I Will Not Leave You As Orphans

Text: John 14:15-21

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

Being abandoned is one of the most difficult things a person can go through emotionally speaking.  I have been told that even negative attention or abusive attention is better than being abandoned.  The reason being, even negative attention asserts that a person exists.  Abusive attention, though it is horribly sinful, still acknowledges that the person who is being abused is present and alive.  However, being abandoned or forsaken by someone else basically communicates to the one being abandoned that they do not exist, that they are essentially dead, and not of any value or worth.

For example, great fear can also come upon us when we begin to notice hints of abandonment.  In response to possible abandonment we resort to sinful tactics to regain attention.  Children will act out in sinful tantrums to be noticed by a busy mom.  Youth will break the law and do stupid stuff to grab the attention of a distracted father.  Women will dress scandalously to seize the attention of a preoccupied husband and possibly other men. Men will accumulate luxurious material products to impress his lady, and possibly other women.  Elderly will lavish gifts upon children and others in order to ensure that they won’t be forgotten in the nursing home. 

Indeed, there is a great amount of fear, anxiety, and concern present in our lives due to our need of having to be noticed and this need that we have to be taken care of. 

No matter what people say, this world is difficult because it is infected and twisted by the fall of Adam of Eve.  From birth we are born stained by sin.  This sin has alienating effects.  It not only puts us at odds with ourselves and our neighbor, it puts us at odds with God.  In fact, because of sin we are born as spiritual orphans.  Yes, orphans.

For children who grow up as orphans, there are tremendous consequences to this abandonment.  An orphan is, of all people, most helpless, more so than a widow.  They are alone, powerless, and destitute.  Furthermore, they do not have precious memories, memories that could sustain them in the midst of their abandonment.  This means that they may search their whole entire life for the answers to who they are.  They may spend countless hours searching out their original identity to learn about their biological parents to see if they matter.  Being shuffled from home to home only undercuts certainty and assurance.  Thus, a deep longing can arise in an orphan to be accepted, to not be alone, and to be noticed.

The idea of an orphan is a most fitting metaphor for our relationship with the Lord.  We are indeed born into this world as spiritual orphans.  We are born with this sinful nature that has estranged us from the Lord.  In fact we are no ordinary orphans, but spiritual orphans in complete rebellion.  We run to our own sin and devices.  Thus, it is only through the powerful blood of Christ that we are adopted into the Lord’s Kingdom.  Surely, it was the Lord who chased us down and sunk us underneath the powerful baptismal waters.  It was the Lord who pulled us into the kingdom kicking and screaming.  Like Hosea in the Old Testament, it was the Lord who sought us out in our unfaithfulness, purchased us, cleansed us, and placed us in His Church.

With all that said, one may wonder if after being placed into the precious confines of God’s grace, if he or she is left alone to fend for themselves?  The disciples were also considering the same thing some two-thousand years ago as they gathered in the upper room to have the Last Supper with Jesus.  While eating with Jesus they heard the news that He would be departing from them.  Yes, the events of Jesus’ passion were about to happen.  The disciples would be scattered like scurrying cockroaches blinded by light.  Jesus would be put on trial, flogged, beaten, crucified, and put in a tomb. Jesus knowing all of this and knowing that after His crucifixion and resurrection that He would ascend to the Father, says, “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.”  He also says to the disciples, I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.”  Oh, what comfort this news must have surely been.  They will not be left as orphans.  What comfort it is to you and me right here and right now.  Indeed, Jesus is promising to send His disciples the Holy Spirit.  Keep in mind though that they had already received the Holy Spirit, for ‘No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit’ (1 Cor. 12:3).  However Jesus is promising them a special outpouring of the Spirit, which would come to them at what we know as Pentecost.  Now even though Jesus has never promised us another Pentecost, His promises in this section do apply to us.  They do apply to us because Jesus continues to send us the Holy Spirit to teach us all things, help us, and remind us of everything He said to us in His word (Jn 14:26).[1]

My friends, we are not left alone in the world to fend for ourselves.  Christ asks the Father to give us the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit, and we receive Him continually as a gift.  Yes, the Holy Spirit is not given as a reward for your prayers or given because of your obedience and doings.  You cannot ‘pray’ the Holy Spirit down upon yourself.  He comes at the request of the Son to the Father.  Any talk about ‘getting the Spirit,’ to the exclusion of Jesus requesting the Spirit is utter delusion.[2]  Rather, as a gift, the Holy Spirit is given to you through the Word in order to be your constant companion.  The Holy Spirit stands aside you, counsels you, helps you, teaches you, reminds you of scripture, convicts you of sin, points you to Jesus, guides you, and gives all glory to Christ. Indeed, Jesus comforts His disciples and us by this profound promise.  He promises that He will not leave us but will continue to come to us through the Counselor and live within us through faith.[3] 

My friends, you are not a spiritual orphan.  You are not forsaken.  You are not abandoned in this life.  The scriptures are your story, your lineage, and your history.  Your identity is in Christ crucified for the forgiveness of sins.  You are not lacking, for in Christ you have every, yes every, spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm.  Indeed, “when the Holy Spirit is doing His job, all we see and hear of is Jesus.  When you clearly hear and see Jesus then you know that the Holy Spirit is at work.”[4]

Today's Gospel reading tells us of the blessings we receive from the Other Helper - the Holy Spirit.  Truly, by our own reason and strength we cannot believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord, or come to Him; however, the Holy Spirit has called you by the Gospel, enlightened you with His gifts, sanctifies you, and keeps you in the true faith.  Yes, the Holy Spirit calls, gathers, enlightens and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps the Church with Jesus Christ in one true faith.[5] 

You are not alone.  You have not been abandoned.  You are not a spiritual orphan for the “Holy Spirit offers forgiveness, life, and salvation to [you] through faith in Jesus Christ.  Through this faith God adopts [you] into His family.  We become brothers and sisters of Christ and children of our Heavenly Father.  God is with [you] in this life and, when this life is over, He will take [you] to be with Him in heaven forever.”[6]

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] Sermon Studies on the Gospels: Series A ed. Richard D. Balge (Milwaukee, WI: Northwestern Publishing,  1989), 202.

[2] Harold Bulls, “Buls Notes on the New Testament.” http://pericope.org/buls-notes/john/john_14_13_21.htm (16 May, 2014).

[3] Ibid.

[4] Naomichi Masaki, source of quote unknown.

[5] Paraphrase of the Third Article of the Apostles Creed according to Luther’s Small Catechism.

[6] James T. Batchelor, “Sixth Sunday of Easter Sermon at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.” http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=963 (16 May 2014)

Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled

Text: John 14:1-14

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

The disciples in our Gospel reading from this morning need comfort.  The Gospel reading takes place when Jesus was in the upper room with His disciples the night before He was to be crucified.  Yes, Jesus is eating and ministering to His disciples and He says to them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”  In other words, He is calling them not to be agitated, to not be troubled, to not have inward commotion, and to not be stirred up.  Yes, here is Jesus eating and ministering to His disciples while knowing full well that He will be betrayed later that night; knowing full well that Peter will deny Him; knowing full well that He will be abandoned; knowing full well that He will be mocked, tortured and crucified; and knowing full well that He will drink the cup of suffering for bearing the sins of humanity.  Even though Jesus will go through an immense amount of discomfort, pain, and suffering, Jesus was filled with concern for His disciples and said to them, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”  In other words, Christ feeds His disciples words of comfort on the eve before His passion.  The disciples had just heard that Jesus was going to depart from them and Jesus knew what was going to happen on the day of His passion, but nonetheless, He shielded His disciples with words, words that were composed like calm waters. 

This all makes sense why Jesus proclaims comfort to the disciples, does it not?  Not only will they experience the discomfort from the upcoming events of Jesus’ passion, but He just got done telling them that He will depart from them.  Keep in mind that the disciples have been walking with the Son of God for three plus years and now they are approaching: uncertainty, the death of Jesus, fear, and a bloody cross.  Their world is about to come crashing down upon them.  Life as they know it will be turned upside down and they will scatter and deny Jesus later that evening.

We are really no different from the disciples my friends.  Like them we seek and need comfort.  We especially want it when our worlds are turned upside down and when our routines change. We all want relief from pain; we want ease, rest, and pleasure from the troubles of life.  We all want protection when our minds are distressed.  We all want to have comfort from the cold and hot elements of the weather.  We all want shelter when danger and difficulties approach.  We all want and need comfort from the darkness of death; death that approaches us with each breath that we take and with each day that we live.  Left to ourselves the weight of life is simply too much for us to bear, thus we seek to have a refuge. 

As you already know from experience, we often times desire comfort so much that we will go through discomfort and pain to obtain apparent comfort at the end of our personalized quests.  We will also cheat and steal to obtain temporary comfort in the now; whereas there are other times we will live our lives dreaming about comfort.  We will live with our head in the clouds, dreaming about the warmth of comfort, while ignoring the present realities of life. 

It is apparent that we are perpetually addicted to the idea and sphere of comfort. The reason why?  We were the ones who initiated discomfort in the first place.  You see, at the beginning of time, Adam and Eve were completely comfortable.  They were comfortable with the Lord, comfortable with each other, comfortable with themselves, and comfortable with their surroundings.  Everything was harmonious in the Garden of Eden; that is until sin happened.  Sin introduced calamity, distress, danger, and death.  Because of sin Adam and Eve were taken from comfort with God to being enemies of God.  They were once in harmony with each other and in harmony with themselves, but sin was driven deeply into them and into this world which resulted in insecurity and shame; discomfort emerged.  Yes, since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, mankind has been in search of comfort.  There is this desire in each and every one of us to restore Eden; there is a desire to establish comfort so that rest may emerge.

In the midst of uncertainty, change, the sufferings of life and our continual discomforting status, we hear today the words of Jesus to the disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”  Yes, Christ calls the disciples not to be troubled.  Even though these words were originally spoken to the disciples, they are also applicable and speak to us.  Friends, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”  You may say to yourself though, “Sure enough, this sounds good and true.  But it is rather empty.  Why or how can I not be troubled, just look at life and this world!”  Friends, Jesus’ rightly calls us not to be troubled in our innermost being, but to believe in God and to believe in Him.  Yes, believe upon Christ for Christ says that there is a cure to our troubled conscience and our discomfort.  That solution and comfort is in Jesus’ word that there are many dwelling places in His Father’s house.  Indeed, Jesus is speaking of heaven, saying that there are plenty of dwelling places for you.  There is no shortage of space and no reservation black outs.  Furthermore, Christ uses a word that communicates to the disciples and to us that these dwelling places, these rooms, these mansions, these abiding places are permanent.  Yes, they are stable, concrete, and lasting.  Take comfort friends, believe in God for in the midst of our every changing and unsettled world Jesus has spoken that there are many dwelling places that are stable—for you.  In the midst of your suffering, in the midst of the turmoil of your life, and in the midst of the instability of this world, there are promised eternal dwellings—for you. 

Listen to the words of Jesus, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. …  I go to prepare a place for you.”  Yes, Jesus grants us additional comfort in that He prepares a place—for you.  But how does He prepare this place for you?  Does the Christ construct and create with a hammer, nails, and lumber?  In point of fact He does, for He is the great craftsman.  You, who have ears, hear this: Jesus prepared this place by crafting salvation for you.  Wooden beams were hoisted up.  A Hammer was swung.  Nails were driven.  Sweat dripped.  Blood flowed. The words, “It is finished,” were spoken. It is most certainly true that salvation was crafted, completed, and perfected by the Christ—for you.  Sin, death, and the devil have been conquered; the Father’s wrath has been completed through this crafted and completed salvation.  Going to prepare a place for you means that Jesus fashioned salvation for you through a hammer, nails, wood, blood, suffering, and death—and considered it worthwhile. 

The way to the Father’s house is through Jesus’ preparation, preparation that was done for you.  Yes, He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Jesus Christ “left His Father's house and came to this earth to do the works of His Father.  While He was here He took on human nature and lived a righteous life under the authority of the law.  He allowed the authorities to arrest Him, torture Him, and put Him on a cross.  By doing these things He satisfied His Father's wrath against our sin.  This is how He became the way for us to enter His Father's house.  We have confidence that He is the way because He rose from the dead.  This is the reason He could say, "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."  His resurrection assures us that we too shall rise from death and that He will take us to live with Him.

What gracious words Jesus shared with His disciples in that upper room on the evening before He went to the cross.  His words are full of comfort and reassurance.  How gracious it is of Christ to prepare a uniquely perfect room for each and every one of us in His Father's house.  How comforting it is to know that Jesus will bring us to His Father's house safely because He Himself is the way.  How reassuring it is to know that Jesus is the full presence of God with us.  Most of all, how wonderful it is to know that Jesus' perfect life, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection mean that His Father is also our Father and His Father's house is also our eternal home.”[1] 

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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[1] James T. Batchelor, “Fifth Sunday of Easter Sermon at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Hoopeston, IL.” http://lcmssermons.com/index.php?sn=958 (15 May 2014).

We Belong To The Shepherd

Text: John 10:1-10

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

This idea of a shepherd and sheep is such a great image for us to think about.  Sheep tend to be fairly helpless animals.  They don’t have fangs or claws or a mean spirit where they will lash out and attack.  They are powerless to defend themselves from hungry predators.  Thus, there is a great deal of comfort when we see a shepherd next to the sheep.  In a sense the shepherd is heroic.  They tend to the sheep.  They protect the sheep.  They lead the sheep to shelter, good food and fresh water.  They typically have ownership and investment of the sheep.  The sheep know the voice of the shepherd and there is trust. 

There is a reason why the scriptures constantly use this metaphor and there is a reason why Jesus chooses this illustration in John chapter 10.  Jesus calls himself the good shepherd, “I… I am the good shepherd.”  If Jesus is the shepherd, we obviously are what?  We are His sheep.  Jesus chooses this illustration, not only because it is used in the Old Testament, but because it is a fitting image of our relationship with Him. It is a picture of being under His protection and authority.

Now, let me ask you all a question now.  How many of you enjoy and appreciate being a sheep?  How is it going having a shepherd?  It seems to me that if we are going to answer this truthfully that it may go well some days and terrible other days.  The reason being, we enjoy the benefits of having a shepherd but deep down we really don’t want to be sheep but want to be the shepherd.  In other words, how many of you think that you have control over your lives? 

The issue of control is really man’s struggle with God over all the ages.  God says, “I’m the creator, I am in control.  I am the Creator.  I am the beginning and the end.  I am the one that gives life, creates faith and holds the universe together.”  God says that He is in control and we then say, “Now wait a minute God.  Seriously, I understand you are a big shot but I am free, I am in control.  I am the master and commander of my own destiny.”

My friends, when we confess Jesus as our Shepherd we are confessing Him as Lord.  When we confess Jesus as our Savior we are confessing Him as our Master.  By confessing Jesus as our Shepherd we are essentially confessing our lack of control over our lives.  It isn’t easy for us to confess this is it?  To say that I am out of control, that I am not in charge grates against the American dream that we “can do anything we set our minds to.” To confess that we are not in control also offends our sinful nature. It offends our worth, our pride and this notion that our will is free.  Now, hold with me here as I define a highly sophisticated and profound theological word in describing ourselves.  When we confess that we are sheep and not the shepherd it causes us to what?  It causes us to quote-unquote, “FREAK OUT.”  We are control freaks are we not?  Deep down we struggle praying and saying, “Thy will be done.” 

Our general tendency is that we want to put God in our debt.  We want to be the shepherd and we want God to be our sheep.  We want to have full reign of everything.  This is the essence of the Fall of Adam and Eve where they rebelled and wanted to be like God.  Rationally we think to ourselves, “I can handle this.  I have a pretty good grasp on things.  I have been around the block a few times.”  Things can tend to go o.k. for us at times when we are running the show as the shepherd; however, we are simply not built this way.  We are not God. 

My friends, if we are the shepherd, and if we are in charge of our own lives, that means that everything is dependent upon us.  If God is the sheep and we are the shepherd, that means that the pressure of life and all that goes with it is on us.  When the wolves come, it is up to us to fight for ourselves.  When the food runs dry, it is up to us to find more food.  When we need to find safe land to graze, it is up to us to find it.  When it comes time for rest, we can’t totally rest because we will always have to sleep with one eye open to make sure that we won’t be attacked. 

The harsh reality is that in our rebellion of wanting to be in control, we are simply not built this way.  We don’t have what it takes to be God.  We can’t defend ourselves from the Evil One.  We don’t have the wisdom to find the green pasture land and we certainly are unable to die for our own sins.  God forgive us for trying to be in control and for trying to be shepherds when we are simply sheep.

You, who have ears, hear this.  The good news of the Gospel is that we can take comfort and rest in the fact that we are sheep and that Jesus is our shepherd.  There is rest here my friends.  We get to be sheep!

We can rest and take comfort because we belong to Jesus.  We falter and run in the midst of attacks when we try to be the shepherd, other false shepherds run when the going gets tough but Jesus shares with us that when the wolves come that He will not run and He will not forsake you.  In Matthew 28 Jesus says that He will never leave you nor forsake you, that He will be with us to the end of the age.  We belong to Jesus and that is the reason why He lays His life down for you. 

Jesus is the True Shepherd for us.  He did not come to be served by us sheep but to serve us and give His life for a ransom for many.  Think about this for a moment.  What is the purpose of a shepherd in the first place?  A shepherd is there for the sheep.  A hired hand is there for the paycheck, but the main shepherd is there because the sheep belong to Him.  He is invested in them.  He knows them.  He cares for them.  The sheep know the shepherds voice. 

God’s love for you is shown to us clearly in the giving of Jesus.  The very fact that Jesus was given to serve, ransom, claim, redeem and rescue you and I from our sin and our own attempts at trying to be the shepherd brings about our confession of, “I’m not the shepherd.  I confess that I want to be in control, but I now realize that I can’t and I deceive myself into believing that I can.  God thank you that you know what you are doing.  Thank you for the good Shepherd that comes to me and rescues me from my own attempts of control.  Thank you Jesus that you are good.  Thank you that you are in control and that you are leading me beside still waters.  Thank you that you restore my soul.  Thank you that you lead me in paths of righteousness for your name sake.  Thank you that you are with me and that your rod and your staff comfort me.  Thank you that you protect me from the Evil One.  Thank you that you give your life for me.” 

The reality of it is that we belong to Jesus that we are His sheep and that He is our Shepherd.  He leads us through the Word.  We are sanctified by the Holy Spirit through the Word.  He washes us in our baptism.  He feeds us in His Holy Supper.  He rebukes us through the Law.  He mends our wounds through the Gospel. 

As we journey in this Christian life we will continually attempt to say to God, “Let me be the shepherd.  Shouldn’t I take the lead for a while?  Maybe I should be in control here!”  All along we can be thankful that He bears with us.  When we wander He follows us. He keeps calling us by name, showing us with gentleness how foolish we are in trying to lead.

We cannot forget though that the most important and the most essential thing for us to ponder as a sheep of Jesus is that our shepherd lays down His life.  He lays down His life for the safety and welfare of His flock.  Jesus holds us tenderly in His arms, protecting us from everything that would destroy us.  When sin, death and devil come charging at us like a pack of hungry wolves to devour and steal us away, to confine us to the hell we deserve, our Shepherd says, “Take me.  Take me instead.  For I am the Good Shepherd.  You will not touch them nor have any authority over my sheep.  They belong to me.  I have promised to keep them safe.  Take me instead, for I will gladly give myself to you for the sake of my sheep.”

My friends, it is a privilege to be a sheep.  We are Jesus’ sheep, we belong to Him.  He knows you.  May we rest in the Shepherd’s care.

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

This sermon is indebted to the following sources:
-Letting Go Of Control (Alan Taylor) 
-Why We Need A God (A Plea To Nihilistic Americans)

That You May Not Grieve As Others Do

The following is posted with family permission.  May the Lord give to the family of Sylvia Colby and to all who mourn comfort in their grief and a sure confidence in His loving care.

Sylvia Colby

Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Epistle reading (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) from this morning says that we are not to grieve as others might grieve.  The reason why we do not grieve as other people might grieve is because we have something called hope.  Indeed, the Apostle Paul says in our text, “…we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.”

So, does this mean that we are not to grieve the loss of Sylvia?  Does this mean that we should not cry at funerals and that we should not feel pain?  Does this mean that we shouldn’t experience sorrow and that we should not mourn?  Should we toughen up and pull ourselves together and stuff our emotions? Should we pull ourselves up by our bootstraps? Absolutely not!  The Epistle lesson is saying that we can weep, that we can cry, that we can mourn for the loss of Sylvia, but we do so without despairing grief.  In other words, we do not grieve as if this is the ultimate end, as if there is nothing beyond death. 

The reason why our grieving as Christians is different than other people is that we have something called hope; hope that lies in the midst of our grief.  We look at the loss of Sylvia, the pain of death, with hope in view.  We hold our sorrow in one hand and hope in the other hand.  In other words, we mourn the loss of Sylvia with all of the emotions that come with loss, but we grieve not as if we are uniformed and not as if we do not have hope. 

But how is this hope able to do such things?  Keep in mind that left to itself, the word ‘hope’ is a rather empty word.  If you say, “I have hope!” that is fairly ambiguous.  The reason being, hope needs an object.  In other words, what is the source of our hope?  Our source of hope right here and right now is in the promises of God.  It is in the promises that the shed blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient to forgive us of all of our sins.  It is in the promises that Jesus is righteous and that we are holy because we wear Christ’s righteousness like a robe.  Our hope is in the promises that Jesus is coming back.  Our hope is anchored in the promise that a powerful trumpet will blast and penetrate to our dead bodies.  Our hope is connected to the promise that there will be a resurrection of the body; that Christ is coming back to take us home unto everlasting life. 

Unfortunately, the original hearers of the Epistle text, that we read earlier, had some misconceptions about what happens after death.  There was doubt and uncertainty.  Some were worried that when they died that there was no hope that they were out of the reach of Christ.  There was a lack of hope and what we could say was misplaced hope. 

Is it any different for us today?  In the midst of death it seems to me that every one of us looks for hope.  Death has a way of doing that.  Unfortunately, we can end up in despair when our hope fails to be placed where it should or when our hope is connected to hopeless things.  Yes, even the best well-intentioned Christians sin when they place their hope in the wrong places.  For example, you and I can place our hope in our very own accomplishments.  We can place our hope on our own accumulated worth.  Thus, when we attend funerals, like this, we can begin to think about our own death.  Death then brings about insecurity.  Thus we attempt to offset this insecurity with hope and assurance.  But if not careful we can end up placing our hope in our own perceived goodness.  “What will be my fate when I die?  Well, I am a pretty good person.”  It is most unfortunate when we place our hope in the unholy trinity of ‘me, myself, and I’ for we cannot save ourselves; we cannot scrub hard enough to purge the stain of sin from our conscience.  Furthermore, we self-deceive ourselves when our hope is placed in our own spiritual resumes, resumes that surely will not overcome the harshness of death.

Now, I could spend some time at this point mentioning some of the wonderful things that Sylvia has done and accomplished in her life.  Let me affirm you that it is good to remember and adore these wonderful memories and workings of Sylvia.  However, for the little time that I got to know Sylvia, I am convinced that her hope was not in what she did and did not do.  I am convinced that her ultimate hope was not in herself, but it was outside of herself.  Her hope was in Christ Jesus.  Sylvia’s hope was in the shed blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of her sins.  Two weeks ago she wept as she received the body and blood of Christ given and shed for her, a sinner; body and blood that gifted her forgiveness.   Yes, she had hope in something that was unsinkable.  Her hope was not in herself, it was the same hope that the Apostle Paul speaks of, hope in Christ Jesus—her Lord and your Lord. 

My friends, hope looks outside of us and it looks beyond death to the death of Jesus.  And get this, the death of Jesus was not for Himself, it was for Sylvia, it was for you! Indeed, Sylvia shared in the death of Jesus; she was washed clean, without spot or blemish.  God placed His name upon her in her baptism.  Through faith she was united with Him in life and in death.  You who have ears, hear this, she was not abandoned at death!  In death Jesus came and took her with Him into her rest, into the realms of eternal glory.  Furthermore, Jesus will also take her with Him at the Resurrection of all the dead.  At the last day, Christ will come and the trumpets will sound and Sylvia will hear the beautiful and powerful voice of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Like Lazarus, she will come forth from her grave, alive, and with a glorified body.  All the pain of her body will be left behind as she will be clothed in splendor and holiness and never ending life.  

My friends, we do not grieve like others, for we have hope.  Furthermore our hope is not like others because our hope is not in ourselves, but in a Savior who came and will come for us!  We have hope not in our abilities to climb but in the descent of our Savior to you and me, a Savior that comes to meet us in our death! 

We have present hope my friends in the midst of death.  We have hope right here and right now in the midst of this funeral as we believe, teach, and confess that Jesus defeated hell, death, sin, and the devil.  We have hope right here and right now as we believe, teach, and confess, that Jesus is the resurrection and the life; that there is a future resurrection for us who are in Christ Jesus. 

Now, the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Confirmation 2014: Abide In Him

"And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming."

1 John 2:28

In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Confirmation Students: Shelby, Dalton, Michael, Harleigh, Jada, and Brittany, abide in Him. You are with the Lord. He Himself made you His own when He redeemed you, purchased and won you from sin, death and the power of the devil by His holy blood and His innocent suffering and death. He made you His own when you were baptized in His name. Then He planted you in His garden, the holy Christian Church. Then He became your heavenly Father and you were made His children. You are His own because you believe in Him, trust in Him, and put your confidence in Him.  Truly, you are His own.

St. John advises you though: “Now children, abide in Him.” That is, do not leave and abandon Him, but stay with Him, remain here long after this morning to be His children.  Yes, the calling from St. John is that you faithfully protect and keep yourselves for no one else but Him, for He has created you. Belong to Him, for He has given you your body and soul, your eyes and ears, and all your members, your reason and all your senses. He has preserved you and still preserves you, richly and daily provides you with all you need for this body and life. Live in His closeness, for He protects you against all danger and guards and keeps you from all evil.

Confirmation students, you, who have ears, hear; you, who have eyes, see.  Hear and see that the Lord has left all His heavenly glory and came into this world to seek and to save all men.   Yes, that includes you; you who were lost and condemned. He came for you to live a life full of want, and live a life where He was despised for you. His life was a life of trials and pain, to bring you to the happiness and blessed life found only in Him.  He fought a mighty battle for you in the garden of Gethsemane, to free you from the furious anger of God. All of your burdens have been dragged upon the shoulders of Christ, yes Jesus stripped them from you, so that you do not need to carry them and break down under their heaviness. He put His shoulders under your sin so that He might position Himself under condemnation that you should have received, but never will.  He suffered under Pontius Pilate, so that you should not suffer eternal judgment. He gave His own life and precious blood to free you from death and the power of Satan. At death, you will not be left or confined to your grave, but you will be placed in Christ’s grave, a grave that is open; a grave that testifies death’s defeat and victory over Satan.  Hear this, Christ arose from the dead, so that you may have everlasting life and be with God forever.  

My dear students, the Lord has made you holy and by Baptism has transferred to you all good and blessings that He works for you. He has made you His own children, whom He loves, to whom He is gracious. 

He is worthy, is He not? 

Shelby, Dalton, Michael, Harleigh, Jada, and Brittany, abide in Him. 

But, you may ask, “How can I abide in the Lord? What does this mean?”

When you abide in the Lord, you live in God’s Word and Sacrament. In God’s Word preached in the church and written in the Bible, you find God Himself. It is the channel by which He comes to you. It is the way which He gives you wisdom and strength, kindles faith and love in you, instructs, consoles, and warns you. You see, anyone who thinks he or she is a Christian, who does not frequently and regularly hear sermons, read the Bible, receive the Lord’s Supper, cannot stay with Christ, cannot abide in the Lord, because God’s Word and the Lord’s Supper are the ties by which God binds Himself to us, the way He binds Himself to you. They are the only ways in which He gives us His gifts. They are the only place we can find Him on earth. Therefore, my dear students come and collect often from the Lord, the one who serves us in the Sunday Morning Divine Service.  Receive grace upon grace as you attend church and read His Word in the Bible at home.  Cherish the precious gem that you have been given, your Small Catechism. Rest in the stories of the Bible knowing that these stories are the history of your salvation.  Today, come and receive the body of Christ and the blood of Christ that is given and shed for you. 

Shelby, Dalton, Michael, Harleigh, Jada, and Brittany, you abide in Christ when you receive and continually obtain the Lord’s forgiving and sustaining grace.  You abide when you are like a beggar getting free warm bread in his cold hands.  You abide as the Lord takes care of you through the priceless Word and Sacrament. 

Shelby, Dalton, Michael, Harleigh, Jada, and Brittany as you abide in Him, do not listen to those who tell you the Bible is only made-up by men, full of fairy tales and errors. As you abide, do not listen to those who tell you the sermon preached in church is just one man’s word and wisdom, nothing more. As you abide, do not mind it when you are told prayer is useless, instead think of those who have experienced what a great help prayer is, for example: Moses, David, St. Paul, Martin Luther, etc.   As you abide, do not be easily impressed by human wisdom and the latest spiritual fads, for so many today are like reeds tossed to and fro, blown about by every wind of doctrine.  As you abide, do not be easily distracted by the glittery messages in churches that promise health, wealth, and prosperity if you only work to advance to another fictional spiritual level, for this spirituality operates with a carrot on a stick.  As you abide, beware of aspiring to such purity that you will not wish to be looked upon as a sinner, or to be one, for Christ only dwells in sinners. 

Confirmation Students, remember what you have learned, the simplistic message of Christ and Him Crucified for the forgiveness of sins.  Remember that your assurance and certainty is not in self, but in Christ; it is not in your life but Jesus’ life.  Remember that your assurance is found in the historic event of Jesus’ cross, not the changing events or fluctuating emotions of your life.  Remember that truth, assurance, certainty, hope, and salvation lie outside of you at the Cross of Calvary, not within you. 

Shelby, Dalton, Michael, Harleigh, Jada, and Brittany, know today that as you abide in Christ you are abiding in Him with all of us here.  Yes, all of us here at Zion are indeed foolish, but we have been crucified into the wise one Christ.  Yes, we all stumble but have been crucified into the one that stands.  Indeed, we are all weak, yet we have been given one who is strong.  Surely, we are easily given into temptations, yet we have been given one who conquered temptation.  Certainly, we are all failing Christians, sinners who have been shown remarkable mercy and rich forgiveness.  As we all continually abide in Christ, we believe, teach, and confess that we are clothed in the perfect, radiant righteousness of Christ; righteousness that we wear like a robe.  Furthermore, as we all abide we thank, praise, serve and rest in Him. As we all abide we come to Him and ask Him for our needs with all joy and confidence, as dear children ask their dear father. Absolutely, we can pray to Him for He cares for us. 

It is good to stay and abide in Him, and stand with Him, faithful, firm, and unmovable.  It is good to be like a sheep, led and held by a faithful shepherd.  It is good to be like a branch, connected and receiving life from a nourishing vine.  It is good to be a child of the Lord, receiving grace moment by moment, day by day; abiding.

Shelby, Dalton, Michael, Harleigh, Jada, and Brittany, He has brought you up and instructed you now in the way of life, that you understand Him as your Creator, Redeemer, and the One who makes you holy. Abide in Him.  Today confess, “Jesus, to You I live. Jesus to you I die, living or dying, Lord Jesus, I am Yours!”

In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

(This sermon is highly indebted to Pr. Donavon Riley's 2014 Confirmation Sermon at St. John Lutheran Church in Webster, MN.)