http://al.lunneberg.com Sermons and Rumenations Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:14:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 2005-2008 alunneberg@comcast.net (Allen Lunneberg) alunneberg@comcast.net (Allen Lunneberg) 1440 http://al.lunneberg.com/wp-content/plugins/podpress/images/powered_by_podpress.jpg http://al.lunneberg.com 144 144 Sermons and more from my site. Allen Lunneberg Allen Lunneberg alunneberg@comcast.net no no http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/11/20/your-turn/ http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/11/20/your-turn/#comments Sun, 20 Nov 2011 17:54:01 +0000 alunneberg http://al.lunneberg.com/?p=884 http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/11/20/your-turn/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Text: Matthew 25:31-46 Date: Last Sunday of the Church Year + Proper 29 + 11/20/11 On the Last Sunday of the Church Year we are interested in “the bottom line,” the answer to the question, “what’s it all about?” It is another way to ask about our de[...] Text: Matthew 25:31-46 Date: Last Sunday of the Church Year + Proper 29 + 11/20/11 On the Last Sunday of the Church Year we are interested in “the bottom line,” the answer to the question, “what’s it all about?” It is another way to ask about our destiny, the End Times, the Last Day, the Day of Judgment. What’s it all about? It’s all about God. First, God is a creative Being. God is what or Who is behind the earth, the sky, the sun, the planets, the elements, life. But you knew that already, for, “what can be known about God is plain to [you], because God has shown it to [you]. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made” (Rom 1:19-20). So says St. Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. So we say, “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.” But just that fact, that knowledge, gets us into trouble. For, “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” What truth? The truth that you “are without excuse. For although [you] knew God, [you] did not honor him as God or give thanks to him” (Rom. 1:18, 20c-21). The truth is, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23). The standard of that truth is the Ten Words, God’s revealed Law, the Ten Commandments. And what does God say about all those commandments? He says, “I the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments” (Ex 20:5-6). So there appear to be two ways, two choices, two destinations. The one is the way of God’s anger, wrath and punishment of sin. The other is the way of God’s love and it all hinges on the keeping of His commandments. But since our sin and separation from God is so deeply ingrained, no one can keep God’s Law, God’s commandments perfectly, as God Himself says, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it” (James 2:10). So the “two ways” are not two distinct ways, after all, but one way. God’s wrath against sin, our sin, must be satisfied so that we may also love Him and keep His commandments. This is the conundrum that drives us crazy, whether our name be Saul or Paul, Origen, Augustine, Martin Luther or whatever. How to satisfy God’s wrath and yet love Him with all our heart and all our soul and all our strength and all our mind, perfectly. Therefore, just “when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Gal 4:4-5). Therefore, what’s it all about? I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Advent/Christmas: who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, Lent: suffered under Pontius Pilate, Holy Week: was crucified, died and was buried. Easter: He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. Ascension: He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. All of this has become your own possession as a gift. It is the gift of faith implanted in you by God’s own means of grace. The Holy Spirit creates faith, when and where it pleases God, in those who hear the Gospel. Those who hear are commanded to be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16). Those who are baptized are addressed by the apostle Paul. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us w[...] alunneberg@comcast.net no no http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/11/13/get-ready/ http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/11/13/get-ready/#comments Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:43:52 +0000 alunneberg http://al.lunneberg.com/?p=881 http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/11/13/get-ready/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Text: Matthew 25:14-30 Date: Pentecost XXII + Proper 28 + 11/13/11 It is the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, the next-to-last Sunday of the Church Year. As you would expect, therefore, the lectionary readings have become particularly urgent co[...] Text: Matthew 25:14-30 Date: Pentecost XXII + Proper 28 + 11/13/11 It is the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost, the next-to-last Sunday of the Church Year. As you would expect, therefore, the lectionary readings have become particularly urgent concerning “the times and the seasons” and especially the last day of the Lord when He will come, as St. Paul said today, “like a thief in the night” (1 Thess 5:1-2). The clouds of judgment gather, The time is growing late; Be sober and be watchful, Our judge is at the gate. (LSB 513) Judgment Day. Jesus’ story or parable of the “talents” is part of that section of Matthew’s Gospel that began with the disciples’ question, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” (Matt 24:3). Everybody is somewhat interested, some even to the point of making embarrassing predictions. In answer Jesus foretold of the destruction of the Jerusalem temple, the “abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel” (24:15), the signs of the cosmos falling apart, the “lesson of the fig tree,” and the repeated call to be ready. St. Paul chimes in saying, “let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober” (1 Thess 5:6). Then we have today’s little gem called the Parable of the Talents. Typical of our fallen, sinful nature, however, that always thinks in terms of a person being saved by works and not by faith alone, this story strikes us as if it were saying your salvation depends on how good a steward you have been in your life. If you’ve invested your resources in good works the fruits of your increase will qualify you to be rewarded by “the master” and invited into “heaven.” If, on the other hand, you are selfish and show no fruits or accomplishments you will be condemned. I mean how else are we supposed to understand “the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away,” and “cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness,” and “in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (24:29-30)? Well, that’s what I’m here for, to proclaim to you the Gospel in its unconfused relation to the Law of God and the grace of God. On the one hand, this parable is speaking about stewardship, the managing of those resources God has given whether that be in terms of finances or a person’s gifts and abilities. The Greek term “talanta” or “talent” refers first of all to a huge sum of money. On the other hand is our English word “talent” referring to a person’s particular abilities, athletic, creative or artistic aptitude, intelligence or the like. It works either way. And the story is about using your (let’s call them) gifts to produce something of benefit to yourself or others. The problem in our understanding of the point of the parable, however, is like the third servant who produced nothing. But the reason he produced nothing was because he didn’t understand that the “talent” he was given was a gift of a graceful God, not as a test of (as he called God) “a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed.” In other words he really didn’t know the master. He was like those Zephaniah spoke of as, out of fear, “saying in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good” (Zeph 1:12). And how many today think of God primarily as an unjust or even capricious judge who is only in the business of punishing people and draining what little joy or happiness there is in life by setting up all sorts of impossible requirements for a moral and God-pleasing life? The third servant was not condemned because he didn’t invest and bore no fruit. He was condemned because he didn’t know his master. He made God His enemy. So also all who do not know the one, true God of grace do not belong to Him, do not recognize His gifts and receive the condemnation they fear in return. True servants of God, sons of the kingdom, do not work to produce fruit in order to “go to heaven someday.” True servants of God, sons and [...] alunneberg@comcast.net no no http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/10/23/one-more-try/ http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/10/23/one-more-try/#comments Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:06:18 +0000 alunneberg http://al.lunneberg.com/?p=871 http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/10/23/one-more-try/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Text: Matthew 22:34-46 Date: Pentecost XIX + Proper 25 + 10/23/11 The chief priests and elders of the people and the parties of the Pharisees and Sadducees all quizzed Jesus and tried to catch him in His talk. In this last week of His earthly life, [...] Text: Matthew 22:34-46 Date: Pentecost XIX + Proper 25 + 10/23/11 The chief priests and elders of the people and the parties of the Pharisees and Sadducees all quizzed Jesus and tried to catch him in His talk. In this last week of His earthly life, after one last attempt to test His orthodoxy, Jesus reached out to his opponents one last time. He gave it One More Try to bring them to repentance and faith; repentance of sin and faith IN HIM. The result of His final effort is stated by Matthew, “No one was able to answer [Jesus] a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.” Case closed. From here on Jesus would speak His final words of warning, His grief over the rejection of Jerusalem, His last words of instruction for His disciples, then His betrayal, arrest, denial and trial, and finally His death by crucifixion. All this suggests that there is coming a time for each person when it will be too late; too late for repentance and faith, too late for salvation. So is it important to receive Jesus as Savior now, today, before it is too late. To receive Jesus as Savior is, in part, to answer correctly the final question He put before the Pharisees that day. “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” When the Pharisees responded, “The son of David,” they revealed their right but limited knowledge of the Scriptures. What they just couldn’t bring themselves to say, much less believe or confess, however, was the answer to Jesus’ final question, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls [his son] Lord?” “If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” You know the history of salvation. The primeval promise was given to Adam and Eve immediately following the fall into sin. “The Lord God said to the serpent, ‘I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Gen 3:15). After the description of the population of the earth, its slavery to sin and God’s wrath against sin, the promise of a Savior came to a man named Abram in Genesis 12 with the words, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen 12:3). The progression of the lineage of the promised Savior, the Messiah, the Christ passed through the generations. St. Matthew began his Gospel tracing the genealogy beginning with Abraham. “Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah, etc.” Though there were more, Matthew chooses to list fourteen generations from Abraham to David, another fourteen from David to the Babylonian captivity, and another fourteen from then to the Christ; three groups of fourteen signifying to the Jewish mind perfect completion and fulfillment of God’s original promise. The Christ was to be born “of the house and lineage of David” (Luke 2:4). Surely the child born of Mary of Nazareth is He. Surely this can be called David’s “son” or offspring. But the question is, now, how, in Psalm 110, can David also call this his son “Lord”? It is because of the great surprise of God. It was not surprising but according to natural human procreation and the promise that Jesus was born of Mary of the house and lineage of David. All His relatives were of the house and lineage of David. Jesus received His humanity, His human nature and existence as the human descendent from Abraham to David to Mary. But then came the surprise. For Mary’s husband Joseph was not His human father. Jesus only had a human mother. For, as the angel said to Mary, “the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). Jesus is the son of Abraham, the son of David, the son of Mary according to the flesh, “and declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness” (Rom 1:4). The surprise is that this son of David according to the flesh is also David’s God and Lord acc[...] alunneberg@comcast.net no no http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/10/16/schmoozing/ http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/10/16/schmoozing/#comments Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:02:23 +0000 alunneberg http://al.lunneberg.com/?p=867 http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/10/16/schmoozing/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Text: Matthew 22:15-22 Date: Pentecost XVIII + Proper 24 + 10/23/11 We are definitely on the threshold of the ending of another liturgical year, the completion of the Church’s telling of the story, the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who He i[...] Text: Matthew 22:15-22 Date: Pentecost XVIII + Proper 24 + 10/23/11 We are definitely on the threshold of the ending of another liturgical year, the completion of the Church’s telling of the story, the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who He is, what He came to do and how all of that involves you, your life now and your eternal destiny. Big topics! Important stuff! We are coming to the conclusion of reviewing our Lord’s earthly ministry. And we are also coming to the conclusion of whether this saving Word of God has found a dwelling place in your heart and mind and soul by a God-given faith for your salvation. We have spent a number of weeks detailing Jesus’ interactions, conversations and confrontations especially with those leaders of the people who questioned His authority and were trying to silence Him. It is Holy Week. After His so-called Triumphant Entry into the holy city of Jerusalem and into His temple, the chief priests and elders of the people, with “the Pharisees’ laymen’s league” carefully listening in right behind them, questioned His authority. Though He seemed to have refused to answer them, He actually did by means of telling a few parables. Regardless of their intent to reject Him He continued to reach out to them in words intended to bring about, even at this last minute, a last ditch effort to bring about repentance and faith and salvation in them. Today we see and hear how despicable were their attempts to “entangle [Jesus] in His words.” This is sort of like what Newt Gingrich complained of in one of the recent presidential debates as “gottcha questions” from (as someone else called it) the “lame-stream media.” What’s really loathsome, however, is the way they began their question. It’s called “schmoozing,” chatting pretending you’re being friendly but in a way to gain the advantage or even trick someone especially into a no-win situation. “They sent their disciples to [Jesus], along with the Herodians (!),” folks who preferred cooperation with their Roman occupiers as opposed to the “zealots” who opposed Rome and especially the paying of taxes to Rome. They seemed to have “set Jesus up.” How’s this for schmoozing? “Teacher,” they call Jesus, “we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully.” Oh, do they? Their very intent is to prove He is a false religious teacher, teaching falsehoods. “We know that you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances.” That part is mostly true. But their intent is to give the false impression that whatever His answer to their question it will be objectively accepted. Then the question: “Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” The Herodians were there ready to criticize Him if He took the zealot position of not paying taxes. Of course, if He says they should pay taxes that would set off popular opinion that was against the Roman occupation. He didn’t equivocate, however. But He answered in a way that brought to the surface the more important question. “Show me a coin. Whose image and inscription?” “Caesar’s.” “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.” More importantly, however, He adds, “and [render] to God the things that are God’s.” What things are those? Though it is true as the traditional American spiritual says, “He’s got the whole world in His hands,” certain things God leaves to man to work out for himself. Though God has given the fundamental command, “Honor your father and mother,” the command is lived and worked out in a sinful world, meaning that even father or mother may not always reflect God’s heart of blessing. So also for the commandment’s extension to other authorities, such as government, which may or may not reflect God’s justice. In man’s hands, after all, we have seen first-degree murder punishable by death but the murder by abortion of unborn children is not even considered a crime. Though our society has almost completely ignored the sixth comma[...] alunneberg@comcast.net no no http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/10/09/you-are-cordially-invited/ http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/10/09/you-are-cordially-invited/#comments Sun, 09 Oct 2011 17:14:26 +0000 alunneberg http://al.lunneberg.com/?p=863 http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/10/09/you-are-cordially-invited/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Text: Matthew 22:1-14 Date: Pentecost XVII + Proper 23 + 10/9/11 Somebody rewrote the book on etiquette. I never remember being told, I only discovered by observation and then asking someone about it. Since when has it been common practice, even exp[...] Text: Matthew 22:1-14 Date: Pentecost XVII + Proper 23 + 10/9/11 Somebody rewrote the book on etiquette. I never remember being told, I only discovered by observation and then asking someone about it. Since when has it been common practice, even expected, for people to be invited to attend a wedding but then only come to the reception after? To this day it seems to me to be a rather rude way to proceed. In answer, I highly suspect that it has something to do with people’s aversion in general these days to anything involving religion, and that that aversion has become a socially acceptable stance. I still think it’s rude. Don’t you? Maybe we should return to the old way, as I experienced once at our church in Grand Rapids, where the marriage was part of the Sunday morning Divine Service! Might as well, if only fellow Christians are going to attend! I began thinking of today’s parable of the king’s wedding feast in terms of what we normally experience at weddings today. The only thing similar, however, seems to be the issue of the invitation and a person’s response to it. Jesus is still speaking, in the last week of His life, to the chief priests and elders of the people; still reaching out to them with words of invitation to the salvation He came to bring. But they were refusing to bear the fruits of repentance and faith and seemed only to be the more hardened in their unbelief the more He spoke. It was already obvious that He was speaking about them, the religious leaders of the people, when He spoke the parable of the two sons and of the wicked tenants. Matthew tells us, “When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them” (Matt 21:45). So even more obvious was the point of the parable of the wedding feast that those on the original invitation list, the sons of the descendants of Abraham (as they were), having refused that invitation (as they have) would be left out and the wedding hall filled with others. “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt 22:14). The application of these words for us today, then, has to do with the danger of falling away from saving faith by means of despising or rejecting God’s Word. This past Tuesday, in our Confessional study group, we read these words from Luther’s Large Catechism on the Sacrament of the Altar regarding the Lord’s words, “Do this in remembrance of me:” Thus, you perceive, it is not left free in the sense that we may despise [the sacrament]. For that I call despising it if one allow so long a time to elapse and with nothing to hinder him yet never feels a desire for it. If you wish such liberty, you may just as well have the liberty to be no Christian, and neither have to believe nor pray; for the one is just as much the command of Christ as the other. (Trig. 765:49) In our Lutheran Confessions today’s Gospel is mentioned in connection with the doctrine of the eternal election of God or predestination. This doctrine is most clearly written in passages like Romans 8:29, “For those whom [God] foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son,” and Ephesians 1:4, “he chose us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world.” This doctrine is meant only for the comfort and consolation of Christians. For, there is an important distinction between the eternal foreknowledge of God and the eternal election of His children to eternal salvation. God’s foreknowledge is that God sees and knows everything before it happens. Eternal election extends only over the children of God. The important difference is stated in our Formula of Concord, “if we wish to think or speak correctly and profitably concerning eternal election, or the predestination and ordination of the children of God to eternal life, we should accustom ourselves not to speculate concerning the bare, secret, concealed, inscrutable foreknowledge of God, but how the counsel, purpose, and ordination of God in Christ Jesus, who is the true Book of Li[...] alunneberg@comcast.net no no http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/10/02/get-with-christ/ http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/10/02/get-with-christ/#comments Sun, 02 Oct 2011 16:38:16 +0000 alunneberg http://al.lunneberg.com/?p=860 http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/10/02/get-with-christ/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Text: Matthew 21:33-46 Date: Pentecost XVI + Proper 22 + 10/2/11 In the last week of our Lord’s earthly ministry, Holy Week, leading up to His foremost goal to be the all-sufficient sacrifice for the sin of the world upon the cross, the chief priest[...] Text: Matthew 21:33-46 Date: Pentecost XVI + Proper 22 + 10/2/11 In the last week of our Lord’s earthly ministry, Holy Week, leading up to His foremost goal to be the all-sufficient sacrifice for the sin of the world upon the cross, the chief priests and elders of the people (now joined by the party of the Pharisees) questioned His authority. It appeared that Jesus was not going to answer their question. But He did indirectly by means of a couple of parables—the first, the parable of the two sons and the second the parable of the wicked tenants of the vineyard. The authority they questioned was and is His own as the Son of God and as the Incarnate Word of the Father. More important than arguing over who’s in charge, however, is the question of the salvation and life Christ came to bring. It is easy to hear the telling of today’s parable as having the effect of merely putting the religious leaders in their place, bowling them over, giving them “what/for,” so to speak, with incontrovertible facts, winning the argument and leaving them cowering in the corner. And it’s true the account ends with a mighty pointed word of Law that condemns their (and any) rejection of Jesus or refusal to repent and believe in Him. But just the fact that Jesus went to the trouble to tell them this rather pointed parable is evidence that He was still reaching out to them, that there was a bigger, more important question, calling them to repent, believe and be saved. This is the main task of the Church in this world, to call people to salvation—all people both within and without the Church, to call people to “Get With Christ.” When a young Christian couple finds themselves with the new vocation of parenthood, the first thing they “tell” their newborn infant is “Get With Christ” by means of the water and the Word of Holy Baptism. Every sermon, every Sunday School lesson and every Bible study is the call of God to men, women and children struggling to live their God-given faith in this world to “Get With Christ.” Sometimes, as in today’s parable, it is an urgent word either to those who have arrayed themselves as enemies or when there isn’t much time left for further testimony to “Get With Christ.” But no matter who or when or where this is the heart of the Church’s message to all: “Get With Christ.” The vineyard is a familiar Biblical picture or metaphor, especially from Isaiah 5, which we heard earlier. It is a picture of God’s covenant people, the “Church,” if you will. Whether old or new testament, God’s people are, as with a vineyard, God’s own planting, the objects of His ongoing care. As with a fence and a tower He protects His people from the enemies of His salvation and rule. And, as with a vineyard, God expects the vines to produce fruit. Jesus’ parable summarizes the story of Israel’s spotty record, and especially of their leaders, their sins, faithlessness and hardness of heart, as Jesus will say in so many words shortly of Jerusalem “killing the prophets and stoning those sent to them” (Mt 23:37). The missing fruit of the parable is repentance, faith and love, and especially their rejection of the Master’s Son, their Messiah and Savior, Jesus Christ. And while the parable has a very specific context, purpose and audience when Jesus spoke it that day, it reflects God’s own care and purpose and a warning for us, His people, His vineyard today. Like vines in a vineyard each Christian is God’s own planting and object of His ongoing care. No one comes to saving faith by their own efforts, preparations or decisions. That is to say in parabolic language, you didn’t and you don’t plant yourself! Faith is the gift and creation of God in a person’s heart through the Word of God; the Word that, first, calls a thing what it is. It says of all and each of us, “You are a sinner.” But then that Word hurries to tell us that God’s wrath against sin has been taken away, cancelled, wiped out by the holy life and substitutionary, sacrificial bloody death o[...] alunneberg@comcast.net no no http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/09/25/politics/ http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/09/25/politics/#comments Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:54:27 +0000 alunneberg http://al.lunneberg.com/?p=856 http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/09/25/politics/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Text: Matthew 21:23-27 Date: Pentecost XV + Proper 21 + 9/25/11 Lawyers know that in court you never ask a question unless you know the answer ahead of time. Politicians, on the other hand, are expert in “spin.” I’ve always said I could never be a p[...] Text: Matthew 21:23-27 Date: Pentecost XV + Proper 21 + 9/25/11 Lawyers know that in court you never ask a question unless you know the answer ahead of time. Politicians, on the other hand, are expert in “spin.” I’ve always said I could never be a politician because I’m not a good liar. It is the last week of Jesus’ life, after His triumphant entry into Jerusalem (Mt 21:1-11). The first thing He does is drive out the merchants and moneychangers from the temple, saying, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers” (Mt. 21:12-13). It is then that the chief priests and elders of the people confront Him, asking, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Less like good lawyers knowing the answer before they asked Him, they sounded more like politicians. Agreeing to Jesus’ offer that He would answer their question if they would first answer one of His, He asked them about John the Baptist. Did his baptizing ministry come from heaven or from man? Their answer is almost comical. They calculated a negative result one way or the other so they simply answered, “We don’t know.” Deal done. “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” End of story. But not quite. Jesus did proceed to answer their question by means of a couple of parables. Today we are going to answer this question, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” For the answer involves a clear statement, first, concerning who Jesus is and, secondly, what He came to do. And it is by faith in this answer that a person can have the certainty of salvation. The chief priests and elders saw only a man standing there, not any different from any one of them. And indeed I can imagine that we would be shocked, or actually “underwhelmed” if Jesus would appear to us as He was then, what? maybe five-foot-ten and a hundred and twenty-five pounds. If you ever needed to be convinced Jesus was just a man, just look at Him! As the prophet Isaiah said, “he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him” (Is 53:2). Nevertheless, we heard not too long ago, the apostle Peter under the revelation and inspiration of the Holy Spirit confess Jesus to be the Christ the Son of the living God (Mt 16:16). The Evangelists Matthew and Luke reveal to us Jesus’ divine nature telling us that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. St. John calls Him “the Word,” the Son of God who is from the beginning, through whom all things were created. Then the Word became flesh. He is, to use our favorite phrase, the Incarnate Word; God who came down from heaven to take on our flesh, our human nature. So as God Himself there is no question concerning His authority—His authority over wind and wave and all creation; His authority over all people, all illness and even death as their Creator; His authority over the saving covenants He has made over the centuries with His people through Adam and Noah, Abraham, Moses and David and, yes, that includes His authority over His commanded dwelling place, the Jerusalem Temple and its proper use. One of the clearest descriptions of our Lord’s divine nature is in the opening words of the letter to the Hebrews: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Heb 1:1-3). This is what the Creed means when it describes our Lord’s divine nature in the words, “begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance[...] alunneberg@comcast.net no no http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/09/16/blessed-are-the-eyes-that-see/ http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/09/16/blessed-are-the-eyes-that-see/#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:03:48 +0000 alunneberg http://al.lunneberg.com/?p=850 http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/09/16/blessed-are-the-eyes-that-see/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Text: Luke 10:23-37 Date: Trinity XIII + One Year Lectionary + 9/18/11 Occasion: Barry Blomquist 40th Anniversary Our Savior Lutheran Church, Grand Rapids, MI I don’t know if you’ve noticed Mr. Blomquist’s eye glasses. They are rather heavy…thick. I[...] Text: Luke 10:23-37 Date: Trinity XIII + One Year Lectionary + 9/18/11 Occasion: Barry Blomquist 40th Anniversary Our Savior Lutheran Church, Grand Rapids, MI I don’t know if you’ve noticed Mr. Blomquist’s eye glasses. They are rather heavy…thick. I’m amazed that they continue to issue him a driver’s license! (You do have a driver’s license?) I remember when I got my first glasses. I knew I needed something for reading small print. However, when I got them what I didn’t know until then is how much I needed them even for distances. My eyes were opened, literally, wider and clearer. I remember the doctor asking me how old I was. “Forty,” I said. “Yep,” she responded, “right on schedule.” There’s a schedule? I didn’t know there was a schedule! Well, this weekend we celebrate another “Forty,” and another kind of vision: the forty years in the teaching ministry of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod of our dear teacher, principal, friend and brother Barry Blomquist. As a fellow classmate of the class of 1971 of Concordia College, St. Paul, Minnesota, I stand with you in some awe and wonder that it’s been forty years since graduation. I’m glad that the lectionary includes verses 23-24 of Luke 10 just before the (what? parable? story? account?) of what has come to be called the Good Samaritan. Glad because it reminds us of the spiritual “vision,” the eyes of faith God gives and works in every Christian. “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!” Jesus says our eyes are blessed because of what they see. But this seeing has nothing to do with an eye chart at 20 feet. Rather it has to do with the faith of the love of God in Jesus Christ that saves sinners. In the Greek, “Blessed are the ophthalmoi” from which we get ophthalmology and ophthalmologist, the study and treatment of the eye. And why does Jesus say their eyes are blessed? “Because many prophets and kings wished to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” Well, see and hear what? Jesus! That God, the Son of God, has come in the flesh and is standing right there before them; that Jesus is the Son of God, the promised Savior. This is the understanding of faith…alone. You will recall that when St. Peter confessed Jesus to be the Son of the living God our Lord said he was blessed; for flesh and blood did not reveal that to him but the Father in heaven. The entire kingdom of God is hidden (if you will) in Jesus. Apart from receiving and believing in Jesus as God’s Son, no one, as wise or understanding they may be in the eyes of the world, no one, as spiritual or religious or dedicated they may be to a false, non-existent god, no one will see God’s salvation. The twelve apostles are the eyewitnesses of God’s saving act in Jesus and so their eyes are blessed in a special way. But all who have received their witness and testimony in the Bible, have received not Lasik[1] surgery for their physical eyes but the operation of God the Holy Spirit who calls by the Gospel, enlightens with His gifts, sanctifies and keeps you in the true faith. This is “the eyes of your hearts” St. Paul talks about in Ephesians, “enlightened that you may know what is the hope to which [God] has called you” (Eph 1:17-18). This is the task of the preaching and teaching ministry: proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus so that people, children and adults, will come to true repentance and faith and thus be made members of the kingdom of God. I’d like to use the account of the expert in the law who tried to test Jesus and to justify himself and the story of the Good Samaritan to reflect on the ministry that Mr. Blomquist, along with Pastors Fleming and Sherrill and I, and so many before us, have been called by God to serve as teachers in the Church. “Behold!” says St. Luke. “Check this out!” “A lawyer stood up.” Now remember that then in Israel “the law” has nothing to do with the United States Constitution and certainly not the so-called Shariah law of Islam, but the Law [...] alunneberg@comcast.net no no http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/09/11/has-god-really-forgiven-you/ http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/09/11/has-god-really-forgiven-you/#comments Sun, 11 Sep 2011 16:41:54 +0000 alunneberg http://al.lunneberg.com/?p=847 http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/09/11/has-god-really-forgiven-you/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Text: Matthew 18:21-35 Date: Pentecost XIII + Proper 19 + 9/11/11 What a terrible choice of scripture to be read on this day, don’t you agree? this day on which we commemorate the tenth anniversary of the evil attacks of our enemies on the United St[...] Text: Matthew 18:21-35 Date: Pentecost XIII + Proper 19 + 9/11/11 What a terrible choice of scripture to be read on this day, don’t you agree? this day on which we commemorate the tenth anniversary of the evil attacks of our enemies on the United States on September 11, 2001? A terrible choice! Forgiveness? Wouldn’t it have been better if we had heard of Moses mightily leading the children of Israel through the divided waters of the Red Sea and those seas then closing in and drowning Pharaoh and his army? Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.” (Ex 15:1-10) Or, how about Joshua and the fall of Jericho? There’s a song for that one too! Joshua fit de battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho Joshua fit de battle of Jericho, And the walls came a tumblin’ down. But no. Even with the memory of that terrible event of ten years ago still fresh in most of our minds what do we hear today? We hear of Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers sins (Gen 50:15-21) and the end of Jesus’ parable, saying, “And should not you have mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” Mercy? Still we ask, isn’t there a difference between how we are to relate with fellow Christians on the one hand and those Muslims on the other? Or at least isn’t there a difference between whether we are acting as Christians, as “Church,” or are battling as loyal, patriotic Americans? Yes, there is a little difference, as Luther noted, a difference between what we call the kingdom of the right hand (the Church) and the kingdom of the left hand (the secular government). But ultimately the left hand kingdom will disappear and the kingdom of God remain forever. Jesus seems to have that end goal in mind when He says, “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” But He says, “your brother”! Surely this means only other Christians, right? It seems that all of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18 about caring for the greatest, that is, the least and neediest among us, is speaking about those of the family of faith, fellow Christians. Nevertheless, clearly related passages do not seem to limit forgiveness just to those of the household of faith as when we are taught to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us,” and Jesus’ words from the Sermon on the Mount, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Mt 5:43-45). Add to that, of course, our Lord’s words also from the Cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34), and the fact that Christ died for all, for the ungodly, for sinners. Love and forgiveness even of the enemy is one way we reflect our reconciled relationship with God our Father to the world. So, no, you can’t weasel out of the obligation of forgiveness that easily. The biggest difference between our Christian obligation of forgiveness and the feelings we might have toward those who are enemies of our nation is that we are not held individually accountable or responsible when there is no individual, personal relationship. That is to say that none of us here are in the position, have the authority or responsibility of speaking either a word of condemnation or forgiveness to anyone on behalf of our nation. We are held accountable, however, in all our personal engagements. Think of Saint Stephen, the first martyr, praying in the same manner of his Lord for those stoning him, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60). The fact is there is no sin that cannot be forgiven except for the sin of refusal to receive forgiveness. Once again we find ourselves identifying with the apostle Peter questioning…seriously questioning the appl[...] alunneberg@comcast.net no no http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/09/04/when-i-am-great/ http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/09/04/when-i-am-great/#comments Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:55:29 +0000 alunneberg http://al.lunneberg.com/?p=843 http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/09/04/when-i-am-great/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Text: Matthew 18:1-20 Date: Pentecost XII + Proper 18 + 9/4/11 First, I suppose I ought to explain the sermon title. For it sounds quite boastful, don’t you think? Who among us would even consider much less talk about our own greatness? Yet that’s w[...] Text: Matthew 18:1-20 Date: Pentecost XII + Proper 18 + 9/4/11 First, I suppose I ought to explain the sermon title. For it sounds quite boastful, don’t you think? Who among us would even consider much less talk about our own greatness? Yet that’s what Jesus’ disciples do in our text today. The last two chapters of Matthew’s Gospel have been treated with the sermon titles, “When Faith is Great,” then “When Confession is Great,” followed last Sunday by “When Faith and Confession are Not So Great,” which brings us to today’s topic, “When I Am Great.” It is great, after all, to be told by Jesus, “Blessed are you” for your God-given, Spirit-charged miracle of faith and confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Add to that the experience of the three insiders of the Transfiguration in chapter 17 and you can almost hear the Mac Davis song in the background: Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way. I can’t wait to look in the mirror cause I get better looking each day. To know me is to love me I must be a hell of a man. Oh Lord it’s hard to be humble but I’m doing the best that I can. Now guess whom I am describing. He stands for hope for the future. But he is ignorant, unfit to rule, cannot choose between good and evil, is not able to count, cannot defend himself, is readily deceived, and lacks wisdom. ‘Hardly sounds like greatness, does it? And so that you know whom I am talking about, and whom I’m not talking about, it is from a list summarizing how the Bible describes a child.[1] “The disciples came to Jesus, saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ And calling to him a child, he put [it] in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Now so that we don’t get the wrong idea, especially in our culture where children are inappropriately elevated to near saintly status for their supposed innocence, I recall making an “evangelism” call speaking with a woman as her infant child lay in a crib next to her. We happened to be discussing how we all are sinners by nature, from the beginning of our lives. The woman objected, saying, “Oh, you can’t mean that my little baby there is a sinner!” And all the while the baby was crying loudly and making quite a ruckus and racket that made it hard to have a conversation. I was amused at her objection. No, children are sinners as much as any adult. They just haven’t had the time like we have to figure out all the ways one can express that sinful nature. So Jesus throws the spotlight on a child, not as if the child is sinless or innocent, but because children are lowly, needy, inferior, physically weak and dependent totally upon others. The central idea for discipleship is becoming totally dependent on God for everything. That is, Jesus is saying that the greatest among those under the reign and rule of God in His kingdom is precisely the one who is powerless and who confesses and acknowledges before God and everyone else his own emptiness and inability in spiritual things. While this goes against the normal human and sinful ego, it is, if you think about it, quite a freeing thing! Sure we’d like to take some credit for joining Jesus’ campaign or demonstrating a certain “Christian” personality, character or reputation. But only when we finally admit (and here are those otherwise offensive words again) that “I am a poor, miserable sinner” and cannot free myself from my sin, when we have totally emptied ourselves of ourselves, only then can God come and fill us with His deliverance and mercy. Now, of course, simply denying the reality doesn’t change it. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” whether they admit it or not. All are needy and dependent on God all of the time, whether they admit it or not. It’s just that between our helple[...] alunneberg@comcast.net no no http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/08/28/when-faith-and-confession-are-not-so-great/ http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/08/28/when-faith-and-confession-are-not-so-great/#comments Sun, 28 Aug 2011 17:11:23 +0000 alunneberg http://al.lunneberg.com/?p=839 http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/08/28/when-faith-and-confession-are-not-so-great/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Text: Matthew 16:21-28 Date: Pentecost XI + Proper 17 + 8/28/11 Before entering into the third and most crucial part of his Gospel account St. Matthew gives us a seminar on the topic of faith. It began with Peter walking to Jesus on the water and, w[...] Text: Matthew 16:21-28 Date: Pentecost XI + Proper 17 + 8/28/11 Before entering into the third and most crucial part of his Gospel account St. Matthew gives us a seminar on the topic of faith. It began with Peter walking to Jesus on the water and, when he almost drowned, Jesus addressed him as “you of little faith” (14:31). Then we witnessed Jesus addressing a Canaanite woman, whom we would assume is as far away from the family of faith as you could get, saying, “O woman, great is your faith!” (15:28). Whether “little” or “great” we are to discover that faith is far more than mere human positive thinking and, in fact, is not something anyone can even conjure up or produce by their own “reason or strength.” At Jesus’ question, “Who do you say I am?” Peter gives the mighty confession of faith that can only be revealed by God working through His Word (16:16), namely, accurately identifying who Jesus is. Last Sunday we all hoped that we are as bold and inspired as St. Peter. Today, however, we are reminded that if you are going to take Simon Peter as your example you must take all of him. And we are to know that, like Peter, as long as we walk by faith we are in a constant struggle. Today Jesus announces for the first time the necessity of His sacrificial death on a cross. Peter doesn’t like that talk. He rejects it with what he thinks is loud and proud loyalty. But Jesus rebukes Peter. His once great faith and confession of who Jesus is has suddenly failed him when it comes to what Jesus came to do. Today we learn that as Jesus’ mission must include the cross, so a great faith and confession must go the same way and include the denial of self, taking up your cross and continual following of Jesus wherever He leads. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” For faith and confession to be great means to agree with God’s Word; to agree with the Bible’s diagnosis that all are sinners in need of God’s help and salvation, and to agree with God’s plan that His salvation, the forgiveness of our sin, comes only at the price of the perfect, holy and bloody sacrifice of Christ on the cross. So to deny self means, among other things, to deny our preference, our logic, our insistence that God conform to our way of thinking. Surely Peter had expected Jesus to begin to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and put the elders and chief priests and scribes in their place, and be enthroned as victorious Lord, to usher in His kingdom by a show of power, might and success. Isn’t that the sort of salvation we have always looked for and imagined of the Messiah? But what then is this talk Peter hears that, when Jesus goes to Jerusalem he will “suffer…and be killed”? I doubt the last phrase, “and on the third day be raised,” even registered in Peter’s mind. “No, no, no, this can’t happen; this isn’t right!” says Peter. The cross has no place in a story of heroic rescue and salvation. And this same insistence expresses itself in every program today designed to increase church membership or gain a following by means of good marketing techniques and removing everything negative—don’t talk about sin or death, only talk about positive thinking; remove or at least cover up all crosses because they’re too depressing; the old hymns have to go not because they’re old but because most of them talk about sin and grace, cross and suffering, death and resurrection. We need upbeat, uplifting hymns that produce a positive feeling of happiness and victory. “You are a hindrance to me,” says our Lord, then and now! “For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” To deny self means to become brutally honest about the darkness of our sin and separation from God. As the humble obedience of Jesus our Savior led Him inevitably to the cross so faith produces humility and obedience that contradicts even our most deep seated pride and selfishness. When “the things of man” tempt us[...] alunneberg@comcast.net no no http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/08/21/50-years-of-revealing-faith/ http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/08/21/50-years-of-revealing-faith/#comments Sun, 21 Aug 2011 17:58:53 +0000 alunneberg http://al.lunneberg.com/?p=836 http://al.lunneberg.com/2011/08/21/50-years-of-revealing-faith/feed/ 0 0:00:01 Text: Matthew 16:13-20 Occasion: 50th Anniversary of Trinity Lutheran School Date: Pentecost X + Proper 16 + 8/21/11 Trinity Lutheran Church, Jackson, Michigan “Who do you say that I am?” asked Jesus of His disciples. Peter answered, “The Christ, th[...] Text: Matthew 16:13-20 Occasion: 50th Anniversary of Trinity Lutheran School Date: Pentecost X + Proper 16 + 8/21/11 Trinity Lutheran Church, Jackson, Michigan “Who do you say that I am?” asked Jesus of His disciples. Peter answered, “The Christ, the Son of the living God.” “Good for you, Pete!” “Blessed are you” responded Jesus. “For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” This is the heart, the hidden part, the real wisdom behind a Lutheran school and of our Trinity Lutheran School for the past fifty years. Only things that are somehow hidden in the first place need to be revealed, revealed to us by someone else. Whether that means pulling away or removing those things that are covering up that “something” or just opening our eyes to see what should be, after all, plainly visible is the task of those sent to bring that “something” to change people’s perspective, worldview, vision and life. Thus it was that God sent His only Son into this world not to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through Him (John 3:17). In Jesus alone a person can clearly see God, the God of grace and glory. So also in Jesus’ sending of His apostolic ministers to preach and teach people God’s truth. Such has been the heart of our Lutheran schools ever since Lutherans first set foot in our land. Of course certain things of life in this world can be taught and learned by (almost) anyone, “reading, writing, arithmetic.” But the things of God, the eternal things must be revealed, revealed by God working through His Word the gift of faith in the heart. And this, above all, is what we are celebrating this year as we mark fifty years of God’s blessing of our beloved Trinity Lutheran School of Jackson, Michigan. Wow! I just had a flashback remembering the celebration of our thirtieth year! And that reminds me of the flashbacks I’ve experienced so far just this summer—conducting a wedding of someone I baptized as an infant in my first parish in Chicago, then another wedding here at Ella Sharp Park of Laura Hickey and Brandon Kroth, then, at the end of last month, I was in the Kansas City, Missouri area to preach for the ordination and installation as a pastor of a son of the congregation I now serve. While I was there, though, I had to decide where to go to church, to Divine Service on Sunday morning. So I looked at the synod website and, lo and behold, there was the name of Tyler Arnold. Tyler Arnold is not only administrative pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Platte Woods, Missouri but also circuit counselor for circuit number twelve, Kansas City North. Even better than that, however, is that Tyler Arnold was that tall, skinny 8th grader, the last I saw him, sitting in the back row of my confirmation class at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Wood River, Illinois (where I was just before coming to Jackson). It was an amazing experience! I sat in on his Bible class and listened to the sermon and found myself thinking, “Where did he get all that?” I know, of course, where he got all that. He greeted me with a huge hug and we spent some time catching up with what has happened in the intervening years. Those are experiences only the passing of time and God’s rich blessings can provide. And once in a while you get to come back to some of your favorite places. I’ve got lots of great memories of Trinity Lutheran School. Three of my four sons graduated from TLS. Oh, sure, there were the rough moments—many of which were the making of our own sin, pride, refusal to forgive, stupidity and all that sinful side of life. But over all the grace of God covered, forgave, blessed. The whole purpose, the whole reason for putting forth all the sweat and tears and expense of operating a Lutheran school was and is to this day to provide the means for God’s work of revealing faith to the children He brings and their parents and families as well. I’d like to think that, in answer to our Lord’s question in today’s text[...] alunneberg@comcast.net no no