Brent Keller – Page 4 – What Does This Mean?

Watching for Leaves

Dear saints, the lessons for today make it hard to believe we less than three weeks from Christmas. Instead of festive cheer, we hear a lot of doom and gloom. We are warned of the end of the world, much like we are as each church year ends. We hear our Lord teach about and warn his listener of the end of the world. At first glance, it may not sound like Advent. It sounds like we are skipping around from last week’s Lenten lesson to the end of Trinity. But these are particularly good Advent themes. Advent, remember, is not a joyous season like Christmas and Easter but is a penitential season much like Lent.

And so, it is fitting that we began Advent and our anticipation of the birth of Christ by looking at his kingly entrance to Jerusalem. There he was preparing to accomplish what he was born to do: suffer and die for you so that your sin and shame are removed. In Lent, we prepare for our salvation being won. Now, we prepare for our salvation to come. We anticipate this in both the celebration of Christmas and the birth of Christ, but as we see in our text today, at the end of our current heaven and earth. In his Second Coming.

As we turn our attention to this morning’s text, let us first think about the cycle of our year. For a couple more weeks, our days will continue getting darker. Our nights are still getting longer. It is a decent metaphor for our world. It is also getting darker. It is getting more violent and chaotic. There is uncertainty about what the future is bringing. Some foresee a bright future through policy, and others see a tragic future no matter the policy. For the world, this is very unsettling. Yet what we see around us should not surprise us.

As Jesus says, “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

There’s a reason things seem to be getting worse: They are. And while we do not like seeing wars or disaster or persecution or plague, we know it must come. And that it does come and that it does get worse means something exceptionally good is coming. The close of our calendar year brings darker days and colder weather. Yet we will soon begin to see longer days. Eventually, we will begin to warm back up. Which leads us to the parable in our text:

“Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

As the ground eventually thaws and planting season approaches, the trees leave and bud once again too. It is a sign that summer is coming. In the spring, the earth’s vegetation comes back to life. Brown fields turn into green meadows. Flowers sprout and beautify the landscape. There is the anticipation of a vacation … something I am sure many of us could really use right now. And as they say in baseball, “Hope springs eternal.” Optimism for the coming year always runs high.

Odd as it sounds, we should see the signs in the sun and moon and stars, the distress of the people, the calamities and disaster as a budding tree. It is showing us that Christ’s return is coming. He will return in the same way he ascended. He will return as your righteous king.

This is exciting yet terrifying news! It is terrifying to think of violence and things shaking loose right around you. It is unsettling to think of people losing their minds over what is happening. It is not fun to think about everything you know and are used to crashing down around you. So, Jesus implores you to, “Raise up your heads, for your redemption draws near!”

We do not rejoice at the horrible things that have happened, are happening, or will happen. Indeed, we should grieve with those who mourn. Should be sorrowful and have compassion for those who are desperate. Lament those who have no faith in the One who delivers them from their sin. Yet through it all, you see that your reward won and given to you by Jesus Christ, is nearly here. And so, despite the bad things going on around you, perhaps even to you, it is something you can look forward to with hope. Even with joy because joy is not the same as happiness. Joy transcends happiness. Joy can be felt and experienced amid your deepest pain.

While the world, that is the people who reject the Lord, reacts with perplexity and fear, the church reacts with peace, hope, and joy. The world is about to be condemned. The church sees real justice being revealed. And then there’s creation. Creation waits with eager longing because in the Fall it was subjected to futility and the whole of creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. God’s good creation, corrupted by the Fall, yearns for these signs to come. It suffers, through no fault of its own, right along with us as we await the Son of God. We await the revelation that what God did to you and me in our baptisms will be seen and revealed to all of creation.

As we await the coming of our Lord, he also encourages us to watch ourselves. He urges us not to be weighed down by this life. That we resist the temptation to indulge in the debauchery our world invites us to indulge in. Allowing yourself to be tempted and fooled into sinning threatens to destroy your faith. Though we anxiously await our Christ and his quick return, we do not know when it is. So, we do practice the things that strengthen our faith. We gather to hear the Word and to receive His Supper. We pray for one another, the church over all the world, and even our enemies. This is what Jesus means when he exhorts us to stay awake at all times. These actions and good works that we do have no justifying value to them. They do, however, give us restraint and help prevent laziness. You are given comfort and assurance that the blood of Christ shed on the cross pays the price for your sin. The water poured, sprinkled, or washed over you in baptism washes away your sin and makes you a new creation in Christ.

As we walk along our journey to the manger, we look forward to the culmination of our waiting. As we gaze upon the face of the newborn babe, we consider his innocent sufferings in this life and on the cross. As we share in Word and Sacrament, we consider his gifts and their culmination in his Second Advent. For even as things fall apart around us, we know that our redemption draws near. We will be freed from our sinful flesh and be given a new and incorruptible body. Freed from the impact of sin and given life everlasting in the presence of our Lord and Savior.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

Advent and Palm Sunday

Dear saints, we begin Advent as we begin Holy Week: with our Lord’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. This helps to focus our hearts and minds. Advent is the first season of the church year and the first part of the Time of Christmas. But it is not a celebratory season. The purple paraments give us a clue to this. Purple is the royal color of the coming king, a color of repentance. The color fits well both Advent and Lent, but the character of the seasons are different. Symbols depicting the two seasons are quite different. Candles and angels are common for one, crosses and crowns of thorns for the other. Only the Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God, overlaps.

Advent, like Lent, builds to a climax which is only realized when the next season begins. For Lent the climax is the Resurrection; for Advent, the climax is the Nativity of Our Lord. The themes and lessons of each season help focus us to, for lack of a better word, experience this climax.

Advent begins with our Lord’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem a week before his death. This helps show that Advent is not pre-Christmas. If it were, we would expect lessons like the Annunciation. We would expect to hear of Gabriel’s visit to Mary. About John leading in the womb of Elizabeth when he hears the voice of Mary.

But this is not what we are doing in Advent. We are not getting ready for a Jesus who is about to be born. He is born and we will soon commemorate and celebrate that great event. Instead, we focus on getting ready for the End. Advent is eschatological, that is, it focuses on death, judgment, and eternity. Advent is, therefore, a call to repentance.

The word ‘advent’ is from a Latin word that means ‘coming.’ We spent the last three weeks contemplating our Lord’s Second Coming when He comes in Glory. Advent culminates with the celebration of Christmas when He was born in Bethlehem. For that reason, we see in Christmas why Jesus comes. He comes to be the Savior. He comes to die. And He will come again in glory at the End of the Age.

Advent, then, is also a time of preparation. We ready ourselves for the end. This is what we heard from St. Paul: For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of the darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime…. In the Introit and Collect we ask that God would protect us, rescue us, deliver us, and not let us be put to shame. We cry out for our redemption.

Let us, then, look at our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem as He prepares to ascend His throne on the cross. Jesus and those with Him draw near Jerusalem. They arrive in Bethphage, where the Mount of Olives is located. Two of the disciples are sent into the village to retrieve a donkey and her colt. They go and retrieve the animals. They put their outer cloaks on the colt and Jesus mounts it, riding into Jerusalem.

This accomplishes biblical prophecy: “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’” He rides into Jerusalem just as another son of David, Solomon, did. And like Solomon, the people line the streets and receive Jesus. They spread their cloaks and freshly cut branches and line the road as Jesus enters. And they sing, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna!”

Our Lord has come. He comes from the Father to the virgin and makes Himself the sacrifice for the sins of the world. The world that rebelled and caused all the horrible and miserable things which we continue to endure. And then he lays down his life so that we would be rescued and spared. He becomes our sin. He suffers the consequences of all our crimes, petty or otherwise. He is betrayed and abandoned by those He loved. In all that was done to Him, and everything that continues to be done shows exactly how unworthy we are of Him. He knew all of this before he came, and he came anyway. He was driven by an intense love for His creation. And that love compels Him to show mercy, compassion, and charity.

The amazing thing about the message of Christmas is that our Lord does all of this knowing what will happen. It is good to decorate and have various ceremonies and festivities. It is right to rejoice in our Lord’s birth. A birth which came about so that the virgin-born God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, would die as a sacrifice for our sins.

But we are not there yet. When we get there, it will be great. We will rightfully celebrate and rejoice. But our fathers in the faith bid us not to rush to Christmas as children rush through their presents on Christmas morning. The church would have us pause and prepare for this mysterious and exciting day. We prepare through repentance. Before we jump to the joy of Christmas, we fast through Advent. Such fasting may be a literal fast where you abstain from certain foods or activities, or it could be simply that parts of our liturgy are not sung as we await the day when we sing it again with gusto. Before we hear of our Lord in the manger and in His mother’s arms, we hear St. John calling his hearers to repent and to behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Yet there is a third coming that we celebrate in Advent. This coming is one that is ongoing and lasts throughout the whole year. That coming is how our Lord comes to us continually in his Word and Sacrament. He does this and aids us in our preparation for His Second Coming. As shepherds hear the declaration of the angels, we gather to hear the Word through the Scripture and his angels, which means messenger, of today: his pastors. As wise men bow and lay down gifts before Him, we bow and kneel before His altar to receive forgiveness and salvation through the gift of His Body and Blood.

We stand at the beginning of a new Church Year. It does not begin with Jesus in Bethlehem. It begins with Jesus riding toward the cross. Advent is not getting us ready for Christmas or Easter. It is getting us ready for the Lord’s coming in glory and judgment. We get ready for that by receiving Him now as He comes to us in Word and Sacrament.

Our Lord will return. And on that Last Day, He will come in terrors. He will come to judge the nations. But it will not be a terror to you. Instead, it will be a joy and delight. For He is your righteousness. He has died to make you His. He has substituted Himself for you and declared you righteous as He is righteous. He comes on that day as He came into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and today: driven by His love and desire to have you. That is why we pray, “Hosanna, Lord save us,” and “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.” Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

The Guarding of Your Heart and Mind (Thanksgiving Eve/Day)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The Holiday Season is upon us. But in many areas, it will be a lot different. Where tomorrow is usually the day we gather with family and friends, there are many places where this has been banned. Some people will stay at home because they are sick or do not want to be exposed to sickness. And some will do what we usually do: they will eat, some will watch football, eat, nap, enjoy the company of friends and family, eat, and perhaps even play some board or card games.

Most years, some of us may skip out of that early. And the reason some will skip out on it early is so we can go get in a line at Best Buy or Wal-Mart. I doubt the Black Friday rush will be what it was last year. The whole reason for Black Friday, which is more like a weeklong affair now, exists is because that is the day businesses look to turn a profit on their year. Who knows what this year will look like? Shoppers like it because many get the bulk of their Christmas shopping done. And perhaps pick things up for themselves while they are at it. I do not know if you have ever participated in the madness that is Black Friday. I have done it. Once. Now, I am still willing to go out Friday afternoon or Saturday if there is something that I really want or need to pick up. But I am not too interested in sitting in lines, running through stores, and displaying a raw materialistic attitude that so many do just to save money on some item.

People look to Black Friday to provide some salvation or respite to their pocketbooks. They know who they are buying for and what they want, but they also know they cannot really afford everything high on a wish list. They do not have the resources to get these things unless they strike it on Black Friday.

Perhaps this is the reason, or at least a good portion of the reason, that stress and anxiety skyrocket during the holidays. But buying gifts is not the only reason for high stress and anxiety. There may be family issues that you know will show up. Maybe a family member is missing this year for the first time. Maybe you are, or have been, the one missing. If you are the cook, maybe you have put an enormous load on yourself – or even worse, had an enormous load heaved upon you – and can’t see any way of fulfilling what you are committed to.

Whatever the reason is, anxiety tends to run high this time of year. I am sure it is especially true this year. If you walked up to someone on the street a few days before Christmas and asked them what their anxiety level was, they would likely rate it about a seven or an eight. Or maybe an eleven. Yet in our text, Paul writes to us saying, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Even though it is not the Gospel lesson for today, perhaps this brings to mind what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. There he reminds us that birds do not sow or harvest, yet are fed. Lilies do not work, but are clothed in beauty. Animals do not do the work we do, they do not stress or have anxiety over every day matters as we do, but still, they are provided for. Jesus ends the section by saying, “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Since being anxious does not get us anything, then what good does it do? Well, it does nothing but stress you out. And, frankly, it shows a lack of fear, love, and trust in your Father in heaven. So, we are invited to go to our Father with everything by prayer and supplication and thanksgiving. We are encouraged to let all our requests be made known to our Father.

I know it is not the greatest comparison, but it is like a child at Christmas time. Especially when they are younger, they will make sure you know every little thing they might want. I remember going through a Sears Catalog, yes, I am that old, and marking pages and circling stuff so my parents knew every detail of my wishes and desires.

I am not saying Paul is writing to the Philippians, and to us, saying that we should do this. He is not teaching what many poor theologians claim today, that God is some sort of heavenly wish fulfiller of whatever you can dream up. But he is telling us that we are free to go to God with every care. Is there a difficult financial situation? Ask God for peace and wisdom. Do you miss a loved one? Tell God that you are having a hard time. Will you be alone for the first time? Remember that Christ was left alone to suffer for you.

While these are common prayers that many have, what about supplication? What about those urgent needs that you earnestly ask, maybe even beg God for? When the doctor comes in and says, “It’s cancer and it’s bad.” When everything is crashing down around you and you do not know where to turn. When there is a knock on the door from the Sheriff’s Department and you are the next of kin. These are the times of supplication. Of raw emotion. Perhaps you are not even able to speak, only able to direct confused thoughts to your Heavenly Father. And as hard as it is to think about it, these are still requests made with thanksgiving. This is because you know that the will of God is good and that it will be done.

Whether you are feeling good or in a difficult place, Paul gives us something that you can hold on to: IN A WORLD WORKED UP AND ANXIOUS ABOUT MANY THINGS, OUR GOD GUARDS OUR HEARTS AND MINDS ON ACCOUNT OF CHRIST. On account of this, anything that is weighing on your heart your Father wants to hear about. He is already there to comfort you. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. We do not understand everything that happens around us. We do not understand the suffering. The pain. The sickness. We do not understand why the innocent are taken into trouble and death. But hear again the promise that is made to us: God’s peace, which is beyond all our feeble understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

This is comfort you can count on. It is like a soldier keeping watch over his platoon in the night. He is there to keep them and protect them from the enemy and all danger. Because there is one keeping watch for the platoon, the rest can sleep. They can rest and recover. This is the promise of God to you. And better than any soldier, God will keep your heart and mind. In the same way, we are freed from dwelling on anxiety. We can focus on the things Paul lists. We are freed to think about what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

Paul wrote this letter from a prison in Rome. And yet he can write about not being anxious. He can write about thinking and dwelling on these good things. His prayers and supplications are on behalf of those he has preached the gospel to and earnestly desires to remain in the true faith.

Paul has known what it was like to be a powerful Pharisee and what it is like to be a reviled Christian preacher. He has known a comfortable financial situation and poverty. He has known having plenty and being hungry. And in all of this, even when in prison, he says, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

The reason Paul, and the reason you, can go to God with all your cares, prayers, and supplications; the reason you can know that God will guard your heart and mind; the reason that you can do all things through Christ is that Christ has given up everything on your behalf.

He prayed earnestly in the garden that the cup should pass from him, but even more that the will of God be done. That will was done. Christ knows what it is to have everything. But he gave it all up to be made low and counted as nothing on your behalf. He knows what it is to provide water and he knows what it is to thirst as he hung on the cross. All this he knows and experiences to save you from your sin. From your fear and anxiety. From turning in on yourself and focusing on you. In essence, from you making yourself your god.

Instead, he gives you the freedom to cast your burdens on him. He takes your iniquities and your anxieties and carries them on himself. This is why you are sure your sins are taken away. This is why you can do all things. This is why you take everything to God in prayer. This is why God guards our hearts and minds. He does so because of the work of Jesus Christ.

And this is why, despite all the things going on around us, we give thanks to God. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

On the Wisdom of Faith

Dear saints, this morning we see the end of another church year. And we do so with another parable of Jesus. This time, we center around a group of virgins who are waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom. The customs in those days were much different than today. It had the bride awaiting the bridegroom in her home, accompanied by her young companions. The groom would come with his friends and pick her up to lead her to the ceremony. And as he approached, the maidens would go out to meet him. A joyful procession would then wind its way through the streets and end up at the place where the marriage feast was prepared. The young women would enter the hall with the rest of the bridal company. And since weddings in those days were celebrated in the evening, the maidens would carry lamps to light their way in the darkness.

And so already our text makes more sense. The bridegroom was on his way, and the virgins assembled with their lamps. As he approaches, they go out to meet him. They seek. They wait. They get drowsy. They fall asleep as he is delayed. But then, there is a clamor. The bridegroom approaches! It is time to rise and prepare to meet him! The ten virgins awake from their slumber. They grab their lamps, trim their wicks, and go to refill the oil which keeps the lamp burning bright. And that is when the problems start. Five have plenty of oil. They can manage their lamps and have them brightly shine like designed. But five have no oil. They can prepare their lamps but cannot use them. Their lights will not shine.

And so, these foolish virgins turn to the wise who came prepared. “Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.” But the wise virgins brought an extra supply for themselves. They do not have any to spare. And so, the foolish virgins are told to go to the market to buy more. And, despite being the middle of the night and having no merchant to buy from, they go off.

Unsurprisingly, the bridegroom comes while they are away. The wise virgins meet him and process with him to the place the feast has been prepared. They go into the feast, the doors are shut, and the feast commences. Sometime later, the foolish virgins, those who did not come prepared, return. They find the door locked and call out, “Lord. Lord, open to us.” But they hear a surprising response: “Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.” We are not told their reaction, but I am sure it was one of total shock.

But it is Jesus’ commentary after the parable that should draw our attention today: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” This parable is spoken to those who are disciples of Jesus. To those who follow him and trust in him. On the last Sunday of the liturgical calendar, Jesus gives a grave warning. Remember that this is the last public discourse of Jesus, probably on Wednesday of Holy Week. As we saw a couple of weeks ago, he speaks of the destruction of the Temple and the Last Days leading up to his return. He says, essentially, “Keep your eyes peeled.” We are to be aware of what is going on around us.

Why, though, would such a warning be necessary? Jesus does give something of an answer in Matthew 24, but St. Paul also does in our Epistle text. He tells the believers in Thessalonica, “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”

What the apostle is getting at is what our Lord was getting at: When Christ returns, it will be a surprise. Even to those waiting on him. Therefore, we are warned. Even if our days of a pandemic, how easy is it for us to think to ourselves that we have all the time in the world? That we will, with little doubt, have next year or next decade? How easy it is to become complacent! When we do this, we present to ourselves a very real danger.

All the women that were invited to be a part of the bridal party were the same. They were all young maidens. Virgins. They all had a place and came prepared to sit at the feast. But some of these invited and worthy guests were foolish. They were prepared to sit at the feast, but they were not prepared for any delay. The wise virgins, however, brought extra oil. They were ready for things not to work out as they thought they would or should.

And they did not. Instead of the bridegroom coming at the expected time, he was delayed. And even though they went out to meet him, he was not to be found. And so all ten waited. All ten got tired. All ten fell asleep. But at midnight, there was a cry! Perhaps to the ears of these virgins it sounded like the blast of a trumpet. “He’s here! Let us go to meet him!”

But it is dark. And so, the ten prepare to go out to meet and process. They care for the wick and check the oil level. For five, this is no problem. They simply top off. But for the other five, we have a huge problem. They have no more oil, and their lamp will soon go out.

But what does this have to do with us? What does it mean to have oil or to be out of it? Remember that all ten knew about the bridegroom. They all came, seemingly prepared for the wedding. But as things were delayed and drug out, all ten also began to get tired. They did not stand watch or keep vigil. They all slept. And as they slept, the oil burned. As they awoke, some lacked what was essential for light to continue.

The oil of the wise virgins is that of faith. A faith that is continually sustained by the Means of Grace. And with this faith being sustained by what God has given us, Word and Sacrament, the oil of faith endures. Even as we await the return of our Lord, so has every generation of Christians for nearly 2,000 years. All have waited. All have sat and heard the word and partook of the Sacraments. And each generation has fallen asleep.

But one day, whenever it is, there will be a cry. All who have fallen asleep will awake. And those with oil, those with faith, will trim their lamps and shine brightly as they process to the wedding banquet. But on the other hand, those who awake without the oil of faith will know what they lack and seek it.

But that is the rub. One’s ‘oil’ is only useable by the one who has it. It cannot be loaned or transferred. Faith cannot be infused to another, no matter how much I would like it to be so. And so, in this morning’s parable, we are warned against growing weary of waiting for the return of our Lord. We are warned against growing complacent and being distracted. We are warned against neglecting our faith and being endangered with the loss of our faith.

Jesus Christ, our bridegroom, is coming. We have all been invited to be a part of the wedding party. We gather in anticipation of his arrival. And while he comes soon, we do not know when that is. And so, we strive to remain prepared. Being washed clean in Holy Baptism, we sit and hear his word. We eat and drink his Body and Blood. In doing so, our Lord fills our horn of oil. And we await his arrival, that we may walk with him along the way to the eternal marriage feast between our Lord and his bride: Us. The Church.

As St. Paul writes: For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.” Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

All Sheep Go to Heaven

Dear saints, last week we heard about what will happen as the end draws near. Next week will bring a parable about our Lord’s return. This morning we hear a parable that wraps up our Lord’s final discourse on the End Times. Last week’s lesson was a warning for us to be prepared. Today, we hear of the Day of Judgment. More precisely, we heard the Lord’s announcement of the judgment that has already taken place.

Jesus comes in glory and sits upon his throne. All the nations are gathered before him. And the people are separated from one another. Sheep go to the right; goats go to the left. The sheep are welcomed into heaven and the goats are cast into hell. After hearing this parable, many will ask the question, “Have I been good enough to be a sheep?”

There is only one problem with that. It is the wrong question. But for a moment, let us try to answer it anyway. Jesus describes what sheep do: They feed the hungry. They give the thirsty something to drink. They welcome the stranger. They clothe the naked. They visit the sick and go to the prisoner.

And so, have you done that? Any of it? Some of it? All of it? How much do you have to do to be considered a sheep? What if you have not even had the opportunity to do some of those things? Are you even able to be a sheep? Remember the standard under God’s Law. He is perfect and commands that we also be perfect. So, even if we assume you are exempt from fulfilling the things you have not had the opportunity to do, have you served the listed people perfectly every opportunity you have had to serve them? Have you slipped up even once? Then no. You have not done enough to be a sheep.

To answer the question, “Have I been good enough to be a sheep?” can and will only bring anxiety or conceit. You will either realize you are not good enough and bring upon anxiety and despair, or you will deceive yourself and become boastful and conceited in thinking you are better than you are.

The only good thing I can think of when considering this wrong question is that it reminds us that none of us are good enough to be called sheep. None of us have loved our neighbors good enough to be a sheep. By failing to help your fellow brother or sister, you find you fit the description of a goat instead.

So let us consider the words of our Lord in the parable and see how we may know that we are, indeed, sheep: Jesus says to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”

The sheep are confused. They do not seem to understand. They answer and say, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” Notice that there is no surprise that they are sheep. The surprise is what our Lord tells them they have done. They do not recall doing any of these things. And Jesus responds, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

Our Lord’s attention then turns to the goats. “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” Like the sheep, the goats do not seem to understand: “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?” And he answers them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”

If the lesson this morning is not about doing good works and showing yourself worthy as a sheep, then what is it about? First, I want to look at how the sheep and the goats are addressed. The sheep are called blessed by the Father and the goats are cursed. The sheep are those declared righteous. They are the ones who trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Because they are blessed and declared righteous, they inherit the kingdom which was prepared for them. This is why the sheep are surprised at what they hear next. They know they put their faith in Jesus, and not their works, for their salvation.

The goats, on the other hand, are cursed. Rather than being washed and clothed in righteousness, they remained estranged from the Lord. They rejected the call to trust in Christ. And so, when given the opportunity to love and serve Him, they declined. Yet they are still surprised to hear the judgment. They do not recall seeing the Lord in need and failing to care for him. Because they have no faith, they are cast into the eternal fire. But notice that this fire was not created for them. It is not supposed to be where they are sent. It was created for the devil and his angels, but they go there too.

The sheep in the parable are not sheep because of the works they did. The goats are not goats because of the works they did not do. Each are what they are because they do or do not trust in the Lord. Those who are baptized, who believe that Jesus has died for them and has taken away their sins, who try to do good, are Christian. They are righteous. Or, as the parable would speak of them, sheep. But those who do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah, even if they are baptized or try to do good things, are not Christian. They remain unrighteous. They are goats.

The parable is not about works. The parable is about being declared by God what you are. The sheep are made sheep by the power of God and His Holy Spirit. The goats remain goats because they reject God and His Word. The good works that the sheep have done must be put into their proper context, or else we might falsely believe that our works have somehow merited our salvation.

The author of the epistle to the Hebrews says, “without faith it is impossible to please God.” Serving your neighbor is a good work only if you have faith in Christ. Good works are the evidence of faith. They are the indicator that faith is present. It is impossible to have faith but not have good works. Yet these works do not save; rather they are the fruit of faith.

This might make some of you uneasy. Perhaps you are afraid you have not born much fruit. Think about it this way: If you give to the congregation because you support the mission of the Church and want to see the Word preached and the Sacraments administered, you are supporting Christ. If you made a dish for a potluck, you are feeding Christ, for those who eat of it are part of the Body of Christ.

If you have changed a diaper, you have clothed Christ. If you have carried that child to the Baptismal Font, you have carried Christ. The list goes on: If you have fed your children, given them clothes, spoken words of comfort to the sick or mourning, or any of the many other good works that you do because you are God’s child, you have done it to and for Christ Jesus.

Of course, these works are not done perfectly. How many of us have muttered to ourselves changing that blow-out diaper? Or got frustrated that some of your kid’s new clothes have been ruined after a single use? Or been wearied by yet another request from someone in need? Here we see God’s Law instructs us even as it accuses us. We see and do what we know to do because we know we are God’s redeemed. But we see how poorly we do these works and repent of not doing better. Or for thinking that what we have done is ‘good enough.’

Repent, but do not despair. Your status as a sheep does not rest upon you. You are what you are because of the mercy of your Savior, the King who rules over all things. It is He who has taken on your flesh and was born of the Virgin. He is the one who kept the Law perfectly. He is the one who, out of love for you, took on your sins and purchased you with His shed Blood and His death on the cross. And in that love, he rose again that you would enter His eternal kingdom with Him.

Because Jesus is your Savior, it is Jesus who makes you a sheep. He takes your ‘goat nature’ and covers it with his perfect nature as the Lamb of God. He has remade you in His own image. And this extends to the works you do. God sees your works and sees them done for Him. He does not see your sins, for they are hidden from his sight. What you do in weakness and sin, he perfects in himself and his righteousness.

On the cross, Christ Jesus became the sin of all men that all men might be redeemed. Any who are clothed in Christ have been made to be Him in disguise. Thus, the good works of His saints, His sheep, overflow with His glory.

But that does not work for the goats. They may have mighty and noble works that appear to be selfless acts of charity. We can see that throughout the world. But they reject Christ. They do not believe the work done for them in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Thus, they also reject His presence and serve their god, the devil. Their good deeds, lacking faith, are nothing but stained and filthy garments in the eyes of God.

But for you, dear sheep of Christ, your every action shines like the very Light of Christ. God’s Final Judgment is made, and it is for you. You are the righteous ones. You are those whose lives are made perfect in Christ. You are innocent and pure. So, you will be crowned with everlasting honor, bestowed upon you through the merit of Christ. You will enter the Kingdom of Glory, prepared for you by your Father from the foundation of the world. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

St. Luke

Dear saints, most of what we know about St. Luke we find from outside of the Sacred Scripture. Eusebius tells us he was born in Antioch in Syria. It was in Syrian Antioch that the Holy Spirit called Barnabas and Saul to begin what became the first of three missionary journeys for St. Paul. Nowhere in the Gospel of Luke or in the book of Acts does he mention himself by name. In the introduction of both books he uses the first person describing the method by which he wrote. In the second missionary journey, he uses ‘we’ to describe what the party was doing and experiencing. He does this again in the third missionary journey and through the rest of the book.

Luke was not a Jew and was likely an educated slave, something not uncommon in those days. He was likely emancipated, which was also not uncommon. He may have stayed at Philippi as pastor as Paul and Silas continued their second missionary journey.

St. Luke is commonly remembered as a physician. But today, his commemoration, he is called the Evangelist. In fact, the only mention of him being a physician is when St. Paul calls him one in the Epistle to the Colossians. His role as evangelist was made clear in our Collect as we pray, “Your blessed Son called Luke the physician to be an evangelist and physician of the soul.” And as we ask that “the healing medicine of the Gospel and the Sacraments may put to flight the diseases of our souls that with willing hearts we may ever love and serve You”

When Luke writes his account of our Lord’s Gospel, the church only has the Gospel written by St. Matthew. That account was written by a Jew to a Jewish church with Jewish converts. Those who heard it would automatically understand the nuances that Gentiles would not. Gentiles would not understand the significance of the genealogy in chapter one. They would not understand the various feasts and laws and observances without additional instruction.

But more and more, the church was becoming more Gentile and less Jewish. This makes sense: as the Gospel spread throughout the world, more Gentiles heard it. Because there were more of them, more of them believed. And so, St. Luke did what continues to happen today: He takes the work and testimony of someone else and uses it. He adapts it to his audience. What St. Luke writes is not original, but he uses it in an original way. In the books of Luke and Acts, we find not a pious layman, but a serious and studied theologian. And guided by the Holy Spirit, he writes a magnificent two volume set.

Think about it: Had the Holy Spirit not used Luke, what would Christmas be without, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed….” With only Matthew’s account, we would only hear of an angelic visitation followed by a man trying to figure out how to get rid of his betrothed without causing too much strife.

St. Luke shows us our Lord rebuking a demon and commanding it to come out and be silent. It does. We have Jesus telling the lame man to take up his pallet and walk. He does so. Telling the dead man at Nain to get up. He does and speaks. Luke tells of the sinful woman invading a Sabbath meal and having her sin forgiven by Jesus. Without St. Luke, we would not have many masterful narratives or miracles. We would not have the road to Emmaus. “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road?” We would not know about the parable of the Prodigal Son.

This is why we remember and thank God for St. Luke today. Not because he was a physician of the flesh, but because his Gospel was centered on Christ, the True Physician of our souls. St. Luke focuses us on the Creator coming to his creation to release it from its disease of soul, making it a new creation. Jesus heals his creation by casting out demons, raising the dead, forgiving sin, and healing the sick. And all this he does by the power of his word, which creates and does what it says.

Our Lord’s miracles testify that God had invaded his creation and blessed it by releasing it from its bondage brought on by its fall. Jesus brings freedom to all the captives of sin and death. In him, all creation undergoes a healing. He brings mercy to and for all. But the world rejected all this by rejecting him.

And being rejected, he is nailed to The Tree. And there, on that cross, all sickness and death was put on him. The world shook and grew dark. And in his death, it is recreated through his shed blood. This new creation, our forgiveness of sin and salvation, comes only through the blood of Jesus.

In the Gospel lesson today, our Lord sends the 72 out to do exactly what he has done: heal the sick and proclaim that the kingdom of God has come near. When they return, we find they cast out demons as well. They proclaim the reality of the new creation through Jesus Christ. Proclaim liberation through word and miracle. It is a reality centered in the words of absolution: “Peace be to this house.”

These sent ones demonstrated peace in their presence. Sent with no provisions, they were provided hospitality by those who received them as heralds of this peace. And their peace was the medicine needed for lives broken by sin, sickness, and death. Through their preaching and miracles, it was shown that the kingdom of God was near. They brought to those who received them a foretaste of the feast and the kingdom which was present at the very birth of Christ, and a peace that now reigns in heaven.

Recall again our Collect. The Word and the Sacraments are the healing medicine of the church. St. Ignatius called them the ‘medicine of immortality.’

Just as Jesus and his 72 healed those who heard and believed, so also have you been healed. You have been healed by water and blood. By word and spirit. Like the 72 sent by our Lord, he sends pastors to this day into the harvest fields as lambs among wolves. And they take with them the medicine of Word and Sacrament. They take with them the means for mission and healing. This medicine comes to all places: from sick room to nursing home to church building and cathedral. It comes to the broken hearted and the captive. To sinners like you and me. And that the kingdom of God draws near is proclaimed.

And so, I proclaim to you that the kingdom of God is also near here. The peace of Christ which passes all understanding now rests upon you. And in the presence of the Lamb, we partake and celebrate with all the saints in a foretaste of the Feast which is to come. The table is set. Your Savior invites you to eat and be filled. So, rejoice that your names are written in the heavens. In the Book of Life. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

A Sabbath Healing

Dear saints, this morning’s Gospel text contains two of the four events that occur at a Sabbath dinner and a ruling Pharisee’s house. Though we are not explicitly told everything he does this day, Jesus would have begun his Sabbath like he begins every Sabbath: by attending a service at the Temple or the Synagogue. Afterward, he is invited to a dinner and accepts the invitation, even though he surely knows the invitation is intended to trap him.

Our Lord arrives and is being watched carefully. The religious leaders are hoping that he does something they can accuse him of breaking the Law for. And behold, there was a man there with dropsy. We are not told if he was there to trap Jesus or if he showed up hoping that Jesus would heal him. Today the man’s affliction is more commonly called edema. His body was holding water. He may have been suffering from congestive heart disease. His body would enlarge; he would gain weight. He would be seen as cursed or as having committed some sin to warrant such punishment. And while we have drugs to alleviate the condition today, there was no man-made cure or relief at the time.

Jesus sees the man and loves the man. He intends to heal him, but first tests those invited to the dinner. “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” Those present remain silent. Perhaps because they are unsure if Jesus means according to the Mosaic Law or the rabbinical law. The answer would be different. As they remain silent, Jesus takes the man and heals him of his disease.

But before any of them object and claim the Lord has broken the Sabbath, he poses another question: “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” Our lesson says they could not reply to him. They were silenced because Jesus has just made their hypocrisy clear. Of course, they would pull out their son. None would be willing to lose an animal. They would rescue man or beast and call it justified work. Nor would they rebuke the priest serving, that is, working in the Temple on the Sabbath as breaking it.

This reminds me of when Jesus says, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The Sabbath is a day of rest rather than a day of burden. It was given to us that we would rest, relax, and worship. That we would be filled with the Word of God and receive his gifts. It was so we would receive mercy and compassion. Like a man with dropsy or who had fallen into a well.

You and I are those who need mercy. Our condition is worse than a man with dropsy or in a pit. And God is kind to you. He is merciful to you. He provides for you and grants a place to gather and receive all your spiritual needs.

This we consider as we look at the other half of our lesson. Jesus heals the man and silences the others invited. Those who invited pretend to keep the Sabbath by attending worship, but then work to trap Jesus. They worship God with their lips, but their hearts are far from them. But Jesus still does, knowing they are trying to trap him. He loves them enough to come into a hostile house for dinner. He silences them and observes how they seat themselves. How they honor themselves and promote themselves by choosing the choice spots. Thus, we have our parable. Jesus says that, when invited to a wedding feast, you should choose the lowest seat rather than the highest. Rather than assuming you are a distinguished guest and being wrong, you should assume you are not so you will be lifted up.

This is not advice. This parable is mocking the Pharisees. They were so covetous of honor, Jesus was effectively telling them: “Since you want honor so much, don’t do something that would dishonor you. Instead, feign humility so you will be seen and lifted up to the place of honor you so desperately seek.”

But the parable hits us as well. Who of us does not want to be recognized? Does not want to be honored? Sure, we know not to sit at the bridal party’s table. But we are tempted to seek glory in honor in other places. And to feign humility hoping that we are exalted is still evil.

While it is important for us not to be prideful, that is not the point being made in this parable. The point is the One who should take the highest spot at the first table has been humbled. He has been taken from his seat of glory, taking on our flesh, and was born of the virgin. He walked under his Law. He was rejected by his own. He was crucified like the worst of criminals were.

And the reason was so that you, who are not even worthy of the least of seats, would be lifted up. That you, who deserve nothing but evil and condemnation, would be forgiven, cleansed, and saved. That you would be made worthy to sit at the table in the Wedding Feast.

Jesus goes to the Sabbath dinner because he has come even for those who oppose him. He goes to show them what mercy looks like. What humbleness looks like. He perfectly keeps the Sabbath day and shows mercy at the same time. He demonstrates true humility. Jesus does what the religious leaders did not and refused to do.

Having taken the lowest seat, the Lord Jesus has now taken the highest seat through his death, burial, and resurrection. And in doing so, he invites all who are humble of heart to his own Wedding Feast. All who repent and believe in his sacrifice are called to it. This sacrifice is applied to you by water and the Word. Through the Body and Blood of the sacrificed Lamb. You are no ox; you are the beloved of God.

But your invitation to this Feast is not as a guest. Rather, you are elevated as Jesus’ holy and pure bride and he gives you the seat of honor. He has healed your own case of dropsy. He has healed your soul and softened your heart. He works in you and through you. You are given the ability and desire to love and serve Him and your neighbor. He prepares your feast. Your Bridegroom and Lord has had mercy. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

On the Death of a Loved One

Dear saints, apart from the youngest among us today, we all know what it is like to lose someone near and dear. Some know it more than others. Fewer still know what it is to lose a child. Whatever we have or have not lost, we can all empathize with the widow women in our Old Testament and Gospel lessons this morning.

We first hear of the woman in Zarephath. She was introduced last week when Elijah encounters her gathering sticks to make a final fire and final loaf of bread for her and her son. There was a severe famine, and she was preparing their final meal. But Elijah tells her that her flour will not be spent; her oil will not run out until the rain again falls to the earth. After some time, her son falls ill and dies. She is angry at Elijah and accuses him of causing her son’s death.

Elijah takes the boy and cries out to God saying, “O Lord my God, let this child’s life come into him again.” He does this three times. On the third, the Lord answers Elijah’s prayers and restores the child’s life to him. The boy is brought back to his mother and she replies, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

St. Luke reports that the only son of a widow had died. We only know he was a young man and had left his mother a childless widow. Such a report is tragic in our day, but in ancient times, it was especially burdensome on these women. It is no wonder there was a large crowd accompanying her outside the city gate to bury her son.

But before they can fulfill the task, they encounter Jesus and the crowds following him. Inexplicably to the funeral party, Jesus stops the procession. He tells the woman to end her weeping. And in what must have been a confusing moment for all, he touches the bier of the young man saying, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And he does. He sits up and speaks. We are not told, but I would imagine his mother might just be weeping tears of joy as our Lord gives her back her son.

The reaction of the people is not surprising. Fear seizes them and their response is to glorify God. They realize that Jesus acts with the power of God, but it does not seem that they realize that he is their God. Nonetheless, this miracle at Nain is reported in the region and the fame of Jesus expands.

These two miracles are gracious gifts to the women who receive them. Not only are their sons given back to them, but a desperate life as a childless widow is also spared. The graciousness of God is seen in not only the restoration of life but the comfort of these women’s physical affliction.

But what I want to focus on for the rest of our time this morning is how these young men are raised. Elijah lays on the boy and cries out to God. He cries out three times that God would give the boy life. And the boy’s mother tells Elijah she now knows he is a man of God and the words of the Lord are in his mouth. On the other hand, Jesus touches the bier simply commands the young man to rise. The crowd reacts by praising God. And rightly so! But then simply regards Jesus as a great prophet.

I can think of three other accounts of the dead being raised in the Old Testament: Elisha raises the Shunammite’s son by praying to the Lord. A dead man is hastily thrown in Elisha’s tomb and is raised by touching his bones. A valley of dry bones is raised when Ezekiel prophesies over them according to the word of God. In these accounts, the dead are raised not by the man, but by the power of God.

But that is not the case here. There is no petition to God to have mercy. No prayer or request for the miracle. Jesus uses his own power because he is the God Elijah, Elisha, and Ezekiel called upon. “Whoever can awaken a dead person by his own power must be the true God and eternal life himself.” [CFW Walther]

And this is a great comfort to Christians. For how great the power of the one for whom the might of death is weak and impotent. Our world is in turmoil. Christians feel pressure from all corners. There is surely some who fear that the enemies of the Lord and his church might prevail. But we should not have such worry. For Christ has protected his Bride and has promised that the gates of Hell shall not prevail. No matter what trials may come, he will rescue his people and restore us. He will cause his enemies to stumble.

But if you find yourself worried, return to Nain. Remember how the Lord plunders death and then rejoice that we have such a great and gracious Savior. A Savior who speaks and has it done, who commands and sees it stand fast. So, if you find yourself gripped by sin, if you lack comfort as you feel the iniquity you have done, return to Nain and find comfort. He who conquers, even reverses death, is also the Lord over sin. For death is the payment of sin and sin is the sting of death. So, hold fast to Jesus Christ, for in him you will find forgiveness of all your sins. In him, you find victory over all the foes of your soul. In him, you have grace, life, and salvation.

Those frightened of death; those who weep at the grave of your loved ones: hurry to Nain. The Lord Christ, who turned those tears of sorrow into tears of joy will also dry your tears. So miraculous is the power of Jesus that, like the widow who again embraced her son, you will also someday embrace your loved one who died in the faith. Morning comes when Christ says to all of his own, in a new heaven and on a new earth, “Weep not! I have ended all sorrow. I have conquered for you. Therefore, rejoice with me. You shall have no more separation; no more departure.”

Our Lord says, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” If worries about your final hours fill your mind, take heart. At those words, death departed, and life returned. So also has Christ destroyed your death and brought you life and immortality. Your Savior watches over you, so fall asleep in peace. Someday you will awaken. And on that day, there will be no more death, for the first death, so dreaded in our world, will be forever gone. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

Ten Lepers, One Grateful Samaritan

Dear saints, last Sunday we encountered the merciful Samaritan. This week we encounter the thankful Samaritan. He is afflicted with leprosy, a disease that killed the body and separated you from both your family and worship community. Life with leprosy was a lonely proposition, and so you would build something of a community with others like yourself. And this is what we hear this morning: ten leprous men lived in something of a community outside the village that Jesus happens to be entering.

The men stand at a distance and cry out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” Using master indicates they recognize power and authority in Jesus, but not his deity. Jesus looks to them and, bestowing that requested mercy, tells them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” He tells them to perform the duty required of the leper under the Law of Moses. They are to go to Jerusalem, present themselves to the priest, and perform the rituals and cleansing. After this, they may return to their families and again worship in the Temple.

Being told to go, but not being told they would be healed, they turn and begin their journey. And as they went they were cleansed. We are not told how long into the journey they were, and we do not know how long they were clean before they noticed. But we know that, whenever they realized they were healed, nine of them continue on, presumably heading up to the Temple as instructed. But one does not. He turns back and returns to Jesus. He falls on his face at the Lord’s feet and gives him thanks.

Of the ten, only one returns. Nine Jewish men travel to the Temple; the Samaritan returns to the Lord. And looking down at this man, Jesus tells him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

That the man who returns is a Samaritan is shocking on a couple of different levels. First, we recall that Samaritans were looked at as inherently impure by Jews. They were seen as half-breeds. Jews did not associate with Samaritans. But here, a Samaritan has joined nine Jews who shared a condition with him. Despite the prejudices Jews had against them, nine Jews with leprosy were willing to welcome this Samaritan into their group. Their lot was so bad and desperate, they welcomed the company of anyone. Even a Samaritan.

The other is that, of the ten, only the Samaritan recognizes Jesus for who he is. Samaritans only held the first five books of the Bible as authoritative. This may be the reason Jesus tells the woman at the well, “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.”

But recognize Jesus is what this man did. He turned with the other nine to go to Jerusalem. Yet when he realized he was healed, that he was cleansed, he turned back. But instead of calling from a distance, he boldly approaches Jesus and falls on his face at his feet. He gives thanks. He takes the position of worship and praises God.

All this happens as Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem, which means he is on his way to the cross. And that reminds us why things like leprosy exist. Without sin, we would not have maladies like leprosy or cancer or deadly viruses. Without sin, we would not die. Without sin, our God would not need to take on our flesh and die in our place to save us. But we have sinned. And, as I have said before, there is no better comparison to our disease of sin than the disease of leprosy.

As I mentioned, leprosy separated you from not only your family but from your worship community. You were unclean under the Law. There was no cure, so it was also a death sentence that would cause you to suffer while waiting.

Sin is similar. It may alienate you from your family, but it always alienates you from your God. It always makes you unclean and unrighteous. It is always fatal. There is no human cure. Like leprosy in the ancient world, it is always and only God that can cleanse you from sin.

All of humanity are like lepers. We are deathly ill with no hope of surviving. We need mercy. The lepers in our lesson this morning call out to Jesus seeking mercy. He shows it to them by telling them to go to Jerusalem and show themselves to the priests there. He shows them mercy by healing them as they turn and go. And yet only one of them returns to him and worships him.

Jesus shows us mercy by taking on our flesh and dying for our sins on the cross. It is a death that forgives the sins of all. Yes, all sin is forgiven by the death of Christ. In the miracle of our text, we see the cleansing power of Christ. But not all realize what mercy has been shown upon our race. Many remain in their condition unaware of what has been done for them. Others are thankless and abuse it. And some fall at the feet of Jesus in worship and thanksgiving.

And that is what we have come here to do this morning. We cry out, “Lord, have mercy!” We listen to his word. We receive and believe him in the absolution. And, in a few minutes, we will fall to our knees before the altar in thanksgiving. There you receive your Lord and Savior and obtain from him forgiveness.

At the end of our lesson, Jesus looks to the cleansed man and says, “Get up and go your way. Your faith has saved you.” As you rise from the rail, he tells you to depart in peace. He tells you that you are forgiven. He tells you that he has given you faith and it has saved you. You may go in peace knowing he has made you clean. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

On the Good Samaritan

Dear saints, you do not need to be a Christian, or even a Theist, to know about the Good Samaritan. Many people think they know the parable and its meaning. We have organizations, nursing homes, charities, hospitals and other groups who take on the name. Many of these entities do a lot of good work. They do a lot to love and serve their communities. But if you asked many of those who work and volunteer at those places, they would probably tell the meaning of the parable is to simply love and serve your neighbor. Now, they would be telling you to do a good thing, but they would also be giving you a moralizing and Law-based meaning. They are missing the point of the parable.

The reason for this is because many do not realize what the context for the parable is and why our Lord tells it. It is not just a moral story about treating your neighbor well. It is theologically deep and meant to draw a man to trust in Jesus. So, let us jump in, shall we?

Jesus sent out seventy-two men in pairs to preach about Him before he came to that city or town or village. When they returned, they were excited because even the demons were subject to them in Jesus’ name. The passage that bridges the return of the seventy-two and our parable is just as important. Jesus gives thanks to God that what he calls the little children are the ones who see and understand rather than the wise and understanding. He says to his disciples, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

The prophets and kings of old heard God’s promises. They heard and believed the Gospel. But they did not get to see it. The disciples get to see Jesus with their eyes and hear him with their ears. They get to see and hear the Gospel. The ancients saw the shadow; the disciples see the real thing and hear the details.

Today we hear a lawyer stand up to test Jesus. “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Already there is a problem. What does one do to inherit eternal life? The question does not make sense. You inherit something not because of anything you do. You inherit something because of what and who you are.

Jesus knows the lawyer is asking the wrong question and that he is being tested by him. But Jesus also cares for and loves this lawyer. And so, he engages the question but does not answer it. Instead, he asks his own question: “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” The lawyer answers rightly. He gives the correct summary of the Mosaic Law. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus affirms the answer. “Do this, and you will live.”

And it is there that the lawyer knows he is in trouble. He knows he has not fulfilled the requirements of the Law and its summary that he just gave. And so, he looks for a way out. If he can prove that his neighbor is limited; that he can dictate who his neighbor is…perhaps he can ‘do this, and live.’ Perhaps he can find himself justified based on what he has done. And so, when he asks Jesus who his neighbor is, Jesus responds with the parable.

The scenario is not farfetched. There were dangerous roads and routes then just as there are now. An unnamed man goes down the mountain from Jerusalem to Jericho and is beaten and robbed. He is left for dead. And as he lays there, a priest also comes down along that way. He sees him, goes to the other side of the road, and continues on his way. A Levite does the same.

But then an outsider comes. A Samaritan. An outcast and hated man. This man stops and checks on the half-dead man. He has compassion on him. He cares for him, puts him on his animal, and bore the burden of the journey to an inn. There he cares for this stranger overnight and then gives the innkeeper two days’ wages to care for the beaten man, promising to come back and pay whatever bill the stranger might incur.

It is at this point of many sermons that the priest and Levite are typically beaten up on. They are shunned because they did not come to the beaten man’s aid. I am not going to do that. Instead, I want to ask, “Why didn’t they do anything to help him?” The answer begins with the context of the lawyer’s test. He is an expert in the Law. He knows it back to front. And he looks to it for his right standing before God.

And so, he tests Jesus with his misguided question. Jesus turns the tables on him and causes him to feel the burden of the Law upon his shoulders. This is because the Law was never meant to save anyone. It came 430 years after God’s promise and covenant with Abraham. That promise is where salvation lies. Not from the law which was given because of sin. This is we heard from St. Paul. The Law does not and did not replace God’s promise of the Offspring. The promise of Christ.

So, when the lawyer asks what he must do to be saved, Jesus has him answer using what the lawyer thought the standard was: The Law. And by rightly confessing that he was to love the Lord his God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mid and to love his neighbor as himself, he knows he had just condemned himself.

At a minimum, his instincts tell him he has not loved his neighbor as himself. And so, if he can limit who his neighbor is, perhaps he can again trust in his righteousness through the Law. This is why Jesus mentions the priest and Levite. They are the keepers, performers, and protectors of the Law. They ensure purity. And so, the priest and Levite have a code they must live by. If they are traveling along that road to perform a duty, they cannot touch a dead body, become unclean, and still perform their duty. The man looks like he may be dead. Thus, they walk away from where he is so that they do not become unclean. Or, maybe they just finished serving and they are anxious to return to their families. If they were to touch a dead body, they would be unclean and thus be delayed in their return to the families.

They do not help the man because they cannot. And that is the point. The Law is powerless to save unless you keep it perfectly from fertilization, and, well, good luck with that. The priest and Levite can do nothing but pass the man by. But the Samaritan is not under the Mosaic Law. He is an outsider and despised. The Samaritan has mercy and aches for the battered man.

The compassion the Samaritan has on the beaten man has both a physical and monetary cost. He puts himself in danger to attend the man. After all, this could have been a ruse and the beaten man only acting. And so, putting himself in danger, he uses oil and wine, the day’s version of antibiotic and cleaning agents, to clean up the injured man. He bears the burden of lifting the man onto his animal and walking rather than riding to town. He bears the burden of caring for the man overnight.

And then he bears the cost of paying for the man’s night, two additional nights, and whatever the man would rack up in costs between the time he leaves and comes back. All this is done without checking to make sure this beaten man is honorable. Is worthy or trustworthy. The Samaritan simply does it for this stranger.

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers? The lawyer asks who his neighbor is. Jesus shows what it is to be a neighbor. And the lawyer must answer that the Samaritan, the one who showed him mercy was the neighbor. The one who, no questions asked, saved the half-dead man.

The lawyer should realize that he is the beaten and half-dead man. He has fallen into the hands of his own sin and the devil, who have beaten him, stripped him and left them for dead. But then, the Samaritan comes: Jesus. The Son of God, who is rejected and seen as an outcast. He comes to be the merciful neighbor of the beaten and abused man, the lawyer, and you.

That is the point of the parable. Because of sin, we are born worse than half-dead. We are fully dead spiritually. We have already been killed by sin. But Jesus has compassion. He comes to you. He bears your burden. He pours water, and sometimes, oil upon you in baptism. He gives you his blood under the wine in the Holy Supper. He fully pays for you. He puts and keeps you in his care. Put simply, he shows you mercy.

The message of the Good Samaritan is not, “Try harder,” or, “Be nicer.” The message of the Good Samaritan is you are condemned under the Law. You are beaten up by the Law. And Jesus comes and rescues you. Our wonderful and merciful neighbor saves us by dying in our place on the cross. And we receive that mercy daily.

The parable ends with Jesus telling the lawyer to “go, and do likewise.” Jesus tells us to do the same. Not to justify ourselves, like the lawyer sought to do, but because we have received mercy. And because we have received mercy, we want others to receive that same mercy. Let us always cling to Jesus, our Merciful Neighbor. And may we also show mercy as we bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD