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Come, for Everything is Now Ready

Text: Luke 14:16-24
Date: Pentecost III + 6/17/07

     It is the age-old story…the tale of the native spiritual blindness of the fallen nature of all men; the account of the God of love who has done everything that needed to be done to restore, to redeem, to save his fallen creation from the devastation of sin, death and the devil—the Gospel which, when it is published and proclaimed, nevertheless is irrationally ignored, rejected, treated as something of secondary importance at best when compared to all the other details of our busy little lives, our frenetic strivings for possessions, for all those things that we have determined make for happiness, success, fame and fulfillment. It is a story Jesus told to the Pharisees. The urgency of the issue may be hidden unless and until you notice that little detail of the story, how the master who had prepared the banquet became angry when his invitation was so flippantly rejected, and precisely by those for whom it was intended as first in line. Jesus knew their blindness, their hardness of heart, even their animosity and refusal to hear, to really hear the Gospel, the good news He came to deliver. If it’s possible to be angry without sin (Ps. 4:4; Eph. 4:26) you can hear the sharp edge of Jesus’ words in telling this little story. If the Pharisees caught the connection, would they repent and turn and listen and believe and be saved? Or would they be offended the more, intent on silencing this “troubler of Israel” (1 Kings 18:17)? Well, repentance hurts. It is never easy, comfortable. For repentance means something in us has to die, as when surgery cuts or chemotherapy burns out the deadly threat lodged deeply within. Continue reading “Come, for Everything is Now Ready”

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Hear, Repent, and Believe–Today!

Text: Luke 16:19-31
Date: Pentecost II + 6/10/07

     The first half of Jesus’ story of the Rich Man and Lazarus is simple and should stun us as to its striking reality of our own experience, the universal contrast between the rich and the poor, selfish indulgence and neglect of those in need, especially those right on our own doorstep. But the second half of the story needs to be handled in a parabolic way since it involves communication and dialog between heaven and hell, between the saints and the damned, something denied by the rest of scripture (Isaiah 63:16) and, indeed, by Jesus’ words themselves when he speaks of the “great chasm fixed” between heaven and hell (v. 26). The main point of Jesus’ “story” is, clearly, the need of men to hear and discover the truth of our sin, to repent of our sins and to believe God’s plan of salvation through the resurrection of Jesus Christ by listening to and hearing the Holy Scriptures, the Divine Truth revealed in the Bible.

     Now it strikes me that this has been a main theme of most of my sermons in the past few years. These days I’m drawn to constant harping (as my dad used to say) on the fundamental truths not only because there are an ever-increasing number of people who haven’t heard the truth of the Bible, but it seems there is an ever-increasing number of people even in the Church who, in the words with which the Lord commanded Isaiah to preach, “Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive,” whose hearts have grown dull, their ears heavy, their eyes shut, who truly have forgotten (if they ever knew) what it means to “turn and be healed,” to hear the Word, to repent and to believe (Is. 6:9-10). Repentance, like believing, is not just a one-time thing. Repentance and faith is to be a daily thing, a life style. I’m referring to the many instances of conflict, disagreement, anger, division, holding grudges, gossip and refusal to forgive going on in the church today. It is evident in almost every parish as well as on the regional and national levels of the church. It is evident in angry words of judgment, refusal to forgive or be reconciled, or in just giving up and staying away. Continue reading “Hear, Repent, and Believe–Today!”

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The Son of Man Came to Seek and to Save the Lost

Text: Luke 19:1-10
Date: 125th Anniversary of Zion, Detroit + 6/4/2007

     On any anniversary—whether it be the occasion to mark a birthday, a marriage, a high school or college reunion; the anniversary of the beginnings of a manufacturing company or the organizing of a political party or of some other association, group, school or movement; the marking of some past act in history that still has a profound effect on a growing number of people’s lives today—anniversaries review a history dotted with accomplishments and failures, names, buildings and the effect of the times surrounding that history which maybe have changed the initial vision or plan…changed by challenges or simply growing in knowledge and maturity. Whatever the occasion, on any anniversary it so much easier to look back, to remember and appreciate the past than it is to look forward, to anticipate or really know what the future holds.

      As pastor Kenneth Runge’s ministry, begun in 1938, was coming to a close in 1974, after serving Zion congregation for 36 years, and thanks to the many tape recordings made by our dear member Otto Kraske, we have Pastor Runge’s words recorded from a reception held on that occasion being introduced by the then President of the Michigan District, pastor Runge’s good friend and my predecessor at Trinity in Jackson, Rev. W. Harry Krieger. In his short 8 minute address, as he humbly recalled his many mistakes and errors from which none of us are immune, he spoke of his wish and prayer for Zion congregation in these exact words:
     “In the years that lie ahead,” he said, “I hope that this congregation is going to prosper mightily under the grace of God and be a true light of the world and a city set on a hill that cannot be hid…. I pray for this parish that it may become ever stronger even when my ministry is at an end, that it will go to greater heights, and that the influence of Zion and Christ through her will remain in this community for many years to come.”

     Well, here we are some 40 “years-to-come” later from that prayer and wish, and we’re still here. Are we still that light and city set on a hill? Here we are exactly 125 “years-to-come” later from that initial vision of a Rev. K. L. Moll and 51 laymen, ten from Immanuel Lutheran Church, and we’re still here. Are we stronger and still a blessing in this community? Continue reading “The Son of Man Came to Seek and to Save the Lost”

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Baptized into the Name

Text: John 3:1-15
Date: The Holy Trinity + 6/3/07

      “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” you were baptized. You were baptized “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” When we gather before God every week since then on His Day in this place set apart and made holy for this purpose, the first thing we do is present our credentials, our passport, our immigration papers, the only evidence that we have the right and can dare appear in God’s presence, the same words of our Holy Baptism, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Our entrance is immediately validated by the words of Holy Absolution, “I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

     Then we use the very words of God given to us in the psalms to enter the Lord’s gates with thanksgiving. After praying the prayer of the heart, “Kyrie, Eleison,” “Lord, have mercy, Christ, have mercy, Lord, have mercy,” we sing the first of the eternal songs of the angels, “Gloria in Excelsis,” “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.” This angelic song has been expanded by the Holy Church under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to address the heavenly king, almighty God the Father; the Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, our Lord God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, now seated at the right hand of the Father. We acknowledge Jesus to be the Most High, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. We then pray a prayer that sounds the main theme of the season and the Sunday in the Collect of the Day.

     Then we sit.
     Then we shut our mouths and open our ears.

     The Lord speaks and we listen. For His word bestows what it says. Continue reading “Baptized into the Name”

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The Helper Will Teach You All Things

Text: John 14:23-31
Date: The Day of Pentecost + 5/27/07

     This is the great and joyful Feast of Pentecost. It is not, however, the old Pentecost of Moses and the Law with its horrific condemnation of sin but the new Pentecost of Jesus Christ and the Gospel, the Good News of the forgiveness of sins, freedom, life and salvation. On this day the once fearful and timid apostles suddenly turned fearless and bold as they publicly proclaimed Jesus Christ to be the one, true God, the only way to the Father, the only name given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). The apostles finally were convinced and believed for themselves as the Holy Spirit was poured out upon and among them with the sound like a mighty rushing wind and the sign of tongues as of fire appeared resting on each one of them. Then they were moved immediately to unlock and fling wide open the doors where they were, to go out boldly approaching whoever had gathered there being attracted by the sound and speaking to each of them. These simple (some would say backward) Galilean fishermen spoke to the people who had gathered from every nation under heaven in their own languages! One of them approached a person from Greece and began, miraculously, speaking to him in Greek; they ran into one from Egypt and began miraculously speaking to him in Arabic, and one from Rome and began miraculously speaking to him in Latin, and all of this miraculously without ever having learned much more than their own stuttering Hebrew or Aramaic from childhood. And what were they telling all these people? The audience themselves report they were hearing “the mighty works of God.” What works? Well, the most important works. Not Creation or Moses or the Exodus or the giving of the Law, but T.H.E. Mighty Work to which everything in the Old Testament pointed forward, how God himself took on our flesh, being born of the Virgin Mary and given the name Jesus, how He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried, how on the third day he rose again from the dead and has ascended into heaven and now has poured out and sent the Holy Spirit from the Father as He had promised. And all this so that everyone in the world might have their sins forgiven and receive eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. What did they talk about? Jesus Christ and Him crucified and risen again. They talked about Jesus.
Continue reading “The Helper Will Teach You All Things”

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Help from Falling Away

Text: John 15:26—16:4a
Date: Easter VII + Exaudi + 5/20/07

     Our Easter celebration continues. For the last 43 days we have rejoiced that the “little while” of our Lord’s departure by way of the cruel cross and the cold tomb ended in the bright warmth of His bodily resurrection on but only the third day. And we have rejoiced in his eleven recorded appearances to the first disciples for some forty days thereafter. But now He has ascended into heaven. He has returned to the Father. And it is starting to get rather lonely again. Oh, don’t get me wrong. For we, with the first disciples, remember His words, His promise that He would send the Holy Spirit and in this way He would be with us forever. He said it on that last Holy Thursday night, remember? “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me” [John 15:26]. He said it just before He ascended, remember? He told us not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for “the promise of the Father” which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now…. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses” [Acts 1:4-5, 8]. This Sunday we once again imitate the actual passage of time of the Biblical event as we gather on this day between our Lord’s Ascension last Thursday and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit ten days later, next Sunday on the Day of Pentecost. This gives us an opportunity to understand what has happened to us thus far and to be prepared for what will happen to us in the future; to understand the identity of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, and His purpose, what He does.

      In our short Gospel text Jesus speaks of two things: first, the Holy Spirit, and then the opposition and even persecution experienced by Christians who confess and preach the gospel to the world. It is God Himself, the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, Who leads us to an ever-deepening knowledge of the Gospel truth and gives us the divine strength needed to enable us to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the kingdom. Continue reading “Help from Falling Away”

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Go Into All the World

Because of a "glitch" the mp3 recording is only almost nearly complete. Apologies for that!


Text: Mark 16:14-20
Date: The Ascension of Our Lord + 5/17/07

     For forty days after his resurrection our Lord Jesus Christ appeared to his disciples a total of at least eleven times recorded for us in the New Testament. He appeared and disappeared, appeared and disappeared to teach us that he is with us whether or not we can see him. On this, the fortieth day of Easter, our Lord appeared to his disciples one last time. This time, however, he didn’t just disappear. He bodily ascended upwards into the sky until a cloud hid him from their sight. This action meant that he would no longer be appearing to his disciples in visible, bodily form because we no longer need him to do that. We have their eyewitness testimony and the Holy Spirit by Whom Christ lives in each of his disciples. We have heard the account of his ascension this year from both St. Luke and St. Mark. Tonight I would like to draw your attention to just two details of the significance of the Ascension of Our Lord for us and for all Christians. First that the Ascension is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesy from Psalm 68:18 where David writes, “You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train.” Second is the commission of Our Lord, as St. Mark has it, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation,” with the promise, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” Continue reading “Go Into All the World”

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I Have Overcome the World

Text: John 16:23-33
Date: Easter VI + 5/13/07

     “Rogate!” “Ask ye.” In the historic lectionary today’s Gospel is especially devoted to prayer as we hear our Lord Jesus Christ say to his disciples “whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you,” “for the Father himself loves you” (vs. 23, 27). These words are for Christians, that is, for those who have heard the call of the Gospel and, having drawn near to the Lord in His Church, have come to the repentance of their sin, received Holy Baptism and instruction in the faith and have publicly confessed the faith. Even so, like the first disciples to whom He first spoke these words, so for us, there is still so much more for us to learn, to know and to believe about our Lord and about ourselves as His new creation. Like so many of us, I became a Christian before I ever knew what was happening to me, being baptized as an infant. It was only later, actually in my teen years, that the Word of the Gospel (how shall I say it?) caught my attention as not only important but as the most important thing that alone promised to give meaning and purpose to my life, the answer to the biggest questions of life. All this is to say that there are two things that must be addressed in every sermon and in all the Church’s ministry. The first is the constant call to repentance and faith, the conversion of sinners into believers, as the prophet Isaiah says it today, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near” (Is. 55:6). The second is then the struggle of the confession and living of that faith as we take up our cross and follow Jesus.
Continue reading “I Have Overcome the World”

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The Spirit Will Guide You into All Truth

Text: John 16:5-15
Date: Easter V +5/6/07

     Every Sunday in the Prayer of the Church we pray that Almighty God would “inspire continually the holy catholic Church with the Spirit of truth,” and would grant “that all who confess [His] holy Name, may agree in the truth of [His] holy Word.” We pray that first petition because Jesus promised that He would send the Spirit of truth. We pray that second petition because there are those who confess the Name but do not agree in the truth. Even as we confess that we “believe” in the things that we cannot see, so do we continually pray for things such as agreement in God’s truth, the existence of which are not always evident or are continually threatened by the divisions of ignorance, false teaching or unbelief. Pontius Pilate was only the most famous one to utter with contemptible unbelief and mockery the universal question, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). Unlike at the founding of our nation all the way up until about 50 years ago, when God and specifically the Judeo-Christian religion were part of the very fabric of the public square and discourse, that fabric has been quickly deteriorating under the wear and tear of secularism and the tyranny of relativism to the point that most people today believe there is no such thing as objective truth applicable to everyone, there is no one true “church” on earth, and there is no such thing as “right” or “wrong.” In such a world the words of our Lord we hear today ring hollow, and our Easter proclamation of the resurrection of Christ is pretty much ignored and considered as but the remnant of an out-of-touch tradition—nothing to get too excited about any more.

     The ministry of the Holy Spirit of Christ, according to our text, consists in these three main themes, to “convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment.” It’s been the main theme of the truth from the beginning, these three important items that underlie everything else—the cause of all suffering and death, the only true hope that exists, and the reality of the spiritual warfare that is behind every war and conflict, every crime, every hatred, every division and every unkind word: the devil, “the ruler of this world.”
Continue reading “The Spirit Will Guide You into All Truth”

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The Promise of "The Little While"

Text: John 16:16-22
Date: Easter IV + 4/29/07

      During our midweek, Wednesday Lenten services this year we sat (and stood) with the first disciples in the Upper Room of Maundy Thursday and heard all the words of Jesus He spoke that night in which He was betrayed, recorded for us in five chapters of Saint John’s Gospel, chapters 13-17. If you were not with us during those weeks of Holy Lent you should know that now, like the first disciples, we can say, we’ve heard these words before, this text from John 16. Now in the joy and glow of Easter we, with those first disciples, recall those words and begin, only now, to understand what we formerly didn’t understand, to comprehend the depth of what He said to us then before it all happened—before His betrayal, suffering, cruel death and burial. Then, we didn’t understand what He meant when He said, “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me." Now, after His resurrection from only three days in a tomb, we see how little that “little while” was and, more than that, how it is that He said our sorrow has been turned into joy. What’s at issue here, however, is more than that initial experience of the first disciples. For the resurrection and ascension of Christ and this promise before us today is to give us patience and lift us out of all our “little whiles” of suffering or mourning, of fear and frustration, to an inner and real joy, as our Lord says, that no one will be able to take away. These words of our risen Lord mean to give us hope today in the face of any and all trials we may be enduring because the promise is, in the words of the Apostle Paul, “that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” [Romans 8:18]. Continue reading “The Promise of "The Little While"”