Introit (Psalm 122; Antiphon: Isaiah
66:10–11)
Galatians 4:21–31
St. John 6:1–15
In the name of the Father and of the + Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
On Transfiguration we sang farewell to the
“Alleluias,” and exchanged that full-throated joyful song of praise for a more
penitential, somber tune in Lent to reflect our sorrow over sin. That Sunday we
sang the hymn that sets aside the “Alleluia.” But in that hymn we also sang
about the Church in a way that resembles our Introit and Epistle today: Alleluia, thou resoundest, True Jerusalem
and free; Alleluia, joyful mother, All
thy children sing with thee (LSB 417:2). In both our Introit and Epistle
today, the Church is identified as the true Jerusalem and our spiritual mother. And in both the Introit and the
Epistle, the Church and her children, that’s us, are told to rejoice! Even in Lent, with no “Alleluias,”
there is still rejoicing. Laetare! Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her.
In our
Epistle, St. Paul makes an allegory out of the Genesis account with Abraham,
Sarah, and Hagar, and their sons, Ishmael and Isaac. The Lord had
promised Abraham and Sarah a son, even in their old age, even though Sarah was
barren. And
so they waited and waited and no son came. So Sarah had the
idea that Abraham could still have a son, just not with her, and so she gave
her slave woman Hagar to Abraham. And Hagar gave birth to a son and he was
named Ishmael. But that was not the Lord’s plan for Abraham and Sarah, and so
later, just as the Lord had promised, Abraham did have a son with Sarah, and he
was named Isaac.
Now
what is the difference between Ishmael and Isaac? Both are sons of Abraham.
But
Ishmael is merely the son of a natural, earthly conception and birth. What is lacking in
Ishmael? His
birth lacks the promise from God. Isaac is the son of the promise. His
conception and birth is not merely natural, but came from the Word that the
Lord spoke to Abraham and Sarah. What’s more, Isaac’s birth from the promise
points ahead to the great son of the promise, the son of Abraham: Jesus, the
promised Savior. This is the difference between these two
sons: One
came to life from the Word and promise of God, and so became the heir of the
promise for a Savior. The other did not.
St.
Paul uses this account to show the difference between the Law and the Gospel –
that is, those who try to be saved by the Law and their works, and those who
are saved by the Gospel and the promise of salvation in Jesus. Hagar the slave
woman represents Mount Sinai where the Law was given, and also the earthly city
of Jerusalem where the Temple was and where the Jews put their trust in their
own righteousness and works. The Law makes promises but only conditional
ones: “Do this and you will live.” The Law only gives earthly blessings,
because it cannot make us right and holy in the eyes of God. The Law can only
demand perfection from us. It has no power to forgive and make us perfect.
So
this Hagar is a slave to the Law and can only give birth to slaves of the Law.
What
are she and her children lacking? They lack the promise of Christ’s free
forgiveness.
On the
other hand, Sarah, even though she herself was a sinner, represents a very
different mountain and city. She is Mount Zion and the true Jerusalem.
This
is not referring to the physical location on the map, and certainly not the
rebellious city that killed the prophets and crucified our Lord. Mother Sarah
represents the Jerusalem spoken of in our Introit – the true and free and
heavenly Jerusalem. She is the one holy Church and she has the
Gospel. She has the unconditional promise of God’s gracious forgiveness in
Christ’s blood. She has all the heavenly blessings of faith, hope, love, and
everlasting peace. And so she is a free mother and she gives
heavenly birth to free children of God. All who trust in
Christ and His promise of forgiveness have this new birth and this holy mother.
Now as
wonderful as all this sounds, and even as we believe this joyful message, we do
not fully experience it, and too often it seems that things are just the
opposite. The Church doesn’t usually look like a joyful mother with many
children, but rather like a poor beggar woman, barren, starving, and
ridiculed by the world. She doesn’t have many followers because her
teaching is out of step with what’s popular, and it doesn’t seem
like she has much to offer people who are trying to have a successful,
fulfilling, happy life. And then there are the sons of Hagar, the
people who come up with good rules to live by. They have the most
up-to-date knowledge and are open-minded and tolerant of everyone’s views.
They
don’t worry about old-fashioned ideas like sin, so that leaves them free to
enjoy life and do what feels right to them. They are numerous
and successful in the eyes of the world, with their minds empty and their
bellies full. Hagar, the mother of those who trust in their own works and
ways, she seems to be prolific. And poor Sarah, the mother of those who
trust only in the Lord, she seems to be barren. But again, what’s
the real difference? The sons of Sarah have God’s promises, while
the sons of Hagar do not.
Hagar
may have many children, but they are all slaves to the Law and to their own
sin. Sarah
may be a less glorious looking mother in the eyes of the world, but in the eyes
of God she is blessed and fruitful because her children are free from sin and
the Law. They are the sons of God. Our mother, the Church is the most holy and
beautiful woman because she is blessed with the things of God – she has the
Lord’s own Word and sacraments – and through these she gives birth to those who
believe. On
the surface the Church does not appear attractive or successful, but she is the
very House of God – the place where we find God’s mercy – the place where we
find the true Son of God Himself who has mercy on sinners and preaches to them
His forgiving Gospel, washes them with His holy name, and feeds them with His
holy body and blood. Here in the Church we find Jesus, the Son of
God who makes us sons of God. Here in the Church, the Spirit and Word give
us the new birth of faith, the new life of communion with our Father and His
family, and the new joy of sins forgiven. Therefore, we can
sing, even when we don’t feel like it: I
was glad when they said to me, “Let
us go to the house of the Lord!”
Rejoice
O Church of Christ! Rejoice
with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all
you who love her. Even in Lent, even while you mourn over your
sins, rejoice. For you may
confess, “I am barren and desolate. I
don’t see the success and blessings in my life that my neighbors have. I don’t feel the happiness or have the
uplifting experiences like I think I should. I look at myself and all I see is failure and sin, apathy and
worry, frustration, fear, and jealousy.” Regardless
of all that, Christ is your righteousness and glory and He is all you need.
His promise of forgiveness, life, and
salvation is yours. Jesus is
your heavenly treasure, your constant help, your never-failing joy. Jesus is the Church’s joy even in the midst
of her suffering. That’s what
our Hymn of the Day is all about. Even in this life of sin, sorrow, and
suffering, Jesus is our reason to rejoice. Rejoice with Jerusalem! Rejoice with
that poor mother, who though she was barren, is the mother of many children by
the grace of God. Though she was sinful, she is made holy and pure by the blood
of Jesus. Rejoice
with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast. Our mother, the Church is where we go for the food of
heaven and are nourished by the gifts of God. Although she seems barren and
desolate, the Lord gives her children. Although Jesus and the crowd were in a
barren and desolate place, the Lord gave food in abundance for His people. He
provides what we need for this life, and even more richly He provides for the
life to come. His Word is life itself and food to enrich the soul. His body and blood are the bread and wine of heaven that
forgive our sins and strengthen us for the journey through this wilderness.
Our
cup overflows. He turns the barren into a mother and the slave into a son.
He
turns the desert into a garden and the desolate place into His eternal city.
All
this the Lord Jesus gives with His promise – His Word of forgiveness. For this reason
alone, we rejoice with Jerusalem, the
Church of God. Until that glorious day when all her children are gathered in
the Father’s Home, she mourns now in this valley of sorrow, even while
rejoicing in the Truth. She hungers and thirsts, while being fed on
God’s Word. And she is attacked and persecuted by the enemies of God and
those sons of Hagar that mock her for trusting in something so foolish as God’s
promises. So rejoice, and pray. Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem! May
they be secure who love you! This is the peace
that Jesus achieved on the cross with His blood. Peace between God
and sinful men – the peace that comes from sins forgiven. This is the peace that Jesus gives in His
Word and Holy Supper. Peace
that the world cannot give. Peace
that the world cannot comprehend. Peace
that surpasses all understanding, but
peace that guards our hearts and minds in the secure and certain knowledge that
we are righteous in God’s sight, we are His beloved children, and He hears us
as a true Father listens to His dear children.
We are often tempted to forsake
our dear mother and go back to Hagar and slavery under the Law. We are tempted
to give into despair and self-pity and think that at least with the Law and
with our own efforts we can be successful and happy like the rest of the world.
Slaves, but happy slaves, content with our own righteousness. We doubt that
Jesus can really provide what we need and we doubt that the Church is really
the place to find it. But Jesus provides more than we need in impossible
situations. He provides for life on earth, life in the Church, and life
forever. You have His promises and He doesn’t lie. He provided food in the
wilderness for thousands. He provides life, peace, and joy in this world for
you. So pray for the impossible – pray for miracles. Pray for peace in the
world, in the church, and in your heart. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Be glad
and go to the House of the Lord. The Church is your mother, and that means you
belong with her, with your brothers and sisters in Christ. You are children of
the promise, free sons of God. Rejoice!
In the Holy + Name
of Jesus. Amen.
