Month: February 2016

Text: Ezekiel 33:7-20
Date: Lent III + 2/28/16

Today’s theme is all about repentance. Lent is a special season about repentance. The entire Christian life, Martin Luther reminds us, is all about daily repentance. Repentance is a life and death issue. Today we hear Jesus’ warning, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Lk 13:3). In the same way we heard the call of the prophet Ezekiel because he was sent by God to warn God’s people of the need of repentance. Now on one level we could treat the issue of the responsibility of prophets and pastors to preach the Word that we have been given, commanded and sent to preach. Whoa to us if we do not preach what God has commanded. But there are some deeper issues before us. Continue reading “Why Will You Die?”

Text: Jeremiah 26:8-15
Date: Lent II + 2/21/16

If the season of Lent lays the groundwork of what it means to become a Christian saying that the important step is this attitude we call repentance, it is a wonder that anyone would ever give us a hearing. For repentance implies awareness of sin and contrition or sorrow over sin. For one to be sorry for sin they must first agree and acknowledge that they have sinned, that they are a sinner. Needless to say this is not an easy or popular idea in the world today, or any day. It is quite the opposite. It is against every sinful man’s proud nature. The Beatitudes of Jesus make that clear revealing how upside down is sinful man’s view of life and what it means to be blessed. “Blessed are the poor in spirit?” “Blessed are those who mourn?” “Blessed are the meek?” Everyone knows that if you operate with that kind of attitude you’re definitely not going to get anywhere much less be a success in this world. So it’s not surprising that the ears of all should be closed to such nonsense. What was the prophet Isaiah sent to preach? “Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive” (Is 6:9). And the Apostle Paul in the New Testament, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe” (1 Cor 1:21). Indeed, such is the fallen, spiritual condition of all people that the Bible says we are spiritually blind, dead and enemies of God. And such ignoring of the Church’s message you’d think would be enough. Yet what do we see? Continue reading “Killing the Prophets”

Text: Deuteronomy 26:1-11
Date: Lent I + 2/14/16

This past Ash Wednesday we entered the holy season of Lent. The purpose of Lent is personal renewal in repentance and faith; contrition over our continued battle against sin, death and the devil, and faith in the only One who has fought for us and is delivering us to life and fellowship with God. Lent has always been accompanied by certain activities or disciplines: repentance, fasting, prayer, and works of love. Some people talk of giving up something for Lent. But this first Sunday in Lent stands to remind us that the point is not our actions or works, or lack of them, but on the One who came to save us and gives us new life as pure gift. As today we see our Lord’s very first act of “binding the strong man” (Mark 3:27), rendering the old, evil foe, the devil, now to be in the complete control of and obedience to Jesus, we are bidden to see that in His earthly ministry our Savior is the perfect Israel, fulfilling God’s Law for us and the whole world in order that He can thereby give up Himself as the only pure and effective sacrifice sent to destroy sin and death and bring forgiveness, life and salvation to all who are brought to faith in Him. Continue reading “Israel Redux”