23rd Sunday after Trinity

St. Matthew 22:15–22

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit –

What are the two topics we’re told never to bring up in polite conversation? Politics and religion. People have strong opinions on these, and there is often tension between the two. And really, that tension is quite understandable. Yes, there should be a distinction between the church and the state, but the concerns of the church and the concerns of the state often overlap. Because religion is not just nice thoughts about a God far away. Religion is not just about what happens when you die,  but it’s also about how we should live today.

There are two kingdoms, two realms in this universe. There is the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of heaven. And we Christians hold dual citizenship. We are citizens of both kingdoms. By physical birth we have citizenship in this world, and in this earthly realm we also find various nations and kingdoms that govern this world. But Christians, being baptized into Jesus Christ, are adopted into the family of God and so we also hold citizenship in heaven. There are these two kingdoms, and they are both good. For both kingdoms are established and governed by God. But they operate in different ways.

This is the most simple meaning of Jesus’ teaching: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” We could even make reference here to the Fourth and First Commandments. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. That’s the Fourth Commandment: Honor your father and your mother. Obey the authorities placed over you by God. Submit to them, honor them. Pay taxes and uphold the laws of the land. Then also, render to God the things that are God’s. That’s the First Commandment: You shall have no other gods. Fear, love and trust in God above all things. Worship the Holy Trinity alone. And do not listen to the teaching from any other gods.

Both of these kingdoms, the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of earthly authority, both are ruled by the one true God. But He rules them in different ways. In the kingdom of the world, we say He rules by His left hand, that is by His power and might. We call it His left hand because it is not His proper or primary work. He rules with His Law and with punishment for those who break His Law. He rules through the men and women of earthly governments. God has ordained the state to protect men from harm, to administer his wrath and justice against wrongdoers, and to generally provide for the temporal well being of humanity. The civil government is God’s instrument which he holds in His left hand to care for you and me. Thank God for civil government! Pray for our rulers! Because whether you like them or not, whether you voted for them or not, they are God’s agents, established in their offices, not for selfish gain, but to serve you in His name. Like all men however, our rulers are flawed instruments, and we cannot blame God for their sins. Even so, our rulers are God’s men and women, doing His work, even if they fail to recognize this themselves. And that is why St. Paul could urge the church in Rome to obey Caesar, horrible tyrant though he was, to pray for him, and to submit to earthly authorities as they would submit to God.

Now on the other hand, we have the kingdom of heaven. In His heavenly kingdom God rules only by His grace and mercy, and so we say that He rules this kingdom by His right hand, for grace and mercy is His proper work. He rules this kingdom with His Gospel and with forgiveness for all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. In this kingdom, the citizens are those who have been reconciled to God through the blood of Jesus and call Him Lord. In the kingdom of heaven God rules through His Church – with the preaching of His Word and the administration of His Sacraments. These are the only tools or weapons the Church has. The Church doesn’t make and administer laws, nor does she raise armies or levy taxes. But by speaking her Lord’s Word and by giving out His forgiveness the Church’s mission is to conquer men’s hearts with words of hope and acts of compassion.

So again, where do you belong in all this? Are you feeling split in two?

Well, not quite split in two, but you are a citizen of both kingdoms, and both kingdoms demand your honor. The trouble really comes when the servants of the earthly kingdom call you to give the things of God to Caesar. When the civil government requires you to do something that God has forbidden. Then we must obey God rather than men.

If you’re a citizen of the United States, you’re not being killed for the Christian faith – not yet anyway. Although that day could come. No earthly government is immune to the hatred of God’s Word and the persecution of His Christians. So we keep this in our Confirmation vows for just such an occasion: Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it? Answer: I do, by the grace of God.

But besides that ultimate sacrifice, there are others. For example, are we catechizing our children, teaching them the faith, knowing that it is absolutely the most important thing they could ever learn? Make no mistake, if you’re not catechizing your children, the government and schools will gladly do it for you. But they won’t be teaching the Christian faith. And then when you’re child believes something that is contrary to God’s Word, then what do you do? Or how can we support the organizations and causes that directly violate God’s Law? There’s no command from Christ on what political party to belong to or what candidate to vote for, but we cannot give money to Planned Parenthood and finance abortions, or “like” posts on Facebook that redefine the institution of marriage. These are things that ultimately belong to God, and we must obey God rather than men.

Frankly, really think about this teaching of Jesus, “Give to God the things that are God’s.” Don’t all things belong to God? Aren’t you then supposed to give Him all things? Love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? Yes. So repent. The Pharisees said to Jesus, “You do not care about anyone’s opinion, for You are not swayed by appearances.” You’re not superficial Jesus – you don’t just take things at face value. And they’re right. Jesus was aware of their malice – He could see how they desired to entangle Him in His words. And we can’t hide or explain away our sinful desires any better. Jesus sees the evil that is deeper than skin-deep. He sees that we do not give all to God. He knows our excuses and they won’t work. He is a King far greater, and far more terrible than Caesar or the President of the United States.  He sees not only our actions, but He sees our hearts – He sees that our true sinful allegiances don’t lie with Him.

And yet, at the same time, this King is far more merciful than any earthly king. And He entered this earthly realm, subjected Himself to suffering and death so that He could give His all for us – in our place. He became the substitute for all sinners and the hammer of God’s justice came crashing down on Him, so that we might go free. He shed His blood that we might be forgiven, be made citizens of heaven and welcomed into His eternal kingdom.

When Jesus got the coin, He asked them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” And they answered, “Caesar’s.” Caesar’s face was stamped on the coin. Caesar’s name was inscribed in that precious metal. He minted it – it was legal currency by His authority – it was His. So give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. But on you, O Christian, O citizen of heaven, O Child of God. There is something far more glorious stamped on you. You bear the image of your crucified and risen Lord. His cross has been stamped on you and His blood marks you. The holy name of Your God and King is inscribed on your forehead. You are His. As our Small Catechism says, Jesus Christ is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

Come quickly + Lord Jesus –

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Charlotte, IA

November 8, 2015

A couple paragraphs were borrowed from Rev. Scott Stiegemeyer in a sermon for Trinity 23 (2007) at Redeemer, Fort Wayne.

The Feast of All Saints

Revelation 7:2–17

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit –

Many people are fascinated by the Book of Revelation – maybe even obsessed. So many think of it as a great puzzle, that if we could only solve it, we would know what’s going to happen and when. Other Christians think of Revelation with fear, confusion, and despair. Whether you think Revelation is scary or intriguing, it’s probably not the book of the Bible that we turn to when a loved one dies. And there are some good reasons for that. The Gospels and some of Paul’s Epistles have plenty of confident and clear messages of comfort for us. And when our grief is overwhelming, we don’t need to bother with symbols and visions.

Still, there are some wonderfully beautiful, comforting passages in Revelation as well – ones that we couldn’t do without. Like Jesus saying, “Behold, I am coming soon… I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end… Fear not, I am… the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore.” (Rev. 22:12–13 & 1:17–18) And this: “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10) Or this: “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” (Rev. 14:13) And then we have our reading today from Revelation 7 – one of the most beautiful pictures of the Church.

Revelation 7 shows us an image of the Church on earth and the Church in heaven. There is only one Church – one holy Christian and apostolic Church – but for now, this one Church has a barrier running through it. It’s the barrier between earth and heaven – between time and eternity. Revelation 7 first gives us an image of the Church here on earth, the Church Militant, and then shows us the Church Triumphant that we will one day join. Revelation 7 is about us here in this earthly life. It’s also about those who have gone before us and have come to their heavenly rest. And it’s about us all, when we are finally reunited around the throne of God.

First, we see the Church Militant. An angel says the servants of God must be sealed, and the number of the sealed is 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. 12 tribes with 12,000 from each tribe is 144,000. That total number is really not the important thing. The important number is 12 – the number of the tribes of Israel, the number of the apostles, and so it is the number for God’s people. 12,000 times 12 gives you just about the most complete, most full number you can get for God’s people. It’s not a literal number of people – it’s a symbol for the whole people of God – the whole church here on earth.

Here we see the Church drawn up in ranks, with believers appointed to each tribe or battalion. They are in battle formation, ready to get their marching orders, ready to set out on the Lord’s mission. The Church on earth is called the Church Militant. We are the fighting Church – doing battle with all the enemies of God.

Now for the Church this is really a defensive war. The only offensive strikes are those made by the Lord Christ Himself – the Victor who dealt the deathblow to sin, death, and the Devil. And even this attack upon our enemies was achieved by His suffering, bleeding, and dying. So also, like her Lord, the Church fights the good fight with her shield of faith and prayer. She fights with the sword of God’s Word. She even fights with her own blood, willing to shed it as witness to what her Lord has done.

The Church Militant, the people of God in this valley of shadow and death, is in a defensive war, but we need not suppose that this means it’s up to us to defend ourselves. The Church on earth, the 144,000 are sealed by God. We are marked with God’s special mark – the mark of His cross. We are signed and sealed with His signature – we are His. He put His name on us in Holy Baptism – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – we are marked as ones redeemed by Christ the crucified. Further, He keeps us sealed with His Word – His sure and certain promises that are repeated for our hearing again and again, that we would not forget or grow indifferent. He keeps us sealed and signs His name all the more clearly with His very body and blood. That Holy Supper tells you, “you are My holy one, My saint.” This seal even tells all the demons of hell, don’t touch these ones – they belong to Me.

For now the war rages on – we still have hardship, attacks, failures, and every kind of tribulation. But they cannot destroy you. The Lord has sealed you, marked you, claimed you as His own. And that means one day He will move you from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant.

The second, and far more glorious, image in Revelation 7 is of the Church Triumphant – the saints who have left this earthly battlefield and are now at peace with the Lord Jesus. This is a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. And now they experience the victory of the Lamb – the One who was slain and has begun His reign. These believers have finished their part in the fight. And no matter how long, or how short, their warfare was – they are now at peace. They are with the Lamb, who is also the Shepherd – Jesus – the One who conquered in the fight and gives everlasting peace.

These are the differences between the Church Militant in the here and now – and the Church Triumphant in the there and then. But this sermon is not meant to be a simple compare and contrast essay. Of course, we could go on and on with how different life is here from there in heaven. But if we’re honest with ourselves, if we’re honest like the saints before us, then we know that all the misery we endure right now is a product of humanity’s fall into sin. Even more honestly, it is a product of our own sinful actions, words, and thoughts. But the comfort of Revelation 7 is that those in heaven have been freed from all their misery. They have been freed from all their sin. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. No more sin clings to them – no more filth, grief, or pain. They are only holy – only righteous – washed in the blood of the Lamb.  And that is what we look forward to as well.

For now, we are still on the battlefield – we still see the casualties of the Devil’s attacks. We see how each Christian still falls prey to death. And when a beloved Christian dies we call it loss. But God calls it gain. And by faith we know this is the truth. 144,000 is a big number – in other words, there are a lot of Christians on earth. But it cannot compare to the great multitude that no one could number. With each blessed death that countless host around the throne gets harder to count.

And do not fear, because your face belongs in that multitude of saints as well. St. John was given a glimpse of the whole Church Triumphant – and on the Last Day that will include you. On that Day, the God who became flesh and dwelt among us, He will come again. And then we, in our flesh, risen and glorious, safe and secure, with no tears in our eyes, then we will dwell with God. We know the end of the story. We know the song that we will sing – it’s the same glorious song the saints in heaven are singing right now. “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And the angels all join in, singing to their God for the salvation He gives to humans, so that we might join the angels in their praise: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” So we also join in the song now, while we are still on earth we sing with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven to our God who saves us from our sin, will bring an end to our warfare, and give us an eternal victory.

In mercy, Jesus, bring us to that eternal rest with You and God the Father and Spirit, ever + blest – Amen

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Charlotte, IA

November 1, 2015

The Festival of the Reformation

St. John 8:31–36

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit –

On the Eve of All Saints’ Day, October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg. This was not originally the grand, dramatic event it later came to be. On that evening he never dreamed that one day churches would bear his name. (The thought would have scandalized him to the core.) No one knew that this call for study and debate would start a world-changing event known as the Reformation. And frankly, the 95 Theses are in no way the most important, nor even the most “Lutheran” of Luther’s writings. But this seemingly small act by a German monk came to be known as the spark that would ignite the Reformation. In just 2 years, in 2017, we will be 500 years from that fateful day. And as this major anniversary comes closer I bet you’ll be hearing about the Reformation from those in the media as well as from the Church. However, what they will be saying about the Reformation will be quite different from what we talk about in the Church.

The prevailing secular views on the Reformation have very little to say about Jesus. For them, the Reformation was the beginning of the modern world. It was a revolution, a glorious protest against the old, out-dated hierarchy of the Middle Ages: the unjust lords, the corrupt bishops, and power-hungry popes. Modern scholars see the Reformation as the force that finally started to break-down the old institutions of church and king, freeing the common man to make up his own mind and choose his own path. It created more tolerant societies, led to the pursuit of science rather than religious superstition, and spurred on economic growth. But is that really what the Reformation was all about? The improvement of society? Would Martin Luther say that any of these were his goals? These temporal, societal improvements may have been by-products of the Reformation, many of them even good by-products. But they are not what it was all about.

The thing is, modern man can stomach the Reformation if it’s just an historical event. We can understand political movements, protests against corruption, and shakedowns of old-fashioned, ineffective authorities. Most people would probably like Martin Luther if he had been more of a freedom fighter. Maybe he could do well in the polls if he was known as a “political outsider.” But Luther was not William Wallace or George Washington fighting for the freedom of his country. He was not Donald Trump, saying the audacious things that the people wanted to hear. He was a pastor – a student and a teacher of God’s Word. And the Reformation was in truth, the activity of God’s Church. Or even more accurately, the Reformation was the activity God’s Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ at work in and on His holy Church. In short, the Reformation was another Pentecost.

This might sound incredibly arrogant. How can we claim that what Luther and the Reformers did in the 16^th century is even close to the same level as the coming of the Holy Spirit in the Book of Acts? Isn’t this turning into the worship of Luther? Isn’t this putting Luther’s writings and the Book of Concord above Scripture? Not if you have a right understanding of what Luther and the other Reformers did. And to say the Reformation was another Pentecost – another coming of the Holy Spirit – is not as audacious a claim as it might sound if you have a right understanding of how the Holy Spirit comes to us.

What Luther did was to help steer the Church back to the Scriptures. And what did He find there? Or better yet, whom did He find there? The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures also comes to us in and through the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit only comes with the Word of God. He is present in the hearing and reading of that Word. And with that Word, the Holy Spirit delivers the Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, so that in hearing that Word, you may hold onto the Son by faith and be saved. This is what Pentecost was all about – the coming of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And so that is why we have red on Reformation Day. Red is the color of the Spirit – the color of the fire that accompanied the preaching of the Word by the apostles on that first Pentecost. And so red is also the color of the preaching of Jesus Christ. It’s not so arrogant to claim that the Reformation is another Pentecost, when you understand how Pentecost happens every time you return to God’s Word. It is not arrogant, but it is truly wonderful, because we know what Jesus promises us who abide in His Word. If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

But what kind of freedom is this? What are we freed from or freed for? Once again, this “Freedom” is not the battle cry of an earthly revolution. This is not the freedom of civil rights, political independence, or even the freedom of thought. Jesus is talking about spiritual slavery and spiritual freedom. Jesus sets us free from slavery to sin, death, and the Devil. Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin… but if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. Yet, in some ways we like being slaves to sin. We like being able to do what we want to do. We like being able to think what we want to think. But this is not freedom, as much as we might try to convince ourselves. It is slavery. Slavery to our sinful hearts and minds that do not know and do not want to know the Truth of God’s Word, because it means we are wrong. This is slavery to our sinful actions that can only lead to death. Slavery to the temptations and lies of the Devil who only wants to confuse us and lead us captive away from the Truth, away from the forgiveness of sins, away from Christ, His Word and His Spirit.

Repent. You are not free on your own – to be what you want to be. You are not heroic liberators of your destiny. What you are on your own is a slave to sin, a prisoner of death, a conquered subject of the Devil. Repent. Repent and run back to the Word! Back to God’s Word! – says Luther. Back to where the Spirit is! Back to where forgiveness, life, and salvation are found! Back to the freedom of abiding in Christ’s Word! Any disciple of Jesus’ Word could have done this – there wasn’t anything particularly special about Luther. Jesus promises all of us: Abide in my word and you are truly my disciples, and you will know the Truth. And with His Truth, Jesus sets you free from your self-made slavery. His blood and word of Absolution forgives the sins you have committed against Him and against your neighbors. His death and resurrection, His Baptism and life-giving Spirit bestow life that conquers death. His authority and glory, His Sacrament of His risen body and blood save you from this kingdom of darkness where the Devil seeks to overpower you, and it brings you into the light and joy of the feast with Your Savior King.

To say that the Reformation is another Pentecost is to say it is a returning to the true and certain Word of God. And in the Word we receive the Spirit. And by the Word of the Spirit we receive Jesus Himself. The Reformation is not about the greatness of Martin Luther (no hero-worship here). It’s not about revolution, progress, or the new ideas of men. The LCMS slogan for the 500^th Anniversary sums up well what it’s really all about: Reformation 2017 – It’s STILL all about Jesus.

And it is still our task, as disciples of Jesus abiding in His Word, to tell it to the next generation. In every age, every generation, every Reformation anniversary, every Sunday, really every day, the Church must return to the Word of God. In every returning to His Word we participate in what the Reformation is all about. We do what Luther did and so many other faithful disciples. In every returning to the Word and Sacraments of Jesus we experience another Pentecost. And the Church is revived, reformed, living always by the power of the Spirit, set free by the Son, to be children of the Father.

Let us pray. Come quickly Lord Jesus and save Your Church from falsehood, sin, and destruction. Keep us steadfast in Your Word. Set us free by the Truth of Your forgiveness, and send us Your Holy Spirit. Come Holy Spirit, guide divine, now cause the Word of life to shine. Teach us to know our God aright and call Him Father with delight. From every error keep us free; let none but Christ our master be That we in living faith abide, in Him, our Lord, with all our might confide. By Your power prepare each heart, and to our weakness strength impart That bravely here we may contend, through life and death to You, our Lord, ascend. Alleluia! Alleluia! (LSB 497)

In the Holy + Name of Jesus –

Happy Reformation Day!

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Charlotte, IA

October 25, 2015