"The Calling to Which You Have Been Called"

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You have often heard me say that Christian life consists in these two things: in faith and then in good works; that after coming to faith a person should be pious and lead a visibly good life. Most depends on the first part, on faith, and the second is not at all equal to the first in importance, although the world thinks more and better of it than it does of faith, preferring good works to faith (What Luther Says, para. 645).

This is how Luther briefly describes the relationship between the two parts of the Christian life. Faith and good works. Faith is the chief thing, but good works must follow. However, faith is always the deciding point, the hook upon which the Christian life hangs.

Your salvation rests on Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice, and not on your own merit or worthiness. While you were yet sinners, Christ died for you. In the fullness of time, the Father of all mercies sent His only-begotten Son into the flesh to bear your sins and be your savior. The Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary, has taken away the condemnation of your sins and guilt. His blood has washed you clean and made you pure and holy.

What Do You Want Me to Do for You?

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

James and John asked Jesus to do for them whatever they might ask. “Grant us to sit, one at Your right hand and one at Your left, in Your glory.” What is it they thought they were requesting? And what made them so bold as to ask for this high honor, above the other disciples? After all, even most favored, most impetuous Peter was not so forward.

To begin with, James and John believed that Jesus would actually give them whatever they asked. And why should they not? After all, in Matthew 18, He promised that whatever they asked in His name, they would receive. The Lord commands over and over to ask for what you desire, and He will answer the prayers of His faithful children. So, why should James and John not go for it and ask for these positions of honor?

Furthermore, these disciples knew that Jesus is the only way to heaven, the only access point to the Father. Whatever Jesus asks, the Father will give. Therefore, whatever the faithful ask of Jesus, Jesus can accomplish. Through Jesus you and I and James and John and all the faithful have access to heaven, to stand before the throne of God. Upon this fact James and John trusted, and therefore they were emboldened to ask for places at Jesus' right and left in His glory.

The Church of God in Motion

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Wondrous honor You have given

To our humblest charity

In Your own mysterious sentence,

“You have done it all to Me.”

Can it be, O gracious Master,

That You deign for alms to sue,

Saying by Your poor and needy,

“Give as I have giv'n to you”? (LSB 851.3)

Whence come all that you are, all that you have and possess? Is it by your own work and toil that you have such abundance? Or is whatever you have a gift from God? We confess with all of Christendom, “I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.” He has made all things, and He is the one who gives them into your hand. We confess as Luther writes in the Small Catechism:

He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.

Take heed of what you confess here: He richly and daily provides me with all. Everything you have is a gift of God, given out of His divine bounty, without any merit or worthiness in you. He chooses to so richly bless you because He loves you, because He has created you to be His workmanship, to show forth His love and blessing. He gives all that you need because He knows you need it, just as you fathers know the needs of your children and supply them.

"The Light Has Come Into the World"

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Today's lesson from St. John's gospel serves to illustrate the principle that no matter how many times you read a passage of Scripture, more will always come out to teach and admonish you, and to comfort and guide you along life's way. In particular, this passage requires a great deal of attention on account of the richness of the Word he proclaims to you.

Our lesson begins by recalling to your memory the event of Israel in the wilderness on their way toward the Promised Land. The people grumbled against Moses because they thought they were suffering because they lacked the pots of meat around which they used to sit while slaves in Egypt. On account of their murmuring and their slander against Moses, the Lord's servant, the Lord sent fiery serpents among them, who bit the people and caused many of them to die. In their misery, the people repented and implored Moses to ask the Lord for mercy. He then commanded Moses to raise up a bronze serpent on a pole, that whoever looked at the raised serpent might live.

"Blessed Be the Name of the Lord"

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

When life's troubles rise to meet me,

Though their weight

May be great,

They will not defeat me.

God, my loving Savior, sends them;

He who knows

All my woes

Knows how best to end them. (LSB 756.2)

Troubles come to everyone in this life. There is no escaping them. Sometimes troubles are small, sometimes they are very great. Nevertheless, you can be sure of two things – God is in control of your suffering, and He has the best end for you in mind.

However, it often – usually – happens that the ways of God are hidden from the eyes of men, especially in the midst of suffering. Consider the case of Job. Job was a man of God, given great faith, and great temporal blessings. He had land, property, flocks and herds, a large family, and a good reputation among the community. Scripture says that he was “the greatest of all the people of the east.” (1:3) All the blessings which the Lord had promised to Abraham, Job had them, and then some. And he had faith in the Lord God.

"Keep It Holy"

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Built on the Rock, the Church shall stand

Even when steeples are falling.

Crumbled have spires in ev'ry land;

Bells are still chiming and calling,

Calling the young and old to rest,

But above all the souls distressed,

Longing for rest everlasting (LSB 645.1).

So go the words of an old Norwegian hymn which calls to remembrance the fact that the holy Church of Christ shall stand in every land, no matter the risings and fallings of nations and peoples. The call of the Church rings out in every time and place.

In like manner, the Temple of old called the faithful of Israel from every time and place to its courts, that they might offer the sacrifices prescribed by the Law of Moses for the forgiveness of their sins and in thanksgiving for their many blessings. The Temple was a glorious place, engineered to stir up feelings of reverence and wonder at the great and awesome proceedings that took place within, where God deigned to meet with men. No expense was spared in the building of the Temple, even in the rebuild in which Jesus and His disciples worshipped. The teachers of the Law reminded Him, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple.”

"Hear What God Has Arranged for You to Be Told"

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

An old Scottish proverb says that “an open confession is good for the soul.” Indeed, confession is good for the soul, but only if understood properly. The problem lies in answering the question – What is confession? Is it an old, out-moded ritual where you have to go sit in a box and talk to some priest through a screen? Is it a way for your pastor to stay up on all the good gossip in the congregation? Is it something you have to do because somebody or other says you have to?

Confession is rooted and grounded in the Word of God, beginning and ending in what God says about you in His Word. The word “confession” means “saying the same thing” – when you confess something, you are saying the same thing – agreeing with all others who say that same thing. In the matter of the Sacrament, you confess that you believe the Word of God when it declares you to be a poor, miserable sinner who has failed to keep even the smallest part of the Law. Against the standard of the Law you have been judged, and have been found wanting.

Jesus is the Messiah

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

There are now, as there have always been, an array of people in this world who might be styled a “messiah” – a savior from this, that, or the other. Sometimes such a messiah's scope is rather limited – he will save his people from their taxes. Other times, the messiah comes to save his people from all that ails them. The particulars vary from case to case, but the general theme is nothing new. In fact, it is one of the oldest tropes in classical literature.

For an ancient example, consider Hercules. He was born of Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. His mission was to bring peace and justice to the people by accomplishing a series of seemingly impossible tasks, jobs which only he could do. By accomplishing these things, he brought freedom and peace from the tyranny of the infamously fickle gods. Finally, when Hercules was killed, it is said that he was assumed up into the company of the gods.

"Pray, Then, Like This"

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“God's own child, I gladly say it, I am baptized into Christ!” (LSB 594.1) Thus we sing out the glad news that each of us is a child of God. And what wonderful news that is! God has chosen you as His own, and has made you His beloved child.

You were conceived and born in sin, a product of the sinful will of flesh and blood. You were born as spiritual orphans, adrift in the great tide of darkness and death that washes over this world. No one was your father, no one was your provider or your protector. No one was there to hear your cries for help.