Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity

Genesis 1:1–2:3

St. John 4:46–54

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

There was once a scientist who made a bet with God. He said, “I bet I can create human life in my laboratory just like you can, God.” God said, “Okay, I’ll take that bet.” So, God got to work: He scooped up dust from the earth, formed it into a man, and then breathed life into the man’s body. Now it was the scientist’s turn, so he scooped up some dust and was taking it to his lab, when God stopped him. “Hold on,” said God. “You go get your own dust.”

God created the universe out of nothing. There was no pre-existent matter that He could use. In the beginning… the earth was without form and void. It was empty and shapeless—there was nothing. But nothing comes from nothing. So, how did God create His dust? How did He create anything? He spoke.

God created the universe out of nothing by His Word. God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation…” and there were plants. God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above… Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth”… And it was so. When God speaks, things happen. God’s Word does what it says. Simply by speaking His Word, He created something where once there had been nothing.

And God didn’t just create a bunch of stuff and let it sort itself out. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). He is a God of order. The earth was without form and void—shapeless and empty. But by speaking His Word, God was filling and forming His creation. He created an orderly world.

God created the universe out of nothing by His Word in six days. First, God creates light, so there is darkness and light, evening and morning. This constitutes a day. Within the order of the six days, there is more order. Water above in the sky and water below in the sea. Sun for the day, moon and stars for the night. Swimming creatures in the sea and flying creatures in the air. Animals on the land, and humans over all the animals. And even within humanity there is order: male and female.

Let me say a bit more about this order. Humans were created in the image of God, so they exercised authority over the animals which do not have God’s image. But besides their relationship to the animals, humans also reflect God among themselves, which means they reflect the good order that is even within God, within the Holy Trinity. God the Father is the head of God the Son. Both are eternally equally God, but they relate to one another in an order that is good and beautiful. Likewise, there is an order within humanity. Man or husband is the head of woman or wife. Both are equally in the image of God, but they relate to one another in an order that is good and beautiful—it’s good for man and woman, and it beautifully pictures the order of Christ the Bridegroom and His Bride the Church.

So, at least in the beginning, every creation of God had its place in His order so that all creation worked according to the form, according to the plan, as God intended. This is why God called His creation good and very good. What God created is beautiful because it fits, it works, according to His good purpose. His creation was not without form and void, but orderly and full of life. The Word that God spoke gave His creation its existence. His Word orders all things and gives life to all things. And by listening to that Word, by keeping His Word and echoing it back to Him, by sticking to His order and receiving their life from Him, God’s creatures continue to be His good creation.

However, the devil and our sin ruined that creation. The devil spoke a different word, a lying word. Our first parents refused to listen to God’s Word and instead listened to the devil’s word and to their own word—they did what they thought was good. And so the devil and man’s disobedience brought disorder and chaos, sin and death. By rejecting the Word of God, we reject the thing that created us. We reject the order and life of that Word. Which means we are led back into what we were before God filled and formed us: back into nothing. Without the Word that God speaks, we die, and all creation with us.

Yet, the Lord would not have His good, beautiful, orderly, full of life creation be destroyed and emptied back into nothingness. The Lord would not let the devil take us and this world captive. The Word of God that first spoke creation out of nothing chose to come into His creation as a creature. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). He came into His dying world to rescue it and re-do His creative work. The Word made flesh joined us, even to the point of dying our death. The Word made flesh suffered for our sin and so conquered death. The Word made flesh rose to new life in order to speak a new life-giving Word, healing and restoring His good creation.

This is what we see in the life and work of Jesus—the very same Word that created all things, now joined to human flesh and blood. In His miracles, He began to heal His creation, like we saw in the miracle today. He spoke His Word and the son was healed. When God speaks, things happen. God’s Word does what it says. In His miracles, Jesus was beginning to take back His fallen, disordered creation. He was setting things back to the rightful place, reversing the effects of sin and death, returning creation to His order and filling it with His life.

            And this was ultimately achieved in His death and resurrection. By dying for our sin, Jesus also turned back the results of sin, the disorder and death that followed. If sin is paid for, then death has no business in God’s world. The death of Jesus means that a new Word of God can be spoken: the forgiveness of sin. And the resurrection of Jesus means that the new Word is indeed being spoken. Like the Word that God spoke to first create the world, this new Word creates a new world, a new heavens and a new earth. This new Word of forgiveness means the restoration of God’s order, His goodness, and His life for His creatures.

Still, the devil will not give up easily. By tempting us to sin, he still seeks to bring disorder and chaos into our world. He wants to see fellow men turn against each other and tear each other apart. The devil wants man and woman pitted against one other so that we make a mockery of the love between Christ and His Church. The devil sets creation against creation, and creation against the Creator, so that there is no good, life-filled order, but only hatred, violence, and death.

Now Christians, you are not just any old sinners, to be used as pawns in the devil’s war against God. The image of God has been renewed in you through faith in Jesus. Even though you still have a sinful nature, you also begin to reflect the goodness and beauty of God. This means, as Christians, you have to fight against the Devil, fight against his temptations, fight against his lies and disorder. On the seventh day of creation, it says that the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. This means that God’s creatures are His hosts, His armies. You Christians are enlisted into those ranks. You have been rescued from the devil’s clutches by your Savior Jesus, so you fight for Him now.

So, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against… the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil… Therefore take up the whole armor of God… Stand firm… having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. In that last weapon, we are given the very thing that gave us existence in the first place: the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. The Word of God comes to us in the pages of Holy Scripture, and it comes in two ways: in the Law of God and in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

People are tempted to think that the Law of God, His rules, are arbitrary and unnecessary. But as we’ve seen from creation, God has established a certain order. Order means Law and rule. His Law is not arbitrary or random, it is His eternal will. His Law is the order built into His very creation. And as sin spreads and increases, this Law has to be explicated, unpacked and applied to those specific various sins. When we speak God’s Word of Law, we are actually echoing the good order of God’s creation, and so fighting against the devil’s sin-filled chaos.

But the Word of God is the two-edged sword of the Spirit. So, we also wield the Word of God by speaking the Gospel. And the Gospel resounds in abundance: in forgiving one another our sins, in singing to one another and talking about God’s Word with one another, in baptizing sinners into the death and new life of Christ, in feeding and strengthening us with the resurrected body and blood of Christ. Just as the Law shows us God’s good order for life, the Gospel fills us up with the life that begins now and lasts forever.

The Word who is God, and who in the beginning first spoke creation into existence—this Word is still speaking. The Word made flesh is speaking a new creation into existence. Out of the nothing of the devil’s chaos, out of the nothing of your sin, He is re-ordering and re-filling you with His goodness, His beauty, His life. His re-creative work will be brought to its consummation at the resurrection of all flesh. And frankly, we can’t wait to see it.

Come quickly + Lord Jesus. Amen.

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

St. Matthew 22:1–14

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables. Jesus tells this particular parable during Holy Week, at the very end of His ministry. He has been teaching and teaching, but many of the Jews don’t accept Him, especially the Pharisees, the religious leaders, and learned men. Oh, they recognize that Jesus is warning them to repent and believe in the promised Savior who stands before them, but in sinful stupidity, they hate Him, and in a few days they will arrest Him, and crucify Him.

Still, Jesus has not given up: Again Jesus spoke to them in parables. He tells them of a King who holds a wedding feast for His Son. And when it’s prepared, He sends out His servants, calling those invited, “Everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” But they reject His invitation. They paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized His servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. Jesus is warning the Jewish leaders, “This is you. This is what you are doing.” They have ignored the message of the Gospel. They have rejected and killed the Lord’s prophets. And now they are plotting to kill the Lord’s Son. So, Jesus increases His warning: The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. This is what will happen to those who reject God’s gift of salvation. This is what happened to the Jews, His one-time chosen people. They rejected their Lord, and so He rejected them.

But that does not change God’s gracious character. If these people don’t want Him, He’ll take others. He wants His kingdom full—He wants to give His gifts away for free and see people feast upon His goodness. So, the King sends His servants out into the roads and [they] gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. This is how we find ourselves within the Church. Jesus sent His apostles to all nations—the Gentiles have been brought into the Kingdom of Heaven. No one can approach God on his or her own merit or by right of natural birth. All are invited into the feast by the free message of salvation: Jesus has died and risen for the whole world. No one is left out or forgotten. The world has been justified in Christ and a place has been prepared at the feast for you.

But the parable is not done yet. The first destruction was a warning to the Jews. Here at the end, there is a second destruction, and that is especially a warning for us. Jesus says that the King’s servants gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. This means that the message of the Gospel, the invitation to the feast, is sent to all people. And all kinds of people are brought into the Church through Baptism and the preaching of the Word. However, that does not mean that all church members believe. There are those who call themselves Christians in an outward way, but do not have faith in their hearts.

The true, one, holy, Christian and apostolic Church is hidden in this world. All we can see are visible church organizations. And within these outwardly visible organizations there are true believers and also hypocrites (or secret unbelievers). We cannot ultimately determine who is who because we cannot see the faith or unbelief that is hidden in the heart and visible only to God. All we can do is go by a person’s confession of faith and their outward manner of life. But there will come a day, when the King will make it known who truly belongs in His Kingdom by faith, and the insincere will be exposed and thrown out.

This is what we see with the man who is not wearing a wedding garment. He was brought into the feast by the servants but he is not there sincerely. He represents the hypocrites, the people who hear the Word of God, are members of the church, and claim to be Christians, but in reality they do not believe. The wedding garment is a symbol of faith and the righteousness of Christ that is given to faith. And so, it is true that many are called—many hear the proclamation of the Gospel and will act as if they believe it, but few are chosen—few are chosen in Christ, found to be clothed in His righteousness by faith.

You know, a lot of people will complain and moan about how terrible the world is today. They are shocked and they decry all the sin, the murders, the lies, the political fighting, the rudeness. But the greatest sin of all is when God’s Word is ignored (although you don’t hear too many people, not even too many Christians, complaining about that). In fact, God’s invitation is scorned, even by those who call themselves Christians and should know better. 

How are you doing with that this morning? Are you yawning through the sermon, just waiting for church to be done so we can get home? Do you think it’s enough to sit there and not think about what is being said? Our Catechism students will have to start doing sermon reports soon, but do you think those are just something to get done and over with? You should listen to every sermon as if you were expected to know and repeat the main points. And really, what is so difficult about reviewing and discussing the sermon with your coffee after church today? Or on the way home from church, or around the lunch table? And I’m not just talking to families with children currently in Catechism class. This goes for all of you older members too. Or do you think that because you passed the “Confirmation test,” you know everything now and never need to crack open that Catechism or Bible again?

If this is what you do or how you think, then you might as well go back to the Pope, or really, back to the Jews, where you don’t have to pay attention to God’s Word. But when you’re exposed on the Last Day and God points out that you have no wedding garment, because you did not receive His Word with faith, then you will be speechless as He throws you into the outer darkness.

That’s what happens to the man in our parable. He is muzzled. He is silenced. He has no excuse for His unbelief. Take a warning from this. God has done what He is supposed to do. He gave you Holy Baptism. He gave you the Gospel and allowed you to have it in your home. He spoke the Absolution to you and fed you with His Holy Supper. Through pastors, parents, and teachers, He taught you what to believe and how to order your life. So, you cannot plead ignorance. If you are found without a wedding garment, you will have to confess, “Yes, I am baptized. I was preached to and taught. With my fellow Christians I received the Sacrament. But I did not take anything seriously. I did not believe. I loved the world more.”

If we are saved it is only by God’s doing. And if we are lost, it is not God’s fault. He has freely offered His grace and He has faithfully warned us.  It is our fault, if we do not hold out our hands and take what He so gladly wants to give us.

But take heart, dear Christians. Your sins are forgiven. Soul, adorn yourself with gladness, Leave the gloomy haunts of sadness (LSB 636:1), because the call to the feast is still going out even now. The wedding feast of the King’s Son has begun, and it will continue for eternity. Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price (Isaiah 55:1). The feast is free. Jesus’ death has atoned for every sin—your selfish deeds, your unkind words, your greedy thoughts—Jesus even died for your sins of apathy, forgetfulness, and carelessness. If you have neglected God’s Word in the past, confess it; but also know that even that most terrible sin has been covered by the perfect blood of Jesus. The cross of Jesus means that God’s anger and destruction have been turned away from you. There is no condemnation, no punishment, but only forgiveness, peace, and love for those who hold onto Christ.

So, come to the feast! It has been paid for by the blood of the King’s Son, who died in our place and is now risen from the dead. This King wishes to give His Kingdom away for free to sinners and to see us feast upon His goodness. Pay attention to the invitation He makes again and again in His Word. Remember your Baptism and how you have been given the bright wedding garment of Christ’s righteousness that covers all your sins. By repentance and faith, continually put that garment back on. Then with joy, We enter all The wedding hall To eat the Supper at God’s call (LSB 516:2). And the Supper we eat now is but the first taste of the feast to come. By eating with faith now, we are strengthened and preserved while we wait for our Bridegroom’s appearing.

And there’s the truly most wonderful thing of all! Not only are we the King’s invited guests, but we are the very pure and spotless Bride of the King’s Son. The wedding feast is for us.

In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.

Some portions drawn from Martin Luther, Complete SermonsVII:91–116.

Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity

St. Matthew 9:1–8

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Behold, some people brought to Jesus a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Take heart, My son; your sins are forgiven.” The details of the Bible are not inconsequential. These particular words were inspired for a reason. It says that Jesus saw THEIR faith. He notices the faith not just of the paralytic but also the faith of the friends carrying the man. This is not unimportant. Not only does faith receive the forgiveness of sins, but faith also brings others to receive that forgiveness.

This is a perfect example of what we know to be true: Christians bring people to Jesus. These friends loved the paralyzed man and they trusted in Jesus, so they brought him to Jesus so that He might help and save him. They showed their trust in Jesus by bringing the man to Him. And by this act of faith they brought forgiveness and healing to the man. God worked through them to deliver His mercy and healing.

The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League is another example of Christians bringing people to Jesus. That is their goal as a “missionary league.” That’s not to say that bringing people to Jesus or missionary work is a special work that only they do. As we see with these friends bringing the paralytic, this is what all Christians are to do. The LWML purposefully supports and promotes this work, particularly by supporting full-time, called missionaries. As Christians we show our trust in Jesus by bringing people to Him. And by these acts of faith—by supporting the mission of the Church, by sharing the good news with family and friends, by inviting them to hear God’s Word preached—we bring forgiveness and healing to others. God works through us to deliver His mercy and life.

Today, we saw another important example of Christians bringing people to Jesus: Christian parents brought their child to Baptism. This is just as important as missionary work, because Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit forgives sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe the promises of God. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. So, Christian parents, who love their children and trust in Jesus, bring their children to Jesus so that He will do His saving work for them. But if you don’t show your love for your children in this way, meaning, if you don’t bring your children to Jesus for Baptism, then you don’t trust in Jesus either. And whoever does not believe will be condemned (Mark 16:16).

Parents always want the best for their children. You don’t want your children to suffer, or struggle with difficulty. You want to shield them and help them as much as you possibly can. And this is natural. But you won’t be able to protect them entirely. Even if you had millions of dollars so that your children never wanted for anything, even if you could cure all their illnesses, and ensure that they have a successful life and a good family, you cannot guarantee their happiness. You cannot protect them from every evil. 

Because the root of all suffering is sin. The cause of all evil lies in our hearts: yours and your children’s. Only sinners suffer. Only sinners get sick, and experience failure and evil disasters. Only sinners live in this fallen world. And only sinners die. But the good news for parents and children is that only sinners get baptized. Yes, that means babies are sinful too—they’ve inherited their sinful hearts from their sinful parents. But that is precisely who Baptism is for. Baptism is not for perfect little cherubs—it is for the salvation of sinners.

So, Christian parents, you who would like to give your children everything and protect them from anything, this is why you want to give your children the most important thing: faith in Jesus and the forgiveness of sins. More important than money or job security, health or happiness, more important than all that is the eternal salvation of your child. So, you bring them to Jesus. He forgives sins and He heals. The root of all suffering is sin, and so the real solution to all suffering is the forgiveness of sins. That forgiveness is given to us here and now: today, to Knox in his Baptism; today, to you all in God’s Word. And the full healing benefits of that forgiveness will be given to you and your children in the life to come.

Christian parents, your most important job is to bring your children to Jesus, not just at Baptism, but by teaching them God’s Word throughout their lives. By doing this, you show your own trust in Jesus. And by this act of faith you bring forgiveness and healing to your children. God works through you to deliver His mercy and life, so that you and your children may finally, with all God’s saints, obtain the promised inheritance in heaven (Baptism Rite, LSB p.271).

Now, there’s one thing in all this that might seem like a problem. You can’t actually bring people to Jesus like those friends did for the paralyzed man. Jesus is not visibly present in a particular place like He was then. So, you bring people to the Church—and you are quite right to do so. But why do you bring them to the Church? How do you know that Baptism will save them? All you see is that some water is poured and some words are spoken. How do you know that hearing the Word preached will strengthen faith? All you see is an ordinary man trying his best to speak clearly, and sometimes failing even that. But you are right to bring people to Jesus by bringing them to the Church, not because there is anything special in the water, nor is there anything special in the man who preaches, but because Jesus has authority to forgive sins and He gives that authority to men.

We are told this here in Matthew 9: that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—Jesus then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men. But the full impact of this scene doesn’t really hit home until the end of Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to hold onto all that I have instituted for you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18–20).

The Son of God is given all authority as a Man. Only Jesus has the authority to forgive sins because He is the One who died in payment for our sins and rose for our eternal salvation. He now exercises this authority in His Church on earth, and so He works through men to forgive sins, to deliver His mercy and healing.

Having brought people to Jesus, having brought your children to be baptized, we and they must stay connected to His Church. Here, by His authority, the gifts of Baptism are given more and more. Sins are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The life-giving Words of Jesus are spoken and taught and treasured. The holy gifts of His body and blood are shared to make us holy and to make us one in Christ. These things happen only by the authority of Jesus. And so He is truly here doing it. That is why we must and we may joyfully say with Jacob: “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:17).

The Lord Jesus is here on earth in your midst with the authority to forgive sins. He is working through His called and ordained servants to speak this forgiveness to all who repent and believe. He is working through parents to bring their children into His Family by Baptism and by teaching them. He is working through His whole Church to bring more people into His Kingdom. Let us give glory to God.

In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.