Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Weaponizing the Law

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BULLETIN

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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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BULLETIN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Father Figure

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BULLETIN

SERMON TEXT BELOW

The Good Father Figure at the Passover

Vicar Kinne

Maundy Thursday, 3/28/2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Yelling at the Dead

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BULLETIN

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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

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

WORSHIP AUDIO LINK

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BULLETIN

SERMON TEXT BELOW

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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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. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

No Detour Ahead

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No Detour Ahead!

Vicar Matthew Kinne

Bible Readings: John 1:1-18; Hebrews 1:1-12; Isaiah 52:7–10

Most of my family is from Wisconsin.  Up there we have a saying that there are only two seasons throughout the year. There is winter and then there is road construction season. It is quite frustrating when you are traveling to see friends or family and you come upon that unwanted sign saying, “Road Closed Ahead”. As much as the sign also says, “Follow Detour”, there is an unwanted, unsettling anxiety that builds up in every driver. What if the detour is not marked properly and I miss a turn? What if the detour takes me in the opposite direction of my destination? What if the detour adds over an hour of traveling and I do not get to my family Christmas reunion in time for Mom’s famous banana bread? 

Detours can be frustrating, but they can also be necessary. Without planned detours, defects in the road cannot be avoided. Without proper signs, no one would know the dangers that lie ahead. Without proper instruction, no one would know how to turn around and follow the better path. Looking at it this way, detours can have a more promising outcome that outweighs their annoyances. 

If a regular road closing seems annoying, imagine what patience it would require in order to travel a detour that takes many generations to get back on the course of God redeeming His people. For all the people in the Old Testament waiting for the Messiah to come, it probably seemed like God took many long and agonizing detours. Adam and Eve never saw the Messiah promised when God cursed the serpent in the garden.  Genesis 3:15 (ESV) “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”  All their descendants died in the great flood except for Noah and his family. Abraham never saw how many descendants he would have through Isaac, but as we can see in the Old Testament history of the children of Israel, God saves those from the line of Abraham repeatedly all the way down to Mary and Joseph. God saves Israel from the bondage in Egypt, brings them through the Red Sea waters, saves them from the hunger and thirst of living in the wilderness for forty years, and finally brings them to the promised land. God continued to guide His people even though they put their trust in earthly kings. After Babylon takes over Israel and spreads its citizens throughout the ancient world, God continues to send prophets to pave the way of the Lord. 

The Old Testament tells of a long and twisted and tiresome road from Eden to the manger in Bethlehem. We hear about how God had to make so many detours because of man’s sin. Yet God made sure every detour led to the Christ child that first Christmas morning. He made sure that His promises were kept and that His plan to save all mankind would come into fruition. 

Before Adam and Eve’s fall into sin there was only one straight path from God to His creation. Because sin entered our world, the pride of man made everyone blind to the truth that we need God’s grace to live. Sin cut off that narrow path to the Father, thus condemning everyone to a worthless life without God. Because this disease of imperfection is handed off from parents to children, the history of sin continues to repeat itself. That is, it continues to repeat until God intervenes by sending a baby in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. 

Since God is love, He has compassion on His creation. God establishes a way in which His children will know Him. He sent messengers, the prophets, to prepare the way of the Messiah. God sent these watchmen in the hopes that His people would hear His voice and follow it. But instead of waiting for Christ’s birth they follow the paths of the world and kill the prophets. If they did not honor the prophets, what will they do to God’s Son? 

Today we celebrate Christmas, the incarnation of the Son of God.  John 1:14 (ESV) “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  This is the end of the detour! The Messiah has come! But the world does not listen to the warnings.  They do not heed the signs. The world turns off the straight path to the Lord and seeks the wrong destination. Now it is up to God to reprogram everyone’s GPS to the correct destination.  The Holy Spirit shows us the way.  And what is that destination? It is the glory of Christ on the cross where He takes away the sin of the world. This cross is where He shines in our darkness so that we can also become Children of the Light.

Since God is love, He has compassion on His creation. God establishes a way in which His children will know Him. He sent messengers, the prophets, to prepare the way of the Messiah.

John the Baptist was the last sign on the detour pointing directly at this destination. He proclaimed the words of Isaiah saying, “prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God”. Since Israel was lost in their sinfulness, John taught repentance and baptism so that the nation of Israel was ready for the Kingdom of God. This kingdom was found in no other place but the body of Jesus Christ. God’s kingdom is not of this world, but it entered our world for our benefit. 

The Word of God becomes flesh and dwells among us. He knows our world. He understands our pain, our frustration, and even temptations. But unlike all men born in sin, this Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He receives His flesh through Mary, but He receives His perfection by His divine nature as God. Therefore, He never sins once. He never gives into the detours and temptations of sin. His path is clear! 

This Man was sent to start a new path, one that brings the whole world back to its Creator. This path was to fulfill all the words of the prophets in the Old Testament. He lived a perfect life. He healed the sick and the dying. He preached the ways of God in the temple and synagogues. But ultimately, He completed the covenant given to Abraham and fulfilled the promise made to Adam and Eve in the garden by shedding His blood in exchange for their sin and the sin of all their children.

But the path does not end there. He did die, but He did not stay dead. He is God. He was with the Father and the Holy Spirit before creation. Jesus is everlasting. Therefore, death cannot hold its grip on Him. He is the God of the living, and He gives everlasting life to you! He gives you His righteous life in your Baptism. In this Baptism, you are born of the Holy Spirit. This is the same person, the Holy Spirit who put life in Mary’s womb, who gives birth to new life in you in the baptismal font. This way before the Father in heaven, you are covered by Jesus’ righteousness. The sin you received from your parents has no effect on your eternal salvation. Jesus took the effects of death on Himself! 

This new path we are walking is the path of the Baptized. Jesus leads us through this desert of a sinful world by His pillar of light. We are children of the light and need to comprehend that there is no detour ahead outside of Christ. Avoid the detour of thinking your good works will save you. Avoid the detour that because God will always forgive you, that you can keep on living in sin. These are deviations from the true path! Christ is the path and establishes where you can find Him. That is, you can find Him where sound teaching of the Word of God is preached and where His body and blood are offered to you for the continuous repentance and forgiveness of the many detours you take away from His light.

Christ is the straight and narrow path to the Father. He gives us eternal life in exchange for our detours from Him. He found us while we were lost. Through centuries of faithfulness and unfaithfulness God showed His frustrations by refining His people in the Old Testament by various trials.  He even puts us to the test as a people who fall into the trap of sin, yet He locates us and turns us back in His direction. He shows us His path because He loves us and wants us to be allowed into His family reunion. When He comes back to be the judge, He will separate the evil doers—those who did not follow the straight path—from His children who were led by His light. He will again establish a new path, one that we will travel together for all eternity in the heavenly glory of our Father. We will never again be lost because we will always be with Him. His path is always straight and has no detours. He gives us the light that the world could never give, and we find that light in the newborn child, Jesus Christ.  Amen!

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Baby Jesus is Not Safe Jesus

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Christmas Eve 2023
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud 
December 24, 2023

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 little town is just bursting at the seams with all the visitors from out of town.  Normally families need to plan for a big get together, but this huge family reunion is ordered by Caesar Augustus in Rome.  Everyone must go to the place of their ancestry.  All the descendants of King David are back in Bethlehem to be registered by the Romans. No one thinks registering is a good idea, but it is not wise to go against the Romans.  And it will be nice to have generations of David’s family gathered together for a time. 

            Over the years, traditions have developed that Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room in the inn due to an evil innkeeper. Luke 2:7 (ESV) 7 And [Mary] gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

The word for “inn” here, however, more likely means “guest room” and that Jesus was born in the family area at a relative’s house in Bethlehem and was laid in a manger where animals were brought in at night for safekeeping. 

Imagine you are one of the relatives staying in the same house and witnessing all that is taking place.  People keep arriving for the registration.  The upper guest room is full and now the lower family area is packed.  One couple, your cousin Joseph and his wife Mary, arrived from Nazareth 90 miles north. Mary is very pregnant and about to give birth.  There will not be much privacy, but at least there will be plenty of help.

            The time comes for Mary to give birth and everything goes as smoothly as giving birth can go.  The baby is swaddled in strips of cloth and now a bed must be found.  Since the guest room is full, one of the stone mangers is cleaned out and fresh straw is put in and the baby is laid on the straw to sleep. What a joyous event.  Mary gives birth to her first born son and Joseph’s whole family is there to celebrate. 

That evening, as things are winding down and people are starting to get ready for bed, there is a knock at the door.  Who is this?  Are we expecting more family?  There really isn’t any more room, but something will be figured out.  When the door is opened it is not family traveling from out of town, instead local shepherds are standing at the door.  How strange.  What are these guys doing here?

            The shepherd in front says, “We have been all over town searching for the Savior, Christ the Lord.  Is there a baby here wrapped up in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger?”  An unnerving hush falls over everyone in the house.  Whoa…..how did they know that? 

            The father of the house responds, “Yes, indeed, there is a baby here as you describe, but how could you possibly have known?”

            “An angel appeared to us tonight in the field, glowing with the glory of God, scaring us half to death, and the angel said, “Luke 2:10–12 (ESV)  10 … “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”  “The angels told us, and it is true.  Here He is, the Savior; Christ the Lord.”

            Mary and Joseph go over to talk to the shepherds by the door. Just then the baby wakes up and starts to fuss.  You go over and pick Him up to comfort Him amidst all the excitement.  You hold the baby Jesus in your arms and gently rock Him and try to quiet Him, “shhhh, shhhh, shhhh,” as Mary brings the shepherds over to see the baby.

            Christmas is a hugely popular holiday for people from many different backgrounds.  It is a fascinating phenomenon because Christmas is the celebration of the incarnation of God. We rejoice at God taking on human flesh and being born in Bethlehem.  We celebrate the Son of God becoming Immanuel; God with us. 

Non-Christians celebrate Christmas while rejecting Christ.  A lot of folks who claim to be Christian but reject the teachings of Christianity, still love Christmas.  There are many who get really offended by Jesus’ teachings, but then celebrate His birth. 

            I wonder if maybe folks think that “Christmas Jesus” is “safe Jesus.”  A Jesus you can hold in your arms and shush; a Jesus who is not telling you to love your enemy, not telling you to forgive others, not warning you about lust and anger and greed, not teaching you about sin and forgiveness, not calling you to repent and take up your cross and follow Him, not telling you that He has to die for your sins.  Christmas Jesus is just lying there, helpless, seemingly under your control.  Baby Jesus seems like a safe Jesus.

            For so many, Christmas has been reduced to nothing more than a sentimental holiday all about colored lights and trees and food and family and ugly sweaters and gifts and memories of Christmas’s past.  It is a sentimental Christmas with a safe Jesus lying silently in the nativity scene not making anyone uncomfortable.

            Now, baby Jesus is small, but he is not safe.  His birth is announced by an army of angels and a star appears in the heavens to mark His arrival.  From His infancy He brings division and death as the devil tries to kill Him.  As C.S. Lewis says of Aslan the Lion, in the The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Jesus is not safe, but He is good. 

Jesus is not safe.  He is the Savior.  The little Lamb of God lying in a manger has come to defeat the devil by being the sacrifice for the sin of the world.  2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) 21 For our sake [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  

You cannot shush Jesus because He is God and you are not.  He is Lord and you are His servant. In the battle against the devil, the world and your own sinful nature, Jesus is in charge and yet He comes to serve you and save you and lay down His life for you.  Jesus is the light who takes into Himself the darkness of your sin and pays the price on the cross.  Afterwards, His Body is swaddled in cloth and laid on a stone slab.  A safe Jesus would have stayed dead, but Jesus is not safe. He rises from the dead on the third day to conquer death forever.  And because Jesus rose from the dead, you will rise from the dead.  Thank God, Jesus is not safe.

            The light of Christ comes into the world in the little town of Bethlehem.  The light spreads from the manger in Bethlehem to those in the house and the shepherds and the magi, to Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and Galilee and to the surrounding nations and out to the farthest reaches of the world.  The light spreads from one person to another to another, generation after generation.  The light of Christ has been on the move, spreading person to person for 2,000 years.  The saving light of Christ has come to you.

The Advent wreath is all lit up tonight.  The four candles for each of the Sundays of Advent and now the center Christ candle also. The Christ candle represents the light of Christ which comes into the world as the baby in Bethlehem.  As we near the end of the service tonight I will take light from the Christ candle and share it with everyone here.  As you receive the light, remember you are baptized.  At your baptism you received Christ who is the light of the world.  As we share the light from the Christ candle, picture the light of Jesus bringing light in the darkness throughout the centuries as it spreads all around the world.

Tonight you celebrate Christ’s arrival in Bethlehem.  Tonight you rejoice in Jesus coming to be “God with you” to save you from your sins.  Tonight you celebrate the birth of the Savior who is not safe, but is good.  Merry Christmas!  Amen.