resurrection – From the Pulpit

Posted on April 20, 2025 by pastorkevinjud

If Christ is Risen, Nothing Else Matters

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

SERMON TEXT BELOW

The Festival of the Resurrection of our Lord
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
April 20, 2025
Isaiah 65:17-25, 1 Corinthians 15:19-26, Luke 24:1-12

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

We worked so hard for this moment. It has been a long time coming, but we finally achieved our goal. We were direct, we were sneaky, we laid traps, we manipulated people, we schemed and planned and finally we have what we were going after. Jesus of Nazareth is hanging dead on a cross at Golgotha. That aggravating teacher from Galilee will no longer be a problem with His violation of the Sabbath rules and His eating dinner with low life sinners. Now He…is…dead…silenced forever.

Word is that two traitors are going to bury Jesus; Joseph of Arimathea who is a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin; the Jewish governing assembly, along with Nicodemus, a Pharisee. They got permission to bury Jesus. We thought these two were with us, but apparently they are secret followers of Jesus…probably spies. Who else might be secret followers? Who can we trust?

With Jesus dead, it feels like it is all done, that we have accomplished all that we set out to do, but now is not the time to rest. We remember that when Jesus was alive He told his followers… 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.”

He was right about rejection and being killed, but He is not going to rise from the dead. Dead is dead. Nobody rises from the dead. Somehow, Jesus supposedly raised Lazarus from the dead but it cannot be true. Dead is dead. Nobody rises from the dead.

So, we are going to make sure that everyone knows Jesus is dead, and that He will stay dead. He claimed to be the Son of God and King of the Jews, but we will show the world that He was just another lunatic claiming to be the Messiah.

You have got to imagine that the Jewish leaders who worked so hard to get Jesus executed never let His body leave their sight. I’m sure they keep watch to make sure no one steals the body to claim that Jesus rose from the dead. Certainly they are watching as Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus take the body down from the cross and prepare it for burial. They watch as the two men wrap Jesus’ body in a linen shroud with spices and lay it in a tomb. They watch as a great stone is rolled in front of the entrance to the tomb and the two men go away. They watch the two women who are also there by the tomb. They watch the women leave, after a while, as the Passover Sabbath begins with the setting of the sun. I’m sure the tomb is kept under watch all night.

In the morning the chief priests and Pharisees get Roman soldiers to fortify security. They send a delegation to Pilate to ask for a guard. After talking to Pilate they get soldiers and … Matthew 27:66 (ESV) 66 …they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.” Now they just have to wait a few days to prove that Jesus was a fraud.

For the soldiers it must seem like an easy assignment. They are guarding a dead man sealed inside quiet garden tomb; a boring assignment, but easy. Dead men cannot get away.

Saturday is quiet during the day and through the night, but then comes Sunday morning… Matthew 28:1–4 (ESV) Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.”

The tomb is empty. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Matthew 28:5–6 (ESV) 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.”

As the women are leaving the tomb to tell His disciples, Jesus meets them and says, Matthew 28:9–10 (ESV) 9 … “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

The guards are paralyzed or passed out with fear. The angel never told them, “Don’t be afraid.”

After the women leave, the soldiers come around and realize they are in a bad situation. How can they explain what has happened? Who will believe that a heavenly being came and rolled away the stone? Everyone will think they fell asleep on guard duty and the penalty for that is a severe beating or even execution.

Matthew 28:11–15 (ESV) 11 While [the women] were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers 13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.”

The elders and the chief priests had to pay Judas to betray Jesus, now they have to pay the soldiers to make up a story about falling asleep. And, possibly, they have to somehow convince Pilate not to punish the soldiers if he finds out about their story of falling asleep on guard duty.

The elders’ and the Chief Priests’ plan is falling apart. All of their scheming and planning and hard work is for nothing. Jesus really did what He said He would do. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The crazy thing is…the elders and Chief Priests know the truth. They heard from the Roman soldier eyewitnesses about the earthquake and the angel and the empty tomb. The soldiers may have even seen Jesus talking to the women. They know that Jesus rose from the dead. Just as Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, now He himself is raised from the dead.

They know the truth….and they cover it up. They are so concerned about their own stuff; their rules, their traditions, their positions, their power and control that they try to cover up the most important event in the history of the world — Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Jaroslav Pelikan, a Lutheran theologian wrote, “If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is not risen, nothing else matters.”

When the Magi came to Jerusalem looking for the newborn King of the Jews the chief priests and scribes knew where the Christ was to be born but none of them went with the Magi to worship the Christ child.

The religious leaders witnessed Jesus’ miracles, but they did not rejoice — they were only concerned about Sabbath regulations. The Jewish leaders know that Christ rose from the dead, but other things matter more.

This is a stark warning. This is convicting. Some folks know that Jesus rose from the dead, but then the things of life become more important…and Christ’s resurrection no longer matters to them.

We are warned about this in Jesus’ parable of the sower and the seeds. Matthew 13:22 (ESV) 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.” If Christ is risen…nothing else matters.

Do not let the busyness of life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke out that knowledge in you. Do not leave here today and then live as if Jesus’ resurrection does not matter.

Do not let Godly good stewardship of money become a satanic love of money that chokes out faith in Christ and is the root of all kinds of evil.

Do not let lust take control of you and lead you into ongoing sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger and give the devil a foothold. James 4:7 (ESV) 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

You know Jesus died and rose from the dead for you. You know your sins are forgiven. You are the light of the world. Let the love of God shine in your life. Listen to Jesus. Jesus teaches, Matthew 7:24 (ESV) 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Remain in the Word of God — read, mark, learn and inwardly digest God’s word. Pray regularly. Stay connected to God’s Word and His sacraments. Remember your baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Repent, confess your sins, and receive absolution. Regularly receive the Body and Blood of Jesus into your body to strengthen and preserve you in true faith. You are one with Christ.

It is a wonderful day to be here in God’s house enthusiastically proclaiming, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”

Pilate asked, “What is truth?” You know the truth. Jesus died on the cross as payment for the sins of the world. Jesus, the Son of God, drank the cup of God’s wrath because of your sin. He paid the price for you and forgives you all your sins. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day just as He said He would. Jesus is indeed King of the Jews. He is King of the universe. He is God in flesh. He is your Lord and Savior.

You know the truth. The truth sets you free. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! “If Christ is risen…nothing else matters.” Amen.

Posted on March 31, 2024 by pastorkevinjud

The Thrill of Victory

WORSHIP VIDEO LINK

WORSHIP AUDIO LINK

SERMON AUDIO LINK

BULLETIN

SERMON TEXT BELOW

The Festival of the Resurrection of our Lord 2024
Immanuel Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Ohio
Pastor Kevin Jud
March 31, 2024
Is. 25:6-9, 1 Cor. 15:1-11, Mark 16:1-8

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! The Lamb who was slain has begun to reign! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

This is the Feast of Victory! Feel the thrill of victory.

What does victory feel like? It feels great to get an A on a test or a promotion at work. It is a great feeling to win a youth soccer game or watch your kid win. Victory feels wonderful.

I am not old enough to remember the feeling when the U.S. won a war, but I imagine the end of World War II must have been just incredible for those at home and those in the fight. The fighting is over. The war is won. The enemy is defeated. The sacrifices have been worth it. Victory is ours.

What does victory feel like? For avid sports fans it is that feeling when your team wins the national championship. Whole cities lose their minds with the elation of being the victorious champions.

Try to imagine for a moment that feeling of victory. The joy…the excitement…the elation…the utter jubilation. Now take that feeling and multiply it by 100…1,000…1 million. This is the Feast of Victory for our God. The Lamb who was slain has begun to reign. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! This is the greatest victory of all time. Jesus has the victory and He gives the victory to you.

For those old enough to remember ABC’s Wide World of Sports, there is the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat. And since we are celebrating victory it means someone has been defeated. Who today suffers the agony of defeat? Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

Early that Sunday morning 2,000 years ago, Jesus emerges from the tomb, alive and well, and sin is defeated, death is defeated, and the devil is defeated. The Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world and the Lamb rises from the dead to show total victory. Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia!

Jesus defeats sin. Sin is your enemy and your enemy has been defeated. Now sin is tricky. You are a natural born sinner who likes to sin, but as a baptized child of God you are called to struggle against sin. The struggle often does not go well. It is very frustrating to realize you are in bondage to sin and cannot free yourself.

Why are you a sinner? Are you a sinner because you sin, or do you sin because you are a sinner? Which statement is better? I am a sinner because I sin. Or, I sin because I am a sinner. Which is the better answer? It is the second. You sin because you are a sinner. And when did you become a sinner? At the moment of conception. You inherited sin from your father, who got it from his father, all the way back to great-great-grandpa Adam. You sin because you are a sinner and that does not seem fair, but it is the way it is. You try to stop sinning, but, as we talked about a couple of weeks ago you don’t know how bad you truly are until you have tried really hard to be good.

The struggle with sin is frustrating and can lead people to become self-righteous and say, “I might be a sinner, but I am not as bad as that other guy,” Or it can lead you to despair because you can never be good enough. But neither of these is necessary. Jesus has defeated sin. Jesus has cancelled the power of sin. Jesus has victory over sin. Jesus has covered over your sin with His robe of righteousness. While you still struggle with sin and temptation, the war is won. When God looks at you He does not see your sin, but rather He sees Jesus’ perfection covering you. Jesus declares you to be righteous, innocent and blessed. Jesus proclaims your sins are forgiven, and if Jesus declares it, it is true. In Christ you are a saint of God as we hear in 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” You are forgiven all your sins because Jesus’ death and resurrection has been applied to you. Sin has been defeated. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Death has been defeated. Death…is…defeated. This is huge. Anyone who has stood beside the grave of a loved one knows death is the enemy. Death feels so absolute, so devastatingly final. At the grave it really seems that death has the victory, but Jesus’ resurrection changes all of that. Jesus defeats death. As we heard last week at Lazarus’ grave Jesus announces, John 11:25–26 (ESV) 25 … “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. …” In your baptism you have been given the gift of eternal life. Though you die, yet shall you live. As Christians we grieve, but not like those who have no hope, because the grave is not forever. On the Last Day Jesus will call you out of the grave and your spirit and body will be reunited and you will rise up in your perfected, imperishable, immortal body to go and live with Jesus forever, and as St. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:54–57 (ESV) 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is the Feast of victory for our God! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Jesus is victorious over the devil. That wily liar has been slithering around since the Garden of Eden repeating his age-old question of temptation, “Did God really say?” The lying devil calls God a liar and your sinful side loves to think that God is lying because your sinful self wants to pursue all kinds of things that God has forbidden. On that Friday, the devil thought the cross was the end of Jesus. The devil thought he was victorious, but the devil was wrong. While the devil did not know it, Jesus conquered Satan on the cross at Golgotha and victory was complete that Sunday morning at the empty tomb.

That Sunday morning Jesus descended into hell to preach a victory sermon to the spirits in prison. As we read in Colossians 2:15 (ESV) 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

This is the feast of victory for our God. You have the thrill of victory. Sin, death and the devil have the agony of defeat.

The devil has been defeated. He has been bound and cast into the bottomless pit. The devil cannot seize you and drag you away. He cannot take hold of you unless you invite him in. Now, the devil is still in the world, and you still need to be on guard against his deceptions and temptations. You need to stay aware of the devil’s yearning to have you stop loving God and stop loving your neighbor and instead follow your own desires and make sin your lifestyle. The devil is wily, but the old evil foe is like a dog on a chain. It is easy to avoid a chained up dog, but he will try to get you to come close and pet him by making sin seem harmless and normal. Do not be fooled. While restrained, the devil can still tempt, so know his temptations. As we learn in James 4:7 (ESV) 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” You do not belong to the devil. You do not answer to the devil.

The devil will try to accuse you of your sins. Rebuke him. Martin Luther wrote in a letter to a friend, “When the devil throws our sins up to us and declares we deserve death and hell, we ought to speak thus: “I admit that I deserve death and hell. What of it? Does this mean that I shall be sentenced to eternal damnation? By no means. For I know One who suffered and made a satisfaction in my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Where he is, there I shall be also.” When the devil tries to accuse you, remind the devil that he has been defeated. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

This is the feast of victory for our God. You have the thrill of victory. Sin, death and the devil have the agony of defeat.

The victory has been won. The victory is yours in Christ. Today we rejoice as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and victory over sin, death and the devil. Today we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, but this is not a once-a-year celebration. We celebrate victory each Sunday as we remember Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Each Sunday we remember that greatest Sunday, victory Sunday, as we again receive the gifts of God’s forgiveness and eternal life.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Amen.

Posted on March 24, 2024 by pastorkevinjud

Yelling at the Dead

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

WORSHIP AUDIO LINK

SERMON AUDIO LINK

BULLETIN

SERMON TEXT BELOW

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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