Encore Post: Many Lutheran pastors begin their sermons with the greeting: “Grace, Mercy and Peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” St. Paul used this blessing to begin both his letters to Timothy and St. John used it for one of his letters. Two other posts cover grace and peace. In this one we take up the third of the triad, mercy.
Yet, in a way, we’ve been here before. One of the Hebrew words for love, חֶ֫סֶד, often translated lovingkindness, is also used for mercy. You probably already know the Greek word for mercy. It is ἐλεέω — eleeo — the word in the ancient prayer we call the Kyrie Eleison: “Lord, have mercy.” This prayer appears as the congregation’s response to prayer in worship services of the 4th century (300s AD) To this day, Christians still pray it in traditional worship services. The word mercy is love in action. It is the response that someone who cares had when his sees another in pain and suffering greatly.
When God shows mercy, he acts out of his compassion to save, to help and to heal. Most of the time, the person suffering cannot help themselves. All of the time, they do not deserve mercy. Mercy comes from the love and grace of God. Sometimes the person asking for mercy is about to be sentenced for a crime and hopes for punishment less severe than he should receive. God’s mercy is always for the sake of his Son, who took the punishment we deserved, atoned for our sins on the cross and suffered for us in full. God is indeed merciful for us, for he forgives our sins and grants to us everlasting life.
Yet mercy does not end with God. Because God is merciful to us, we are merciful to our suffering neighbors. Since the very beginning of the church, Christians have sought to be channels of God’s mercy to all who suffer. They have visited the sick and brought healing where they could. They have fed the hungry, clothed the naked, sheltered the homeless, visited the imprisoned, befriended the lonely and those grieving and cared for orphans and widows. In us, they see God, who is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and full of faithful love. Most of all, we bring the good news of God’s greatest mercy — salvation in Christ Jesus, our merciful Lord.
Rev. Robert E. Smith Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana
Encore Post: The word ministry is used very often in church circles and in the world of politics. In European countries, the word Minister means just about the same thing as we mean when we say the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, etc. A ministry, or portfolio, is the government department they supervise. In church, we talk about children’s ministry, music ministry, various programs for the poor — any work of a Christian to serve God and others in the name of God. Until the last few centuries, however, the word was used to mean pastor — a man called to the Office of the Public Ministry — and the work he does.
Ministry is all about service. In fact, the word for ministry is a Latin translation of the Greek word διακονία (diakonia), which means personal service. Ancient Greeks use several words for service: δουλεύω (douleuo), to serve because you are a slave, λατρεύω (latreuo), to work for a wage, λειτουργία (leitourgia), public service and θεραπεύω (therapeuo), to serve willingly, to care for, especially the sick.
For the Greeks, almost all service was viewed as demeaning. Jesus turned that around. Jesus said that he came to serve, not to be served, so Christians must serve each other. (Matthew 20:26-28) The church took this charge to heart. They called themselves servants and slaves of Jesus. (Acts 4:29, Romans 1:1, Philippians 1:1, Revelation 1:1) They came to reason that if Jesus loved us, we should love each other.
The New Testament came to use the Greek words for service in two ways. In general, it came to stand for the preaching of the word and the sharing of the sacraments by Christians in every way. In its narrow use, it refers to the work of pastors. To carry out ministry, Jesus created the office of the Pastoral Ministry and the Apostles created the deaconate to support them. Today, pastors, professional church workers and laypeople serve together in ministry — to live and work dedicated to God and to others. It this way, we proclaim together the gospel and show the love of God to the world.
Encore Post: Every culture has a different way of greeting. We say “hello” informally, “Good morning,” “Good afternoon,” and “Good evening.” The Romans said, “Salve” (“be well”) The Greeks said, “χαίρετε” — kairete (“be joyful”) From ancient times, the Hebrews, and now Israelis, says “שָׁלוֹם” — shalom (peace, be well, whole and complete) They also say shalom when they say “Good bye.”
When we say “peace,” we mean that everything is calm, that we are not at war and all is calm. In God’s Word, it is much more than that. Peace means everything is right with our world. Peace begins with our relationship with God. It comes from knowing he loves us, cares for us, will be with us always and know we will live with him forever. No matter what else is wrong in our world, nothing can take away our peace. Peace is what Adam and Eve had in Eden, when God saw all that he made and said it is “very good!”
Yet sin makes peace on earth nearly impossible to find. Theologians say that we are “curved in on ourselves.” Sin makes us think of what pleases us, to seek our own interests over others and to run over anything that gets in our way. This outlook on life puts us in conflict with God, with others and with our world. It is the source of evil, sickness, grief and death. No matter what we do, we cannot reconcile with God or each other on our own power. Selfishness is a part of everything we think and do. Death rules and fear of it colors all we are.
To bring peace, God’s Son, the Prince of Peace, became one of us. He lived his life in perfect harmony with his Father. He offered himself to pay the price of our rebellion and warfare against God. He reconciled us with God by his own blood. In his body, all walls that separate us from God and each other fell. We now are at peace with God, even in this world of war.
Soon the day will come when the Prince of Peace returns to rule. Then he will once and for all bring an end to sin, death and the power of the devil. God himself will live with us. No more will there be sin, sorrow, grief and pain. All these things will pass away as he makes all things new. Then peace will reign and God will again say, “See! It is very good!”
Rev. Robert E. Smith Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana
Encore Post: At the end of many worship services, the pastor will announce God’s blessing to his people. “The Lord bless you and keep you;the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenanceupon you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:23-26) This is nothing new. Through Moses, God commanded priests to announce his grace to his people in this way. For 3,500 years, priests and pastors have done so. God blesses and watches over his people. God smiles at his people and favors them. He looks at them and everything is right in the world.
The key word in this blessing is the word, “Grace” (Hebrew חנן (chanan) = to look at someone favorably, Greek χάρις (charis)= to view someone favorably, a gift given without strings attached) When describing God in the Old Testament, his prophets often announce: “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness” (For example, Psalm 145:8, my translation) St. Paul opens almost all his letters with “Grace to you and peace…”) Almost all the time, Grace travels with the same words: “mercy,” “peace,” “love” among them.
God’s grace is not a thing which is given out when you do something. It is God’s attitude towards us. He loved us even before he made the world. (Ephesians 1:4-5) When he thinks about us, he is inclined to be kind to us. It is not because we deserve his kindness. In our sin, we have turned our back on him, broken all his laws, ruined his creation and deserve nothing but death and hell. Yet the good news is that, for the sake of Christ’s death on the cross, he looks on us ready to give his good gifts and his Spirit. It is by this grace alone that we are saved.
But there is more to grace than that he smiles on us. The Greeks used the word χάρις for gifts given just because he loves us. Among these gifts are the Means of Grace, the gifts of Baptism, the Lord’s Supper and God’s Word, which bring with them in turn the gifts of the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation — and the faith to receive them and to trust God to keep his promises. Grace is forever. It is how we can look forward to the day we see the smile on God’s face as he says, “Well done, good and faithful servant … enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:21)
Rev. Robert E. Smith Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana
Introduction: One Hundred and Eighty-six years ago, a dense forest stretched from the Great Lakes west to the Illinois prairie and south to the Ohio River Valley. Majestic oaks and sycamores, elms and maples, chestnuts, pines and cedars lined the paths and newly hewn roads, moved even young banker Hugh McCulloch to awe. Into this frontier poured first thousands and soon tens of thousands of Germans and Irishmen, drawn by the promise of the most fertile land in the world, where anyone was free to carve out a farmstead and leave a heritage to his children. They found it hard work in a hard climate. Isolated in the wilderness, where the bush might keep you from knowing you even had neighbors, you were very much alone and isolated. No church bells would call you to worship in non-existent churches. You see, while they came, pastors, by and large, did not.
Even when you were blessed with a servant of the word and the Lord’s house, tragedy often struck. In the frontier village of Fort Wayne, St. Paul’s Lutheran Congregation was in mourning. Their young German American pastor had just died. Their elder Adam Wesel wrote the Pennsylvania Ministerium Mission society on June 4th: “If you canvas the northern part of Indiana, you will soon see how important it is that you send us a faithful Shepherd. The harvest is great, but unfortunately there are no workers. If it is not possible to send us a pastor, dear brothers, then send us a circuit rider. We hunger and thirst for the Word of God.”
God heard their prayer. Three days before their pastor died, Friedrich Wyneken set sail for Baltimore on the Brig Apollo. As Adam Wesel’s letter arrived in Pennsylvania, he presented himself before the mission society, prepared to receive a call as a missionary. They sent him to gather the scattered Germany Protestants of Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. And he did.
God has called you to proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light
a) As God’s people prayed for a pastor then, so they do now. b) As God answered their prayer, sending Wyneken, so he answers their prayer and sends you. c) You bear the same call that Wyneken did d) You have the same gospel to proclaim, the same baptism to administer; the same absolution to grant; the same Supper to celebrate.
2. Yet you are aliens and exiles in this world
a) While a remnant of Christian America remains, we live a pagan culture. b) The fear of death drives their lives and actions c) What little they know about Jesus and the church is a caricature. d) Peter’s advice is sound: live an honorable life among them.
3. We are founded on the living cornerstone, chosen and precious
a) We are not redeemed by silver and gold, but his precious blood. b) We are now his own holy nation, a royal priesthood. c) Though we may seem alone, we are never alone.
Rev. Robert E. Smith Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana
Encore Post: Love makes the world go around. We love our pets, our favorite food, good weather, our sports teams, our friends, freedom and truth — just about everything. Americans seem to love just about everything!
In the Bible, two Hebrew words are used to speak about love. The word אהב (‘ahav — love) means just about the same things as our word love. The Holy Scriptures this term means most of the time the love shown by people and very rarely is used for God’s love. The word חֶ֫סֶד (chesed — love, kindness, mercy, loving-kindness) is very hard, if not impossible, to translate. The King James Version called it lovingkindness. It is in almost all the expressions of God’s love in the Old Testament. The word חֶ֫סֶד and the Greek Word ἀγαπάω mean about the same thing. Yet it has a tenderness to it that includes compassion and mercy.
The Greek language of the New Testament has several words for love. φιλέω (phileo) is the love and affection between friends. ἔρος (Eros) is sexual love that is obsessed with another and is not satisfied until it gets what it wants. ἀγαπάω is a love that sacrifices for the good of the one it loves. (See 1 Corinthians 13) ἀγαπάω is God’s love and the love God wants us to show to him and our neighbors. With Faith and Hope, Love is the greatest of the three virtues and lasts forever.
Our love is rooted in the love of God. God loved us before he made the world. (Ephesians 1:4-5) He loved us so much that he sacrificed his only Son to save us. (John 3:16-17) Because he first loved us, we love him and want to please him.
In the Gospel of John, we learn God is Love. The two greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbors. He commands us to love him and our neighbors. Jesus tells us that the whole of God’s law is to love God and our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 22:37-40) Actually, our love is itself God’s gift to us. The way people know we are disciples of Jesus is that we love each other. While our love in this world is not perfect, God’s love for us is perfect. It lasts forever and conquers even death.
Rev. Robert E. Smith Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana
Encore Post: In today’s English, the word Hope means a wish for that something we very much want to happen will come true. There is something about it that makes us doubt we will be so lucky. “Well, I hope so,” we’ll say.
In the Bible, hope is a bit different. Hope is something you have no doubt will happen, so much so that you can build your life on it. In theological terms, the Christian hope is the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Because it is God himself who promises these blessings, we can count on it and live our lives knowing it will happen. This is how Christians can suffer and die rather than deny their faith in Christ. It is why the burial service calls it “the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection of the dead.”
Why is the Christian Hope so sure and certain? First, because God himself promises it in his Word. Second, because Jesus proved these promises are true by dying and rising again from the dead. So, he can be trusted to keep his promises that where he is, we will be also. For us, hope becomes reality when we die. He comes to bring us to be with him forever. Exactly what happens then is a mystery.
But this is just the beginning of the blessings kept safe in Heaven for us. On the last day, Jesus will return in glory and he will bring us with him. He will raise our bodies from the grave and change us to be like him. We will then be gathered before the throne and our names read from the Book of Life. We will then live with him forever in Paradise, where there is no more sorrow, crying, grief or pain. God will make everything new. He will bring us to the great marriage feast of the Lamb, which will never end. This great hope gives us joy even in suffering, since we know it will pass away.
Rev. Robert E. Smith Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana
Encore Post: Faith is one of those “church words” that everyone knows and uses, but find hard to pin down. We use it to mean everything from a family of church bodies, to a system of things people believe, to trust in God, to accepting something is true, but that we cannot prove. Hebrew uses various forms of the word ( אמן — ‘aman— firm, trustworthy, safe). The word Amen comes from this same word. It means something like: “I believe that. I agree. It is true”) The Greek language uses one word for both faith and belief. (πιστεύω — pisteoo — to believe, πίστις– pistis — Faith) When the New Testament uses the word, it uses it for both what we believe in and our trust in God to keep his promises to save us.
Many Christians think of faith or believing in a different way. They think it means something like accepting as true and as facts things they can’t prove, such as “Jesus is God,” “God will raise us from the dead on the last day,” and other teachings of the Holy Scripture. They may understand passages like Hebrews 11 to mean this. (For example, verse 1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”) What they miss is that most of the chapter is about what the Old Testament saints did because they trust God and his promises. James, the brother of Jesus, demonstrates how mistaken this view of faith is when he wrote: ” You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! ” (James 2:19)
When the Bible talks about faith in God, (Saving Faith, Justifying Faith) it means a trust in God to keep his promises, especially his promise to save us. This trust is not something we create by things we do. It is created in us when the Holy Spirit comes to us through the Gospel, Baptism or the Lord’s Supper. (Romans 1:17, John 20:30-31, Ephesians 1:13, Romans 1:16-17) Our faith clings to Jesus, believing that his sufferings and death on the cross forgives our sins and gives us everlasting life. This faith responds to the Grace given to us in God’s Word and the Sacraments. It thanks God for his mercy, praises him and gives us the desire to serve God and our neighbors.
Rev. Robert E. Smith Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana
Encore Post: People respect power and ability. They admire the powerful, dream of what they could do if they had more power are will to fight for power, sometimes doing things they hate along the way. Money speaks because it brings with it power. They are willing to sacrifice almost anything to gain power. It really is not power itself that is so attractive. Power lets you do whatever you want to do. The problem with power is sinful people cannot be trusted with it. “Power tends to corrupt,” said Lord Acton, “And absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
The only one who truly is all-powerful — all-mighty — omnipotent is God. God can do anything he wants to do. When God speaks, the world was created. (Genesis 1) By his word, he keeps the universe running (Hebrews 1:3) Even when things seem impossible to us, for God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26) What this means for us is that he can and does keep his promises to us. The real question, then, is not what can God do, but what does he want to do for us?
Where people come to doubt God’s power or his existence, it almost always because he does not do what they think he should do. “If there is a good god,” they say, “then he would…” — eliminate disease, suffering and death — right now! He would shower them with blessing, making you rich and comfortable. When he does not do these things — and on their timetable, people will complain. What they should do is ask: “what is God’s will?” “what does he want to do?”
What God wants to do is to save us and to live with us forever. He loved us before he made the world, chose us to be adopted as his children, to make us holy and blameless in his presence. This he accomplished through the sacrifice of His Son on the cross by which he redeemed us, earned for us the forgiveness of sins and sealed us for eternity by His Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:3-14)
So, what God wants to do is seek and save the lost. With his power, he is able to do this and has already done it for us. What he also wants to do is to work his power through us. He sends us with his word to proclaim, his sacraments to share and gifts to care for our neighbors. So, we are a part of his plan to execute his will. It is through us he chooses to exercise his almighty power, for the praise of his grace, the salvation of the lost and the restoration of his creation to perfection. For with God, nothing is impossible.
Rev. Robert E. Smith Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana
Sermon on Revelation 7:13-17 All Saint’s Sunday November 5-6, 2023 Our Hope Lutheran Church Huntertown, Indiana
Note: This is a sermon version of my All Saints’ Day devotional revised as a sermon remembering my late wife Kris and dear friends at my home parish. She entered rest on 29 April 2022 and was buried from this church 6 May 2022.
Text: “Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Prayer: For all the saints who from their labors rest, Who Thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Amen.
Christ is Risen!
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and our risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who by his death has destroy death and by his rising again opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Introduction: All Saints’ Day is a memorial day. From the earliest days of the church, first congregations, then regions, remembered Christian loved ones on the day they died — especially those who died as martyrs. Around 800 AD, Charlemagne set November 1st as the day the church remembered all the saints. Since then, the church has marked that day to follow the lead of the Book of Hebrews: “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God; consider the outcome of their life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:7–8) Memorial days are really the last stage of grief. We thank God for our departed, remember how they lived, especially how they trusted God, and make their trust in Jesus our own. They are now at rest with Jesus, after all, and one day we will join them.
Our text this morning opens the curtain of heaven for us to see the throne of God. The Elder explains to St. John that the crowd no one can number are coming from the Great Tribulation, the time between the Ascension of Jesus and his return in glory. They are gathered before the Father and the Lamb of God. They are God’s children from every time – Adam and Noah, Joseph and Moses, David and Elijah, all those trusting in the coming Messiah. The the Apostles and Evangelists, Christians from every time and place, language and nation are there. There also people much more familiar to us. Our grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, spouses, friends and sometimes children are there. It is good to remember them, to thank God for them, to consider the things they did, especially the good things they did in faith and because they love God.
Who do you remember? I remember my own grandparents and grandparents-in-law, who lived and prospered through incredibly hard times, kept the faith in their own … unique … ways, who were often living examples of saints and sinners at the same time. Some of you remember the days of the World Wars and depression all too well. I remember my grandmother Smith reading from the big, KJV family Bible to me as a child on her lap. I remember my grandmother Schneider and her aunt who gave me my first Greek New Testament as a confirmation gift. There are also my parents and parents-in-law, troubled in troubled times, yet who still kept their faith. Also present is my father, that bruised reed the Lord did not break. And now in 2023, i remember my beloved wife, Kris, who has joined them. She loved me, her children and grandchildren through constant pain all of her life, produced endless beautiful and practical crafts that blessed many. Her straightforward, rock-hard faith was an inspiration to me and to many.
Who do you remember? As you and I look out at our church today, we remember brothers and sisters in Christ who sat here with us. We can almost see them in their favorite pews. All are at rest with their Savior. Many others are there, too. My Fathers and brothers in the faith. I remember those that taught me and many others and laid the stole of ministry on me the same stole I have now laid on my son-in-law, spiritual sons. I am thankful for them and for their confessions. I pray to be as faithful to the Lord as they were.
So, how did they get there before the throne? Born sinners they struggled with the Old Adam and Old Eve until the day they died. Yet when they were baptized, Jesus united them with his death. He, the Lamb of God, took away the sins of the world – their sin, our sin. When he rose from the dead, he opened the way for them – and us – to be with him forever. He gave them and us the white robe when he baptized them, the robe of his perfect righteousness. He placed the palm branch of victory in their hands. When we worship, we join them and angels and archangels in praise. You can almost see them waving the branches when we sing with them “Hosanna in the highest!”
At their deaths of our dear saints, Jesus sent his angels, to bring them home to him in paradise. In our church, we drape their bodies at rest in a pall. It reminds us of that the white robes of his righteousness and the palms of victory they now wave before the throne.
So, how did they make in through this Valley of the Shadow of Death? In life, Jesus was their Rock, their Fortress, and their Might; he was their Captain in the well-fought fight. Their fears were calmed when the remembered he was with them. They placed their burdens at the feet of the cross. The Lord’s Supper strengthened them like bread for the journey — a phrase that pastors often say when communing the very ill and those near death.
I was blessed to celebrate All Saints Day with my wife thirty-four times, thankful for each day we were together, praying to thank the Lord for those safely home. Now I pray after receiving the Lord’s Supper to thank God for my late wife, an ever-growing list of grandchildren, my children and their spouses. I will rejoice that this year I can still hold their hands, speak with them and see them all once in a while. Soon, all too soon, the angels will come for me or one of them, to join those at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb as the Lord Jesus says to one of us, “welcome to the joy of your Father.”
As glorious as this is, yet there breaks a more glorious day. As blessed as being with Jesus in paradise, the best is yet to come. The saints triumphant will rise in bright array; The King of glory will pass on His way. Sin and death will die. The world renewed, restored and be transformed, fit for eternity. God will pitch his tent with us and live with us forever. And he will dry every tear from our eyes. There will be no more sorrow, sighing grief or pain. All these will pass away. God will make all things new again. Once more he will see all that he has made and now redeemed with his own blood and say, “Look, it is very Good!” Amen, come Lord Jesus, at the end of days and at the end of our days.
Christ is Risen!
Prayer: Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold, Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old And win with them the victor’s crown of gold! Amen.
Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, set watch over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus to life everlasting.
Rev. Robert E. Smith Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne, Indiana
