Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Beware the Wolves

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Easter 4 2025 Good Shepherd Sunday
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
May 11, 2024
Acts 20:17–35, Psalm 23, Revelation 7:9–17, John 10:22–30

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

            Our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles is an interesting section of scripture.  Here we find Luke recording Paul’s instructions to the pastors in Ephesus as Paul prepares to go to Jerusalem and is not expecting to return.  It is the only part of Acts that sounds a lot like one of Paul’s letters.  For three years Paul faithfully taught the Ephesians.  He reminds them that he…Acts 20:27 (ESV) 27 … did not shrink from declaring to [them] the whole counsel of God.” 

            Paul warns the Ephesian pastors about dangers facing the Church.  Acts 20:28 (ESV) 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” 

            Jesus shed His holy, precious blood to redeem His Church from sin, death and the devil.  The flock is Jesus’ precious treasure.  Paul warns the pastors of Ephesus, to pay attention to themselves and to the flock. The pastors are under shepherds of the Good Shepherd.  They must watch themselves and live their lives within the boundaries of God’s law. Great damage is done when a pastor goes astray and sins openly and brings disgrace upon the office and the church. Pastors must watch themselves… and watch the flock placed under their care by the Holy Spirit.  And the danger is not just danger from original sin causing unholy desires from inside each person.  The flock of the church is under attack from within and without.  Paul warns these under shepherds of the Good Shepherd to beware of wolves.

            Paul says, Acts 20:29–30 (ESV) 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them….”  Acts 20:32 (ESV) 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” 

            Fierce wolves will come in from outside and also will arise from among the pastors and the flock.  In Ephesus there is going to be a battle for truth… and that battle is still going on today…here…and all over the world.  The Bible is the Word of God for you.  God’s Word has authority.  You do not get to adjust it to fit your desires.  You adjust yourself to fit God’s word. 

The danger is that the Bible is radically counter cultural and many find it to be embarrassing.  In a society that idolizes unrestrained intimacy and sacrifices babies on the altar of sexual freedom, it is considered hateful and evil to teach that sexual intimacy belongs only in the lifelong marriage union of a man and a woman.  Biblical teaching about marriage is embarrassing to a world that seeks bodily autonomy.  And in the promotion of this autonomy, some church bodies have adopted the whole alphabet soup of sexual categories… and the plus sign.  They have embraced sexual sin in any and all forms and are committed to welcoming whatever comes next. Society’s immorality is their authority.  Other churches, when pressed, will say they believe the Bible’s teachings on sexual morality, but they don’t talk about it because they are embarrassed by the Bible; they do not want to offend anyone.  Wolves have come in amongst the sheep.

            The Bible is embarrassing to many because it teaches that you cannot do anything to save yourself from your sins.  Folks do not like to feel helpless; they do not want to be poor in spirit, so wolves teach that people find dignity in helping to pay the price for their sins.  There is a movement lately that people want to be a part of a demanding church with many requirements, but that can be dangerous if you begin to believe you are saved, even partially, by what you do, in addition to what Jesus has done.  Wolves disguised in sheep’s clothing are teaching God’s sheep.

            Many are embarrassed by the Bible’s teaching about forgiveness of sins coming through the brutal, bloody crucifixion of Jesus. They are embarrassed by talk of heaven and hell.  They are embarrassed that Jesus teaches that He is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the father except through Him.  They are embarrassed by the idea that anyone is going to end up in hell. So the wolves teach that there are many paths to the Father; that Jesus is not the only way.  Fierce wolves do not spare the flock.

            So many people are embarrassed by the Bible, embarrassed by God’s law, and even embarrassed by God’s Gospel.  So many modern heretics accept the teaching of the Bible only when it fits their own ideas.  They prefer a faith not tied down by authoritative Biblical teaching.  There are many wolves leading the sheep away from the shepherd.

            So much false teaching today creates a god in the image of man so that man can take authority over this god and mold him and shape Him.  But if man has authority over god — that is not the true God, but just an idol of man’s own design.  It is an idol constructed by the wolves.

            Today is Good Shepherd Sunday.  And if Jesus is the Good Shepherd, what does that make us? It makes us the sheep.  How absurd for sheep to be embarrassed by their Shepherd. How bizarre for the sheep to try to take authority over the shepherd.

Sheep are not strong, wise, or dangerous creatures.  Sheep are weak, kind of dumb, helpless creatures.  Sheep are very vulnerable.  In a fight between a sheep and a wolf — bet on the wolf.  You are a sheep in the flock of the Good Shepherd. You need the Shepherd’s protection and you have the Shepherd’s protection.  His rod and His staff, they comfort you.

            The Good Shepherd protects the sheep.  The Good Shepherd is strong, wise and dangerous.  His Church calls men to be under shepherds of the Good Shepherd.  The under shepherds of the Good Shepherd are fellow sheep so they cannot operate under their own intelligence or authority, they can only listen to the Good Shepherd and teach His Word to the flock.  The Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit, is the under shepherds’ weapon against the wolves. The Word of God is wolf repellant; it keeps you safe.

            The Word of God is your source of knowledge about God. The Word teaches about God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  It teaches you God’s law which curbs your behavior, shows you your sin and guides you through life.  The Word of God delivers to you salvation earned for you by Jesus on the cross and confirmed by His rising from the dead.  He delivers forgiveness and eternal life to you through His Word in absolution, in Holy Baptism and in Holy Communion.  The Word of God is the Sword of the Spirit.  It is your weapon against the lies of the devil and his wolves. 

            You need to be in a church where the pastor preaches the Word of God.  So, how do you know if the pastor is preaching the true Word of God and not twisted things as Paul warns?  As a sheep in the flock of the Good Shepherd, how do you equip yourself to spot a counterfeit sheep — a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

To detect counterfeit currency people are trained to become so very familiar with authentic currency that they can easily spot a fake.  The way to equip yourself to test a pastor’s words is to know authentic Scripture so well that you can easily spot counterfeit teaching. If you know the Word of God you will be able to expose wolves in sheep’s clothing.

            Stay on guard against wolves in the church.  Be alert.  Check what you hear being preached and taught.  I pray I never fall victim to the temptation to be a wolf, but if I ever preach or teach something that is not in keeping with the truth of scripture, let me know.  Maybe not in the middle of the sermon, unless it is egregious, but afterwards, ask me to show you in the Bible where it teaches something I said.  You won’t be the first.  Twice it has happened over the years that I was corrected by diligent members of the flock and I rectified the errors for second service.  Thankfully, these issues were nothing too big, but they were errors that needed correction. 

            Stay alert…know your Bible well.  In order to do that, you need to read the Bible.  Little ones…learn to read so you too can study the Bible. Until then, have your parents read to you.  For those who can read, set up a daily plan of Bible reading.  If you search for Bible reading plans online you will find there are many to choose from.  Bible in a year.  Bible in 90 days.  Bible in chronological order and many more.  On Bible apps there are various plans for reading or listening.  In the hymnal, on page 299, there is a daily lectionary that gives readings from the Old and New Testaments.  The Treasury of Daily Prayer from Concordia Publishing gives a daily reading from the Psalms, the Old Testament, the New Testament and a suggested reading from the Lutheran Confessions.  If possible, use a good Study Bible that has charts and maps and notes to help with difficult passages.  The Lutheran Study Bible from Concordia Publishing is a good investment, and that can also be accessed as a phone app for free, and you can add access to all its resources for $10 a year. 

            However you set up your reading plan, commit to spending time each day in God’s word and in prayer.  Read, mark, learn and inwardly digest God’s Word… and stay alert.  Know that there are hungry wolves are out there, and possibly in here, looking for someone to devour.  The Word of God is your defense. 

            In this world there are so many voices trying to get you to listen to them.  Stick with Jesus.  In the words of Simon Peter, John 6:68 (ESV) 68 … “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,”

            It was important for the pastors of Ephesus 2,000 years ago to pay attention to themselves and the flock and it is just as important today, especially in our media-saturated lives with the world’s messages pumping constantly into our eyes and ears.  Stay intentionally focused on the truth.  Stay alert for wolves.

You are a beloved sheep in the flock of the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for you.  You are His treasured possession.  Follow Jesus.  Listen to Him and do what He says.  The Lord is your Shepherd.  You shall not want.  Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

The Crow of a Rooster

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Easter 3 2025
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
May 4, 2025
Acts 9:1-22, Revelation 5:1-14, John 21:1-19

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

            Roosters crow every morning, day after day, and not just in the morning but throughout the day.  Every time a rooster crows it picks at the scab on Peter’s heart so he feels fresh shame and guilt for what he has done. 

            Peter liked to think of himself as the tough guy, the decisive guy, the man of action.  He thinks himself brave and loyal and even brags about it.  After the Passover meal in the upper room… Matthew 26:31 (ESV) 31 …Jesus [says] to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 

            Peter looks around at the other disciples with a bit of contempt…Matthew 26:33–35 (ESV)  33 … “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus [says] to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter [says] to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” … 

            All the other disciples agree.  Jesus then takes the disciples to Gethsemane where Peter promptly falls asleep multiple times while Jesus is praying.  Indeed the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. When the armed crowd comes to arrest Jesus, Peter jumps into action drawing his sword and attacking.  He cuts off the ear of a man named Malchus, but before the fight could continue, Jesus stops it. 

            The crowd seizes Jesus and binds Him.  Peter and John follow the crowd up Mt. Zion to Caiaphas’ house.  John knows the High Priest and goes inside to watch while Peter waits in the courtyard to see what will happen.  Tough guy Peter finds himself alone amongst enemies.  There are soldiers and servants and all sorts of people all waiting to see Jesus killed.  Peter nervously tries not to stand out.  Matthew 26:69–70 (ESV) 69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 

            A little later, Matthew 26:71–72 (ESV) 71 …another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.”  The fear and uncertainty must be building in Peter. He is alone in a sea of opponents. Matthew 26:73–74 (ESV) 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed.”

            The rooster crows and the memory of Jesus’ words slap Peter in the face.  Matthew 26:34 (ESV) 34 … “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”  Peter is crushed by the shame and goes out and weeps bitterly. 

            Peter failed Jesus and Peter carries the wound of this shame as his constant companion.  Every time a rooster crows he is reminded of his frightened weakness and the wound is fresh again.  What has he done?  Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, but then He denies His Lord and Savior.  He bragged that unlike all the other disciples he would die before abandoning Jesus but then, just hours later, out of fear, he denies even knowing Jesus. 

            Jesus is crucified, dies and is buried and it seems like everything is over, but then Jesus rises from the dead.  But even after learning Jesus rose from the dead the disciples are still hiding out in a locked room for fear of the Jews.  Jesus appears to them at least twice in Jerusalem, once without Thomas and then a week later with Thomas.  Then the disciples go to Galilee to wait for Jesus. Peter still struggles with the guilt and shame.  Can Jesus ever forgive him?  Can he forgive himself?  Has Jesus abandoned him?  Will he ever see Jesus again?  The once confident Peter is wracked with guilt.  Everything has changed. 

            In Galilee, on the Sea of Tiberius, the disciples wait for Jesus.  One evening, while Peter waits with six other disciples, he declares, “I am going fishing,” and the disciples agree, “We will go with you.” 

There is a lot of theological speculation about why they went fishing.  Was Peter thinking that his days of ministry were over and he needed to return to his previous vocation?  Was this a significant decision by Peter, or was he just bored and wanted something to do.  Did they just want to do something familiar after all the craziness?  Perhaps Peter was tired of hearing roosters crow and thought…maybe…just maybe, I won’t be able to hear them when I am out on the water.

            For whatever reason they do go fishing and they catch nothing all night.  For Peter, James and John this must bring up memories of the last time they went fishing a few years before.  They work hard all night setting and hauling nets with no success. 

            As morning dawns, the tired, hungry disciples see a man standing alone on the shore.  The man calls out, “Do you have any fish?”  Perhaps more literally, “do you have anything to eat?”  They yell back, “No!”

            The man calls out, John 21:6 (ESV) 6 … “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.”

            It all comes rushing back.  Just like their last failed fishing trip when, after Jesus borrowed a boat to teach the people on the shore, He gave them two boatloads of fish. Peter, James and John all left being fishermen that day to follow Jesus. 

            John declares, “It is the Lord!”  Peter is so excited and relieved that Jesus is here with them that He puts on his outer garment and dives into the water to swim to shore. 

            They eat breakfast together; fish Jesus provided, fish from the miraculous catch, and bread from Jesus.  You wonder if Peter hears any roosters crowing during breakfast. Jesus is right here with Peter and the other disciples, but where does Peter stand with Jesus after his fearful denial?

            After breakfast, Jesus addresses Peter by his original name, Simon, John 21:15 (ESV) 15 …“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 

            Peter must be wondering… what Jesus is doing?  What does he mean?

            John 21:16 (ESV) 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”  Peter’s confusion must deepen.  What is Jesus doing?

            John 21:17 (ESV) 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 

            Peter is suffering at Jesus asking him three times, “Do you love me?”  But then it becomes clear.  Peter is being restored to his place in Jesus’ ministry.  At the first great catch of fish Jesus told the disciples He would make them fishers of men.  Now Jesus commissions Peter to be a shepherd.  To care for and feed Jesus’ sheep and lambs. 

            Late that fateful Thursday night Peter was afraid that being associated with Jesus would get him killed.  Jesus now tells Peter that it is true.  Peter will be killed because of Jesus.  John 21:18–19 (ESV)  18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”  Tradition holds that Peter was crucified in Rome likely under Emperor Nero around AD 64 to 68. 

After a three-fold redemption Jesus ends with, “Follow me.”  Peter is restored.  Peter will follow Jesus all the way to his own cross in Rome.  The roosters’ crowing has no more power.  Peter is forgiven and restored. 

            The rooster’s crowing tormented Peter.  What is the trigger for you to remind you of your sin? Is it a sound…a song…a smell…a person…a place…an object that reminds you of your past sins?  How does the devil torment you with guilt and shame?  Is it his accusations?  “You say you are a Christian, but remember what you did?  God cannot love you…God cannot forgive someone like you.”  When the devil reminds you of your sins, remember Peter, tormented by the crowing of roosters. Remember Peter… whose sins were forgiven.  Remember Peter… restored and made a shepherd of the Lord’s sheep.  Remember… you are baptized.  Jesus has promised to forgive you all your sins.

Peter dove into the water and swam to Jesus.  You have come here this morning to be with Jesus and you began by remembering your entering Jesus’ Church by passing through the waters of baptism, “In the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.”  Jesus is here for you — to declare to you, “I forgive you all your sins.” Jesus has prepared a meal for you to feed you with His own body and blood. Jesus says to you “Follow me.”  Jesus silences the devil’s accusations.  Jesus brings you out of your sin and restores you to your place in His Church. 

This morning three of our young ladies will confirm that what was spoken for them at their baptism is still their confession today.  They will pledge, with Peter, and all the Church, that with the help of God, they will continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it.  We join them in confirming our confession of faith.

            Peter was made a shepherd of Jesus’ lambs and sheep, and Jesus’ ministry continues today and you are a part of it.  Together we bring the Good News of forgiveness in Jesus to the world.  We care for and feed Jesus’ lambs and sheep.  We love and serve others, until Jesus returns. 

The risen Christ silences the devil and his accusations.  Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia! Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum

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BULLETIN

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Good Friday 2025
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
April 18, 2025

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

            Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.  Just a few months ago we celebrated Epiphany and the Magi’s trek from the East to find the baby Jesus.  The magi come to Jerusalem and ask, Matthew 2:2 (ESV) 2 … “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  

At that time, Herod the Great was king over Israel under the authority of Caesar Augustus, the King in Rome.  The Magi are asking about a new King.  Matthew 2:3 (ESV) 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him…”

            Herod the Great tries to trick the magi into locating the newborn King and reporting back to him so he could also come and “worship” Him. Of course by “worship” Herod means kill Him.  The magi are warned in a dream and depart by another route.  Jesus’ stepfather Joseph is also warned in a dream and the family escapes the sword of Herod by fleeing to Egypt.

            Fast forward 33 years and the King of the Jews is again causing turmoil in Jerusalem.  Jesus of Nazareth rides a donkey colt down the Mount of Olives to shouts of Luke 19:38 (ESV) 38 … “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”  The King has returned to Jerusalem.  The local religious leaders are not pleased.  They beg Jesus, Luke 19:39–40 (ESV) 39 …“Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” 

            The King of the Jews is back and the Jewish religious leaders are furious.  They plot and scheme to arrest Jesus away from the crowds so they can put Him to death for claiming to be the Christ and the King. 

            For 30 pieces of silver, Judas Iscariot leads Jesus’ enemies right to Him at Gethsemane late Thursday night and betrays Jesus with a kiss.  Friday morning the chief priests and scribes take Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. 

But why is there a Roman governor instead of one of Herod’s sons?  After the death of Herod the Great, his son, Archelaus, ruled Judea for only two years before Caesar Augustus sent him into exile in France and replaced him with a Roman governor.  Now the “King of the Jews” trouble that Herod the Great had with the newborn King comes before the fifth Roman prefect of Judea.

            Luke 23:2 (ESV) 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” 

John 18:33–38 (ESV) 33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.”

            Jesus is King, but He is not king of this world.  Jesus’ kingdom far exceeds the kingdoms of this world.  He is the eternal King of all. 

Earthly kings come and go.  Tiberius Caesar is king of the Roman Empire when Jesus is crucified.  He dies in March of 37 AD, and his ashes are interred at the Mausoleum of Augustus in Rome where they remain to this day.  In this world, kings come and go, prime ministers and presidents come and go.  Jesus is still King.  Jesus is King forever.   

            The people of Jerusalem that day, the Jewish leaders and the Romans are agitated and amused by the idea that this pitiable teacher from Galilee, tied-up, beaten, bloody and bruised is a king of anything. How quickly they dismiss all that they have heard about Jesus of Nazareth.  Everybody has heard about His great miracles; how Jesus healed the sick and crippled, how He drove out demons, how He fed thousands, how He raised the dead.  They are all especially aware of how Jesus recently raised Lazarus from the dead in Bethany just east of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives.  This Jesus raised a man from the dead after four days by telling him to “come out,” and all they can do is be angry, and abuse Him.

            The soldiers, who have heard about all that Jesus has done, flog Him and afterwards mock Him; crowning Him with thorns and dressing Him up in a royal robe.  They call out, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and then slap him in the face. 

John 19:12–16 (ESV) 12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” 13 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.…”  The Jewish leaders choose Caesar over God.  They abandon the King of the universe to follow an earthly king. 

What Herod the Great failed to do 33 years earlier, Pilate will reluctantly accomplish.  The King of the Jews will be killed.  The author of life will be executed for the crime of telling the truth about who He is. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  God has come to be one of us.  God the Father, out of love, sent His Son to give His life to pay for the sins of the world. John 3:16–17 (ESV) 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Pilate does not want to execute Jesus.  He believes the Jewish leaders are jealous of Jesus.  Pilate, however, is not brave enough to risk a riot and so he gives in to their demands and delivers over Jesus to be crucified.

            Perhaps to antagonize the elders and chief priests, or maybe because he had a glimmer of faith that Jesus spoke the truth, or for some other reason… John 19:19 (ESV) 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.”  To make sure everyone would know what he wrote, the inscription was in Aramaic, the local dialect, also in Latin for the Romans, and in Greek which was the common language of the period.  In artwork we abbreviate the sign as INRI, from the Latin, Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum. Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. As Jesus hangs on the cross, those passing by continue to mock… Luke 23:37 (ESV) 37 … saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 

            Jesus of Nazareth is the King of the Jews crowned with thorns and enthroned on the cruel cross at Golgotha.  All is going according to plan.  The King of the Jews, the King of the World, offers Himself as the sacrifice for the sins of the world. 

            Jesus is the servant king who… Philippians 2:7–8 (ESV) 7 … emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” 

            Whether he meant to or not, Pilate got it right. Jesus of Nazareth is King of the Jews… King of the world…King of the Universe.  As Gabriel told Mary, Luke 1:32–33 (ESV) 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 

Jesus is the King…your King…your Lord…your Savior.  He goes to the cross to save you.  He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

A New Covenant

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Maundy Thursday 2025
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
April 17, 2025
Jeremiah 31:31-34, Hebrews 10:15-25, Luke 22:7-20

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

            Time is growing short — down to mere hours. Jesus is well aware of what will happen. The disciples should be aware, but they are, like us, pretty thick-headed at times.  Jesus and the 12 disciples are gathered together in the upper room to eat the Passover meal.  Passover is the annual remembrance of God delivering the children of Israel from slavery in Egypt.The Israelites are instructed to kill an unblemished year-old male lamb and take its blood and paint it on the doorposts and lintel of their home.  The Lord will see the blood marking and the destroyer will pass over that house.  The Israelites are protected from the destroyer who kills the first born of all of Egypt.Each year the Jews remember the Passover on the 14th day of the first month.

            On this Thursday night, after dinner, Jesus will be betrayed into the hands of the Jewish religious leaders.  He will be arrested and beaten and tried in a late night kangaroo court and condemned to death.  Chaos and hatred and pain and humiliation are coming for Jesus, but, for now, it is calm and peaceful in the upper room as Jesus eats the Passover with His disciples. 

            Luke 22:19 (ESV) 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 

            Something momentous is happening here.  What does He mean?  “This is my Body?”  What does He mean, “Given for you?”

            Luke 22:20 (ESV) 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

            This is a new covenant instituted as a last will and testament that will be sealed on Friday with Jesus’ blood shed on the cross.  This new covenant is prophesied by Jeremiah 900 years earlier.  Jeremiah 31:31–32 (ESV) 31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord.”

            A new covenant… not marked with the blood of a lamb, but a new covenant in the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God.

            Jeremiah 31:33–34 (ESV) 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” 

            At the Passover dinner that night Jesus gives the cup of the new covenant.  The cup of the new covenant… in the blood of Jesus… for the forgiveness of your iniquity… so Jesus will remember your sin no more.  This is the cup of salvation, but this is not the only cup Jesus talks about that night. 

            When the Supper is completed and Jesus has transformed the Passover meal into the Lord’s Supper, Jesus and the disciples, minus Judas, go down Mt. Zion, across the Kidron Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane means oil press.  Olives are grown there and pressed for oil for cooking and lamps.  In Gethsemane Jesus withdraws by Himself and prays, Luke 22:42 (ESV) 42 … “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 

            This is the cup of God’s wrath; punishment for disobedience and rebellion.  Jeremiah 25:15–16 (ESV) 15 Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. 16 They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.”

            Jesus will drink the cup of God’s wrath to forgive your sins.  He takes your punishment so God no longer holds your sin against you.  He gives you His Body in the bread of the Lord’s Supper and His blood in the cup of the new covenant.  He delivers to you, over and over, His promise of eternal life in the Kingdom of God.  Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath down to the dregs for you so He can give you the cup of salvation. 

The cup of salvation is offered to everyone and yet so many refuse this gift. Many follow false gods and believe they are saved by their own works.  Others desire for autonomy makes them refuse Jesus’ gifts in the new covenant.  They want to be Lord of their own life and have their own feelings be their authority.  They reject Jesus and remain in their sin and they will have to drink the cup of God’s wrath for themselves. 

            Revelation 14:9–10 (ESV) 9 … “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.” 

            Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath for you.  You have been set apart from the multitude of unbelievers in the holy ark of the Christian Church.  Stay alert to the devil’s deceptions trying to separate you from Jesus. Remain in Christ and drink the cup of salvation. 

            And how do you know that all of this is true?  How do you know that Jesus really meant what He said that Thursday in the upper room?  You know it is true because Sunday is coming.  All the power and intensity of Thursday and Friday are brought to a culmination on Sunday morning with the empty tomb.

      Today we have a number of young people receiving the Lord’s Supper for the first time.  To be worthy to receive Holy Communion is to have faith in these words: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”  These baptized children of God know they are sinners who need forgiveness.  They know they have been given forgiveness in the waters of baptism and in Jesus’ words of absolution.  And they know that in the bread and wine of Holy Communion they will receive into themselves the Body and Blood of Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. 

            You are in the new covenant — sealed with the blood of Jesus.  Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who gives you faith to hear and believe God’s law to bring you to repentance and to hear and believe the Good News of forgiveness in Jesus.  Receive Jesus’ abundant forgiveness and love and let His love and forgiveness flow abundantly from you to the world.  On the first Maundy Thursday John 13:34 (ESV) 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” 

Come to the altar of the Lord and receive the Body and Blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of yours sins and to remember Jesus’ promise to you in the new covenant, the new testament in His blood begun that first Maundy Thursday.  You are blessed in the new covenant.  Jesus forgives your iniquity and remembers your sin no more. Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

The Most Important Week Ever

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Palm Sunday
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
April 13, 2025
Luke 19:28-40

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            Sometimes days go by quickly and uneventfully and it is hard to believe that another week has gone by and nothing important really happened.  Jesus’ week in Jerusalem is not that kind of a week.  On Sunday, as Jesus rides a donkey colt down the Mount of Olives and into Jerusalem He is beginning a monumental week — the most important week in the history of the world. 

            Jesus has been moving toward Jerusalem for a long while with crowds following Him to receive healing and authoritative teaching. Accounts of Jesus’ miracles and teaching have spread throughout Israel and the surrounding countries.  Everyone has heard about this teacher from Galilee who can do things that only God can do.  This should bring great joy and excitement, but the local religious leaders are very focused on their own rules and their power and authority.  Jesus purposely performs miracles on the Sabbath and this enrages the Scribes and Pharisees.  The tension between Jesus and the religious leaders has grown intense, especially so after Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead just outside Jerusalem.  The whole world is going after Jesus. 

            Now the time has come for Jesus to enter Jerusalem. He instructs His disciples to get a donkey colt and they are able to find the colt and bring it to Jesus, just as He said.  Some throw their cloaks onto the colt and Jesus begins His journey down the Mount of Olives.  The little parade must look a bit silly; a full grown man astride a small donkey. The King is coming into the Holy City, but He is not coming in power and might…He is coming in peace and gentleness. 

            Jerusalem is crowded with Passover pilgrims and they hear Jesus is coming into the city.  This causes a great commotion as people rush toward the Mount of Olives to greet Him. Some cut palm branches and wave them in welcome, others lay palms on the road, still others lay their cloaks on the road.  The gathered multitude cries out, John 12:13 (ESV) 13 … “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”  Hosanna means help us, save us!  Indeed, the King is coming into the city to save His people.  Hosanna!

            On that Sunday, Jesus enters the city and moves onto the temple mount.  There He clears the temple of those who are changing money and selling animals for sacrifice…thus ratcheting up the tension with the Jewish leaders even more.  The next three days Jesus travels into the city each day from the Mount of Olives to teach at the Temple.  The Jewish leaders desperately want to arrest and silence Jesus, but they do not want to do it in front of the crowds because they fear the people will riot.  So instead, they try to trap Jesus in His words and teachings, but they find that their traps are no match for the one called King of the Jews.

            The frustrated religious leaders continue to look for a way to get rid of Jesus when an opportunity comes to them through the help of the devil.  Luke 22:3–6 (ESV)  3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. 4 He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.”

On Thursday, Jesus tells the disciples how to find a room for the Passover dinner and it is exactly as He says, and there, in the upper room, they prepare the Passover.  During and after the meal Jesus transforms the Passover into Holy Communion.  The annual celebration of salvation through the blood of a lamb painted on the doorposts and lintel in Egypt becomes the weekly celebration of salvation through the body and blood of the Lamb of God soon to be sacrificed on the cross. 

            In John’s account of the Last Supper we see Jesus wash the disciples’ feet to show his love and service to His followers and how we are to love and serve one another.  After the Passover meal, Jesus and His disciples walk down across the Kidron Valley to Gethsemane which means “olive press” in Hebrew.  There, Jesus takes Peter, James and John and heads deeper into the olive grove, then leaving those three; Jesus goes a little further to pray by Himself pressured by the weight of knowing what is going to happen over the next 18 hours.  He prays… Luke 22:42 (ESV) 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 

            As Jesus is praying, Judas leads an armed group to Gethsemane to arrest Jesus under the cover of darkness away from the crowds.  The disciples try to defend Jesus.  Peter draws a sword and strikes off the ear of one of those who came to arrest Jesus, but Jesus stops the fighting and heals the man’s ear.  Jesus is seized and taken back across the Kidron Valley and up to the high priest’s house for a late night show trial, and a time to be able to abuse and mock Jesus away from the crowds. 

            In the morning they take Jesus to the governor, Pontius Pilate.  Pilate has no interest in executing Jesus, but has less interest in a riot.  Jesus is flogged and mocked and crowned with thorns and led off to be crucified. 

Jesus’ joyous, Sunday palm procession down the Mount of Olives with a donkey colt carrying Jesus, now, on Friday, becomes a horrifying, cruel, heartbreaking procession to Golgotha with Jesus carrying the cross on which He will die.

            Rather than shouts of “Hosanna! Save us!”  now it is mocking shouts of “save yourself!, if you are the King of the Jews.”  Jesus is crucified and dies and is taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb to rest on the Sabbath day to await the 8th day, the first day of the week, the day of new beginnings for all time.

            Jesus’ journey is not just that one week, or even His 33 years on earth.  Jesus’ journey down the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem begins in eternity — before the creation of the world — it continues at creation…in wrestling with Jacob…in the burning bush…the pillar of cloud and fire…in the fiery furnace.  The journey takes on flesh in Nazareth and continues to Bethlehem and the Jordan River and Galilee, to the cross and tomb in Jerusalem which seems like the end, but the journey continues from the empty tomb to the ascension from the Mount of Olives.  It is a journey that Jesus has been on from the beginning and it is a journey that continues today as we walk, with Christ, awaiting His return on the Last Day to raise the dead and take us to be with Him at the wedding feast of the Lamb in His Kingdom.  It is a journey from heaven before creation to eternity in the heavenly city where there will be… Revelation 7:9–10 (ESV) 9 … a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”  

            On that first Palm Sunday, the people cried out, “Hosanna!”  Save us! That week in Jerusalem Jesus accomplishes the salvation of the world.  His Body, the Church, distributes this forgiveness of sins to those on the journey with Jesus to the Heavenly City — and invites everyone to follow Jesus.

            Today you remember that first Palm Sunday by waving palm branches and singing out to Jesus, “Hosanna!  Save us!” for you need Jesus’ forgiveness and salvation.  As you hold the palm in your hand, also look forward to being a part of the multitude in white robes with palm branches for eternity with Jesus in the Heavenly City. 

            You are on an eternal journey with Jesus.  That week in Jerusalem changed everything.  Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Godly response to deadly tragedy

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Lent 3 2025
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
March 23, 2025
Ezekiel 33:7-20, 1 Cor. 10:1-13, Luke 13:1-9

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

            It seems like the TV news often has information about people who have died and suggestions of what you can do so that you do not die.  When I hear a story of someone who has perished I almost automatically look for reasons that what happened to them could never happen to me.  They were on a motorcycle and I don’t ride one.  They were out very late at night in a dangerous area and I don’t go out late at night.  They were 90 some years old and I am not.  They were driving along minding their own business…..They were in their 50s … I really like to think that I am not going to die, but I have heard that I may be just fooling myself. 

            In our Gospel reading today Jesus is told about some people from Galilee who were killed in the temple by Pilate.  The people telling Jesus may be wondering, why did God allow something so evil to happen to people who were just doing what God commanded.  Or, maybe they are wondering, what did these Galileans do to deserve to die in this way.  Jesus…Luke 13:2–3 (ESV) 2 … answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

            And lest the people of Jerusalem think that Galileans are more deserving of God’s wrath than the Judeans, Jesus brings up a tragedy in Jerusalem… Luke 13:4–5 (ESV) 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”  Jesus does not want the people to turn their focus to trying to understand God’s motives.  Jesus wants the people to examine themselves.

            Don’t worry about why God let this happen, worry about yourself.  Are you ready to die?  The harsh news of this Gospel reading is that if you sin, you will die…and if you don’t sin, you will die. 

            When you hear about a tragic event, don’t use it as an opportunity to examine God, but rather use it as a wake-up call for you to examine your own life.  What if it were me?  Am I ready to meet my maker?  Use the tragedy as a reminder to repent; to turn away from sin and turn back to God.  Don’t be concerned about why God is doing something.  Rather, be concerned about what you are doing. 

In all our readings today we see that God takes sin seriously.  In Ezekiel the Lord tells the prophet that He has made him a watchman for the house of Israel and he needs to warn the wicked of their wicked ways.  In our epistle reading, St. Paul reminds the Corinthians that after rescuing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt God still punished them for idolatry and sexual immorality and for testing God and grumbling against God.  God takes sin seriously.  1 Corinthians 10:12 (ESV) 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.  

            You are a baptized follower of Jesus living in a world that hates Jesus.  The devil desperately wants to drag you into a life of unrepentant sin.  Stay aware, and, in an ongoing way, as a humble disciple of Christ, be brutally honest about your status before God.  Admit you are by nature sinful and unclean.  Struggle against sin.  Battle against sin in your thoughts…. before they become sins of word and deed.  Do not let unrepentant sin creep into your life.  Do not set up a lifestyle where you love sin more than you love God. 

The temptations for the Israelites wandering in the desert are the same very real temptations today.  In this land of abundance there is a great temptation to idolatry; to fear, love and trust money and possessions more than God.  In this nation, sexual immorality is considered normal behavior and Christians are sorely tempted to follow the ways of the world and engage in intimacy outside the bonds of marriage.  Testing God and grumbling against God is common and it is easy to fall into a life of complaint and discontent.  We forget, 1 Timothy 6:6–7 (ESV) 6 …godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.”  

The devil wants to keep you discontent and to ignore what God says and forget about His promises.  And so you resist the devil.  You gather together this morning to hear God’s promises once again.  You know that God has promised to cover your sins with the robe of Jesus’ righteousness.  You heard Jesus’ words to you again this morning, “I forgive you all your sins.”  It is true and you can believe it.  God takes sin so seriously that He sent His Son to die for you.  While you were a sinner Christ died for you and rose for you.  Jesus loves you, this you know, for the Bible tells you so.

            In the second half of our Gospel lesson today Jesus tells a parable about a fig tree.  Here we see Jesus’ long-suffering compassion on His people.  The vineyard owner has a fig tree that is not producing fruit and orders the tree to be cut down so it does not use up the ground.  The vinedresser protects the fruitless fig tree. Luke 13:8–9 (ESV) 8 …‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ” 

            Jesus is the vinedresser buying the fruitless tree another year.  A little more time.  A sinner gets a little more time to repent.  Jesus will cultivate and fertilize the tree and give the tree every opportunity to bear fruit.  Will there be fruit the next year?  Will there be repentance before the final judgment?

            Are you ready for the judgment day?  Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.  Battle each day against the devil, the world and your own sinful desires.  Do not make excuses for your sin, do not rationalize your sin, do not compare your sin against someone else.  Repent. Repent means a change of heart. Repentance is making a U-turn. Turning away from sin and turning back to Jesus.  Listen to Jesus, believe His promises and do what He says.  Do not resist the Holy Spirit, but let the fruit of the Spirit abound, Galatians 5:22–23 (ESV) 22 … love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control…”

            Jesus is God in flesh, begotten of the Father from eternity and born of the Virgin Mary.  Jesus has given His life to save you.  He loves you so much He suffered the humiliation and pain of death by crucifixion.  He drank the cup of God’s wrath to free you from your sin.  He lifts you up out of the muck and mire of your sin and washes you clean and says, “follow me.”  Repent. Turn from sin and turn back to God. Turn from death and return to life with Jesus. 

            St. Paul encourages those in the church at Ephesus… Ephesians 4:22–24 (ESV) 22 … to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

            Today’s readings are a stern warning about the seriousness of sin.  They are a call to continue to stay alert against the lies of the devil.  To be vigilant and not allow the busyness of life and the deceitfulness of wealth to choke out the Word of God.  To remain on guard against letting the desires of your own sinful nature become your guide, rather than God’s commands. 

Do not give in to the devil’s seduction that your sin is too great for Jesus to forgive.  The great deceiver wants you to despair; to give up hope and just sink into sin and celebrate it.  But that is not who you are.  Repent.  You are a child of the most high God, adopted in the waters of Holy Baptism.  You are grafted into the vine of Christ.  You are ready to meet your maker.  Abide in Christ.  Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Mother Hen

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Lent 2 2025
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
March 16, 2025
Jer. 26:8-15, Phil. 3:17-4:1, Luke 13:31-35

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            It is a normal day in the farm yard as chickens peck the ground and chicks run around like cute little yellow fuzz balls with legs.  Just then a dark shadow slides across the ground. The rooster crows and the mother hen scurries around trying to corral her chicks.  The shadow slides back and forth ominously.  The soaring hawk has seen the chicks and is looking to make lunch of one of those cute, little, fuzz balls.  Most of the chicks, sensing their mother’s distress and hearing her alarmed clucking, run to mom and nestle under her wings.  Snuggled under her wings they are safe.  Mother hen puts her body between her chicks and the hawk.  Her body is a shield for the helpless little ones. One chick, however, does not seek shelter.  One chick declares he is a brave little chick.  He isn’t afraid of some shadow on the ground.  He will be just fine on his own.  He is good enough, he is smart enough and he is strong enough all by himself. The chick thinks he knows what he is doing, but he looks ridiculous — a helpless, fuzzy little chick strutting confidently around the yard unafraid of the circling hawk. 

            In a flash of feathers the hawk dives and grabs the chick in its talons and flies away to find a place to eat.  All that is left of the brave little chick is a little fuzzy yellow down blowing around in the dirt.  The chicks sheltered under their mother’s wings are safe, and as mother hen’s heart rate slows to normal the other chicks start to peak out from under their mother’s wings.

            Jesus is on his way toward Jerusalem passing through the territory of Herod Antipas along the Jordan River just north of the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus earlier foretold his death, Luke 9:22 (ESV) 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” At Jesus’ transfiguration Moses and Elijah talk with Him about His departure which would happen in Jerusalem. Then Jesus set His face toward Jerusalem and is now on His way with His disciples teaching along the way and in the Synagogues on the Sabbath. 

            While He is teaching and journeying some Pharisees warn Jesus, Luke 13:31 (ESV) 31 … “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”  We can’t be sure if the Pharisees were genuinely concerned for Jesus’ safety, or if they just wanted Him out of their territory, but Jesus responds defiantly, Luke 13:32 (ESV) 32 … “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.”

            But Jesus is actually not planning to stay in the area so He continues, Luke 13:33 (ESV) 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ 

            Jerusalem…Jesus turns His thoughts and His heart to Jerusalem which means, city of peace, Jeru – Shalom, but it is hardly that.  Jesus laments, Luke 13:34 (ESV) 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!”  The stone pavement of Jerusalem is stained with the blood of prophets.  Tradition holds that Isaiah was sawn in two in Jerusalem by King Manasseh.  Zechariah was stoned to death in the temple court for criticizing King Jehoash.  The prophet Uriah was killed by the sword of King Jehoiakim during the time of Jeremiah.  And now Jesus — prophet, priest and king — is going to Jerusalem to die.  It would be natural for Jesus to hate the people of Jerusalem for what they are going to do to Him, but His compassion shines through.  Jesus wants to protect the people of Jerusalem.  “…How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”

            I am not sure how frustration works with God in flesh, but it seems like it must be incredibly frustrating for Jesus.  He is coming to the great city of Jerusalem to give Himself for the people, and the people will reject Him, arrest him, and cry out to crucify him.  Jesus is ready to cover everyone with the robe of His forgiveness and righteousness to protect them from the evil one, but the people strut around like proud little chicks thinking they are good enough and strong enough and smart enough.  They reject the protection Jesus offers because they think they don’t need a savior.

            O Jerusalem, Jerusalem!  Jesus laments the rebellious disobedience of the Holy City, but He does not turn away.  He continues on His way, Luke 13:33 (ESV) 33 …for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ 

            Despite the frustration, despite lamenting over Jerusalem, Jesus continues on His way to finish His course all the way to the cross and the tomb and the Sunday resurrection.  Despite their proud strutting, Jesus does not give up on the people of Jerusalem… and Jesus does not give up on you.

            How many times has Jesus lamented over your sin and rebelliousness?  How many times have you strutted around like a proud little chick acting like you don’t need Jesus’ protection because you are good enough and strong enough and smart enough and you’re not afraid of the evil one?  How many times has Jesus lamented over your sin and then continued to offer you His Body and Blood to forgive and cover all of your sins. 

            Despite opposition and rebellion, Jesus stays the course all the way to the cross.  Jesus stretches His arms over you on the cross at Golgotha.  He offers you protection under His wings.  Psalm 91:1–6 (ESV) 1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty…. 4 He will cover you with his [feathers], and under his wings you will find refuge….”

            You need refuge in Jesus.  As a baptized child of God the devil is targeting you.  Like a hawk seeking to snatch a helpless little chick, the devil prowls like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Stay protected in Jesus.  Jesus has ascended into heaven but He has not left you alone. The Church is the Body of Christ. The Church gives you shelter from the storms of life and from the evil one himself.  Jesus gives you the Holy Spirit delivered to you in the water and word of Holy Baptism and in the truth of God’s Word.  The Church delivers to you the truth of your forgiveness in Jesus. The Church pours out on you the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.  United in the one Spirit, under the protection of the Body of Christ, you are safe for eternity. 

            Despite the temptation to strut around through life proudly and independently declaring you are good enough and strong enough and smart enough, you instead, each week, come here and humble yourself by kneeling before the Lord and confessing that you are not good enough, you are not strong enough, you are not smart enough.  You give up the ridiculous strutting of a proud baby chick and you tuck yourself safely under the protective wing of your savior — who has given His all for you. Amen. –

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Listen to Jesus, Do What He Says

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Transfiguration 2025
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
March 2, 2025
Deuteronomy 34:1-12, Hebrews 3:1-6, Luke 9:28-36

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

            All four of my kids have worked at the same pizza place over the years with Caleb starting right after his 16th birthday in 2006 and Rebecca continuing to this day with just a brief pause during Covid. When each of them started working I gave them the same advice.  “Show up on time, and do what they tell you to do.”  Simple enough.  Do what the boss tells you to do. 

            That is good advice for children with their parents. Kids, just listen to your parents and do what they tell you to do.  Easy?  Right?  Why are you looking at each other like that? Listen and do.  It shouldn’t be hard to just do what they say, the first time, without a fuss…and yet it is.

            Jesus is having this same issue with his disciples and the crowds in the Gospel of Luke.  At the end of the Sermon on the Plain Jesus asks, Luke 6:46 (ESV) 46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”   

            This is a good question that we can each ask ourselves on behalf of Jesus as we prepare to enter the season of Lent.  “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”

            Jesus continues, Luke 6:47–49 (ESV)  47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”  If you hear Jesus’ words and do them…on Christ the solid rock you stand. 

            The first Sunday after Epiphany we remembered the Baptism of Our Lord.  Jesus goes to John the Baptist down at the Jordan River.  And it is an epic beginning to answering the questions, “Who is Jesus? And, “What has He come to do?”  Luke 3:21–22 (ESV) 21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” 

            Who is Jesus of Nazareth?  He is the Son of God.  Jesus shows this throughout His ministry.  He goes to Nazareth and announces at the synagogue that He is fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy.  He heals the sick and drives out demons.  He gives the disciples He is calling a miraculous catch of fish.  He cleanses lepers and heals people who are paralyzed.  He heals a Roman centurion’s servant without even seeing him.  He raises a young man from the dead in Nain.  He heals great crowds of people.  He feeds 5,000 plus with five loaves and two fish.  He is doing things that only God could do.  Jesus is God in flesh.

            He teaches the people the parable of the sower and the seeds.  Luke 8:14–15 (ESV) 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. 

Jesus continues, Luke 8:18 (ESV) 18 Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” 

Take care how you hear.  What incredible advice from Jesus given during a time which was utterly quiet compared to now.  There were no radios, no podcasts, no recorded music, no giant billboards, no television, no smart phones, no internet and still Jesus warns, “Take care how you hear.”  Today there are so many voices vying for your attention and your time.  It takes great intention to turn off all of the voices in order to listen to Jesus.  Take care how you hear.

What would it be like to be in Jesus’ family?  But who does Jesus say is His family?  Luke 8:19–21 (ESV) 19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” 21 But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”  You who hear the word of God and do it are Jesus’ family.

            Hear the word of God and do it.  But just what does Jesus say?  Jesus has some difficult sayings as we heard last week, Luke 6:27–28 (ESV) 27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” 

After feeding the 5,000 Jesus has some heavy back and forth with the disciples. Peter declares that Jesus is the Christ of God and then Jesus tells the disciples, Luke 9:22 (ESV) 22 … “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” 

            And then…Luke 9:23–25 (ESV) 23 …[Jesus] said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” These are difficult teachings. These are teachings that the disciples have trouble hearing.  They are still worried about which of them is the greatest. 

            And then eight days later, Jesus takes Peter, James and John up on a high mountain and Jesus is transfigured before them becoming dazzling white, and Elijah and Moses appear with Jesus.  A cloud overshadows them… Luke 9:35 (ESV) 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” 

            Who is Jesus?  And what did He come to do?  Jesus is the Son of God.  He is God in flesh.  He is the fulfillment of prophecy.  He is the perfect, final offering for the sin of the world.  He will be sacrificed on the cross and rise again from the dead to conquer death.  He is the Lord.  He is King of everything.  The Kingdom of heaven is near because Jesus is King.

            Is Jesus God?  Yes.  Does He have authority?  Yes.  Should you listen to Him?  Yes. 

            Listen to Jesus and do what He says to do.  It is so simple and straightforward and yet so difficult. 

It is certainly tempting to not listen to Jesus.  It is tempting to reject Jesus’ lordship and be your own boss, and do things your way.  It is so easy to be acting with God like a little child rebelling against his parents in a futile attempt to take control.  Parents are not going to give up control, and yet children will throw temper tantrums trying to get their way.  God is not going to give up being God because humans get grumpy.  As the Lord teaches in Psalm 46:10 (ESV) 10 “Be still, and know that I am God. …” 

Be still.  Take time each day to unplug from the noise of the world and be in God’s Word and hear Jesus.  Retreat from the cacophony of voices surrounding you, turn off the noise, and set apart some time to listen to Jesus.  This is difficult.  I know this is hard for me.  It is hard for me to take quiet time alone to read and meditate upon God’s Word.  There is a constant nagging to get finished and move on to the next thing.  A constant temptation to check my phone, think about something else.  There is always something else to do.  I find myself being a Martha, running around doing things, instead of Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him. 

Carefully listening to Jesus really needs to be planned and deliberate.  Take care how you hear.  Set aside quiet time each day to pray and read and listen to God’s word.  Learn again that Jesus has paid the price for your sin.  Gather together here each week to listen to the Word of God read and preached and sung. Come to a Bible study to dig more deeply into scripture.  Listen to Jesus. 

Listen to Jesus.  And if Jesus says something that you disagree with…know that Jesus is right.  This is humbling and liberating.  To know that God’s Word trumps your own ideas frees you from trying to mold and shape God to fit your ever-changing thoughts and ideas. It keeps you from being… James 1:6 (ESV) 6 …like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”  As a baptized follower of Jesus who struggles with sin and temptation, listen to Jesus because He has the words of eternal life. 

            To listen to Jesus and do what He says gives you freedom within the limits of God’s law.  To live in the Kingdom of God under the reign of the Lord Jesus gives you blessed assurance that you belong to Jesus and you are God’s treasured possession.  He has set you apart for eternal life with Him.  Listening to Jesus and doing what He says is an act of worship acknowledging that Jesus is Lord and Savior. 

            To show up on time and do what they tell you to do is good advice for work.  To hear Jesus’ words and do them is God’s command for His followers.  As we come to the end of the Epiphany season we have answered the questions, “Who is Jesus?”  He is the Son of God, Immanuel, God with us.  “What did He come to do?”  Jesus comes to be the perfect final sacrifice for your sin.  Jesus is your Lord.  Jesus is your Savior.  He has forgiven you all your sins. Listen to Jesus.  Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Life in the Overlap

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Epiphany 7 2025
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
February 23, 2025
Genesis 45:3-15, 1 Corinthians 15:21-26, 30-42, Luke 6:27-38 

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

            Venn diagrams can be an interesting way to analyze information.  These items belong in one set.  These items belong in another set.  These are the characteristics that both groups share. 

The whole human population can be broken down into two sets; sinners and perfect people. Who goes into the sinner category? Adam?  Yes.  Eve?  Yes.  All of their children and grandchildren?  Me? You?  Yes.  Who goes into the Perfect category?  Well, actually one of Adam and Eve’s great, great grandchildren.  Jesus of Nazareth.  He is in the perfect category.  Two sets, one with all humanity minus one and the other set with Jesus. 

            But here is where it gets interesting.  The two circles overlap.  Many folks are only in the sinner category and Jesus is only in the Perfect category, but there are many people in the area of overlap.  They are both sinners and perfect.

            How does that work?  These are sinners who believe in Jesus to whom Jesus has given His perfection and declared them to be holy.  These people are both sinners and saints at the same time.  You are in this overlap.  As a baptized child of God, as a follower of Jesus, you are in the area of overlap.  You are a sinner, but you have been declared to be holy and perfect and you are safe from the coming judgment on the Last Day.

            The strange thing about being in this area of overlap is that you can become more aware of your sins than those who are in the sinner area alone.  The more you learn about God’s law, the more sinful you realize that you are — knowing you sin in thought, word and deed.  This makes you increasingly grateful for all that Jesus has done for you. 

There is a danger in the area of overlap.  The devil will try to convince you that you did something to earn your place in the overlap.  He wants you to forget that you are a sinner who deserves condemnation and start to believe that you are good enough.  He will tempt you to believe you are so much better than the sinners you are not in the overlap. 

This is what Jesus is warning about in our Gospel reading today.  When thinking about sin it is our natural tendency to think about other people’s sins rather than to look at our own, and to think their sin is so much worse than ours.

It is spiritually healthy to remember who you are in the overlap of saint and sinner.  You are a sinner redeemed by Jesus.  Beginning worship each week with the confession of sins keeps you grounded.  Being a saint is not from you, but is purely a gift of God though the blood of Jesus. 

            Now, in the set of sinners who are not also in the overlap area of perfection there is a large subset of people who think they are good enough.  These are those who think they are autonomous and just make up and adjust their own rules to live by.  It is also those who follow false religions which teach that you can be good enough through your own actions.  And it is those who trust in their good works rather than trusting in Jesus.  Everyone in this subset of thinking they are good enough is mistaken.  They have been misled.  They are not good enough and are in danger from the coming judgment when Jesus returns.

            No one in the set of sinners is good enough.  Those in the overlap with perfection know that they are not good enough, but have been given the gift of forgiveness, holiness and perfection by the Lord Jesus, and they follow Jesus because He is the font and source of eternal life.  Those in the overlap are marked with the blood of the Lamb which protects them now, and on the Day of Judgment.

You know you are in the overlap of saint and sinner.  You know you are by nature sinful and unclean and you know you justly deserve God’s present and eternal punishment.  You know that God has had great mercy and grace upon you and given you forgiveness and eternal life.  You are safe from the coming judgment.  You also know that those outside the overlap are in grave danger when the judgment comes. 

            There is a disaster looming and there is ready protection against the disaster.  Picture for a moment a building full of people.  You know there is a looming disaster which will destroy the building and everyone inside.  You know there is safety on the other side of a doorway.  How do to let people know about the doorway to safety?  It is difficult when people do not sense the danger, they will think you are just acting crazy. 

            It can be like this in the world and worse.  You know that everyone in the set of sinners deserves the judgment and condemnation of God.  You know there is protection in the Kingdom of God, under the reign of Jesus, in the overlap of Saint and Sinner.  You try to warn people of the pending disaster and have them come to safety. The problem is that so many are in the subset of those who think they are good enough. 

You try to warn them, “Repent and believe Jesus died for you and rose to give you eternal life,” and too often the response is, “Whoa…what was that first word?  Repent? Are you saying that I have something to repent of?  Don’t you know your Bible?  Luke 6:37 (ESV) 37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged…”  It is a frustrating place to be for you.  In love you want to warn of the impeding danger for all people in the set of sinners, including yourself, but they are hearing it as you being judgmental.  And certainly there are those all about judgment and not about love and it is easy to fall into judgment and condemnation rather than compassion and patience and love.  This is also what Jesus is warning about in the Gospel reading today.  So, how can you make them understand the danger and see the path to safety? 

            A lot of that is the work of the Holy Spirit.  The Lord wants all people to be saved but many resist the Holy Spirit and refuse to repent of their sins.  So what do you do?  Be the light.  Many in the “think they are good enough” subset actually have doubts that they really are good enough.  They are honest enough with themselves to be troubled.  They are looking for something.  So, take time to listen to people.  Listen to their stories.  Listen to their hurts.  It is hard living outside the overlap of saint and sinner not knowing who you are or what you are supposed to do.  Listen with the sympathy and empathy of a fellow sinner and invite them to come with you to this place where we admit the awful truth that we are sinners and we hear the amazing good news that Jesus forgives our sins. 

Now, in the world you will encounter those who hate Jesus and hate you because of Jesus.  Jesus teaches,  Luke 6:27–28 (ESV) 27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”

This is a high and difficult calling.  It is a call to not respond instinctually to insults and hurts, but to respond like Jesus.

            Last week there was a hockey game with the U.S. against Canada.  The Canadian fans booed the playing of the Star Spangled Banner and so when the hockey match began three American players started fights with the Canadians.  “If you boo our national anthem we will make you pay — with our fists.”  That is, I guess, the way of hockey.  That is the way of the world.  But that is not the way of Jesus. 

We naturally want to be aggressive and decisive and demanding and vengeful, but that is not Jesus’ way.  Jesus’ way is mercy and compassion.  Jesus has great mercy and compassion on you.  You deserve His present and eternal punishment, but He patiently gives you forgiveness — over and over and over.  He never endorses or encourages sin, but He patiently loves you, forgives you and calls you to follow Him. 

As you deal with those who are in the subset of thinking they are good enough, speak the truth in love.  Don’t pretend that they are not in the set of sinners.  Don’t pretend they really are good enough.  But listen.  Listen to their hurt.  Walk with them in love and compassion.  Be a beacon of hope.  Be the light of the world.  Let the love of Christ shine through you.  And as we learn in…1 Peter 3:15 (ESV) 15 … in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…” 

When the time is right, gently tell them that the whole set of sinners faces judgment on the last day, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  Let them know there is still time to take shelter in the grace of the Lord Jesus.  Without endorsing sin, have compassion on those struggling with sin because you are a fellow sinner… struggling with sin… and Jesus has compassion on you.  Be patient with those caught up in sin because Jesus is patient with you.  Offer Jesus’ grace and mercy to others even though they don’t deserve it because Jesus gives grace and mercy to you even though you don’t deserve it.  Judge not because you are not the judge.  Condemn not because that is not given to you to do, but share that Jesus is the Way the Truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. 

Love others with the reckless love of Jesus.  This is radically countercultural, so rebel against culture. Love like Jesus.  Love others like Jesus loves you.  Amen. 

Posted on by pastorkevinjud

Love is a Burden

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Epiphany 4 2025
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
February 2, 2025
Jer. 1:4-10, 1 Cor. 12:31b – 13:13, Luke 4:31-44

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

            It feels like we just got the Christmas decorations down and packed away and wherever you go there are heart decorations. February is a month of generally dreary weather and a relatively obscure holiday right in the middle… on February 14. Valentine’s Day celebrates the sweetness of love.  It is a day to give flowers and candy and sweet little notes.  Kids in school exchange valentines with goofy messages. And there are those relatively tasteless little candy hearts with messages like, “be mine, hug me, you’re sweet, cutie pie,” and the like.  It is a sweet little celebration of love in the middle of the dreary month of February. 

            Valentine’s Day is all about the sweetness of love. And today we get our epistle reading from 1 Corinthians 13; the love chapter.  At first glance we can think that this chapter is another teaching about the sweetness of love.  This is often chosen to be read at weddings because weddings are all about love.  But what is this love that we talk about.  What is love?  People will say, I am, “in love.”  People say, “I love cheeseburgers.”  People say, “I love my mom, I love my kids, I love my spouse.”  What is love?  What does it mean to love someone?

            There is romantic love.  Google’s AI definition is not bad. “Romantic love” refers to a deep, passionate form of love characterized by intense emotions, physical attraction, a desire for intimacy, and a longing to be with a specific person, often associated with the pursuit of a long-term relationship and mate selection; it involves a combination of idealization and bonding with another individual.”

            I worry that when we use the word “love” we too often are thinking only of romantic love.  Romantic love is wonderful and powerful, but the love that you are called to as a follower of Jesus is so much more wonderful and powerful.

            Even in marriage, romantic love is only one aspect of marital love.  During the wedding ceremony the bride and groom pledge to take the other and, “to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish till death us do part.”  There is so much more to marriage than romantic love, or the sentimental sweetness of candy hearts.

            While it is often chosen for weddings, 1 Corinthians 13 is not about married love in particular.  It is about the love you are to have for one another.  Love in the body of believers is not about romantic love at all, but about a serving, selfless love.  It is about loving others, even those you do not like. 

The church in Corinth is troubled by division and sin and Paul is writing to implore them to be true followers of Jesus and to understand what is most important. What is most important for a church? Is it that the pastors are great orators; preaching prophetic sermons?  Is it that the people can speak in many different languages of men and angels? Is it that the pastors and teachers are super knowledgeable and understanding?  Is it that people have incredibly strong faith?  Is it that the people give generously or are willing to die for the faith?  All of these things are good and important, but what is the most important thing?

            1 Corinthians 13:1–3 (ESV) 1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” 

            Love is more important to the church than all of those other things.  Love comes from God.  John 3:16 (ESV) 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  God loves you.  You are called to love one another.  The five word summary of all the Ten Commandments is, “Love God, love your neighbor.”

            Love all people, and particularly love those around you. Of course that is the difficulty. C.S. Lewis once said, “It is easier to be enthusiastic about Humanity with a capital ‘H’ than it is to love individual men and women, especially those who are uninteresting, exasperating, depraved, or otherwise unattractive. Loving everybody in general may be an excuse for loving nobody in particular.”  Wow.  This is truly convicting.  When you hear, “love your neighbor,” you can default to, “I love all people.”  But what about that one person?  The one annoying, rude, frustrating, problem person that you have to deal with?  The one who is constantly pushing your buttons and making you angry?  The one you think about all the time?  That incredibly frustrating person for whom Jesus died?  Do you love him?  Do you pray for her? 

            What is love?  St. Paul explains this in our reading today and it is an incredibly blunt, condemning teaching.  Sometimes people will claim that the Bible is just an old book, 2,000 years out of date and does not have anything to say to us today.  They are so wrong.  Paul’s insights here into our natural inclinations are astounding. 

            1 Corinthians 13:4–6 (ESV) 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”

            Valentine’s Day love is all about the sweetness of love. Paul teaches us about selfless, serving love.  It sounds terrible, but instead of the sweetness of love, here Paul teaches about the burden of love.

            There is a great quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book, “Life Together.”  “The brother is a burden to the Christian, precisely because he is a Christian.  For the pagan the other person never becomes a burden at all. He simply sidesteps every burden that others may impose upon him.”

“The Christian, however, must bear the burden of a brother. He must suffer and endure the brother. It is only when he is a burden that another person is really a brother and not merely an object to be manipulated. The burden of men was so heavy for God Himself that He had to endure the Cross. God verily bore the burden of men in the body of Jesus Christ. But He bore them as a mother carries her child, as a shepherd enfolds the lost lamb that has been found. God took men upon Himself and they weighted Him to the ground, but God remained with them and they with God.”

            Love is a burden, but what a wonderful burden.  Jesus loves you, you love others and they love you. In marriage, both partners are called to love selflessly.  In pre-marriage preparation I teach that if each person in a marriage is most concerned about the other person’s needs and desires then both will be fulfilled and find joy in the marriage.  If either partner is most concerned about themselves it brings great trouble.  As in marriage, this is also true for the gathering of the followers of Jesus.  In the Church we are called to love others selflessly.

            Love is patient.  Love is patient even when the other person has once again gotten on your last nerve and does not deserve patience.  Love is kind even when you want to settle the score.  Love does not envy others’ abilities, or appearance, or possessions. Love does not boast about itself to others.  Love does not one-up the other when they tell a story.  Love is not arrogant or rude.  Love humbly considers the needs of others and is not pushy or careless with others and their feelings. 

Love does not insist on its own way.  Ouch!!  Why is St. Paul picking on me?  What if my way is the best way?  It doesn’t matter.  In our life together as redeemed children of God we work together in love and seek to avoid stepping on people’s toes, we do not demand to do it my way.  Life together in love can be messy and inefficient.  Love is not irritable or resentful.  It is so easy to default to living an irritated life being surrounded by others and their foolishness.  It is natural to resent others’ presence.  Love anyway.  Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing.  Love does not celebrate unrighteousness or delight in hearing about evil or perversion. 

            Love.  You are called to love like Jesus.  You are to love like Jesus not in order to earn forgiveness.  You are to love like Jesus because you are already forgiven.  You are loved by God through your Savior Jesus. You live in the love of Jesus and strive to love like Jesus.

            You are loved by Jesus, but it is hard to feel the love of Jesus.  Jesus can feel very far away.  His love can seem cold and distant.  You know the truth.  “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so,” but you see in a mirror dimly and it is a struggle to feel Jesus’ love.  It is a struggle to love like Jesus. 

            Your love for others flows from Jesus’ love for you even though you cannot clearly see Jesus’ love.  Jesus’ love is an abundant, overflowing love that you are called to imitate.  Love bears without limits, believes without limits, hopes without limits, endures without limits.  This is an amazing love.  This is Jesus love for you, and… 1 Corinthians 13:8 (ESV) 8 Love never ends…”  Jesus’ love never ends.  The things of this world will go away, but Jesus’ love is for eternity.  “…As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.”  Love never ends. 

            1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV) 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” 

            The day is coming when Jesus will return and take those living up into heaven and raise the dead and then you will live forever face to face with Jesus.  Then you will know Jesus’ love fully, the love He fully has for you right now. 

            How frustrating that here in the love chapter you find condemning law, but you also find great hope because you learn the kind of love that Christ has for you, even while you struggle to love like him. 

            So, once again broken by God’s law, struggling to love like Jesus, repent of being loveless and selfish and come to the Lord ’s Table to receive His body and blood under the bread and wine, not directly seeing Jesus face-to-face, but looking into a mirror dimly.  Come as sinners, unable to love like Christ loves. And in the Holy meal you are loved once again by the Lord Jesus.  Leaving here go and love like Jesus.  Love the one you don’t like.  For…1 Corinthians 13:13 (ESV) 13 … now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”  Amen.