) “And being found in appearance as a man, He
humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.”
(2) (Col. 2:13-14) “And when you were dead in your
transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made
you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our
transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt
consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us;
and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the
cross.”
2. He rose again as the Victor over sin, death & devil.
a. (Heb. 2:14-15) “Since then the children (of Adam) share in flesh
and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that
through death He might render powerless him who had the power
of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver those who through fear
of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”
b. (Col. 2:15) “When God had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He
made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through
Jesus !”

B. Through the Church, God brings Christ and His gifts to us.
1. The Word being preached here & now saves you! (1 Thess. 2:13 “For this
reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the
word of God's message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for
what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who
believe.”)
2. The Sacrament offered here today joins you to Christ in both body & soul!
(1 Cor. 10:16 “Is not the cup of blessing which we bless the communion of
the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break the communion of the
body of Christ?”)
3. If we seek these things first, Jesus promises to provide whatever else we
need! (Matt. 6:33 "But seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness; and
all these things shall be added to you!”)

C. Through these gifts God gives us His Peace!
1. Which “Surpasses all understanding!” (vs. 7a)
2. Which “Guards our hearts and our minds!” (vs. 7b)

III. Our Life in Christ Jesus: Peace, Joy, Forbearance, Contentment, Hope.

A. Peace (vss. 6-7) “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the
peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, shall guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus!”

B. Joy (vss.4, 8) “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”

C. Forbearance (vs. 5) “Let your forbearance (patience, willingness to suffer wrong
& not insist on your rights!) be known to all.” Thus we show them Christ in us,
for them!

D. Contentment (vss. 11-12) “Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be
content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble
means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance
I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having
abundance and suffering need.”

E. Hope
1. (vs. 5b) “The Lord is near!” (The Parousia!)
2. (vs. 13) “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me!”
3. (Is. 6:8b-9) “God our SAVIOR will wipe the tear from every face; and He
will remove the shame of His people from the whole earth; for our SAVIOR
has spoken it! And they will say in that day, "Behold, this is our God for
whom we have waited, that He might save us; this is our SAVIOR, for
whom we have waited – let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation!"

Dear Fellow Redeemed in the Blood of Christ,
The Psalmist Asaph complained that out of jealousy toward wicked people who were
nevertheless prosperous, he had become like “a senseless beast” before God! Yet, he believed
that God nevertheless held him by the hand to guide him into heaven! (Ps. 73:23-26) Because
of this great hope he proclaimed that he no longer desired anything on earth except God and
His Word. This is the very definition of the “Peace of God which passes all understanding
which does guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.” May it be yours today and
forever. Amen.

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

"I'M BUT A STRANGER HERE!"

2008-09-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

"I'M BUT A STRANGER HERE!"

Philippians 3:17-21

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

Dearly Beloved in Christ,
Most human beings don't like being or feeling like a stranger, i.e., an outsider, one who
doesn't belong! That's why we want to welcome any visitors in our midst, to help overcome
that feeling of strangeness and unfamiliarity they feel in our midst. That's one of the main
reasons for our fellowship time after Church, with coffee, etc. To get a chance to meet and
greet our visitors, and make them feel at home.
One of the increasing problems in our society is that more and more Americans feel like
strangers in their own country. The rapidly increasing hostility of our society in general, and
our government in particular, to the traditional values upon which our nation was founded
leave many feeling as if they no longer belong here. I certainly feel that way – especially
because I am a Christian. The fact that most of the so-called "politically correct" views held
in America today are contrary to the Christian faith makes me want to move to another
country – but there's no place to go anymore, since the liberal factions who foster this
ungodliness have determined to spread their doctrine all over the world, especially through
television and movies.
But what we are experiencing at the beginning of the 21st century is nothing new in the
history of the world. Rather, it is merely a return to what the world was like before
Christianity became the prevailing force in Western Civilization. For up until that time, all
Christians experienced the very same thing, no matter where they went! Abortion,
homosexuality, spiritism, etc. were the norm until Christianity prevailed, and now they are
the norm again, even here in the last bastion of the Western Church on earth. Again, and
increasingly, that makes me, and probably you too, feel like a stranger! Yes, in a very real
way, every Christian is able both to sing and to feel our Sermon hymn: "I'm but a stranger
here, Heaven is my home; earth is a desert drear(y) Heaven is my home. Danger and sorrow
stand Round me on every hand; Heaven is my fatherland, Heaven is my home." For this is
the testimony of the Apostle Paul in the third chapter of his epistle to the saints at Philippi.
Let us consider what we mean by this saying:

I. "I'm But a Stranger Here!

A. Like Abraham, the Hebrew – "One who passes over", i.e., "Just passing through"
(Heb. 11:8-10) "By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a
place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing
where he was going. And he lived as an alien in the land of the Promise, as in a
foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow-heirs of the same
Promise. For he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect
and builder is God."
1. Abraham was apparently wealthy & comfortable in Ur of the Chaldees.
(Mesopotamia, Iraq!)
2. But God called him out of his comfortable life into the unknown wilderness!
a. And made him a "Stranger and a pilgrim on the earth" (A pilgrim is one
on a journey to a Holy Place; "just passing through wherever they are
at the moment.)
b. So much a stranger, even in the Promised Land, was Abraham, that he
had to purchase a piece of land just to bury his dear wife!
(1) O.T. Lesson, Gen. 23:4 "I am a stranger and a sojourner among
you; give me a burial site among you, that I may bury my dead out
of my sight."
(2) Thus all he ever owned of the Promised Land was a burial plot
containing the bones of his beloved fellow-pilgrim, Sarah!

B. All Christians are Hebrews – "Ones from the Other Side!!!"
1. As were all the O.T. fathers, according to author to the Hebrews: "All these
died in faith, without having received the things Promised, but having only
seen them afar off, and having saluted them, and having confessed that they
were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." (Heb. 11:13)
a. "All these" == those covered in all of Heb. 11: Abel, Noah, Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, etc.
b. Enoch alone didn't die, but was taken directly to heaven.
2. As David confessed in our Introit, saying: "SAVIOR, show me the end of my
life, and the extent of my days; that I may know how fleeting my life is!" (Ps.
39:4)
a. And he complains about the futility of being a Stranger in the earth:
"Surely every man at his best is a mere breath; surely every man walks
about as a mere phantom! Surely he makes an uproar for nothing; he
heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it!" (Ps. 39:5-6)
b. But at last he confesses: "But now, SAVIOR, what am I waiting for?
My hope is in Thee! Deliver me from all my transgressions; make me
not the reproach of fools." (Ps. 39:7-8)
c. And he prays: "Hear my prayer, O SAVIOR, and give ear to my cry. Do
not be deaf to my weeping, for I am a stranger before Thee, and a
sojourner, like all my fathers!" (Ps. 39:12)
3. If you feel like a stranger here, Christian, you are not alone!

II. "I'm But a Stranger here – Heaven is My home!!!"

A. Because Christ Jesus, "for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary and was made man; and
was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried; and the
third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and
sitteth on the right hand of the Father!"
1. Thus He made us "Citizens of Heaven"!
a. By Himself becoming "A stranger in a strange land," and that,
voluntarily. (Imagine leaving all that for this!)
b. By taking our sins upon Himself – thus making Himself a stranger to
God! ("My God, My God, why has Thou forsaken Me?")
c. This He did in order to transfer His citizenship to us! "So then you are
no longer strangers and aliens (in heaven), but you are fellow
citizens with the saints, and are of God's household!" (Eph. 2:19).
d. As young Sean Eaton became this very morning through Holy Baptism!
2. And having accomplished this great work, He Himself rose from the dead and
returned to His heavenly Kingdom, receiving the hero’s welcome that only He
deserved!

B. Therefore, we should act like Citizens of Heaven!
1. For even though We ARE Citizens of Heaven, we must still live here on
this earth for the time being, but never acting contrary to the Home rules!!
a. Home rules still apply as long as we want to remain citizens of that far
off land!
b. "We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29)
c. Otherwise, we forsake and forfeit our citizenship! (I Pet. 2:11)
"Beloved, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against your soul."
2. We must not act like those who were troubling the Philippian Church.
a. The Judaizers, who were "Living as enemies of the cross of Christ.” (18)
(1) They wanted to pervert the doctrine that all men are damned to
hell by their sins.
(2) They would not accept that only through Christ's cross can we be
saved, and not by our works.
(3) "Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, and their glory is
in their shame, for they set their minds on earthly things!" (vs. 19)
b. But the Apostle urges us "Citizens of Heaven" to follow his example and
that of other like him. (vs. 17)
(1) "Brethren, join in imitating me, and observe those who live
according to the example you have in us."
(2) Keeping the sound doctrines of our Kingdom.
(3) Keeping our heavenly goal.
(4) Desiring always to go home, where we fit in and belong!

C. For Christ will soon return to take us home!
1. For "Our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!" (vs. 20)
2. "Who will change our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power
which He has, even to subject all things to Himself!" (vs. 21)
a. The physical, bodily resurrection is true, as Jesus Himself taught in our
Gospel lesson: "Have you not read that which was spoken to you by God,
saying, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living." (Matt. 22:31-32)
b. As Abraham, et al, first believed, and then experienced!

Dear Fellow Redeemed in the Blood of Christ,
I once saw a presentation on the life of the Big Band leader, Glen Miller. Some of you
may remember that he was a student at CU in the 1920's, and became the most popular band
leader in America before he died in a WWII plane crash – at the age of only 40. At any rate,
what impressed me the most about this talented man was that under his senior picture in his
High School Annual he had written, "I'm but a stranger here, heaven is my home"! Why did
he write that? He was already somewhat of a successful musician in Ft. Morgan, where he
lived, and he came from what appeared to be a good home, too. Yet he wrote this strange
epitaph at the age of only 17 or so. Maybe he knew something – maybe God had given him
some knowledge that very soon he would go home!
Well, whether that is true or not; soon, very soon, you will be called out of this vale of
tears to your heavenly home. How long – 20 years, 40, 60 or even 80, for such as young Sean
Eaton, baptized into the Kingdom of God here this morning? Only God knows, of course, but
some of us will no doubt depart sooner than others. But are you ready? Are you really ready
to Go Home? I am, and I have been for a long time, for I feel in my bones and cheerfully
confess that I have long been "A Stranger in a Strange Land", and I am a homebody! Fear
not, for your Savior God is simply providing you with the same experience as Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob, as well as all the saints of all time. And after all, who could ever have felt more
a stranger here on earth, than the Only-Begotten Son of God? But because He endured it
through death to victory, this is to be our lot as well. God grant each one of you the grace to
persevere in faith until you meet Him in your real, your eternal home – Heaven. Amen.

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

“True Sons of God!”

2008-09-20T23:14:00.000-07:00

“True Sons of God!”

Matthew 21:28-32 + Philippians 2:3-11

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

Dearly Beloved in Christ Jesus,
What’s wrong with this picture? A professor of mine asked a liberal professor, “Do you
deny that Jesus is the Son of God?” He answered, “No, of course not, no more than I would
deny that you or I are sons of God!” But if Jesus is the same kind of son of God as everyone
else – as you or I, in particular – than no one can be saved, not even Jesus!
In our Gospel lesson for this morning, The Son of God tells a parable about two other
sons of God, that is, about two groups of God’s people, one which began as outwardly obedient,
but became inwardly unbelieving, and the other which was initially outwardly disobedient but
became inwardly believing. His point is to categorize all mankind, including you and me, as
being of one type or the other. But has either one retained the right to inherit his father’s
house? Perhaps, but not for the reason most people would conclude, for we see here that:

I. All the sons of men are always disobedient sons of God in one way or another. (Matt:
21:28-32)
A. One son says “Yes, father,” and then disobeys. (vs. 29 “'Son, go work today in the
vineyard.' And he answered and said, 'I will, sir'; but he did not go.”)
1. He is like the leaders of the Jews in Jesus’ day.
2. Outward obedience covering an unbelieving heart (pietism) is damnable.
a. (vss. 31b-32) "Truly I say to you that the tax-gatherers and
prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you! For John
came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him;
but the tax-collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and when you
saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”
b. They were thus doubly guilty.
c. Like anyone who comes to Church just because “It’s the right thing
to do, rather than because Christ dispenses the forgiveness of sins
here, and then refuses to say the confession of sins with the rest of
the Congregation!!
(1) He doesn’t believe he needs the forgiveness.
(2) But when he sees people both worse and better than he
confessing their sins he will not join them.
(3) Let no mouth which refuses to confess its sins receive the
body & blood of Christ in the Sacrament, for to do so would be
utterly damnable!! (Repeat)

B. Another son says, “No, father,” and then repents and obeys. (vs. 30 "And he came
to the second and said the same thing. But he answered and said, 'I will not'; yet
afterward he regretted it and went.”)
1. He is like the open sinners in Jesus’ day.
2. Repentance beats lip-service every time!! (vs. 31a "’Which of the two did
the will of his father?’ They said, ‘The second one.’")
a. It is not just his work in the vineyard which is the will of his father.
b. But rather, it is his love for his father, and therefore regreting
having disobeyed him which pleases him.

II. Only The Son of God who is The Son of Man is perfectly obedient in every way!!!

A. He is “in very nature God” the Son! (vs. 6 “Christ Jesus, who, although He was
in very nature God, did not regard His equality with God something for selfglorification.”)
1. The God who made us all. (Heb. 1:2) “In these last days God has spoken to
us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also
He made the world.”
2. The God who “upholds all things.” (Heb.1:3a) “And He is the radiance of
His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all
things by the word of His power.”

B. “But He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave by coming in the likeness of
men.” (vs. 7)
1. He was “Obedient to the point of death...on a cross.” (vs. 8 “And being
found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient
to the point of death, even death on a cross!”)
a. Unlike the second son in His parable, when His Father said, “Son,
go work today in the Vineyard,” He answered “I will!” (John 5:36
"But the witness which I have is greater than that of John; for the
works which the Father has given Me to accomplish, the very works
that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.”)
b. Unlike the first son in His parable, however, He then rolled up His
sleeves & accomplished all His Father’s will!
(1) (John 19:28-30) After this, Jesus, knowing that all things
had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture
might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" A jar full of sour wine was
standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine
upon a branch of hyssop, and brought it up to His mouth.
When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, "It
is finished!" And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit!
(2) (Heb.1:3b) “When He had made purification of sins, He sat
down at the right hand of the Majesty on high!”
2. He did this “For us men and for our salvation.” (Nicene Creed)
a. (Gal. 4:4-5) “But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth
His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He
might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive
the adoption as sons!”)
(1) Jesus’ death is our death for our sins!!!
(2) Jesus’ obedience is our obedience by faith.
b. (John 14:19) “Because I live, you shall live also.”
(1) Jesus’ resurrection is the death of death
(2) and our eternal life!!!

III. Therefore, “True Sons of God” are those who by Faith Live Lives of Daily Repentance.

A. By Nature, we cannot deny that we are sons of Adam.
1. We do not “have this attitude in ourselves which was in Christ Jesus.” (v.5)
a. We do nearly everything “From selfishness or empty conceit.” (vs. 3a
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit.”)
b. We do not “Regard one another as more important than ourselves.”
(vs. 3b “But with humility of mind, let each of you regard one
another as more important than himself.”)

B. By Grace, we confess and rejoice that God’s Only-Begotten Son has taken our
place under the wrath of God.
1. Like the “tax-gatherers and prostitutes,” we have found God’s Savior!
2. Like Ezekiel of old, we have heard the desire of God our Savior that we
“repent and live!” (Ezek. 18:32 “For I have no pleasure in the death of
anyone who dies, declares Yahweh Elohim!!!”)

Dear Fellow Redeemed in the Blood of God’s Only-Begotten Son:

To say “Yes” to God’s Law, and then fail to carry it out is certainly damnable, because
our answer is obviously meaningless in the end. But to say “No” to His Law is equally
damnable, whether or not we end up doing what He demands of us, for He will tolerate no
backtalk whatsoever (“You shall not take the Name of the God your SAVIOR in vain!”). Sadly,
we all fall continually into one or the other of these conditions. Therefore, since we rarely, if
ever, say “Yes” and then actually obey Him, there is only one hope of our being and remaining
“True Sons of God” – through the grace and merit of His Only True Son, Jesus. May your
faith and hope of all things great and wonderful be based solely upon His blood and
righteousness, both now and forever! Amen.

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

“We’ve Been Framed!”

2008-09-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

“We’ve Been Framed!”

Matthew 19:30-20:16

I’m sure you all know the purpose of a picture frame, don’t you? Originally, it was to stretch the canvas over, and
to provide a structure to hang on the wall.. But soon, people began o make their picture frames very elaborate, so as to
highlight or set apart the picture from the wall behind it. But there are other types of frames, as well. Houses have
frames, or skeletons, to provide structural strength. So do ships. And the art of building frames is called “framing,” and
the work of a framer is to frame things!
Ah, but to frame a person usually means that someone has falsified evidence to make the innocent look guilty. It
is a peculiar usage of a word that originally meant “to benefit, comfort, or construct.” But there’s the rub, for this sort of
legal chicanery often means that someone “constructed,” or better, “fabricated” a false case. Or perhaps it might be used
to indicate that one has been surrounded by false evidence, as a picture frame surrounds its picture. Whatever the case,
however, it shall shortly become clear to you that by this parable, our Lord Jesus Christ has indeed framed us in a way
that is both frightening and wonderful! Consider that:

I. We’ve been Framed (set up) by Our Own Sinful Nature!!

A. We seek by nature to earn & deserve our entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven (the Vineyard).
1. The Landowner is God the Father, Son & Holy Ghost.
2. He graciously invites the idle workers into His Vineyard.
3. The first group of laborers meticulously negotiate a “fair price” for their day’s work. (vs. 2)
a. Then they no longer believe their wage is fair when others are paid the same for fewer hours of work!
(vss. 10-12)
b. They call God’s Grace, unfair! (vs. 15 – They are no doubt members of Vinekeeper’s Local #666)
c. They have been framed by their own sin, selfishness & greed!!
d. Jesus tells this parable against the Jews of His day, who believe themselves superior to others.

B. But grace that is earned & deserved is not grace at all! (Rom. 4:4-5)
1. The later groups of laborers did not negotiate a wage, but trusted the employer’s good grace. (vs.4)
a. They were simply glad to get a job at all. (vss. 5-7; Gen. 2:15; Ecc. 5:18; Gen. 3:17-19)
b. They considered it a privilege to work in the Vineyard!
2. Their wages are therefore not earned, but gracious gifts!!! (vss. 9-10)
a. They have been doubly blessed with both useful work and unearned wages!
b. These who were last hired are the first rewarded by the grace of God! (Is. 55:8)

II. We’ve been Framed by Jesus to Reveal His Gracious Invitation to Serve in His Kingdom!!!

A. He calls us into His Vineyard (Kingdom) by the Gospel.
1. He is seeking us through this parable.
a. From the standpoint of God’s Kingdom, all men are idle, useless & unproductive apart from Christ!
b. He seeks out those who have been brought to realize this by the Law, and gives new meaning to their
lives. (Is. 55:7)
c. His death on the Cross gives meaning to our lives, even in the Kingdom of Heaven! (Eph. 2:8-10)
2. Strangely, this is the same Gospel call as “Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest!
a. In that saying we are laboring under the guilt of our sins.
b. Here in this parable we find we have nothing to offer God for His favor.
c. But Jesus allowed Himself to be framed for our sins, and to suffer and die in our place. He who owed
God nothing gave everything, so that we who owe God everything might do nothing to be saved!!!
TBTG!!! (Is. 55:9)

B. By His grace He even grants us the privilege of serving (working) in His Vineyard!
1. Our “work” in the the Kingdom of God is a labor of love, not a slavery of sweat. (Phil. 1:23-25)
2. Even this work is His work in us! (Is. 26:12-13)
a. Yet He rewards us for it here on earth with Christian friends, His Word & Sacraments, and even
material blessings!
b. And He has prepared for us in heaven unimaginable blessings! (1 Cor. 2:9)

Yep, we’ve been framed alright – framed by grace! For our Lord Jesus Christ has both prepared and paid for an
eternal wealth of glory for us! And He did not tell this parable in order to condemn us, but only to warn us against the
self-righteousness that would remove us from His Kingdom. Here He seeks our eternal welfare, as always; and He would
by these words encourage us to continue in that grateful, humble, childlike spirit which, having done everything
commanded it, would answer: “I am an unworthy slave, for I have done only what was my duty” (Luke 17:10). May God
grant such grace to each of you this very day. Amen.

“The Knowledge of Good and Evil”

2008-09-07T07:43:00.000-07:00

“The Knowledge of Good and Evil”

Genesis 50:15-21

The “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” is an enigma to most people – an inexplicable occurrence. They
ask, “Why did God put such a tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden? Why would He so tempt Adam, by even
putting the notion of evil in front of him?” The answer: “ Because that’s the way it is, which is to say, it was
necessary.” For if God is all good, then the absence of God is by definition, evil. “Yes, but God is omnipresent –
He is everywhere, so how could there ever be an ‘absence’ of God?” Well, it’s not that He is not everywhere present
as God, but rather that He is not everywhere acknowledged as the completely good and only God, as first Satan,
then Eve, and finally Adam concluded. So to deny God’s goodness is the very essence of evil – which is the natural
condition of every human being born of woman, except One! (Obviously, to attempt to completely delete God by
denying His very existence is even more evil.) Therefore, it is not possible to really understand evil until one has
a grasp of what is good. Thus the tree which begins with the knowledge of good, and only then reveals evil as the
lack thereof, is necessary.
The trouble with this tree, therefore, is the knowledge of evil which it necessarily imparts. For immediately
upon eating of it, both Eve and Adam were horrified to discover that in the very eating, they had become evil! Ever
since that moment, humanity has fled from this knowledge in terror, trying to deny its truth. Thus, father Luther
says “The Theologian of Glory (natural man) calls the bad, good and the good, bad.” But for those few who truly
understand God and His plan, “The theologian of the Cross calls a thing what it is!” Thus we hold that:

I. Everything Man does out of His Own Nature is Evil!!

A. Even the “chosen descendants of Abraham” were not immune to this evil.
1. Jacob sinned against his other sons by showing greater love for Joseph. (Gen. 37:3-4)
2. Joseph, in turn, sinned against them by boasting of God’s revelation to him. (Gen. 37:5-7)
3. Joseph’s brothers sinned against him by selling him into slavery. (Gen. 37:18-22)

B. The result of sin is always loss of peace.
1. Jacob grieved over his lost son.
2. Joseph became a slave in a hostile land – but God had a plan!
3. When Jacob died, Joseph’s brothers were terrified that he would enslave them. (vss. 15-18)
4. We each have our own forms of our slavery to sin and death.

II. Everything God does out of His Own Nature is Good!!!

A. His loving hand chastises us to draw us near.
1. Jacob was forced to recognize his sin.
2. Joseph was tested and tested again until God was his only hope and salvation!
3. His brothers were brought to true repentance.
4. We are brought to realize that our problem is our own sin.

B. Yet even when we “mean it for evil,” God means it for good!!! (vs. 20)
1. Joseph was used by God to save his family.
2. Jacob’s death brought his other sons to salvation!
3. God has given us true “Knowledge of Good and Evil,” that we might know His salvation in Christ!

The terror of this knowledge of good and evil is the realization that because we are now, by our fallen nature,
unfit for the “Tree of Life,” we must die. Thus we are, as the author to the Hebrews put it, “throughout all our lives
enslaved to the fear of death!” (Heb. 2:15) So crippling is this fear that most of us seek every possible way to deny
it, and especially its necessary implication – eternal separation from God. From the Atheist’s denial of the very
existence of God, to the ambition that drives men to “leave their mark on the world,” to the lethargy of
hopelessness, to the death-defying extreme sports mania, everything we do is tainted – nay, poisoned, by this
terrible fear – of death and Hell.
But God had a plan – from before the foundation of the Creation – to use this tree and its terrifying knowledge
to bring us to Himself in everlasting bliss. This plan is called “The Gospel of Jesus Christ,” and it necessitates that
God Himself would partake of our humanity in order to suffer both the fear of death and death itself on the “Tree
of Life.” Then He could “destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,” (Heb. 2:14) by rising
victoriously from the dead. This would then “destroy the shroud that was cast over all people – He would swallow
up death forever!!!” (Isa. 25:7-8). This is the truth with which Joseph “comforted his brothers and spoke kindly
to them.” So also here this morning Christ Jesus has comforted you and spoken kindly to you, “Be at peace, for
your sins have been washed away in the blood of My Cross!!!” Thanks be to God. Amen.