Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Small, Plain and Ordinary

 

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Pentecost 4 2024 Proper 6
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
June 16, 2024
Ezekial 17, 22-24, 2 Corinthians 5:1-17, Mark 4:26-34

Sermons online: 
Text and Audio:         immanuelhamiltonchurch.com   click “sermons”
Text:                           pastorjud.org   
Audio:                         pastorjud.podbean.com 
itunes:                         bit.ly/pastorjud
Full Service Audio:    bit.ly/ImmanuelWorship

            This is a beautiful church building.  We have been blessed by those who were here in the 1940s that they chose a classic style and durable materials to build our Romanesque style church modeled after St. Bernard church in Cincinnati.  This is a beautiful space in which to have the divine service.

            When Jeannette and I were in Europe in April we visited cathedrals and churches, and monastery chapels in Germany, Austria and Hungary.  The cathedrals and chapels were incredibly large, towering, ornate monuments to the architectural styles of their time.  In the Baroque style cathedral in Passau Germany, there is a gigantic golden pulpit with figures of Jesus and angels and the four gospel writers and the last supper and so much more.  It is magnificent.  So large, so beautiful, so ornate.  What would it be like to preach from a pulpit like that?  Wow!  People must be impressed with a sermon from a golden pulpit.  Now, I love my pulpit here, but it is plain and ordinary compared to European cathedrals. 

Jesus is plain and ordinary.  This must be what the disciples think about Jesus and His ministry compared to the Temple in Jerusalem with its magnificent tall pillars and gold and decorations. The priests adorned in amazing robes with golden threads in white linen.  By contrast, Jesus is a homeless teacher wandering around the backwater areas of Galilee with a rag tag band of followers including fishermen and even a tax collector.  Sometimes Jesus teaches in the synagogues but mostly outdoors on a hill or by the lake.  Jesus is not even just plain and ordinary, He is poor and lowly and weak and insignificant. Dressed like a normal person, He preaches and teaches and heals the sick and casts out demons but it does not look like much.  The healings and exorcisms are remarkable, but Jesus does not make a big deal about them, he even tells folks to keep quiet about being healed.  There are crowds following Him to be healed and to hear the teaching but it a crowd of poor, lowly people.  When the rich, powerful, important people come around Jesus they are offended by Him; they oppose Jesus.  They look to trap Jesus because they want to destroy Him.  They see the good Jesus is doing and accuse Him of being in league with the devil.  Plain, ordinary Jesus just keeps doing what He is doing; He does not care what the cool kids think of Him. 

Jesus tells the disciples a couple of parables to steady them as they follow Jesus.  The first is about the Kingdom of God being like a man scattering seed on the ground and the seed sprouts and grows all on its own.  While the man goes about his life, the earth produces automatically until the harvest.  Jesus spreads the Word and it produces on its own without human assistance.  Jesus’ Word produces fruit in the lives of His followers all by itself.

Like the disciples, we really want to believe that faith, and forgiveness, and the Kingdom of God is about us and what we do — but it is not about you, it is about Jesus for you.  There is a terrible infection afflicting church bodies that causes folks to believe that God needs our help.  There is a thought that God’s Word is good and everything, but we really need find more and more clever ways to present it so people will believe.  In churches there is a thought that, “if we can just…whatever,” then everything would be better.  If we can just…have a better Sunday School program.  If we can just… build a better building.  If we can just…. have the youth more involved.  If we can just… do more with senior ministry.  If we can just… reach out better to the people in the neighborhood.  If we can just… find the right program at the right time.  If we can just…do whatever it takes to help God.  We are looking for a silver bullet fix to whatever ails the church, but there are no silver bullets.  God’s Word is sufficient.  Isaiah 55:10–11 (ESV) 10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”

This is humbling for pastors.  God does not need me.  The Kingdom of God will grow by the power of God.  I am called to proclaim the Word of God.  It is not about me being ingenious; it is about God’s Word succeeding without my assistance. 

            Jesus continues with a second parable.  Mark 4:30–32 (ESV) 30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” 

            Now when you think of kingdoms you think of splendid castles and throne rooms and ornate robes and crowns.  Jesus here teaches about the Kingdom of God; the reign and rule of God, and it is like, it is like — a mustard seed.  I bought a pack of mustard seeds to see what they look like.  They are tiny, brown and round; just about 1 millimeter in size; small, plain and ordinary. I put a few mustard seeds in every pew this morning, but I doubt anyone noticed.  You would have trouble finding them even if you looked.  A mustard seed is tiny, plain, ordinary and almost invisible. The Kingdom of God begins quite small, plain and ordinary there in Galilee and Jerusalem, but it grows and grows and grows.  Now the reign of God in Christ Jesus has spread all over the world, but it still appears to be small, plain and ordinary. 

            The Word of God is the only source of salvation and eternal life but it is so plain and ordinary and folks are not impressed by plain and ordinary.  People want something exciting and entertaining.  The news media will report all sorts of meaningless stories about rich, famous, powerful, important people, but they ignore what God is doing. 

God is here today, in this place, to forgive your sins and feed you the food of eternal life.  Jesus, the source of eternal life, is here with you and people act like nothing is going on.  They just ignore it because it is plain and ordinary and boring.

Far too many church bodies have grown weary of the Word of God and have moved on to preach and teach what people’s itching ears want to hear.  They constantly adjust their teachings so that the cool kids of society will not look down on them.  So many churches will fall all over themselves to change what they teach to fit whatever is the latest and greatest rejection of God’s Word put forth by the cultural elites in New York, and D.C., and Los Angeles. They care so much what the cool kids think that they have given up on God.  They have rejected the Word of God, and forgiveness, and eternal life so they can fit in with people who change their beliefs as often as their clothes.

            Not so for you.  You are a follower of Jesus Christ.  You are bound to the Word of God.  You cannot care what the cool kids think.  You cannot adjust your life to fit their perverse teachings.  As the Church of Christ, you stand firm on the plain and ordinary Word of God and reject false teachers.  You are warned about this in the book of Jude.  Jude 4, 8 (ESV) 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ …these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.” 

            Trust God’s Word because God’s Word will not return empty. The plain and ordinary Word of God is effective and the seed planted will grow by itself by the power of God. Trust the Gospel; the Good News of forgiveness of sins through the life death and resurrection of Jesus.  Trust the power and promise of your baptism. Trust Jesus’ words of pardon for sin. Trust the forgiveness given in the Lord’s Supper.  Trust…even though it is plain, ordinary water combined with the Word of God.  Trust the plain, ordinary words of absolution.  Trust the plain, ordinary bread and wine combined with the Word of God.  Trust that God works as He has promised.

            Trust the Gospel to accomplish what it promises. Follow God — obey God — not out of fear of punishment — the punishment was taken by Jesus; not out of hope of reward–you have already been given eternal life.  Follow God — obey God — out of love for God because of what He has done for you through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 

            It can be difficult because obeying God out of love is messy. We are so much more comfortable with punishment and reward.  Do this and you get this in return.  Don’t do this or else you will be disciplined. 

Living in the plain, ordinary love of God is messy… wonderfully messy.  Your sinful side so much wants to be in control…but you are not in charge.  God is in charge, and the Word of God is working in you, and the day of harvest will come and Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead and you will be declared righteous, pure and holy because Jesus’ robe of righteousness covers all your sin. 

It does not matter how foolish the cool kids think you are.  It does not matter how foolish they think Jesus is. It does not matter how small and plain and ordinary Jesus’ Church is.  God’s Word does not return empty.  We so much want to have some kind of spiritual experience that we can point to, some exciting happening, some spiritual high, but we get God’s plain and ordinary promises and that is good.  

  It can be difficult because obeying God out of love is messy. We are so much more comfortable with punishment and reward.  Do this and you get this in return.  Don’t do this or else you will be disciplined. 

            So follow Jesus…trust Jesus…live in the messiness of His love for you.  Obey God out of love.  Repent when you get distracted by the world and give in to temptation.  Receive His forgiveness…over and over and over. 

As Jesus’ Church we do what God has given us to do.  We make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching.  Even though it is not exciting and entertaining we pronounce the forgiveness of sins, preach the truth of God’s Word, administer the Lord’s sacrament of His Body and Blood, and we trust God’s Word to do what God has promised it will do. 

It does not matter if the pulpit is golden, or wooden, or no pulpit at all, the Word of God is effective.  Trust in the promises of God regardless of what the cool kids think.  Amen.  

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

What is the Opposite of God?

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“What Is the Opposite of God?”
Vicar Matthew Kinne
6/9/24
Texts: Mark 3:20-35; Genesis 3:8-15; 1 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 

Hear Jesus’ words from our Gospel reading today:

“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

What is the opposite of God? If you were to ask this question to a room full of people hearing about God for the first time, what do you think the responses would be? I can tell you from experience some may say “Well, if God is good, that means His opposite is evil.” Okay… this would be a logical response as we are creatures that appreciate the scales of counterparts to be balanced. We like the idea of Ying & Yang. Think of any story, myth, movie, or book that encounters good versus evil other than the Bible. It seems like there is always an equal opposite to the protagonist. There is always a chance that good will prevail and classically we call that comedy; the good guy wins in the end. It gives us a good feeling inside. But there is also a chance that evil will win. The good guy either dies or becomes corrupt himself. We call this tragedy, and some believe that this is just as acceptable to let evil win. In some ways, we are programmed to believe that if there is a righteous character then there must be an equally evil character. One cannot exist without the other. 

Of course, God is good and there is evil, so there must be some form of truth to the answer. But if it is the case that God has some equally corrupted counterpart, what would that mean for your salvation? It would mean that there is no promise and no guarantee for your eternal life. It would be a 50/50 chance: a flip of a coin. Good versus evil would never be resolved, and you would be in a prison of limbo forever. Does that sound like a good time to you? Is that really how the story of our great and mighty God goes? I hope not. And in fact, by faith through the Holy Spirit and the confirmation of witnesses in the Scriptures, I know it is not.

Sometimes we forget that the evil in this world came from the weak and rebellious will of creatures. When God created man, He gave him the ability to choose God’s way or his own way. And to our mystery today, as the story is told in Genesis, man was weak and listened to the tempter that came in the form a serpent. We do not know much about the origin of the tempter, but we do know that just like man, he chose to oppose his Creator. We know that he is a fallen angel as Jesus says in Luke’s account, “I saw Satan fall like lighting from heaven”. But just because he opposes God does not make him God’s equal opponent. Satan is still a creature, one that is defeated just when he thinks he is on the cusp of victory by getting Jesus on a cross.  He did put up what he thought was a good fight but God, who is the author of this life, binds up Satan and crushes His head at the foot of the cross where Jesus Christ is glorified. Satan’s own battle strategy kills his own kingdom in the end. Satan’s pride is his own demise!

Without the knowledge that the Holy Spirit gives through God’s Word, it is easy to be influenced by and even sympathize with the citizens of the tempter’s kingdom. It is certainly more comfortable to accept the evil that surrounds us every day than to swim against the tide and be at odds with friends and family members who follow the ways of the world. But do you realize Satan has us right where he wants us? In the land of the free and the home of brave, we are given the right to worship our God by the said freedom of our county’s constitution. But where man has the freedom to follow God in our country, man also has the equal freedom to fall away and uplift evil in this land. It is a nation divided. 

The flag that once stood for freedom, hope, and prosperity, is now often replaced or redesigned by a perverted rainbow flag movement which teaches people to believe that the church is built on hate. The claim “all are welcome” sounds beautiful and righteous. But that welcome sign is a work of the devil when it is not a welcome to repent because the reign of God is at hand. It is a work of the devil when it rejects the Word of God and follows the way of man. That is because, just like the serpent, the will of man opposes the standard of life made by his Creator. 

Let’s focus the magnifying glass a little closer to home. Just like Adam and Eve, and even the Pharisees, it is easy for us in the church to point the finger at others. It is not hard to find a quote of scripture and tell someone else “you are wrong”. God does tell us to use His word for reproof, and to understand the standard of what is right and what is wrong. But can you go one day without breaking a commandment? Can you live up to the righteous standard of God on your own? 

If you say you can live without sinning and you can save yourself by being better than everyone else, you are living a life of deception. The truth is not in you. The sin against the Holy Spirit, the sin of unbelief, is at large in you if you believe this. And if you think the church gathers because we are better than those who parade in city centers opposing God’s gift of marriage and life, you again would be wrong. The purpose of the church is not to be a political platform of this earthly kingdom. It is to be a place where the sick are tended to by their physician. It is where forgiveness is given to sinners who naturally oppose our Creator. God’s Word is where we find the standard of holy living, but it is more importantly the place where we read about God’s redemption of mankind for living in sin.

The answer to the question, “What is God’s equal opposite?” is… nothing. And maybe that is more than the truth. Maybe a better way to say it is that without God, there is no existence. The opposite of creating man, however, is man decomposing. Without God we are hopeless, dying beings desperate for meaning. We are creatures sustained by the graces of our God. Our God is not a tyrant God, not one who demands our praises, not one who demands good works. But rather a loving God, who sustains and comforts us. Because of that we sing praise about our God to others, and lead lives of active service to our neighbor.

The only place to find life is in God’s presence. He is the one who gives life and maintains life. When man chooses his own pride and sin over God, he walks in the direction of death. He steps away from God. That is not God’s fault. It is man’s fault. Man’s most grievous fault. And for that, man is humbled before a righteous God who wants all people to repent of their sin and be reminded that we are part of His kingdom in the baptism He bestows on us. 

Satan’s kingdom is divided. He cannot win. Do not follow him or even listen to him. Drive him out of your life! If you feel like he is knocking at your door, yell “Be gone Satan! My God has defeated you. Go back to dark and foul hole you came from!” 

Satan wants you to also believe that God’s kingdom is a mess and is divided into a thousand pieces. God’s kingdom, however, is forever because it is not divided.  Now, it is easy to think the church is not unified. When you drive downtown Hamilton count how many steeples there are. There are so many buildings, confessions, hymnals, translations, and political views pulling apart the church on earth. But these things are not what the church stands upon. These are things built and produced by the hands of sinful man. The church is instead built on the foundation of Christ’s constitution, which is not written in ink on paper, but by His blood writing into the wood of the cross from the nails piecing His hands and feet. 

A bridge to God once existed in the garden, but it was burned up by man’s sin. God had to rebuild this bridge using Jesus’ perfect body. Jesus’ incarnation bridged heaven and earth together. God’s Word lives among us. His Kingdom was brought back into this world by His birth in Bethlehem where His perfect little body lie in a manger. This same body and blood that we take in, is the foundation of Christ’s church. His body, though put to death, was never broken. It was never divided. He was put into a grave, but He conquered death three days later. He never let evil prevail. The good guy not only won, but never had a chance to lose. God the Father called all the shots of His Son’s death and resurrection. And since Jesus wins, you win. Because He died, your sinful Adam dies. Because He lives, you also will continue to live into eternity with Him. 

We just sang about this glorious victory in our hymn today. If you turn in your service bulletin to page 8, look at stanza one. See how the confession of the Church is not divided! The works of Satan is conquered through the work of our Emmanuel. If you’d like to sing it with me one more time, feel free to join.

668 Rise! To Arms! With Prayer Employ You

Text and tune: Public domain

Even though it may feel like Satan has the upper hand in this world because he influences the hearts of divided and sinful man. God is victorious! The church stands outside of any government in this world, it does not proudly parade sinful ideals, it does not give into catchy slogans or earthly philosophies. It stands on the Word of God, and this is what gives us strength to live together as the church until our Lord’s comes back to take us to Himself in heaven. It is then we will celebrate with all the saints that God’s kingdom was never divided and that His mighty hand saved us. Amen.

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Weaponizing the Law

WORSHIP VIDEO LINK (linked after 10:45 AM Service)

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BULLETIN

SERMON TEXT BELOW

Pentecost 2 2024 Proper 4
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
June 2, 2024
Deut 5:12-15, 2 Cor. 4:5-12, Mark 2:23-28 (3:1-6)

Sermons online: 
Text and Audio:         immanuelhamiltonchurch.com   click “sermons”
Text:                           pastorjud.org   
Audio:                         pastorjud.podbean.com 
itunes:                         bit.ly/pastorjud
Full Service Audio:    bit.ly/ImmanuelWorship

            You wake up to the sound of the alarm.  You just want to turn it off and roll over, but you need to get up and get going, there is lots to do.  Life is very busy.  It seems there is always more to do than time to do it.  The calendar is jammed packed.  You feel like a hamster on a wheel, always running but never getting anywhere.

            You need a break.

            Imagine being a part of a family of subsistence farmers 3,000 years ago trying to scratch out a living from the land.  If you don’t work, you don’t eat.  And food preparation is all from scratch meaning that to make bread you start with kernels of wheat that your family harvested and threshed and winnowed and now you have to grind into flour.  You work from first light to sunset with barely enough to eat, and you go to bed exhausted.  You work and work and never get ahead.

            You need a break.

            God knows you need a break and so he gives the gift of the Sabbath day to His people.  God created the world in six days and then His work was completed and He rested on the seventh day.  The Israelites’ work is never completed so they need the Sabbath to receive renewal and restoration from God.  God gives the children of Israel this gift of rest in the Ten Commandments as we see in our Old Testament reading.  Exodus 20:8 (ESV) 8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” 

Now, as rebellious people, the commandments of God can feel like a burden or a threat.  It can seem like God’s law is your nemesis holding you back.  That it is something you need to find a way around, but the law of God is God’s gift to you — for your good.  This is literally expressed in the fourth commandment.  Exodus 20:12 (ESV) 12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”

            God’s law curbs your bad behavior, and God’s law shows you are a sinner, and God’s law is a gift to you to offer you a better life. God gives the children of Israel the Sabbath for their own good.  He gives them a time each week for physical rest, and time to receive renewal and restoration from God.  God gives penalties for those who intentionally abuse the Sabbath so that the Sabbath remains a gift to the people.  God wants His people to have this gift of renewal and restoration. 

            Over the years the Jewish religious leaders become more interested in how to keep the Sabbath instead of why did God give the Sabbath.  This is still an issue today.  When I was in Israel in January of 2023 we got to observe Sabbath regulations in practice. There was a Sabbath elevator that stopped on every floor of the hotel.  It was permissible to ride in the elevator, but not to push the buttons.  You could open a room door with a key, but not with a key card.  There was even a self-flushing toilet with a sign that said it did not conform to Sabbath regulations.

In our Gospel reading we see the Pharisees seemingly all concerned about protecting the Sabbath day…but what are they really trying to do?  They are using the rules about how to keep the Sabbath in order to try to get Jesus in trouble.  They want to get rid of this Jesus fellow who just suddenly showed up in Galilee and now is causing all sorts of issues.  The people listen to Him rather than the Pharisees and other religious leaders.  Somehow this Jesus has authority over unclean spirits and disease, even leprosy and paralysis.  He is not like other so-called prophets and teachers.  And if that was not bad enough, he does things that are just unheard up.  He calls a tax collector to be one of His followers and then has dinner at the tax collector’s house and eats there with other tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees do not even associate with Gentiles, tax collectors or openly sinful Jews, let alone eat with them.  Jesus comes to renew and restore sinners, but the Pharisees do not want sinners renewed and restored.  Jesus’ care for others angers the Pharisees and they start to look for ways to get rid of Him, but they just grow more frustrated.  

The Pharisees question Jesus as to why His disciples do not fast and He calls himself the bridegroom at the wedding feast.  He tells them that He is new cloth and new wine; He does not fit in the old ways. The Pharisees look to trap Jesus and discredit Him.  They go after Jesus because His disciples are plucking heads of grain on the Sabbath so they could have a little snack.  Jesus turns the discussion away from the Sabbath and onto authority.  He tells of how David, the anointed King of Israel, eats the holy bread reserved for the priests.  David was the anointed king — Jesus is greater than David.   He tells them, Mark 2:27–28 (ESV) 27 … “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”  Now the Sabbath was commanded by God and Jesus claims to be lord of the Sabbath.  So that means Jesus is….the Lord God.  Now the Pharisees are really upset.

            Next, Jesus is at the synagogue and there is a man there whose hand is disfigured.  The Pharisees watch with bated breath to see what Jesus will do.  It is the Sabbath day and the Pharisees have weaponized the Sabbath to try to destroy their enemy.  The Sabbath is a gift from God for renewal and restoration.  The Sabbath is supposed to be good for the people — the Pharisees are using it as a club.  The Pharisees, on the Sabbath, are scheming and plotting against their enemy.  They are trying to trap Jesus into healing on the Sabbath so they are at the synagogue watching Him.  Here is Jesus.  Here is the man with the withered hand.  Will He do it?  Will He help this man on the Sabbath?  What is going to happen? 

            Jesus knows what they are doing and He wants to make sure everyone understands what is going to happen.  He tells the man with the crippled hand, “Rise up, come here.” The Sabbath is God’s gift for renewal and restoration.  Jesus wants to do good to this man and heal him.  The Pharisees want to harm Jesus.  They want to kill Jesus.  Jesus lays this out, Mark 3:4 (ESV) 4 And he [says] to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they [are] silent.”

            Jesus wants to do good and heal someone.  The Pharisees want to do harm and kill Jesus.  The Pharisees are using the law not to keep order; not for good, but to attack Jesus and destroy their enemy.  They are using the Sabbath as a weapon against their opponent. 

            Jesus looks at the Pharisees with anger.  He is sad that their hearts are so hard as to abuse God’s law for evil.  And Jesus does not back down.  He says to the man who has stood up and come to Him, Mark 3:5 (ESV) 5 …“Stretch out your hand.” He [stretches] it out, and his hand [is] restored.”

            Jesus does not do anything.  With just the power of His word Jesus heals the man’s withered hand.  The man is renewed and restored by the power of Jesus’ Word.  This is incredible.  This is a miracle and it happens in front of everyone at the synagogue.   How do the Pharisees react?  Mark 3:6 (ESV) 6 The Pharisees [go] out and immediately [hold] counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.”

            Their reaction to a miracle of healing is anger and murderous thoughts.  The Pharisees are so mad that they unite with their enemy, the Herodians, against their common enemy, Jesus.  The enemy of my enemy is my friend.  I am not sure if they think they are doing God’s will or are just using the idea of God to protect their positions.  The truth is that they hate God and are trying to kill God.           

            God’s law is still in effect today. You still have the gift of God’s law and it is still a gift to you for your good.  God’s law is for good, but there is a great temptation to use the law as a weapon against your enemies rather than as a tool to keep peace.  This happens more than we would like to admit.  How often do kids tattle on each other simply to get the other person in trouble?  Not to protect them, or help them, just to get them in trouble?  Adults also are tempted to use the rules to try to control others rather than for the good of others?  We are tempted to use the law to criticize, blame, or punish someone in a vulnerable position.  We have a cute expression for this.  We call this throwing someone under the bus.  Used properly the law is good.  In the wrong hands the law becomes a weapon to attack others.  In the church this can take the form of angry Christians whose joy of salvation is stifled by always being on high alert for other people doing something wrong and then trying to correct them.   

You go to church because it is good for you, not because it is good for God.  

            The Third Commandment, “Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it Holy,” is still in force today although it has been updated in Jesus. Instead of the Sabbath being the center, Jesus is the center.  Jesus is the source of rest and restoration.  Jesus says, Matthew 11:28–30 (ESV) 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 

Jesus’ Word is the source of rest for your souls.  Martin Luther’s explanation of the third commandment is, “We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.”  We gather for worship to receive from God renewal and restoration.  We are not to hate God’s Word of renewal, or grudgingly hear it, but rather treasure it.  Just as Jesus said, Mark 2:27 (ESV) 27 … “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath,” we might say, “God has provided Christian worship for the benefit of man…He did not create man simply for the sake of Christian worship.” 

            You go to church because it is good for you, not because it is good for God.  

            In the busyness of your life you need rest and rejuvenation.  In your battle against sin and temptation you need renewal and restoration.  You gather here once a week to receive renewal and restoration from God in baptism, and in His Word, and in Holy Communion.  In this place you hear that your sins are forgiven and you are fed with heavenly food.  You rest in Jesus because it is good for you.  Take time to rest in Jesus.  Take time to reflect that you are indeed, by nature, sinful and unclean and you need Jesus.  Take time to reflect that you are poor in spirit and Jesus blesses the poor in spirit and gives you the Kingdom of Heaven.

You are blessed to be here.  You come here feeling like the man’s withered hand, battered and hurting, and you stretch out your guilt and shame by confessing your sins, and receive restoration from the Lord Jesus.  Rest in the gifts of Jesus.  And not just an hour and fifteen minutes on Sunday morning but each day rest in Jesus in prayer and scripture reading.  Rest in Jesus; be renewed and restored and refreshed so you are able to serve others in all your various vocations.  Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

God loves in this way

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Trinity 2024
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
May 26, 2024
Isaiah 6:1-8, Acts 2:14a, 22-35, John 3:1-17

Sermons online: 
Text and Audio:         immanuelhamiltonchurch.com   click “sermons”
Text:                           pastorjud.org   
Audio:                         pastorjud.podbean.com 
itunes:                         bit.ly/pastorjud
Full Service Audio:    bit.ly/ImmanuelWorship

            In our Gospel reading today we get that all so familiar passage of John 3:16 (ESV) 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

This is likely the most familiar verse in the whole Bible and the one that more people have memorized than any other.  It is called the Gospel in a nutshell.  You all know it quite well, but it can be familiarity that can at times empty something of its meaning as you think, “I already know this.  I am not going to gain anything more from this verse.”

So, let’s take a little time this morning and slow down and dig into this verse. I got my undergraduate degree in print journalism and we were trained to ask the familiar questions, Who, what, where, when, why and how?

Who?  Who is this verse talking about?  John 3:16 (ESV) 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  God the Father gave God the Son on behalf of the world that whoever — meaning anyone in the world — believes in him will have eternal life. In just this one verse you learn that God is complex beyond your comprehension.  How does God the Father have a Son?  God the Father does not have a body yet begets, generates, God the Son — from eternity.  Jesus has always been.  We learn this in John 1:1 (ESV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:14 (ESV) 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” 

And not only is there God the Father and God the Son, but Jesus teaches about the Holy Spirit just before this,  John 3:5 (ESV) 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” 

            We have God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  One of the proofs that Christianity is true is that the Trinity does not make sense.  How can God be three persons and one God?  When people make up a religion they mostly make up gods that make sense.  Gods that are a lot like us.  Gods that act like we do.  Gods that make demands and give you a list of things you must do to appease them. The true God is different.  He is incomprehensible.  Three persons, one God — who freely gives you grace and mercy. 

            Who is involved here?  God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the world — all people, everywhere.  That is a big who. 

What?  What is happening?  A Pharisee, Nicodemus, comes to Jesus secretly at night.  Nicodemus knows some things about Jesus, but has come to learn more. Jesus tells him that he needs to be born again of water and the Spirit.  Then Jesus tells Nicodemus how people will have eternal life.  John 3:14–15 (ESV) 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

What?  What is happening is that God the Father gives His only Son to be lifted up.

Where?  Where will this happen?  We are not told that here with Nicodemus.  When?  When will it happen?  We are not given specifics as to when. 

Why?  Why does God send His Son to be lifted up?  It is a one word answer.  Love.  God loves the world.  God loves with a selfless love.  He loves with a love that does not count the cost.  God’s love for you is beyond comprehension.  In baptism you are born again by water and the Spirit into this love of God as we got to see once again this morning with the baptism of little David. God’s love envelopes little David. God’s love envelopes you; covers you. You live surrounded by the love of God. Paul describes this love in Ephesians 3:17–19 (ESV) 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”  You are rooted and grounded in the incomprehensible love of God.  You are filled with the fullness of God.  

Why?  Because God loves you.

Who, what, where, when, why and how?  How?  This is an interesting question.  We hear, “For God so loved the world” and it can sound like, because God loved the world soooo much.  Indeed it is true that God loves sooo much.  God’s love is beyond understanding.  But, “For God so loved the world,” means God loves the world in this way…God so loves…God loves in this manner.  How does God love the world?  He gives His only son to be lifted up. 

God wants all people to be saved.  God knows the problem of sin and God gives the solution.  How does God love?  In this manner — He sends Jesus to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

John 3:14–15 (ESV) 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 

In the book of Numbers, after God sends fiery serpents among the complaining Israelites in the wilderness God instructs Moses to put a bronze serpent on a pole that whoever looks upon it will be healed from snakebite.  How does looking a snake statue cure snakebite?  It does not make any medical sense, but that is what God said to do, and it worked.

Jesus, the Son of Man, given by God the Father, will be lifted up.  In our reading today Nicodemus does not yet know what this means — to be lifted up — but we know what this means Jesus will die on the cross at Golgotha to save sinners.  How does Jesus’ death on a cross save sinners?  This does not make sense.  How can Jesus’ brutal death grant us eternal life?  It is not the way I would do it.  But you know it is true because God said it is true.  John 3:16 (ESV) 16 “…whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” 

God wants all people to be saved.  God knows the problem of sin and God gives the solution.  How does God love?  In this manner — He sends Jesus to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

 God wants all people to be saved because He loves all people.  God the Father gives Jesus to be the sacrificial Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world.  The gift of eternal life is for all people.  How utterly heartbreaking it is when one of God’s beloved children who is loved with God’s incomprehensible love, rejects that love.  How tragic when someone rejects God’s gift of eternal life in order follow a made up god with a checklist of demands.  How awful when someone follows their own do-it-yourself spirituality that adapts to their every whim and desire.  How senseless that someone lets the cares of this world and the busyness of life choke out God’s love for them.  How evil when someone chooses darkness over the light.  John 3:19–20 (ESV) 19 …the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.” 

The eternal fire is prepared for the devil and his angels and yet so many love the darkness rather than the love of God and choose to go to the eternal fire with the Devil. 

God does not send people to hell.  They choose hell.  God wants everyone to be saved and offers the gift to all.  1 Timothy 2:4 (ESV) 4 [God] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 

 God knows the world needs to be saved from the darkness and He saves it, out of love, despite the cost.

            God loves the world with incomprehensible, selfless love. He loves the world — in this way — by giving His Son to be lifted up on the cross, and lifted up from the grave, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  God loves you with incomprehensible, selfless love so that you have eternal life in Him.  Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Where is Jesus?

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Ascension 2024
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
May 12, 2024
Acts 1:1-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, Luke 24:44-53

Sermons online: 
Text and Audio:         immanuelhamiltonchurch.com   click “sermons”
Text:                           pastorjud.org   
Audio:                         pastorjud.podbean.com 
itunes:                         bit.ly/pastorjud
Full Service Audio:    bit.ly/ImmanuelWorship

            Where is heaven?  Where is Jesus?  The last anyone saw Jesus in the flesh was on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem.

            At the end of the Gospel of Luke Jesus gives final instructions.  Luke 24:44–49 (ESV) 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

             He leads the apostles out to Bethany on the Mount of Olives and tells them, Acts 1:8–9 (ESV) 8 …you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.”

            That is the last time anyone saw Jesus in the flesh. The 11 apostles just stand there staring up into heaven where Jesus had just been, but now is no longer.  Jesus has gone into heaven and two angels in white robes tell the apostles, Acts 1:11 (ESV) 11 … “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” 

            Jesus went into heaven and Jesus will return from heaven on the last day.  So where is heaven?  Where is Jesus? 

            I believe we can sometimes think about heaven being very far away, almost like God is somewhere far off in outer space or somewhere very far removed from us.  Like He is way up high on a mountain looking down at the little houses in the valley, but it all looks like toys or something from that distance.  Kind of like God is there… but not really that involved. 

            So where is heaven?  Where is Jesus?  In this account from Acts 1 Jesus ascends into the air and disappears into a cloud.  Has Jesus abandoned earth?  Where is Jesus? 

            At the incarnation in Nazareth Jesus takes on a physical body and then is born in Bethlehem.  Where is Jesus then?  He is in Mary’s womb.  He is lying in a manger.  In His conception and birth, Jesus, God the Son, enters His state of humiliation where He does not fully use His divine powers.  In His pre-resurrection body Jesus is located in one place at a time. He is in Bethlehem, or Jerusalem, or Egypt, or Nazareth, or Capernaum.  He is in one place at a time and travels in a normal human way between places.  When He is raised from the dead He has a transformed body that allows Him to be in heaven– and on earth—and to be omnipresent; present everywhere. We even see glimpses of this before His ascension as He disappears from Emmaus and then is back in Jerusalem and appears inside a locked room. 

            Forty days after His resurrection, at His ascension, Jesus transitions to being fully omnipresent. 

            At His ascension Jesus goes from being on the Mount of Olives to being everywhere; to being with believers in Jesus.  As a follower of Jesus, you have Jesus in you.  As St. Paul describes his status as a Christian, Galatians 2:20 (ESV) 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

            Jesus is in heaven, Jesus is in you, Jesus is present where two or three are gathered, Jesus comes to you in baptism, Jesus comes to you in His Body and Blood in Holy Communion for the forgiveness of your sins, and Jesus is omnipresent; He is present everywhere.  Jesus’ ascension is not Jesus’ departure but rather Jesus’ heightened presence everywhere–especially in His followers. 

            On that day atop the Mount of Olives Jesus ascends into heaven and as the angels tell the apostles, Jesus will return one day.  The apostles wait for Jesus to return and we are still waiting.  When will Jesus return?  We do not know.  But as we think about Jesus’ return a question that comes to mind is, “What should I be doing when Jesus returns?”  Because He could return this afternoon–or He may not return for 10,000 years.  What should I be doing?  You should be going through your normal day doing the normal things that you have been given to do.  Washing dishes, cooking dinner, crunching numbers, calling a client, cleaning your room, doing your homework, relaxing and recharging, sleeping, praying, worshiping in church.  What should I not be doing?  What would you not want to be doing when Jesus returns?  You don’t want to be clicking away on the dark side of the internet feeding your lusts and perversions.  You don’t want to be trash talking someone.  You don’t want to be treating your parents with hatred and contempt.  You don’t want to be passed out dead drunk.  You don’t want to be insulting and belittling your wife or husband.  You don’t want to be in bed with someone other than your spouse.  You don’t want to be caught in open sin when Jesus returns. And so, each day, you battle your sin in your mind–before it becomes words and deeds–and you feel guilt and sadness when you give in to temptation–and you continue to repent of your sin in thought, word and deed.  You continue to remember you are baptized; your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus dwells in you and He forgives your sins, and, because of Jesus, you are the light of the world.  Jesus is coming back one day and do you want to be ready for His return.

 And so Jesus, in love, calls you to repent; to have a change of heart and change your direction from being drawn toward sin and instead, Joel 2:13 (ESV) 13 … Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.” 

            But thinking this way about being ready for Jesus’ return can tempt you to think that since Jesus is ascended and is way far away and He probably is not coming back today all that worry about His return can wait for another day and a little sin won’t hurt. 

Truly, you want to be ready for His return, but Jesus is not way far away–Jesus is right with you.  He is with you now–here as we gather to receive His gifts.  So the better question to ask is, “What should I being doing with Jesus today?  Because Jesus is right with you when you surf evil on the web.  He is there when you talk badly about others.  He is there when you disrespect your parents.  He is right with you when you’re getting sloppy drunk.  He is with you when you are yelling at your spouse.  He is with you when you are committing sexual immorality. Jesus is with you always and knows exactly what you are doing.  You can try to hide things from others, but there is no hiding your sin from Jesus.

            And so Jesus, in love, calls you to repent; to have a change of heart and change your direction from being drawn toward sin and instead, Joel 2:13 (ESV) 13 … Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.” 

            As Jesus’ Church we continue to do as Jesus instructed, Luke 24:47 (ESV) 47 …that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”  As Jesus’ Church we are in the business of repentance and forgiveness.  Over and over and over Jesus here delivers to you His forgiveness, won on the cruel cross at Golgotha.  He gives you grace in your baptism, in the words of absolution, in His Body and Blood in Holy Communion.  Jesus forgives you abundantly and He calls you to live each day in Him, with Him, for Him, as a light in this dark world.  Jesus lives in you, so always remember who you are in Him and live out your identity.

            Martin Luther writes about Jesus’ ascension to the right hand of the Father.  “I preach that he [Christ] sits on the right hand of God and rules over all creatures, sin, death, life, world, devils, and angels; if you believe this, you already have him in your heart. Therefore your heart is in heaven, not in an apparition or dream, but truly. For where he is, there you are also. So he dwells and sits in your heart, yet he does not fall from the right hand of God. Christians experience and feel this clearly.” [1]

            Where is heaven?  Heaven is beyond your understanding, but your heart is in heaven. Where is Jesus?  He is at the right hand of God.  He is in the bread and wine of Holy Communion.  He is in you, and He is everywhere.  Jesus did not depart at His ascension.  He ascended into heaven to be with you, for you, forever. Amen. 

[1][“The Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ — Against the Fanatics” (1526) in Luther’s Basic Writings, 3rd ed., 227]

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Unlikely Cornelius

 

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Easter 6 2024
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
May 5, 2024
Acts 10:34-48, 1 John 5:1-8, John 15:9-17

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Text and Audio:         immanuelhamiltonchurch.com   click “sermons”
Text:                           pastorjud.org   
Audio:                         pastorjud.podbean.com 
itunes:                         bit.ly/pastorjud
Full Service Audio:    bit.ly/ImmanuelWorship

            After Jesus’ resurrection, and before His ascension into heaven, He gave this command from a hilltop in Galilee, Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV) 18 … “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

During this season after Easter instead of Old Testament readings we get readings from the book of the Acts of the Apostles.  In Acts 1, 40 days after His resurrection, just before His ascension from the Mount of Olives, Jesus tells the apostles, Acts 1:8 (ESV) 8 …you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

            Ten days later they receive the power when the Spirit comes with the sound of a rushing wind and the apostles are filled with the Holy Spirit and able to speak in the languages of all the Jews from around the Mediterranean who had come to Jerusalem for the Jewish Pentecost festival. Peter preaches to the assembled people, and after, Acts 2:37–39 (ESV) 37 … when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” Acts 2:41 (ESV) 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”  These unlikely people bring the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection back to their home countries.

            Peter continues to preach the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection and ascension at the temple and throughout the city of Jerusalem.  Many people are hearing the Good News and the Jewish authorities are upset and arrest the apostles and put them in prison, but God opens the doors and frees them.  God enables the Word to spread.  The fledgling Church becomes more organized and appoints deacons to help with the day to day distribution of food so the apostles can devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.

            One of these deacons, named Stephen, is brought before the Jewish council and Stephen preaches to them about Jesus and how He fulfills scripture.  Stephen tells them that they always resist the Holy Spirit and kill the prophets and now they have betrayed and murdered the righteous one.  The crowd grows so angry they seize Stephen, cast him out of the city and stone him to death.  During the stoning, a man named Saul watches the garments of those throwing the deadly rocks at Stephen.  The stoning of Stephen causes many followers of Jesus to flee Jerusalem into Judea and Samaria.  The Jewish leaders try to silence the followers of Jesus, but instead of snuffing out the Way it just spreads to a larger area as believers bring the Good News of Jesus with them.

            While Saul makes it his work to attack followers of Jesus and have them put in prison, the apostle Philip goes to Samaria and proclaims to them the Christ.  As the Samaritans receive the Word of God Peter and John go to Samaria to lay hands on the new believers and they receive the Holy Spirit.  Philip then makes his way to the road from Jerusalem to Gaza and teaches and baptizes the Ethiopian court official who brings the Good News of Jesus back to the palace in Ethiopia and to the whole nation.  The apostles are indeed witnesses to Jesus in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

            Saul is then miraculously converted from being an enemy of Jesus to a being a faithful follower as Jesus appears to him on the road to Damascus.  Saul, later known as Paul, becomes the greatest missionary to the nations, making disciples wherever He went around the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea.  Jesus uses His unlikely people to spread the news of His resurrection.

            And then, in Acts 10 we meet Cornelius.  This is a Bible character that I must have read about many times over the years, but He did not stick with me.  The only Cornelius I recall is Yukon Cornelius from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  But as we were studying the Book of Acts in my Sunday School class I found this account of Cornelius to be fascinating. Cornelius is a centurion in the Roman Army in the Italian Cohort.  A centurion is an officer in charge of 100 soldiers.  Cornelius is a Roman, from Italy, serving in Caesarea where the governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, has a palace on the shore of the Mediterranean. 

            With Cornelius we see again how God works to spread the Gospel using unlikely people.   Cornelius believes in God.  He gives generously and prays continually, but he does not know the truth about Jesus.  An angel of God appears to Cornelius and instructs him to send men to Joppa which is about 40 miles south.  It is now called Jaffa and is on the south end of modern day Tel Aviv.  Cornelius is to send for Simon who is called Peter. Simon Peter is staying with Simon the tanner, in a house by the sea.  Cornelius obeys the angel and sends two servants and a soldier to go get Peter. 

            Peter is in Joppa on the tanner’s roof praying when he has a vision from God of a sheet being let down filled with all kinds of animals.  A voice from heaven says, “Rise Peter, kill and eat.”  Acts 10:14–16 (ESV) 14 But Peter [says], “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.”

            What God has made clean, do not call common.  This applies to food, thus undoing Old Testament food laws, but Peter will soon see that it also applies to people.  While Peter is pondering all this there comes a knock at the door; a Roman soldier and two others looking for Peter.  The people in the tanner’s house must be afraid that a Roman soldier looking for Peter cannot be good, but the Spirit tells Peter to go with the men. 

            After a two day journey Peter arrives at Cornelius’ house, Acts 10:28–29 (ESV) 28 And [Peter] [says] to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. 29 So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”

            Cornelius explains that the angel instructed him to send for Peter.  Acts 10:33 (ESV) 33 So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”  This is not Cornelius and Peter acting on their own with their own plans, this is God is directing the action. 

            And that brings us to today’s lesson from Acts.  Peter is bringing the Gospel to a Roman Officer from Italy at the Roman Governor’s Judean seaside palace.  Peter teaches how God shows no partiality, and about Jesus’ ministry and His death and resurrection and how Peter is one of the eyewitnesses of the resurrection, and then Peter says, Acts 10:43 (ESV) 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” 

            While Peter is still speaking the Holy Spirit fills those who hear the word and they begin to extoll God in various languages.  Peter declares, Acts 10:47–48 (ESV) 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.” This is a Gentile Pentecost as the people are filled with the Holy Spirit and are baptized.  

            God works to bring the Gospel to Cornelius and his people in Caesarea, and then back to Italy when they return home.  He brought the news of Jesus’ resurrection to the Ethiopian palace and now to the Judean seaside palace.  We see God here making disciples of all nations using unlikely people. The apostles are truly Jesus’ witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.  The Good News has traveled to the end of the earth, even here… to Hamilton, Ohio, where still today we bask in the truth that Jesus’ life, death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins is for both Jews and Gentiles.  This Good News began in Jerusalem and has now spread to your unlikely ears and heart.  

Rejoice that Jesus forgives your sins, for,  Acts 10:34–35 (ESV) 34 …God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” 

            And so, with God’s direction and help, unlikely as we are, we continue what the apostles started; making disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching.  And we continue to share the eyewitness testimony that Jesus rose from the dead to conquer death forever. The same proclamation Peter gave in Jerusalem still echoes here today, Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!  Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Agnus Dei

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Good Friday 2024
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
March 29, 2024

Sermons online: 
Text and Audio:         immanuelhamiltonchurch.com   click “sermons”
Text:                           pastorjud.org   
Audio:                         pastorjud.podbean.com 
itunes:                         bit.ly/pastorjud
Full Service Audio:    bit.ly/ImmanuelWorship

            The Jewish father goes into the sheep pen to select the best year old male lamb.  Once he has identified the perfect one he maneuvers to separate that lamb from the flock and pins him against the wall of the pen gets a hold of the frightened 120 pound animal and puts a rope around its neck so he can lead it out of the main pen to a special small pen made just for this lamb.  Four days later the father will kill the lamb and collect its blood and paint the blood on the doorposts and lintel of his house.  The Lord promised Moses that whoever’s house is marked by the blood of the lamb, that house will be protected when the Lord comes to kill the firstborn in all of Egypt.  The Lord will pass over any house marked by the blood of the lamb. 

            The Jews would continue to kill a lamb, roast it and eat it every year on the 14th day of the first month to remember the Passover.

            Over the centuries the blood of countless lambs was shed at the Temple in Jerusalem to atone for the sins of the children of Israel.  As we learn in Hebrews 9:22 (ESV) 22 … without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”  The blood of those lambs provides a partial cleansing; a temporary pardon.  It allows life with God in this age, but not… in the age to come. 

            John the Baptist sees Jesus coming to the Jordan and declares, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”  Today we remember that the Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God, comes to Jerusalem for the Passover.  He comes to Jerusalem for the festival that remembers how the blood of the lamb protected the children of Israel in Egypt.  He comes to offer Himself as the perfect, final sacrifice to take away the sins of the world.

            Jesus tries to prepare His disciples for what is going to happen.  He tells them three separate times.  As we heard in our Gospel reading a couple Sunday’s ago, the last warning and promise on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem is most specific.  Mark 10:33–34 (ESV) 33 … “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” 

            The Lamb enters Jerusalem on Sunday.  On Thursday the Lamb of God eats the Passover meal with His disciples.  There is a lamb on the table and there is the Lamb at the table.  The Lamb transforms the once-a-year eating of lamb in remembrance of the Passover into the frequent eating of the Lamb for the forgiveness of sins.  The Lamb gives you His body to eat and His blood to drink.  Eating and drinking not only in remembrance of His death, but to receive the body and blood of the Lamb in, with and under the bread and wine for forgiveness and eternal life.  In baptism and in Holy Communion you are marked by the blood of the Lamb.  Ephesians 2:13 (ESV)  13 …now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” 

            After dinner, the Lamb goes to the Garden with His disciples to pray and prepare.  At the Garden the ones who will kill the Lamb choose from the flock the perfect Lamb for the sacrifice.  They separate the Lamb from the flock, bind Him and lead Him off.

            On Friday the bound Lamb is silently led to slaughter. Isaiah 53:7 (ESV) 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” 

            The sinless Lamb is led to the slaughter and sheds His blood to save you from the Lord’s judgement.  His blood is poured out and given to you.  In your baptism you died with Christ and you were raised with Christ.  Your sins are covered by the robe of Jesus’ righteousness made white by the blood of the Lamb.  You are protected by the blood of the Lamb.  1 Peter 1:18–19 (ESV) 18 … you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” 

            Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance artist in Wittenberg Germany at the time of Martin Luther.  Cranach and his Son painted the altarpiece for St. Peter and Paul Church in Weimar Germany.  There is a lot going on in this painting of Jesus’ crucifixion.  One thing is that the artist paints himself into the altarpiece and depicts blood flowing from Jesus’ side arching down onto the artist’s own head.  He wants to show that the blood of Christ is given directly to each Christian without an intermediary priest or saint.

            Jesus’ blood flows directly to you and you are marked by the blood of the Lamb.  You wear the robe of Christ’s righteousness which covers all your sins.  Like the Jewish homes in Egypt, you are marked by the blood of the Lamb so, at the judgement on the Last Day, you will be protected from eternal death. 1 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)   7 …For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

            The sinless Lamb of God shed His blood for you to wash away all your sins.  He gives His life in exchange for yours.  He dies on the cross as the perfect, final sacrifice.  His body is taken away, wrapped for burial and laid in a borrowed tomb.  The Lamb has been slain…He shed His blood for you. You are marked by the blood of the Lamb.  Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Father Figure

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BULLETIN

SERMON TEXT BELOW

The Good Father Figure at the Passover

Vicar Kinne

Maundy Thursday, 3/28/2024

Texts: John 13:1-17, 31-35; Exodus 12:1-14; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32

            A father figure, a servant, and sacrifice.  We find these three things both in Exodus twelve at the institution of the Passover, and in John thirteen on the night when Jesus was betrayed and washed the disciples’ feet. God’s Holy Word is written by the hands of people who witnessed these momentous events, and we, as the church, listen to them like little children learning from their parents. Through these words we learn to believe in God’s power and strength over death by faith in the crucified and resurrected Lord. 

            What comes to your mind as the image of a good and faithful father? Is it the man who works hard every day to make sure his family is fed and has a comfortable place to sleep at night? Is it the man who goes out to mow the lawn in the hot summer heat and looks after the house? Does he protect his family in times of danger? Maybe this man spends quality time with his wife and children and is not embarrassed to show them affection and kindness. A good father tends to the needs of his family. If he does not take care of his family, or even try to look after his household, is he worthy of being called “good”? 

Surely, in this broken and sinful world we all have seen or may have experienced a bad role model of a father. Yet even if someone knows firsthand what a “bad” father is, they should be comforted by our Father in heaven who is not just good, but is the definition of good for all. He sent His son, Jesus, into our world to tend to our needs and protect us from all evil. 

In the instruction from God to the Hebrew people regarding the Passover, each man is to sacrifice a sheep or goat without blemish and eat it on the fourteenth day of the first month with his family. Through this eating and drinking, the family has fellowship with each other and with everyone else who eats the meal in their home. In this celebration, little children are taught by their fathers how God saved the nation of Israel from Pharaoh and his army and escaped death through the Red Sea waters. God set up this Exodus plan to save His children, and then He instructs every father to serve future generations by partaking in this meal and teaching his children the story of God’s salvation from Egypt. 

But if a man decided not to celebrate the Passover, what would this mean for his family? The children would miss the annual fellowship of the Passover meal. There would be tension because the father refused to do his God-given duty. The family would never hear the story of God’s saving power and thus be separated from the family of God. And it does not stop there! The children who never learned the stories would not be able to pass them on to the next generation. They would all be outcasts, not only in earthly traditions, but also in heaven. They would perish because of the sinful pride of their mute father who did not teach God’s will to them. This one sinful man we cannot call a “good father” because he potentially cuts off his lineage from the story of salvation. Thus, we should add to the image of a good earthly father that he be inspired by the Holy Spirit and follow God’s instruction to teach his children the Gospel of God’s saving plan through the Savior. His story telling and his participation with the people of God would be serving His family through eternity.

In John 13, Jesus is set up as the good father figure. Jesus is sent to do the will of God among men to save the world from sin, death, and hell. Just as it is the will of God for earthly fathers to tell the story of salvation to their children, Jesus becomes the disciples’ “father” as they celebrate the Passover. In verse 33 Jesus addresses His disciples as, “Little children”. But Jesus did not only teach the story of the Passover. Through His body and blood given on the cross, He fulfilled it. But before He goes willingly to His death, He teaches three new things to His disciples.

First, he washes the disciples’ feet. This action of Jesus removing His outer garments and wrapping a towel around His waist like a servant and getting on His hands and knees makes the disciples uncomfortable. They call this man “Rabbi,” “Teacher,” and “Master”. Surely a man of such status should not expose Himself and act like a slave! But just like the children at the Passover meal who ask the good Lutheran question to their father, “What does this mean?” Peter asks Jesus, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus then turns to them and says, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” 

Through this teaching, Jesus sets up the model of what it means to be a servant in God’s kingdom. The disciples would not be able to understand it fully until after the crucifixion, but Jesus displayed the rest His humility. He not only undressed down to the clothes of a slave, but while being led to the cross, Jesus stripped Himself willingly of His authority among man and from the good graces of His Father in heaven. At the cross Jesus took on the full wrath of God upon Himself thus protecting His children from utter condemnation. He put himself before all people, and a servant of God’s Word will do the same. 

You are called, as Christ’s chosen people, to serve your brother before serving yourself. Is that too hard to understand? Well, given the circumstances of our broken sinful nature, it is. As the prophet Isaiah (59:7-8) says regarding the sinful people of Israel, “Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace.” Follow the words of the Father teaching His children through Proverbs 1:15, “my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths.”

Because you are made of sinful flesh, your feet want to carry your body away from God’s will towards a dark and corrupt path. Jesus knows His disciples suffer from the same thing. They are all about to betray Jesus by denying Him and giving Him up to the crowds who kill Him. They may not nail Him to the cross themselves, but their feet ultimately run away in cowardliness towards evil. 

Jesus foresees these things, and when Peter says, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head,” Peter does not yet see that his feet are all that matter to equation because they carry his body to the courtyard later that evening where he denies his teacher three times. Jesus washes their feet because He is the only one worthy of cleaning them from their sin. He is the only father figure that protects them from their own selfish pride. Thus, the father figure becomes the servant to save His children.

At the end of the supper, Jesus teaches a second time. He institutes a new meal; one that binds himself and all members of the church in fellowship. Through the bond of Christ’s death and resurrection in this meal, the disciples are fed the true body and blood of their Lord. Just like the lamb sacrificed for the Passover, Jesus’ body is sacrificed to cover the cost of the whole worlds sin so that God’s righteous wrath will pass over all who put their trust and faith in the blood of the Lamb in the New Covenant. Christ does not teach a symbolism that this bread and wine represent His body and blood. He teaches that He is truly there. Because of this, forgiveness and salvation are delivered into the believers’ body giving true fellowship with the Servant who sacrificed Himself for all.

The third and final thing Jesus teaches His disciples is this, “…love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus is sent to earth to do His Father’s will. The Father wants you to be His own and He wants to have fellowship with you because He loves you as a good Father does. When Jesus teaches His disciples as little children, He hands down the Father’s will to them. And through them, they hand down the teachings of Christ and His love for one another to the next generation all the way to the church today. These teachings handed down throughout history bind us in unity and fellowship by faith and love.

How then do you love one another? Start by look at the example of our father figure. He serves and sacrifices Himself willing to forgive you and save you. We are to be living sacrifices to each other just as a good father sacrifices himself to love and protect his family. And when the Lord permits it to happen, we are to hand down this love to our children. This way, we may find all believers alive in the body of Christ and the world will see Jesus in His glory. At the resurrection we will feast together with our Lord in body and soul. No longer will our feet need washing because we will not run towards evil. Our bodies will not decay, our feet will be made clean in the blood of the Lamb. Our bodies will be perfect, because the Lamb without blemish gave up His perfection for our salvation. 

We, children of the Church, are to mirror the actions of our father figure, Jesus Christ, because of His service and His sacrifice to the world. We give our lives to each other because He first laid down His life for us. Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Yelling at the Dead

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BULLETIN

SERMON TEXT BELOW

Palm Sunday 2024
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
March 24, 2024
Zech. 9:9-12, Phil. 2:5-11, John 12:12-19

Sermons online: 
Text and Audio:         immanuelhamiltonchurch.com   click “sermons”
Text:                           pastorjud.org   
Audio:                         pastorjud.podbean.com 
itunes:                         bit.ly/pastorjud
Full Service Audio:    bit.ly/ImmanuelWorship

            The Gospel of John is fascinating with intricate themes and ideas that run throughout John’s account of Jesus’ ministry.  In John chapter 5 Jesus is in Jerusalem for a feast and while there he heals a paralyzed man at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath Day.  The paralyzed man rejoices, but the Jewish leaders are angry because — John 5:8 (ESV) 8 Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.”  The Jewish leaders declare, it is not lawful to carry your bed on the Sabbath Day; it is unlawful to work on the Sabbath, but Jesus explains, John 5:17 (ESV) 17 … “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

            Who is this man who claims to have authority over the Sabbath day?  The Jewish leaders are irate and want to kill Jesus for calling God his own father and making himself equal with God.  Jesus goes on to explain the relationship of God the Father and He, the Son, and then Jesus says, John 5:25 (ESV) 25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.”  “The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God.” 

What is He talking about?  How will the dead hear anything?  They are dead.  As with many things in the Gospel of John this teaching refers to multiple things, but as we jump forward to chapter 11 we clearly this in action.  Jesus is at the tomb of Lazarus, his beloved friend. Lazarus has died and has been dead for four days.  Jesus arrives too late to keep him from dying and now stands outside Lazarus’ tomb as folks roll the stone away very worried about the stench of death.  With crowds gathered to watch this bizarre spectacle Jesus shouts into the tomb at the dead man.  “Lazarus, come out!”  What an idiot this Jesus is.  He is yelling at a dead man.  But, hold on… what was it that Jesus said earlier?  John 5:25 (ESV) 25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” 

            Jesus yells, “Lazarus, come out!” and Lazarus… comes out.  Jesus raises a man from the dead by yelling at him.  And this is not something that happened in some faraway little town up in Galilee, this is in Bethany on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives; very near Jerusalem.  Now, they did not yet have X, formerly known as Twitter, to instantly share a video of Lazarus coming out of the tomb and being unwrapped from his grave clothes, but how long do you think it took for everyone in Jerusalem to hear that, in Bethany, a dead man came back to life and walked out of his tomb?  That kind of news spreads like wildfire. 

            The Jewish leaders are in a panic.  This has to stop.  The chief priests and the Pharisees gather the council to do damage control.  Caiaphas, the high priest that year speaks to the panicked gathering, John 11:49–50 (ESV) 49 … “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” One man should die, and so they plot to kill Jesus.  Jesus retreats for a time to Ephraim and then returns to Bethany to have dinner with Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Jesus disappears after raising Lazarus and now He is back.  John 12:9 (ESV) 9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.”  The raising of Lazarus continues to be source of great interest and excitement and the chief priests decide they not only have to kill Jesus, but also put Lazarus back in the grave, John 12:11 (ESV) 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.”

            There is excitement in the air in Jerusalem.  A crowd witnesses Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.  Later, word spreads that Jesus is in Bethany having dinner with Lazarus, and a large crowd gathers. The next day, the large crowd in town for the Passover hears that Jesus is coming to Jerusalem, John 12:13 (ESV) 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 

            And then Jesus fulfills Zechariah’s very specific prophecy. Zechariah 9:9 (ESV) 9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Jesus has come to Jerusalem to die, but not to stay dead.  As He has the power to raise Lazarus from the dead He also has the power to raise Himself from the dead to conquer death.  Jesus is the fount and source of forgiveness and resurrection and eternal life and He gives that gift to all who believe. 

            Amidst all the fervor surrounding Lazarus being raised from the dead, the King of Israel is entering Jerusalem looking sort of ridiculous riding the steep path down the Mount of Olives on a small donkey.  The crowd is enthralled.  Who is this man who can raise the dead by yelling at them?  Maybe He will do it again.  The crowd wants to know more.  They cannot get enough of this new teacher.  This Jesus movement continues to gain momentum. John 12:19 (ESV) 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

            The crowds welcome the King, the Son of God, who can speak life into the dead.  They cry out “Hosanna!” Which means, “Please save us.”  The chief priests and the Pharisees are afraid of Jesus and want him dead.  Tension is high in the Holy City.  Jesus has come to Jerusalem to die and this should be not be a surprise to anyone. Jesus has been predicting His death throughout the Gospel of John.  John 2:19–21 (ESV) 19 … “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” … he was speaking about the temple of his body.”  John 3:14–15 (ESV) 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life..  John 10:17 (ESV) 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.”  In John 12, when Lazarus’ sister Mary anoints Jesus’ feet and Judas complains about the waste, John 12:7 (ESV) 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.” 

Jesus has come to Jerusalem to die, but not to stay dead.  As He has the power to raise Lazarus from the dead He also has the power to raise Himself from the dead to conquer death.  Jesus is the fount and source of forgiveness and resurrection and eternal life and He gives that gift to all who believe. 

As Jesus said to Lazarus’ sister Martha, John 11:25–26 (ESV) 25 … “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. …” 

You are now the crowd following Jesus because you know that He did not stay dead.  You know Jesus is the resurrection and the life.  You were dead in your sin and you heard the voice of the Son of God calling you to new life in Him.  You know that the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and on the last day Jesus will call out to you in the grave and command you to come out.  And you will rise from the dead and come out of the grave in your new, imperishable body and you will go to live forever with Jesus in the Heavenly City of New Jerusalem.  Until then you gather each week to welcome Jesus coming to you in His Word and in His Body and Blood.   “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Ugly, stupid, weak failure

 

WORSHIP VIDEO LINK (delayed beginning)

WORSHIP AUDIO LINK

SERMON AUDIO LINK

BULLETIN

SERMON TEXT BELOW

Lent 3 2024
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
March 3, 2024
Exodus 20:1-17, 1 Cor. 1:18-31, John 2:13-22

Sermons online: 
Text and Audio:         immanuelhamiltonchurch.com   click “sermons”
Text:                           pastorjud.org   
Audio:                         pastorjud.podbean.com 
itunes:                         bit.ly/pastorjud
Full Service Audio:    bit.ly/ImmanuelWorship

            My morning routine is when I first get up I turn on the TV news and then pause it.  When I get back later to eat breakfast I can watch the news and fast forward through the commercials.  I mostly just want to hear about the weather for the day and the commercials feel like a waste of time.  Plus they can make me want something that I did not desire before I saw the ad.  Advertisers are smart.  So often commercials will appeal to our attraction to beauty, intelligence, success and power and they are effective because we like things that are beautiful, intelligent, successful and powerful because we want to be beautiful, intelligent, successful and powerful.  The world is all about these things because these things are attractive… it is only natural.  As a citizen of the world it is easy to believe these are the most important things of life. 

            The world tells you that life is all about becoming more beautiful, more intelligent, more successful and more powerful, and then you come in here on a Sunday morning and you are confronted by Jesus on the cross. Jesus on the cross is ugly.  There is nothing smart about the brutal violence and humiliation and suffering of the cross.  It is utter failure and helplessness.

Being far removed from actual crucifixions you can lose the complete sense of how awful crucifixion was and how it was only used against the worst rebels and criminals.  By design, it is one of the most shameful, degrading, agonizing ways to die.  The one being crucified is completely at the mercy of those around him and little mercy is shown.  The arms of the condemned are stretched out and nailed to a beam so that his hands are useless and his shameful nakedness is on display to all.  Hanging like that, the prisoner’s chest juts forward and he is forced to work at exhaling instead of inhaling and he will quickly grow exhausted and die of suffocation. So, in order to slow down the process the Romans nail the prisoner’s feet to a board so the condemned can push up against the nails and catch a small breath before being overwhelmed by the pain.  They might also perhaps put a small piece of wood under his backside so the one being crucified will squirm in agony against the nails; desperate to catch a breath; feeling always like he is on the verge of suffocation hour after hour.  The Romans perfected this horrifying method of execution so they could get prisoner to last two or three days on the cross constantly praying to die.  Through this process the condemned one is so broken and humiliated that anyone observing would declare, “Whatever happens, I do not want to die like that.”  Crucifixion is utter powerlessness. 

            When you think about God and what is God like, what words come to mind?  God is good, gracious, faithful, eternal, immutable, almighty, omniscient, omnipresent, holy, just, love.  When you think about how you expect God to act, it is easy to want to think that God is all about beauty, intelligence, success and power.  It is easy to fall into thinking like the Jews that you want God to work signs.  Like King Herod you want Jesus to perform at your command.  You want to see Jesus’ beauty, intelligence, success and power.  It only makes sense… but then there is the cross. The bloody, awful cross slaps you in the face with the truth that God’s ways are not your ways.  The ways of the world and the ways of God are different. As you are repulsed by the cross and are tempted to seek a cleaner, more beautiful savior, the words Jesus used to rebuke Peter echo in your mind.  Mark 8:33 (ESV) 33 … “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” 

            The cross is awful, but to want Jesus to skip the cross is satanic.  The wisdom of God is found at the cross of Christ.  The power of God is found at the cross.  Jesus’ strength is found in His weakness. 

            You come to the throne of God in weakness.  The world is impressed by beauty, intelligence, success and power, but Jesus is not impressed.  Jesus does not care about that.  Mark 10:13–16 (ESV) 13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. 

            You come to Jesus as a helpless, needy child.  You come to Him not based on who you are but based on who He is.  You come to Jesus poor in spirit, empty handed, with nothing but your sin and guilt. 

            Being a Christian is not about being beautiful, intelligent, successful and powerful.  It is admitting that you are an ugly, stupid, weak, failure.  This is why Christianity is foolishness to the world. The word of the cross is folly. How could anything good come from something so awful?  The world rejects Christ on the cross because it exposes their failure and weakness when trying to be good enough. 

            So many churches, especially it seems the mega churches, have pushed the cross of Christ out of its center place and instead teach a message that if you are faithful enough God will bless you with beauty, intelligence, success and power.  Joel Osteen teaches that you can speak these things into existence by your words.  “I am beautiful.  I am intelligent.  I am successful.  I am powerful.”  Sadly there was a shooter that came into his church a couple of weeks ago, but I bring him up because he is one of the most prominent preachers in one of the biggest churches in America.  But it certainly seems like the cross is foolishness to Joel Osteen. 

            The message of the cross is foolishness to these folks because they are teaching that the good news of Christianity is achieving the American dream.  In a gospel of success there is no room for the cross and often there is no cross visible in their worship space.  The people come to church not because they know they are broken and weak, but so they can find out how to be successful in life.  What they receive is not the Good News; not the Gospel of Christ.  They receive a damning message of “try harder, do more, do better.”  Each week they return to hear again how they can improve if they just do better.  They hear how they can achieve beauty, intelligence, success and power.  The world seeks after these things but they are all temporary things of this life – just fleeting objectives that quickly disappear like a morning mist. 

Paul warns Timothy that this will happen.  2 Timothy 4:3–4 (ESV)  3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”

Jesus covers over your ugly, stupid, failing weakness with His perfection.  Jesus clothes you in the robe of His righteousness.  He gives you heavenly beauty.  He gives you eternal wisdom.  He makes you His own child, a member of the King’s family.  He gives you the crown of eternal life and the unsearchable riches of Christ.

            When people make up a new religion they take Christ off the cross or minimize the cross.  Muslims teach that Jesus did not die on the cross, only someone who looked like him. Mormons teach that Jesus atoned for sin in the Garden of Gethsemane and not on the cross.  Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus died on a stake and that the use of a cross is idolatry.  They want nothing to do with the cross.

            We preach Christ crucified. 

You come into the presence of God here, by getting on your knees and confessing that you are a poor, miserable sinner who deserves punishment, now and forever.  You come to God on your knees admitting your ugly, stupid, failing weakness.  Somehow I don’t think that will make for a very pithy church sign.  You come to God in ugly honesty.  You come to the cross of Christ and Jesus pours out His forgiveness on you.  His weakness is His power.  His foolishness is wisdom for eternity. 

            Jesus covers over your ugly, stupid, failing weakness with His perfection.  Jesus clothes you in the robe of His righteousness.  He gives you heavenly beauty.  He gives you eternal wisdom.  He makes you His own child, a member of the King’s family.  He gives you the crown of eternal life and the unsearchable riches of Christ.

            The cross is offensive to the world, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  And so we preach Christ crucified even though it is a stumbling block and considered foolishness.  We have no other option.  You called me to be your pastor to preach Christ crucified to you. 

            Christianity is not a set of philosophical principles to help you get along with others and improve your life.  Christianity is not about making you beautiful, intelligent, successful and powerful.  Christianity is Christ on the cross for you.  It is Christ risen from the dead for you.  Christianity is you bringing nothing but sin to Jesus and receiving from Jesus forgiveness and eternal life.  It is not about you.  It is about Jesus for you.  Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.  Amen.