HOLY GHOST STORIES!

 

Do you like stories about ghosts? There have been so many books, movies, TV shows and cartoons about ghosts. Some are very scary and some are really funny. I know that I mentioned that we watched a cartoon named Casper the Friendly Ghost.

Well, people did and still do believe that ghosts are real. That’s why in our Gospel today, Jesus spoke to his disciples about the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit. When he rose from the dead and appeared to them, they were afraid because they thought that they were seeing a ghost. The Book of Acts also speaks of the disciples being filled with the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost.

The Spirit Jesus spoke about in today’s Gospel (Jn 7:37-39) is given to you just as it was given to the first followers of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is given to you because you believe in Jesus. Martin Luther said that the Holy Spirit helps you believe in Jesus.

This Holy Spirit also helped the disciples – and helps us – understand Jesus’ teachings. Without this Helper then we do not understand Jesus’ teachings.

That Spirit is here with us in all the people praying together. That Holy Spirit is in God’s Word when we hear it read and when we teach God’s Word. The Holy Spirit is here when we receive God’s grace through Baptism, Confession and the Lord’s Supper. The Holy Spirit is also in your heart because God poured His love into your heart through the Holy Spirit. That should make you feel very holy.

With that, let us pray. Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless these and all children, and give their parents the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Pentecost's Four I's

 

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. My sermon is entitled Four I’s and my focus is Acts, Chapter 2. … Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

Not long ago, my Optometrist examined my eyes and I got a new pair of prescription glasses. I have been wearing glasses since I turned eight. I was in third grade and my classmates started calling me, and any other boy wearing glasses, Four-Eyes! Kids have called their classmates four-eyes for over 100 years. Four-eyes is simply slang for a person who wears glasses. Four I’s is also the title of my sermon. Four I’s as in the letter between H and J, and not the organ for vision. Four I’s: intoxication, indwelling, involvement and indifference. Intoxication and indwelling from Acts; involvement and indifference from our place in the world today.

First, intoxication. We commonly understand intoxication as drunk. Some of us remember Mayberry’s Otis or the lovable Foster Brooks. Drunks. Only for 400 years have we understood intoxication as drunk on rum, rye or red wine. Before that, intoxication meant poisoning. The root word – toxic – pertains to Greek warriors who dipped their arrows in poison before combat and shot them at their enemies.

Intoxicated is what the apostles’ opponents claimed they were. And while I am humored by the way the New Living Translation of the Bible puts it – “They’re just drunk, that’s all!” – the version that reads – “They had too much new wine” – is ironic. Ironic because in the Old Testament, new wine or sweet wine symbolized the joy and abundant blessings that God would give his people in the messianic age.[1] In Joel, we read, “On that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk” (3:18).

In Amos, we read, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it. I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit” (9:13-14).

Jesus hinted that he would give the new wine of divine life when he turned water into wine at Cana. And in Mark, chapter two, he said, “No one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins – and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins” (2:22). And so, at Pentecost, new wine is the Holy Spirit, the gift of love that is poured forth into our hearts.

Though the crowd heard diverse languages from a group of Galileans, their reactions differed widely, from bewilderment to scoffing accusations that the believers were drunk; however, miraculous signs invite faith but do require an explanation of what they signify.[2] In other words, the apostles were intoxicated, but not poisoned. Intoxicated with the Holy Spirit, but not wine.

From intoxication to indwelling. Indwelling describes a medical condition, such as a catheter, but more commonly describes an inner guiding force. Something takes up residence within you and becomes part of you, such as a catheter or a spirit.

Something took up residence in the apostles and became part of them. Acts described this force as the Holy Spirit that descended from heaven like a terrifying wind, filled the house and then rested on each believer.

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost reminds us how indispensable the Spirit is for our faith and salvation. Pentecost reminds us that we are not saved by doctrinal orthodoxy or our determination to follow scrupulously rules and commandments. We are saved by the acts of God.

The indwelling Holy Spirit bestows on us the virtues of faith, hope and love from which all other Christian virtues and actions follow. As it did in the first believers, the Spirit produces in us a particular kind of fruit. St. Paul listed the fruit as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). In short, the Holy Spirit dwelling within the believer produces the character of Jesus.

On Pentecost, the Trinity imparted a gracious gift that produced in each believer the character of Jesus. Frightened men and women who hid from authorities no longer feared dungeon and death. They faced it because the character of Jesus now dwelt within them. The character of Jesus dwelt within them.

From indwelling to involvement. Acts teaches us that on Pentecost, the believers did not remain in the place where the Holy Spirit descended upon them. Rather, as soon as they received the Holy Spirit, they began to witness.

Following Jesus’ last command – You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth – their witnessing flowed naturally (Acts 1:8).

Their witnessing began in Jerusalem, and quickly reached Italy, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Libya – the cities and regions mentioned in verses 9 and 10. The Gospel spread like wildfire because Christians – filled with the Holy Spirit – cut people to the heart with words like repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; and save yourselves from this crooked generation (Acts 2:37-40).

Christians spoke like that because they were intoxicated with the power of the Holy Spirit. The power of the Spirit brought about their ability to speak other languages, but it was clear that the church was not building a language institute but a body of believers sent to every nation on earth.[3] Christians involved in the world resulted in 3,000 baptisms on Pentecost.

As I said last Sunday, I have preached and pastored since 1987. I participated in gatherings of a million Christians, and in 2015 traveled to Ecuador where I saw the phenomenal growth of an evangelical churches, but I never witnessed a baptism of 3,000 people. This occurred because Christians intoxicated with the Holy Spirit were involved in the world.

Christians intoxicated with the Holy Spirit involved in the world. … Have you ever been intoxicated? How about intoxicated with the Holy Spirit? Does the Holy Spirit dwell within you to the degree that you speak and act like you drank too much? If so, or even if not, are you involved in the world?

Apart from voting, many Christians avoid involvement in the world. We excuse ourselves because we dislike politics and despise dirty tricks. Yet, we see that Jesus involved himself in the lives of thousands of people by teaching God’s Word, forgiving their sins, healing their infirmities and quenching their hunger. In short, Jesus challenged the establishment.

Jon Kuhrt, a Christian involved with London’s homeless recently wrote, “We have no choice about being political because if we choose not to engage then it is a vote for the status quo … Christians [must] be involved because we believe in a God who cares passionately about his world and his creation, and consequently how it is run. The Bible is hugely political – in that it is about how God wants people to behave and act towards him, and towards each other. This involves economics and law because these are tools that need to be used to build justice.

As believers in God, we have much to bring to politics – a deeper commitment to justice and compassion which throughout history has made a difference in the political sphere through people like William Wilberforce, Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu and many others.”

Kuhrt goes on to say, “Be involved in your local community – what issues do local people care about? How can you help make a noise about key issues local to you?  How does your church or youth group connect with issues of justice either locally or globally?  How can you build knowledge of what is going on and get passionate with others about making a stand?

Join the Christian group of the party that you believe in and be an advocate for Jesus’ politics within it.  Be brave and courageous – don’t just follow the crowd, but be willing to ask the difficult questions.”[4] Be involved, but be indifferent.

Hence, my last point, indifference. My last point does not contradict my previous point. By indifference I do not mean apathy or a “who cares” or “whatever” attitude. On the contrary, holy indifference means total openness to God’s will in one’s life. In other words, whatever God wills for me, I will strive with all my heart, mind and soul to conform to His will. I will not prefer health to sickness, riches to poverty, honor to dishonor, a long life to a short one.

How did Jesus expect His disciples to attain holy indifference? How did the first Christians achieve acceptance of God’s will? How did sentenced Christians bring glory to Christ? Through a constant, dynamic prayer life which led them to total confidence in God and a willingness to give themselves wholly to the Trinity.

They were indifferent because they knew God directed them. Their love for Father, Son and Spirit was so deep that all obstacles between God and themselves were removed to the point that they knew how to use things properly, for example, talent, money, property or politics to glorify God. They were able to do so because they recognized that all things came from God, and that all people were from God. Hence, the first Christians not only withstood their enemies’ insults about intoxication, but also welcomed them if they brought glory to Christ and His Gospel.

Friends, four-eyes is not the worst insult people will hurl at you. Intoxication is not the worst accusation people will make. A Christian intoxicated with the indwelling Holy Spirit involved in the world who employs holy indifference will make all the difference needed to bring about God’s Kingdom because of what Father, Son and Spirit have done. Allow God to work in you, and know that when He does, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] William S. Kurz, Acts of the Apostles. (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing, 2013), 46.

[2] Kurz, 46.

[3] John W. Martens, “Continuing Education,” America. May 16, 2016.

[4] Krish Kandiah, “Why Christians should be involved in politics,” https://resistanceandrenewal.net/

JESUS PRAYS FOR YOU

 

When you pray, do you ask God for anything? If you do, what is it? When I was your age, I asked God for friends and to be funny. I asked God to help me in baseball and school. When I got to high school, I asked God to help me be popular, and later to be successful. So, nothing I asked for was really important.

Do you know what I ask God to give me today? I ask God to make me indifferent. That means that I want to be okay with whatever God gives me. As I have gotten older, I have learned that it’s better for me to accept God’s plan for me than for me to give God my plans.

Here is what I mean. I prayed for good health, but I got sick and got well many times. I have fallen more times than I can remember and was in a car wreck. I had teeth replaced and surgery on my shoulder. I even got pneumonia which was worse than Covid.

Maybe your parents have gone through the same thing. They pray to be successful so that they can take care of you, but they may not make as much money as they want.

I say this because in our Gospel today (Jn 17), Jesus prays not for all the things we often pray for. He prays for his disciples to be protected from evil, the evil one and that His Father make them holy. And do you know what? That is Jesus’ prayer for you too. Jesus prays for you to be protected from sin, Satan and for you to be holy. So, the next time you pray, ask Jesus what He wants for you.

With that, let us pray. Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless these and all children, and give their parents the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Veni Creator Spiritus

 

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. … My sermon is entitled The Holy Spirit in Scripture, Christ and Church. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

Thirty-six years ago, on May 23, 1987, I was one of five men ordained at St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While the ordained laid hands on us and prayed, the congregation sang Veni Creator Spiritus or Come, Creator Spirit. This hymn is often sung on Pentecost to mark the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church, as Jesus promised. Years later, as you heard in my prayer, I still ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. Today, I examine the Spirit and Scripture, Christ, and the Church.

First, the Spirit and Scripture. The word spirit comes from the Latin spīritus meaning breath. Spirit is the force or principle of life that animates the body of living things. It can also mean temperament, liveliness or mood. We got spirit. Yes, we do. We got spirit. How bout you?

In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God is present in at least three ways. First, the Spirit of God is present in creating the world and sustaining life. The Bible’s second verse reads, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

The Spirit of God is also present in history, using a rebellious Israel to reveal God’s redemptive purpose. In Psalm 106, we read how Israel angered God and troubled Moses by the waters of Meribah, for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses’ lips (32-33).

Finally, the Spirit of God is present in individual believers. For example, in Ezekiel we read, “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (36:26-27).

The Chaldean King, Belshazzar, recognized that the Spirit in Daniel enabled him to interpret dreams (Dan 5; 10). Finally, the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed God’s promise. “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (31:33). In short, the Spirit of God has always been active. It is that Spirit Jesus promised to send to the Church. My second point, the Spirit and Christ.

You may be aware that over the next several weeks, we will celebrate Pentecost and Holy Trinity Sundays. The readings chosen for these last weeks of Easter purposefully point towards the power of the Spirit which Christ and His Father promised to send. Since we spend so little time focusing on the Holy Spirit, we should reacquaint ourselves.

Who is the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is God. He is not an it. He is not a divine influence or a fleecy white cloud, a ghost or concept. He is a Person possessing a will, intellect and emotions. He is God – with all the deity’s attributes. He is the Third person of the Trinity – co-equal with God the Father and God the Son.

Why did the Holy Spirit come? Could we not follow the Law and Gospel without a Helper? It seems to me the Holy Spirit meddles too much. After all, the Church of the East and West never agreed on the exact wording of the Nicene Creed because of the Holy Spirit. Some ministers never preach about the Holy Spirit, preferring to talk only about Jesus Christ. So, why do good and proper Christians need the Holy Spirit? Because the Holy Spirit enables me to know Christ.

The Holy Spirit enables me to know Christ and gives me the power to live and share the abundant life that Jesus promised to all who trust and obey Him. I cannot live this abundant life apart from the help of the Holy Spirit for the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, all qualities of the abundant life (Gal 5:22).

Yet, people deny the Holy Spirit. In fact, not long after the Church penned the Nicene Creed and settled the Arian controversy, another sect declared the Holy Spirit inferior to the Father and Son. Fortunately, theologians like Basil the Great defended the deity of the Holy Spirit. Basil cited not only the words of Jesus, who taught that sin against the Holy Spirit is unpardonable (Mt 12:31=32), but also the Acts of the Apostles where Satan filled the heart of Ananias who lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4).[1]

Sadly, today there are numerous nontrinitarian denominations including Christian Scientists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Quakers or Friends, Jehovah's Witnesses and the Unitarian Universalists.[2] This is not to say that they are bad people, but we must be clear about our beliefs and teachings regarding the Holy Spirit. My third point, the Spirit and the Church.

The orthodox teachings of Martin Luther remind us that the Holy Spirit empowers the church to perform its mission. Without the Spirit, could the first followers of Jesus remember his words and deeds? Could they read the Law and Prophets through the prism of His Paschal Mystery? In other words, the Spirit inspired writers to remember how Christ fulfilled Scripture. Those who followed Jesus, saw Him die and witnessed Him alive passed on the Good News. Today, that good news is announced to you. You are saved through Christ.

The Spirit brings us into a saving relationship with Christ. Think how powerful a force the Holy Spirit is – that we know the story of a man born 2,000 years ago. To put that force into perspective, consider that 100 years after you draw your last breath, 100 years after your spirit is gone, no one will remember you. Your great-great grandchildren will not know your name or know your favorite ice cream flavor. Wanna bet? Name your 16 great-great grandparents. Now, name their favorite ice cream.

I say that because most of the time we do not remember those who have gone before us, but next Monday, on Memorial Day, we remember those who died fighting for our nation. With that, a personal story.

Most people never heard of Private First Class Leonard F. Cwynar. I never met my Uncle Leonard, eldest son of John and Helen Cwynar. The War Department declared him dead on the Anzio Beachhead during Operation Shingle, the costliest battle of the Second World War. I say ‘declared dead’ because not enough remains were left to identify Leonard. He was one of 67,000 Allied casualties. The enemy suffered 25,000 casualties. Actors Audie Murphy and James Arness survived.

We have no pictures of Leonard, but we have his letters. This is his last – written to my grandparents on March 10, 1944 from the Anzio Beachhead in Italy.

Dear Mom & Dad, … Just dropping you a few lines to let you know that I am in fine health. I feel better today than I have for quite a while. I wasn’t sick, just plain tired. Will you please say hello to all my friends cause I don’t have time to write them. Thank Mrs. Weigel for the card she sent me. Tell Weigels, Ewings, Hollisters, and Red I said hello. I miss all the folks at home and will be glad when it’s over.

I didn’t hear Roosevelt’s Christmas Eve speech … I’m running out of words and paper so until my next letter, So long and God Bless You. … Love, Leonard.…

I can read you Uncle Leonard’s last letter because my grandparents, father and uncles loved and remembered him. I can read you Scripture, God’s letters, because the first followers of Jesus loved and remembered Him. … Love, the power of the Holy Spirit, enables the Church to remember and present Christ as active and alive in every continent and culture for 21 centuries.

The Holy Spirit also empowers us to share how Christ is active in our lives. … You would not have heard of PFC Leonard Cwynar if I had not talked about him. You would not know Christ if His first followers had not talked about Him. The Gospel requires both preachers and listeners. Will Christ be remembered if you do not share what He did for you? In a word, no. So, what prevents you from sharing your faith?

Memorial Day reminds us no ordinary soldiers sacrificed supremely. Only extraordinary soldiers. The promise of the Holy Spirit reminds us no ordinary Christians sacrifice supremely for the Gospel, only extraordinary Christians.

For me, the last 36 years have been extraordinary. Every chance I get to preach God’s Word is extraordinary. Likewise, your chance to live an extraordinary Christian life is right before your eyes. All you have to do is believe the power of the Holy Spirit is present in the ordinary moments of life. All you have to do is share with your family how the Spirit is active and alive in you. Then, 70 or 150 years after your spirit leaves your body, people will remember you as the most extraordinary Christian whoever lived and loved.

On Memorial Day, honor those who sacrificed their lives by sharing the Gospel. Honor those who shared the Gospel with you by remembering them. Thank them and thank God for them. When you do, may the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] Acts 5:3-4 (See also http://cyclopedia.lcms.org/display.asp?t1=s&word=SIN.THEUNPARDONABLE).

[2] See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity#Holy_Spirit_as_God

LETTERS

 

Do you like getting letters? Before email, people wrote letters and when they had news to share with other people. I wrote letters to friends when I was in college, and to family when I was studying in Poland. When I travel, I mail postcards. Writing letters and sending them are important tasks, and I hope one day you write letters to your family members and friends.

Today, most of the mail we get is junk, but there are letters that were sent to us by someone very special. Someone who loves us dearly has sent love letters to us. Do you know who that Person is? It’s God. God sends us love letters.

Do you know where to find these letters? They are in a book called the Bible. I mention this because every Sunday we take our book and read a portion of all these love letters from God.

Since Easter, we have been reading the love letters from St. Peter to his friends and church family members. At times, Peter told people about God. At other times, he told people that they may have to suffer, but take comfort in the sufferings of Jesus. He wrote all these things because he loved his family members and friends almost as much as God loves them.

Do you know what else, God sends those love letters to you too. Maybe your parents or grandparents can read them to you. When you become an adult, you can read them to others and remind them of God’s love for all people.

With that, let us pray. Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless these and all children, and give their parents the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Hope While Suffering

 

God’s grace, peace and mercy to you. My sermon is entitled Hope while Suffering, and my focus is our Epistle (1 Peter 3:13-22). Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

Suffering. A few weeks ago, I said that we all understand suffering. It comes to us from two Latin words: sub, which means up or under, and ferre, meaning to carry or bear. Joined together, we have our English word, suffer. Throughout its history, the word has not changed much with the exception of the phrase Suffering Succotash, an exclamation of annoyance and surprise, made famous by the cartoon character Sylvester the Cat.

Since much of the New Testament was written against the backdrop of the Greek world, we turn to see what their philosophers said about suffering. The Cynics taught that suffering is alleviated by achieving mental clarity or freedom from some false belief, mindlessness or folly. One must develop self-sufficiency and love of humanity.

The Hedonist Epicurus advocated that we should first seek to avoid suffering and the unwelcome consequences of fleeting pleasures. Hedonism claims that good and bad consist ultimately in pleasure and pain.

For the Stoics, the greatest good rested in reason and virtue, but the soul best reached the greatest good through an indifference to pleasure and pain. As a consequence, this doctrine became identified with stern self-control. While the writers of the New Testament were persuaded by Greek schools of thought and culture, they were influenced to a greater degree by the Old Testament.

Suffering in the Old Testament is understood in terms of pain, sorrow, affliction and anguish, stemming from the loss of loved ones, property or land, sickness, guilt or frustration because of the absence of God. Pain or affliction may also be physical or emotional brought about by childbirth, manual labor, or the effects of war and hunger.

Suffering is a result of sin or the transgression of God’s law. This dominant view is understood in terms of vengeful justice or punishment. In other words, actions have consequences. Good behavior or good deeds lead to reward, while bad behavior or bad actions lead to punishment.

Vengeance is seen in terms of the direct intervention of God. This is emphasized in Deuteronomy, the Prophets, the Wisdom of Solomon and the Book of Job. A just God has the power and will to execute justice. There is a lot more that can be said of suffering for breaking God’s law, as well as innocent suffering as portrayed in Job, and vicarious suffering, such as that endured by Isaiah the Suffering Servant, but suffice it to say that the New Testament writers were inspired and influenced by their culture, the Holy Spirit and Sacred Scripture as they penned the gospels and epistles. So, we move from suffering in the Greek and Hebrew worlds to suffering in the early Church.

Peter has been bringing both words of hope and caution to his readers in the first chapters of the letter. They should act in ways that are honorable and holy so that their neighbors and family members have no reason to criticize them. The tension inherent in their situation comes to the fore in our passage, where Peter asks the question that seems to be plaguing his audience: “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?”

You see, followers of Jesus were recipients of slander and malicious talk. They were treated this way because of their allegiance to Jesus as Lord in a culture where abandoning temple worship of their former pagan gods was equivalent to treason. In this difficult situation, Peter advised Christians to adhere as much as possible to the expectations of state and household: “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people” (2:15).

So, when Peter asks, “Who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?” (3:13), his audience could have easily responded that they had been harmed precisely for doing good – for following their Lord. But Peter asks the question to call for even deeper reflection on their situation. He will readily concede in the very next breath that it is possible for his audience to suffer slander even as they live worthy lives, but it seems he wants his readers to do a double check when this kind of external pressure comes their way.

The need for self-reflection comes into even greater focus in verse 17 where he wonders aloud about the absurdity of suffering for doing good “if that should be God’s will.” Peter is bent on ensuring that the slander directed toward these Christians comes from their allegiance to Jesus and nothing else.

Pursuing allegiance is a central appeal of this passage: “in your hearts honor Christ as holy” (3:15). In a world of many lords and gods, these believers are to have only one Lord and are to be ready to speak to the hope they share in common with the community of faith. By speaking of their hope respectfully, humbly and honorably, they remain above reproach even if they are slandered by neighbors and family members. The hope held out is that their honorable behavior will put to shame those who slander them.

In the rest of our chapter, Peter offers the example of Jesus to encourage his readers. As Jesus was vindicated after he suffered unjustly, so these struggling followers can look forward to vindication if they commit themselves to their faithful Father and continue to do good.

There are numerous difficulties interpreting vv. 18-22, most notably the identity of disobedient and imprisoned spirits, the nature of Christ’s preaching or proclamation to them, and the rationale for the analogy between Noah’s situation and the Christian community’s condition.[1] Peter draws on the flood story to assert Christ’s proclamation of victory over all evil, including the spirits “in prison,” a picture of God’s patient restraint from their destruction. Christ’s victory over death brings his full lordship over all angels, authorities, and powers, including these spirits who epitomize evil.

Because of Christ’s resurrection and his vindication, those who trust Him can be assured that they, like Noah’s family, will be rescued through water, an analogy for Christian baptism. The readers of 1^st Peter knew about the Flood the way we know the writings of modern Christian authors. They heard the story of Jesus’ vindication after suffering and his removal of all opposing powers, and that gave them hope that their own suffering would be vindicated.

Now, let’s move out of Peter’s world and into our own where we are influenced not only by contemporary philosophies, but also by faith. As Greek thinkers influenced the world in which Jesus and his first followers lived, modern philosophers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill affected our culture more than a woke movement. Bentham and Mill developed and promoted hedonistic utilitarianism, a popular doctrine in ethics, politics and economics. Bentham argued that the right act or policy is that which would bring the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people. Others advocated the use of biotechnology to abolish suffering. Still others taught that we should consider not only the interests of human beings but also those of animals. Humanitarianism seeks to make the unhappy happy rather than the happy happier. It is a main ingredient in many of our social attitudes.

Now, I am not against making unhappy people happy or happy people happier. Yet, I know that truly deep happiness is rooted in something beyond this world and the time I spend living in it. For me, the Resurrection means everything, and therefore, the teachings of the Resurrected One, our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, mean everything to me. It is in Him and His teachings that I find true happiness. Christianity is not part of my life; it is my life. Nevertheless, not every moment of my life and not every event in my life stirs happiness. I am not happiest when I am pulling weeds or cleaning ashes out of the fireplace. I am not happy about arthritis or high blood pressure. Suffering still is part and parcel of my life as a Christian.

So, we want to be careful in making direct comparisons between 1^st century Christians in Rome and 21^st century Christians in the U.S., where we often have significant advantages in relation to people of other faiths. Many of us live and work among some people who practice a non-Christian faith or no faith at all.

Yet some of the themes we hear in our epistle resonate with us. As Peter pressed his readers to greater self-reflection to ensure that any suffering they experienced came only from their allegiance to Christ, so we might consider that any persecution we encounter arises not because of our faith, but possibly because of our own bad behavior, our own sin. Sometimes people do not like me because to them I act like a jerk.

That said, suffering occurs in our world. Beyond the suffering we experience when death is pending or sickness is present, when we face the strain of personal or congregational finances, stressful relationships among family members or employees for whatever reason, there is the additional suffering directly related to living as a Christian, and we need to be aware of it as much as 1^st century Christians were. We are aware that 1^st century Christian were persecuted for being Christian, but did you know that there were more martyrs in the 20^th century than under any Roman ruler?

Throughout the 20^th century, faithful Christians were murdered throughout Mexico, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Communist China and Vietnam, as well as many oppressive regimes in South America, Eastern Europe and Asia. Today, Christian persecution occurs regularly in North Korea, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, Pakistan, India and many other nations.

In Iran, Christians face systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. Libya trains militants to attack Coptic Christians. In France, vandalism, theft, arson and other increasing attacks occur on churches. Worldwide, 260 million Christians suffer from persecution.

What do they ask us and what is there we can do for people who suffer at this time? They want you to pray, engage and partner with them as fellow believers who share our faith but not our freedom. Pray, engage and partner with believers who share our faith but not our freedom.

My friends, it may seem that suffering seems to be winning the day, but the story of Jesus offers hope to all who follow in His footsteps for we know deep within our hearts that the God who vindicated and exalted Him, offers the same to us. Today, pray, engage and partner with others suffering from whatever life hurls at them, and know that the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] An answer to these three significant textual questions comes from the Jewish apocalyptic book, 1st Enoch, which dates from about the second century B.C. In Enoch 6-16, we hear an expanded interpretation of Genesis 6-9 in its narration of the exponential growth of human sinfulness and the subsequent flood, which only Noah’s family survived. In 1st Enoch, the Nephilim, or giants of Genesis 6:4, give birth to evil spirits who bring great wickedness upon the earth that is the impetus for the great flood.

GOD'S HOUSE

 

Do you live in a small house or a large house? Most of us live in small to medium-sized houses. Some people live in really big houses. One member of a church where I was pastor had a mansion with big iron gates and his initial on them. He had lots of rooms in his mansion, and then behind it, he had a big garage with two apartments above that. But I think the biggest house I visited was The White House. You can get lost in there.

I mention big houses because in our Gospel today (John 14:1-14), Jesus talks about his Father’s house and the many rooms in it. How many rooms do you think are in that house? Well, there must be a lot because Jesus is preparing rooms for all of us. I hope mine has a huge bed because my dogs like to sleep in bed with me.

Often times, we refer to a church as God’s House. Why do you think we call it that? It’s because we come here to be with God and to be together, like Jesus and the Apostles did. We’re in a new Hose of God, and when we look around, we compare it to our previous House of God. We may not like the size of this house, or the walls or floors. This house does not “feel” like the old house. Worst of all, there are only two bathrooms!

You know what I like about this house that I liked just as much as the other house? I like you being here. I like that God is here … and all of God’s sons and daughters. I like that Jesus is here with us in Word and Sacrament, and that he is going to show us the way to his Father’s house. And when we get to our Father’s house, do you know what we’re all going to say? “This is the best house ever!”

 With that, let us pray. Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless these and all children, and give their parents the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

House, Way, Ask

 

God’s grace, peace and mercy be with you. My sermon today is House, Way, and Ask, and my focus is our Gospel (John 14:1-14). Let us pray. Heavenly Father, the psalmist wrote, “I rejoiced when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” Now that our feet are within your gates, we rejoice to hear your Word. As we listen, may your Spirit enlighten our minds and move our hearts to love deeply as Jesus loved. This we pray to you, Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

House. The word itself can have many meanings. A house serves as a living-quarters for people or animals. If you have enough money, you may build a guest house for visitors. If you have committed some great or grievous error, you may find yourself in the dog house. Yankee Stadium is affectionately known as The House that Ruth Built. A friend of mine owns a house in which he stores his horse-drawn carriages. Royal families, such as The House of David includes the generations of his extensive family. House can refer to government, a business (movie house, fish house), wine or something free (on the house). Hundreds of movies, shows, books and songs contain the word house.

House appears over 2,000 times in the Old Testament, and over 300 times in the New. Jesus used the word when instructing his disciples (Lk 10:7), telling a story (Lk 6:48), or cleansing the temple of thieves (Lk 19:46). Twice Jesus spoke the phrase, “my Father’s house”. The first time was when he was found in the Jerusalem Temple by an exasperated and relieved Mary and Joseph. His response to their question was “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49). The second was when he expelled the merchants from the Temple, commanding them, “Do not make my Father’s house a house of trade” (Jn 2:16). Obviously, his Father’s house is a heavenly dwelling in which there are many rooms where the disciples will dwell in peace after the struggles of life.

Jews would have easily understood their house as heaven which has room enough for all of us. They understood that heaven was the resting place for the holy and just, but not the wicked. They also knew their history that in the Exodus from Egypt, God went before the Israelites to seek out a place for them to pitch their tents and to show them which way to go (Dt 1:33), and not to fear their enemies (Dt 1:29).

The message that Christ has gone before the disciples to prepare a place for them as well as the early Church and us today is that through our own death and resurrection, that is Baptism, Christians have a place reserved for them in their Father’s house. St. Paul reminds us of this in his words, “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor 5:1).

The fact that Jesus was going ahead of his followers and that he assured them of this was lost on his enemies as well as Thomas, a disciple who could not originally grasp what his Master said. That leads to my second point, Way.

Those of you who were here for Good Friday may recall that I spoke of the importance in John’s Gospel of Jesus’ “I Am” statements. Verses 6-11 explain how Jesus is the Way to the Father. He is the Way because he is the Truth or revelation of the Father so that when people know him, they know the Father and when they see him, they see the Father. He is the Way because he is the Life – since he lives in the Father and the Father lives in him. He is the channel through which the Father’s life comes to you and me.[1] Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father.

Now, if you are like me, you must wonder where Jesus got these concepts. I can tell you that being married to a Star Wars addict, Jesus did not get this from watching The Mandalorian, who regularly states, “This is the Way.” Jesus got it from reading the Psalms, particularly 86:11, which reads, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.” And Proverbs, where we read, “The wise man’s way leads upward to life that he may avoid Sheol below” (15:24). The way of life and the way of death are contrasted in Jeremiah when God says, “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death” (21:8).

While we could spend an inordinate amount of time researching and discussing Old Testament themes and the use of “the Way” by John the Baptist and the application of “the Way” to the followers of Jesus.[2] What it means here is that Jesus Christ is the only road of salvation because he is the Truth. Jesus is the only revelation of the Father who is the goal of our journey. No one has ever seen the Father except Jesus; and he tells us what he saw in the Father’s presence. Through faith in him and through Baptism, he makes us children of God whom we can call Father.[3] If Jesus is the Way in the sense that he is the Truth and enables us to know our goal, he is also the Way in the sense that he is the Life. Life comes through the Truth.[4]

That brings me to my third point, Ask. Aside from serving God as a pastor, I made a good living working as a development director for several nonprofit organizations raising money for a variety of educational and social service needs. As a development director, I was always asking people to invest in a cause. At times I asked and the answer was no. Other times I asked and the answer was double-yes. We experienced such a response recently for needed items in this church. There is one other word that I spoke as a development director, and I will get to that in a moment.

First, when I asked people to support a cause, did I have in mind Jesus’ promise? No. Did Jesus literally mean “anything” when you ask him to do something? No. True faith leads to understanding. So, how are we to understand what Jesus meant when he said, “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”?

The “Ask” is a continuation of what we read in verse 10-11, about the unity of God the Father and God the Son. Thus, there is no doubt that a Christian’s requests will be granted. Do you believe that? Your requests will be granted because of the unity of the Persons of the Trinity and our unity with this Triune God, our Triune God. That being the case, should our requests be petty? No. Don’t complain because you did not get what you wanted when you prayed for financial windfalls or a fitter physique, for a team victory or an election day upset. Lots of saints live in poverty and with disabilities, Ernie Banks never won a World Series and many people with integrity never won an election. Our requests should be pertinent to our Christian living and the continuation of the work by which Jesus glorified his Father. So, when you ask God for something keep in mind Jesus’ words to his Father, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do” (Jn 17:4).[5]

Looking at what was ahead for them – passion, death, crucifixion and everlasting life – what did the first disciples request? What was Stephen’s request as he looked up to heaven? What was Paul’s request as he sat chained in prison waiting for his death sentence? Knowing that our heavenly home is guaranteed, and that when we pass through the realm of death, we are protected from Satan through our faith in our Savior because we are baptized believers … Knowing that Jesus is the only way to our heavenly home, what are our requests?

I could answer you glibly, and I am sure if I handed each of you the mic, you could quickly answer that question, but let’s not make a list of what we will ask from God. Instead, go home and pray with your spouse and family, or gather with friends and fellow worshippers, or alone – and ask God one question: “How can we better glorify you, Father, and continue the work Jesus gave us to accomplish?”

I am asking you to first ask God what is best for us as a congregation. As you pray about that ask, look past material stuff we need and seek how we should live together as God’s people. How should we worship? How should we share with others what God is doing for our congregation right now? How should we tithe? How should we support the District, the Synod or a seminarian or missionary in addition to paying our bills? Should we get a Lutheran Comfort Dog? (Oh wait, we already have one.) After that, we can talk about what God revealed to us in prayer.

The other thing I learned to be successful as a development director is that you always, always have to say thanks. We thank our Triune God for creating us, for redeeming us, and for sanctifying us. I say thanks to you for your prayers, thoughts and actions as a congregation since I have been your pastor. As I was completing this sermon, I came across this prayer: Through your Son, you taught us, Father, not to be fearful of tomorrow but to commit our lives to your care. Do not withhold your Spirit from us but help us find a life of peace after these days of trouble. As you ask God for guidance, may the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] Raymond E. Brown, The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John XIII-XXI. Garden City NY: Doubleday and Company (1970), p. 628.

[2] See Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22.

[3] Brown, p. 630.

[4] Brown, p. 631.

[5] Brown, p. 636.