St. John 16:23–33
In the name of the Father and of the + Son
and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The disciples are like Catechism students. One
minute it seems they understand everything Jesus is saying and doing, and the
next minute they say something that betrays their confusion and ignorance. For
that matter, the disciples are like most of us, no matter how long it’s been
since we read our Catechism. On the other hand, the disciples were really not
expected to know or understand everything at every point of Jesus’ ministry
because they were living it, right in the middle of it. They were still on the
other side of His cross and resurrection, so not everything was clear for them.
This is why it’s funny when they act like they know what Jesus is saying on the
night before His death. Jesus told them, “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is
coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell
you plainly about the Father.” So at that moment Jesus knew they were still
confused. They were confused and uncertain about His looming death and His
promised resurrection. But Jesus also promised that He would speak to them
plainly about the Father. After His resurrection from the dead, then the
disciples could hear the plain speaking, the clear and confident revelation
that they were forgiven and reconciled to the Father by Jesus’ death and
resurrection. But when Jesus says this on Maundy Thursday evening, that Easter
hour had not yet come. So it is funny what the disciples say next: “Ah, now you are
speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that
you know all things and… this is why we believe that you came from God.” But Jesus wasn’t really speaking plainly. They didn’t
really understand. They didn’t perfectly believe. They were acting, hoping they
could pick things up as they went along. So Jesus says, “Really? Do you now believe?” This is like when a
teacher asks at the end of the lesson, “Are there any questions?” and is
answered by silent, blank stares. What teacher hasn’t thought or even said,
“Really? No questions at all? You get all this stuff perfectly?” The teacher
knows that when the students reply with dumb silence or “Ah, now you are speaking plainly,” they don’t really understand.
This
is one of the reasons the Church always examines her catechumens. After they’ve
been instructed in the faith, we take the extra time to sit them down and ask
them, “Really? Do you now believe? Do
you now understand what you have learned? Answer some questions so we can hear
your faith and your understanding. And if you have questions, ask them. Don’t hold back
or try to hide your confusion. The point of Catechism instruction and
examination is your continued learning of the Christian faith.”
Now,
Dakota, who will be confirmed today, and many of you, whenever you were
instructed, examined, and confirmed, you have learned the Christian faith from
plain speaking. We often think the disciples had an
advantage over us because they knew Jesus during His earthly ministry. But in fact we
have the advantage over them. They learned the faith first in figures of
speech, and only got the plain speaking after His death and resurrection.
As I
said, they lived right in the middle of Jesus’ work, and so they had a hard
time seeing things as they really are. You are not like the disciples;
you sit on the shoulders of giants. You are taught the complete, clear teaching
of the Christian faith. You’re not picking things up as you go; you get it all laid out
for you. You
have what the disciples didn’t have at first: their own Holy Spirit inspired
writings, describing and interpreting the life, words, and deeds of Jesus.
You have the
New Testament Scriptures. You have the fullness of God’s revelation in His Word. And you also have 2000 years
of other Christians writing, teaching, singing, and meditating on the
Scriptures. You
benefit from all their good explanations and even from seeing where they missed
the point. The
best example of learning from your fathers in the faith is that you have
Luther’s Small Catechism: talk about plain speaking! It is the entirety of
Christian doctrine distilled down to its six chief parts in simple questions
and answers. So,
do you now understand? Do you now believe? Yes. You have learned the plain and clear
truths of Jesus. You’re
not missing out on any big secrets or insights. You have God’s Word and you know your
Savior.
But, on another
level, do you now really understand? Do you really, perfectly believe? This is not a question of
information or brainpower. This is a question of trust and confidence,
even in the face of tribulation. When
the disciples boasted of their faith and Jesus skeptically asked them, “Do you now believe?” He also added, “Behold, the hour is coming,
indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will
leave me alone.” Only
a few hours after speaking these words, Jesus would be arrested; His disciples
would flee, abandoning Him to His terrible trial, torture, and death. Only one
of those men would even show up at His cross. They did not truly believe or understand who He is and what He
was doing and what it meant for them. They
would leave Jesus alone. “And yet,” Jesus said, “I am not alone, for the Father is with me.”
What Jesus does and suffers is
pleasing to His Father, and so He is never truly alone.
As it was for the disciples, so
it is for us: the hour is coming and is here and going on all the time – the
hour of our tribulation in this world, the hour of our testing, even the hour
of our scattering. We believe, we understand Christian doctrine, and yet we
also fall away. The Devil, false teachers, and all kinds of temptations are the
wolves that attack and scare us little sheep. The goal of the wolf is always to
scatter the sheep, to drive them away from the Shepherd and the rest of the
flock. When the devil has us alone, his lies can sound like truths because
we’re not comparing them and testing them against the pure Word of God and the
true preaching of His Church. When the devil has us alone, his temptations seem
appealing and harmless because we’re blind to the hurtful and deadly consequences
of sin. When the hour of scattering comes and through false beliefs and sins we
are driven away from Jesus and away from His Church, we feel like we are left
alone.
And yet, you are not alone. Your
Father is with you, and so is the Son and the Spirit. So when you see that you
have been driven away by the devil, and tricked by false versions of
Christianity, and led into sin, then return to Jesus and return to His Church. Repent
and believe. Turn back to what you have learned from God’s Word. Come back to
the plain speaking of the Christian truth. Confess your sin, your ignorance,
your confusion, and be forgiven.
Jesus knew His disciples would
fail, so He also gives them comfort: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the
world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Take heart. Have courage. Jesus has overcome the evil world by His death and
resurrection. He has paid the price for our sins and so no devil, no lies, no
sin, no worldly power, not even death itself, can separate us from the love of
God in Christ Jesus. Jesus has overcome the world and we are more than conquerors through Him. We enjoy Jesus’ victory
and power by faith in Him.
And so in Confirmation we are
asked, Do you intend to faithfully hear
the Word and receive the Supper? Do you intend to live according to the Word of
God? Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to
suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it? By faith in the power
of Jesus we are able to boldly say, “I
do, by the grace of God.” We add “by
the grace of God” though, because we know that we will need His help and we
know we will need His forgiveness when we fail. Jesus has already overcome. He has won the fight. So we have His
help in our lives as well.
This is also part of what St.
James means when he says, “Be doers of
the Word.” We are called to live according to God’s commands and to flee
from temptation and sin. That’s why we make that Confirmation promise. We are
hearers of the Word, so we confess it. And the faith we confess, we are also
actually supposed to live our lives by it. And also, be a doer of the Word by
using it. Wield the Word of God like the sword it is. Hide behind it as your
shield, trusting in the forgiveness and peace it declares. And use the Word of
God in your prayer, taking God’s Words for your words. This is really our great
source of courage during tribulation: the Word of God and Prayer. These are the
weapons that Jesus gives us so that we may overcome our enemies and win the
victory. Jesus has overcome the world. He has won the victory for you and He
wants you to share in His victory march. He wants you to have peace and joy, so
He gives you His Word, commands you to pray, and promises that your Father will
hear you and answer.
Do you now believe? Yes, I
believe. Do you now understand and intend to live the Christian life? I do, by
the grace of God. Then take heart, dear Christians. Have courage, Dakota. Your
Lord Jesus Christ is victorious and He will not leave you alone. You are baptized
children of God. The cross and name of Jesus mark you. The righteousness of
Jesus covers you. With His Word in your ears, in your heart, and on your
tongue, you can go before the Father in prayer with boldness and confidence. Jesus
made this promise, Truly, truly, I say to
you, whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He will give it to you… Ask,
and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He
is risen indeed! Alleluia!
In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.
