“Parthians and Medes at Pentecost” (Acts 2:1-21)

One of the ironic things about the readings for the Day of Pentecost is when the lector–that is, the person reading the lessons–when the lector comes to Acts 2, verse 9, and has to read the following list of persons and places: “Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians.”

Now that is a mouthful! It is like the tower of Babel come to life: “Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” For the lector may not even understand his own speech! All those funny words: “Parthians”; “Mesopotamia”; “Cappadocia”; “Phrygia and Pamphylia”; “Proselytes.” Huh? Instead of speaking in tongues, the lector will be busy untwisting his tongue! And so, “amazed and perplexed,” the person reading the lessons, as well as the people hearing them being read–we all may be saying to ourselves, “What does this mean?”

What does this mean? Why this long laundry list of persons and places? What’s up with all these “Parthians and Medes at Pentecost”? Let’s find out.

Who were all these people? Where did they come from? What were they all doing in Jerusalem? And why on Pentecost? These are good questions to start with. Who were all these people? They were Jews, as our text says: “Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.” Most all of them were Jews by birth, but mixed in the crowd were also some Gentiles–that is, non-Jews–who had converted to the Jewish religion. Thus the mention of “both Jews and proselytes”–“proselytes” were Gentiles who had become Jews. But all in all, this whole crowd was made up of people who were devoted to the Jewish religion.

And that explains why, even though they came “from every nation under heaven”–this is why they all were in Jerusalem on this particular day. They were in Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost, precisely because they were devout Jews. Devout Jews would make the trip to Jerusalem and go to the temple, on the appointed days they were supposed to be there. And there were three major festivals in the Hebrew calendar which called for the people of Israel to be there at the temple. These were the so-called “pilgrimage” festivals: the Feast of Passover–“Pesach,” in the Hebrew language–which occurred in the early spring; the Feast of Weeks, “Shavuoth,” which occurred fifty days later, in the later spring, and so it was also called “Pentecost,” which means “fifty”; and then, the third major pilgrimage festival, the Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles, “Sukkoth,” which occurred in the fall. For these three festivals, all Jews were supposed to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and go to the temple.

Now making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem was a significant undertaking even back when all the Jews lived in the land of Israel itself. But when the Jews became scattered, away from Israel, living in far distant lands, the trip to Jerusalem became even more of a big deal. But still, they came. And so here they were, thousands of them, making the trek, “devout men from every nation under heaven.”

But how had the Jews become so scattered in the first place? Why were they not all still living in the land the Lord had given them? The fact that the Jewish people had become so scattered–this is referred to as the Jewish Dispersion, the “Diaspora.” Centuries earlier, in 722 B.C., the northern kingdom of Israel had fallen to the Assyrians, and the Assyrians then dispersed those northern tribes, kicking them out of the land. And so off they went in every direction, settling in distant lands, far and wide.

Then after the fall of the north, about a century later, around 600 B.C. the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, started deporting the people of Judah, the southern kingdom, and taking them off to Babylon, far to the east, in Mesopotamia. This was the “Babylonian Captivity.” And even though the Persian king Cyrus issued an edict in 538 B.C., allowing the Judahites to return to Jerusalem, many Jewish families by that time had settled down in Mesopotamia and made new homes there, and they never came back.

So between the Assyrian deportation and the Babylonia captivity, that accounts for the massive Jewish Dispersion that existed at the time of the New Testament. The Jewish people were scattered all over the Near East and the Mediterranean world, living in many nations for centuries now, and thus speaking the native languages of their respective countries. But these Jews would still come back to Jerusalem and go to the temple for the annual pilgrimage festivals of Passover, Pentecost, and Booths.

So that is the background for why you have all these people from all these lands being present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. But really, more than that, this was all part of God’s plan. God had arranged it for all these people to be there that day. They were all there, in Jerusalem, in and around the temple area. And then when God caused there to be a loud sound, “a sound like a mighty rushing wind,” that caught their attention, and they all went over to the place where the sound was coming from. God wanted them to be there and to hear what else they now would hear.

What did they hear? First, they heard the company of the believers “speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” These “other tongues” were the languages spoken in those other parts of the world that the Jewish pilgrims came from. These were not languages that the believers knew by learning them in a class. No, this was a miraculous manifestation of the Spirit, specifically given by God for this occasion. It was a message, a signal, that the church now was going to bring the good news of the mighty works of God–that the gospel now was to go out to “every nation under heaven.” Not just to Jewish pilgrims coming to Jerusalem, but more than that, the gospel of Christ would now go out, starting from Jerusalem, to every nation, to both Jews and Gentiles, to be preached in every language spoken in the world. Now it was starting, here in Jerusalem, here on Pentecost Day. Remember how Jesus had told his disciples, before he ascended, “that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” Well, this is that beginning, Pentecost is. This is the moment, right here.

And so that is what the apostle Peter begins to do. That’s what the people hear next. Peter proclaims repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name, in the sermon that follows here in Acts 2. We get the first part of his message today. We’ll get the rest of it next week. But the purpose of it all is this: “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

And that includes you! You and I need to be saved. We need to be saved from our sins, and the judgment that our sin brings down upon us. That sin began in the garden, when our first parents decided they wanted to be their own god. And so they gave in to temptation and disobeyed what God had told them. And the judgment came: They were driven out of the garden and cut off from the tree of life. “Dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” This same sinful tendency that we all share, to be our own god, we see later at the tower of Babel: Men thought they could reach to the heavens and make a name for themselves, apart from God. But God comes down and sees their puny efforts and confuses their language and scatters them to the wind.

Every time we try to be our own god we end up failing, miserably. You and I do this, though, don’t we? We don’t listen to what God has said. We think we’ll just do what we want, independent of God’s word. That’s always a wrong move. And the judgment is always the same: Death. Confusion. Discord. This is why you and I need saving. We can’t do it ourselves. I’ve already shown I make a lousy god–that’s how I got in the fix I’m in. So now, how am I going to rescue myself? I can’t. God must do it for me.

And that is exactly what he has done. To this ball of confusion, God has sent a Savior. Jesus Christ is his name. He, the Son of God come in the flesh–he has done the saving job for us. Peter will go on to tell us next week in greater detail just how this has happened, but I can’t help but tell you some of that right now. Christ, the Son of God, came down from heaven and did what the Father gave him to do, which is to win our salvation. He kept God’s commandments perfectly, in our place. And even though he was sinless, Jesus took the judgment for our sins–again, in our place. He died on the cross, for us, to gain our forgiveness. The cross of Christ is our tower that does reach to the heavens. He lifts us up and takes us there. Christ our Savior rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, and in his name, through faith in him, we will join him there.

This is the good news; this is the gospel that all men everywhere need to hear. And so this is what Pentecost is all about: the beginning of that worldwide outreach. Not only do Parthians and Medes get the good news, so do we. “Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians”–they all heard the mighty works of God being told in their own tongues. But so do these folks today: Lutherans and Swedes and Germans and residents of Potosi, Missouri, Washington County and St. Francois County, and the parts of the Lead Belt belonging to Bonne Terre, and visitors from St. Louis, both family and friends, locals and retirees–we hear the gospel of Christ being proclaimed in our own language, too.

The first Pentecost was the beginning. Pentecost 2013 is the continuation, for now the gospel is being proclaimed to all who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. For Christ Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the Lamb who was slain, and by his blood he has redeemed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

From Libya to the Lead Belt, from Mesopotamia to Potosi and Bonne Terre: “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

“Jesus Prays for Us” (John 17:20-26)

Did you know you are mentioned in the Gospel reading for today? You are. Jesus is talking about you–in fact, he is praying for you–in the passage known as his “High Priestly Prayer” in John 17. In the first part of that chapter, Jesus has been praying for his disciples, the ones he would be sending out soon as his apostles. You know, Peter, James, John, Andrew, Matthew–those guys. But then at verse 20 of John 17, Jesus shifts his prayer to include others, as well. He says: “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word. . . .”

OK, let’s pause right there. When he says “these only,” he’s referring to the disciples he’s just been praying for, those who would be his apostles. But then he goes on to say: “but also for those who will believe in me through their word.” And here he is talking about you. Yes, you. For you are among those who have believed in Jesus through the apostles’ word–the inspired witness of the apostles that we find in the New Testament Scriptures. Through the gospel that has been preached to you, through the apostles’ teaching, through the sacraments the apostles were commissioned to pass on to the church from generation to generation–through the apostolic ministry of Word and Sacrament, you and I have come to believe in, trust in, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And so you and I are included in this prayer of Jesus when he prays for “those who will believe in me through their word.” Here in his High Priestly Prayer, “Jesus Prays for Us.”

Now what are the things that our Lord prays for us? What does he want for us, what is his will for us? Several things. The first thing he asks for us is this: “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”

This is the unity of the church Jesus is praying for here, a unity not based on warm fuzzies or in holding hands and singing Kumbaya, but more than that, it is a unity created by God’s own work of binding us to himself, giving us the gift of faith, his work of uniting us in the life of the triune God. Notice how Jesus describes this unity: “just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us,” and again, “that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one.” In theology, this is what we call the “mystical union,” that all believers in Christ are one, incorporated into the life of the one true God, in the one true church. You know how we say in the Nicene Creed, “I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic church”? Well, we believe in it, that is, we believe there to be but one church, because that is what God has created and what Christ here is praying for. This is the “una sancta catholica et apostolica ecclesia,” the “one holy catholic”–“catholic” in the best sense, meaning “universal”–the one “in all times and all places” church, consisting of all believers made holy by the blood of the Lamb and trusting in him, the church built on the foundation of the holy apostles. This is the unity that Jesus is praying for–praying for us–here in his High Priestly Prayer.

Thank God that he has brought us into his one church! The Holy Spirit has given us faith to believe in Christ our Savior, and now we know the Father’s love. We all believe in one true God, and we all have been baptized in the name of the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This is a God-established unity that cannot fail. This unity exists even now, in spite of all the divisions and fractures and errors we see in visible Christendom. And this unity will last forever, when by God’s grace those warts and flaws in the church will no longer be seen, when they will be healed–when Christ will present the church to himself as a bride radiant and beautiful, holy and without blemish.

Now of course we want to do everything we can to walk in the oneness God has given his church. We want to make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Speaking the truth in love, the church will be built up and grow strong, not being blown around by every wind of doctrine, but rather holding to the faith once delivered to the saints. We will work for concord in the church, seeking consensus in the pure doctrine and striving for a God-pleasing uniformity in church practice. This is a fitting follow-up to what Jesus is praying for us.

And there is an outcome that will follow, as we dwell in God and he in us and we are built up in the one apostolic faith. Our oneness in God results in mission, as Jesus says: “so that the world may believe that you have sent me,” and again, “so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” More and more people will come to faith in Christ as the church lives in, and manifests, and testifies to, the love of God in Christ. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” This is the love of God we have received and experienced, and that love then shines through us out into a sin-darkened world, drawing more and more people from every nation into the one holy church.

It’s happening all around the world today. What Jesus is praying for in this prayer is coming to pass as the church grows and the gospel goes into every corner of the world. In Africa, In Asia, in South America, the church is growing by leaps and bounds. In Ethiopia, in Kenya, in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore, in Argentina and Peru, we see the church expanding and new beachheads for the kingdom being established on every shore.

This is the same gospel that has saved you, my brothers and sisters. It speaks of God’s own Son coming down from heaven and being made incarnate here on earth. It is the good news of Jesus Christ, true God and true man, bearing the sins of the world in his body on the cross. He is the one and only Savior God has given for all men everywhere, the only one you need. In him you have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Christ won this for you on the cross, purchasing your salvation with his precious blood. And then he rose, victorious in the strife, defeating all your foes for you–death, the devil, the grave, the condemnation that you and I deserve by our sins. These all are overcome by the death and resurrection of God’s Son, Christ our Savior. Now ascended into heaven, he sits at God’s right hand, ever living to make intercession for us as our own High Priest. And he will come again at the last day, to take us home to be with him forever.

And that then is the other thing Jesus prays for us in this prayer of his in John 17. Jesus prays to his Father as follows: “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

Jesus prays this as he is about to go to the cross, to complete the saving mission for which he was sent. Then will come his resurrection and, forty days after that, his ascension into heaven. So when Jesus prays that we may be with him where he is, to see his glory, this is talking about our eternal life in heaven in the age to come. There we will see his glory, undimmed and undiminished. There we will be with him, and we will see him face to face. What a glorious day that will be! An endless, joyful eternity with our Lord and with all his people, in a paradise restored and made even better!

It’s what we see described in the reading from Revelation. The new Jerusalem, the holy city. The river of the water of life, flowing through the city, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. The tree of life–that tree we were barred from, when we were driven out of the garden after our fall into sin. But when the new day comes, when Christ returns and takes us home to be with him forever, then we will have access to the tree of life, eternal life, ours as a gift. “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life.” That’s us. We have had our robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb, our sins washed away in the waters of Holy Baptism. Therefore, in Christ, we will have the right to the tree of life.

Friends, this is paradise restored–creation restored, and made even better. No more sin or sorrow or death. Only life and abundance and joy. The blessed vision of seeing our Lord Jesus in his glory. The joy of worship around the throne with the whole company of heaven. The heavenly banquet feast. This is what we have to look forward to. This is our hope, our lively hope that animates all our days. We look forward to that day with great expectation. “Come, Lord Jesus!” is the church’s fervent cry. And, dear ones, this will be the ultimate fulfillment of Jesus’ own prayer, his High Priestly Prayer, the prayer he prays for us, that we may be with him where he is. God grant it, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

“Hands of Blessing” (Luke 24:44-53)

“Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.” This is our text.

“Lifting up his hands he blessed them.” On this Ascension Day, I invite you to consider with me those hands of Jesus. The hands with which he blesses us, as he ascends into heaven. For these hands of Jesus are “Hands of Blessing.”

As I was thinking about the lessons for tonight’s Ascension service, it was those hands that caught my attention. Why does Jesus lift up his hands as he blesses? After all, to give a blessing does not require the use of the hands but of the mouth. To “bless” people means, literally, to “speak good things” upon them. It is a verbal action, involving words being spoken. Whether it was an Old Testament priest speaking the Aaronic Benediction over the people of Israel, or here, the Lord Jesus Christ blessing his disciples, the one doing the blessing speaks words over people. He speaks good things upon them, in the name of the Lord, actually conferring God’s blessing on the people being blessed. So to pronounce a blessing involves using one’s mouth.

So what’s up with the hands? Why did the priest in the Old Testament or Jesus, here, lift up his hands as he spoke the blessing? This gesture of the hands was to communicate what was really going on, namely, that the Lord God was bestowing his blessing upon the people. The blessing was coming down from heaven, from God, in his name, and was being poured out on, showered over, directed toward, and conferred upon, the person or persons who were getting the blessing. The action of the hands matched the content of the words.

And so Jesus, here at his ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of God, the place of all authority–Jesus lifts up his hands as a sign of blessing coming down from heaven, blessing being conferred, even as he speaks the very words, his authoritative words, which bestow that blessing.

OK, fair enough. That explains the gesture of Jesus lifting up his hands over the disciples as he blesses them. But what sort of blessing or blessings does Jesus give? What are the good things being spoken and bestowed? And here I began to think about those hands again. These hands of Jesus that we see here at his ascension–what have we seen those same hands doing up until this point? How has Jesus used his hands during his ministry as hands of blessing? That question piqued my interest, so I went through the four gospels, and I searched for every place where Jesus’ hands are mentioned or where he’s described as touching something or someone. What I found was thrilling, because the kinds of things Jesus does with his hands–these are the kinds of good things that Jesus bestows on us when he blesses us.

So here goes. A quick run-through of how we see Jesus’ hands in action in the gospels: Right away, early on in his ministry, Jesus was using his hands to bless people. To bless them in every way, body, soul, and spirit. A leper comes to Jesus, pleading, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretches out his hand and touches him and says, “I will; be clean.” And it was done. Peter’s mother-in-law, sick with a fever. Jesus touches her hand, and the fever leaves her. That evening, all kinds of sick people were brought to Jesus, and he laid hands on every one of them and healed them.

Hands of healing, hands of blessing, hands of life. Jairus comes to Jesus and begs: “My little daughter is dying. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” Jesus comes, the girl is already dead, but Jesus takes her by the hand and says, “Talitha cumi,” “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” And she does. Jesus does this again when he touches the funeral bier of the widow of Nain’s son and raises him from the dead. “Young man, I say to you, arise.”

People are astonished at these things Jesus is doing. They begin to wonder about him. “How are such mighty works done by his hands?” The authority of Jesus, in his word and in his touch, is just amazing. These mighty works of blessing and healing and life–this man must be getting these things from God.

But there’s more. A deaf man with a speech impediment. Jesus puts his fingers into his ears, and spits, and touches the man’s tongue. “Ephphatha,” “Be opened.” And they are, the ears opened and the tongue loosed. Some people bring a blind man to Jesus, and they beg him to touch him. Jesus spits on the man’s eyes, lays hands on him–twice–and the man sees clearly. The hands of Jesus give people ears to hear and eyes to see and tongues to speak.

Jesus is out teaching the crowds. It’s late. They’re hungry. Jesus takes some food in his hands, five loaves and two fish. He speaks a blessing over them, and with that Jesus-blessed food, five thousand people eat and are satisfied. When Jesus takes bread in his hands and blesses it, wonderful things happen.

The hands of Jesus rescue and lift up fallen, doubting disciples. Peter is bidden to come and walk out on the sea. He does, but he’s afraid and begins to sink. “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reaches out his hand and takes hold of Peter. The disciples are beginning to see just who this Jesus is: “Truly you are the Son of God.” Again Peter is afraid, along with James and John, on the Mount of Transfiguration. The glory is too much for them, and they fall on their faces, terrified. But Jesus comes and touches them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” Another reassuring touch from Jesus, relieving fear.

They come down the mountain. Jesus casts a demon out of a boy. The demon convulses him and leaves him like a corpse. Jesus takes the boy by the hand and lifts him up, and he arises. Likewise a woman with a disabling spirit. Her body is all bent over. Jesus speaks a freeing word to her and lays hands on her, and she is made straight. Jesus’ hands and his word have authority over the demonic realm, which wishes to cause us harm.

The hands of Jesus are hands of blessing, blessing all who come to him, all who are brought to him, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem to the world. People bring little children to Jesus, to have him touch them and bless them. “And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.” Two blind men sit by the side of the road. “Kyrie, eleison,” “Lord, have mercy on us.” “And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.”

We come to Jerusalem. It’s the Feast of the Passover. Jesus’ hands now are holding a towel, as he gets down on his knees and washes the disciples’ feet. The Son of Man came to serve, not to be served. At the end of the meal, Jesus takes bread in his hands and blesses it. “This is my body, given for you.” Then he takes the cup. “This is my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” A little later that same evening, Jesus reaches out his hand even to one who comes to arrest him. Peter cuts off the ear of one of the arresting party. But Jesus touches the man’s ear, and it is healed. See the love and mercy and healing touch of our Lord, in his hands.

So what kinds of blessing have we seen Jesus bestowing with those hands of his? Healing the sick and every kind of disease. Delivering from demons, liberating the afflicted. Raising the dead with a word and a touch. Feeding the multitudes with the bread of life. Rescuing and reassuring fearful disciples. Blessing little children. What hands of blessing these hands of Jesus are!

But how can we know these hands of blessing are meant for us? I mean, that was then. What about now? What about us? How can I know that Jesus is lifting up his hands over me? How can I know that Jesus has love and mercy and blessing for someone as sinful as I am?

Well, let’s take another look at those hands. Where do we see them a little later in the gospels, after all the healings and miracles and so forth? “And they crucified him.” The hands of Jesus–healing hands, holy hands–nailed through, nailed to a cross. Hands immobilized, but, oh, what mighty works are being done by those hands! Christ is bearing the sins of the world in those hands–your sins and mine. He is offering up the perfect sacrifice for all our sins with those nail-pierced hands. This is how you can know all of Christ’s blessings are meant for people as sinful as you and I are: Take a look at his hands.

That’s what Jesus does when he rises on Easter Day and comes to his fearful, hiding-behind-locked-doors disciples: He shows them his hands. He wants them to know it is really he–they’re not seeing a ghost. And those nail marks are not a sign of defeat. No, they are a sign of victory, an everlasting sign of victory. Our risen Lord always wants to be known by those nail-marked hands. For they show forth his finished victory over sin and death and everything that would close in on you and cause you to fear. The hands of Jesus show that the price has been paid, death is undone, that even the grave could not stop the Son of God or keep his life from bursting forth. Here is life for you. Jesus is holding the life in his hands, and now he is offering it to you, free of charge.

So now when we see the hands of Jesus, upraised, lifted up at his ascension, we know what the blessing is that he is bestowing upon us. It is forgiveness of sins, won for sinners like you and me on that cross. It is eternal life, guaranteed by his resurrection, which he showed to his disciples with his nail-marked hands. It is strength and reassurance for when we are weak and afraid.

And it is Christ’s blessing resting on his church, as the ascended Lord now sends out his church in his name to take the life-giving gospel into all the world. Jesus is blessing the mission of the church at his ascension. He now is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he is ruling all things for the good of the church and her mission. The uplifted hands of Jesus at his ascension show that he will continue to bless his church, which indeed he did by pouring out the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost.

Dear friends, our ascended Lord blesses us with every blessing. He speaks good things upon us. His hands are stretched out tonight, bestowing every good upon us. The nail marks show that even poor miserable sinners are included. And tonight our Lord takes the bread and the cup in his hands once again to bless us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation.

Yes, risen, ascended, and now seated at the right hand of God, our Lord Jesus Christ is lifting up his hands of blessing over you tonight.

“In Jesus, Peace; In the World, Tribulation” (John 16:23-33)

Hear again the words of Jesus at the end of John 16, verse 33: “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.” This is our text.

“In Jesus, Peace; In the World, Tribulation.” This is what our Lord says his followers can expect. It was that way for his disciples back then. It is that way for his disciples still now. On the one hand, peace; on the other hand, tribulation. Both guaranteed, at the same time, for all those who follow the Savior in faith. How does this apply to you and me?

We’ll start with the matter of having tribulation. “In the world you will have tribulation,” Jesus tells his disciples. Let’s unpack that a bit. “In the world”–meaning, as we live our life here in this world, in the midst of a world system that is aligned against God and his ways and against his people, the church. The world is a hostile environment for Christians. We are in the world, but not of the world. We don’t share in its values. The church is always counter-cultural, in whatever culture we find ourselves, because in every society there are always aspects of it that run counter to God’s Word, and therefore the church must run counter to the culture. The world’s values prominent in our culture not long ago exalted materialism and a pale civil religion that made church-going fashionable–as long as people didn’t get too carried away with it–and that equated being a good American with being a good Christian. Now, a few decades later, the culture has shifted, church-going is on the decline, organized religion is unpopular, and public morality has slid into the sewer. But in either case, then or now, the world’s values–wrong values, from God’s perspective–have been present in our society. It’s just now the wrongness is easier to see. So as the church is faithful to God’s Word–as we proclaim a prophetic message and live lives transformed by the gospel–the church is always going to be counter-cultural, and the world will hate us for it. We are an annoying, unwanted presence in the world, because the world wants to tune out God and his Word, and we remind them too much that there is another way to live.

“In the world you will have tribulation,” Jesus continues. “You will have.” It’s guaranteed. You can count on it. The tribulation is going to come. Expect it. Be ready for it.

“In the world you will have tribulation.” “Tribulation,” trouble–the Greek word here is “thlipsis.” “Thlipsis” has the idea of “pressure,” being pressed hard, pressure being brought to bear against someone. Certainly the disciples of Jesus went on to face their share of pressure, tribulation, “thlipsis.” The apostles of Christ were called on the carpet by the Jewish Sanhedrin and put under pressure to stop teaching in that name. That was “thlipsis,” tribulation. They were arrested, more than once, and beaten up. The apostle James was killed for the faith, the first of the apostles to be martyred, and all but one of them ended up dying a martyr’s death. And the one who didn’t, John–he was exiled as an old man. All this was “thlipsis,” tribulation, extreme pressure, exercised by the world, against Christians. And really, it’s been no different ever since. In every century the church, as it has been faithful, has experienced pressure and trouble from a hostile world. “In the world you will have tribulation.” Jesus is saying that to us, too, to all of us here today.

What brings this on? It’s that the church is called to be faithful in proclaiming God’s Word. That includes proclaiming God’s Law, our Creator’s good order for humanity, which the people of this world rebel against. And we tell it like it is, that what God calls sin is sin, no matter what the world may say, and that all men are liable, accountable to God for their sins and subject to his righteous judgment. Obviously, the world does not like to hear this. And so they hate us for saying it.

Case in point, the most prominent recent example: The matter of homosexuality in our society. God’s Word says it is wrong. The world–or at least the current popular opinion in our culture–the world now says homosexual behavior is OK, even good. Just this past week, Rhode Island became the tenth state to legalize so-called “gay marriage,” which is neither “gay,” in the sense of “happy,” nor is it “marriage.” It is a sick, sick mockery of marriage. But now you even have the President of the United States endorsing this insanity.

And so if Christians are going to be faithful to God’s Word, and speak out against the homosexual agenda, they–we–can expect tribulation. This is already happening. The world is bringing trouble and pressure to bear against those who speak the truth.

Again just this past week, a relatively unknown NBA basketball player named Jason Collins announced that he was “gay.” Well, you’d think this guy had just found a cure for cancer or done something else noble and virtuous, the way he was instantly celebrated as a hero in the press, and by the President. And God help you–or somebody help you–if you dare to deviate from the party line and politely suggest that sodomy is a sin.

That’s what happened to an NBA commentator by the name of Chris Broussard. Broussard works for ESPN, and on one of their programs, he was asked what he thought about Collins “coming out.” Here is what he said: “I’m a Christian. I don’t agree with homosexuality. I think it’s a sin, as I think all sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is. . . . Personally, I don’t believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly–like, premarital sex between heterosexuals–if you’re openly living that type of lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits. It says that, you know, that’s a sin. And if you’re openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality–adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be–I believe that’s walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ.”

Now Chris Broussard here was simply saying what God says about that particular sin, and balancing that by pointing out heterosexual sins as well. As a Christian, he was simply being faithful to God’s Word. But who do you think got the most criticism and hate in the media this past week, Collins the homosexual or Broussard the Christian? The Christian, of course. Chris Broussard has been getting a ton of “thlipsis,” tribulation and pressure, for what he said. One group has launched a petition drive demanding that ESPN suspend or even fire Broussard for his comments. Their petition statement reads: “Chris Broussard’s hateful attack on Jason Collins for being gay was an unacceptable misrepresentation of the Christian faith. ESPN must immediately suspend Chris Broussard and guarantee that their network will never again be used for gay bashing.”

Friends, this is “thlipsis,” tribulation, the kind of pressure Christians will get from the world when we are faithful to God’s Word. Get used to it. It will come. And this is only one small example, about calling sin sin. You’ll get even more tribulation if you say that the only solution to sin is in our Savior Jesus Christ, that no one comes to the Father except through him, and that there is salvation in no one else, that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. This exclusive claim of Christianity is likewise loathsome to the world. They don’t want to hear it. They can’t stand it.

Now is there a way to avoid “thlipsis,” to avoid this pressure and tribulation? Sure there is. Just surrender to the world, give up the fight, do what they say, and the world will leave you alone. They may even applaud you for seeing the light and being so tolerant.

But that’s not us. No, we will be faithful to God’s Word, by God’s grace. We will speak the truth, no matter how the world rages against it. And what will give us the confidence and the courage to do so? It is this: Christ’s promise of peace. Jesus here assures his disciples: “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.”

Jesus has overcome the world! The world did its worst, and Jesus overcame it. The world raged against Christ, put him to death, mocked and beat and crucified the only sinless man who has ever walked this earth. He endured the ultimate “thlipsis,” the greatest pressure and trouble, when he was nailed to that cross. Yet precisely in his suffering and death, the holy Son of God won the victory for us. Jesus took all the sins of the world, all of our rebellion against God–all of our sins, homosexual, heterosexual, you name it–and Jesus bore the judgment we deserve in our place, on the cross. His sacrificial death removes the barrier of sin that separates us from God. His death makes peace between God and man. It wins our forgiveness. What Jesus did for us on Good Friday and Easter–this opens up for us the door of eternal life, even as we see the stone rolled away from Jesus’ tomb and hear the good news that he is risen and lives forever, all praise unto his name.

“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.” Yes, dear friends, take heart! Be strong and courageous. The world cannot hurt you, not really. Not ultimately or finally. No, in the end, you have the victory, in Christ. In Jesus, you do have peace, no matter how wildly the world may rage all around us.

The world is going crazy. It has lost its mind. They call good evil, and evil good. That’s not going to change. But there’s something else that will not change, and that is Christ’s promise of peace to all who trust in him. Lean on that promise. Rely on it. Rest your whole life on this peace that your Savior has secured for you and promises to you. His word will not fail.

“In Jesus, Peace; In the World, Tribulation.” But take heart, dear Christians; the peace that Jesus gives is far greater than any tribulation this old world can dish out. It is an eternal peace that cannot fail and will prevail. “The peace of God, which passes all understanding”–the peace of God, which overcomes the world and all its tribulation–this same peace, “keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Amen.

“A Little While” (John 16:12-22)

“We do not know what he is talking about.” Maybe you say that sometimes towards the end of my sermons. “We don’t know what he’s talking about!” Well, if so, then I’m in good company, because that’s what the disciples said about a sermon Jesus was preaching. We heard it in today’s Gospel from John 16. “We do not know what he is talking about,” the disciples said. What was it they were puzzled about?

It was this. Jesus had just told them: “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” Huh? Come again? Well, yeah, that’s just the point. Jesus will come again. He’s going away, and they won’t see him. Then he’ll come again, and they will see him. But it does sound like a bit of a riddle, doesn’t it? “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” So you can just see the puzzled looks on the disciples’ faces, as they turn to one another and say, repeating his words: “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’?” “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.”

What does Jesus mean? It’s not the easiest thing to figure out exactly, even now. In a way, we could say that his saying has kind of a double meaning, or at least a double application, one to the disciples’ immediate situation, right at that time, and then to a broader, longer-range situation that fits our situation also. So let’s see what sense we can make of all this. Let’s talk about this “A Little While.”

It helps us to know when Jesus was saying this. It was on Maundy Thursday, the Thursday during Holy Week, the night when Jesus was about to be betrayed and arrested, and the next day he would be taken to the cross. That helps explain Jesus’ mysterious saying. It would be just for a little while longer that the disciples would see him as they had seen him for the past several years. Just a little while more, a matter of hours. They had had the Passover meal together, which Jesus ended by instituting the Lord’s Supper. Now he was talking to them about going away, going to his Father. Shortly they would go over to the Garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus would pray there. Then would come the betrayal and the arrest, Jesus being hauled off to a series of unjust trials through the night. In the morning, he will be taken to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. “Crucify!” the crowds cry, and “Crucify!” is what they get. Golgotha. Crucifixion. Darkness. Death. Burial. All within 24 hours of the time when Jesus is saying this, his “A little while, and you will see me no longer.” And that literally was the case for the disciples.

And their response to Jesus being taken away from them? Their response would be just as Jesus describes here. They would have great sorrow. “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament,” Jesus tells them. “You will be sorrowful.” Indeed, they were. They were crushed. Their master, on whom they had pinned all their hopes–their beloved master, their teacher, the one whom they had correctly identified as the Christ, the Messiah–very soon he would be dead, and they would feel dead inside.

They had come so far, they thought, and now it was back to square one–or worse. What would happen to them now? The authorities had killed Jesus. What would they do now to his followers? It was a scary time. “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice.” Think of how Jesus’ enemies mocked him when he was on the cross, laughing at him. They were rejoicing that Jesus was getting what was coming to him. Who was he to call them to repentance? Who does he think he is, anyway? “Ha, look at him dying there in shame!” The world rejoiced, whereas Jesus’ followers were weeping and sorrowful. And now those disciples had to worry about what might happen to them.

But here in our text Jesus is assuring them that even though things will seem grim, very intensely grim, that would not be the end of the story. “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” There’s another “little while” coming, and then again they will see Jesus once more. It’s the resurrection Jesus is referring to here, in the immediate context. After Christ’s crucifixion and burial on Friday, it would be only a little while–on Sunday–until they will see him again, with their own eyes. Follow the sequence: Jesus with the disciples, talking to them here on Thursday evening. Jesus crucified, dead, and buried, taken from the disciples on Friday. Then Jesus resurrected and alive, restored to the disciples’ sight on Sunday. All within a few days. A little while, and a little while.

And when Jesus is raised, their spirits will be raised also. “You will be sorrowful,” Jesus tells them, “but your sorrow will turn into joy.” From sorrow to joy, and the reason is the resurrection. From death to life, and life equals joy.

Jesus compares it to a woman giving birth, and I’m guessing some of you ladies can identify here. When a woman goes into labor, so I’m told, the labor pains can be intense. The pain will even increase in intensity and frequency, until the woman feels she is being torn apart and can’t take it anymore. So I am told. Very intense anguish. But the point is, the anguish, while intense, only lasts for a relatively short time. Then it gives way to a surpassingly wonderful joy, which far outweighs the pain felt just a short time earlier. It’s a joy that lasts much longer than the pain, because now a new life has come into the world. And so, Jesus concludes, “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”

How the disciples did rejoice when they saw Jesus on Easter Day! Not only was their master alive, they also began to understand why he had had to die. The marks in his hands and his side–that began to tell them. Jesus then opened their minds to understand the Scriptures–now it was becoming clear. This was all part of God’s plan! It was necessary for the Christ to suffer and die for sinful humanity. It was the only way for our sins to be atoned for, the only way for death to be overcome. God’s holy Son must die for sinners like you and me and those disciples, or else we would be lost, forever. But now the risen Lord shows us that his rescue mission was successful and complete. Sins forgiven, death conquered. New life, resurrection life, given and received. Good Friday and Easter–together they do all that. From death to life. From sorrow to joy. A little while, and a lot of joy.

Dear friends, Christ gives you a joy that no one can take from you. It is a joy that runs deeper than your circumstances. The world will hate you–and we see evidence of that all around us these days, increasingly so, the world’s hostility against the Christian church. The world will hate you, even as they hated Jesus. The world will rejoice at the church’s misfortunes. But no one can take our joy–a real, true joy–no one will take our joy in Jesus from us. It’s too great and too deep for them to touch. For we know, we know–the Holy Spirit has embedded this faith in our hearts–we know that our Redeemer lives, and, oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives! He lives, and because he lives, we will live also. We live as God’s dearly loved children. We live, our lives joined to Jesus forever in Holy Baptism. The bond is too strong to break. Your salvation is secure, come what may.

And testings and trials and troubles will come. In this world, in this life, we will have tribulation. For one thing, our sinful tendencies have not totally vanished. We still stumble and fall, and we need to be picked up and set back on the right road. Our own sin perplexes us. And the world around us will persecute us, mock us, make fun of us Christians, speak evil against us. On top of that, the devil will tempt us, try to draw us away from Christ–through the desires of the flesh, through the deceitfulness of the world’s false values, through the discouragement that comes when we think God doesn’t care for us. And so there is this battle we must fight now for a little while.

“A little while.” There it is again. Like the disciples, we endure a “little while” of anguish and sorrow, as we await our Lord’s return. For Christ has ascended and gone back to the Father, and we don’t see him here with us right now. That doesn’t mean he isn’t with us–he is. It’s just that we don’t see him with our eyes. And our life doesn’t look all that magnificently perfect either. So we have a little while of our own that we must go through.

But it is just a little while, relatively speaking. The suffering and the sorrow may be intense, there’s no denying that. But in the big scheme of things, when compared to the eternal future that lies before us, the sorrowful now is just a little while. The better time is coming–Jesus himself is coming, he is coming again–when everything will be restored and made much better than it is now. “Behold, I am making all things new!” our returning Lord declares.

And so for now we have our “little while.” But it’s a little while that leads to a lot of joy! Because even now we have that joy, a significant taste of it–Easter joy, and that’s a joy that no one can take from us. It’s the joy of sins forgiven. It’s the joy of knowing our Savior is risen and lives forever. It’s the joy Jesus gives us through the Holy Spirit, our Lord’s “going-away present,” so to speak, the Spirit testifying to our Spirit that we are indeed God’s children. And it’s the joy of knowing that Christ will come again to take us home.

A little while, a lot of joy. And now I think we do know what Jesus is talking about!

“The Good Shepherd Cares for His Sheep” (John 10:14-15, 22-30; Acts 20:17-35; Revelation 7:9-17)

Today is what is usually called “Good Shepherd Sunday.” Every year on this Sunday in the Easter season, the theme of all the parts of the service is Jesus as the Good Shepherd of the sheep, his flock, the church. He lays down his life for the sheep and takes it up again–that’s the Easter connection. On Good Shepherd Sunday, the Holy Gospel is always a portion of John 10, in which Jesus identifies himself as that shepherd several times. The other two readings also fit the theme of Christ as shepherd. The Introit and Collect of the Day, likewise. The appointed psalm, of course, is always Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd.” And the Hymn of the Day is a musical setting of the 23rd Psalm, “The King of Love My Shepherd Is,” which we just sang. So we always have a very clear theme to work with on this Fourth Sunday of Easter, which is why we call it “Good Shepherd Sunday.”

Take, for example, our readings for today. In the first reading, from Acts 20, the Apostle Paul uses shepherding language when he instructs the elders of Ephesus on their task as pastors: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock,” Paul says. “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock,” and so on. In the reading from Revelation, we see the multitude arrayed in white, and we’re told that “the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water.” And in the Holy Gospel, from John 10, Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” So we have shepherd imagery throughout.

Now what does this have to do with us? Well, “we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand,” as Psalm 95 says. We are those sheep for whom the Good Shepherd lays down his life and takes it up again. We are members of Christ’s flock, the church. We are being led to those heavenly springs of water. We hear our shepherd’s voice, and we follow him. All this by God’s grace, of course, since we sheep would be lost forever without our Good Shepherd.

Today I want you to see yourself, to see your identity, as part of Christ’s flock, his church, and to appreciate all the more all that your Good Shepherd does for you. For truly, “The Good Shepherd Cares for His Sheep.”

The Good Shepherd cares for his sheep. How so? First of all, by laying down his life for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd,” Jesus says, “and I lay down my life for the sheep.” That is what he did. Like a faithful shepherd who protects his flock from their enemies, even at the cost of his own life, so Jesus laid down his life for us.

You see, we sheep had ferocious predators coming after us: Death and the devil, looking to take us down. Snarling, ravenous predators, with their fangs bared. You and I were no match for death and the devil. Our own sins left us all too vulnerable to their attack. The devil saw us as easy prey. And we were. We fell for his lies in the first place, and we stupid sheep keep falling for the same lies ever since: “Go ahead, be your own god! You can do it. That mean old God, who gives you all those commandments to follow–he’s just trying to spoil your fun! So you–you can be your own god and make your own decisions. Go off on your own! Don’t let yourself be cooped up in a cramped sheepfold, boxed in, with all sorts of rules. Come on! Life is short. Live it up!”

These are the lies of Satan, and we fall for them. Case in point: Marriage. God’s good gift of marriage, the intimate, exclusive relationship of a man and a woman within the bonds of holy matrimony. But we think God is a lousy giver. That’s not enough. No, we grow tired of the spouse God has given us, so we dump that person and move on to someone else. Or maybe we just sneak a little peek of pornography on the side–nobody will know, and God will forgive us anyway, we tell ourselves. We grow impatient and rush into the physical relationship of a man and a woman, but before marriage. And now, increasingly, people are just bypassing marriage altogether, ignoring the fact this is our Creator’s good design and it does not change, no matter what our society may say. These are the deceptions and delusions we fall for. And let’s call it for what it is–sin.

Our sin gives the devil a foothold in our lives, and he seeks to enslave us. Our sin gives death the entrée to leap on us and take us down, like a wolf taking down a sheep. These are the predators that would attack us, and we have made ourselves vulnerable, easy targets for death and the devil by our rebellion against God.

This is where Jesus our Good Shepherd comes in. He would not see us die. He came to seek and to save the lost–the lost sheep that we were, caught in the brambles, unable to free ourselves. What would it take to free us? Our Good Shepherd would yield his own life to set us free. He let the devil strike his heel, so to speak, by being nailed to the cross. But in the process, Christ was really dealing the death blow to the devil’s head, taking away from him the accusation lodged against us, which was our sin. Christ, the holy Son of God, by his blood shed on the cross, made atonement for our sins; he paid the price in full. Christ suffered death, so that we would not die eternally, but rather live. “I lay down my life for the sheep,” Jesus says. And, dear ones, you and I are those sheep for whom the Savior died.

So that’s the first way the Good Shepherd cares for his sheep, namely, by laying down his life for us. Secondly, having risen from the dead, Jesus now calls us to faith in him. “My sheep hear my voice,” he says, “and I know them, and they follow me.” That’s what faith is: to hear the voice of Jesus and to follow him. Dear Christian, Jesus knows you. He knows you by name. He calls you by name. Your name and his name were linked in Holy Baptism, when God baptized you and made you his child. God gave you the gift of faith by the power of the Holy Spirit. Now you believe in Jesus. You trust in him as your Savior. Christ’s living voice calls out to you, calling you to repentance and faith, and you hear his voice and respond. The voice of your shepherd rings true in your ears. You recognize it. He calls you to turn from your selfish, rebellious ways, and to come back home to the flock, and to receive forgiveness for your sins. This is the voice of your shepherd.

To follow the Good Shepherd means to continue to listen to his voice, throughout your lifetime. This is not a one-and-done kind of thing. Following the shepherd and hearing his voice is a lifelong activity. There is no point at which we sheep can turn off or tune out our shepherd’s voice. To hear his voice means listening to God’s Word, taking it in, receiving strength for our faith and direction for our life. This happens through the ministry of the church, the ministry of Word and Sacrament. These are the pleasant pastures in which we graze as God’s flock, and so we are blessed to be here today in God’s house.

That brings us to our third point. The Good Shepherd cares for his sheep by sending you shepherds, pastors, in his name. Paul brings this out in his address to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20. By the way, the term “elders” there would be equivalent to our term “pastors,” that is, men set apart for the ministry of the gospel.

Notice how Paul himself had cared for the church at Ephesus. He did not shrink from declaring to them anything that was profitable. He taught them, both publicly and privately. He testified of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. He testified to the gospel of God’s grace. Paul did not shrink from declaring to them the whole counsel of God.

And what Paul declared and taught and testified, that he expected the Ephesian elders likewise to declare and teach and testify. That is their duty as shepherds of God’s flock: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.” So here we see how Christ cares for his flock through the pastors he provides. Your pastor is here to protect you from those who would twist God’s Word and draw you away from the truth. There are plenty of false teachers around, and so you need to learn how to distinguish truth from error. Christ cares for you enough to send you a pastor who will help you to do just that.

And to help build you up in the true faith. As Paul tells those Ephesian elders: “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” God’s Word will build you up. And my task as your pastor is to lead you into God’s Word, so that you will grow strong in the faith. Please let me do that for you. It happens especially when you come regularly to our worship services and Bible classes.

The Good Shepherd cares for his sheep, laying down his life for us, calling us to faith, giving us pastors. And now fourth and finally, the Good Shepherd cares for his sheep by leading us to the eternal springs of water in heaven. That is what Revelation is pointing us toward: “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Eternal life. This is where our Good Shepherd is taking us. He will lead us through the valley of the shadow of death, and we will come through with him safe and sound and whole on the other side. Jesus leads the way. His resurrection guarantees our resurrection. Follow him where he leads, and you will come out all right–literally, all, right. Everything made whole and complete, better than ever, to last forever. No more death. No more tears. No more sorrow. No more terrorist bombings that blow off limbs. No more ammonium nitrate explosions that wipe out towns. None of that. Everything whole and complete and made new again, including our bodies and including a restored creation. This is where our shepherd is leading us. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Dear friends, today on this Good Shepherd Sunday, we have seen what our shepherd Jesus has done, is doing, and will do for us his sheep. He laid down his life for us, to redeem us from our sins. He has taken up his life again, in his Easter resurrection, and now his voice is calling us to repentance and to faith, to receive God’s forgiveness. Christ cares for us enough that he sends his church pastors, so that we will not be led astray by error but instead grow strong in truth, the truth of God’s Word. And finally, Christ will lead us through death and on into the life everlasting. These, fellow members of God’s flock, the church–these are the ways in which Christ the Good Shepherd cares for his sheep.

“By the Charcoal Fire” (John 21:1-19)

It’s been a couple of weeks now since Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples. Last Sunday, Jesus came and appeared to them a second time, on that occasion especially to bring Thomas to repent of his unbelief and confess his faith. Now today Jesus appears to the disciples–seven of them, at least–he appears to them a third time, this time not in Jerusalem, as on the previous two occasions, but now back up in Galilee, the home base for many of the disciples.

Jesus appears to them, unexpectedly, while they’re out on the lake in a boat, fishing, and he’s standing on the shore, standing by a charcoal fire he had made. They don’t know that it’s Jesus there on the shore, but he calls to them, and that’s when the fun begins. So now let’s find out what happens when we hear Jesus call us to come to him “By the Charcoal Fire.”

Here’s how it came about. The boys are back home, in Galilee, by the Sea of Tiberias, which you know better as the Sea of Galilee–although, as a “sea,” it’s really more of a glorified lake. There the disciples are, kind of biding their time while they’re waiting for further instructions from their risen Lord about what to do with their lives. In the meantime, they do what they know best how to do to put a little food on the table, which is to go back–at least temporarily–to their previous line of work as professional fishermen. “I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter declares, and this does not mean just sitting in a boat for a couple of hours with rod and reel, drinking beer. No, when Peter and the boys go fishing, they go fishing! They haul out the net–they’re commercial fishermen, remember–and get in a boat big enough for the seven of them, and they’re out all night, plying their trade, which they know very well, and they know these waters like the back of their hand.

But of course, they work all night, and they don’t catch nothin’. Some nights are like that, I suppose, in the fishing business. They’re tired, they’re exhausted, they’re frustrated, I’m sure.

By now it’s dawn, very early in the morning, and, lo and behold, some guy is standing on the shore. They can’t make out who it is. They’re out on the lake, about a football field away from the shore. The fellow on the beach calls out to them across the water: “Children, do you have any fish?” In other words, “Didja catch anything?” They’ve got to answer, “No.” So the fella answers back: “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” What, are you kidding me? We’ve just been working all night, using all our skills and know-how, and we’ve come up empty! Don’t you think we know what we’re doing? We’re pros at this, buddy! Who are you to give us advice on fishing? Who do you think you are?

Well, whether it was something in this fellow’s voice or just out of a “what could it hurt” desperation, they give it one last try before packing it in. They cast the net where he says, and–whammo!–a net full of fish! I mean, a whole bunch, lots and lots of fish.

By the way, this big catch made such an impression on the fishermen that John even records the number here in his gospel: 153 of them, and they were large fish! What a haul! Now if John were writing this in the Book of Revelation, I would be inclined to search for a symbolic meaning of the number 153. But as it is, I think the 153 here is just to emphasize what a big catch it was. Professional fishermen would be likely to take an inventory of their catches, so noting the number may not have been unusual. So I think the 153 is just the “net total,” so to speak.

So the disciples put in their net, as the man said, and–bam!–there’s this big catch of fish. Suddenly, the bell begins to ring for one of the guys, the light bulb comes on, he puts two and two together and comes up with who the mystery man on the shore must be: “It’s the Lord!” John cries. With that, Peter, always the impetuous one, dives right in the water and swims to shore, so eager is he to see Jesus. The rest of the guys come following in the boat.

They get on shore, and they see Jesus there by the charcoal fire, and–surprise!–he’s already got some fish of his own on the fire. How did he get those fish anyhow? And he’s got some bread. He invites them to eat. By now all sorts of bells should be going off. Remember the feeding of the multitudes, when Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes? Yes, this Jesus is the Lord of creation, the eternal Son of God, by whom all the fish in the sea and all the grains of the earth were created in the first place.

So there’s that to recall. But even more so, do you disciples remember when Jesus provided a previous miraculous draught of fishes? Peter, you especially ought to remember that one. It was early on in your acquaintance with Jesus. On that occasion, likewise, Jesus told you to let down your nets for a catch, and you told him that you had toiled all night and caught nothing. But at his word you did what he said, and you pulled in a large number of fish. “Depart from me, Lord,” you said, “for I am a sinful man.” And Jesus told you, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

But that was then, and this is now. Stuff has happened in between. Like you, Simon Peter, like you denying your Lord–three times!–on that night a few weeks back. That night when you so proudly declared that even if all the others should desert the Master, you would never do something like that. Yet, just a little while later . . . the garden, and the arrest, and then following to the courtyard, and, and . . . “I am not one of his disciples!” And again: “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” And a third time: “I tell you, I don’t know the man!”

Three times, denying Jesus, out in that courtyard, there by that . . . there by that charcoal fire! Now the bells are really going off! You see, on the night when Peter denied Jesus, he was standing by a charcoal fire. Now, here he is again, standing by a charcoal fire. In fact, the Greek word for “charcoal fire,” “anthrakia,” from which we get our word “anthracite”–the word “anthrakia” occurs only two times in the whole New Testament: first in the courtyard scene of Peter’s denial in John 18, and now here in John 21, on the shore with Jesus and Peter standing together by this charcoal fire that Jesus has prepared.

If it seems like Jesus may have done this for a reason, that becomes even more clear with what happens next. Three times Peter had denied his Lord by a charcoal fire. Now, three times, Jesus will restore his denying disciple, again by a charcoal fire. “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” “Feed my lambs.” “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” “Tend my sheep.” “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

Yes, Simon Peter, your three denials have been forgiven, three times over. Your sins are forgiven, you’re being restored to your position, and you’ll have some good work to do now, Peter, which the Lord will bless.

For some things have happened in between. In between the two charcoal fires, the one in the courtyard and the one on the shore. In between Peter’s denials and, now, Peter’s restoration. In between, Jesus has gone to the cross, where he, the Son of God, purchased Peter’s forgiveness–and yours. Yes, Jesus has been our “in between” guy, the mediator, the man in the middle, making peace between God and sinful man by his holy blood, shed on our behalf. This is how Jesus can forgive Peter’s denials–and ours. Risen from the dead–which was also very early in the morning, “just as day was breaking”–our resurrected Lord Jesus still stands by his charcoal fire, calling all of his denying, deserting, fallen disciples to come to him and be forgiven and be restored.

How about you? How have you denied your Lord, like Peter did? Or are you thinking you’re better than Peter? No, that’s not true. I’ve been just like him, too many times, denying Christ by my words and actions, surrendering to the pressures of the world. Denying him also by my failures to speak, and by my inactions. Like Simon Peter, you and I have denied our Lord Jesus more times than we can count. Some in particular may stand out in our minds and memory, like those times in the courtyard did for Peter.

But the good news today is this: Jesus is calling you over to himself, by the charcoal fire. Hear his voice, and come and receive your forgiveness. Jesus is restoring you today. No matter how many times you have fallen, Jesus will pick you up. He is restoring you to himself, and he has some good work for you to do, which he will bless. He will bless whatever he is calling you to do, in his name, according to your vocation in life–in church, at home, at work, in your family, in your community.

And Jesus has something to give you, to give you strength as you go on to serve in his name. Children, do you have anything to eat? Yes, you do. Jesus has it already laid out for you. It is his holy Body and Blood, given for you to eat and to drink in his Blessed Sacrament. Come and eat. Come and be forgiven. Come and be restored. For Jesus is here, dear friends, and the charcoal fire of forgiveness is still burning.

“Words of Life” (John 20:19-31; Acts 5:12-32; Revelation 1:4-18)

To those sitting in prison, facing a death sentence, filled with fear at what awaits them, nothing is more welcome than someone coming with a message of pardon and release. Those words come as words of life in a world of fear and death.

“Words of Life.” That’s what we hear in our readings today–in all three of them: the First Reading, from Acts; the Epistle, from Revelation; and the Holy Gospel, from John. Words of life, to people sitting in prison, overcoming their fear and giving them the faith and the boldness and the final victory that they need. And the good news is, these words of life come not only to the people in our readings, they come also to us, sitting here today.

Today and for the next five Sundays, that is, for the rest of the Easter season, our readings will come from these three places–Acts, Revelation, and the Gospel of John. Throughout we will hear the glorious and life-giving message of Christ’s resurrection and what that means for us. It starts today, and the common thread running through these particular lessons today is that in each one the words of life come to those who are locked up, sitting in a prison.

Now in the reading from the Gospel of John, the people involved are not literally locked up in an actual prison, but they might as well be. For it’s a prison of their own making. “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews. . . .” The disciples were hiding out, hiding behind locked doors, afraid of what might happen to them. Their master had been crucified just a few days earlier, and now they were thinking something similar could happen to them. Jesus’ enemies had been out for blood. They had gotten their way with him, had him put to death. Now, the fear was, would they come looking for his followers? Thus the locked doors.

But if a mighty stone in front of a tomb could not stop Jesus, neither would these locked doors. The resurrected and glorified Lord passes right through and comes and stands among them and says, “Peace be with you.” Here are words of life and peace and pardon. To disciples who had deserted their master in his hour of need, the gracious Christ comes with full forgiveness. “Peace be with you.” More than an ordinary greeting, this is a holy absolution. And then the risen Lord shows them the cost at which that absolution came. He shows them his hands and his side. Hands, still bearing the marks of the nails that held him to the cross. His side, still bearing the mark of the piercing spear that made sure that he was dead. Notice that Christ, even in his resurrection, still bears the marks of his crucifixion. This is how we wants to be identified. This is how he wants to be known. Always as the one who was crucified for our transgressions, the Lamb who was slain, by whose blood we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

“Peace be with you.” Spoken by the crucified and risen Savior, these are words of life, words of forgiveness to faithless disciples, words of reassurance to fearful disciples. Christ meets their amazement by showing them that it is really he. They are not seeing an apparition. They are not hallucinating. This is truly their risen Lord standing there, risen with a body they can see and touch and handle. Their fear gives way to gladness.

Again a second time Jesus speaks his peace to them, this time empowering them for their mission as apostles, as his witnesses. He will be sending them out very soon, so that they can speak his words of life and forgiveness to others.

But one of their company was not there that day. His turn will have to wait till a week later. Thomas it is. He didn’t believe their report that the Lord had risen. No, hearing the words is not enough for Thomas. He’s got to see for himself.

Well, now on this night, a week after Jesus had shown himself to the disciples, the doors are still locked. I guess fear doesn’t die that easily. But Jesus comes again, again on a Sunday, and he stands among them. By the way, Jesus has been doing that same thing every Sunday for 2000 years now, coming among us and speaking his words of life. This time Jesus comes for the special benefit of Thomas, so that he would not miss out, so that he would not be lost in unbelief, but instead believe and be saved. Jesus’ words let Thomas know that he knows about his initial refusal to believe. And this causes Thomas to repent of his unbelief. Now he confesses his faith in who Jesus is: “My Lord and my God!”

That’s good, Thomas, but the words in the first place should be enough. “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

And now we are getting to us. This is describing our situation. You and I–we were not there in that room, either on the first Easter Sunday or a week later. We have not seen with our eyes the risen Christ. We have not touched his hands or his side. Yet still Christ comes to us, and he speaks his words of life to us, and–amazement of amazement–we believe! This is a miracle! This is a gift! And Jesus pronounces us “blessed”: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Hey, that’s you and me he’s talking about! Did you know Jesus mentions you in the Bible? He does! It’s right there.

So how does this happen? How come people here and all around the world, how come people for close to 2000 years now–how is it that we all believe in, and take our stand on, a man rising from the dead whom we have never seen? Friends, this is the power of those words of life. These words work. They work faith in our hearts. These are living and powerful words, active and creative words. They create the faith in the Savior they proclaim.

This is why God has seen to it to have these words of life recorded for us in the Bible, so that we who have not seen Christ in person–we will still hear and believe and be saved. John the Apostle and Evangelist tells us that this is his purpose in writing them down: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

The inscripturated gospel, which we read in the Bible, which we hear read from the lectern and preached from the pulpit–and the “insacramented” gospel, which make Holy Baptism and Holy Communion the means of grace that they are–the good news of peace and pardon and life in Christ, this gospel word brings and bestows the gifts it speaks of, as well as giving us the ability to receive those gifts. This is saving faith, created by these words. “These are written”–and read and preached and sacramented–“so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Words of life to people in prison: This is the theme running through our lessons today. Very briefly, then, to the other two, Acts and Revelation. In the reading from Acts, this time the apostles are literally locked up in an actual prison. But locked doors cannot stop God from getting his word to people. The apostles need to hear it themselves, and so do the people they will reach upon their release. So God is going to give the apostles the boldness they need to persevere in the face of persecution. And he’s going to get them out of that prison cell, so they can go out and do the job he has for them to do. During the night an angel of the Lord opens the prison doors and brings them out, and says, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” Which they do, with great boldness.

God’s words of life free his people–they free us–from our fear of speaking out and confessing Christ. If God is for us, what can man do to us? Our life is secure in Christ. Threats and persecution cannot shut us up. Oh, they can shut us in a prison, but they cannot shut us up. This is a word of encouragement for the church today, living as we do in a world of increasing hostility to the Christian faith. God’s words of life free us from our fears and give us boldness and courage to live and speak as Christians.

Finally, the reading from Revelation. The aged apostle John is not in a prison made of iron bars, but he still is in a prison of sorts. He has been exiled to the isle of Patmos, a little piece of rock off the coast of Asia Minor. It was their version of Alcatraz. And John is there, old and isolated and cut off from the church he loves. But now Christ comes, appearing to John on–guess what, a Sunday, by this time called “the Lord’s day,” since Christ rose on the first day of the week and that is when the church gathers. The risen Lord Jesus comes to John on the Lord’s day, glorious and brilliant and arrayed in dazzling splendor. John is fearful and falls down at the majesty and might of the Messiah in his glory. But Jesus comes and lays his hand on John and says, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”

Words of life once again! Words to free us from our fears and give us hope to carry on, whatever our age or adversity. Jesus died–he died for your salvation, for your forgiveness. All your sins have been paid for, in full, by the precious blood of Christ! There is no condemnation for you. God is pleased with you on account of his Son. And this Jesus is the living one. “I died,” he says, “and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” Those doors that would want to lock you in forever, those prison doors of Death and Hell–by now we know that locked doors cannot keep Jesus out. Christ owns the keys to Death and Hades. He is their master. He is their lord. Jesus gained title to those places when he overcame Satan by his death on the cross. The devil has been defeated. Death has been defeated. The gates of hell shall not prevail. The final victory has been won, by our living Lord, and he gives you a share in his victory through his words of life.

So you have nothing to fear. Death has been stripped of its power. Life–new life and eternal salvation, this is what Christ is giving you now on this Lord’s day and throughout this Easter season and on into eternity. The words of life will do their job. Fellow redeemed, fellow believers, you have life forever with Christ your risen Savior.

“Lessons from the Paschal Candle” (John 1:4-5)

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John chapter 1, verses 4 and 5.

On this Easter Day, the most glorious day of the year, we join with the whole Christian church around the world in proclaiming and rejoicing in the Resurrection of Our Lord: “Alleluia! Christ is risen!” (“He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”)

Not only do we proclaim this great good news with our mouth, but also visually, the sacred artwork and appointments of the church show forth this same message. We see that today–we literally see it–in the paschal candle placed before our eyes. The candle itself is designed to portray the good news of Easter. And so our theme this morning: “Lessons from the Paschal Candle.”

The paschal candle, like the one you see in front of you, is something has been used in the Christian church for hundreds and hundreds of years. The candle is lit as the church comes into Easter morning, and then it continues to be lit throughout the Easter season. Later on, the paschal candle is used also at baptisms and funerals that occur throughout the year, tying those occasions back to their Easter connection in the resurrection of Christ.

Now the first and most obvious thing about a paschal candle is that it is . . . a candle! And the purpose of a candle is to give light. Light in the midst of darkness, that’s what a candle provides. And that’s what we saw this morning, wasn’t it? We were sitting here in a darkened room when the light of the paschal candle came into the room, along with the glorious Easter proclamation. And that’s when all the lights came on and filled this place, and all the other candles were lit from this one paschal candle.

That in itself tells us a story. We and all the other people of this world were sitting in darkness. “See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples,” the Bible says. That darkness is the grim reality of sin and death engulfing all peoples. You and I and every other person on earth–we have forfeited the life we had with God by our rebellion against him. We thought we knew better than God. We thought we could do things our own way. That’s the way it is with every one of us, by nature. And it’s so stupid, because we end up lost, groping around in the dark. This is the darkness of sin, and because of it we fall into the pit of death. All men sin and therefore all men die. There is a grave waiting for each one of us, and it has your name on it.

So there we were, sitting in the waiting room for death. But suddenly, without our doing anything about it, light came into the room. “See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.” “The people sitting in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” This is the light of Christ, the true light, coming into the world.

Think of the ladies going to the tomb that first Easter morning. They went to the tomb “on the first day of the week, at early dawn.” In fact, it was so early that it was still dark out. And those women were “in the dark,” both literally and figuratively. They thought they were going out to a closed tomb with a dead body in it. All their hopes had been extinguished on Friday with the death of their beloved Master. But now, suddenly, a great surprise! Light shining in the darkness! The two angels in dazzling apparel say to them: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” This is the light of Christ, risen from the dead. The grave could not hold him. “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

So the first lesson from the paschal candle is that the light of Christ and his resurrection life have broken into the darkness of sin and the hall of death. Now just how Christ did that–that we get a hint of by the name used for this candle. It’s called the “paschal” candle. The word “paschal” comes from the Greek word for “Easter,” which is “pascha.” And “pascha,” in turn, is a form of the Hebrew word, “pesach,” which means “Passover.” So to say that this is the “paschal” candle reminds us of what happened at the Passover. Remember, the Passover was when the plague of death struck the land of Egypt, but the homes of the Israelites were spared, because the blood of a sacrificed lamb, the Passover lamb, was on their doorposts. That was the sign for death to pass over those homes.

Now the ultimate Passover Lamb, of course, is our Lord Jesus Christ. By his holy blood, by his sacrificial death–at Passover time, no less–you and I are spared from eternal death. God’s Son, Jesus Christ, is “the very Paschal Lamb, who was sacrificed for us and bore the sins of the world. By his dying he has destroyed death, and by his rising again he has restored to us everlasting life.”

Where the Paschal Lamb offered up that perfect sacrifice is shown right here in the center of the candle. We see the cross, as plain as day. For without the cross, there is no Easter. The cross is the reason that Easter happens. It took the death of the Son of God to pay the price for the sins of mankind. But with those sins now fully paid for, death has lost its power, its grip over us. The resurrection of Christ shows what he won for us by his crucifixion. So we see the cross as a most glorious sign on this Easter morning, and on this paschal candle.

And so the nails. Five nails are driven into the paschal candle, representing the five holy wounds of Christ: his hands, his feet, and his side. These are the marks that Christ showed to his disciples upon his resurrection, so that they would know that it was really he and that his crucifixion was no defeat but instead the greatest victory. The holy wounds of Christ therefore are shown on the paschal candle. “By his wounds, we are healed.”

Now above and below the cross and the nails are two Greek letters, Alpha and Omega. This is a very ancient symbol for Christ. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last. So, Alpha and Omega–this is like saying, Christ covers everything for us, from A to Z, as we would put it. Christ Jesus, the same yesterday, today, and forever, the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega. “Fear not,” our risen Lord reassures us, “I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” As Alpha and Omega, Christ lives and reigns to all eternity, and we will live with him, forever.

But not only do we have eternity to look forward to, Christ also comes to us right now, here in time. We see that on the paschal candle with the numerals for this year, 2013. This year, the time in which we now live–this belongs to him. We even call it “the year of our Lord” 2013. Right now the risen Lord Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father and is ruling all things for the good of his church. He rules over the rise and fall of nations. He rules graciously in the lives of his Christians. Our times are in his hands. Jesus knows and cares for you. He knows and cares for this his little flock. He is here with us right now, on Easter Day 2013. And so the paschal candle shows that the risen Christ is present with his people also in our day, even as he appeared to his disciples during the forty days following his resurrection. Throughout the rest of this Easter season, then, the paschal candle will be here to remind us of our risen Lord’s presence with us.

A candle. A paschal candle. The cross. The nails. The Alpha and Omega. And the year. Those symbols are constants on pretty much all paschal candles. Now in the particular design of our candle, there are two more lessons that we can learn. You see above and below on the candle two blue bands going around. At the bottom is a band of blue water. In the water are some fish. The fish symbol is one that may be familiar to you. It’s very ancient. It was a way to identify Christians. It identified them with their Lord. For if you take the words, “Jesus Christ God’s Son Savior”–and you say them in Greek, “Iesous Christos Theou Huios Soter”–if you take the first letters of those Greek words, together they spell the word, ICHTHYS, which means “fish.” Thus the fish became a symbol for Christ, and, by extension, for Christians. So here in this blue band we see some fish swimming in the water.

That explains what happens with the paschal candle after the Easter season. After Easter the paschal candle is placed by the baptismal font and lit whenever there is a baptism. This makes the connection between Christ’s resurrection and baptism. For in Holy Baptism we are joined to Christ and the power of his resurrection. St. Paul teaches this: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” St. Peter says the same: “Baptism now saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” The resurrection life of Christ is delivered to us in the waters of baptism. The early church father Tertullian, writing around the year 200, put it this way: “We little fishes, after the image of our great fish, our ICHTHYS, Jesus Christ, are born in the water and can only be safe by continuing in the water.” So the paschal candle with its blue band of little fishes swimming in the water reminds us of our baptism, by which we are joined us to our risen Lord Jesus.

And finally, one more blue band at the top of the candle. This is the sky, and you can see the stars in the heavens. For the hope of heaven–this too is one of the lessons from this paschal candle. And so not only is the paschal candle lit for baptisms, it is lit also for funerals. At every Christian funeral, the sure hope of the resurrection burns brightly. Christ’s bodily resurrection on Easter Day guarantees the resurrection of our body on the last day. And with the resurrection of the body comes the life everlasting, life with Christ and his people forever. Thus the paschal candle shines with the hope of heaven.

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” That is the message being proclaimed by this paschal candle. We were sitting in the darkness of death when the light of Christ broke in. The light comes at Easter, the Pascha, when Christ the Paschal Lamb offered the sacrifice by which we are spared death. He did this on the cross, and in his holy wounds we find our healing. This salvation comes to us now, in this year of our Lord 2013. Christ’s resurrection life comes to us in our baptism, and so we are those little fishes swimming in the water. And that same resurrection life means that we have the hope of heaven, to live with Christ forever.

Lessons from the paschal candle. Light–and life–from Jesus Christ, the light of the world. “I am the light of the world,” Jesus says to us on this Easter Day. “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

“O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken?” (Luke 23:1-56)

“O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken?” Short answer: None. But then why all this pain and sorrow and death on this day when Jesus is sentenced and crucified and buried? What could possibly be good about this Good Friday? The hymn we sang will lead us into the answers.

O dearest Jesus, what law hast Thou broken
That such sharp sentence should on Thee be spoken?
Of what great crime hast Thou to make confession,
What dark transgression?

These, of course, are rhetorical questions. The expected answer is obviously “None.” No law broken, no great crime, no dark transgression. Nothing of the sort did Jesus commit. And the people in our text acknowledge this. Three times Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, declared Jesus innocent. Jesus’ opponents bring him over to Pilate on some trumped-up charges. Pilate inquires and then declares, “I find no guilt in this man.”

The opponents press the matter, and so Pilate, who was governor of Judea, sends Jesus over to Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee, where Jesus was from. Herod questions Jesus at some length and then sends him back to Pilate. Pilate declares Jesus’ innocence a second time: “After examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him.”

But the chief priests and the scribes and the crowds they whip up are insistent: “Crucify, crucify him!” So now a third time Pilate declares: “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death.”

But their voices prevail, Pilate buckles under to the pressure, and Jesus is sentenced to be crucified that day, this day, Good Friday. Crucifixion, the most cruel, shameful, agonizing death you could imagine.

And this is the most unjust death that anyone has ever suffered. No law of God or man did Jesus break to merit such a sentence. Indeed, just the opposite. Jesus went about doing good. He healed the sick. He delivered from demons. He forgave sins. He fed the multitudes. Jesus taught the truth of God’s word with profound wisdom and astonishing authority. No one ever has done so much good and brought so much blessing as Jesus did.

Not only Pilate, but others as well recognize Jesus’ innocence. The criminal crucified next to Jesus recognizes this. He rebukes the other criminal who was mocking Jesus: “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And when Jesus dies, even the tough Roman centurion on duty declares, “Certainly this man was innocent!”

Certainly this man was innocent. Yet he is crucified. What went wrong here? Why did God let such a gross injustice take place? Was God asleep at the switch here? Why, God, why did you let this happen? This great evil, to your most dedicated servant? Either this Jesus was the greatest fraud who ever lived and finally is getting his just deserts, or else God isn’t doing a very good job as God. Those would seem to be the only two options as you look at it on the surface: Jesus the fraud, or God the failure.

Jesus clearly is no fraud. His whole life and ministry demonstrate this. So we seem to be left with the God-as-failure option. Why did God let this happen? The “Why?” question. Why does God let this or that great evil or tragedy happen to people who don’t deserve it? Why does God let this bad situation persist in my life–a sickness, a troubled marriage, a financial setback? Why, God, why?

But all our “Why?” questions fall into perspective, or maybe even fade into the background, when we look at the case of Jesus. The most unjust suffering ever known, and yet God lets it happen. In fact, it is even God’s plan–yes, his plan–to let this sorrow and agony happen to the most righteous man who ever lived.

When I gain insight into God’s plan, his redemptive plan as we find it in the Bible, and in that light I look at Jesus’ sorrows and suffering, my “Why?” is answered with an “I”: I, yes I, am the one who should have died in shame and sorrow, but Jesus, the righteous one, suffered the judgment that I deserved. We go back to the hymn:

Whence come these sorrows, whence this mortal anguish?
It is my sins for which Thou, Lord, must languish;
Yea, all the wrath, the woe, Thou dost inherit,
This I do merit.

In truth, it is my sins for which Jesus suffers. I deserve God’s judgment of death, for I have transgressed and rebelled against my Creator. When I look over my record, when I examine my conscience and see all my unholy thoughts, when I recall all my thoughtless words, when I reflect on all my ungodly actions–and all my failures to act and think and speak as I ought–then I can see what a mess I’ve made of things. I need to be honest about this, and so do you. No excuses. No rationalizations. I do not deserve any fellowship with God or blessing from him. My sins, and my whole sinful nature, preclude this. That cross should be mine. The wages of sin is death.

So what good can come out of this unjust suffering and death that Jesus endures? What good is there in Good Friday? The hymn tells us:

The sinless Son of God must die in sadness;
The sinful child of man may live in gladness;
Man forfeited his life and is acquitted;
God is committed.

It’s the great exchange. Jesus takes our sins. We receive his righteousness. He takes the judgment. We get the forgiveness. He suffers our death. We gain his life. His the sadness. Ours the gladness. Because Jesus has served the penalty for sin we deserve, God is being just when he acquits us, declares us not guilty, innocent for Jesus’ sake. This is the great pronouncement of justification that God declares for all sinners. The sins of the whole world have been paid for, in total, by the holy blood and sacrificial death of the sinless Son of God.

This gift is for you, my friend. Receive it by faith, simply by trusting in Jesus to do the whole job for you. He has. Everything you need, he has won for you. Forgiveness for your sins. Righteousness before God to stand in the day of judgment. Life that conquers death and opens up the gate to eternal life. New life even now, to live and love and to know God and to discover what life is really all about. This is the outcome of what Jesus has done for you on this Good Friday.

So it really is a Good Friday, the Very Best Friday the world has ever seen. We’ll hear more about those good results when we come again here on Easter morning. But for now take comfort and take courage in what Jesus has done for you by dying on that cross. It will change your life, it really will–as the hymn writer sings:

Whate’er of earthly good this life may grant me,
I’ll risk for Thee; no shame, no cross, shall daunt me.
I shall not fear what foes can do to harm me
Nor death alarm me.

Jesus takes the fear out of death, the Big Fear. And he even takes the fear out of life, out of living as a Christian. We live now with confidence in the strength of God, even when that strength may look like weakness. That has never been more true than in the cross of Christ. God was doing something good there, surpassingly good, even though it looked like a complete failure. And so know that God is doing good for you, even when it may not look like it. You have his word on it. You have his promise. You have his Jesus.

And when you have Jesus, you have everything you need. For life. Forever. For eternity. Jesus promises Paradise to the penitent thief, and he promises Paradise likewise to you and to all who look to him for life. This is why we can say, in the words of the hymn:

And when, dear Lord, before Thy throne in heaven
To me the crown of joy at last is given,
Where sweetest hymns Thy saints forever raise Thee,
I, too, shall praise Thee.