Sermon on John 15:9-17 Sixth Sunday of Easter Our Hope Lutheran Church 9 May 2021
Text: “I loved you the same way the Father has loved me. Stay in my love. When you guard my commandments, you will stay in my love, just as I have guarded my Father’s commandments and stay in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. My commandment is that you love one another the same way that I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends when you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (my translation)
Intro: Alleluia! Christ is risen!
Grace, Mercy and Peace be to you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who by his death has destroyed death and by his rising opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Today we thank God for our mothers, who bore us, gave birth to us and who raised us. We thank God also for aunts, sisters, and grandmothers, babysitters, teachers, and teachers of the faith. They chose to love us and care for us and gave their lives for us so that we might live. They reflect the love that God has for us in very real ways.
The love of the Father and the Son is the source of Christ’s love for us.
The Father loves the Son and declares that he is the beloved Son.
He sends his Son into the world to redeem us.
Because the Father love the Son, the Son loves us and lays down his life for us.
Stay in God’s love.
Like a mother’s love, God’s love for us even before we were born.
It is an unconditional love; God loves us no matter what we do or what happens.
Because God loves us, we have nothing to fear.
We often love ourselves more than we love others.
We look out for ourselves first.
We offer our love with strings attached.
We wonder if will take advantage of us if we love them.
We can only truly love when we stay in God’s love.
Jesus’ love is the greatest of all; He laid down His live for His friends.
We were doomed to die eternally for our sins.
Jesus died in our place, breaking its power over us.
Because He loves us, we are free to love others.
On the last day, His love will change everything forever.
Dear saints, after his death, a small slip of paper was found in Luther’s pockets. It had two simple phrases on it: We are beggars, this is true.
As we say in the catechism, this is most certainly true. This is the essence of Christianity. The Christian faith begins, continues, and ends with you and me kneeling before God as beggars. This is because we have nothing of value to offer Him. We can only receive. Yet we are not only beggars. We are beggars upon whom our Lord has loved and shown mercy. He lifts us from our knees, and we are embraced with His steadfast and never-ending love. And while we know this from all of Scripture, it is especially evident in St. John’s Upper Room discourse in chapters 13-17. This is where we continue today, the third of five weeks in the Upper Room.
In this discourse, Jesus makes three explicit references to prayer, and the discourse ends with what we commonly call the High Priestly Prayer. In chapter 14 Jesus says, “whatever you ask in my name, this I will do.” In chapter 15 we hear “if you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” And in our lesson, “whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.”
Linking the statements together, we get something to the effect of “Ask anything of my Father in my name, and whatever it is, it is going to be done for you.” This is a gracious and unconditional promise for us to hear. We can ask of our Lord anything and know that He will answer.
But before your imagination gets carried away, I need to spoil your dreams. Jesus has been speaking for His entire ministry in figures of speech. You see this in His parables and many of His sayings. Some examples of this are when Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like…” or, “My time has not yet come,” or, “on that day.” And yet today we hear, “The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father.Later Jesus says, “Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered….”
Jesus moves from that day to the hour which is coming. This is another repeated theme in the Gospel according to St. John. In chapter two, Jesus tells His mother that His hour is not yet come. In chapter seven He is teaching in the Temple and His opponents seek to arrest Him. But they fail to do so because His hour had not yet come. After the Triumphant Entry, some Greeks desire to see Jesus. And when Phillip brings this news to our Lord, He declares, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
The hour which Jesus speaks about is his crucifixion. In that hour, Jesus tells the disciples that two things will happen. First, He will no longer speak in figures. And second, they will be scattered. Let’s take the second part first. In that hour, they will be scattered. Jesus will be alone. Jesus again references and anticipates the cross. What He says will happen does. He is abandoned by the disciples. They are scattered. And Peter denies Jesus three times. And despite Jesus saying I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace, I’d doubt there was any peace to be had that weekend. Rather, tribulation was in full force. And while they didn’t see it yet, Jesus had indeed overcome the world.
Jesus also begins speaking clearly rather than in figures of speech. And so, what is Jesus telling us? He is telling us that anything we pray in accord with our Father’s will, our prayer will be heard and answered. It will be given to you. Your Heavenly Father knows and desires what is best for you. If you ask for and fish, he will not give you a snake. And, to stay with Jesus’ figurative language in his Sermon on the Mount, if you ask for a stone, he will give you the bread you need.
Today is also known as Rogate. It means, “Ask,” or “Pray.” What Jesus is asking us to do today is to pray. Historically this Sunday has been associated with planting season. It makes sense, for we depend on God for everything that goes into us receiving our daily bread. When I think of the weather we have seen since arriving, flooding and drought, hot and bitter cold, it shows us that we really do depend on our Heavenly Father for all we need in body and soul. It is true whether we simply eat and use the fruit of the fields or if we make our living through working and reaping it. So, as a new planting season begins, what shall we do? We pray. We go to Him on your knees, like a beggar, telling Him everything that is on your mind.
Just think of the Psalms. They cover just about every prayer or petition you can think of. They contain confession, plea, desire, anger. They even recount to God what He has done for the writer, for Israel, or for the world. They remember what God has done and proclaim His goodness as requests are made that His goodness continue. It makes sense. We have a relationship with God. He wants us to talk to Him. He wants us to tell Him what is on our minds and what we are feeling.
He already knows these things. In fact, He knows what we are thinking and feeling better than we do. But like a mother who asks their child how their day was at school, He wants us to tell Him.
For this reason, Jesus invites us to “Ask.” Ask your Heavenly Father, and you will receive. Ask and your joy, like a beggar receiving a free meal or a warm place to stay, will be made full. For your Father loves to hear what his dear children have to say. He loves to answer your prayer. What a great and generous promise we have! God listens to and answers our prayer. And so, we ask that He grant our prayer: that we may think those things that are right and by His merciful guiding accomplish them. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller Peace Lutheran Church Alcester, SD
The things we noticed after a prolonged absence are interesting. Now that we are using our hymnals again after the recent unpleasantness of the plague, we will no doubt see elements within them that we didn’t notice before. The red words in the hymnal are one of those items.
These are not to be confused with the red letters that appear in some of our bibles. In the latter part of the 20th century, it became popular to make the words of Jesus appear red in the printing of some bibles. This probably rose out of the historical-critical method of viewing the scriptures. This view held that some words of the scriptures are more important than others. But that’s a discussion for another time.
The red text in your hymnal are instructions for us in conducting worship. These red texts are called rubrics. In academics a rubric is an explanatory note or a listing of expectations in completion of an assignment or project. The academic usage comes out of for the liturgical usage.
The copyists of liturgical texts would use a method of underlining or writing in and contrasting color like red to set off instructions or notations within a text. This practice was used in various ways. The days assigned to observe the various feasts and festivals and saints’ days were often indicated with red in the calendars or listing of readings. This gave rise to the expression “red-letter day.”
Within the worship service, and in our hymnal, we find instructions for conduct in red text which is often also italicized. Even the bulletins we generate out of the online format of Lutheran Service Builder produces rubrics. Since the font rendering is monochromatic, we don’t get the red but the italics remain.
Rubrics come in two forms. Some rubrics are spoken in an optional style. “A hymn of invocation may be sung.” It may surprise us to learn that the opening and closing hymns are both optional practices. Not every congregation, in every place observes these optional rubrics.
Other rubrics are stated in the absolute. “During Advent and Lent, the hymn of praise is omitted.” These absolute rubrics are given so we will understand those elements of the service that should always be done in a particular way.
In addition to those forms, some rubrics function to provide options. “The Creed may be confessed here or after the sermon.” The Creed, hymn of the day, sermon, offertory, offering, and prayers can follow the exact order above. Or, they may observe an order that is less familiar to us like we may find in Divine Service, setting one or two. The may function of this rubric doesn’t leave an option to omit. But, it does allow for variations in sequence.
Rubrics can also serve to redirect the flow of the service. Prior to the Service of the Sacrament we find a rubric indicating a variation in the conclusion of the service. “If there is no Communion, the service concludes with the Lord’s prayer, a concluding collect, and the benediction.” The service as written allows for the diminishing practice of alternating Sunday communion. That rubric gives us direction for how to proceed.
Probably the most important function for rubrics removes the necessity for verbal instruction or metadiscourse within the Divine Service. I’ll leave you with the wise advice of a former pastor of mine, which he heard from another, which he heard from another, which he heard from another, ad infinitum.
Do the red. Say the black.
Rev. Jason M. Kaspar Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool La Grange, TX
Encore Post: Frederick III grew up in the noble German household of Ernest, Elector of Saxony. His father gave him a fine classical education in the Humanist tradition. Frederick grew up to be a patron of German renaissance painters, especially Albrecht Dürer, Lucas Cranach the Elder and Lucas Cranach the Younger. He founded the University of Wittenberg and systematically built it up to become prominent. He was a pious and faithful Christian, a collector of relics, a supporter of the Augustinian observant movement in Saxony.
A skillful diplomat, he negotiated major reforms in the structure of the Holy Roman Empire, increasing the power and freedom of its electors, nobles and free cities. In 1518, he was the Imperial Vicar, second only to Emperor Maximilian I, who was approaching death. When the Emperor died in January of 1519, he was regent of the Empire. The Pope, the electors, princes and cities of the Empire preferred that Frederick be crowned the next emperor rather than young Charles V of the Hapsburg dynasty. Charles was already king of Spain, Austria, and Hungary, ruler of territories in the Netherlands, France and Italy. Becoming Emperor would make him the most powerful monarch in Europe.
Yet Frederick did not want to be Emperor. He negotiated with Charles to have the Empire repay its debts to Saxony and a number of other concessions in exchange for his vote and support. After Charles was elected Emperor, Frederick used his considerable political skills and influence to protect Luther and advance the Reformation. When he died in 1525, he was succeeded by his brother John, who was an ardent supporter of the reformation.
Dear saints, we continue this morning in the Upper Room the night that Jesus is arrested. Our Lord spends chapter 16 preparing His disciples for His arrest and crucifixion. Last week, He told them of the sorrow that they will feel, but also how that sorrow will soon be replaced with joy. This morning reveals the reason sorrow will be replaced with joy.
“It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” When the disciples see their Teacher arrested and flee in fear, they will be sorrowful. The sorrow will continue to increase as they see His trial, conviction, and crucifixion. Sorrow and fear continue to grow on the Sabbath as they fear the Jews may come after them next. But even when presented with the testimony and witness of the Resurrection, that fear and sorrow remain. This is evident as they are huddled in a locked room on the evening of the Resurrection.
But then our Lord is suddenly among them. Their fear and sorrow are quickly turned to joy with the phrase, “Peace be to you.” It was certainly for their advantage that Jesus went away. It was imperative that He did. For if He does not go that away, that is, if He does not die, then the disciples and every other man, woman, and child remain under the burden of their sin.
For the next forty days, Jesus continues to teach, encourage, and prepare His apostles for their ministry. Part of that preparation is for His Ascension. He must leave them again. But this time that leaving will be only a physical leaving. He will remain with them in spirit and, even more, send the Helper to them. He will send the Holy Spirit. And as you know, the Holy Spirit is manifested at Pentecost in Acts 2.
Equipped with all that Jesus teaches them and with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the apostles go out and preach the Gospel in joy. And they retain their joy even when they are thrown out of the synagogues, arrested and beaten for their preaching, and martyred for being a Christian.
The reason they can do all this is that Jesus keeps His word. He goes to the Father and sends the Holy Spirit. And the Spirit guides them in all truth. He speaks what He hears Jesus speak. He declares to them what shall come. And He will glorify our Lord by declaring what is Jesus’ and declaring it to them.
As the Spirit comes, He begins to convict the world. He begins to reprove and rebuke the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment. The work of the Holy Spirit is to expose us to ourselves. God already knows us better than we do. He knows our faults, even the ones we don’t know we have. And so, the Spirit comes to enlighten us.
But notice that this convicting is of the world. We are indeed convicted of our own sin as the Spirit shows us where we have failed to keep God’s Law. And because he keeps us in the true faith, we are led to repentance. We realize we have no righteousness of our own and look to Christ for our righteousness. We rejoice and sing because we have been judged righteous because of the blood of Christ shed for us. We, by the grace of God, have faith and salvation.
But the world does not. The world believes it can dictate what is and is not sin. The world believes it is righteous based on what it does or doesn’t do, think, or say. The world thinks it is clear of any judgment because of its own righteousness. It is a ‘righteousness’ that changes with the cultural tides. This is what the Holy Spirit comes to reprove and rebuke. He comes to show the world that this is not the case.
Yet we can narrow the work of the Spirit even further regarding the conviction of the world toward sin. The specific conviction the Spirit brings against sin is that the world does not believe in Jesus. Of all the sins possible, this is the worst. It is the chief sin and trumps all others. No matter how heinous a life someone lives, no matter what evil they have done, it is unbelief that tops it off. Remember what our Lord says to Nicodemus in the night: “He who believes in him (in Jesus) is not judged. He who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
The purpose John has in writing his gospel account is so people would read it, hear it, and believe in Jesus as their Savior. When you or anyone else hears the Word of God, it is the Spirit who works through it. When someone believes and is convicted, it is the work of the Spirit ensuring that the Word does not return to the Lord without accomplishing what it set out to do. So also, when the Word is rejected and unbelief tragically continues, it is the Spirit who judges that unbelief and unrighteousness.
Jesus is risen and He is ascended. His righteousness is laid upon all who call upon him and trust in him as Lord and Savior. Here the world is convicted concerning righteousness because it is only Christ who is righteous. The world, persisting in sin and unbelief, is unable to possess any true righteousness, no matter what good deeds they do in the eyes of men.
Finally, the Spirit convicts the world concerning judgment because the ruler of this world is judged. Satan is defeated. It is not that he was truly the ruler, but that he had acted as if he was, representing himself as the world’s ruler. That much of the world is under his influence shows the power he has despite his defeat. But this is the work of one already defeated and condemned. He knows he’s lost, so he’s trying to take as many as he can with him.
But you, dear Christian, are not of the world. It is why the world hates you. You are different. You are not under a judgment of condemnation but have been judged and declared righteous. You are not under sin and the penalty of unbelief but have been given the greatest gift possible: faith and life in Jesus Christ.
Know today that the Spirit of truth has come and is still here. He continues to guide us into all truth, which includes correcting us when we sin and lose our way, bringing us again to the Lord in repentance. And he does this for you because Jesus went away for a little while. After all, Jesus was crucified for you. He does this because our Lord ascended to the right hand of the Father where he rules and reigns. So, let us sing to the Lord, for he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller Peace Lutheran Church Alcester, SD
IXOYE is a misspelled attempt replicate the Greek word, ichthus. IXOYE and ichthus are effectively the same thing. Ichthus simply means fish. The significance of the fish in Christian iconographic vocabulary of the fish is both biblically sensible imagery and traditional storytelling.
We’ll often see it on the back of a car: the chrome two lined fish icon, a fish and a cross, or a fish with letters shoved inside. Here are a few examples. These have also been used for jewelry themes, key chains, Bible covers, in the like. These gained popularity in American Christianity beginning in the 1970s as part of a broader attempt to reach back to ancient Christianity.
Christian tradition holds that the simple two line ichthus was used by ancient Christians during persecution. And there are even Children’s Games based upon that. But, that line of traditional storytelling has very little basis in history.
Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD) said specifically that Christians should engrave their seals with a fish. Glyphs in Christian sites throughout the ancient Roman world seemed to indicate that Christians were aware of the fish and it’s use as a Christian symbol long before that.
All of that is well and good, but the question remains: what does it mean anyway? For the most part the use of the fish and the letters of ichthus as we understand them come to us in the form of an ancient acronym. The phrase “Jesus Christ God’s Son, savior” (Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς Θεοῦ Υἱὸς Σωτήρ) spells out fish in Greek (ΙΧΘΥΣ). The capital letter forms of the letters in the word fish, iota, chi, theta, upsilon, and sigma, look a little bit like the English letters: IXOYE.
That was a very long way to get to the simple answer. It means Jesus. And as Christians we put the name of Jesus on us and our children at his command in our baptism, which washes away sin gives faith. We also put the name of Jesus our clothing, on the walls of our homes, on the walls of our sanctuaries, and before our eyes throughout life. From the forms of art we use lambs come across is, fish, and a host of other symbols to accomplish this effect in our lives.
Blessèd be the Son of God, Jesus, our savior.
Rev. Jason M. Kaspar Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church & Preschool La Grange, TX
After his speech before the German nation at Worms, Luther remained in Worms for eight days. The Emperor gave a speech to the Diet, written by his own hand, in which he vowed like his ancestors to be a faithful son of the church. He would move against Luther and all who supported him. The estates (the noble rulers of all the German territories and representatives of the free cities) pledged to support the Emperor, but requested a chance to try one more time to change the reformers mind. The efforts were sincere, but since they did not promise Luther a hearing to be decided by Scripture a sound reason alone, it did not succeed. Yet the time was not wasted.
While the Emperor and papal ambassador Aleander drafted a edict to sanction Luther and his friends, in effect an arrest warrant and warrant to seize their property, plans were being made by the court of Electoral Saxony to carry Luther away to safety. The elector approved the plan, but did not want to be told the details of the effort. Luther and his close friends, including Amsdorf, were quietly informed of the initiative, but the details were not provided. The idea was to have Luther drop out of sight quietly as to both protect him and to avoid upsetting the Emperor. Instructions were sent ahead to the Warden of the Castle Wartburg, overlooking the city of Eisenach, where Luther attending elementary school.
Philip of Hesse issued a safe conduct through his territory to Luther and his party. Elector Frederick provided 40 Gulden to finance the trip and arranged a farewell dinner. On 26 April, Luther left Worms to travel home to Wittenberg via Hesse and his boyhood region, where he intended to visit relatives. The imperial herald accompanied them as far as Hesse, where Luther gratefully dismissed him, stating he felt safe for the balance of the trip. In fact, they were reducing the number of people who would be able to identify his “captors,” escorts from the Saxon army really.
On the 3rd of May, Luther preached in Eisenach. He left more of his friends there, taking only Amsdorf and a few others to go on to Möhra, where his relatives lived. On May 4th, on their way back from his relatives, a force “attacked” Luther’s party. Some ran away, the few attendants and driver not aware of the plan held at crossbow point. Luther was hustled out of the cart, Amsdorf making a show of cursing and protesting the treatment. Luther was forced to run alongside the horses until they were out of sight. He was then provided a horse and the party proceeded with detours to throw of possible pursuit to Wartburg Castle, where Luther was kept safe for ten months.
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Yesterday the church not only celebrated Good Shepherd Sunday but she also remembered the Evangelist Mark. Mark’s story is one of a wayward sheep who was ultimately brought home, if we follow Church tradition. He was the rich man who came to Jesus asking the Lord what he must do to inherit eternal life. The sheep heard the voice of the Good Shepherd but wanted to show himself to be able to guide himself to the final destination. Jesus recited the 2nd table of the Law to him, all those commands that can be summed up as love your neighbor as yourself. The man replies, “I have done all these since my youth.” Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing; go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me.” The sheep went away sad, disheartened and sorrowful because he had great possessions.
The sheep went away from the Good Shepherd sad that day. The hook of the shepherd was used ever so gently to correct the sheep, but the sheep refused correction. “How difficult it is for anyone to enter the kingdom of God! With man it is impossible!” But the voice of the Good Shepherd kept echoing in his head, and the sheep knew it to be something he needed to hear, much like the prodigal son finally came to his senses. Mark didn’t go too far on his own but still stayed on the fringe. We also know Church tradition also holds that it was Mark who was around Jesus on the night of his betrayal ran away naked into the night. All the sheep were scattered that night as the Shepherd was struck.
But like a sheep, when the way of missionary work got tough, Mark left their way. Sometimes for a sheep the grass looks greener elsewhere or at least the way seems easier and more pleasant. Mark fit that category of a sheep that needed continued correction and exhortation. And also, us. Jesus fulfilled the Law, yes, but He did not abolish it. He still speaks His Law ultimately in love that we repent and confess our sins and follow Him. The Law is still good for us to hear because we need to be reminded that we fail to love our neighbor as ourselves, and that we too have our pet gods that we hide away, gods we don’t even know we have until Jesus’ word calls us out. “Go and sell everything you have. Give to the poor.” Wealth and possessions, those were Mark’s god for a time. A more pleasant and easier life. That was Mark’s god at a later time. We have the same issues, when one idol falls, we are quick to pick up another. Perhaps for us it is the government who promises to take care of us until they don’t. Then it’s the money because we have that as well. Maybe its our family. We jump from idol to idol. We are sheep that have heard the Good Shepherd’s voice but need gentle correction again and again. This is not a one-time deal. Jesus continues to teach us and lead us that He is our God and we His people. And the best part of it is that He promises not to forsake us through it all. For He came and fulfilled all that we could not. He loved his neighbors perfectly for you and for me. He loved you by laying down his life for you.
We are the sheep for whom He came to lay down His life. Mark is the man Christ loved. He is a man of many for whom Christ died. And He speaks forgiveness to Mark and to you as well. He finds you in the pit of your sin and pulls you out of it. He brings you to repentance and faith in Him and leads you home.
Mark is a remarkable man in the New Testament, a good picture of our ourselves. He walked with Paul for a time and then again later after their reconciliation, and He also listened to and worked with Peter. It was from this time that Mark wrote the Gospel that bears his name. He put down on paper the words which Peter spoke for all the world to know. Perhaps His Gospel is meant when Paul calls for the parchments when he asks for Mark to be sent to him. We will never know. But we do know what Mark wrote he wrote that all would come know Jesus as he knew Him: This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Mark does not call him the Good Shepherd but you can see the image work well in Mark. Mark tells us that Jesus looked upon him with love, and we know Christ went out of His way to bring him into His pen of the Church. Christ our Lord has done the same for us. He came and sought us out and speaks in love to us now calling us to follow Him. His Words endure forever and His way is the only way that leads to everlasting life.
Let us give thanks to our Lord who has sought his oft wayward sheep and led them home. May we rejoice in the fact that our Lord continues to do the same for us now and keeps us steadfast in His Word and Way by giving us His Word and His Sacraments by which our faith may be strengthened along the way, firmly believing that by His provision and work at the cross, where He laid down his life, we will be saved.
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Rev. Jacob Hercamp St. Peter’s Lutheran Church La Grange, MO
Dear saints, when I was growing up, the part of the summer I looked forward to the most was often the yearly church camp. These camps were fun. I had a great time. I made and strengthened friendships there. And while I look back on these camps with mostly fond memories, there is a part of them that I now would rather not have taken part in. It was normal for the final night of the camp to reach an emotional climax. A “mountaintop experience.” The singing, skits, speakers, or whatever entertainment was brought in was to make you feel spiritually uplifted. Make you never want this moment to go away.
But it always did. You left the venue that night, went back to your cabins full of emotional happiness, perhaps even joy. But the reality quickly sets in that you now need to pack. You still must try to sleep that night. You still must go home tomorrow. You tried to keep this fleeting and emotional high going, but you couldn’t. You would get home and, despite your desire to be more dedicated and more studious of your Bible, things just went back to normal.
Now, normal isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Our Gospel lesson this morning finds the disciples near the climax of their week. Indeed, near the climax of their time of following Jesus before his crucifixion. We’ve briefly discussed it in the past few weeks: the disciples have witnessed the Triumphal Entry. They’ve seen Jesus clear the Temple. Heard Him boldly preach. And now they find themselves in the Upper Room. In fact, chapters 13 through 17 of the Gospel according to St. John takes place during the time Jesus institutes his Holy Supper. This is where we are in this morning’s text. We will stay here for the rest of the Easter season.
Jesus has or is about to take the Passover meal and show the disciples exactly what it was pointing to. They are on the pinnacle of the mountain top experience. But Jesus knows what is about to happen. He knows that this joy will soon be replaced not with normal life, but with great fear and trepidation. And so, he continues to prepare them: “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.”
Understandably, the disciples want this and other things said in the Upper Room explained. But they don’t ask Jesus to do it. They talk amongst themselves. And so, Jesus interjects. “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.”
Jesus continues to speak and explain, but in my mind’s eye I can see and faces of the disciples drop and be covered with confusion and fear. Despite having been told multiple times that Jesus would die on the cross, this still surprises them. Despite hearing about the glory of the Son of Man coming, it never connects with them what exactly that means. Our Lord knows that he is about to be “lifted up from the earth” and “will draw all people” to himself.
And in doing so, he will also die. In a little while, Jesus will be put into a tomb. The disciples will not see him. They will weep and lament. While they do, the world will rejoice. Yet after a little while, they will see Jesus again. Then their sorrow will turn to joy. Of course, this is exactly what happens.
We have seen this through the first half of our Easter season. So far, with the disciples, we have rejoiced in Christ’s resurrection. Have heard the peace that He brings. Heard what it means for Jesus to be our Good Shepherd. The disciples have revived their mountaintop experience. Jesus is risen. He comes to be among them. But the words of Jesus in this morning’s text are still applicable. For in a little while, they will see Jesus no more. At least, not in the way they are accustomed to seeing Him.
The church is in the midst of its own mountaintop experience. Congregations that have the resources really go all out this time of year. Big choirs. Brass, percussion, wind, and stringed instruments alongside the organ. More complex hymns with beautiful descants from large and loud pipe organs. It is beautiful and glorious. Ear candy, if you will. But I’ll admit that as much as I love all of it, it starts to wear on me before it is over. Where the Easter acclimation is said many times a service, this is about the time the enthusiastic response begins to get a little softer and a little less enthusiastic.
Yes, we are still full of joy. We are still in awe of what our Lord did for us. But like that new toy you get as a child, even your favorite new toy, it doesn’t stay new for long. Subconsciously and perhaps even unwillingly, you find yourself returning to the way it was. And I suppose this shouldn’t surprise us. There are the forty days of Lent with six or seven extra services. We’re about twenty days into Easter, and in some places that comes even more extra services. And for some, the three weeks of pre-Lent preparation makes for a long season. Let’s face it: we’re kinda tired. And we’re gearing up for the second half of the church year. Waiting for the Holy Spirit to descend at Pentecost.
Yet there are still things to occur before we get there. “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” Jesus was speaking about his crucifixion. Yet he is also speaking of what comes after. He does not stay with the disciples in his exalted form. He still will return to his Father in heaven. Indeed, he must. If he does not, the promised Helper will not come!
So, we turn our attention the next few weeks to the coming Ascension of our Lord and the approaching Day of Pentecost. And as we do, we journey further from the mountain top. We see things going ‘back to normal.’ At least as normal can be these days. We also see what it means to weep and lament. For trial and tribulation will soon descend upon Christ’s church. We read about it in the book of Acts. We hear the testimony of the early Church. It continues through the Middle Ages and Reformation. Even today the church weeps, laments, and is sorrowful. And through it, the world rejoices.
Churches all over the world are attacked. They are deemed ‘unessential’ and have their services shut down by police even while they are taking place. Bills travel through government to classify our Biblical believes, given to us by the Word made flesh Himself, as bigoted and discriminatory. We continually weep at the disregard for human life and how many people, born and unborn, are cruelly killed or maimed in the name of love or equality. And we mourn for those claiming to be Christian who rejoice and celebrate these activities.
As we look around and see darkness becoming more and more powerful, we weep and have sorrow. We hurt when we see people we know and love being swept up into false doctrine and even unbelief. We lament at the actions the world takes to harm and destroy one another in the name of love and choice. The world cheers and calls Christians all sorts of vile names and attempts to dehumanize us just as they dehumanize others whom they don’t deem worthy of life or protection.
Yet every day we are closer to the day that our sorrow will turn to joy. Every day we get closer to the day when we will see Jesus face to face. So, we can look around and take heart. Yes, churches are firebombed. Yes, Christians are targeted for death. Targeted to have their livelihoods destroyed. Yet even when steeples crumble and fall around us, we can look at the smoke and ruins and declare with the prophet Jeremiah, who looks around at the destroyed city of Jerusalem and says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to anend; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Our Psalm this morning declares,“Shout for joy to God, all the earth. Sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!” and, “Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip.”
Even with all the horrible things going on around us, we proclaim that the Lord’s steadfast love does not cease. His mercy never comes to an end. It is because, though he is not visibly present with us in body, he is present with us even now. He has sent the Holy Ghost to dwell within us. We have sung, and will again sing, of the gifts he gives us in our baptism. About how he is present with us physically in his Holy Supper. The Supper where he gives us the Food that we need. And how He is with us even now in His Word.
With these gifts, He sustains us while we wait for Him to keep His promise that we will see Him in a little while. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.”
As a result of the Fall, a woman goes through a tremendous amount of pain and sorrow to give birth. But when she receives her newborn baby in her arms, seeing the face of her healthy, beautiful, and probably screaming baby, all the pain and struggle is forgotten. She no longer cares about all that. She doesn’t worry about the pain and the physical danger she was in. For her child is born and is with her. She rejoices despite the pain and trouble.
Likewise, no matter what trials and tribulations we go through, no matter how much we suffer, it will all be forgotten. Even what we willingly bring upon ourselves. This is a season of pure joy. And even though our Gospel is dripping with sorrow and impending separation, this will all be turned to joy. Remember that the disciples witness Jesus’ Ascension and return in joy. Joy that is also yours. Joy because, though we do not see our Lord during our pilgrimage, we know when we will see Him: At the end of our pilgrimage. At our blessed death. When all sorrow will be forgotten, and eternal joy will reign for before us will stand our Savior. In a little while, He shall be seen. Praise be to Christ. Amen.
Rev. Brent Keller Peace Lutheran Church Alcester, SD
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia!
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
If you have not done so take a long hard look at the bulletin cover. Note what you see. You see a man leading a sheep. The shepherd is not driving the sheep, but leading it.
Note also the sheep. Look at the sheep’s head, attentive to the way of the shepherd. Following closely in tow. Note finally the staff. It is the tool by which the shepherd helps the sheep stay on his way if the sheep goes astray. But this staff is not just any staff, and this shepherd is not just any shepherd, but this is the shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep on a cross. The way that this Shepherd goes is through death and into life forevermore.
The depiction of the Good Shepherd has been the toil of many a sacred artist in the past two millennia and many thanks to Abby for drawing this one for us. It conveys the point of the Good Shepherd. We would do well to enjoy the arts particularly sacred art more. For it teaches the faith far better than many sermons. This is why Luther desired that the Small Catechism have woodcut prints of the various episodes of the Bible. It taught the Faith, and if nothing else, enhanced the learning of those who thumbed through the pages. So, it is with the depictions of Christ our Good Shepherd.
What kind of Shepherd does this? One who is committed and united to his sheep. By the Incarnation, the Son of God is effectively yoked to humanity forevermore. You might have seen another picture of the Good Shepherd with the Lord Jesus carrying a lamb draped over His neck. That imagery should not be missed. Does it not look like a yoke? Does it not look like a stole that a pastor wears these days? That the sheep is Christ’s responsibility from this time forth and forevermore? Just as it is the responsibility of the Pastor to feed the sheep of Christ’s flock with only the true and pure doctrine of Christ. This is why pastors are called pastors in the first place. The word literally means shepherd in Latin.
In our own depiction of the Good Shepherd, the sheep follows in His path. The path of the Good Shepherd is good for the sheep. But we sheep may not always think so. How often have you questioned what was going on in your life? How often have you wanted that thing or way of life which you did not have? How often has it seemed that the grass (another way to talk about daily bread) you are getting is not as green as you think it ought to be? Is there grass greener elsewhere? Perhaps you have said this under your breath, “Does this Shepherd know what He’s doing? If He’s such a good shepherd, why does it seem that the wolves are always after me? Why is His way hard? Maybe I should shove off on my own.” Repent.
Our Good Shepherd is not without an instrument of discipline when He must deal with sin. He carries His hook. He speaks His Law. He puts to death and yet brings to life. He has wounded, and yet promises to heal. The prophet Isaiah talks of God’s work in two senses. One sense is alien to Him: the work of His Law, which brings punishment upon the law breaker. The other is the work of His character which is Love: you know that as the Gospel that declares to you forgiveness for the sake of the Good Shepherd. Your Shepherd does not beat the sheep, but He certainly brings punishment to bear when it is needed to save His sheep from utter destruction. Think of what He allowed the nation of Israel to go through in the Old Testament. He threw them out of the Promised Land. They were rightfully punished for their rebellion against His Way. We, too, have been rightfully punished in various ways for our sins of straying from the Way of our Good Shepherd and disregarding His voice. We confess that we deserve both temporal and eternal punishment when we confess our sins. But ultimately, the God’s Law serves His blessed Gospel. God’s Law condemns everyone. You have not lived up to the demands of the Lord. We all like sheep, have gone astray. All going his own way rather than the way of the Lord. His ultimate work is to save you. And if He must bring the sheep to nothing in order for the sheep to be saved, He will do that because it is for the ultimate and eternal good of His sheep.
The Lord our God has done what He said He would do. He has done everything for the ultimate good of the sheep. The Son came becoming the Lamb to be the shepherd who would lay down his life for His sheep. He did not send a hire hand, but He came down to get his own dirty in finding and securing His flock! He would be the means by which the sheep would be saved. He went to the cross for all His wayward sheep, ever last one of them. And He forgives all our sins against Him and His Father.
You have the promise in those waters that you are united to your Good Shepherd now and forevermore. It is a promise to be believed. For there is nothing in our reason or strength that will make sense of the promise Jesus makes to us here. Our minds and reason are fallen. Our reason says Baptism is our work and profession faith, but God’s Word says the exact opposite. It is God who is working to bring faith and salvation to light. Which will you believe? The Word of God or your reason? Are we listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd or something else?
Baptism and forgiveness of sins is a promise to be heard again and again because we sheep are pretty hard of hearing, and we are stubborn things who easily forget and go our own way. Jesus is your Good Shepherd and He has laid down his life for you, that you be safe with him forever, sins forgiven. Now He leads you to the sheep fold, the house for all the sheep. You listen to His voice for you are here where He promises to be in flesh and blood for you to forgive your sins. You are following Him just like the picture on our bulletin. Trust and believe in what He has spoken and done for you in laying down his life, and believe how He now delivers that victory to you in Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
Look again at your bulletin, you know where the Lord leads His sheep. He leads his sheep to His home. David in the 23rd Psalm does a masterful job in conveying himself to be a sheep and the Lord his shepherd in the first 3 verses but in verses 4-6 David no longer uses the 3rd personal singular pronoun He to speak of the Lord. Instead, David switches to a second person singular, “You.” You are with me. Your rod and staff they comfort me. You prepare a table… Ah yes, the Shepherd is leading His flock to the table. A table in the presence of my enemies, but these are enemies who have been defeated by the Good Shepherd and can cause no more harm. They are no match for our Good Shepherd. The flock will rejoice in the goodness of their Shepherd who has laid down His life for the sheep only to take it up again. And they will rejoice at hearing His voice. “Take and eat, this is my body given for you. Take and drink this is the New Testament in my blood shed for you.” The Living Body and Blood of your Shepherd, you receive. What promises to believe and what a blessing to have our spirits restored by such food from Heaven. It is His life to give, and He now gives it to you, that you might live forever in his presence in His House Forever. And truly your cup does overflow. By this we know Love, that he laid down his life for us.
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Rev. Jacob Hercamp St. Peter’s Lutheran Church La Grange, MO
