Posted on by pastorkevinjud

What were you discussing on the way?

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Pentecost 18, 2024, Proper 20
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
September 22, 2024
Pastor Kevin Jud
Jeremiah 11:18-20, James 3:13-4:10, Mark 9:30-37

            The old saying is, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”  You want to win.  You want to be successful.  You want to overcome obstacles and accomplish your dreams.

We love rags to riches stories.  We love to hear about people, who, through hard work and perseverance, accomplish great things.  It is the American dream.  Work hard and achieve greatness.

            We compare ourselves to others in order to see how we are doing.  We keep score so we know we are keeping ahead of others.

            In school we keep score with grades, friends, trophies, clothes, electronics, and the number of likes on Instagram.  As we get older we keep score with houses and cars and paychecks.  Parents keep score by the progress of their children.  “My child learned to walk at 7 months.  He already has 8 teeth.”  Pastors keep score by the size of their congregations and the number of new members. 

            With whom do you compare yourself?  How do you keep score?  How do you know that you are doing better than others?

            Jesus is walking with his disciples coming back from the Mount of Transfiguration on their way to Capernaum.  Along the way Jesus drives out an unclean spirit from a boy after the disciples were unable to do it, and then they continue on their way. As they travel, Jesus teaches the disciples for the second time about what is going to happen to Him.  Mark 9:31-32 (ESV) 31 … “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.”

            The disciples are following this great teacher Jesus; He is wise, He is powerful, He can do miraculous things.  He is really going places.  The disciples are following Jesus right to the top.

            Jesus tells them what is going to happen, but they are confused.  This doesn’t sound like success.  Taken prisoner, killed, rise again.  Jesus is amazing and powerful and great; so, obviously, He must not know what He is talking about with this getting arrested and getting killed stuff.

            So the disciples ignore this second teaching about Jesus’ arrest, death and resurrection because they know better and they have more important things to worry about…like which of them is the greatest.

            How do you think the disciples keep score?  Maybe it’s who gets to sit next to Jesus at dinner? Maybe who gets to walk next to Jesus? Who gets to hold the money bag? Who Jesus talks with the most? Which of them is the greatest?

            Likely, in this conversation, Peter, James and John are arguing that “who is the greatest” is based on who got to go with Jesus up on the mountain of transfiguration.  The disciples are keeping score.  They want to know where they stand.  They are a lot like us.

            Jesus ignores their conversation as they walk along but after they arrive back at the house in Capernaum Jesus asks, “What were you discussing on the way?”

            The disciples are silent.  They realize their conversation was selfish and self-centered and they are worried that Jesus may have heard them.  They think they understand Jesus, but they do not yet really understand.  Like Adam and Eve hiding from God, the disciples think they can do things and say things without Jesus knowing.

            Jesus sits down and calls the silent twelve to Himself and says, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”  Wait…what? That does not sound right.  To be first you have to be last? To be first you have to be servant of all?  What is that about?  The disciples must be thinking, “Uh… Jesus.  Uh… we are here because we want to be near your power and greatness because we want power and greatness; so what is all this servant talk?”

            Jesus’ teaching is all backwards.  It is all backwards for the disciples and it is all backwards for you and me.  We want to be great.  We want success.  We want to be winners.  We want to be number one.  But Jesus says that to be first you must be last.  To be number one, you must become servant of all.  Jesus then takes a little child and puts the child in the center of the group and hugs the child.  “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

            Now, at Jesus’ time children have no status. They are helpless, dirty little tots who have no value until they are old enough to do some work, and due to lack of good medical care, half of them won’t even live to see adulthood. Children are fragile, whiny, and needy, and yet Jesus is saying that we are to receive the children in His name.

            The disciples must think, “Children are not great, they have not achieved anything.  We are so much more important than some stupid child…oh…that is the point Jesus is making…we are not more important than a child.”  The disciples are not more important.  You are not more important.  You are a humble servant.  You are a humble servant because the Lord is a humble servant.  Jesus serves you.  Jesus purchased and won you from sin, death and the power of the devil, not with gold or silver but with his holy, precious blood and his innocent suffering and death. 

In the cleansing waters of baptism Jesus sets you apart from the world and calls you to be a servant of all, and as you keep reading the Gospel you see Jesus live this out by being servant of all as He goes to the cross to die for you…to die for the whole world.

By nature you want to succeed.  You want more than others.  You want to be better than others.  You want it to be about me, me, me.  Jesus calls you to give up on greatness and humbly follow Him.

Against your nature you are called to be a servant.  You want to be great.  You want to know you where you stand with others.  Like so many of us, the disciples argue about who is the greatest.

            In our Epistle reading from James we see this very thing warned against. (James 4:1-7 ESV) 1What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

            By nature you want to succeed.  You want more than others.  You want to be better than others.  You want it to be about me, me, me.  Jesus calls you to give up on greatness and humbly follow Him.

            You have been marked by the cross of Christ.  You have been baptized into Christ.  You belong to Jesus.  You don’t have to do anything to make yourself great because you have been given the riches of the Kingdom of Heaven.  You are destined to live forever in the presence of the Lamb of God basking in His light in the Heavenly City of New Jerusalem.

            Jesus promises that one day you will live in His presence forever, but for now, you live here on earth in love and service for one another.  You support each other.  You work hard in service to your family; to your brothers and sisters in Christ, to your neighbor.  You work hard — not to achieve greatness, but in service to others.  You give of your time for others.  You give your money for others.  You give your life for others.  You are called to be a servant to all because you are already a child of God. 

            Success, greatness, and winning, these things are important to the world, but they are not important to God. 

            Many churches have become quite large and many pastors have become quite wealthy by preaching about how to achieve success and greatness in the world; which is exactly what peoples’ itching ears want to hear.  But this is not Jesus’ teaching.  This is the world’s teaching. 

            You are right now in the Kingdom of Heaven because the work of salvation has already been done for you by Jesus.  As a follower of Jesus, you live and work in humble service.  “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”  Amen.

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Idolatry or Christ?

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Pentecost 12, 2024
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
August 11, 2024
1 Kings 19:1-8, Ephesians 4:17-5:2, John 6:35-51

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

            Idolatry or Christ? 

            The children of Israel in the Northern Kingdom at the time of King Ahab and his wife Jezebel have a big problem.  They have given up on worshiping YHWH, the true God, and instead are worshiping the local gods Baal and Asherah, fertility gods with sexual perversion as part of their worship. 

            The prophet Elijah summons 450 prophets of Baal to Mt. Carmel where there is a showdown between YHWH and Baal and YHWH wins. Israel needs a clean break from idolatry.  After Baal’s defeat, 1 Kings 18:40 (ESV) 40 …Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.”

            Idolatry or Christ?  Elijah makes a clean break from idolatry by slaughtering the prophets of Baal.  He is clearly on the side of YHWH.  Elijah is forced to flee the wrath of Queen Jezebel.  Rejecting idolatry can have it costs.   

            You were born into a perverse and idolatrous world. What Paul says in Ephesians about the people of the world is still true today. They walk… Ephesians 4:17–19 (ESV) 17 … in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.  Idolatry or Christ? 

            You have made a clean break from this world.  In the waters of baptism God stripped away from you the filthy garments of your old sinful self and has given you the robe of Jesus’ righteousness made white in the blood of the Lamb of God.  He has delivered [you] from the domain of darkness and transferred [you] to the kingdom of his beloved Son.  In baptism, the Old Adam in you, the old sinful self, is drowned and dies.  You are given a clean break from idolatry.  You are in Christ.  As a baptized child of God you are kept safe and secure in the holy ark of the Christian Church, being separated from the multitude of unbelievers and serving God’s name at all time with a fervent spirit and a joyful hope. 

            Idolatry or Christ?  You have made a clean break from life in the world.  You have made a clean break from the devil; the god of this world. As the community of Christ, at a baptism we renounce the devil, and all of his works, and all of his ways.  We disown the devil.  We give up life in his world to live life in the kingdom of God.  Life in the kingdom of God is life lived, in community, with the people of Christ. It is life lived in the Church of Christ.  It is life lived together in Christ. 

            What does life in the Kingdom of God look like? 

            In the Kingdom of God you are… Ephesians 4:22–24 (ESV) 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”  Put off your old self.  Put on the new self.

            In our Epistle reading Paul teaches about life together as the Church.  As followers of Jesus, set apart from the multitude of unbelievers, how should you live together knowing that the devil desperately wants to tear you apart through disputes and anger and bitterness and sin.  How should you live together?  Ephesians 4:25 (ESV) 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.”   You all belong to one another, so speak the truth in love.  Pastors must teach the truth of God and not let the lies of the world creep into the teaching of the church as so many pastors are doing.  Megan Basham’s has a new book entitled, “Shepherds For Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded The Truth for a Leftist Agenda.”  In this book it is reported that influential leaders in evangelical churches have been paid off by far left influencers to stop teaching the truth of God’s word and instead adapt their teaching to be compatible with the ways of the cultural elites.  This is a well-organized, well-funded movement in order to influence the political voting of the members of their churches. 

Idolatry or Christ?  Speak the truth. 

            Ephesians 4:26–27 (ESV) 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.”  This is an interesting verse.  It is actually a quote from Psalm 4:4 (ESV) 4 Be angry, and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.”

            The danger of this verse is I think it can lead us to believe that it is okay to get angry, at least to a certain extent, and we use this verse to justify our anger.  However, the word “angry” in Psalm 4 can be translated “be agitated,” or even “tremble.” You can feel agitation and trembling when you are getting angry. As a situation grows more stressful you can feel the anxiety building, and you can begin to physically shake; maybe just your hands… maybe your whole body.  Your temper is building and getting ready to blow.  What are the triggers for you losing your temper?  Some of my triggers for feeling like this are automated customer service help lines where you dial a number and answer a bunch of questions by voice and push a bunch of buttons and then it puts you back to the beginning and you have to start over and it will not let you speak to a real person.  Or when the copier won’t work, or the computer is not cooperating.  I am doing exactly what I have done before, but this time it is not working.  Or trying to login to a website and it keeps rejecting the password I know is correct and my anger rises.  Another time I get agitated is when I am eating out and have finished the meal and ready to head home and the waitress disappears.  I just want to get the check and go but they have me trapped.  This agitates me.  It can make me tremble.  Jeannette surely has many more examples. 

Be agitated, and do not sin.  Anger is a problem for children, teenagers, adults, seniors.  We all struggle with anger, some more than others.  As a child of God, control your anger… because when you lose your temper you sin.  You do things and say things that you need to repent of.  Losing your temper can permanently break relationships.  You hurt others.  The devil loves to get you angry.  Don’t give the devil a foothold.  Take a break. Call a timeout.  Go for a walk.  Take some deep breaths.  Regain control over yourself.  Self-control is one of the fruits of the Spirit.

            Anger is dangerous in marriages, in families, and in congregations.  Anger gives the devil a foothold to take over your life and pull you away from Christ into idolatry.  The devil wants nothing more than for church members to get angry with each other.  An angry church member or an angry pastor can do great harm to the Body of Christ.  Anger is not a Christian virtue and yet so many Christians are angry.  Control your emotions.  Rejoice in the Lord.  Rejoice in your salvation.  Be on guard and do not let the sun go down on your anger.  Repent of your anger.  Before you go to bed, reach out to the one you are angry with and make amends. Apologize for losing your temper. Apologize for your anger.  Ephesians 4:26–27 (ESV) 26 Be [agitated] and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.” 

            Ephesians 4:28 (ESV) 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” Repent of your wrongdoing and do good. Not just for yourself, but so that you can help others.

            Ephesians 4:29–30 (ESV) 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”  You are a baptized child of God. You are redeemed.  You have the gift of eternal life.  Your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit.  Live out your Spirit-filled identity in Christ.  Does Christ tear others down?  Does He talk trash about others?  Does Jesus tell dirty jokes?  Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. You are a new creation in Christ filled with the Holy Spirit.  Live out your life in Christ. 

            It is a daily struggle, as a vessel of the Holy Spirit, to live out your identity.  Ephesians 4:31 (ESV) 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Ephesians 4:32 (ESV) 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

            Forgiveness is key to life in Christ as a temple of the Holy Spirit.  When someone wrongs you, you have the right to get even.  You have the right to take revenge.  God has the right to punish you for your sins.  You are a sinner.  The wages of sin is death.  You deserve death and hell.  God has a right to punish you but He gives up that right. Jesus is punished instead and you are forgiven.  Forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

            After our reading today Paul goes on to warn about sexual immorality and covetousness and filthy talk.  These are the ways of the world.  But you are no longer of the world.

            Idolatry or Christ?  You have renounced the devil.  In baptism you have been set apart from the multitude of unbelievers. You belong to Jesus.  You are a community in Christ.  You are the body of Christ.  Ephesians 5:1–2 (ESV) 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” 

            Walk in love because you are in Christ.  Amen

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Weaponizing the Law

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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

Pentecost Graduation

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Pentecost Day 2024
The Milestone of Life
Vicar Kinne
Texts: John 15:26-27 & 16:4b-15; Acts 2: 1-21; Ezekiel 37:1-14

The stadium is packed with people. The band plays Pomp and Circumstance for the last time. The valedictorian gives his speech. The principal, whether liked or not by the students, shakes each graduate’s hand and gives them a blank booklet intended for a piece of paper that will be sent in the mail in a few weeks. The class stands up together for the last time, and many thrilled students toss their caps up in the air hoping to find them again among in the sea of other thrown hats. Then everyone breaks off for pictures with grandmas and grandpas, and then to parties for a little bit. This is a scene many of us have witnessed which honors students for achievement in their studies and involvement in the community. 

For some of us, it might bring back memories of the “good ole days”. Yet for some of us this memory is no more than a week old. Either way, times like these are meant to be celebratory for yet one more milestone in life is achieved. 

However, memories of these milestones never come with all cords fully tied. Some loose ends are never mended while new things begin. “What am I gonna do now?” “Should I be taking a year off?” “Do I go to college, or do I just work?” “Do I live with my parents, or do I move out?” Looking into the unknown future can be scary! This is because life does not always show you what the next milestone is. Uncertainty can cause a spike in one’s anxiety. But we should always remember that God looks over His children. He takes care of every single one of us. And even though we may not understand the tests and trials God puts us through in a given moment, faith clings to Him, and He will give us the strength to make it through the next milestone in life.

A recent study says around 40% of college students report they have attended a church service of some kind within their first month of school. They may be going for different reasons. A student could just be a regular church goer and continue the path they were instructed in from childhood. Maybe some students see leaving their parents’ home for the first time as an opportunity to explore other options. After all, going to see what church is “all about” would be educational for their young adult experience. Regardless of the reason, it is also said that somewhere between 50-80% of these students who attend a service in their first month of college also fall away from going to church all together. This means less than 20% of our college students today are walking through their college life with a Christian spiritual guide.

It does not matter what the plans are for their future—going to college, getting a job, getting married, buying a house, having children, traveling the world, maybe having all of these things at one time—parents sending a child out into the world is scary! After all, Christian parents live in the wisdom that the ways of this sinful world can lead a young person down the path of evil and ultimately death. There are incredible and beautiful things God puts in His creation for all of us to enjoy, and we want our children to see and experience those things, but at what cost? Will they get to their destination safely? Will they stay on the straight and narrow path along the way? These questions are uncertain. But there is always one certainty that brings us comfort and that is the message of Christ’s Gospel. 

There is only one person in the history of mankind who never strayed away from the path of righteousness, that is Jesus Christ. This may sound like a cliché Sunday school answer, but the truth of this Gospel needs to be the most precious thing to a person. It needs to be valued above one’s educational degree, one’s marriage, one’s job, and even one’s children. The things of this world always change, but the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord is the only milestone that is certain and matters!

Today, we commemorate a celebratory moment in the church year, Pentecost. In the Hebrew calendar this feast is celebrated 50 days after Passover. During the time of Jesus’ ministry and the early church, Jews and God-fearing people would come to Jerusalem for this festival to give thanks to God for the Torah; the word of God handed to Moses on Mount Sinai. But for the Christian, it is 50 days after one of the greatest milestones in history… the resurrection of our Lord. On this day we celebrate a type of graduation, one that would change the history of the whole world. 

As the disciples gather in a house on Pentecost, Jesus, from His ascended throne sends the Holy Spirit like a rushing wind among them. This “helper”, as Jesus called Him in John’s Gospel, gives the disciples a special ability. This ability given to them is far more valuable than a piece of paper with a signature saying, “This Disciple of Jesus has been given full honors and is suited to preach on behalf of the Church”. No, this “diploma” from Holy Spirit is practical and instrumental in fulfilling Jesus’ command of going out to make disciples of all nations and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are given the ability to speak in any language so that all who are in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost can hear that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was put to death as a sacrifice for the world, He was raised from dead, and ascended on high.  

Can you list the works of Christ on your transcript?  Did you earn this credit?  Of course not.  Jesus’ work, alone, saves you. You did nothing to earn your salvation.  Like the worst participant in a group project, you earn the credit of the best in the group; the one who did all the work for you. It is a comfort to know that Jesus’ dying on the cross and His conquering over death still gives you an A+ before our Father in heaven.

 When you feel like you are not worthy of Christ’s forgiveness, take a look at whom our Lord chooses to give the Holy Spirit to on Pentecost. These disciples betrayed Him. They ran away and disowned their Master before He was crucified. They hid in locked rooms fearing that they may be put to death by the Jews. Even after Jesus presents Himself to them multiple times after the resurrection, they are still scared. 

These men do not seem fit to graduate from their seminary experience! But they are witnesses of Christ’s ministry. They saw Him raise people from the dead. They saw Him heal the lame, the deaf, mute, blind, and even cast out demons. They saw storms being stilled by His word alone. Because they are witnesses of these things, they are also the chosen candidates to receive the Holy Spirit and be sent to the four corners of the ancient world to spread the Good News of what they witnessed before men. So, knowing the disciples are forgiven and receive life and salvation even after denying Christ to His face, you can be confident that your Savior saves you.

When the disciples receive the Holy Spirit, it is as if a veil is taken away from their face. They understand the mission their Master has for them in the world. Before Pentecost, they sat behind closed doors waiting in anxiety, thinking their lives were coming to an end. But now the Holy Spirit is directing them. They are not ashamed of the Gospel. In fact, they are so confident in preaching Christ crucified, that over 3000 people at that day believe in Jesus and are baptized. Everywhere the disciples went, the Word of God is preached, and new believers are brought into the family of God. 

That day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, with the bestowal of the Holy Spirit in wind and flame, is a type of graduation. But like graduation from school, it did not ensure a trouble free life.  Just because you have a diploma, just because you graduate with high honors, does not mean that there will be no trouble. You may apply for your dream job and be denied. You may ask your high school sweetheart to marry you and she says, “I don’t”. You may pursue a course of study at the university and flunk required classes.  You may try moving out of your parents’ house just to be turned away after submitting a renter’s application. 

Just because the disciples are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, it does not mean that everything goes according to their plan. It does not mean that everything is smooth sailing after Pentecost. In fact, the life of the disciples becomes busier and harder. Yes, the Lord provides for them in the ministry, but many reject Jesus and His followers bringing the Good News.  And because of this the disciples were persecuted, as Jesus said they would in Matthew chapter 5, “10“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Some of these disciples are innocently imprisoned. Some escape death on multiple accounts. Others are stoned to death. Peter is crucified upside down! Being given the Holy Spirit and sent to be witnesses for Jesus makes their lives difficult. Most people reject Jesus and His followers and turn away from His church. For the apostles, receiving the Holy Spirit brings hardship and trouble in this life. But by the Holy Spirit these men know that comfort in this life is not the most important thing. 

Through your parents you inherit sin and death. It is this sin and death our Lord overcomes by His cross and resurrection. At your baptism He gives the diploma of everlasting life through the water and the Word where you receive His Holy Spirit and His righteousness. His name is autographed on your forehead and upon your heart marking you as one redeemed by Christ the crucified. 

Graduations are big milestones in life, but the ultimate milestone is eternal life. This is coming for you as a gift from the Lord. Just like the disciples, death may come to you before our Lord returns but the life He gives to you and everyone in the church is ultimately bigger and better than this sinful life we are in now.

So, toss your hats everyone! You have the Holy Spirit living in you. You are a temple for the Breath of God. Celebrate and share the good news with others in the world! Be graduates of the church not ashamed of the diploma you have been given. Give thanks for God’s continual gift of His love in His Word and Sacraments. Rejoice because our Lord gives you His gown of righteousness! Amen.

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Where is Jesus?

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SERMON AUDIO LINK

BULLETIN

SERMON TEXT BELOW

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

Father Figure

WORSHIP VIDEO LINK

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

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

WORSHIP AUDIO LINK

SERMON AUDIO LINK

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

 

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BULLETIN

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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.

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

God wants you to endure to the end

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Lent 1 2024
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
February 18, 2024
Genesis 22:1-8, James 1:12-18, Mark 1:9-15

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

      Drops of sweat fall from your face onto the dry grass.  You are bent over, hands on your knees desperately trying to catch your breath.  You have a side cramp and your legs are burning.  The hot August sun beats down and you feel like you are going to throw up. Then the whistle blows again, the coach barks again, another 50 yard sprint.  “Last one to finish does 20 push-ups.”  Despite your pain you take off at full speed to the 50 yard line.  You hate wind sprints, but the coach seems to love them.

      Why would the coach put his team through such a painful trial?  Is he a monster?  No.  He is a coach who wants to increase the endurance of his team so that they can persevere on Friday night through all four quarters until the final whistle. The coach wants his team to endure to the end.

      Like a coach making you run wind sprints, God sends trials into your life to increase your endurance and perseverance.  James 1:12 (ESV) 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him”. 

As you know all too well, so many trials will come in life. Sickness, injury, accidents, financial hardship, death of a loved one.  Trials like these are difficult.  It hurts to go through them.  Trials are a constant reminder that life is hard. 

      Martin Luther says of this verse  “… trials keep a man alert, perfect him in humility and patience, and make him acceptable to God as his dearest child.” And also, “Thus it is good for us always to be oppressed with some trouble, lest in our weakness we succumb to the offenses of the world and fall into sin.”

      In this life you like to feel like you are in control of things and there are times when everything seems to be going smoothly, but it never lasts.  Trials and troubles come and they are God’s way of letting you know that you are not in charge.  You do not have everything altogether.  You need help.  You need Jesus.

      This is an intimidating Bible verse because it sounds like you need to pass the test.  You read this and think that it means, “If I am steadfast enough, I will receive the crown of life.”  If…that is a big if.  And you know this “if” is a problem.

      You will face trials and tests from God and you will also face temptation to sin.  Trials can come from God but God will not tempt you to sin.  In this life you will endure both. 

      James 1:12 (ESV) 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

      This is an intimidating Bible verse because it sounds like you need to pass the test.  You read this and think that it means, “If I am steadfast enough, I will receive the crown of life.”  If…that is a big if.  And you know this “if” is a problem.

      As a baptized child of God with the Holy Spirit enlightening you to God’s law, you know that you are not good enough.  But your natural, sinful self in its pride thinks that it is strong enough to resist temptation.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes in his Bible Study on temptation, “Lead us not into temptation. Natural man and moral man cannot understand this prayer.  Natural man wants to prove his strength in adventure, in struggle, in encounter with the enemy.  That is life. …So moral man calls out evil, his daily prayer is—Lead me into temptation, that I may test out the power of the good in me.”

      You want to believe that you are good enough, strong enough, powerful enough, wise enough, all on your own.  You want to believe it — but then you face trials and temptations and your true self is revealed.   

      During World War II, C.S. Lewis gave a series of radio lessons that became the book, “Mere Christianity.”  In this he wrote, “No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness — they have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means — the only complete realist.”

You want to believe that, like Jesus, you can stand up to the temptations of the evil one, but the reality of your failures show you, all too clearly, that this is not true.  You know you would fail the test. 

Thankfully, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial,” is not conditional.  It does not mean, if you remain steadfast, it assumes you will remain steadfast.  Being blessed does not depend on your level of perseverance, but on the promise of Christ.  When you remain steadfast you will receive the crown of life that is the promised gift from the giver of all good gifts.  You have been saved and God has given you the promise of eternal life.  You persevere through trials and tests and temptations as a genuine Christian who knows the need for a savior.

      You have the promise of eternal life, but there is danger lurking and you need always to be on of taking sin too lightly or of not take responsibility for your sin and letting sin grow. 

      As a sinner it is easy to adopt the excuses of our first parents when God confronts them after their fall into sin.  Adam blames God, Genesis 3:12 (ESV)  12 … “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 

      Eve blames the devil, Genesis 3:13 (ESV)  13 ….“The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 

      It is easy to fall into the temptation to blame God for your sin.  “If God didn’t want me to act on them, why did he give me these desires?  I’m just hot headed, I can’t help it.  I’m German so I am naturally stubborn as a mule.  I am so good looking the girls just cannot resist me.  I can’t help it.  God made me this way. 

      James is clear that sin does not come from God.  God has nothing to do with evil.  James explains temptation, James 1:14–15 (ESV) 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” 

      James warns.  Sin is serious.  Sin leads to death.  James 1:16 (ESV) 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.”  Do not be deceived.  The devil, the world and your own sinful nature are lying to you trying to let your desire give birth to sin, and sin grow up into death.  Flee from sin.  Flee from temptation.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Do not let the devil have a foothold in your life.  Do not embrace sin.  Do not let sin become your lifestyle. 

You find out how bad you are when you are trying to be good.  You know the struggle.  Stay in the fight.  Just because you are not good at it is not a reason to give up enduring trials and temptations.  You endure because you are God’s own child, you are baptized into Christ. 

      There are many who claim that God changes with the times and His teachings adjust to fit our desires and the ways of the culture.  Do not be deceived.  God does not change.  God is all good.  God has nothing to do with evil.  James 1:17 (ESV) 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

      God has given you every good gift.  He has made you His own child and given you eternal life through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.  He knows you will struggle with trials and temptations.  He knows you cannot pass the test of being good enough.  He passed it for you and gives that gift to you.  And why does He give you that gift? 

      Why? Because He wants to.  James 1:18 (ESV) 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”  Because He wants to, He birthed you by the Word of truth.  Sin gives birth to death.  God gives birth to life everlasting.  God saves you because He wants to.  You are blessed for all eternity in Christ because He wants to bless you. 

In this life you face trials and temptations.  You will endure imperfectly but you will endure because you are God’s chosen child.  God will send trials to keep up your endurance so you keep going until the last breath.  Life is difficult.  Cling to Jesus.  You will receive the crown of eternal life.  Amen.

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Arise, Shine, Your Light Has Come

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BULLETIN

SERMON TEXT BELOW

Epiphany (Observed) 2023
January 7, 2023
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12

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

            Are people by nature, good or evil?  Are folks naturally selfless, or selfish?  What about you?

            We would like to believe that if we were left alone to live together everything would be fine.  We would like to believe that people are, by nature, good, and that people would naturally share with each other, help each other, and love each other. 

            This is some of the foundation behind the ideas of communism.  What a wonderful place this world would be if everyone worked together for the common good. Each person contributes according to their ability and everyone shares equally in the fruits of the labor; a worker’s paradise. 

            But there is a flaw in the system.  Communist governments have to maintain brutal control over the people and ruthlessly squash any dissent.  It turns out that collective farms and factories do not produce as much as individually owned farms and factories.  What is the problem?

            Children sometimes fantasize about how great it would be if kids ran everything; families, schools and government.  Everything would all be better if there were no adults around with their stupid rules and discipline.  William Golding wrote a book about this, it’s called “Lord of the Flies.” For those who haven’t read it yet, Golding portrays self-government among British school boys.  It does not go well. 

            We want freedom to just do what we want to do. But is that really a good idea? What would the world look like if you just did what you wanted?  I don’t want to get up and go to school.  I don’t want to brush my teeth.  I am going to drive as fast as I want.  I want money and you have some, so I will take it.  I don’t want to be tied down to one woman.  I don’t want to take care of my kids.  I just want to get drunk and forget about life.  I want… I want…

            What would your life be like if you simply let your desires rule?  You can see what happens because there are plenty of examples all around you.  You see the disastrous consequences.  You see how terrible this is in your own life and in the lives of those around you.  You see the destruction of families.  You see people self-destruct as they ignore all the warnings.  You watch lives fall apart because of selfishness. 

You really, really want to believe that people are, by nature, good, but you know this is not true.  You just confessed that youare… by nature…sinful and unclean.

Your heart is darkened by the sin of selfishness from which flows all other sins and this is not just you, it is a universal problem.  It is a selfish world, and a selfish world is a dark world and this is the world you live in.  This is the world into which Jesus arrives as that baby born in Bethlehem.  Jesus, the Light, comes into a dark, selfish world and this is the Good News for all eternity.  “Arise, shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”  Jesus is the light of the world.  He comes to bring the Good News of the Reign of Heaven.  He is the light that illuminates the darkness.  He is the glory of the Lord and yet it is a hidden light, a hidden glory.  The baby Jesus is the light of the world and yet veiled in flesh the Godhead see.  Peter, James and John see the glory of God burst through only for a moment on the Mount of Transfiguration, otherwise the Light, hidden as it is in the body of Jesus, needs to be revealed.  Just as the light was hidden in the flesh of baby Jesus, the light is now hidden in the Word of God, hidden in the waters of Baptism, hidden in the bread and wine of Holy Communion.  The light is here with us, but it is hidden for now and needs to be revealed. 

            The light is revealed to the shepherds in the field by one angel and then by an army of angels.  The light is revealed to the Magi from the east by a star guiding them to the child.  The Magi come seeking the one born king of the Jews.  The star reveals the Light of the world to these unlikely people from the east who journey to find and worship the newborn king. 

            But even with the bright star in the sky showing the way to the Light, the inky darkness of selfish sin hovers about.  Herod tries to use the Magi to find the Christ so he can kill the newborn King.  Herod wants to snuff out the Light because he fears that the Light will impinge on his own power.  There is power in darkness and dark power brings increasing evil. 

We look at Herod and see him as a notorious villain for wanting to snuff out the Light; but Herod is not unique.  “The light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” People still want to snuff out the light of Christ because they worry that the Light will reduce their own power, their autonomy; their control, their selfish pursuit of doing what they want to do, not caring about others. 

The darkness hates the light and tries to snuff it out by forbidding people to reveal the Light to others.  For 2,000 years and still today, Christians are imprisoned and beaten and executed for being the light of Christ.  In North Korea you can be executed for possessing a Bible and your family will be thrown in prison.  The darkness hates the light. 

The darkness denies that the Light has come into the world.  The darkness pretends that the Light is a tamer, more palatable, less offensive light that plays well with the darkness.  But true light will not mix with darkness. 

            Darkness distracts you so you ignore the Light.  Darkness wants you to not hear about the Light, not read about the Light, not speak about the Light, not pray to the Light, not gather to worship the Light.  Darkness wants you to get so busy with things of this world that you just ignore the Light. The darkness goes after individuals to get them to reject the light because the darkness cannot extinguish the Light of the world.

            As Herod found out, even as his sword dripped with the blood of Bethlehem’s baby boys, the Light cannot be overcome.  The Light has come into the world and the revelation of this Light, the Epiphany of the Light, the understanding of the Light, continues even to this day as news of the light of Christ is proclaimed in this dark world from pulpits and lecterns and dinner tables and bedside talks with children.  The Light is here.  At the temple, Simeon calls Jesus, “A light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” 

            Let the Light shine.  This is the mission of the Church.  We proclaim the truth of the Light.  We announce the Good News; Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  We baptize and teach.  We forgive sins and celebrate the Lord’s Supper.  The Church shines forth the Light that shines for all people.  In this Light, sin and guilt disappear, washed away by the love of Christ.  In this Light you live in love and forgiveness.

            The Light comes into the world, is swaddled, and laid in a manger in Bethlehem. The Light escapes Herod’s sword by fleeing to Egypt.  On a dark Friday, thirty three years later, outside the walls of Jerusalem, it looks like the darkness will finally smother the light.  From the cross, the Light, declares, “It is finished,” and the life goes out from His eyes.  Life is gone from the Light and it appears that darkness has won.  The Light has died, but the Light rises from the dead and continues to shine forth forever.  Darkness will never overcome the light. 

            You still live in a dark, selfish world.  People are, by nature, evil.  By nature, you are selfish and dark, but you have been rescued from the darkness. Colossians 1:13 (ESV) 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son…”  You have been born again in water and the Spirit just as you got to witness here this morning with the baptism of our little brother Everett. 

And just like Everett, you have received Christ who is the light of the world.  You are a child of light in Jesus Christ.  Isaiah 60:1 (ESV) 1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.  Amen.