175 years ago, a small colony of Lutheran missionaries began to clear land in the swampy pine forests of Michigan’s Saginaw Valley. Like many other settlements in 19th century America. they fervently believed in their religion and were led by a pastor, August Crämer. Unlike most utopian movements, however, they were orthodox Christians and were not there for themselves primarily. They were missionaries to the Chippewa people. The vision of their benefactor, Wilhelm Löhe was they would reach out to these Native Americans and provide a Christian community that would be a witness to how those who love Jesus live with each other. Löhe named the town Frankenmuth — Courage of the Franconians.
The colony established itself in spite of the difficulties in settling virgin land. Giant trees had to be felled, shelters built, land plowed and a basic crop planted to survive the winter. They were plagued by malaria and other illnesses and all the while struggled to contact the Chippewas. By December, they had built the first church, St. Lorenz Lutheran Church. In the meantime, Crämer had interested the native peoples to send their children to the missionary school he would establish. The Pastor would eventually learn their language and translate the Small Catechism into their language. Soon Missionary Baierlein arrived and moved into their village. Eventually, 35 Chippewas were baptized. The Mission came to an end when the US Government relocated the tribe further west.
In the next year, ninety more colonists arrived. The community grew into a bustling farm community. Soon three more colonies would follow and prosper. Today Frankenmuth is a tourist destination for Christmas shoppers, crafts, German heritage and fine dining.
Dear saints, Jeremiah was called the ‘weeping prophet’ because his calling was to proclaim the coming judgment of God over Judah. Prophet after prophet, and even Jeremiah himself, had called them to repent of their evil and idolatry for generations. But he knew that his message of repentance would be rejected. He knew that judgment and exile for God’s people in Judah was coming. And so, he weeps over what is coming to God’s people and God’s Holy City.
The people persisted in their unbelief. They continued in false worship. And Jeremiah witnesses the fall of Jerusalem. He sees men, women, and children slaughtered or carried away captive. He observes houses and palaces being burned to the ground. He sees the Temple, once the glorious house of the Lord, in tatters and destroyed. Who would not weep at that? At knowing it was coming. At knowing it did not have to happen. And then seeing it all happen before your eyes.
Our Gospel lesson comes as Jesus enters Jerusalem at his Triumphal Entry. He knows his death is mere days away and he weeps. But he does not weep because he knows what he is about to suffer and how awful his death will be. He weeps because Jerusalem, the City of Peace, does not know Peace. The God of Israel has taken on flesh and come to them, and they have rejected him. Time and again his coming was prophesied. All the signs were present: the birth and testimony of John, the testimony of the Wise Men, our Lord’s miracles, teachings, and testimony concerning himself. Anyone who had spiritually open eyes would see.
Even with all this, Jerusalem was blind to him.
It was blind to Jesus just as they were to the many prophets sent to her so many centuries ago. In those days, they heard the prophets and saw his signs. But they did not listen. They did not turn from their evil and return to their God. And so, the city was destroyed, and the people taken to exile.
As Jesus enters Jerusalem on this day, he knows history is about to repeat itself. In his days, they have heard and seen him. They have heard their Creator teach and heal. They see his miracles and signs. Yes, like in the days of the prophets, some believe. But the majority, especially the rulers and religious leaders, reject his message. They reject him.
It is not the case that these leaders do not know who Jesus says he is. They are keenly aware. It is because they know who Jesus claims to be that they desire to destroy him. Not kill. Destroy. They want him to die and be condemned by God. And in a few days, they will succeed in killing him.
But because they have rejected the Author of Life, it is they who will be destroyed. The first destruction will be in the year 70 AD when the so-called Peace of Rome comes to Jerusalem. This is what Jesus references in our lesson: “For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
The second destruction, the worse destruction, also occurs in two parts. First at those people’s death when they finally realize who and what they rejected. And the second at the Final Judgment when they are thrown into the lake of fire. The fire created not for man, but for the devil and his angels.
It is right that Jesus wept for Jerusalem that day. He was about to win for them salvation, and they would reject it.
What we hear from St. Luke is a solemn warning for us today. For we know what happened in Jerusalem in those days and in the decades that followed. It is a warning that we should apply to our own lives and proclaim to all nations around us. We should not think that the judgment that happened to Jerusalem cannot or will not happen today. Perhaps not in the same way, but God is still holy. He still demands that we be holy. And when people intentionally and continually disregard this call to be holy, he will allow or even send disaster.
What happened to Jerusalem can also happen to our cities. Jesus came to Jerusalem in the flesh, and they did not know him. They rejected and crucified him. He has come through the ages in his Word and Sacraments. And the people have spurned them and rejected him.
Italy was once a Christian nation. As was Germany. I am sure there are others I have forgotten. But look at them now. They are deeply secular. Not only in government structure, but also in belief and worldview. Luther saw the possibility of Germany’s fall when he writes to the councilmen of her various cities:
“O my beloved Germans, buy while the market is at your door; gather in the harvest while there is sunshine and fair weather; make use of God’s grace and word while it is there! For you should know that God’s word and grace is like a passing shower of rain which does not return where it has once been….And you Germans need not think that you will have it forever, for ingratitude and contempt will not make it stay. Therefore, seize it and hold it fast, whoever can; for lazy hands are bound to have a lean year.”
His words are as applicable to us today as they were then. It is enough to make us weep. But do not merely weep for Jerusalem. Also weep for Berlin, and London. Weep for Rome and Moscow. Weep for Beijing and Seoul. Weep for Sydney and Rio. Weep for Baghdad and Johannesburg. Weep for Quebec and New York, for San Francisco and Dallas. Weep for St. Louis and Ft. Wayne and Sioux Falls.
Weep for all the cities of man where men are gathered either for commerce or war. Weep because they do not know what makes for peace, for they know not the Son of God, born of Mary. One day they will all be destroyed and reduced to rubble. This world is passing away, so put not your trust in princes. They are mortal.
But you also should not think yourself innocent of the same things they are guilty of. We have all had our fair share of breaking up good order. Perhaps it is through gossip or betraying our friends and family. Or maybe you have stolen, whether by taking or by neglect and laziness. Think about all the vile things you hate and know that you are still guilty of.
Weep over these things too. But do not only weep; repent of them. Repent of your many real and grievous sins. Not one of them are simple or innocent, but each of them are deadly. They hurt you, but they hurt more than just you. They hurt those around you, especially those whom you love. Those who are closest to you.
But do not despair of these sins. The Lord knows them and has wept over you because of them. Your sins were not enough to keep him from the cross. Your sins were not enough to cause him to stop loving you. Rather, he loved you to the very end. Through the cross, he brings you peace. He wipes away your tears. He gives you an everlasting family and friends. He promises you a land and a city not built with hands. In that city, you will endure.
Your day to go into that land will come, but none of us knows when that will be. On that day, you will finally be led fully out of temptation and delivered from evil. On that day, your deepest wounds will be healed, and you will be made whole. For his sacrifice was not in vain.
Not all weeping is because of sorrow. So, as we await our day to go into that land, permit me to give you something to weep for joy: In the death of Jesus, the mouth of the devil has been stopped. You have been won and redeemed from your sin. You are declared to be the child of God by none other than God himself. He forgives you all your sins. And he will give you a new body that will live with him forever. That is a grand thing to weep tears of joy about. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller Peace Lutheran Church Alcester, SD
Martin Luther wrote a lot of books, pamphlets, sermons and other writings. In addition, once he was famous, his friends and students wrote down everything he said and did. These have been printed in one series of books containing all of them. They take up 120 tall volumes. So, which of these should you read to know what he taught? On everyone’s short list are two books you may have read: Luther’s Small and Large Catechisms, and others you may have not: his 1535 Galatians Commentary and three documents from 1520: A Prelude on the Babylonian Captivity of the Church, Freedom of a Christian and the subject of this post: To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation. I would add one we’ve talked about: On Good Works.
By Summer of 1520, it was clear to Luther, his prince Elector Frederick that the papacy would soon move to excommunicate Luther and perhaps other. They decided that a direct appeal to Emperor Charles and the other princes and powers of the Holy Roman Empire. The strategy was to convince them to call a Church Council to reform the church. As the document was being written, a variety of princes and other respected members of German governments urged him to provide a theological justification for the secular powers to intervene. Luther the first edition of To the German Nobility came off the press five hundred years ago by August 18, 1520.
Martin Luther answered three arguments made by defenders of the pope against the involvement of princes in the reform of the Church, which he called walls protecting him. The first was that the clergy and monks were superior to laymen spiritually and no one could approach God except through them. The second was only the pope could interpret the Scriptures correctly and third that only the pope could call a church council. The ground-breaking assertion Luther made was these were not true because the clergy are not superior to laypeople spiritually. All Christians were members of the Priesthood of All Believers, equal to the clergy spiritually and with their own, direct relationship to God. So they were also able to interpret Scripture and, as called by God to maintain order in the world and restrain evil, the princes have a right and a duty to call councils to reform the church.
With To the German Nobility, Luther had liberated the laity from dependence upon the clergy for all of their spiritual lives. Lutherans and the Reformed believers now were able to care for their own spiritual needs. The focus shifted to individual relationships between God and the believer. Western Christianity would never be the same.
Dear saints, it has been said that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. It makes sense; it is a rational statement. Humanity can observe the past and make decisions that do not lead us down a road already tried and failed. Now, the more cynical among us may counter that the only thing we learn from history is that we are incapable of learning from history, and thus, are doomed to repeat it. Think about it: How often do we repeat the same mistakes over and over? Whether it is a mistake in our own life or one another person or country or whatever has made, mankind is constantly repeating the same mistakes over and over. Mistakes that, if we actually learned from history (both our own and others), we ought not to make.
This morning, St. Paul urges us to learn from Israel’s past. He exhorts us to see their example and not desire the evil things they desired and commit the same sinful mistakes that they committed.
Only a few months from being liberated from Egypt, Israel is at Mt. Sinai. Moses has ascended it and is with God. He is being given the Law and ordinances that Israel will live under. While he is gone, Israel decides Moses might not be coming back. They forget about their God and ask Aaron to cast new gods for them. He creates a golden calf, an image typically seen as for fertility and power, and Israel worships it as their god. They held a feast, laid offerings before the calf, and rose up to play, which is a kind way of saying they indulged in lewd and immoral things with one another in worship to this god.
Later, the people began to mingle with the daughters of Moab. They made sacrifices to the Moabite gods and worshipped them. The anger of the Lord burned against his people, and in judgment 23,000 men who had worshipped the Baal were struck down. In the wilderness wanderings, the people gripe and complain about the food and manna they have. God sends fiery serpents because of their evil and many die. When they repent, the serpents are not removed, but a sign and promise is given. When the spies return from Canaan, the people fear their report and grumble against the Lord. They do not trust him to deliver the Promised Land he promised. These are but a small sample of Israel’s many failings…a sample that all happens in a short amount of time.
“These things,” St. Paul says, “were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” These things are a warning to us. Infidelity, idolatry, and unfaithfulness are mortal to our soul. It is hard to fathom how the people of Israel could do what they did. How great and manifest the works of God were in their midst, and how quick they were to turn away from him! But that is kind of the point. How is it that we continue to fall into the same traps and temptations and sins over and over? No wonder we have this lesson before us today.
Israel was the called and chosen people of God. The salvation of the world was promised to come to them and through them. And while they knew and remembered this part of their history, they were quick to forget other things. It is easy for us to look down on Israel. It is easy to shake our heads at their hardheadedness and hardheartedness. At their continual unbelief and lack of faith in the Lord God.
Just as Israel was called and chosen to be God’s people, so also are you called and chosen to be a redeemed child of God. Like the people of Israel were, we are to live a faithful and upright life. We are to watch our lives and keep God’s commands. And we are not to look down on those before us who have failed in many and various ways. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. This morning, we are warned against false security, carelessness, and indifference.
We are not to live in a false security that, because we call ourselves a Christian, or because we regularly (even weekly) attend the Divine Service, we are on a solid foundation and ‘right’ with God. Israel seemed to think that, because they were God’s chosen people, they could do what they pleased, and everything remains fine. We see how wrong they were. And it should drive us to repent. Whether we want to admit it or not, we are just like Israel. We, too, are quick to act or speak or carry on with things we know God condemns. This is why we should not look down on Israel or others who we see turn this way or that. It is what St. Paul means when he writes, “Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands take heed.”
Likewise, we are not to be careless or indifferent. We should take care to watch our lives and actions. We are not to be indifferent to what we see around us, especially when so much of it is so harmful to our neighbors, especially children. Our conduct matters. Our thinking matters.
In this lesson, we are warned that just because we are baptized or because we frequently come to the Holy Supper that our salvation is assured. We do not believe in a “once saved, always saved” doctrine of salvation. You may be certain that you are God’s child and that he will not leave you or forsake you. I urge you to hold fast to that promise. But that does not mean that you like Israel did so many times, cannot turn your back on and leave God. Thus, this morning’s warning.
Because we are Christians, you and I have a high calling in our lives. We are called to be holy and blameless. And yet, we know our actions are frequently more like the people of Israel than those of our Lord Jesus. We confess that we are like the wasteful manager we heard about in this morning’s parable. We often take for granted the ability to gather and hear the Word of God … even in our virus-laden day we still have an easier time gathering than Christians in many other nations do. How often do we take our baptism for granted, perhaps even tempted to see the washing away of all our sins a license to do evil? How easy is it to see the Supper laid out, welcoming you to come and eat for the forgiveness of your sins and nourishment of your soul, and decide that it is your own thoughts or actions that make it special rather than Jesus coming to you with great gifts each time.
The manager, faced with unemployment and tarnished reputation, quickly set out to ‘cook the books’ and set himself up for his future. Note that he is commended for his shrewdness and not for his messing with the bills. Despite all our sins and all our abusing of our Lord’s gifts, he does not tell us we can no longer be his child. We do not have to hurriedly try to make things right. There would be nothing we could do.
Actually, there is nothing we can do when it comes to fixing our relationship with our God. We continually confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean … that we sin in thought, word, and deed… that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Without God’s action, we would be destroyed like unfaithful Israel.
But God does act. He takes on our flesh. He perfectly fulfills his Law. He suffers and dies for you, rising on the third day to ensure that you also will rise. He graciously gives you his Word to hear and believe. He gives you sacraments to receive, remember, and partake. He takes your bill, your debt of sin committed against him. But he does not scratch out the number and reduce it by 20% or even 50%. He takes your debt of sin and, on account of Christ’s death on the cross, writes Paid in Full. Thanks be to God that he hears our prayer, causes us to ask for those things that are beneficial for us, and saves us for His own Name’s sake. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller Peace Lutheran Church Alcester, SD
In August of 1845, August “Onkel” Crämer arrived in the wilderness of Saginaw County, Michigan, as the Pastor and leader of a unique colony. Called “Frankenmuth” (The Courage of the Franconians”), this group was founded to be a witness to the Chippewa nation. The idea was to show these non-Christians what a Christian society was like. Crämer was not only their pastor, but a missionary and a translator. His work bore fruit in the baptism of Chippewa and the physical care for the tribe’s children. In 1850, he was called to be a professor at the seminary in Fort Wayne. He served the “practical seminary” the rest of his life, moving with it to St. Louis and later to its one hundred year home in Springfield, Illinois.
Crämer was born into a Bavarian merchant’s home. He was raised in a strict German fashion and eventually sent on the Gymnasium (a German preparatory high school for students destined for University study) He went on to study theology at the University of Erlangen. Under the influence of the culture of the time, he strayed from his Lutheran roots into rationalism. He became involved in a German nationalist movement that eventually made a poor attempt at a coup. The result was he was imprisoned for six years.
After he was released, he turned to the serious study of linguistics, including the languages of ancient Greek, modern Greek, old and middle High German, French, and English. During a serious illness, he turned to religion for comfort. At first, confronted by his deep sinfulness, it did anything but comfort him. But in the midst of the depression this insight caused, the words of the catechism came back to him. He now realized that God’s grace was even for him. From this great comfort came a fervent commitment to Confessional Lutheranism, not unlike his future brothers-in-ministry, C. F. W. Walther, Friedrich Wyneken, Wilhelm Sihler and others.
After completing his studies, he served first as a tutor in the household of Lord Lovelace, which did not end well when he did not convert to Unitarianism, later in the home of Henry Drummond, with a similar result, when he did not become an Irvingite and, finally, as a tutor at Oxford University with the same outcome when he did not become an Anglican. It was then that Wyneken’s Distress of the German Lutherans in North America fell into his hands. Convinced he needed to serve his countrymen in the wilderness of the United States. Wilhelm Löhe recognized his talents, arranged to have him ordained and set him over the missionary colony soon to make its way to Michigan.
Dear saints, our Gospel lesson this morning is from the closing moments of our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount. In it, he has recounted the life of a Christian. A Christian is blessed; is salt and light; sees God’s Law in both spirit and letter and desires to keep it; is righteous not for his own sake, but on account of Christ. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shows us who we are as the Father’s child and instructs us how to live as such.
In this section, we are called to attention: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.” False prophets, false doctrine, and false worship have been around since virtually the beginning. From self-righteous Cain to Ham’s despising of Noah to the many false prophets in Israel and Judah, extending into the early Church and medieval Church, even through today. Indeed, wherever the pure proclamation of the Gospel is found, so also are found those who oppose it.
It is surely no accident that this is how our Lord begins to wrap up the Sermon on the Mount. For two-and-a-half chapters, he has expounded and explained true, pure doctrine. He has equipped his disciples and all those listening to hear and discern what the truth is. And he wraps this up by telling you to, “Beware!”
Teachers indeed are to teach, and shepherds are to lead. But our Lord’s words here do not lead us to conclude that hearers are simply to listen, or sheep are only to follow. Rather, we are instructed to observe and listen, but then to consider what we hear and see based on what God’s Word gives us as the truth. No one should base their faith simply on what they hear a man say or do. In this way, we fight against being deceived. Though the false teacher is held accountable for those he misleads, those who are misled are still condemned. Whether the doctrine you believe is true or false is a matter of life and death.
In this section, we see how important it is to know and be certain of what true doctrine is. If it is your job to judge what you hear and see, you must know what is true. You must know what God’s Word says and teaches. Thus, we see why the daily and diligent study of Scripture is imperative. It is necessary in order to recognize truth from falsehood. You have the Scriptures. You have the writings, and today, recordings, of orthodox teachers. You have the confessions of the Lutheran Church. They are yours to read and know.
And if you are unsure where to start, might I suggest you return to the ‘textbook’ of your Confirmation: The Small Catechism. In it, you will find what is necessary for you to know not only for your salvation but also for the testing of doctrine. Think of the chief parts: The first tells you how to know true, God-pleasing works. The second true, saving faith. The third true prayer. The fourth, fifth, and sixth the true Sacraments and the power of the Church. The Table of Duties shows true Christian conduct in your various callings and stations of life.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” In our day there are many wolves. Some are easy to spot. They don’t even pretend to be sheep. They revile the True God. They show disdain for his Word, even claiming it to be fraudulent or full of error. They embrace the teachings, feelings, and philosophies of the world. There are entire church bodies, some even donning the name Lutheran, who are wolves in wolves’ clothing.
But these are not who we are warned about today. It is good to know about them and their false teaching, but they are not the subject here. We are being warned here about people who look and even act like sheep. About people who seem, and surely think, they know and trust the Scriptures and Jesus. They are sure they preach the truth.
The false teachers we are warned of today put on the look of sheep. They will walk and talk like a true teacher. Much of what they teach and believe may well be correct, orthodox teaching. But the error of these false teachers results in all they do being tainted. As our Lord says, “You will recognize them by their fruits…. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.”
Take, for example, the teachers we hear the prophet Jeremiah warn about. These were not Baal worshipping pagans. They weren’t trying to lead the people away from the Lord. They didn’t preach that our God wasn’t real or powerful. They were sure they were hearing from God and preaching what he wanted them to proclaim. But their proclamation gave false comfort and false hope.
The Lord had sent many prophets to Israel and Judah. Their message was some variation of, “Repent or perish.” God’s people had been led away from him and true worship by wicked kings. Idols and false gods had been brought in alongside, if not in place of the worship of the Lord God. Altars and high places were built to these pagan deities. It wasn’t that the people of Israel and Judah weren’t spiritual or religious. It was that their spiritual and religious devotion was not directed toward solely the Lord.
But the people didn’t want to hear that message. They didn’t want to admit what they were doing was wrong. They didn’t want to change their beliefs and practices. In Judah, they pointed to the Temple and thought they were protected from evil because the Lord’s Temple was there and that was where he dwelled. They believed he wouldn’t let anything happen to the city where he dwelt. Furthermore, they could point to real evil. The Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Egyptians. They were really the bad people.
The message of these false prophets was well received. The people believed them rather than God’s true prophets. The fruit of this preaching was destruction. It wasn’t the pious way they talked or the seemingly righteous deeds that mattered. What mattered was that their doctrine, their fruit, was evil. If a teacher does not teach what is right, he is a false teacher. His fruit, even when he has good things to say, is poisoned. You should not listen to such teachers.
The teacher sent by God is also known by his doctrine. He teaches that Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation. He teaches that our deeds, no matter how good they are in the eyes of man, are worthless without faith in Christ. That our deeds, while good and serve others, earn or merit us nothing, as our righteousness and salvation come only from Christ redeeming us in his life and in his death on the cross. A teacher truly called by God preaches Jesus Christ. He proclaims that it is only Christ who was made of God to wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. As St. Paul tells the Corinthians, he did not come to them with lofty speech or wisdom, but he had decided to know nothing among [them] except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Today we are called to beware of false teachers. In turn, we study and ensure our teachers are true shepherds of God’s sheep. We strive to hear pure doctrine, which creates good trees and good fruit. We pray that in us we see the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. We pray that both those who teach falsely and those who listen to them would hear the Truth, that the Spirit would convict them of their error, and that they would in turn trust in Christ as their Savior. That God, in His mercy, would turn these diseased trees bearing rotten, evil fruit into good trees bearing righteous, good fruit. Just as he has done in each of us. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller Peace Lutheran Church Alcester, SD
Dear saints, this morning we have what, at first, sounds like a regular day with Jesus: a large crowd has gathered. But Mark immediately notes that these people had brought no food with them. They are led by Jesus out when they diligently follow him and listen to whatever he had to say. In short, they had a great hunger for the Word. They were so wrapped up in seeing and hearing Jesus, they completely forget about their bodily, physical needs. They were fine sleeping under the stars. Their bodies didn’t register they were missing needed sustenance. Suddenly, they had been following him for three whole days away from their land and into the wilderness. Mark gives us no clue that any of them were aware of what they had been doing. They were laser-focused on hearing Jesus.
But Jesus is keenly aware. He knows exactly what has happened. Exactly what will happen if he sends them away on their own. He calls his disciples and says, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” They are at a loss: “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?”
Once again, the Twelve had failed to recognize the power and identity of their Lord. It was not a surprise for Jesus to find himself three days into a journey and have no food in the gathering. It wasn’t a surprise to Jesus that there were seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. And it wasn’t a surprise to Jesus that his disciples had not yet realized the fullness and reality of who he is.
Jesus directs the crowds to sit down. He takes the bread, prays over it, breaks it, and distributes it to the many through the hands of his disciples. He does the same with the fish. All who are there: man, woman, and child eat until they are filled. And when the fragments are gathered, seven baskets remain. And now, having filled not only their souls but also their stomachs, Jesus sends the crowd away to their homes.
Our Lord had compassion on the people following him. For three consecutive days, he was giving them what they needed more than anything else in the world: his word. He knew what they needed to hear, and he gave it to them. Not only would his words cut their consciences, but he would also bring to them the healing balm to restore them. St. Matthew’s account also indicates that Jesus healed many while on this journey. And when he did, the people glorified the God of Israel.
Jesus has the same divine compassion for you and everyone else in this world that he had in those days in the region of Magadan. Think back to the Garden. In divine love, God created the universe and everything in it. He created all the fascinating things on earth to the least detail. And it was perfect and good. He created man in His own image. He completed man by giving him woman. And he planted a Garden for the man and woman to care for. A Garden that would provide for their physical needs. Everything physical and spiritual need Adam and Eve had was provided by the Lord God. He even gives them a good and perfect Law to follow: Don’t eat of that one tree, for if you do you shall die.
But we know the next chapter. We know they were deceived and ate of the fruit. We know they died right then and there, even if it would be years before the fruit of that death would fully manifest. At that moment, they and all their descendants were made slaves to sin. The fruit we produce as a slave to sin is impurity and lawlessness. It leads to its multiplication. We see it not only all around us but in our own constant struggles.
Despite our condition, the Lord has divine compassion upon his fallen creation. He knows the spiritual needs of Adam, Eve, and all mankind. He knows our need for redemption and salvation. He knows we need a peace that can only be achieved by him. He promises this peace over and over again. The entire Old Testament testifies of this promise, and we see it culminate in the Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
In Christ Jesus, our spiritual needs are met. He takes on our flesh, he lives under and fulfills the Law, he is condemned and is cursed in our place, he dies, is buried, and rises again. Because of the work of Christ, you are no longer a slave to sin. In his mercy, he washes you clean, gives you a new heart, and turns you into a slave of God. And while that word slave has an awful connotation today, it is both reality and to your good.
The slave to sin can only sin. Can only participate in unrighteousness, unlawfulness, and impurity. But through the power and grace of God, he makes you his own. He frees you from your spiritual bondage and places the light and easy yoke of Jesus upon your shoulders. Now you desire to be and do righteousness. You want to produce good fruit. You desire the Holy Spirit’s work in you to sanctify you and lead you to eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. It is as the slave of God that man finds true freedom.
Our God not only knows our needs, physical and spiritual, but he also provides for them. Just as he gives us life and salvation through Jesus and his Means of Grace, he gives us and sustains our physical life through our daily bread. Through his work as Fatherly work as creator and sustainer of all things.
And like the people following Jesus, we need to continually hear this. We need to be continually reminded of God’s Gospel of Peace. This is because, though redeemed and declared righteous, though we want to do good, we constantly act like the slave of sin. This is why we gather. This is why you may make the sign of the cross, remembering your baptism. This is why we approach the Altar. We need to hear and receive the Word continually. For in it is the power of God. In it is God’s good gift to you of salvation. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller Peace Lutheran Church Alcester, SD
Dear saints, about three years ago a pastor opened his sermon for this day with these words: “For a Christian, God’s child, there are severe temptations to despair and give up hope when we see the things going on around us in the world. There is sickness, disease, serious injuries, death, war, political nonsense, rampant immorality, financial anxieties, threats from the weather, threats of terrorist attacks, threats from North Korea—just turn on the news. These are the things going on around us every minute of every day.” Not much has changed. With a couple of very minor changes, it could easily be spoken for today’s context. Some of what we experience today could be worse; this year is an election year.
On top of what we observe around us, we are also tempted to despair when we look at our own hearts and actions. While there will be a lot of overlap, we all have our own temptations and struggles. We desire things and people that aren’t ours to desire. We look at what we have and are disappointed it isn’t more. Perhaps there’s an issue with jealousy or anger. Especially in these times, you may feel lonely or hopeless. In our worst times, we may even desire sinful things.
As these things pile up, we may be tempted to lose hope in God. In doing so, one may forget what God says about us and the world. And worse, forget what he promises us. But this doubt doesn’t keep you continuing to gather here and hearing God’s Word as he gathers his saints. In fact, it is why you come. Our environment, families, bodies, feelings, and even our reason are apt to deceive us. And so, we come here and hear over and over again the Word of our Lord speaking again and again the promises he has made to us. The very promises he has made time and time again from the beginning and in every nation and in every language.
But why is it that such things tempt us to despair? It is because the heathens, the atheists and agnostics, the humanists and the ‘Nones’ of our day have made peace with the world. They don’t have the struggles you and I do with temptation. Rather than feeling the burden on their consciences, they have given in to the philosophies of the day and fully embraced the culture and its ruler. They have either embraced immorality outright or bought into the lie that you can live however you want as long as you are nice to the right people or hold the right thoughts. As long as you sacrifice to its god and make penance (with no forgiveness offered) even for things you didn’t do. Good and evil have been redefined, and more and more, what God calls good is called by those around us the greatest evil. We, therefore, are constantly bombarded with a message of tolerance and compromise, a message of peace at any cost. And the pressure to capitulate or be canceled.
But before we are tempted to think we alone have had this struggle, we look to God’s people’s own past. From the Patriarchs to the prophets and priests to the New Testament church and into our own day, every generation of faithful people has been surrounded by a hostile world and hostile people. It is a good thing for us to hear of biblical examples. They are real people in real-time with real struggles. They had real sins and real doubts. And we hear about how God dealt with them, his children, and see his character through their accounts. In them, we are comforted by his mercy and grace to them, knowing it is also for us. This morning, our lessons give us two of these examples: Elijah and Peter.
Elijah battled powerful kings, hundreds of false prophets, and communicated directly with God. He performed miraculous signs and wonders and was God’s instrument for mighty miracles. Through Elijah, rain was ended for three years, the widow at Zarephath was given food, her son raised from the dead, fire was called down from heaven. But this morning, despite all this, we see him like any of us on a typical day. He despairs at his situation and is disappointed in himself and all others around him. He thinks he alone is left as a faithful servant of God. He tells God, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”
And how does the Lord answer his pity-party-throwing servant? He reminds Elijah that he and his plans are bigger than Elijah. He shows Elijah that he still loves him and will take care of both him and the generations to come. In essence, God says, “Go anoint kings, go name your successor, I was in control before you and I will be in control after you. This should give you hope. I will not leave you alone. Even now, you’re not as alone as you feel. There are others in my household who are faithful. It’s going to be ok.”
Simon Peter knows who Jesus is. Before this morning’s lesson, he has surely heard Jesus teach. We know that he has seen Jesus’ power when his mother-in-law was healed by the Lord of a fever (a condition much more dangerous than today). When Jesus causes him to stop cleaning up after a fish-less night on the Sea so he can teach the pressing crowds, Peter no doubt listens intently. And when our Lord finishes, he tells Peter to let down the nets. Knowing that fishing at this time of day is foolish, but also knowing what he has seen and heard from Jesus, Peter obeys.
The catch is so great, it takes two crews and two boats to bring it in. It is so great that both boats begin to sink. And suddenly it clicks for Peter: he is a wretched sinner in the presence of his holy Lord. He would rather drown than be judged. But judgment isn’t coming to him; a calling is. He is called from serving his neighbor as a fisherman into the vocation of serving his neighbor as a disciple, and later, apostle where he saves men from destruction, bringing them into the boat of the Church.
In these, and so many other narratives, are words of encouragement for you and me. In them we hear and, through the miraculous gift of faith we receive from the Holy Spirit, we believe that God is in control. That he is the creator and controls the sea, the fish, the wind, disease, and ‘natural disasters.’ He is the one in control of presidents, dictators, generals, armies, and even terrorists. All these things are under his control and things carried out by them are for your good. All these things occur as he works as creator and sustainer of all that exists.
He does this because he is also your Savior. The God who spoke the world into existence has taken on your flesh. It isn’t enough that he created all things, but once his creation rebels, he insists on redeeming it. Born of the Virgin, suffering under Pilate, your Lord dies on the cross, is buried, and rises on the third day. Just like he promised to do. And having ascended to heaven, he opened a way for you to follow. As he tells us,“I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
You are a part of an innumerable multitude he has called and promised to return for when the number of his elect is filled. Though you are a part, he loves you and is gracious to you as if you were the only one. Though you recognize your sin and fear his holiness, he does not cast you off his boat. He does not leave you or forsake you. For you are his.
Jesus has been tempted in every way we are, and yet did not sin. He knows and understands your troubles. And for every temptation that comes your way, he is there for you and provides a way out. You are never without a word of promise from him; he continually speaks to you through his Holy Scripture. He washes you clean in Holy Baptism. And he feeds you in Holy Communion. He continues to call men to be His fishers of men as pastors. Thus, he never leaves his church without his spokesmen. You are never left without his life-giving Word.
The world around you wages continual war against you. So does stress in your life and home. As does the doubt that creeps into your heart and mind. When it does, listen to your Lord Jesus. No matter how much you beg, dear Christian, he will not leave you or forsake you. He has already overcome all you experience. He has already conquered your accuser. He has already overcome your sin. He has placed you in this community of saints for mutual support for one another. So he would continue to nourish and sustain you. So that he could welcome you today to the table he has prepared for you. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller Peace Lutheran Church Alcester, SD
Dear Saints, today we hear about God’s mercy. And we hear it framed at the end of the Joseph Narratives in Genesis. Joseph is the 11th of 12 brothers. He is his father’s favorite. He is given a special robe. He is given dreams, and these dreams make his brothers jealous and angry. He tattles on his brothers, telling his father what they’ve done wrong. In short, his brothers hate him. And I suppose we can understand why.
One day, Jacob sends his son Joseph into the fields to give him a report on his brothers. When they see him coming, they conspire against him. They say to themselves something like, “Here comes that dreamer. Let us kill him.“ But the oldest, Reuben, prevents this evil from happening. Instead, he convinces them to throw him into a cistern. He expects to come back later and pull his brother out. But while he is away, some slave traders come by and the brothers sell Joseph into slavery.
Joseph is taken to Egypt where he is again sold, this time to a man named Potiphar. Potiphar and his house are blessed because of Joseph. Joseph is made second in charge of the household. But again, evil happens to Joseph. Potiphar’s wife desires Joseph and repeatedly tries to get him to sleep with her. He refuses, and one day when he is alone in the house with her, she again makes an advance, He runs away from her leaving his tunic in her hands. She accuses Joseph of assault, and he is thrown into prison.
While he sits in the pit that is the prison of Egypt, he again is blessed. He Is put in charge of all the prisoners. All that he did, like in Potiphar’s house, succeeded. And then, two of Pharaoh’s servants, his chief cupbearer and the chief baker, are thrown into prison. They have dreams while they are there, and Joseph interprets them. They come true, and when the cupbearer is restored Joseph asked him to remember him.
But the cupbearer forgets Joseph. Two years later, Pharaoh has some dreams. His wise men and magicians cannot figure out what they mean. And then, the cupbearer remembers Joseph. He tells Pharaoh of a man in prison who interpreted his dream. So, Joseph is sent for and stood before Pharaoh.
Joseph interprets the dreams of Pharaoh. He tells him there will be 7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of great famine. He tells Pharaoh that he should appoint someone to manage the affairs of Egypt in these abundant times so that they would be fed during the lean. And Pharaoh appoints Joseph for the task. The years of abundance come and go. And now during the famine, Joseph’s family is out of food. They are hungry. And they hear that Egypt has food for sale. Jacob sends his sons to Egypt to buy food. And when they arrive, they stand before Joseph. Joseph recognizes them, but they do not recognize their brother.
Joseph orchestrates a family reunion. He provides for his family and doesn’t even take their money. In the course of time, Joseph’s family stands before him. They are reunited. Pharaoh hears of what has happened and he gives them the choice land of Egypt to live in: Goshen.
Finally, Jacob dies. And when he does, his sons who sold Joseph into slavery fear. They think that because their father has died Joseph will take revenge on them. They think he will deal with their evil by returning it. And so, they come up with a story. They say that their father, before he died, gave them a message for Joseph. “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin because they did evil to you. And now please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father. “
When he heard this, Joseph wept. He wept not because he couldn’t execute revenge and retribution, but because his brothers thought it was necessary to come up with this story. Yes, they did great evil to him. Yes, Joseph suffered greatly in his life because of this evil. But Joseph isn’t interested in revenge. Joseph realizes that everything that happened to him was to fulfill God’s purpose. It was so God would keep his promise to Adam and Eve that he made to them in the garden. Joseph suffered that the promised Messiah would come.
In our text, Joseph is a type and a shadow of Christ. He is hated by his brothers. He is betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery for silver. Joseph is metaphorically killed and buried by being thrown not only into a cistern but into a prison. And Joseph is raised out of that prison and made to oversee Egypt. At the end of the Joseph Narrative, we read that Joseph comforted and spoke kindly to his brothers. He did not desire revenge; He desired to provide peace.
See how this is a shadow of our Lord. Our Lord comes, he takes on our flesh, and his hated by his kindred. He proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God, and he is rejected. He is betrayed for silver and he is murdered, crucified on the cross. He is put into a grave. And on the third day, he rises again.
It would only be natural for those who see him after the resurrection to expect revenge and retribution from Jesus. It is, after all, what they deserve for killing the very Son of God. It would be expected for a supposedly devoted disciple who runs away scared and locks themselves away in an upper room.
But Jesus does not come for revenge. He comes to give peace. He comes to grant forgiveness. He comes to reconcile all to his Father. Jesus comes to show the mercy of God.
The scribes and Pharisees of the first century rallied the people so Pilate was compelled crucify the Christ. The people clamored for a murderer and insurrectionist released instead of our Lord. Their evil words and desires put Jesus on the tree. Because of their murderous thoughts and desires, our Lord was crucified.
When Jesus appears to his disciples, they also fear what he will do. But he does not have words of judgment for them. Instead, he brings to them peace and mercy. He forgives them for abandoning him. He forgives them for all the sin they have committed. Because, even though what he suffered was meant for evil, God…Jesus meant it for good.
You and I were not in Jerusalem on that day so many centuries ago. Our voices didn’t join in the chorus of, “Crucify Him!” We didn’t run away and lock ourselves away. But we do know the evil in our hearts. We know the hateful, i.e., murderous, thoughts we’ve had in our own hearts. We know that it is our sin that was carried by Jesus to the cross. We know that it is because of our sin that he took on flesh, was hated, was betrayed, and was crucified. It was for you that he suffered.
Our sin deserves punishment. We deserve retribution. We deserve no mercy. And yet, this is precisely what Jesus has come to give you. We come to him and we ask for his pardon. We confess our transgressions and evil committed against one another and against him. We beg for mercy.
Our Lord does not weep when he hears this. Jesus opens his arms in blessing. He says, “Do not fear, for I am your God. You have done evil against me. You have caused me great harm. But your Father has meant it for your eternal good. He has brought about what happened to me so that the many should be made alive. Do not fear, only believe.”
Lest I forget, I should mention one way that Jesus is different than Joseph. Joseph goes and reports on his brothers. He tells on them when they’ve done wrong. Jesus does not tattle. He pleads on our behalf. Instead of reporting what we have done, Jesus advocates and intercedes for us before the Father. He shows his nail scarred hand and feet, his pierced side, and brings to remembrance that he has already suffered. He would have us receive mercy.
Our Heavenly Father shows us his mercy in the same way he shows us his love. He sent his Son to die in our place. In joyful response, we in turn show mercy to our fellow man. We are patient when evil is done for us. We do not judge or condemn them. Their actions, yes, but not them. We call them to repent and forgive. But we do this in humility, realizing we are often guilty of the same things that are done to us. We forgive because we have been forgiven. May we rejoice in this great mercy our Heavenly Father continually bestows upon us. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller Peace Lutheran Church Alcester, SD
When Friedrich Wyneken was called from his beloved Fort Wayne to succeed his friend Johannes Häsbärt, he refused to accept the call until a pastor was called to replace him. At his recommendation, Prussian Wilhelm Sihler, then pastor is Pomeroy, Ohio, was installed on July 15, 1845, at St. Paul Lutheran Church and Zion Lutheran Church of Friedheim, one hundred seventy-five years ago. He served in Indiana for forty years, founding Concordia Theological Seminary, leading the teaching seminary that would grow into Concordia University Chicago and guiding Concordia (Junior) College of Fort Wayne. Together with C. F. W. Walther, Wyneken and others, he helped to found and guide the Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod.
Sihler was the son of a Prussian Army officer and inherited from him a strong sense of discipline, devotion to exercise and control of one’s emotions. He studied under Friedrich Schleiermacher, one of the most influential theological voices of the 19th Century. He was attracted to the German Awakening, a form of pietism not unlike the Second Great Awakening in the United States. Like many of his contemporaries, including the other founders of the Missouri Synod, he was drawn to the Orthodox Lutheran theology, especially as found in the Lutheran Confessions and the writings of Martin Luther.
In 1843, a copy of Wyneken’s Distress of the German Lutherans of North America fell into his hands. Moved to help German immigrants on the American frontier, he came to America as a teacher, but was soon called as a pastor in Pomeroy, Ohio. Wyneken and Löhe convinced him to embrace F. C. D.’s idea to found a seminary for second career pastors nicknamed Nothilfer (“Emergency Helpers”) and Sendlinge (“Sent Ones”) By then, Tens of Thousands of Germans each year poured onto the American frontier, looking to carve new lives out of virgin forests and swamp land. There was little time to follow the usual path of identifying future pastors in their middle school years, provide a classical high school education followed by seminary. Löhe provided an initial education in Germany and Sihler and his assistant pastor would complete it.
Sihler also saw the inadequacy of existing Lutheran Synods in America, as did the men Löhe had already sent — and Wynken. They began to discuss with C. F. W. Walther the possibility of joining with the Saxons to form a new church body. But that was yet to come.
