Return to Me

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

As rebels, Lord, who foolishly have wandered

Far from Your love – unfed, unclean, unclothed –

Dare we recall Your wealth so rashly squandered,

Dare hope to glean that bounty which we loathed? (LSB 612.1)

We have wandered far from the love of God and from His grace and favor. Ever since Adam and Eve were thrown out of the Garden of Eden, man has been wandering the earth, seeking his own way to his own goal. The road is hard and unpleasant, and the destination horrible beyond imagination.

Isaiah says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned – every one – to his own way” (53:6). You and I have gone our own ways, seeking after the desires of our hearts and minds. Lost in the darkness and the shadow of death, you groped along, trying to find the scraps of something good, holy, clean. Just as in Israel in days of old, everyone does what is right in his own eyes. Whatever floats your boat. Different strokes for different folks, after all.

Just look around at your world today. This sort of logic rears its ugly head all the time. How often have you heard regarding abortion: “I'm personally against it, but I'm not going to say someone else can't choose for herself.”? This sort of thinking is really oxymoronic. If you are against something, you cannot be alright with your neighbor choosing that same thing. This world and this life have objective standards, and what is right for you is also right for your neighbor, and for the other seven billion people on this globe.

Likewise, when it comes to marriage and sexual relationships, the popular thing to do these days is to simply look the other way. “I don't do that, but it's none of my business if Adam and Steve want to get married.” If your daughter and her man are living together, sure it makes you uncomfortable, but is it not more important that they are happy and they love each other? She does not want to be married anymore to him, so just let her have it her way. That may be a nice, convenient way to make a show of washing your hands of your neighbor's guilt, but it simply does not work that way. The Scriptures are clear, as you heard in today's Old Testament lesson, that the sin of the people brings judgment on the people, separately and as a nation. Hence the call for the people to repent, as a consecrated assembly.

As you hear the call for the fast from the prophet Joel, you may think that is a call to someone else. After all, we are Lutherans, and Lutherans do not fast. Gluttony is alright, as long as you do not see your neighbor suffering. If you feel a little bit of guilt after unbuttoning your pants, you can just give a few bucks to the Salvation Army, and that will balance out the intemperance of your own lifestyle. The “starving children in Africa” with whom your mother always chided you to eat your supper are not your problem.

But the Lord will not let you go so easily. “'Yet even now,' declares the Lord, 'return to me with all your heart.'” Hear this call, and repent. With these words, the Lord your God calls to you in the miry darkness of your sin and guilt, and calls you to believe His holy Word. He is the one who calls you out of the shadow of death and into His marvelous light. He calls you to believe that He alone is God, and He alone is the One who provides for all your needs of body and soul.

To return to the Lord means to turn away from your sinful ways. Repentance is a turning away from your old, sinful nature and the works of the devil, and a turning toward the light of God in Christ Jesus. This repentance is accomplished by faith. And faith comes by hearing the Word of God. The Word of God speaks to you in your darkness, and it proclaims to you the will of your Father in heaven. His Word declares that He is holy and righteous, and you are not. You have sinned and fallen short of the mark. You have wandered – every one – to your own way.

Return to the Lord with all your heart. Return to the Lord “with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” These outward signs are the display of repentance and faith. These physical disciplines serve as proof that faith is active in your hearts. As the Holy Spirit works contrition and sorrow for sin within you, you will fast, weep, and mourn for your sins, and for your lost and condemned condition.

However, the Lord commands, “rend your hearts and not your garments.” Yes, He calls for fasting and weeping on account of sin, but these outward signs do not themselves accomplish your salvation. “Good works cannot avert our doom, They help and save us never” (LSB 555.1). The Lord desires not your blood, sweat, and tears. The contortions and tortures of your heart and mind will not win for you a place in heaven.

What avails much is the rending of your heart in contrition. Open your heart to the one who dwells therein by His Word and Spirit. He has called you to Himself by faith, and He desires that you be saved from your sins. Turn to the Lord, that He may be merciful to you.

Joel calls out, “Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.” The Lord indeed is gracious and merciful. He is gracious so much so that, before the foundations of the earth, He purposed to send His Son into the flesh to bear your sin and be your savior. Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, was born of the Virgin Mary and took up human flesh and blood for you and for your salvation.

Again, Isaiah says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6) The One accounted as a sheep for the slaughter has died for you, that He might take away all your sins and transgressions, and give you His life and salvation. The chastisement for your sin was laid upon Him, and He bore it willingly for you. Because He loves you, because He is full of grace and mercy, the Lord “relents over disaster.” He poured out His wrath upon Jesus, that He might leave behind a blessing for you instead.

Therefore, according to the prophet's direction, “Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly.” Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, as St. Paul instructs. Fast and pray, gather around the Gifts of God, hear His holy Word and believe the blessed Absolution. We confess in the Small Catechism: “Fasting and bodily preparation are certainly fine outward training.” (SC VI:5). It is good to rest from endless consumption for a time of prayer and meditation. Jesus exhorted His disciples to fast, assuming that they would practice this ancient discipline. Fasting is fine outward preparation, because it drives you to look at the source of goodness and life.

However, we do not fast for the sake of being hungry. The pangs of an empty stomach are not meritorious. Jesus instructs His disciples to wash and dress, and go about their lives as though they were not fasting, so as not to draw attention to their discipline. There is no merit or reward in a fast simply for the sake of saying, “I'm fasting”.

Instead, fast to focus yourself on the Bread of Life. Devote yourself to a time of prayer and meditation on the Scriptures. Perhaps offer the resources saved through the fast to charity, for the benefit of your neighbor. Hunger in your soul for the food for the coming days, the Feast of the Lamb in His kingdom. Come and break your fast on the Bread of Life, on the wine of gladness and immortality.

Fast for a time in repentance and patient anticipation, so that when the feast comes, you may celebrate it in sincerity and truth. In this Lententide, as you meditate on your sinfulness and your need for a savior, let your fast drive you ever onward toward the great feast of our Lord's resurrection. There we shall celebrate the bounty of the Lord's grace and mercy, displayed for all the world to see. And finally, we shall enter into the Holy City, where we will partake of the marriage feast of the Lamb in His Kingdom, which has no end.

Though great our sins, yet greater still

Is God's abundant favor;

His hand of mercy never will

Abandon us, nor waver.

Our shepherd good and true is He,

Who will at last His Israel free

From all their sin and sorrow (LSB 607.5).

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.