7th Sunday after the Epiphany - Baptism of Daphnie M.- 1 Corinthians 3:10-23

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  The text for this morning’s sermon is the Epistle text, read a few moments ago.

            The summer of 2007 I helped my pastor, a contractor by trade, build a house.  I distinctly remember how fussy he was when laying the footings and pouring the foundation.  Everything had to be perfectly level, perfectly straight, perfectly square.  It makes sense, if the foundation is crooked, the whole house will be too.  If the foundation isn’t level, the house will tilt. 

            In today’s Epistle text, Paul speaks of building a foundation – a foundation of faith.  “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder (literally architect) I laid a foundation…” 

            The church in Corinth had a lot of problems.  There were divisions, sexual immorality, lawsuits, abuse of the Lord’s Supper, they neglected the poor and widows, you name it and it was going on in Corinth.  Yet, Paul, as the wise architect, came to this troubled church in order to build a foundation.  And what is that foundation?  “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified,” as we heard Paul proclaim a couple of weeks ago. 

Jesus is the sure foundation on which the Church is built.  It’s what the Corinthians needed to hear, it’s what we need to hear.  So, Paul comes preaching the Law in love and he preached the Gospel as a master architect and builds a foundation which is the God-Man Jesus and His cross.

            It seems silly doesn’t it?  A whole religion based upon a crucified man.  To the world, it’s foolishness, a foundation crooked and out of square; a foundation that certainly wouldn’t stand the test of time.  Who would center an entire religion around a God who is so weak that He can even be crucified and die? 

            At the seminary, as part of a class, several of us went to Chicago to visit a Muslim mosque, a Buddhist temple, and a Hindu temple.  Before we were shown around the Hindu temple, our tour guide, who obviously knew nothing about Christianity, was explaining to us the tenants of his Hindu faith.  As we engaged him in conversation, we proclaimed the Gospel to him.  His response?  He laughed openly and slapping his knee he said, “Your God died?  That’s very funny!” 

            Our foundation isn’t pretty or gorgeous but gruesome and grotesque.  It’s not something that anyone would think of as the sturdy foundation of faith.  But as Paul writes, “If anyone thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is folly with God.”

            It seems foolish that salvation is through the cross of Jesus.  It seems foolish that we splash some water on a little girl and rejoice that through this water combined withGod’s Word He has saved her, claimed her as His own dear child – that through baptism Daphnie has been given the gift of the Holy Spirit who has given her faith.  But that’s how the strength of God is made manifest – under the weakness of the cross; under the ordinary things of this world like words, water, bread, and wine.  Yet, through these things that seem a foolish, weak, and simple  God builds His Church and He sustains His Church – through schisms rent asunder by heresies distressed.

            The Church, with all its divisions and problems, is the temple built on the foundation of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, held together by the His Word, cleansed in Baptism, and refreshed in the Lord’s Supper.  Similar to the Church in Corinth, the Church on earth has her warts because the Church is comprised of sinful people.  That seems foolish, doesn’t it – that the Church isn’t full of holy people but sinners?  But that’s why the Church exists, not for the righteous, but for sinners seeking salvation. 

Yet, Jesus went to the cross so that we would be made His people, His building, His temple.  Redeemed, washed, and holy in the tide of His blood.  You’re a holy people, built out of the precious material of Jesus’ blood, built out of the enduring nails that were hammered through Jesus’ hands and feet. 

Just as the dangerous task of constructing an enormous building will, at times, take someone’s life; so too, does constructing you to be a temple of God require a life.  It’s not an easy work.  Rather, it’s a difficult task, one that requires much labor, much heartache, much frustration and a task that absolutely requires blood - the blood of Christ - shed on the cross for you.  This is a foundation on which we build.  This is the object of our faith – the crucified and risen Jesus.

            God builds His sturdy foundation of His Church on that which seems foolish to the eyes of the world.  But, we cling tenaciously to the cross so that we can become wise to salvation through Christ, for He is your salvation.  Through His nail-pierced hands and feet, His suffering and death, He has granted to you His eternal Kingdom. 

            My pastor was fussy about the foundation that summer when we build that house.  So are we.  We keep the cross as the center of everything we believe, teach, and confess.  He is your salvation, this man on the cross is bearing your sin and mine.  He’s the firm foundation upon which our faith is built, so if we lose Jesus Christ and Him crucified for sinners, we lose everything. 

            It’s foolish to the world, but it’s the wisdom of God to redeem sinners.  Let us go forth with these words on our lips, “The Lord has laid the foundation in my baptism which has granted me all the gifts of the cross.  He has made me His own dear child and continues to grant me His forgiveness each and every day.  Let the world and the devil scoff and blow like a hurricane, for my faith which is anchored in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for my salvation, won’t be moved.  My foundation is sure.  My eternal life secure in Him who died and was raised again for me.”  Amen.

            The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting.  Amen. 

In Memoriam +Esther Augustin+

Text: Colossians 3:12-17

To all who knew and loved Esther: 

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

            Martin Luther once quipped, “I am not ashamed to confess publicly that next to theology there is no art which is the equal of music, for she alone, after theology, can do what otherwise only theology can accomplish, namely, quiet and cheer up the soul of man, which is clear evidence that the devil, the originator of depressing worries and troubled thoughts, flees from the voice of music just as he flees from the words of theology.  For this very reason the prophets cultivated no art so much as music in that they attached their theology not to geometry, but to music, speaking the truth through psalms and hymns”

            I don’t know if this little quote was going through Esther’s mind at the time that she raised her children to love and to cherish this precious gift from the Lord, but if it was, both Esther and Luther were right – music is truly a gift of God.  Which is why St. Paul urges the Colossian Church to, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” 

            Today we, too, sing.  We sing hymns that proclaim all that God has done for Esther and for you.  We sing to the Lord hymns that proclaim His salvation that has been given to Esther through Him who was crucified but raised again.  To be sure, we sing with mourning hearts but, since Jesus has destroyed death by His death and resurrection, we also sing with joy.  For the Lord Jesus Christ, whose birth caused the heavenly choir to burst into a frenzy of singing, came so that the dirge that’s on our lips because of sin and death would be turned into jubilant song. 

            Our songs, our hymns, our praise are given in because of what our Lord Jesus has accomplished for Esther and for you.  Our Lord is no stranger to death.  He, Himself, was placed into its icy clutches.  He was crucified, died, and was buried and in so doing, paid the ransom price, paying for our sins, redeeming Esther, who was sprinkled with His grace in her baptism the day after she was born.   But the clutches of death couldn’t hold Him – Death was unable to choke our Lord down and so spit Him back out of the belly of the earth alive.  The stone cold dead body that hung on the cross was, three days later, raised again.  Death has been undone, the grave transformed into a bedchamber, where those who die in the faith shall be awakened to eternal life. 

Today, Esther’s soul is with the Lord, but the symphony of God’s salvation hasn’t yet come to its final crescendo.  The finale comes on the last day when Christ will come on the clouds and shall call out to her, “Esther, it’s time to wake up.  Today is your Easter Day.”  Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, death has lost its hold on Esther as well.  Our Lord shall raise her and all His people from their earthen bedrooms to live with him – body and soul – in the New Jerusalem.  The mouth that is now shut shall sing again.  The eyes that are now closed shall behold the glory of her Lord.  The ears that are now stopped shall hear the trumpet sound of God and the beauty of her Lord’s voice.  The hands that are now still shall feel His warm embrace. 

            And this Jesus who has gone into and out of the grave for Esther is also for you.  The Savior who has redeemed her body and soul is also the Savior who has redeemed you.  Jesus has also taken upon Himself Your sins, and in Christ you, too, are forgiven.  Jesus comes for sinners- that’s Esther, you, and me.  He died for you.  He rose from the grave for you.  Death couldn’t hold Him!  The resurrection of Jesus on the third day is the turning point in world history that we, who deserve nothing from God, would receive everything from Him.  Forgiveness, eternal life, is given to all who trust in His salvation freely given – flowing from His cross.  For her Jesus is also for you.  That’s why we sing.  Sin and death have been undone! 

Esther and Luther are right; apart from theology there is no better gift of God than music.  Today we sing our hymns that point us to Jesus, who is our life and our salvation.  Yet here in the Church on earth, our joyful hymns are mixed with tears of sadness.  But in the Church Triumphant, which Esther is now numbered, the joyful singing never ceases.  Amen.

            The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting.  Amen.

6th Sunday after the Epiphany; Matthew 5:21-37

After a bit of a hiatus due to technical difficulties, the blog will now resume...

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

            Have you been watching the Olympics?  There are several events in both the Winter and Summer Olympics that I watch and find myself thinking, “What was that like doing that for the first time?”  For example, the ski jump.  Can you imagine sitting on the platform at the top of the hill, looking down the ski ramp made of snow designed to throw you off a mountain to see just how far you can fly through the air before you, hopefully, land upright on your skis?  Not exactly on my bucket list.

            Moving to the Summer Olympics, the same is true for the pole vault.  I was never in track and field in high school, but some of my friends competed in this event.  This is another thing where I can’t imagine doing for the first time: taking a pole, running as fast as you can toward an elevated bar, sticking the pole in the ground and shooting up with your feet over your head, trying to make it over the bar.  It sends chills down my spine.

            I’m sure when you’re learning the bar is set low, low enough for a rookie to even make it.  However, in the Olympics, the bar is first set at a moderate level, to weed out all the non-contenders.  The bar is then raised a bit until, finally, nobody’s able to pole vault over it.  So, in the end, it’s possible that no one clears the final height that the bar is set to.  The winner is the best loser, so to speak.

            In a sense, that’s what Jesus is doing in our Gospel text for this morning.  He’s setting the bar on the holy Commandments of God. 

            Listen to what Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’  But I say to you that everyone who is angry wit his brother will be liable to judgment… Whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire… You have herd that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” 

            The bar is set.  So the question is now what does God expect from us?  How well does He really expect us to keep His commandments?  Have you been angry?  Jesus says you’re a murderer.  Have you ever looked at someone who wasn’t your husband or wife with a lustful heart?  Jesus says you’re an adulterer.  How does God expect us to keep His Commandments?  He leaves no wiggle room, no way to work our way off the hook. 

And next week we’re going to hear Jesus say, “Be perfect as My Father in heaven is perfect.”  What does God expect from us?  How well does He expect us to keep His commandments?  He doesn’t expect us to do the best we can.  He doesn’t expect us to try our hardest.  God expects His Commandments to be kept perfectly – from the time we’re conceived to the time we die.  And anything less is eternal punishment.

Now, try to imagine how the people listening to Jesus would have heard these teachings; and we can identify.  They had thought that they were doing fairly well keeping the Commands of God.  After all, most of them hadn’t physically murdered anyone or committed adultery as it was narrowly defined.  Those who were divorced found some rabbi who approved of their actions and they made sure they did the required paperwork.  Regarding the oath taking, they played according to the rules of what they were taught and no one ever failed to perform an oath taken in the Lord’s name because they were smart enough to leave the Lord’s name out of it.  They thought they were good.  It took some effort to keep their noses clean; but they cleared the bar – they’re winners in their own minds.  God must be happy with them.  But they had lowered the bar so low that they could just step over it.  And here’s Jesus telling them that they weren’t even in the competition.  They lost before they started.  The bar of the Law is impossibly high and they can’t even get their feet off the ground. 

            And don’t we do the same?  When faced with an impossibly high bar, we lower it – make God’s Law something that we can attain.  “Of course I’ve never murdered anyone.  As far as the 5^th Commandment is concerned, I can just check that one right off.”  “I’ve never been intimate with someone other than my spouse sure my eyes wander from time to time, but as long as I look but don’t touch – that’s the main thing.  The 6^th Commandment isn’t all that hard to keep.” 

Just when we’ve got the bar lowered to a manageable height, something that we can handle, got it set to a level where we can just step over it and assume that’s good enough for God, Jesus says otherwise and raises it to where it should be - so high that we can plainly see that we, too, have already lost before we’ve even started.

Have you reached the bar that God has set in His Law?  Are you perfect?  Well, my friends… Yeah.  In Christ, and only in Christ, you most certainly are.  Here’s the Good News for us who have no hope of keeping God’s perfect Law – Jesus is your perfection.  In Christ, you’ve kept the Law perfectly.  God has set the bar where we poor miserable sinners are unable to reach, so Christ, the truly Perfect One, keeps every jot and tittle of the Law for you.

This is the scandal of the cross: that we who are blatantly guilty are declared innocent and He who was perfectly innocent is declared guilty of our murderous hearts, adulterous minds, and lying mouths.  On the cross Jesus, who met the Law’s demands, who hopped right over that bar of God’s, is the biggest sinner that ever was.  On the cross, He has our sin and the sins of the whole world.  On the cross, He is the murderer, the adulterer, the liar, as He pays for all your sins with His precious blood and innocent suffering and death for you.  On the cross, He has your sin, He becomes your sin. 

This is the blessed exchange: Jesus takes your sin and in return He gives you His righteousness, His perfect keeping of the Law.  The gold medal that He won by keeping the Law He gives to you.  His perfect obedience to the Law He applies to you.  Be perfect as My Father in heaven is perfect?  You bet because in Christ, that’s how God sees you – arrayed in His perfect righteousness, His perfection.

            When it comes to God’s Law, we keep the bar where it belongs.  We recognize how we fall short; we confess our failings, our sin.  We repent, but never in despair – all the more relying on Jesus who is your Savior and your righteousness before God.  Who has kept the Law perfectly for you; who gives to you His righteousness so that when you stand before the judgment seat of God, He sees you covered in the blood of Christ, robed in His righteousness and perfection that He gives to you out of His love, grace, and mercy. 

Jesus takes you and your sins upon His shoulders and clears the bar for you.  The death that He dies, the sacrifice that He makes for you is your salvation.  The Law of God is perfect, righteous, and holy and, in the crucified and risen Jesus, so are you.  Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting.  Amen.