St. Matthew Lutheran Church

He Cares: Easter 4 4-21-24

Sermon Theme: Jesus is the Shepherd who cares for you.

Text: John 10:11–18

Other Lessons: Acts 4:1–12; Psalm 23; 1 John 3:16–24

Goal: To find peace and assurance in the knowledge that Jesus truly is their Good Shepherd who intimately knows and cares for them. Sermon ideas gleaned from a sermon by Rev. Dr. James Elmore, in Concordia Pulpit Resources

Sermon

This morning, every one of you will hear everything that is said, read, and sung in this service. But the reality is, not every one of you will listen to everything that is said, read, and sung in this service. Listening is much more involved; it takes effort. We hear things all the time, but it’s only some of what we hear that we tune in to and listen to. With all our present technology and social media, there is an even greater increase in the number of voices coming at us. It can be rather overwhelming to know what “voice” to listen to.

So do we always have discernment about who gets our attention? It stands to reason that we ought to listen to those who care about us. But do we always recognize who cares about us? I mean, who does really, lovingly care for us? How do you even know? Our Scripture for today on this Good Shepherd Sunday speaks to this. It teaches us that

Jesus Is the Shepherd Who Cares for You.

When Jesus came along, his voice was different. It was the voice of someone who cared—really, truly, lovingly cared. “They will listen to my voice,” Jesus said (v 16). How would they know? Because it was not just words, as John says in our Epistle, but it was demonstrated and backed up through Jesus’ actions—which did speak louder than words alone.

In John 10, Jesus claims that he is the “good shepherd” (v 11). “Good” can also be translated as “noble” or “excellent.” The shepherd’s job was not easy. It was tiring and hazardous. In the context of Jesus’ statement, the point of contrast is to those bad shepherds, like the Pharisees and Sadducees, what he calls in our text the “hired hand” (v 12). That person is distinguished by his lack of concern and commitment to the sheep. When danger comes, he flees. He looks out for his own self-preservation and his own self-interest. The good shepherd owns the sheep, so he has a commitment to them. Unlike those other shepherds, Jesus cares for his sheep. He does what is necessary to protect them.

The feature Jesus most highlights as he describes the good shepherd is that he “lays down his life for the sheep” (v 11). Ordinarily, shepherds protect sheep, but they do not die for their sheep. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, cares so much that he is willing to come between his flock and danger. When trouble comes, the hired hand won’t take any risk. He disappears. But Jesus is willing to die for his sheep.

In Jesus’ description, the key word is “for”—and it reflects his commitment to die “for” the sheep in obedience to God’s will. The Good Shepherd has a profound commitment to the ones he loves. We might remember a different image from Ephesians 5. Paul writes, “Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Eph 5:25). He gave, he surrendered, for his Bride. This is an important point. Jesus was not a victim of human conspiracies: “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (v 18a). Jesus gave himself to die, but he also took back his life in resurrection: “I lay down my life that I may take it up again” (v 17b). The resurrection was just as much in God’s plan as was Jesus’ sacrificial death.

The term shepherd is what Jesus uses to identify himself. He really is the true Good Shepherd. But remember, shepherd is also a term used to describe those other people who tend to God’s flock, people who have spiritual oversight.

The message of the resurrection can transform lives. The ultimate consequence of Easter is when one’s life is radically changed for the good. When the message of the resurrection is internalized into people’s lives, they become different people. It begins with saving faith in Christ. Then it continues with acts of kindness just like our caring Shepherd performs.

In John 10, what John shows through Jesus’ words, and what stands out, is the presence and care of this Shepherd, one unlike all others. It’s his willingness to lay down his life for his sheep. The sheep have come to trust their Shepherd because of what they know through his actions for them, on their behalf. In all of his interaction with people, Jesus never closes his heart.

As important as such words are to us, they take on a whole new level of importance when it comes to our relationship with God. That’s why God took the most important message any of us will ever receive, and he perfectly translated it into human flesh, so that God’s Word could reach us. Reach me. Reach you. Personally. The “Word became flesh” and came to “dwell with us” (see Jn 1:14).

As he has come among us and is now among us through his Spirit, he cares. In the same beautiful and profound way that the Son and the Father know each other, our Shepherd knows us and our needs—what’s truly important to you, what’s truly important to me. As we tune into his voice, we can know that we are listening to someone who cares. As he was for David in Psalm 23, the Lord becomes “my shepherd” too. He can be trusted to lead, guide, renew, and restore our lives and spirits. And even when we are faced with the enemy of death, we are assured of his presence with us. His good words and actions are a comfort. And he will, as he promised, be with us all the days of our life. His goal is to lead us home.

What does God want you to hear? What does God want you to hear from the voice of our Good Shepherd this morning? Two words. Two words that are deeply profound and life changing: “for you.” They are two words spoken personally to you by your loving and caring Good Shepherd. In the Words of Absolution. In the words in today’s readings. In today’s message. And as ordinary bread and wine are given—an extraordinary things takes place. Jesus gives himself, personally, and says, “for you.”

Your Shepherd goes with you today and with you into this week. He cares. Peace. Amen.

Sermon Theme: What a priest we have in Jesus!

Text: Hebrews 5:1–10 Other Lessons: Jeremiah 31:31–34; Psalm 119:9–16; Mark 10:(32–34) 35–45

Goal: That we would draw comfort and confidence from the priestly service of Jesus. Based on a sermon by Rev. Michael W. Henrichs, as printed in CPR

Sermon: We all have our favorite ways of referring to Jesus. We often describe the Son of Man by using titles that are both comfortable and comforting: Jesus is our “Savior” and “Redeemer.” Jesus is our “Lord” and “God.” Jesus is our “Brother” and “Friend,” our “Great Physician” and “Good Shepherd.” Each of these titles highlights a different dimension of our Savior’s service and sacrifice for sinners.

Today we ponder the priesthood of Jesus beneath this theme: What a Priest We Have in Jesus!

Because the priesthood was reserved for those who were chosen by God, the author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus, too, was appointed to priestly service. Jesus’ priestly appointment was made public in a big way at his Baptism. There Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and set apart to serve as our great High Priest. There God declared, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17).

God appointed Jesus as our great High Priest so that he can serve us and help us. Jesus is immensely qualified to do this because he is one of us—bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, a human man among men. As one of us, Jesus knows. He knows our weaknesses and frailties. In the passage immediately preceding today’s text, the author of Hebrews spells out the comfort we have in Jesus as our High Priest: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (4:15). Jesus willingly accepted our human weaknesses to suffer temptation, hunger, fatigue, sadness, loneliness, rejection, persecution.

Because Jesus knows our every weakness, he deals gently with those under his care who are ignorant and wayward. That’s us, by the way—ignorant and wayward. Unlike Jesus, we are not without sin. Temptations tangle us up. Sin clings closely to us along every step of the way. We have a habit of straying from our Lord’s plans and purposes. We deviate from his desires, always seeking to serve ourselves rather than those around us.

We can see both our sin and the amazing gentleness of Jesus in today’s Holy Gospel. Imagine it: Nearing Jerusalem, Jesus had just predicted his death and resurrection. This makes at least three times that Jesus told the disciples he would suffer and die. As Jesus made his way to Calvary, a civil war was about to erupt among his disciples. It was more than enough reason to ignite the anger and the wrath of the Rabbi from Nazareth.

But the Rabbi’s wrath was not kindled. As a priest, Jesus dealt gently with his wayward disciples. He neither condemned nor condoned their sin. He did not excuse their conduct, but he set them straight with measured, priestly sympathy. He corrected them lovingly and patiently: “It shall not be so among you,” he said (Mk 10:43). He reminded them of his priestly purpose: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (10:45).

Because Jesus is our great High Priest, we have this comfort for ourselves. He deals gently with us. He knows our sins. He knows our ignorance. He knows our weaknesses. He knows our struggles and our sufferings. And Jesus knows these things about us not merely as facts, knowledge, or data; he knows it all as if it was happening to him. He feels for us and suffers with us precisely because he is a human being—like us in every way yet without sin. Not only does our great High Priest know and feel our weakness, but he alone can do something about it. He alone will offer his life as a ransom for us all. What a priest we have in Jesus!

One of the biggest surprises concerning our Savior’s priestly service is that it was a learning process for him. In fact, we could say that Jesus learned to be a priest the hard way—through the school of suffering. Although he’s God and could always know everything, Jesus never used his omniscience when it would just serve himself. He didn’t cut corners. He didn’t cheat. He didn’t jump to the front of the line. Rather, Jesus reverently and prayerfully learned obedience through what he suffered.

When was the last time you tried to learn something new and difficult? Perhaps you downloaded an app to help you learn a new language. Perhaps you watched hours of YouTube videos to learn for yourself how to do a major home improvement project. Perhaps you downloaded a complicated recipe that you might sauté your way to success with a new culinary creation in the kitchen. Whatever you’ve attempted to learn, how did it go for you? Were you ultimately successful? Or did you bite off more than you could chew? Perhaps what you actually learned was that difficult work is sometimes best left to the experts.

Jesus learned to be your priest in the most difficult way imaginable. He learned through what he suffered. Tears would be his teacher. Pain would be his preceptor. Neither nails nor thorns would deter him from learning to be our perfect priest. Jesus’ perfect, priestly prayers continued even as Jesus suffered for our salvation on the cross: “Father, forgive them.” “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (cf Lk 23:34, 46; Mt 27:46).

Those perfect prayers were an expression of our Lord’s perfect obedience to his Father. Through the school of suffering, Jesus “became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him” (v 9). Only this reverent priest, Jesus, has secured our salvation. What he suffered was on account of our sin. The pain he endured was a penalty meant for us. The death he died was the necessary ransom to redeem a world of sinful, wayward rebels. Because of his reverence—his perfect, prayerful obedience—his Father raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in glory, where Jesus continues to intercede for us as our great High Priest. Our salvation is found in no one else. What a priest we have in Jesus!

There’s one final surprise concerning the priestly work of Jesus. He invites us to share in his priestly work. We are also priests—priests of the perfect priest, called to present our bodies “as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom 12:1). As God’s baptized and holy people, we have priestly prayers to offer—priestly service to render to those around us. Our Lord’s perfect, priestly service counts for us. His obedience counts for us. He invites us to learn obedience as we follow him. He promises to perfect our lives through his perfect forgiveness and love. He is, indeed, the source of eternal salvation. What a priest we have in Jesus! Amen.

John 19:16b–27

We come at last to the cross. Pilate hands Jesus over to the soldiers. They put the beam across Jesus’ shoulders and drive him outside the city to Golgotha. It’s nine in the morning. There are two others to be executed with him, one on either side.

In the midst of all the affliction and suffering of crucifixion, the Holy Spirit with this reading wants our attention on three things: Pilate’s inscription, the soldiers’ gambling for Jesus’ clothes, and Jesus’ care for Mary. We’ll consider each of these—how they give us wisdom and courage, how these Three Scenes of the Cross
Strengthen Our Faith in Christ’s Kindness for Us.

First, the inscription of Pilate.

Crucifixion was a cruel punishment. Its brutality was a deterrent to crime. This is why criminals were crucified along the road on the way into a city, and why their crimes were written on a placard above their heads. Above the head of Jesus, Pilate wrote, in Aramaic, Latin, and Greek, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (v 19). This caused some controversy. The Jews wanted to edit the sign, “This man said, I am King of the Jews.” But Pilate responded, “What I have written I have written” (vv 21–22). This, by the way, is where the INRI, often seen on a cross or crucifix, comes from—the Latin Iesus Nazarenus, Rex Iudaeorum. (What in English would be J’s in Latin are I’s.)

It’s difficult to determine what Pilate was up to. Did he really believe that Jesus was a true king? Probably not, since he condemned him to death. Was Pilate crafting a warning to anyone else interested in starting a spiritual rebellion? Maybe. Was he mocking the Jewish people, sticking his thumb in the eye of the chief priests?—“This is what a Jewish king looks like.” Probably. But just like Caiaphas, who unknowingly uttered truth when he said it is “expedient that one man should die for the people” (18:14), so the Holy Spirit here uses Pilate to preach the truth.

Jesus is the King of the Jews, and more: the King of kings and Lord of lords. This is wisdom—to know that this mockery is true, this inscription stands, Jesus is King. His cross is his throne. He is lifted up and draws all people to himself. The crucifixion is a coronation.

This is so because Jesus, by his suffering and death, overthrows all the tyrants that stand against his kingdom of life and salvation. Jesus faces his enemies, your enemies, on the cross, and he overcomes them. The world, the sinful flesh, and the devil and all demons are undone. The kingdom of darkness is toppled. Sin and death no longer rule, but rather forgiveness, life, and salvation. The cross is a throne because the cross is also the battlefield, where Jesus has the victory.

Behold Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.

The second scene to which the Holy Spirit directs our attention is the gambling for Jesus’ clothes. John, who seems particularly interested in all the prophecy being fulfilled in the crucifixion, tells us how the soldiers divided most of the clothing, but the tunic was seamless, so for this “they cast lots” (v 24). This prophecy comes from Psalm 22, that profound prophecy of Jesus’ suffering, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” It’s not just the first verse. The entire psalm belongs to Jesus and his suffering on the cross. He is surrounded by enemies, mocked, derided, and ashamed. His tongue clings to the roof of his mouth. His strength is dried up like a potsherd. His hands and feet are pierced. You can count his bones. And they gamble for his clothes.

This reminds us that Jesus hung on the cross naked, or very close to it. The shame of Eden, when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and realized they were naked, now belongs to Jesus. There was no shame in nakedness before sin, but now, sinful as we are, we try to avoid even hearing this detail of Jesus’ suffering. There are no fig leaves. He is the sacrifice that covers our sins.

Hebrews tells us that Jesus “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb 12:2). He did not want the shame, the humiliating mockery of crucifixion, but he did want you, whatever the cost. We are the joy set before him. While the soldiers put their greedy eyes on the seamless tunic, he has his eyes on your salvation.

Third, even from the cross Jesus cares for his family, especially his mother. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was there at the foot of the cross with her sister (also named Mary) and Mary Magdalene. The apostle John is there too. First he ran away, but now he ventures to come near. From the cross, Jesus looks down to see John and Mary, and he gives them to each other. “Woman, behold, your son! . . . Behold, your mother!” (vv 26–27).

What love! If there was a time when we could excuse a little self-pity, crucifixion would be that time. But even as Jesus is hanging from the cross, his thoughts are not for himself but for those he loves. He will not leave Mary without a son but gives John to care for her.

Even while he passively suffers, he actively keeps the Law. He fulfils the Fourth Commandment. On the cross and in his suffering, Jesus honors his heavenly Father and his earthly mother. He is faithful and loving to the end.

All this, dear Christian, for you. Jesus is not on the cross for himself. For us men, and for our salvation, he hands himself over to Pilate, to the soldiers, to the shame, to the cross. When we “survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of Glory died” (LSB 425:1), as we read the inscription, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” as we see the soldiers gambling for his tunic, and as we see John embrace the weeping Mary, we remember and rejoice that this Jesus is our Jesus, our Savior, our brother, and our friend. Amen.

Sermon Theme: Jesus put his genuine love into action for you by dying on the cross for your sins.
Text: John 3:14–21Other Lessons: Numbers 21:4–9; Psalm 107:1–9; Ephesians 2:1–10
Goal: That you may know the unconditional, genuine love of God the Father found in the death and resurrection of his only-begotten Son, Jesus. Rev. Josemon Hoem, as printed in CPR

Love is a wonderful gift, given at creation, from our heavenly Father. Love is something that we as human beings all desire. We want to feel the warmth, security, and tenderness that comes from being loved or being in love. We want to be loved by our parents, our spouse, our children, our friends, and our coworkers.

Yet no matter how great our love story is, it pales in comparison to the unconditional love that God the Father has shown to us through his only-begotten Son!

Oftentimes we think of love as an emotion, a good feeling, or sweet words. There’s nothing wrong with those things, and they certainly can be a legitimate part of love. Yet at some point, if love is to be a genuine love, it must be willing to be more than just words. Genuine love needs to be willing to become tangible.

Sure, it’s easy to love that cute little baby or that little puppy in the window. But what about loving the unlovable? When was the last time you were confronted by a filthy homeless person, a pesky drug addict, someone you totally disagree with, or one of your enemies—and showed them true and genuine Christian love?

The opportunities for us to show love are not just circumstantial. Genuine love is found in the people that God has intentionally put into our lives, that he has asked us to care for. God’s unconditional love now sets our agenda, guides our decisions, and determines our actions through the same kind of genuine love that he has first shown to us.

I want to remind you that most of the time genuine love is hard work. Love is not always romantic comedies, Hallmark cards, flowers, and Hershey’s chocolate kisses. Genuine love does not always make us feel warm and fuzzy inside. Oftentimes, genuine love means rolling up our sleeves and giving up all that we have. It is important to note that when we give up our life in service to love others, this is not the end of our life. It is, rather, the beginning of a new life. A genuine life focused on and centered in Christ and the love he wants to share.

Genuine love sometimes means saying, “I was wrong, and I am sorry.” Sometimes genuine love means that you love your neighbor enough to call them out on their sins and hold them accountable, reminding them that they, too, need to repent.

Not only is this kind of love hard work, but it can also be painful work. Genuine love sometimes includes sleepless nights and uncontrolled anguish. How painful is it when your love is not returned?

Friends, this is where the rubber meets the road. This is when you find out what genuine love is all about. For it is at those times when love is more than an emotion. It is an action. An action that requires you to give up yourself for the sake of others.

So, what does love have to do with Lent? Everything! God’s love for humanity became tangible in the actions of the life, death, and resurrection of his only-begotten Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This intimate, unconditional, genuine love that Jesus has for us is at the heart of Lent.

Today, we are inching closer to the day when Jesus shows the ultimate genuine love by dying on the cross to save us from our sins.

I am sure you are familiar with John 3:16, but do you know John 3:17? “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” You see, no greater love can be expressed than what Jesus did for us. Jesus has not been sent into the world to condemn it. No, he has been sent to save the world; and it is only through Jesus that we can truly know what this genuine love looks like.

Christ has shown the ultimate genuine love for you and me by fully giving himself up for us and to us. Jesus has not only given us his love, but he has also given us all that he is, in his very body and blood shed for us, on this very altar. He has given us all that he has and all that he is, so that we may love one another as he has first loved us.

Today, out of genuine love, Christ makes us his very own. That is the kind of genuine love we see in the waters of Holy Baptism, a love that is rich in grace and full of forgiveness. It is our Epistle for today: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Eph 2:4–5).

This love that our heavenly Father has for us did not come easy. His love for us cost him a great deal. Matter of fact, it cost him his only Son. It is in the triune God that we see the fulfillment of what genuine love looks like.

In God the Father, we see a genuine love that is modeled by Christ and his Bride, the Church. In God the Son, we see a genuine love that spreads out his arms and dies for us. In God the Holy Spirit, we see a genuine love that does not let us live apart from God but calls us back home into his holy house.

Now, if you think you deserve God’s love, you are wrong. Let’s be honest—most of the time, we really are not all that lovable. You and I are the rebellious children who have not returned our Father’s love but instead have chosen to love how and what we want to love. Yet even in our sin, we are reminded that God is love (1 Jn 4:8b) and that he continues to love us unconditionally, even though we do not deserve it.

The problem with earthly love is that it is all over the place. One moment I love you, and the next I don’t because I’m mad at you. In effect, Jesus is saying, “Forget about yourself, what you think, how you feel, and don’t judge my love by the fickle ways that the world judges love. Instead, look to me, and I’ll show you genuine love.”

Here is your one takeaway: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him has eternal life.” What that means is that

Jesus Put His Genuine Love into Action for You
by Dying on the Cross for Your Sins.

Even though we offer him nothing in return, the Lord says, “This is not the end of your story: I want to write a new, genuine love story just for you.” He did just that for us by giving up his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

In the holy name of Jesus. Amen.

from my God Squad group post and others see citations that accompany the post.

I heard a short message on this a couple days ago and it’s really stuck with me. We have all certainly heard this type of message many times and it’s about our past. As Christ followers who have been saved by the blood of Jesus…we have been redeemed, restored and made new! The Bible says that we are new creatures in Christ…the old is gone, behold the new has come. But many times we still allow our past to speak to us…to drag us back into the shame, guilt, disappointment, and the hurt. We need to speak out the victory that we have…we need to walk out and live in the victory that we’ve been given through Jesus! The past is in the past…let’s leave it there! Whether it was 40 years ago…20 years ago…10 years ago…a year ago…or yesterday…it’s in the past! Let’s confess His word about who we are in Jesus, today. Let’s confess His word about He is…and who He wants to be for us, right now. Let’s live the victory that we’ve been given…and rejoice that we are His and He is ours!! Finally, let’s always remember that it’s Romans 8:28 every single day…all day long: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

MORE Everyone is searching for more. It doesn’t get easier… You don’t just wake up and find it one day. More is not hidden inside of your flesh… Waiting to be revealed. That’s the world’s teaching… It is not the Gospel. If you desire more… You must become less. More is beyond you… More is supernatural. He alone is the more! More strength… More fuel… More peace… More joy. Less of you…

Means a life FULL of more. ❤️❤️ –Matthew Deibler That is SO GOOD!! ”He must increase, but I must decrease.“ John 3:30

HEALING OUR HURTS This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.
1 John 4:17, NIV We affect the lives and attitudes of those around us. If we allow past hurt to keep us from loving…we will suffer. But we will not suffer alone. Our actions will influence those around us. They will be reproduced in the lives of others. 

But Jesus heals! If you are paralyzed and unable to love…Jesus heals. Every past hurt forgiven and presented to our Lord frees the fresh water of His love to flow through us. We experience the joy of love around us…and those we influence…enjoy its benefits in their own lives. ❤️ —Jack Hayford

A PEOPLE OF HOPE Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23, NIV
 Just as certainly as we are people of the Word, we are also a people of Hope. One sure sign of a Holy Spirit-filled person is that he or she not only believes Jesus is coming…but they live in hope and with expectation of His coming.

Such faith does not see His second coming as the entirety of their hope. Of course, Jesus’ return is our highest hope, but faith-filled people believe that the King is ready to come today…to enter your life’s circumstances with His grace, love, and power! We have hope in Jesus coming to us today!

Zechariah, one of the greatest prophets of the Messiah’s return, said, “Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope” (Zech. 9:12, NKJV). He spoke literally of a people who were imprisoned, that is, “shut up unto” hope. What a concept, to be inescapably bound to the confidence that our Redeemer is coming today to meet us with His fully sufficient grace…and that He is coming soon to take us to eternal glory! ❤️ —Jack Hayford “Our world today so desperately hungers for hope…yet, uncounted people have almost given up. There is despair and hopelessness on every hand. Let us be faithful in proclaiming THE HOPE THAT IS IN JESUS!!” ❤️ —Billy Graham

God is never blind to our tears…never deaf to our prayers…and never silent to our pain. He sees. He hears. He will deliver!

Psalms 61:2-4 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy. Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.

BELIEVE IT You are someone God loves! You’re not your weaknesses. You’re not your sins. You’re not even your strengths. You’re someone God loves…enjoys…and redeems. In Christ Jesus, you’re brand new, through and through. You don’t have to look back in regret, or look down in shame. You can look up and honor the Name of Jesus…who lived, died, and rose again so you could live powerfully, abundantly, and eternally. Refuse to let your setbacks or mess-ups define you. They don’t. They can’t. They won’t. Be bold…be brave…and be happy in Jesus. He’s thrilled to claim you as His own! ❤️ 1 John 4:16 (NIV) ~ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.

PITY PARTY I have a go-to passage for a long time now when I’m tempted to have a personal pity party. It is Hebrews 11:36-38. These 3 verses are written at the end of the Hebrews 11 Hall of Fame of the Faith chapter. Remember all the incredible accounts of lions mouths closed, winning mighty battles, crossing the Red Sea on dry ground, surviving fiery furnaces, miracle after miracle. But in v36-38 we read about a second group of devoted followers who were maimed, torchered, flogged, stoned, sawed in two and lived in deserts, caves and holes in the ground. When I read those verses it is like the Holy Spirit whispers to me, “ Michael, you haven’t shed any blood yet. Get back in the game and change your attitude.” The Good News of the Gospel is not if you follow God all will go well for you. The Good News is you get God no matter the circumstances! The question is — does God owe me or own me? The will of God never makes sense…unless you factor in eternity. I ponder sometimes the disciples final earthly plight. Peter was crucified upside down. Andrew and Phillip were crucified, as well. Bartholomew was skinned alive and beheaded. Matthew was killed by an ax and Thomas with a spear. James was stoned and Simon sawed in two. James and Thaddeus were clubbed to death. Stephen was stoned and Mark dragged to death. Luke was hanged from a tree and John was boiled in oil. Jude was shot with arrows and Phillip hanged. I don’t think I’ll have a pity party today. Let’s run with endurance the race set before us…fixing our eyes on

Jesus. ❤️ —Michael Sprague

Grow Deep And Wise If the devil can get you to doubt God’s provision…you’ll grab for yourself and miss the wonder of God’s goodness. If the devil can get you to question your worth…you’ll strive to prove yourself and miss the gift of God’s assurance and rest. If the devil can get you to doubt God’s timing…you’ll rush ahead and miss the wisdom of His ways. We grow deep and wise when we trust God fully, wholly. And yet, and yet, if we miss Him and we mess up…we can know that a plan to redeem our story is already in motion. We won’t get it right all of the time. But praise God; Jesus will never get it wrong on our behalf. We can trust Him. Exhale your stress today…knowing that God is on your side. He guards and He guides. He’ll always provide. He sees you…He loves you…YOU CAN TRUST HIM! ❤️ Philippians 1:6 (NLT) ~ I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. —Susie Larson

February 27, 2024 From Worship Anew

By Matthew F. Leighty Executive Director

Over my many years of visiting people throughout the church, a moment remains with me and drives my passion for the work of our mission. In the quiet dining hall of a senior living center, I found myself in conversation with an elderly woman. Her eyes, glistening with both joy and sorrow, hinted at a depth of life experiences. As we spoke, she shared the weight of recent loss, her tearful eyes betraying the lingering ache of grief. Her children and grandchildren didn’t visit her anymore. She had questions, moments when she wondered why God still had her on this earth, especially in the face of the pain and loneliness she carried.

With vulnerability, she unfolded her journey—a tapestry woven with the threads of joy and sorrow. As she shared her story, I recalled the words from Isaiah 25:8-9 (ESV), “He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’”

It is in moments like these that God’s promises are woven into our lives. The anticipation of a day when God would fulfill His promise, eradicating the sting

of death and wiping away every tear, provides us with the ultimate source of comfort and hope.

As we journey through this Lenten season, heading toward Easter, the timeless message of Isaiah rings forth with the promise of eternal joy. It invites us to await the day when grief will transform into gladness, and salvation will be our eternal song. In the midst of life’s complexities, Worship Anew has become a beacon, illuminating the path with a message of hope and redemption for all who seek solace in the arms of our loving Savior.

Amid this Lenten journey, the ministry of Worship Anew brings the message of hope and comfort we have in our God. Through the Worship Anew television program, daily devotions, and our care package ministry, lives are touched with the message of Christ’s love. As we reflect on Isaiah’s prophetic words, Worship Anew is a channel through which God’s promise of eternal joy is shared. The ministry resonates the message of hope, providing comfort and inspiration during Lent and beyond.

In a world where hope can be elusive, the Holy Spirit calls us during this Lenten season to embrace the enduring hope found in God’s promise of salvation, magnificently fulfilled through the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ. As we journey through Lent toward the triumphant culmination of Easter, may our hearts resound with profound gratitude for He is the Lord we have long awaited; indeed, let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation.

“He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’”

Isaiah 25:8-9

Lifted Up

March 10, 2024 – Fourth Sunday in Lent

Rev. Thomas Eggold

There is not a story or sign in the entire Old Testament that points more directly to the Cross than the serpent on the stake. Here a bronze serpent hangs from a cross, and it was put there by God precisely because of sin. The sign of our sin and the image of the

death we deserve is suspended between heaven and earth and between God and man. And there, on the wooden pole, God saved His people.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. – Ephesians 4:30 This verse serves as a solemn reminder that our actions and attitudes can deeply affect our relationship with the Holy Spirit. To grieve the Spirit is to cause sorrow or distress to the very presence of God within us. This can occur in various ways: 1. Unforgiveness: Holding onto grudges and refusing to forgive others can create a barrier between us and the Spirit’s work of reconciliation and peace. 2. Bitterness and Anger: Allowing these emotions to take root in our hearts can quench the Spirit’s work of producing love and kindness. 3. Immoral Behavior: Engaging in actions that contradict God’s moral standards can stifle the Spirit’s work of sanctification in our lives. 4. Disobedience to God’s Word: Ignoring or rebelling against the teachings of Scripture can hinder the Spirit’s guidance and wisdom. 5. Neglecting Spiritual Disciplines: Failing to pray, read the Bible, and fellowship with other believers can weaken our connection to the Spirit. As we reflect on Ephesians 4:30, let us examine our lives for areas where we may be grieving the Holy Spirit. May we seek to cultivate a relationship with the Spirit that is marked by obedience, repentance, and a deep desire to honor God in all we do. From 2 Minute devotions by Barry Davis

Genuine Love

Sermon Theme: Jesus put his genuine love into action for you by dying on the cross for your sins. Text: John 3:14–21Other Lessons: Numbers 21:4–9; Psalm 107:1–9; Ephesians 2:1–10 

Goal: That you may know the unconditional, genuine love of God the Father found in the death and resurrection of his only-begotten Son, Jesus. Rev. Josemon Hoem, as printed in CPR 

Love is a wonderful gift, given at creation, from our heavenly Father. Love is something that we as human beings all desire. We want to feel the warmth, security, and tenderness that comes from being loved or being in love. We want to be loved by our parents, our spouse, our children, our friends, and our coworkers. 

Yet no matter how great our love story is, it pales in comparison to the unconditional love that God the Father has shown to us through his only-begotten Son! 

Oftentimes we think of love as an emotion, a good feeling, or sweet words. There’s nothing wrong with those things, and they certainly can be a legitimate part of love. Yet at some point, if love is to be a genuine love, it must be willing to be more than just words. Genuine love needs to be willing to become tangible. 

Sure, it’s easy to love that cute little baby or that little puppy in the window. But what about loving the unlovable? When was the last time you were confronted by a filthy homeless person, a pesky drug addict, someone you totally disagree with, or one of your enemies—and showed them true and genuine Christian love? 

The opportunities for us to show love are not just circumstantial. Genuine love is found in the people that God has intentionally put into our lives, that he has asked us to care for. God’s unconditional love now sets our agenda, guides our decisions, and determines our actions through the same kind of genuine love that he has first shown to us. 

I want to remind you that most of the time genuine love is hard work. Love is not always romantic comedies, Hallmark cards, flowers, and Hershey’s chocolate kisses. Genuine love does not always make us feel warm and fuzzy inside. Oftentimes, genuine love means rolling up our sleeves and giving up all that we have. It is important to note that when we give up our life in service to love others, this is not the end of our life. It is, rather, the beginning of a new life. A genuine life focused on and centered in Christ and the love he wants to share. 

Genuine love sometimes means saying, “I was wrong, and I am sorry.” Sometimes genuine love means that you love your neighbor enough to call them out on their sins and hold them accountable, reminding them that they, too, need to repent. 

Not only is this kind of love hard work, but it can also be painful work. Genuine love sometimes includes sleepless nights and uncontrolled anguish. How painful is it when your love is not returned? 

Friends, this is where the rubber meets the road. This is when you find out what genuine love is all about. For it is at those times when love is more than an emotion. It is an action. An action that requires you to give up yourself for the sake of others. 

So, what does love have to do with Lent? Everything! God’s love for humanity became tangible in the actions of the life, death, and resurrection of his only-begotten Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This intimate, unconditional, genuine love that Jesus has for us is at the heart of Lent. 

Today, we are inching closer to the day when Jesus shows the ultimate genuine love by dying on the cross to save us from our sins. 

I am sure you are familiar with John 3:16, but do you know John 3:17? “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” You see, no greater love can be expressed than what Jesus did for us. Jesus has not been sent into the world to condemn it. No, he has been sent to save the world; and it is only through Jesus that we can truly know what this genuine love looks like. 

Christ has shown the ultimate genuine love for you and me by fully giving himself up for us and to us. Jesus has not only given us his love, but he has also given us all that he is, in his very body and blood shed for us, on this very altar. He has given us all that he has and all that he is, so that we may love one another as he has first loved us. 

Today, out of genuine love, Christ makes us his very own. That is the kind of genuine love we see in the waters of Holy Baptism, a love that is rich in grace and full of forgiveness. It is our Epistle for today: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Eph 2:4–5). 

This love that our heavenly Father has for us did not come easy. His love for us cost him a great deal. Matter of fact, it cost him his only Son. It is in the triune God that we see the fulfillment of what genuine love looks like. 

In God the Father, we see a genuine love that is modeled by Christ and his Bride, the Church. In God the Son, we see a genuine love that spreads out his arms and dies for us. In God the Holy Spirit, we see a genuine love that does not let us live apart from God but calls us back home into his holy house. 

Now, if you think you deserve God’s love, you are wrong. Let’s be honest—most of the time, we really are not all that lovable. You and I are the rebellious children who have not returned our Father’s love but instead have chosen to love how and what we want to love. Yet even in our sin, we are reminded that God is love (1 Jn 4:8b) and that he continues to love us unconditionally, even though we do not deserve it. 

The problem with earthly love is that it is all over the place. One moment I love you, and the next I don’t because I’m mad at you. In effect, Jesus is saying, “Forget about yourself, what you think, how you feel, and don’t judge my love by the fickle ways that the world judges love. Instead, look to me, and I’ll show you genuine love.” 

Here is your one takeaway: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him has eternal life.” What that means is that 

Jesus Put His Genuine Love into Action for You 
by Dying on the Cross for Your Sins. 

Even though we offer him nothing in return, the Lord says, “This is not the end of your story: I want to write a new, genuine love story just for you.” He did just that for us by giving up his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 

In the holy name of Jesus. Amen. 

Second Sunday of Lent, 2024
 
Sermon Theme: Perhaps more than we grasp, “Christ died for the ungodly” is a profound reality.  
 
Text: Romans 5:1–11 
 
Other Lessons: Genesis 17:1–7, 15–16; Psalm 22:23–31; Mark 8:27–38  
 
Goal: That you are moved to a deeper appreciation of Christ’s reconciling death and therefore to a richer sense of peace and hope, even in the face of suffering. Rev. David L. Adler, Pastor Emeritus, Elkhart, Texas 

AT THE RIGHT TIME CHRIST DIED FOR “THE UNGODLY” 

That’s a magnificent statement, isn’t it? The devil, the world, and our sinful nature are all behind the sin of indifference toward Christ’s Passion, suffering, dying, and rising. But God’s Word is more powerful than those enemies, and in his Word today, God through Paul rouses us with a most rousing declaration of what that familiar yet magnificent truth means for us. Paul shows us that Perhaps More than We Grasp, “Christ Died for the Ungodly” Is a Profound Reality. That’s true, first of all, because we probably forget how much we needed Jesus to do this. “Christ died for the ungodly” is profound, first, because we don’t even want to understand how ungodly we were. In today’s Gospel, Jesus clearly taught his disciples that he must suffer, be rejected by the Jewish leaders, be killed, and after three days rise again. Peter’s response? He wanted nothing to do with such a mission and took Jesus aside to rebuke him. The very idea! Why would this be necessary?   Indeed, there’s a wholesale dismissing of sin in our culture. Already in the late 1970s, famed American psychiatrist Karl Menninger wrote a book called Whatever Became of Sin? Good question. Maybe in the contemporary mind school shootings still make the list, but abortion, homosexuality, divorce, sex change—certainly not. Yet the divinely-inspired apostle Paul writes in our text, “While we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Ungodly! Without God! Paul even says in verse 10, “enemies” of God! Opposed to God! Would kill God, wipe him off our slate, if we could. And don’t overlook the word “we.” We were still weak, ungodly, sinners, enemies. Maybe we’re right on all those major social issues—abortion, homosexuality, transgenderism. Still, surely more than we want to grasp, sin lurks in each of our hearts. We were conceived ungodly, and that wickedness continues in our sinful nature. God does know all of it. By nature, that was you. And you have to face it, because the sinful nature lingers still. Yet Christ died for you, Ungodly. Second, “Christ died for the ungodly” is profound because the death of the Christ for us is far beyond anything we can comprehend. Paul writes, “One will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (vv 7–8). All we are able to bring to the table is weakness, ungodliness, and sinfulness. Sin is a horribly messy business, and understanding that is crucial to seeing how profound is God’s dealing with us. And consider this: It was the Christ who died for us, the ungodly. The sinless Son of God. The one who is all-glorious needs nothing from anyone. Didn’t need you! But nevertheless made us—perfect—because he wanted to be with us and us with him. Who loved us from eternity. And then he’s the one we ignore, insult, try to hide from. What kind of reaction does that get from your boss, your friends, even from those people who love you? This expresses Christ’s substitutionary death for sinners. He carried all of your sin and the sin of all humankind in his body at the cross. He is your substitute—the innocent for the guilty. There he suffered in anguish and died in your place to satisfy God’s wrath for your sins. And that, together with his resurrection from the dead, not only insures victory over sin, Satan, and death, but forgiveness, life, and salvation also are now available through faith in him. Ponder that!  Third, “Christ died for the ungodly” is profound because it creates a new relationship that we don’t fully appreciate. Christ’s dying was all to reestablish that broken relationship. Because God does not want to condemn us, he calls and enables us to repent. The Holy Spirit leads us to have sorrow for our rebellion against the Lord of heaven and earth and to believe “that sin has been forgiven and grace has been obtained through Christ” (AC XII 3–6, Tappert, German). Justification and reconciliation are the means by which God brings us into fellowship with himself, with Jesus, and with the Spirit. Christ is present in our lives by his Word and Sacrament. He is present in his Word in all its forms. He is present in his Word in the Holy Scriptures—read, spoken, and expounded, here among us. He is present in his Word connected to the water of Holy Baptism, which brings us into the kingdom of God, creates faith, and, as for Abraham and Sarah in the Old Testament Reading, gives us a divine calling. He is present in his Word of Holy Absolution, which comforts us and releases us from despair. He is present in his Word, which make the elements of bread and wine the Sacrament of the Holy Supper, which nourishes us with his true body and his true blood given and shed for us. The crucified and risen Jesus is with us in every joy and sorrow, every gain and loss, every healing and illness, every triumph and temptation! Do we always fully appreciate this new relationship established when Christ died for the ungodly?                                                             

Finally, “Christ died for the ungodly” is profound because it enables us to rejoice in something we do understand all too well: sufferings.  “Hope” is the key word. “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (vv 3–5).  Hope flows out of our dependence on God’s grace. And this hope sustains us in difficult times because its object is the glory of God, regardless of our circumstances. And it is real hope, not hype. It is certain because Christ died for the ungodly. He loves us that much. And since his death has reconciled us to God, reestablished that relationship of peace with God, it is certain that he will be with us even in these most difficult circumstances. This, then, is how and why we can rejoice in our sufferings! 

Paul powerfully and perfectly exclaims: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom 8:18). To be ours for eternity because Christ died for you, for me, the ungodly.  
 
Amen.