Uncategorized – Page 34 – What Does This Mean?

Diagnosing a Problem

In the past few days and weeks, I have been pondering a specific topic. I have been thinking about where society has gone and how quickly it fell. We see the symptoms of sin all around us, but still sixty years ago there was a common morality amongst the majority of people. What happened?

I believe we can go look back at when people stopped believing Scripture to be God’s Word and see that as the moment in which society began to fall apart. Now fewer and fewer people hold to the premise that the Bible is the Word of God.

In the modern era, the first questions were about the miracles that Jesus did, or the miracles presented in the Bible in general. Did Jesus really feed the 5000? How did Jesus heal leprosy? And what about Jonah? Jesus’ rose from the dead? Many of these things were said to be mythological and not in fact the truth. Rudolph Bultmann led the charge in the 1930s and 40s. This is somewhat reminiscent of Thomas Jefferson and his bible. Jefferson cut out any miracle that occurred because he was unable to rationalize it. For Bultmann and Jefferson before him they still saw the words of Jesus as somewhat authoritative and something to give moral guidance.

However, there was a problem. For as much as they desired to “find” the words of Jesus in the midst of the miracles and build those up, they were undercutting the foundation of the faith! Those who followed them not only continued to question and deny the miracles spoken of in the Bible, but now the very words of Jesus were also in question. Are they really Jesus’ words? And who really is Jesus? And why should his words matter to us when it comes to morality?

This my friends is where we find ourselves now. For the decades and many more years of doubting and denying the Bible to be God’s Word, and Jesus Christ being the Son of God in the Flesh, we now are in a time where the very ground of our common morality has receded. If people deny that their existence comes about because of creating and sustaining God, there is no authority higher than themselves by which to be governed. If that’s the case then there is no morality, except for “do what is right in your own eyes.” Hence why abortion is seen as a right to be granted at all costs, and marriage can be between two men, two women, or in some states, multiple persons. Of course, these are two of the big hot button issues, but it’s also the reason for no fault divorce too.

What is extremely saddening is that there are churches who deny Scripture as God’s Word and follow the world in this push for personal morality. When we fail to believe that the Bible is God’s Word, we will ultimately not believe a single piece of it including the very point that each person is made in the image of God and thus is deserving of dignity and love. Hence why we have so many divisions. In this sinful day and age only certain lives appear to matter because of our sinful and stubborn hearts.

What do we do? First, we all ought to repent and confess of our sins of failing to trust in the words of our Lord. Then, be forgiven by the Lord Jesus Christ who did indeed die and rise from the dead, and live in that reality and see our neighbors as those for whom Christ died and rose for as well. Let’s get back to trusting that the words and deeds of Jesus as presented in the Bible are true. Let’s get back to knowing Jesus as He confesses Himself to be: The very Son of the Father. Let us read the Bible as it is: God’s Word. The sooner we do the better it is for all lives.

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
La Grange, MO

Living According to the Gospel

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God our Father and our Lord and Jesus Christ. Amen.

In St. Peter’s epistle, we hear about the precious, priceless gift, the inheritance of salvation. And that we are to endure through the sufferings that come our way, for by the sufferings that are placed upon us in, God tests our faith, refines and strengthens it. And Peter continues along those lines today in our reading.

The Epistle Lesson for the third Sunday of Easter in the three-year lectionary, series A, sets up in a chiastic structure hinging on the Resurrection of Jesus. Peter exhorts us first to serve the Lord with fear. This is a call to the first commandment. “You shall have no other gods. What does this mean? I should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” This call to conduct ourselves in the fear of the Lord is good and right because we know what has taken place. We who have heard the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ have no excuse, as it were. We should lay hold of it and keep it precious. So, Peter rehearses the Gospel for us here again.

Notice, it is the Gospel that motivates true fear, love and trust in the blessed Trinity. It is the Gospel which motivates us and to actually do good works in love for our neighbors. Sure, the Law can scare us into submission and order, but it is only through the Gospel which we desire and willingly do what the Law of God commands. By the Gospel we see the Law as God’s will for his creatures. This is what is called the 3^rd use of the Law. In this use, the Law is seen as a guide for the way we are to live. And how does the Law become something that which we desire to do? Peter tells us, by knowing the Gospel. But not just knowing it but knowing it as it is preached. Knowing that the Gospel of Jesus is for you and then living in the truth of the Gospel.

Peter lays out his argument this way: “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile (that is your earthly life and here comes the rationale for living this way), KNOWING that YOU were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver and or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” Notice again, that you are to conduct yourselves in fear of the Lord because you have been ransomed. That is you have been redeemed.

You were born of perishable seed, says Peter a little later in the reading. Perishable means you have an expiration date. Because of the fall of Adam and Eve, our parents, we have been exposed to sin and death. We are now inclined to sin and do things which are against the will of the Lord. We are inclined to chase after other gods, and set them up as our idols. We are inclined to forget our neighbor and only care about ourselves. And we will die because the wages of sin is death. All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls. Human futility abounds. We are unable to stop sicknesses from ravaging our bodies. Oh we might think we have found a cure for one thing or another, and by God’s grace perhaps we have in some cases, but then something else comes. Crops fail. By the sweat of our brow we will eat our bread. Nothing comes easily, but we will toil in the earth to carve out our lives. We act violently against one another via words and actions. And at some point we too will wither and fade away, expire.

But Let us remember what Peter says, “you were ransomed by the blood of Jesus!” You know the full story for you have heard the Gospel preached to you. Do not forget it, for the Gospel preached for you is life giving. You were ransomed away from these futile ways! You have been brought of the ways of death and into the ways of life. You are set free! And this is again the gift which is far more precious than gold or silver. For if gold or silver could have been used to make our problem of sinfulness go away, what good would Jesus coming in the flesh be? But your salvation cost much more, and required an imperishable payment: the very physical body and blood of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh on the cross. Given as a ransom for you. What love the Lord has for us. Hear the words from a favorite hymn of mine 544. Oh love how deep, how broad how high, beyond all thought and fantasy, that God the Son of God should take our mortal form for mortal’s sake.

And at Easter Christ was raised from the dead. “True God He first from death has burst! (LSB 483, stanza 2)” Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! And his death is death’s undoing. Jesus’ death not like a grass withering and fading away. Instead it was the brilliant plan of salvation. Isaiah 53 says that the suffering servant Christ, who is our ransom, grew up like a young plant. He appeared weak in the eyes of the world and Satan yet it was by his death at the cross that death’s grips on all humanity came to an end. Since Christ was sinless, death had no claim on him, and likewise death has no claim on you who have been brought into the body of Christ Jesus through the waters of holy baptism. “And yours shall be like victory over death and grave.”

So you are set free, ransomed from the futile ways, ransomed from sin and death by the Lord Jesus Christ who came in flesh and blood to die and redeem you. And this gospel is what is preached to you. This Gospel is for you. That you live now a life of faith and hope in the holy Trinity, who has worked your salvation, loving God and neighbor.

No longer are you mere perishable seed, but have been born again by the living and abiding word of God that comes to you in the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Oh sure our flesh is still broken and futile and will ultimately fail us and succumb to death in this life. But by the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ you have the imperishable seed planted within you. You are given the imperishable life won for you by Christ. And this life begins in the water and the word being poured over you, when you were made a temple of the holy Spirit, who took up residence within you and gave you new life. A new life that is obedient to the exhortation that Peter spoke at the beginning of our reading. By the Spirit, we actually desire and want to obey the commandments of God. We then do fear, love, and trust in God above all things and love our brothers and sisters as ourselves all because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who ransomed us from death and gave us life that is imperishable just as he is imperishable.

What comfort then that Christ Jesus through Peter gives to us this day! Christ’s blood sets us free from sin and death, and Christ’s resurrection and everlasting life is made ours by the preaching of this Gospel to us that we might live according to the Gospel of Christ now and always, trusting in God, who raised Christ from the dead, that we too will be raised to life everlasting and that we can even live this way now for the sake of our neighbors.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
La Grange, MO

Captive to the Word of God

On April 18th, 1521, the imperial herald escorted Martin Luther to a larger chamber in the archbishop’s residence. There the Diet gathered to hear him. The group was larger — many people not a part of the assembly had joined them to hear the reformer. He had to wait until six o’clock, since other business had occupied the attention of the estates. Due to the lateness of the hour, torches were lit to light the chamber.

Johann von der Ecken, the Emperor’s spokesman, repeated the questions from the day before. Unlike his first appearance, Luther spoke loudly and confidently, first in German and then in Latin. His language was appropriately humble and restrained, yet firm and in command of his answer. He had prepared well.

He began by apologizing for his lack of courtly manners, noting he was unaccustomed of being before so worthy an audience. His motive for teaching and writing was to honor God and instruct the faithful. He acknowledge that, unless the contents of the books on the table had been altered in some way, that the writings there were his.

In reply to whether he would confess or retract any of them, he divided the works into three types. The first group were so innocent and useful that even his opponents praised them. It would not do to retract them. The second group of works address the abuses and evil done and taught in the church that even the German nation complained about. To retract those works would be to let those evils continue. He could not do that. The third group were those that attacked personally those defending these errors. He admitted that his language was over the top and not fitting for his office and vocation. To retract these would be to condone their views, which he could not do.

Answering Von der Ecken’s admonition that he give heed to the peace of the church, he believed it necessary to bring conflict for the sake of the Gospel, that Jesus had come not for peace but the sword. One must fear God. He did not intend, nor needed to instruct the authorities of the German nation, but he did not want to fail his nation. He begged them not to be poisoned by the words of his opponents. If he was in error, he invited them to correct him from the word of God and solid reason. If they did so, he would throw his own books on the fire. Elector Frederick was especially pleased with the latin version of this reply.

The Emperor’s spokesman then said it was not the books themselves that concerned him. If Luther would retract his heretical statements and theology, the Emperor would intercede with the Pope and the good need not be destroyed with the evil. If he did not, then they would all be destroyed. Von der Ecken dismissed the appeal to Scriptures as the attempt of all heretics to be the final judge over doctrine. He then asked Luther for a simple answer without horns or teeth.

Luther’s answer has gone down through five hundred years as a classic statement of confession and bravery:

Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen
Martin Luther (from Martin Brecht, Martin Luther, 1:160.

The words, “Here I stand, I can do no other” were likely not said by Luther. They do not appear in accounts from that time, but in later editions of the reports.

After exchanging a few words, Luther was escorted out by two imperial officials. When the crowd asked if he had been arrested, the answer was no. Back in his room, Luther was elated at his performance. Elector Frederick commented to Spalatin: “Father Martinus spoke well before the Lord Emperor, all the princes, and the estates. But be is much too bold for me.”

For several weeks, an imperial commission met with Luther to see if some sort of settlement could be reached while the Diet struggled to decide what action to take.

Luther Before the Emperor and the German Nation

In early afternoon on April 17th, the imperial marshall and the imperial herald led Martin Luther through a roundabout route from his lodging to the back entrance of the bishop’s residence, where the rulers and representatives of all the German territories, free cities and lands ruled by bishops and monasteries. Crowds filled all the streets and they wanted to avoid any incidents along the way.

As they entered the chamber where the Diet met, Luther looked around to see all the majesty of the gathered powers of his people. He had never been in the presence of secular power before, having been raised in a common household and joined a monastic community. He did not realize not to focus on the emperor was a breach of custom. On a table in the center of the room were piled many of his books. The imperial marshall warned him not to speak unless spoken to.

The Emperor had chosen an aide of the archbishop of Trier, Johann von der Ecken, to speak for the court. He addressed Luther in German and Latin. The emperor had summoned Luther to determine if he would acknowledge that the books printed under his name were his and if he would stand by his books or retract anything in them. This was at odds with the summons itself, so Luther was unprepared for the question. Luther’s lawyer, a judge in the service of Elector Frederick, asked that all the titles be read aloud. This was done. Not all of Luther’s works were there, but the collection was fairly up-to-date.

Luther spoke in a subdued, soft voice. He acknowledged the books were his. Since his answer was of grave importance to be faithful to God’s word and to preserve his soul, he requested time from the emperor to careful ponder his answer. This caught the court (or most of it) completely by surprise. Some thought the seriousness of his situation moved him to give pause to his resistance. Others suspected the move was a tactic designed by Elector Frederick. After the Emperor and the princes conferred, Von Der Ecken lectured Luther to put the unity of the Church and the peace of the state before his own opinions. He should have known, von der Ecken insisted what he would be asked to do. The Emperor in his leniency would nevertheless grant him a day to think. He was summoned to return the next day. The herald ushered Luther back to his quarters. There Luther was visited by many nobles, all of whom assured him the emperor would honor the safe conduct. To do otherwise would spark a revolt. To all visitors, Luther appeared in very good spirits.

Luther Greeted by Crowds as he Arrives in Worms

Aleander, Pope Leo X‘s ambassador to the Diet of Worms was worried. Reports of the crowds cheering Luther on had reached him. He knew the imperial herald and many of the princes, lords and territories were very critical of the Papacy and its supporters. They favored Luther and many of his reforms. He suspected that many in the the Imperial court were also sympathetic to the Wittenberg monk. The Imperial Confessor, Jean Glapion, made a secret offer to meet Luther outside of Worms to come to some kind of settlement. He had the support of several nobles and the future reformer, Martin Bucer. Spalatin did not trust the Franciscan and Luther suspected a trick to invalidate his safe conduct. So Luther declined the offer.

Aleander tried to discourage Luther’s friends from entering the city, claiming they would fall under his excommunication. He tried to get the Imperial Court to have Luther enter the city quietly and stay at the Emperor’s lodging, so that he could be kept away from others. He worried that the court would try to strike a compromise with Luther. He was not successful.

Five Hundred years ago, on April 16th, Luther entered Worms from Mainz. A trumpet fanfare sounded from the cathedral announcing his arrival. The imperial herald led the way, followed by the Wittenberg wagon. Justus Jonas followed on a horse obtained by Saxon nobles for him. Two thousand people are said to have been lining the route. Luther and his party stayed in the same lodging as two of Elector Frederick’s counselors and the imperial marshall, near to the place where the Elector himself was staying. Beginning on the 17th, a steady stream of princes, nobles and lord of all ranks visited with him. One of these was Philip von Hesse, who would later become a Lutheran. Later that morning, the imperial marshall brought Luther a summons to appear before the Diet at 4 O’Clock.

Do Lutherans practice private confession?

Yes. OK, we’re done here, right?

In all seriousness, the answer is simple. But, the rationale is more complex. At the time of the Reformation, the practice concerning confession (penance) had become onerous upon the people. The problem was that the Papists demanded every sin be recalled accurately and confessed in order to be forgiven. Furthermore, penance needed also to be rightly performed in order for absolution to stick. This is impossible for human beings and makes forgiveness dependent on our work instead of the work of Jesus.

In the Augsburg Confession (1530 AD), Lutherans say: “Our churches teach that private Absolution should be retained in the churches, although listing all sins is not necessary for confession. For according to the Psalm, it is impossible. ‘Who can discern his errors?’ (Psalm 19:12)” [Augsburg Confession 11]

There’s a curious shift in language here. The author, Philip Melanchthon, Martin Luther’s close friend and fellow reformation teacher, speaks here of the practice as “Absolution.” the shift in language in this discussion identifies our unique Lutheran perspective. For us the point is hearing Jesus words of forgiveness to us from our pastor. This is very different than the Romanist practice of enumerating sins, hearing conditional forgiveness, and performing penance in the hopes of receiving what has been promised.

The papists continued to push back against the Lutheran reformers in many of the articles of the Augsburg Confession. This sparked a response from Melanchthon in the form of the Apology to the Augsburg Confession.

Concerning confession, the Apology to the Augsburg Confession (1531 AD) says, “It is well known that we have made clear and praised the benefit of Absolution and the Power of the Keys. Many troubled consciences have derived comfort from our teaching. They have been comforted after they have heard that it is God’s command, no, rather the very voice of the Gospel, that we should believe the Absolution and regarded as certain that the forgiveness of sins is freely granted to us for Christ’s sake. … Previously, the entire power of absolution had been kept under wraps by teaching about works. For the learned persons and monks taught nothing about faith and free forgiveness.” [Apology 11]

There are two important notes for us to observe here. The first is that our understanding is that Absolution is to serve in calming and comforting the troubled consciences of sinners who confess. As we say in the Small Catechism, “…but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts.” Private Confession and the Absolution delivered therein is for Christians to have confidence that the forgiveness of sins promised to us in the Gospel is indeed delivered directly to us. We all struggle in understanding and believing that even our sin can be forgiven. That’s exactly why we Lutherans retain and uphold the practice of private absolution.

The second point Melanchthon makes cuts back again to the practice of penance as the central part of confession in the Romanist understanding. The learned persons and monks continued in teaching directly and indirectly that our work of confession was somehow involved in receiving the forgiveness. Moreover, that our work of penance played a part in earning this same forgiveness. That’s wrong. We have rejected that teaching for 500 years and continue to do so today. Forgiveness from God is free.

The confidence we receive from hearing that forgiveness privately from our pastor for those specific grievous sins that trouble our hearts most is the very Word of the Gospel in our ears. God does not expect us to find confidence within ourselves in our struggle and tribulation. He gives us the very words of his forgiveness in which we may hear and trust as often as we have need.

Dear Christians, Let us live joyfully from the words of forgiveness!

Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX

Which Bible Translation Is Best?

That’s kind of a tough question. Different translations have different attributes, which make them good. The one thing leading to different translations is the simple fact that translation is absolutely necessary.

The Bible comes to us in a few languages. The Old Testament is primarily written in Hebrew with some Aramaic near the end. The New Testament is written in Greek. There are also two ancient translations that can help us understand God’s Word in its time frame. The Septuagint (LXX) is an ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament from around 325 BC. And the Vulgate is a Latin translation of the Old and New Testaments from 405 AD.

The LXX can help us by way of its translation methodology. The pre-Christian Jewish scribes who translated the LXX made conceptual decisions from their understanding of their native tongue into the Greek. That reveals understandings that may have otherwise been lost through the loss of a Hebrew culture. It’s also worth noting that all of the Old Testament quotations by Jesus, the Apostles, including St. Paul, and the Evangelists appear to come from LXX.

The Vulgate was written very close to the close of the canon. The Bible as we received it is called the canon of scripture. At the council of Nicaea in 325 AD, we determined which books were to be included and excluded from the Bible.

The Vulgate gives us a view of translation from a native Greek speaker. St. Jerome finished translating within 80 years of the first time many Christians had seen all of the books of the New Testament together. In a 2000 year old church, that’s a significantly narrow window for understanding. That’s akin to hearing firsthand about the struggles of the great depression from one of those surviving folks, who were alive to see it.

In the LCMS, we are currently using the English Standard Bible (ESV) as our altar Bible. We have used other translations including: the New International Version (NIV), the Revised Standard Version (RSV), and King James Version (KJV). These are all good translations in their own way.

I will frequently use those and other translations in my studies and preaching. I will also stumble through some of my own translation. The process of struggling with the source languages helps us to understand conceptually rather than only in a word-by-word sense.

Sometimes you will hear Christians say things like, “our Bible is a translation of a translation of a translation of a translation going back for centuries.” And then, there will be some claim place upon that statement. None of the claims are valid, because the basis is untrue. We have the Bible in its original languages. Our English translations come from the original source, Our English Bibles have only been translated once.

That’s true of most Bibles available throughout the world. Lutheran Bible Translators (LBT) and other organizations have spent over a century translating the same Bible from its Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek sources into the languages with which they’ve come in contact.

So, let’s compare a few translations concerning just one passage of the Bible. Ephesians 2:8-10 in our altar bible (ESV) reads, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

This passage is central to our Lutheran understanding of how grace and faith work. In the life of a Christian, grace and faith are given to us by God. They are not works we do. Nor can they be earned in any way.

Now, how else have we heard this text? The older English of the King James Version (KJV) reads, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

In the KJV, the works we do sound as if they are ordered by God in our modern ears. In the ESV, the works are prepared for us by God. The ESV is more faithful to the Greek in this case. It gets at the sense of who’s doing the doing here. And, it’s not us.

Compare those with the RSV, NIV, and New King James Version (NKJV)

RSV: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

NIV: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

NKJV: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

You’ll notice they are all very similar. In particular, the NKJV has moved in the same direction as the ESV regarding that verb concerning our works. They are “prepared” rather than “ordained.”

Now there are some Bibles called translations that are not. The New Living Translation (NLT), The Message and The Voice are not translations. They are paraphrases — a restatement of the Bible from English into English is a paraphrase. Calling those a translation implies that we can translate from English into English. Since, there is no consultation with the source text. These Bibles are nothing more than a what-this-says-to-me scribbling by the authors.

You’ll notice The Message sounds very little like those texts above: “Ephesians 2 7-10 “Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.”

These paraphrases aren’t useless for Christians. But, they also aren’t the Bible in any sense. A best, they are like a study guide. The study guides are written by non-Lutherans and will contain different interpretations than we might use.

I would suggest the following translations on your shelf at home. If you can only get one, start with the first. Then add them in sequence from there. In your studies, start from the top and work through the others. These are they: ESV, NKJV, OSB (Orthodox Study Bible – we’ll discuss the attributes of that one another time), KJV, RSV, NIV, and then others. Please avoid paraphrases in general. Most of us spend so little time in God’s Word. An interpretive reading isn’t as good as a plain, clear translation.

Rev. Jason M. Kaspar
Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool
La Grange, TX

Luther Begins his Journey to Worms

Luther began his journey to the Imperial Diet at Worms during the first week of April 1521. Yet he was by far not alone. The Imperial Herald Caspar Sturm escorted him. Augustinian monk Johann Petzensteiner accompanied him, along with Nicholas von Amsdorf, his Wittenberg colleague and friend. Peter von Suaven, a Pomeranian noble and several students came along. The city of Wittenberg supplied a cart and the University paid him traveling expenses. Judge Justus Jonas joined them at Erfurt. Melanchthon could not go, since he had teaching obligations.

The route took them across the river to Leipzig, whose city council presented him with a gift of wine. From there it was on to Naumburg, Weimar, Erfurt, where he attended University and then on to Gotha and Eisenach, where he was born and would die 25 years later. In Naumburg, he was the guest of the Burgomeister. In Weimar, Duke John, the brother of Elector Frederick, presented him with a gift to cover travel expenses. He there learned of an imperial order to confiscate his books. The herald asked if he wanted to continue. Luther replied that only force to prevent him would stop him from presenting himself before the Emperor.

On April 6, he entered Erfurt, escorted with an honor guard of sixty horsemen. He was greeted with a celebration, complete with public speeches. Luther could not help but compare the reception to the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It was not a very comforting thought. Luther preached to a packed Augustinian church on April 7th, Notes were taken and the sermon immediately published. He would also preach in Gotha and Eisenach. He fell ill in Eisenach, but soon felt better. The procession reached Frankfort on 14 April, where he felt well enough to party with his friends and play the Lute. There Georg Spalatin met him. He told the elector’s secretary: “But Christ lives, and we shall enter Worms in spite of all the gates of hell and the powers in the air … even if as many devils were in that city as tiles on the roofs.”

Sunday is Coming

Part 5: Jesus’ Burial and a Guard Posted (Matthew 27:57–66)

The Law required that Jesus be buried before the start of the Sabbath Day. So, Joseph takes his body and quickly prepares it for burial, but he does not have time to fully prepare the body. This is why the women were taking spices to the tomb early on Easter morning. They were going to complete what could not be done on Friday.

But remember what the chief priests and Pharisees do on the Sabbath. They go to Pilate and ask for a guard. They know full well what Jesus said and want to make sure there are no shenanigans. At least, none that aren’t their own doing. It seems the disciples have forgotten, but these men remember that Jesus said that no sign will be given but the sign of Jonah. They remember that He said He would be raised on the third day. So, they ask Pilate to station guards at the tomb to make sure the disciples don’t steal the body of Jesus.

Soldiers are stationed at the tomb. It is made secure by sealing the stone. No one will be getting by these soldiers to steal the body of Jesus. If the tomb is to be made empty, the only way it will happen is if Jesus really is who He said to be.

The chief priests, the elders, and the Pharisees act like they do to prevent a faked resurrection. How ironic that this act of unbelief is what will provide strong and compelling evidence of the actual and factual resurrection of Jesus Christ!

As for Jesus? He is resting. He is taking his Sabbath. He is waiting for the morning and His resurrection, His victory march through hell, and His revealing to his disciples. He has completed all that He came to do. And rest assured that His work is totally sufficient to save even you from your sins. Do not doubt but believe. Do not fear, but with boldness and confidence await the glorious resurrection of your Lord. It is coming. He has promised He would rise. And your God does not lie.

This Holy Week, we have traveled with our Lord. In your churches, you have celebrated the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday. You have read again His passion, and tomorrow we celebrate again His glorious Resurrection. We shall rejoice that through His work – His suffering and death – you are freed from all your sin. No longer are you a slave to sin. In your baptism, you are made a child of God, clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and stand justified before the Father. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD

The King is Dead!

Part 4: The Death of Jesus (Matthew 27:45–56)

We are all used to darkness falling at the end of each day over the earth, but we aren’t used to it happening at noon. Yet this is exactly what occurred. From noon to 3 pm there was darkness over the land. According to the prophets, darkness was a sign of judgment and of sorrow. And to be sure, judgment is taking place in this darkness. Your sin is being judged right here in this text. And it is taking a toll on the One who is suffering it. Finally, about three in the afternoon, the Man cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Jesus, in His agony, cries out the beginning of the 22^nd Psalm. Near the middle of the Psalm, the Psalmist writes: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.” It is not hard to imagine how this fits Jesus. He is thirsty. He is beaten. His is zapped of all his energy. He is near death.

Upon hearing His cry and thinking Jesus is calling Elijah, He is given some sour wine to drink. Then the people wait. They want to see if Elijah will save Jesus. Of course, he won’t because Jesus isn’t crying out to Elijah. He is crying out to God. His very Father. Jesus cries out once more and gives up His Spirit.

To those there watching, it would seem that’s all there was to it. Until the earth starts shaking. And rocks break apart. Even more, a short distance away something even more dramatic was taking place: In the Temple, the curtain that separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place is ripped from top to bottom! It was no longer necessary. Our sins have been atoned for once and for all. No more blood of bulls and goats need to be shed. The blood of Jesus has been poured out for you. It is what we read in Hebrews 9: “But when Christ appeared as a high priest…he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.”

In this dark hour, at the death of our Lord, we may rejoice. For your sins are atoned for. Your guilt is washed away. You are redeemed.

Rev. Brent Keller
Peace Lutheran Church
Alcester, SD