Sermon - Mark 9:14-23 - Pentecost 16

Mark 9:14-23

“Help my unbelief”

September 13th, 2015

“You know what your problem is?” Don't you just love it when a conversation starts that way?

It's like, "put up your mental dukes" and get ready for a fight. You're about to be on the receiving end of some criticism, and when it starts that way, it's usually pretty ham-handed and indelicate. You're about to get it from both barrels, guns blazing, no holds barred.

Our Lord Jesus Christ sometimes lets it loose this way, too. When he encountered the boy with the evil spirit, in the midst of an argument between his befuddled disciples, the Jewish scribes and a father at his wit's end. He minces no words.

“O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?” In other words, “You know what your problem is? You have no faith!”

Today people, even sometimes Christians, speak of faith as if it's a thing in itself. A sort of spiritual quality of people who can remain optimistic under difficult circumstances. When something bad happens to you, we are told, “just have faith”! As if putting on a happy face and thinking it will all be all right means that it will. Faith in nothing is really worth just that... nothing.

If the culture wants us to have faith in anything at all, it's usually in yourself. Believe in yourself. You can do it (whatever it is). How many Barbie movies and Sports motivational posters preach this same idea. But you and I know that we are not worthy of such faith and trust. Maybe when it comes to getting a degree or making the basket you can trust your abilities. But when it comes to spiritual things, it's a different story. If you believe only in yourself, you will soon end up disappointing yourself. For you are not reliable, trustworthy and you can't save yourself from yourself.

But for the Christian, faith has an object, and that object is Jesus Christ. It is the words and promises he speaks to us. It is that to which he directs us, in which he tells us to believe. He is the only one worth trusting because he is the only one with any power at all to help us, forgive us, save us. But his power to do so is not just barely enough, it is far more than all we need.

The Father in this story was exasperated. His poor son was afflicted by the evil spirit since childhood. The problem had gone on for some time. And like many others who came to Jesus for help, he must have tried just about everything else. But even Jesus' disciples, who had been given authority and had even had unclean spirits obey them in Jesus' name – even they hit a brick wall with this evil spirit.

But not Jesus. The father approaches our Lord with his request directly, “if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

“If you can!” Jesus marvels. “All things are possible for him who believes” And Jesus is back to the faith thing again. Faith is the real issue. Do you believe, or do you not?

And a beautiful prayer follows, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief!” The prayer of every Christian. The prayer of every imperfect believer who believes in Christ but imperfectly. We do believe, but only by his grace. We do have faith, but only by the working of His Spirit. To the extent that we doubt and struggle, we must repent. To the extent that we fail to trust in Christ for all good things, we are the problem! But the solution isn't just to try harder to believe. The answer isn't the just keep on keepin' on with our doubts and inner turmoil. The prayer of the father shows us well. “I believe, help my unbelief” The solution to unbelief isn't more effort or will on our part. The solution is always Jesus himself. Only he can help.

The evil spirit would throw the boy into water and fire to destroy him. But now he meets the One who baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

The evil spirit who stopped up the ears and paralyzed the tongue would now hear the word spoken by the Son of God, and ears and tongue and sins would be loosed.

The boy's tormentor had left and he fell to the ground as if dead, only to be gently raised up by the One who was tormented to death on a cross and rose from the dead to clear the way to life for us all.

This is not to say that Jesus will personally appear to handle every problem you have in your day-to-day life. This is not to say that he will heal your cancer, make your husband come back, get you a job, or help you find a girlfriend. He doesn't promise to take away your stress or turn enemies into friends or make your children behave, or even your mother-in-law.

But he does better than all of that. He dies for your sins. He rises for your life. He makes you his own, makes you holy and righteous. He goes to prepare a place for you, and someday he'll come back to take you with him. Then he will wipe every tear from your eye. Then you will live free of sin forever.

All this he promises in his word. And all this he sends his Spirit to give you the faith to believe it.

And yet, still we struggle. Still we doubt. Still we find that Christianity isn't easy-peezy lemon-squeezy. And if your Christianity is that way, my friend, you're doing it wrong.

How often does Paul attest to the struggles within himself – and he an apostle with visions and direct revelations from Christ! Yet he couldn't do the good he wanted, and he did the evil he despised. You and I modern Christians are no different. Sin comes so easy, but faithfulness is hard.

This is another aspect of being both sinner and saint simultaneously. We want to do good but don't. We want to stop sinning but we don't. We want to believe, but we still have unbelief. We are both new creation and fallen sinner, New Adam and Old Adam at odds in one person.

Lord I believe, help my unbelief! It acknowledges both the faith that has been given, and the continuing need for the Savior. This truly is the prayer of every Christian.

Yes, we are baptized, and in baptism our old nature was drowned. But as one theologian has quipped, the Old Adam has proven to be a good swimmer. And so Luther would teach that in baptism the Old Adam is daily... daily drowned and dies with all sinful desires. And the new man arises from the waters to live in faith. This is the way it goes for us – repentance and renewal – our very way of life.

Likewise we come in faith to the altar, to receive him who can help us, him for whom all things are possible. We are not worthy in ourselves to receive him, but by faith in these words, “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins”. We believe it is even possible for Jesus Christ, the Son of God, to be present with us under these humble forms of bread and wine. We believe that he comes to us today with salvation. We believe, Lord, but help our unbelief. And this sacrament is given to strengthen and preserve you, and your faith, to life everlasting.

And then think of another way he helps our unbelief – through the hearing of the Word. Faith comes by hearing. But that doesn't mean faith comes only once. When we hear the word of God – proclaimed, taught, even in our private family devotions – the Spirit is active and faith is strengthened.

The Law cuts us down, and the Gospel raises us up – like the Savior took the hand of the boy freed from the demon – they thought he was dead. Jesus restores sinners, blind, deaf, mute, even dead. And he can certainly restore you. He will certainly help you. All things are possible for those that believe – in him. And he who his faithful will do it.

Hebrews tells us Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. Not only does he establish it, but he also strengthens it, and he brings it to completion. What better reason do we need to fix our eyes upon him and pray, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief”.

The Good Works Uncertainty Principle

I have a minor interest in physics, and read dumbed-down popular science books and articles aimed at "the layman".

One of the fascinating developments in physics in the last century or so is a greater understanding of "quantum physics", in which scientists are beginning to understand how things work on the smallest of scales.  And what they have found is that on those very small scales, things get quite strange.

There's the famous experiment with the "double slit".  This video explains it.  One of the spookiest discoveries is that when light is not being measured or observed directly, it acts like a wave, but then when it is being observed, it appears as a particle.  It's as if the particle "knows" it's being watched and changes its behavior accordingly.

I've found that quantum mechanics provides some helpful analogies to our life of good works as Christians.  

We know that all Christians have faith, and that faith always produces good works.  But we humans like to measure things, especially our own good works.   And here's where things start to get strange.  Here I think about the double-slit experiment. Our good works are like that photon in this way - when we observe them, things change!  When we start looking at our good works and measuring them, especially against the perfect and holy standard of God's Law, they begin to look not-so-good after all.  They are tainted and corrupted by sin, pride, false motivations, impure motives, etc.  This is the "lex semper accusat", always accusing aspect of the law at work. When we look at our works, they appear as filthy rags - especially the closer we look.


So when the sheep and the goats are separated (Matthew 25), the sheep are quite surprised to hear of their good works.  For they weren't busy looking at them.  "When did we feed you, Lord?  When did we clothe you, visit you?"

Scripture assures us that our faith DOES produce works.  But it would not have us sit around admiring them.  Rather, our focus should be on the cross of Christ (keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith) and on the needs of our neighbor.  


To the extent that we do good works, thanks be to God who gets the credit for them anyway.  To the extent that we do good works, however weak and failingly, thanks be to God who accepts them through Christ nonetheless.

In Christ, we see perfect works - no matter how much of a magnification we put on the scope.  In Christ, there is no uncertainty, but always blessed assurance that what he has done is enough, and is good enough.  The resurrection proves the sufficiency of his life and death for us.

Then there's the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which "any of a variety of mathematical inequalities asserting a fundamental limit to the precision with which certain pairs of physical properties of a particle, known as complementary variables, such as position x and momentum p, can be known simultaneously."  

In other words, there's always stuff we not only don't know, but there's stuff we can't know.

But Christ is the certainty principle of God.  He sends his Spirit, who creates faith in us, and that "faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction (certainty) of things unseen".  Hebrews 11:1  Christ's promises to us about forgiveness today and resurrection on "that day" are surer than any observation.  For though even our eyes may fail us, he never will.  And though what we see may or may not be, he assures us, "before Abraham was, I am".  

Sermon - John 6:35-51 - Pentecost 11

John 6:35-51

Pentecost 11

August 9^th, 2015

“The Bread of Life that Comes to Us”

Today we continue hearing from Jesus in John chapter 6, this great “bread of life” discourse. In John's Gospel there are 8 great “I AM” statements:

I am the bread of life

I am the light of the world

Before Abraham was, I am

I am the door

I am the good shepherd

I am the resurrection and the life

I am the way, the truth, and the life

I am the true vine

This is the first of those statements, and the one that Jesus spends the most time in the Gospel unpacking. These grand statements are far more than simple metaphors, though there are points of comparison to note.

When Jesus uses the image of bread – it's quite intentional. Bread is the staff of life. It is the most basic form of food and sustenance we humans know. We pray for daily bread in the Lord's prayer, meaning, all that we need to support this body and life. We work to put bread on the table, that is, to earn money and pay for all our family's needs.

When Jesus claims for himself the title, “Bread of Life”, he's doing far more than making a simple comparison. In a way, Jesus is more bread than bread itself. He is more universal. He is more basic and necessary. He is more of what we need to be sustained than any earthly bread. Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. And Jesus Christ, the Bread from Heaven is the Word of God made flesh.

And there is contrast here, too. Earthly bread must be earned, but the Bread of Life from Heaven is a gift. Earthly bread may spoil, but this bread endures. Earthly bread may leave you hungry again soon. But the Bread of Life promises – you'll never hunger or thirst again. Earthly bread – you can eat it, and die the next day. But the bread of life – you eat that and you'll live forever, be raised on the last day.

In our Old Testament reading, Elijah was facing death. He was under threat of death from the wicked queen Jezebel. She called for his death, and fast, for he had beaten the false prophets of her false gods at Mt. Carmel. When their sacrifice was ignored, but Elijah's sacrifice to the true God was consumed in fire from heaven – and Elijah had those 450 false prophets put to death. Queen Jezebel would have her revenge, and put the word out that Elijah was at the top of her list. So he ran into the wilderness. And found his refuge under a broom tree. And he was so exhausted from all this that he prayed to die. “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

But the Angel of the Lord appeared and fed him. He provided him with a simple meal, not once but twice, to strengthen and sustain Elijah, whose work was not quite done yet. Nothing fancy, mind you. No army appeared for Elijah to lead into battle with Jezebel. No magical thunderbolt to zap his enemies to smithereens. No more fire from heaven. Just a simple meal. And Elijah was strengthened for his journey.

This Angel of the Lord that appeared to him, appears to be a bit more than a mere created angel. But throughout the Old Testament this particular messenger of God is identified with God himself – and appears to be a pre-incarnate Second Person of the Trinity. The Angel of the Lord who appeared to Moses and Abraham and Hagar and Gideon and so many others. The same Person who in some 800 years would take on human flesh and be born of a virgin. The same one who would proclaim himself the Bread of Life.

The Bread of Life – we need this bread, for we too face death all day long. We try to push death out of the picture, relegate it to hospitals and nursing homes, dress it up with softer words like “passed away”. Or we make a game and joke of death, turn it into a cartoon. You can go on the internet, plug in a few personal details, and the “death clock” will give you an approximation of how long it thinks you have on this earth. This is how we face our enemy?

Or better yet, just live in denial that each of us will one day face our last day. Plod through life like nothing's wrong, everything is puppies and daffodils, and everyone is and will be just fine. Well this just lets death sneak up on you, and smack you while you're not looking. And sooner or later, it will happen. No one is immune.

No, none of these methods deal with death. They only seek to hide from it or make it less terrible. But make no mistake. Death and sin walk hand in hand. No matter what fig leaf we try to use to cover up the wages of our sin. We can't do it. It's too much for us.

We may not have a wicked Jezebel out for our head, but we have a more wicked enemy who would take our life if he could. The devil's schemes are never-ending, his temptations do not let up. Moreover, we have our own sinful nature to contend with – a nature that would eagerly dance to the devil's tune. And the world – if you don't believe the world has embraced a culture of death look no further than the latest weekly video and see the gruesomeness of the violence done to the least of these among us.

Sometimes the journey seems too great for us. This life exhausts us and overwhelms us and even if we sometimes live in denial of death, other days we like Elijah, “Lord, it is enough. Take me now.” And it seems like the only thing to do with death is to give in.

But the same Lord who fed Elijah for his journey is the same Lord who sends the Bread of Life from heaven. And just as Elijah's simple meal was nothing outwardly spectacular, but just what he needed – so does the Bread of Life feed us. He gives his flesh, his body, for the life of the world.

Elijah found his rest under a broom tree. But you and I find our rest under a different tree- the tree of the cross. There, at the cross, Jesus sweeps away all our sin and even death itself.

It is from the cross that Jesus feeds the world just what it needs. Not a savior who brings armies or magic wands, no fireworks or winning lottery tickets. But in the lowly, the humble, the suffering – his power is made perfect in weakness. He sheds his blood, suffers the wrath of God for sin, and gives up his Spirit – thus fulfilling the will of his Father, thus completing his mission from heaven, and winning for you – eternal life.

This is how he, the Bread of Heaven feeds us with the gifts of the Father. This is how he, the Bread of life, brings us eternal life.

And it is from the altar, that he feeds you today. It may not seem like much. You have all these sins and troubles and fears and then there's death... and Jesus says take and eat, this little, simple wafer of bread. Take and drink, just a sip of wine – and nothing fancy at that. But in this Holy Sacrament of his body and blood, he feeds you the fruits of his cross – and sustains you with the Bread of Life. And it is enough for the journey. He feeds you and sustains you with exactly what you need. He gives you himself, and that's always enough.

So come and eat and drink. Come bearing your sins. Come with whatever weariness life in a fallen world has laid on you. Come even though your enemies would have your life. Come with your hurts, your hungers, your yearning to do better. Come to Jesus, for he has come from heaven, from the Father, for you. And whoever comes to Jesus, the Father will not cast out. Whoever believes will have eternal life. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Sermon - Pentecost 10 - John 6:22-35

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
August 2nd, 2015
John 6:22-35
“Work that Is Not Work for Bread that Is Not Bread.”

Maybe somewhere in your life you've seen someone who has fallen on hard times, maybe at a busy intersection or by a Walmart parking lot – holding a sign.  And scrawled on that cardboard sign with magic marker is the phrase, “Will work for food”.  I suppose it's meant to indicate that this person isn't simply looking for a handout.  There might be some pride involved, that even though I'm in a tough spot, I'm not looking for something for free.  I'll earn my keep.  I'll work for my food.

St. Paul told the Thessalonian church that work was important.  And that even though they were expecting Christ to return soon, they should still go about their business, and not stop working. “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”  2 Thess. 3:10  Paul upholds the value of work, and would not have able-bodied Christians act like freeloaders, needlessly living off of the kindness of others, when they, too, can do their part.  God gives us the ability to work for a reason.  And it is good to work for your bread.

But today Jesus says some rather puzzling things about work and food.   “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you” and “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Jesus had just miraculously fed the 5000+ who were attentive to his teaching. And in a day and age when one's next meal was often in question, someone who could provide bread for the crowds would certainly get some attention.

Like a flock of hungry birds, feed them once, and they ravenously follow you for more.  But were they hungry for the right things?  What should they have been looking for from Jesus?  What did he really come to give them?

“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you”

So a contrast is set between food that perishes, and food that endures to eternal life.

You and I are not only earthy, physical creatures, but we are too often fixated on the things of this earth.  We set our mind on things below, not above.  We think we can live by bread alone.  We are just like our parents, who found the forbidden fruit enticing, and they ate.  So we are drawn to all sorts of fruits of this world.  Whether forbidden pleasures of an earthly nature, or permitted daily bread which we then make into an idol.  We're not much different than the hungry mob following Jesus all around the sea of Galilee.

Nor are we unlike the grumbling, ungrateful Israelite rabble who griped and groaned about their food in the wilderness.  God had miraculously, spectacularly freed them from slavery in Egypt.  He performed 10 plagues, each one worse than the last.  He parted the Red Sea with perfect timing for their escape.  He led them in a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night.  He couldn't have done more for them.  Yet still, they grumbled against Moses, and against God.

“At least in Egypt we had meat to eat!”  Pining for the good old days of slavery, and despising the good gifts of God who brought them out of it.

Repentance is in order, friends.  Repentance for every ungrateful, unthankful moment in which we take for granted God's gifts of daily bread.  Repentance for coveting the daily bread of the next guy, whose bread seems so much fresher, and whose loaf smells so much better.  Repentance for misusing and abusing the good gifts he gives us.  Repentance for thinking we deserve these things, like God owes us this, and even more!  Repentance for thinking we could do better if we were the one sitting up on that throne, that we know better what our needs are – better than even the one who designed and made us and gives us life.  The audacity of humans.  It's never enough.  It's never good enough.  Our appetites always grumbling for more and more and better and better.

Jesus sets the crowd straight, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you”

He's urging them toward the Gospel.  The food that endures to eternal life.  The food that he, himself will give to them.  The food that is, in fact, himself – the very Bread of Life as he will reveal shortly.
There's something strange here already, though.  He's telling them to work for something that he will give.  He's shifting from an earning mentality to a gift mentality.  He's moving from the law-minded, earthbound thinking of the typical human experience, where we must work for our bread and nothing comes for free.  And he's moving them toward the grace of God, the undeserved, the free gift of bread that he himself will give.  But they don't quite see it yet.

They're still stuck on work.  “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Don't you get it people?  You didn't work all day when he fed you and the 5000.  You simply sat and heard his teaching.  You were a recipient of the heavenly bread, and then he gave you earthly bread for good measure.  You didn't deserve it.  You didn't earn it.  The disciples wanted to send you away to go buy your own meal.  But the giver of all good things gave you good things, and still gives good things to sinners who don't earn them.

Christians, what do you think you must do to be doing the works of God?  Do you think you're earning your bread from God by random acts of kindness?  Do you suppose you are working for God by serving on church boards and committees?  Do you think your money in the plate is the thing?  Or that you're actually keeping the 10 commandments, or at least good enough to earn some consideration from the Almighty?  Maybe coming to church today is the real sacrifice you think you're making to show God how much you really do deserve the goods... whatever the bread may be.
Jesus turns all this on its head, too.  None of that is the work of God.  The work of God is this. Believe in him whom he has sent.
And even this, is a gift.

So what we have is work that is not work, for bread that is not bread.

The work of God is simply to trust in Christ who gives salvation freely.  And the Bread of Life that he gives, is no mere bread, but his own self, his own body, broken for you on the cross.
The cross.  That's where the true work of God was accomplished.  There, where Jesus did the only work that ever earned salvation for any sinner.  God accepted this work, and showed his seal of approval by raising Jesus from the dead.

Your part, dear Christian, is to believe it.  And even this faith itself, he has worked in you, and works to sustain by his Spirit.  So you don't even get credit for your own faith as a good work, thanks be to God!  It is his work in you.  You don't get the pride of saying you'll work for food.  He gives it to you for free.  He works it in you, by his grace.  And he who began a good work in you will one day bring it to completion...

In the meantime, that faith does produce works.  This is a great mystery, for when we begin to measure our works they seem to evaporate before us into filthy rags.  But faith doesn't look at our works, it looks to Christ, and it looks to the needs of the neighbor.  How can I, who have received such good bread, serve my neighbor, and maybe even share my bread?  I do it not to earn a thing, for the giver of the Bread of Life feeds me richly and freely.

The Israelites ate manna in the desert.  And as miraculous and heavenly a food as it was, they ate it and still died anyway.  But here is a bread that one may eat and live forever.  Here is a meal that sustains us for eternity.  It is the true body and blood of Christ, the holy sacrament of his altar, in which he gives himself for our forgiveness, life and salvation.  The work of God is to believe... and to believe his words concerning his provision in this meal.  This is my body and blood.  Take and eat.  Take and drink.  And never hunger and thirst again.

We'll spend the next two Sundays in this same chapter, John 6.  And we'll continue to hear from the Bread of Life who gave himself and still gives himself for us.  Thanks be to God for his provision of bread, rained down from heaven on us, in the person of Jesus Christ, his Son our Lord.
So be about the work of God.  That is, receive him.  Believe in him.  And live.   In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

5 Ways we Find Christ in the Old Testament

"You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me"  John 5:39


"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." Luke 24:27
Jesus makes the bold claim that the Old Testament scriptures testify to him.  We should understand this statement in the richest and deepest way possible.  The Old Testament isn't only tangentially about Jesus.  Jesus is the beating heart of the scriptures, their true core and focal point.

But how?

Here's a hopefully helpful list of 5 ways we find Christ in the Old Testament.  This is not meant to be exhaustive, but gives a framework for seeing Christ as we study the OT.

1) Direct (Rectilnear) Prophecy:

These are the prophecies which we understand speak of the Christ in a way of direct prediction.  

Some examples might be Genesis 3, where the Seed of the woman will crush the head of the serpent. Or Isaiah 7, in which a virgin will conceive and bear a son, or Micah 5, "You, O Bethlehem" predicting the place of His birth.

2) Typology:

People, events, even animals from the stories of the Old Testament often foreshadow New Testament fulfillments.  The flood prefigures Baptism.  Sarah and Hagaar typify the two covenants.  This is not to say the original stories aren't true, of course.  But they also serve as shadows of other things to follow.

Likewise, much of the Old Testament hints at, points to, or even screams about Christ! Take the Passover for one example - in which the people of God are saved by the blood of the lamb.  Or the Day of Atonement, in which the sins of the people are placed upon the scapegoat, which is then sent off to die.  Or the whole ceremonial and sacrificial system, which in many ways, shows forth a testimony of Christ - who is God With Us in the tent of human flesh.

Some of these are spelled out very clearly by the New Testament.  For instance, Jesus tells Nicodemus that the bronze serpent Moses lifted up pointed to him, "the Son of Man must be lifted up, that whoever believes in him might have eternal life." John 3:14-15.  Or take "the sign of Jonah", by which Jesus compares his death and resurrection with Jonah's 3 days in the belly of the great fish.

3) The "Golden Thread"

Another very straightforward way to see Christ in the Old Testament is to simply trace his lineage.  So the stories of Adam, Seth, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Judah, David and Bathsheba, Solomon, Ruth, and so many others - show how God was bringing about the fulfillment of His messianic promises.

The genealogies of Matthew's and Luke's Gospels are helpful here, as a sort of a road-map for finding the Golden Thread.

4) Theophany

A theophany is a visible manifestation of God.  The Old Testament contains many of these, and I would argue that when they happen, we do better to assume they are the Second Person of the Trinity than automatically thinking it's God the Father.  So for instance, at the burning bush, it was God the Son who spoke to Moses.  God the Son who walked in the garden of Eden and called, "Adam, where are you?". God the Son who appeared to Abraham along with the two angels.  God the Son who manifested as pillar of cloud and pillar of fire.   God the Son who is seated between the cherubim on the Mercy Seat of the Ark.

The various appearances of the Angel of the Lord also seem to be a pre-incarnate manifestation of the Second Person of the Trinity.

5) Christ IS the Word

Finally, and perhaps most profoundly, Christ IS the very living Word of God (John 1).  So every word of Scripture not only testifies to him, but in a way we can't fully grasp - the word is God.. the Son.

For further study:  

A very helpful piece on finding Christ in every Old Testament Book  by Rev. Armand Boehme

A series of Issues, Etc. Podcasts with Rev. Brian Kachelmeir on Christ in the Old Testament

Newsletter Series - Lex Semper Accusat

A Brief Latin Glossary

for the Lutheran Armchair Theologian:

Lex semper accusat

Lex orandi, lex credendi

Simul justus et peccator

Ex nihilo

Sola scriptura

Sola gratia

Sola fide

Fides qua, fides quae

Ex opere operato

Quia and quatenus

Oratio, meditatio, tentatio

Soli deo gloria

This month I'd like to start a newsletter series highlighting some of the important and interesting Latin phrases we use from time to time in Lutheran theology. Each month we'll explore one of these terms to help you build a handy “vocab list”.

Let's start with “Lex semper accusat”, which means, “The Law always accuses”.

Perhaps you remember the “three uses of the law” paradigm from Confirmation instruction. First, the Law of God functions like a curb, to keep gross outbreaks of sin in check. This is the function of the Law that is expressed in earthly government, which bears the sword for our good (cf. Romans 13).

Also, the Third Use of the law is compared to a “ruler” or “guide”. This is the distinctly Christian use of the Law, that is, once we have been forgiven we might ask of God's law, “how then shall we live?” (2 Peter 3:11) The Law provides guidance and direction for how to live as we ought, how to do what is right as Christian, etc...

But the Second Use of the Law is sometimes called the “chief” use of the Law, and that's what we are talking about with “Lex semper accusat”. The Law as a mirror. The Law of God which always, always shows us our sin. Whatever comparison we make between our own life of works and the perfect Law of God, we will always find our own works lacking. Even if we haven't committed murder, we've wished harm on our neighbor or failed to help him in his bodily need (Matthew 5:21-22). Even if we've never bowed down to a statue of Zeus, we've placed other created things, or ourselves in the place of God in our lives. The Law says “do” and we can never do enough. We look in the mirror and it accuses us, shows us our sin, and never leaves any escape.

“Lex semper accusat” reminds us that even when the Law is functioning to curb sin in the world, or guide the Christian's life, it is still accusing us of sin! There is no time when we can encounter God's law that it doesn't probe us, reveal our failings, uncover the fig leaves we use to try and hide our sin. There's no law that should ever apply only to the “other guy” that doesn't also prove my own guilt. When we read, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) it's not simply a once-upon-a-time-long-ago we sinned. But it's an every-time-I-look-at-the-Law-I-see-my-sin. It's our constant struggle while still in the flesh. And the Law is always ready to shine the light on the dark parts within us.

“Lex semper accusat” is also a good reminder of this: Because the Law is always going to accuse us, we will always need the Gospel! The Law cannot save us. The Letter (the Law) kills, but the Spirit (working through the Gospel) gives life! (2 Corinthians 3:6). Because sin is ever before us, because we cannot fulfill the law and its demands but constantly struggle with sin and temptations, we are even in need of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The Law always accuses, but the Gospel always forgives! The Law always takes and destroys and lays low the proud and self-assured sinner. But the Gospel raises up the humble, gives grace to those in the despair of sin, and brings new life to those dead in trespasses. Thanks be to God that he gives us the Law we need to see our sin, but the Gospel we need even more, to make us righteous and holy in Christ.

Christ has fulfilled the Law for you. Christ has defeated the Law's penalties for you. Christ has even overcome the greatest Accuser, the Serpent, crushing his head, for you. Thanks be to God, in Jesus Christ, that we live not by the Law which always accuses – but by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who always seeks and saves the lost (Luke 19:10).

In Christ, Pastor Chryst

Sermon - Matthew 5:20-26 - Matins

Matthew 5:20-26
For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Anger
11     no one understands;
    no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
    no one does good,
    not even one.”

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny

___

Well, does your righteousness exceed the scribes and the Pharisees?

The Pharisees were, in the eyes of some, at least, exceedingly righteous:

Josephus said several times that the Pharisees were "experts in the interpretation of the Law"

The Talmud claims the Torah contains 613 laws, 365 negative commands and 248 positive laws. And the Pharisees, no doubt, sought to keep them all.

The tithing of herbs - mint and dill and cumin,
The wearing of phylacteries and tassels,
The careful observance of ritual purity – no touching dead bodies, no going into the house of a gentile like Pilate,
Frequent fasting,
Distinctions in oaths,
And, of course, rigorous observation of the Sabbath Day.
And not only did they seek to follow all these laws themselves, they taught the law. They were the authorities on the law. If “you have heard it said”, there's a good chance it's because the Pharisees taught it. They were the Law of Moses cheerleaders par excellence.

Unless you can do better than that – unless you can hurdle that high bar of law-following, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Unless your righteousness exceeds even the most righteous you can think of – you're already lost.


And I suppose very few of us could go toe-to-toe with the righteousness of the Pharisees and come out looking very good. Tithing? Fasting? Ritual purity?

To an outward observer, an unbiased judge, we'd probably lose the righteousness contest every time.
But Jesus is being a bit facetious here. For he knows well that the righteousness of the Pharisees is a sham. They are hypocrites. Their righteousness is thin and flimsy, and it only hides the rot that lies within. Jesus' words of woe for the Pharisees and their so-called righteousness are recorded later in Matthew's Gospel. Here's just a taste of it:

Matthew 23:  

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do.For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others....

13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

You know we're so used to seeing the Pharisees as the bad guys – the opponents of Jesus – the self-important, smug, know-it-all hypocrites. We love looking on from the sidelines and watching Jesus beat them in verbal sparring matches, and we love to watch them fall flat when they try to trip him up and trap him in his words. Go Jesus! Smack those villains. Child of hell, yeah, get 'em! Woe to them, right on!

Woe to them! And woe to you, too, who aren't even as righteous as they are. If your righteousness needs to exceed theirs, and that's what he says about THEM. Then where does that leave you?

Our text shows one example of how horribly impossible it is for us to keep the law. The 5th Commandment, you shall not murder. Pretty straightforward. What percentage of people do you think suppose they've kept this? Most of us have never taken a human life. But don't imagine that makes you righteous. For Jesus shows the true law behind the law. The inward law, if you will, that covers not just the deed but also the word and thought. Harsh words. Insults. Ridicule of your brother. Even anger in your heart – all of these are grounds for judgment. All of these mean you are not righteous. All of this means you are, and ever will be, outside of the kingdom. All of this means you, too, are liable to judgment.

St. Paul, who knew a thing or two about the righteousness of Pharisees, has this to say (Romans 6):

What then? Are we Jews any better off?No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;

But there is one whose righteousness exceeds the Pharisees. There is only one, in fact, who was ever righteous on his own merits. There is one who never inherited sin from his Father. There is one kept every dot and dash of the law. And that one, of course, is Jesus, the Christ.

He was like us in every way, yet without sin. He was humble and gentle. He returned no man evil for evil. He turned the other cheek. He kept no wealth for himself, but had no place to lay his head. He always put others before himself. He had compassion on so many. He always spoke the truth, and spoke it with love. He was not hot-tempered, or rude, or impatient or unkind. He fulfilled the law. He fulfilled all righteousness. He did all things well.

He did get angry, but justly, unlike so much of our anger. Zeal for the Father's house consumed him. His righteous anger that drove the moneychangers from the temple was but a hint of the righteous anger of the eternal judge who will one day cast all the wicked far away from his eternal presence. But that's a far different kind of anger from you and I, who are indignantly offended when some other sinner wrongs us or disregards us with some minor slight, real or imagined.

But Jesus' righteousness is a perfect righteousness. He submitted to his Father in all things – actively fulfilling the law on our behalf. And passively becoming obedient, even unto death, even death on a cross.

For us. For you. So that his righteousness is yours. So that his law-fulfilling benefits you. So that when God sees you, he sees you through Christ – and says, well done, good and faithful servant. His righteous anger at you and your sin is turned aside – for it was already poured out on Christ.

He is arrested and imprisoned. He stands before the judge in your stead. He answers the accuser for you. And he pays the sentence, covers the debt. His blood pays every last penny you owe for your sin.

So, does your righteousness exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees? No. And theirs was nothing to crow about anyway. But your righteousness isn't what counts. You have Christ's righteousness, and that makes all the difference. In Christ, you are righteous. In Christ, the kingdom of heaven is yours. Believe it for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Sermon - Pentecost 6 - Mark 6:1-13

“Whether they hear or not...”

Pentecost 6
July 5th, 2015
Mark 6:1-13

Home field advantage – its something sought after by sports teams. One author's research suggested that over ten years, the homefield advantage in the MLB was 53.9%, in the NHL 55.7%, in the NBA 60.5%, and in the NFL 57.3%.

But in today's Gospel reading, our Lord Jesus Christ doesn't fare as well. His home-field, or home-town of Nazareth proves to be a dis-advantageous venue for the preaching of the good news. Their unbelief was so notable that it even amazed him (the only things that ever amazed Jesus were faith and unbelief).

You would think that if anyone would hear him, listen to him, believe in him, it would be the people of his home town. But even for them, it wasn't the case. Even Jesus Christ himself was rejected even in his home town of Nazareth. The took offense at him, Other accounts from the Gospels tell us they tried to push him off a cliff. That's not just disagreement. That's not just finding his sermons boring. This is outright rebellion.

Ezekiel knew something about that too. He was a prophet, called to a rebellious people. And God commanded him to speak to those people whether they would hear him or refuse to hear. And as the history of the prophets shows clearly, many, most – would refuse to hear.

Jesus' own disciples met with the same chilly reception at some of the towns where they were sent to preach, and were told to shake the dust of their feet off as a testimony against them. Jesus knew that his messengers, and his message wouldn't always be well received. Nonetheless he sent them out preaching a message of repentance.

And today it is no different. Some hear. Some reject. Some believe, by the power of the Spirit. Some choose not to believe, through no one's fault but their own. Some hear the word of God – are cut to the heart by the law and rejoice in the sweet Gospel of Christ. Some would rather watch paint dry or have a root canal.

We see it in our nation. We see it in our families and workplaces. We even see it in our churches. Some receive, and some reject. Some hear, and some refuse to hear. But the message never changes, and the word is still preached, taught, proclaimed.

And by now many of us are thinking something like this: “Yes, pastor, you're right. Those people who reject your word should repent. They should turn from their wicked ways. They should stop their naughty deeds – both generally and specifically. Especially those people who have or who continue to sin against me. They should repent and hear the word of God. I hope they're listening, pastor, because they really need to hear this today. I wish they were here, so maybe you could knock some sense into them. Those people. Over there. Them. Not me.”

But not so fast. Because as much as other people refuse to hear, so do you and I in our own sin, deafen our ears to the word. We hear what we want to hear, and do what we want to do.

It's easy to hear the word of the law applied to other people's sins. But what about your own? It makes us feel secure to point to the really bad sinners over there, but to ignore the sins of the sinner we know the best, the one we see in the mirror. We may want to beat the drum of the certain commandments, the ones we think we keep or keep better. But the law of God leaves us without any hiding place. It is a light that shines the spotlight on each of us, and leaves no one justified by works.

Hear the word of the commandments: You shall have no other gods. Not your belly nor your wallet nor your own inflated ego. You shall not misuse God's name or forget his Sabbath Day. You shall love your neighbor – and not fail help him, or lust after her, or gossip about them, or scheme to get their stuff. You shall love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. Do this and you will live. Have you done this? Do you do this? My answer is no. I'm guessing yours is too.

So hear the word of the Lord – the call to repent – this sermon is not for some other sinner, but for you.

Some of you will perhaps reject this call to repentance. For sinners love to self-justify and foist blame. But if you think the law of God has nothing to say to you this day, you are in a dangerous place indeed. The testimony against such rejection is harsh – Jesus tells his disciples to even shake off the dust from their feet. He wants nothing to do with such unbelief.

Some, on the other hand, will hear it. Some of you will confess with your lips acknowledge in your heart the sin that is ever before you. And if you are cut to the heart and stand face to face with your sin, if your spirit cries out for hope, if you wonder at your own weakness there is another word you need to hear.

“My grace is sufficient for you. For my power is made perfect in weakness”

Hear today this other word of the Lord: The word of the Gospel. Jesus Christ has come for you. He came from his Father, from heaven's high throne, to be born for you in Bethlehem, to be raised in Nazareth, and to die just outside of Jerusalem. He lived a real life, in the real world, and grew up in a real town - and his perfect life fulfilled the law that all of us have broken.

Though he preached the Wisdom of God, and was accredited by mighty works, though he did all of this even without sin, he was rejected by his own. His own family and friends were offended by him, turned away from him. And in the end even his closest disciples fled. He was stripped of his dignity, his clothes, and gave up his life. He was rejected by all – and all this in accord with God's plan and purpose.

He was rejected so that you are received. So that you, sinner, would be forgiven. So that you, forgiven child of God, would never be rejected. So that God will always hear your prayers, and receive them as he receives you: through Christ. That even if your hometown, or your own mother and father, husband or wife, children and friends reject you. You belong to the Father, through the Son.

A prophet, even Jesus, may not be accepted in his hometown. But you, a stranger and enemy to God in your sin – you are accepted through Christ.

Hear the good news of Jesus Christ – who forgives you this day and every day you live by his grace. Hear the word of hope by which we live. Receive not only his word but his body and blood for your forgiveness, life and salvation. Do not reject, but receive, and live.

Sermon - 3rd Sunday after Pentecost - Mark 4:26-34

“Two Seed Parables”
Sermon – Pentecost 3
June 21, 2015
Mark 4:26-34

What young schoolchild doesn't do that universal project?  You know the one, where you plant a seed in a little container, water it, put it on the classroom windowsill, and by the end of the school year it's sprouted and grown. What a lesson in how things work, and in patience and in how wonderful God has made this creation.

It's also a lesson about the kingdom of God. Jesus uses seeds again to tell us what the kingdom is like. And there's always something to learn from Jesus' teaching. Let's examine these two seed parables from Mark, and think on the kingdom of God as Jesus explains it.

The Parable of the Growing Seed
The first parable is about patience and trust. The farmer learns the same lesson the schoolchild does – after you plant and water, there isn't much to do but wait. We bought some plants to put on the back porch this year – tomatoes and peppers.  And every day I check to see how they're doing.  Nothing seems to change, day to day.  They look about the same. It takes time. It takes patience. It takes trust in knowing that the combination of seed and soil and sun and water will produce results. But when? And how much?

In the kingdom of God, it's the same. God's word is cast onto the soil – and it produces effects. The church does the casting, the planting of the word – but we don't know why or how it works. We simply share what we have received, and watch its effects grow. We don't understand it, but we trust God to make it happen.  That the word will have its effect, according to the promises of God.  It will not return void, but will accomplish what he sends it to do.

Through the Gospel, we come to believe in Jesus Christ. “Faith comes by hearing”. Through the Gospel, the Spirit calls us to faith in Christ. He plants the seed in our heart, and nurtures it to life. And it grows. When we are baptized, the word is spoken over us with the water, and faith is given – a gift and a miracle.  When we hear the message of the law, we are pruned and cut down.  But then by the good news of Christ crucified for sinners, he awakens and enlivens our faith. When we receive the Gospel in physical form – bread and wine that is his Body and Blood – he further nurtures the seed growing within us.

And sometimes (quite often) we don't even see the growth happening. With an earthly seed the change is too gradual to watch it happen. But with the seed of his teaching, and the working of his Spirit, sometimes it's even harder to see, maybe even impossible.  We Lutherans aren't so concerned to pinpoint the very moment of faith, the “hour I first believed”.  We leave that to God, and simply give thanks that he does it.

We can't hurry it along, either. God's timetable is his own. There is no spiritual Miracle-grow. But as the seed gives life, so does the Gospel. And we trust in God's power to bring about that growth, in his time, in his way. This is frustrating for us, as we see friends and family members who aren't where we'd like them to be. We see our children straying from church. We see husbands who sleep in or stay home while mom brings the kids to church. We pray for people that God would touch their hearts, make them see – help them believe or believe more deeply. And we don't see it.

Or, we look in the mirror. And you see the same old sinner that you always wake up to. Same old warts and blemishes. We'd like to be someone else. Someone more Christ-like. But sin breathes down our neck. It's a constant companion. Why can't we grow, grow more, grow more Christ-like? But God promises, “he who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We don't see it, but we believe it. The harvest will come.

It is hard, very hard, for us, though to truly believe and trust that the Word of God will do what God desires, and that we humans don't have anything to add.  That we can't force it.  Indeed, some through history have tried to use force, even violence, to shoe-horn the Word of God into some sinner's heart, to make him believe.  Whole armies have been forced to be baptized by some wrong-headed Christian ruler.  But the word has quite enough power on its own, thank you very much.  And we can't add a thing to it.

Martin Luther knew this, too.  He once wrote:

"For the Word created heaven and earth and all things [Ps. 33:6]; the Word must do this thing, and not we poor sinners.... Take myself as an example. I opposed indulgences and all the papists, but never with force. I simply taught, preached, and wrote God’s Word; otherwise I did nothing. And while I slept [cf. Mark 4:26–29], or drank Wittenberg beer with my friends Philips and Amsdorf, the Word so greatly weakened the papacy that no prince or emperor ever inflicted such losses upon it. I did nothing; the Word did everything.”

So it often happens for the effects of the word in the world, effects that we can see – but sometimes the effects of the word are only seen after death.

In another parable Jesus compares the resurrection to planting a seed (which appears dead and is literally buried). And yet that seed sprouts and grows at the proper time. The seed of God's word is planted in us, and perhaps we don't see any growth. Perhaps we even die. But we trust that seed will produce a harvest, even if it's only seen fully in our resurrection to glory – at the harvest.

And so we are patient through all the ups and downs of life, patiently waiting for God to fulfill all his promises to us in Christ. Patiently waiting for his good gifts, for the fulfillment of his plan, and for him to take us home to himself. Trusting that the seed will grow until the harvest.  If we look to ourselves we will be impatient and frustrated.  If we look to Christ and his cross, we are assured he who spared not his own Son will certainly make good on his promises, in his way, in his time.

The Second Seed Parable
The other seed parable we read today, about the mustard seed, further explains this mysterious gift of faith. Here the reminder – the small things of God can have great and wonderful effects. Just as the mustard seed, one of the tiniest of seeds, becomes a grand shrub where even birds can nest – so does the word of God produce a faith in us that has far-reaching effects.

This is a promise. It's not a command. If we were to sit about measuring and pondering our good works and the effects of our faith on others.... if we compare how much fruit we bear with the next guy, if we count and tally, focusing on ourselves and our accomplishments, we will always fall short.
But trusting in his word, we know our faith is not in vain. It is not for nothing. What seems small to the eye, may have effects we'll never know.

Take Christ himself – born to humble parents, coming as a baby, greeted only by shepherds.  A “regular” childhood, but he grew in the knowledge of God and in stature with man.  Still a simple preacher who called everyday people as disciples.  And who built his church not by the sword but by preaching his word.  Who saved the world not by flashy fireworks and awesome glories, but by laying down his life in humility.  The seed of the woman that crushed the head of the serpent.  The seed that died and was buried.  But the seed that would sprout again to life on the third day.

And notice he did even this by calmly leaving death behind him, and with no great fanfare.  But the word would spread.  That good news would grow, and spread and fan out to all corners of the world, so that even today, even here, you and I come to rest in the branches of the church in this place.  It started small, but through the small, the humble, the lowly, our God does great things.

A Word About “Church Growth”
Today, many are concerned about the growth of the church.  There's even a whole “church growth movement” that wants to use whatever methods possible to win new souls for Christ.  And many of these churches seem to have, outwardly, great success.  We drive by their massive buildings all the time, and are amazed at their grand parking lots brimming with eager worshippers.  It is oh so tempting to simply assume bigger is always better.

But so often these well-meaning churches and individuals simply look past the word of Christ, who says, “I will build my church”.  Some would even trade the clear teachings of scripture for more palatable doctrines, or little doctrine at all, so as not to offend and drive people away.  And some, in an effort to grow, and put more people in the pews, would even exchange the Gospel itself for more “practical” advice for living.

To this we must say, nothing is more practical than the Word of God.  To this we must say, nothing is worth hearing more than the Word of God, the Law in all its severity and the Gospel in all its fullness.  You are a sinner. And your sins are forgiven in Christ. Nothing but the pure and true seed of his teaching will do.

And only the growth that He gives is worth having.  For nothing other than Christ, and him crucified, can save us.  And we have been given to preach only this.  We must ever preach and hear the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ, receive and live by the blessed sacraments.  What growth God gives through these is always good, always enough, and always blesses.

Conclusion
Thank God for the seeds he plants in us and through us. Thank God for the blessings he brings through his word of Law and Gospel – the word which grows in hearts and renews spirits and minds. Which gives life – even when you can't see it. Which always, always has an effect for the good of those who love him.  And that God grows his church, in his time, in his way. God grant each of us the faith and patience to believe it. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Sermon - Mark 3:20-35 - Pentecost 2

“Bullying the Bully”

2^nd Sunday after Pentecost

June 7^th, 2015

Messiah Lutheran Church, Keller, Texas

Mark 3:20-35

These scribes had come from Jerusalem, and they were trouble.  Perhaps it was to see what was all the fuss about this country preacher.  Investigating what was surely the latest fad of a self-made prophet type, getting the people all lathered up again.  In any case, they were there, and they didn't like what they saw, and especially didn't like what they heard.  They weren't there to learn from Jesus, to receive his preaching.  They were there to judge him and his teaching – and not too kindly.  But they couldn't deny the miracles he was doing.  They couldn't just brush off the fact that he was casting out demons left and right.  So they lobbed an accusation that he was really casting out demons by the power of the prince of demons himself.  He is possessed, they claim!  This could explain his obvious power, they must have reasoned, without them having to believe what he was saying.  Without them having to believe in him.

And they weren't the only ways to oppose Jesus.  His own family members were calling him crazy.  They said, “he's out of his mind” and they tried to seize him.  This preaching and miracle stuff is getting out of hand Jesus.  

So what answer does Jesus give to all this?  He starts out with some simple logic.  How can Satan cast out Satan?  How can a kingdom divided against itself stand?  How can a house divided stand?  Rhetorical questions which all should be answer:  it doesn't happen that way.  Jesus is not of Satan.  He's Satan's worst nightmare.

Nobody likes a bully.  Most of us have probably been bullied sometime or another in life.  It might have been a schoolyard lunch money extortionist.  Or it may have been a mean old manager at work.  Or maybe even a family member who pummels you emotionally, and leaves wounds far worse than bumps and bruises.  But the classic bully is the strong guy picking on the weak one.  Throwing his weight around to get what he wants, make a point, or just for the fun and sheer cruelty of it.  Nobody likes a bully, especially when you're on the receiving end of the bullying.

And there is no greater bully in this world than the Devil.  We can't stand up to his power alone.  Surely, if he was able to deceive Eve and somehow operate without Adam's intervention – when our first parents were without sin in paradise – then you and I who are conceived and born in sin, we are easy prey.  We fall for his lies so easily.  We are duped and enticed and led astray.  

And in a way we are held captive by not only our own sin, and death, and this fallen world, but also by the ruler of this world – the father of lies.  We may not be possessed in the sense of an unclean spirit controlling our speech and actions – but in our sin we are just as much under the Devil's sway.  Locked down into a solitary confinement of sin and death.  This is our starting point, fellow sinners.  This is where we are stuck without Jesus – bullied by the ultimate bully.

But we are not without Jesus.  So in Jesus' parable, there is the strong man – the Devil.  But someone else comes and subdues him.  Binds him hand and foot.  Someone is here to bully the bully!  And that stronger man is Jesus Christ.  First he defeats our enemy, and then he plunders the house.  And you, dear forgiven sinner, are the plunder!  Jesus comes to steal you away from the jaws of death, the fangs of sin, and the clutches of the Devil.  He comes and divides, destroys, brings ruin to the house of Satan, and all our enemy's power comes crashing down with a breath.  Jesus one, the devil nothing – the eternal score.

But how does he do this?  When does it happen?

Certainly, we must go to the cross.  There we see what appears to be a “not-very-strong-man”, but instead a man of sorrows dying under a curse.  There we see the one stricken, smitten, afflicted.  The one forsaken by God who can count all his bones, surrounded by dogs – pierced hands and feet – tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, strength dried up like a potsherd.  There?  There's your strongman?  There's your defeat of the biggest, baddest meany of all?  Yes.  At the cross.  Where God's power is made perfect in weakness.  Where God's wrath over our sin is satisfied.  Where Jesus wraps it all up with the bow of a perfect declaration.  “It is finished”.

It began in Genesis, when the old serpent began his campaign of lies.  But the Lord calmly walked over there in the cool of the day, and made a promise.  The seed of the woman will crush your head.  And you will only bruise his heel.  Here (the cross) is the bruised heel.  But here, also is the crushed head of Satan.  Here is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.  Here is the victory.  Here is your victory.  His resurrection proves it and seals it.  Death has no more sting.  And Satan himself is a serpent de-fanged, and roaring lion de-clawed.

Christian author J.R.R. Tolkein depicts this ultimate struggle in his Lord of the Rings novels, which are also popular movies.  In the final battle scene, the good guys are set to storm the gates of Mordor, the stronghold of the enemy.  There, the wicked Sauron – the seeming personification of evil – watches the battle from his dark tower with a creepy all-seeing eye atop it.  The army of men is surrounded by the armies of darkness.  The tension builds to a fever pitch as friends in arms begin to say their farewells.  There looks to be no way out. Hope fades.

But in one dramatic moment, the ring that contains all the enemy's dark power is destroyed.  Sauron's tower crumbles, his eye is snuffed out, and all his hellish armies scatter and flee.  The seemingly incontestable strength of this evil foe comes crashing down in a moment.  

This is what Jesus did at the cross.  And this is what Jesus does every time your sins are forgiven.  This is what happens when a child is baptized.  This is what happens when you “take and eat” and “take and drink” at his table.  The might of Satan is unraveled.  And his house comes crashing down.  When sinners repent and believe in Christ, and sins are forgiven, the angels rejoice, the Devil loses, and Jesus wins YOU.

He says, “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”.  

Don't let this part of the passage scare you, friends.  Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is essentially opposing the work of the Spirit.  And since the work of the Spirit is to call sinners to repentance and faith in Christ – this unforgivable sin amounts to, very simply, the rejection of forgiveness in Christ.  Don't pass by the fact that Jesus promises “all sins will be forgiven”.  Even blasphemies!  There is nothing you've done so bad, so wrong, so deep and dark that Jesus can't handle it.  The only eternal sin is turning away from him and his forgiveness.

And this victory that he wins, this forgiveness that he freely gives – it makes you more than just his disciples, or even his friends, it makes you his family.  For when his mother and brothers come looking for him again, presumably to rescue him from himself, Jesus teaches another profound truth.  Those who do the will of God are his family members.  And what is that will of God?  That sinners repent and believe, and have life in his name.  That your sins are forgiven.

Sometimes being a Christian doesn't seem very victorious.  We don't always “win” at the “game of life”.  We have our hurts and our sorrows.  We fall flat on our faces.  And even the devil, whom we know is defeated, still prowls around looking for someone to devour.  He still tempts us, and would see us fall.  And he loves to see you suffer.  He wants you to doubt your forgiveness.  He still asks, “did God really say...?”

More than that, Jesus promises we'll bear crosses, and be persecuted and that the world will even hate us because of him.  It doesn't sound very much like a victory celebration.  

But we walk by faith, not by sight.  Paul reminds us today, “things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”  Even if our earthly tents, these bodies, are destroyed (and unless Christ comes first, they will be...) nevertheless we have a temple – a permanent residence with God in eternity.  And our defeated flesh will rise again in glory to live forever.  This momentary affliction is nothing compared to the eternal weight of glory in store for us.

And so it happens again today, as it always does at his family gatherings.  We confess and are absolved.  The Gospel is proclaimed.  Sins are forgiven for the sake of Christ.  So all Satan's might has come unraveled.  The strong man is defeated by the God-man.  Jesus lives, the victory's won.  And that victory is yours.  Believe it for Jesus' sake.  Amen.