Why You Are Safe In The Ark Of The Church

Text: Matthew 8:23-27

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

Right before we baptize our babies, we place the sign of the cross upon their head and their heart, while praying that they would be kept safe and secure in the holy ark of the Christian Church.

Since all of you are here this day – within this church – we can clearly say that the Lord has answered prayer by keeping you safe and secure in the holy ark of the Christian Church, since your baptism.

Considering this, for thousands of years, Christians have seen the church like a safe ark holding God’s people.  Though the church is not a real boat or an ark, it functions the same way as Noah’s Ark and is often compared to it.  As you can recall, Noah’s Ark was used by God to save Noah and his family from the destruction of the world – it preserved them and kept them safe.   

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear about another boat.  However, this boat was no majestic and massive ark, but a much smaller boat – most likely a fishing vessel.  And unlike Noah’s Ark, this little fishing boat was being swamped by the waves of a great storm.  It was ‘not’ keeping the disciples safe.  In fact, the disciples were overcome with fear and fright.  They were shaking and shivering to the point that they did not know how to go on.  What they would not have done, to get their hands on a giant ark in the midst of that storm!

Truth be told, though, they did not need to fear.  That is right; the disciples did not have to be afraid, for Jesus was on this small boat, asleep, yet still with them.  Yes, they did not have to be scared of the winds and the waves and the storm, for Jesus was in their midst. 

Dear friends, as we think back to Noah’s Ark, what made that great ark so secure and so great, was not its architectural design or the strength of the wood that it was constructed out of, but rather, it was secure because the Lord God had established a covenant with Noah.  God promised to preserve Noah and his family, and He did.  God does not break his promises, which meant that Noah was perfectly secure in the ark, regardless of the destruction and death raging outside the ark. 

And in the case of the fishing boat? 

The disciples had more than a promise; they had the Lord Jesus Himself in their midst.  So whether they had a large ark, a fishing vessel, or a rubber ducky inflatable children’s boat, it would not have made any difference, for they had Jesus and Jesus was their security. 

This is all beginning to make sense now, is it not?  We Christians are here in this church – the Lord’s ark – where we are preserved from the waves, the winds, and the storms of the devil, the world, and the flesh.  Yes, we can indeed think of this in a spiritual sense.  You and I are here in the ark of the church and the threats around us are the devil, the world, and the sinful flesh – they all are like a mighty storm that seeks to destroy us.  The world, the devil and the flesh crash against us.  They toss us up and down.  They give us anguish and distress.  They instill fear in us.  They rob us of our faith.  They drive us to insecurity. 

We must keep in mind, though, that if you and I would become friends with the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh, everything would go a whole lot smoother.  I promise you that.  You see, we are often told that being a Christian is about peaceful walks on the beach, blissful happiness, and ease; however, this could not be further from the truth.  As soon as we are baptized and placed into the ark of the Church, the storm begins and will continue all the way through the Christian life.  In other words, being in the ark of the church means that we will always be in the midst of storms.  The world, the devil, and the sinful flesh tolerate – and even welcome – the teaching and doctrines of every false religion in the world.  But they cannot stand Christ’s teaching and they cannot tolerate a baptized Christian. 

What this means is that the life of ease is not in the holy ark of the Christian Church.  There is a life of ease outside of the church where the world, the devil, and the flesh can become our friends; however, we must keep in mind that these evil foes are no friends at all.  They do not lead us to everlasting life, but betray us, and lead us to death, destruction, condemnation, and hell itself. 

The reason why all of this is so? There is only one Lord: Jesus alone.  Jesus calls the wise of this world, fools.  He calls the good works of the self-righteous pompous elites, garbage.  He says that the last will be first and those who are spiritually bankrupt, will be blessed.  Jesus turns human reason upside down, showing that human reason is blind and the doctrines of men are false.  The devil, the world, and the sinful flesh cannot stand this.  They are insulted by Jesus.  They are angered by Jesus.  They begin to rage, which results in a storm that attempts to unleash hell. 

As a result, the storm rises against Christ’s ark, the church.  The storm rises against Christ’s Word and Sacraments.  It rises against you, the baptized. 

Now, it is true that the Christian church is often overwhelmed with these dangerous waves and storms, and with many rocks and stony cliffs in the sea of this sinful world.  The devil attacks, there are fierce blasts of the sinful flesh, and there are strange beasts in the sea of the world that never give the Christian Ark any peace. 

It is also true that the Christian Church will also seem to be like a helpless boat riding freely on the high waves.  The Christian Church will appear to be driven by the waves and blasts of wind.  The average person looking at the church in this vast sea can maybe assume that the ark of the Church will not last but will break into a thousand splinters and be gobbled up by the storm.   Ah, but a person who assumes this, forgets that just like Noah’s Ark was accompanied by a promise and the disciples had Jesus in the boat, the Christian Church has the same. 

Dear Baptized Saints, do not fear.  Though it is easy to let your faith become weak in the face of these mighty storms all around us, you are kept safely on the ship of the Church, for the Son of God is with us.  Indeed, when the waves and winds and storms of life rage against us, the Lord will not abandon us in the ark of the Church.  Oh, no!  Even though the wind, the rain, and the waves will never stop assailing you as long as you shall live, the Lord will never leave you nor abandon you in the ark of the Church. 

When the disciple came to the end of themselves in that tiny boat from our Gospel reading, they woke Jesus up saying,

“Master, do you not care that we are perishing?  Lord! Save us!”

In response to their fear and wavering faith, Jesus got up and rebuked the winds, and the sea and nature itself bowed to the majestic word of the Son of God – all of nature laid prostrate before Jesus.  Yes, even though the winds made a terrible noise and the sea raged against the disciples, the disciples could not die for Jesus, the Lord of the sea and Commander of the winds, was with them. Likewise, when we fear the winds and waves outside the ark of the Church – even if we are poor, weak, and on our death bed or even if we die – we must not fear, for the Lord is with us. He speaks to us inside the ark of this church saying,

“Why are you afraid, you of little faith?  I make the storms be still.  I hush the waves of the sea.  I am Lord over creation, and I am Lord over sin, death, and the devil!”[1] 

Yes, as the waves and winds continue to blow and howl, we hear from inside the ark of the church from the Lord Himself,

“I defeated sin.  I defeated death. I defeated the evil foe.  It is all finished!  Through the saving flood of your baptisms all sin in you, which has been inherited from Adam and all sin that you have committed since, has drowned and is dead!  You are worthy of eternal life!  Rise; be at peace!  I answer you in your trouble, and I deliver you out of it.  You have been given life; your sins have been forgiven; you have been clothed with my righteousness, so you shall stand without fear, regardless of the storms around you!” [2]

Dear Baptized Saints, you are secure inside the ark of the Church, because you have Christ and Christ has you.  Therefore, by faith we can confess together this day,

“Let the storms rage on; let the devil do his best and let the world try as it will, but I will not fear for I know that all of creation must obey my Lord and Savior.  Trials and storms and troubles will last only as long as the Lord wills it.  Indeed, my God and Savior is Lord over all, and He can change it all in a moment.  Therefore, this day I worship and honor the one who has been revealed to me as the Lord of creation and Lord of my life.  My Lord, in good times and in bad.  My Lord, today, tomorrow, and forevermore.” 

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

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[1] This phrase is a compilation of Matthew 8:23-27, the Epiphany 4 Introit, etc.

[2] This phrase is a compilation of the Lutheran Service Book Baptismal Liturgy, John 19:30, Psalm 91, etc. 

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What Is Faith?

Text: Matthew 8:1-13

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

Faith is a divine work in us. Faith, it changes us, and it makes us Christians. This faith kills the old sinful nature, and it makes us completely different people.  Faith actually changes our heart and soul and mind.  It brings with it the Holy Spirit.[1]

This is the way that it is with faith, my friends.  Faith is not dead and lethargic and inactive, but it is living and busy and active. Faith is a living confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that it makes us glad and bold and happy in our relationship with God and our everyday vocations.[2]  

Today, we see this faith on display in two lepers and a Roman Centurion.  Yes, in our Old Testament reading and our New Testament reading, we see faith at work in two lepers and a Roman Centurion. 

The first leper, from the Old Testament reading, was named Naaman.  He was the commander of Syria’s army.  Through a series of events, Naaman’s servant girl had meekly suggested that he go and see God’s Prophet Elisha, because this prophet would know how to cure his leprosy.

So, Naaman went and presented himself before God’s spokesman.  Without even seeing him face to face, Elisha sent the Commander to wash in the Jordan River.  And after some convincing by his servants, Naaman washed in the river and was cured. 

In our Gospel reading from today, we hear of a second leper. This leper, who lived some 850 years later, was the same as Naaman.  Bits and pieces of his body were about to fall off or already fallen off from leprosy.  He probably stunk like death, because the rot of the grave had already begun in his body.  Only this leper had no prophet to go to.  There had not been a prophet in Israel for 400 years. 

All of this changed, though, when this leper heard of the miracles and the healings that Jesus of Nazareth had begun to do.  So when he heard that Jesus was in the area, he limped his way to see the Lord, leaving a trail of skin and stench behind him. 

Now compared to Naaman, this leper had more faith.

“Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean,” he said.  Then reaching out His hand Jesus touched the putrescent leper and said: “I am willing, be cleansed.” 

St. Matthew tells us that immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 

We cannot stop here, but we must move on to also hear about the faith of a commander of another army.  This commander was a Centurion in the Roman army. 

Briefly, one of the Roman Centurion’s beloved servants was on his death bed, too paralyzed with pain to be brought to Jesus. 

So the worried Centurion goes to beg Jesus for a miracle to which our Lord agrees and begins to make his way to the Centurion’s house.

Keep in mind that this Roman is a leader; in fact, he is the one in charge.  He could have had Jesus dragged to his servant’s bedside and commanded the Lord to heal him.  But this man of power and position is most importantly a man of faith and humility.  He will have none of it.  Therefore, the Roman Centurion confesses that he is not worthy to have Jesus under his roof.  In fact, he says it is not even necessary for Jesus to come.  If only Jesus would say a Word, then his servant would be healed.

Jesus is astonished at the Roman Centurion’s faith.  “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel”  And at that same hour, the servant was healed.

Now, considering these three individuals, what cured Naaman and the leper and the Roman Centurion? The answer, they had faith.  Yes, all three had faith and all three were given miracles, even though they had faith to different degrees.  

You see, Naaman’s faith was a bit begrudging, while the other leper’s faith was slightly more forthright.  But neither of the lepers could compare to the great faith of the Roman Centurion.  Even Jesus said that the Roman Centurion had faith, unlike anything He had ever seen, even among God’s own people.  Indeed, they all had faith, even though they had faith in different degrees. 

So, what does all of this mean?  Does this mean that if we want to receive good things and blessings from God that we need to try and quantify our faith?  In other words, should we try to keep track of how much faith we have on a scale of 1-10 and then try to cash in our faith for God’s miracles and blessings when we are ranked at a 10?  Is this how it works – the higher our faith, the more we somehow deserve God’s greater blessings?  If this is the case, does this mean that we are in a race with each other to have the most faith or the highest faith?

Sadly some churches in America teach this and too many Christians believe this convoluted way of thinking.  The reason why?  We often think incorrectly about faith, as if faith is some object that we create and can personally manage.  That is to say; we view faith as if it is something that we can manipulate by our own will-power. 

If we do not view faith this way, we can then see it as something to be wrestled away from God.  If we are successful in wrestling this faith away from God, we lovingly polish it and piously hold it up for all to see. 

Tragically, whenever we go these ways, we begin to make faith itself into an object of our devotion.  In other words, we keep people away from us that might damage our faith, and we then begin to compare our faith to other individuals to show them how grand our faith has become.

I lament saying this, but it is true.  Too many Christians are entrapped in this thinking.  They spend all of their time and energy concerned about the quantity of faith in their lives, to the point that they forget that salvation is not about having faith in our own faith.

Dear friends, having faith in our faith does not save us.  And that frankly is pure foolishness.  In other words, faith does not look to itself, but faith is always about the One in whom we trust.  Faith is connected not to itself, but it connects to and receives from the Lord Jesus Christ. 

This is why Jesus pays such a compliment to the Roman Centurion.  His faith was so great, not because of how much he had polished it or because of how much he had or because of anything He had done, but because it trusted in Jesus.  Indeed, what made the Roman Centurion’s faith so great was that He looked to and trusted Jesus to do what he could not.  The Centurion looked to Jesus and said: “Only speak a Word, and my servant will be healed.”  That is faith in Jesus, not in faith itself.

Having faith in yourself or in the strength of your faith will not save you.  That is misplaced faith, which is really no faith at all. 

So, today, I must ask you, where is your faith? 

Is it in having your name in the church books?  Is your faith in your regular church attendance?  Is your faith in how faithful you feel?  Is your faith in how good you supposedly love others?  Is your faith in how accepting and tolerant you are of others? Is your faith trusting in how much you read the Bible how religiously you live or worse yet how much faith you have?

If your faith trusts in itself or in anything or anyone other than the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s own Son, then that faith is no faith at all but only a dream of self-importance.

Does this sound a little harsh?  Maybe it is, but it is what Jesus said to the crowd after praising the Centurion.  Jesus said,

“But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

The “sons of the kingdom” are the people of Israel and any others who live by the same error.  Their faith was not in Jesus as the Savior or in God as the One Who would save them.  But rather, their faith was in their faithfulness. Their faith was in having their name listed in the synagogue books.  Their faith was in how religiously they lived and how much faith they had compared to other people.  Their faith was everywhere but in Jesus.  And the same happens today.

True saving faith trusts not in itself, but in Jesus, in His suffering, His death, His resurrection.  Dear friends, do not let the devil lead you to think about faith as being an object that we need to wrestle from God or something we need conjure up out of the depth of our spiritual abilities.  Furthermore, worrying about how much or how little faith you have will distract you from the One who gives faith and the one who strengthens faith. 

You, who have ears, hear this!  Faith comes from hearing the Word and hearing through the word of Christ.  Faith is a gift to you.  It is something that you are given when the Holy Spirit called you through the Gospel and enlightened you with His gifts.  Faith is given to you in Baptism; it is given to you through the Word; it is given and strengthened in you when you receive the body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ in communion. 

Faith is indeed created in you and strengthened in you through the Lord’s Word and Sacraments.  And this faith continually receives and longs for the Lord Jesus Christ and His gifts. 

Mark this, you and I can do nothing on our own to strengthen our faith.  Ah, but God the Holy Spirit strengthens your faith every time the Lord’s Word and Sacraments are given to you! 

“You are baptized into Jesus’ death so that you might be raised from the dead to walk in newness of life!”

Faith created!

“In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I now forgive you of all of your sins!”

Faith given!

“Take, eat; this is the true body of our Lord and Savior given into death for your sins.” 

“Take, drink; this is the true blood of our Lord and Savior, shed for the forgiveness of your sins.”

Faith strengthened!

So, today, receive the Lord and His gifts for you. And as you receive, may your faith be strengthened again and again and again, as we all live by faith in the Son of God who gave Himself for us. 

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

Portions of this Sermon are indebted to Rev. Joshua Reimche’s sermon on Matthew 8:1-13. 

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[1] Martin Luther, Commentary on Romans, Trans. J. Theodore Mueller (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1954), xvii.

[2] Ibid.

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Heaven Opened For You

Text: Matthew 3:13-17

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

After traveling fifteen miles from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized, Jesus was met with rejection.

“No! No! No! This is not right.  You?  Here?  For this? I do not need to baptize you, but you, Jesus, need to baptize me!”

You see, John the Baptist was conducting baptisms for sinners.  Thousand upon thousands of people who needed their lives turned around and transformed were coming to John for baptism. It was a baptism for people who knew they were underdogs, deadbeats, losers – sinners.   But, this was not who Jesus was.  That is why John insisted, “I need you, Jesus, to baptize me!"  But as we heard in today’s Gospel reading from Matthew, Jesus won't be put off. He said, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness."

And what did John make of this response?  What do we make of   Jesus descending into the water for John to baptize Him, just like all the other underdogs, deadbeats, and losers who were there being baptized?

Dear friends, this is the way it had to be. Jesus said that this is how He would fulfill all righteousness. For Jesus to be baptized in the dirty Jordan River with a bunch of sinners is exactly how Jesus will make His righteousness available for all people.  Contrary to what we might think,  Jesus’ uprightness, His holiness, His worthiness, His unbroken "yes" to the will of the Father is the very reason why He needs to be baptized in the Jordan River with a bunch of sinners. That is to say, Jesus’ righteousness is what brings Him down to the dirty waters of the Jordan to stand together with a bunch of sinners who have spoken countless "no's" to the will of God.

This past Christmas, we marveled at the fact that the Son of God took on human flesh – that Jesus took on human flesh and blood and lived among us.  It is indeed remarkable that God did not leave us in the muck of sin by ourselves, but rather, plunged into this world of sin with us, to live among us. But here in today’s Gospel reading is a greater phenomenon and that is this, the Son of God in human flesh and blood walks right into the waters of the Jordan River and stands together with us underdogs, deadbeats, losers – He is baptized with sinners in a sinner’s baptism.  The one who is perfect comes to sick-sinners.  He comes to stand with you and me in the water under the verdict of condemnation that we might stand with Him in the water and hear the verdict of righteousness, the announcement that in and with Him we are beloved children of the Father.  Jesus is splashed with the water of sinners so that we might be splashed with His righteousness.

Let us pause briefly here to make sure we understand what is going on.  In the waters of the Jordan River, we see a shadow of the cross that is to come.  We see what Jesus is all about.  He is about sinners – coming to sinners to take their sin so that they might have His righteousness.   This is what Jesus I about; this is what Christianity is all about.  It is about the Lord coming to and for sinners like me and you.

So what happens next? As Jesus comes up, dripping wet in John’s baptism, John is astonished.  There above Jesus in the water, heaven itself is opened, and as John looks up, he sees far more than the sky.  He gasps as he is given an unbelievable glimpse into the overwhelming love and joy of heaven itself.

John sees the Spirit coming down from heaven with the gentleness of dove and landing on Jesus.  John hears the Father's voice speak words of unimaginable love and acceptance, "This is my beloved Son, in Him, I am well pleased." Martin Luther adds that there would certainly have been all the angels present too, for where Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are there is all of heaven itself.

Here in the waters of that dirty Jordan River in the midst of a bunch of sinners, there is a shining glory that is revealed!  We not only see the Son of God standing in the midst of sinners, but we see that heaven is opened up and the favor of God the Father is spoken.

What does this mean, though?  It means that as God’s glory and favor shine upon the waters of Jesus’ baptism, that the same glory and favor shine upon every other baptism conducted in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Indeed, the Baptism of Jesus not only shows us the Son of God standing with sinners, but it shows us what is given to us in our baptisms.  It is like this, today’s Gospel reading shows you and me what we were given in our baptisms.  It shows you and me what we were given on the day of our baptisms, and that is, an open heaven, the gift of the Spirit, and the promise that God is well pleased with us!  

Yes, on the day you were baptized, heaven itself was opened to you.  Above the water that poured over you, the Cherubim put away their swords and the gates to paradise swing open wide. Heaven was not barred and sealed to you when you were baptized, but it opened wide to you becoming your true home. 

Yes, on the day you were baptized, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven and landed on you.  To live with you and never leave you again.  At the day of your baptism, you became a citizen of the Kingdom of God.  At the day of your baptism God’s favor was pronounced upon you, “Your sins are forgiven; I am well pleased with you!”   

Dear Baptized Saints, do not brush this off.  Stop.  Pause.  Take note of what we hear this day. On the day you were baptized, God the Father looked down from heaven and said to all His angels and all the world,

"Look! This is my own child! This is my beloved! How pleased I am with this one!" 

Yes, at your Baptism you were plucked out of the kingdom of darkness and made a child of God.

But you may be saying to yourself,

"Oh, pastor, come on. A little bit of water and few words and all of that is the result? How can water accomplish all of that? How can water do such great things?"

We remember from the Small Catechism that it is not the water that does all of this, but the Word of God which is in and with the water and faith which trusts that Word of God in the water.

So while the world thinks that baptism is some 5-minute empty and dry church ritual that Christians do to babies, we know that God is up to something so much more.  In other words, while the world sees baptism as a dead old church ritual, we know this day that the splash of the water, the power of the Word, and the Spirit binds us to Jesus the Lord… all in baptism.  The world in all of its sophisticated wisdom is made foolish, for in simple water and God’s powerful word, baptism drives away death and hell and makes us eternally alive. 

All of what we hear this day is why Jesus calls the church to baptize all nations in the Gospel of Matthew the twenty-eighth chapter.  He calls us to baptize not as some dead ritual and not as some sort of act of obedience towards God showing that we are somehow really pious and good Christians.  But rather, He calls us to be baptized so that we can be made His disciples. 

Dear friends, Baptism is a mighty gift.  It is what the Lord does for us to make us His own.  In baptism the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit show up again and again and again as the water lands on each sinner at the baptismal font. 

It is rather simple my friends is it not?  Where God's name is, there is God. In and with the water of baptism the Lord is present to make us His own; therefore, it is so much more than ordinary water. 

All this we celebrate today on the Baptism of Our Lord.  By faith, we cling to the events of Jesus' Baptism and know that these events are for us too.  We know that on the day we were baptized, heaven was opened for us, the Spirit was given to us, and the Father claimed us as His very own loved child.

Today, know that the gifts given to you in the water of baptism can never be taken away.  People may forsake and leave the gift of baptism, but the gift of baptism will never leave.  So, when we wander – because we indeed are prone to wander and prone to leave the God that we love – we only need to be returned to our baptism where everything good in the Lord began.    

Baptism remains in all of its fullness.  At our baptism heaven and the gift of the Spirit and the gift of our citizenship of the Kingdom of God are completely present for you today, tomorrow, and until the Lord takes you home to Himself.

Blessed friends, you are baptized.  The Lord God is well pleased with you this day.  Heaven has been opened to you. 

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

Portions of the Sermon are indebted to William Weedon’s sermon on Matthew 3:13-17.

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Our Falling And Rising

Text: Luke 2:33-40

In the name of Jesus: Amen.

The atmosphere of Christmas continues well past Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Indeed, all the Christmas leftovers, all the Christmas treats, and all the Christmas gifts have been with you this whole week to bless you.  In fact, the Christmas decorations and lights have most definitely been up in your houses all week.  Christmas songs will even continue to flood your memory, and you will hum them around the house.  It is true that the aura and feeling of Christmas continues on and on and on; that is until we meditate on today’s sad thoughts in our Gospel reading from Luke. 

Today, with reluctance, our happy and warm Christmas thoughts are brought before our Gospel reading, where they collide with sad thoughts.  I hate to burst our Christmas bubble, but it is true that our celebration of the manger and our humming of, “Silent Night,” bump rather harshly and rudely into Simeon’s confession that the baby-Jesus is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel.  Yes, fresh from the manger we meet Simeon’s confession that this Christ-child will be a sign that will be opposed. 

I know how you might be feeling right now.  Last Sunday we heard, “Merry Christmas; unto us, a child is born!”  Now, we hear that this child will wreak havoc and stir the pot. 

Now, considering this, why has the historical Church meditated on Simeon’s confession and why has it chosen to do this the Sunday after Christmas, when we haven’t even packed up the decorations and put away the tinsel yet?  Otherwise stated, “Why does the Church ask us to meditate on these sad thoughts while still within the sight of the manger?  Surely, [the historical church] wishes us to celebrate a joyous and happy Christmas.  Yet [the church has assigned] this [Gospel reading to the Sunday immediately after Christmas] to remind us that Christmas is not sheer poetry.”[1]  To rephrase this, when all the Christmas songs have been sung, and when we are done oohing and aahing over the Christ Child swaddled in the manger, there remains the reality that God did not send His Son into the world to make us feel all warm and fuzzy.  But rather, Jesus came down from heaven to redeem a real broken world  –a real world with all of its ugliness and hurt and pain.  Yes, Jesus came to redeem this world and to do that would require hurt and pain and blood and conflict and all sorts of raw suffering.  This redemption would truly rattle the earth, confuse earthly wisdom, divide mankind, cause some to fall, and some to rise.  

This is exactly what Simeon points out to Mary, Joseph, you, and me in Luke’s Gospel reading from this morning.  As Simeon took the young baby into his arms, we get the sense that he became very serious.  He beheld an appalling sight.  As he held the baby Jesus in his arms, he confesses that the child would be the rise and fall of many.  Indeed, Jesus and His life would bring about much opposition in Israel.  Instead of being accepted and loved by all as the Savior, Jesus would be met with rejection and suffering.  This was a dark picture and a terrible announcement to which Mary had to listen.  Hearing this was like a sword piercing Mary’s own heart.  Mary, who once looked down to her stomach to see Jesus safely in her womb, would eventually have to look up at Jesus on a cross – crucified.  The pleasant kicks and hiccups from Jesus in the womb would soon turn to jolts of suffering and sighs of agony on a cross, as Jesus died for the sins of the world.    

 

For us today, this is not a very pleasant announcement; it is not a very Christmasy message for us to hear only a week after Christmas.[2]  Furthermore, it challenges the modern day assumptions that Jesus is only about love and roses and peace and happiness and tolerance.  In other words, in the midst of our pleasant Christmas feelings, we most definitely hear the jarring message from Simeon that our Lord’s birth marks the beginning of a hard, bitter, life for Jesus.  His life would bring the rising and a falling to many – it would bring conflict and healing.  All of this, though, leads us to ask right here and right now, does this Jesus causes you and me to rise or to fall? 

Now, dear friends, there is no room to wiggle out of this question, for Simeon and the Bible show us that Jesus Christ – the gift of Christmas – caused many to fall and stumble and many to rise. Otherwise stated, this Christ is like a rock that caused people to stumble and fall or a rock that lifted people up to stand sure, which means that He will either cause you and me to stumble over Him or be raised high on a solid foundation. 

So, today, we must ask, is this Child who was born that Christmas long ago our falling or our rising?    

To you who spiritually pull yourself up by your own bootstraps; to you who say, ‘help me up, but don’t do everything for me, for I am not a beggar, but I am capable of doing some of it by myself’; to you who consider yourself a bit less sinful than your neighbor; to you who depend upon your works and seek your righteousness: Christ is a stumbling block to you.  Like it or not, you cannot do Christianity and life apart from the Lord, thus making the Lord less than almighty.  If you cling to your demands and what God must produce for you, you are undone – you trip upon the rock - and remain under judgment while you lay on your face in the dirt of your sin.  Indeed, you cannot stand in the presence of Christ, for Christ calls for faith, not works.  He seeks sick-sinners, not self-righteous religious elites.  He comes to give to beggars, not receive from the self-important spiritual superstars.  If you try to stand in your own strength, Jesus will knock you down and be the reason for your falling. 

Repent one and all.  Christ is your falling.  Fall upon the rock of Christ.

Let there be no mistake this morning, the person and message of the one in Simeon’s arms – Jesus -causes our failing.  He causes all of our human plans, all of our human endeavors, all of our human works to be undone.  We are crucified with Christ.  However, do not be discouraged, you who have fallen with me, Jesus is also our rising. 

When we are shown what we truly are, when we despair of self, when we are made to be poor beggars, and when we confess that we are poor miserable sinners, well… we have most certainly fallen, which then changes everything for the Christ-child is no longer a rock for our falling, but for our rising. 

You see, the Lord pours faith into poor miserable sinners like you and me.  He places the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation into your open hands.  He draws you up out of the black waters of sin and hopelessness, and so saves you from eternal death.  This happens wherever the sign of the Cross is held on high.  The shepherds, Simeon, the Magi, the prophetess Anna, Mary, Joseph, many loyal souls of ages past, martyrs, and you blessed Baptized Saints this day, have been raised upon the rock of Christ.  This day you stand upon the rock of Christ, despairing of your efforts, and trusting in the Lord’s gifts.  These gifts of faith, forgiveness, life, and salvation come to us by way of a sign: an infant in Simeon’s arms, the man dying on the cross, water splashed upon you in the name of God, the bread and wine for you. 


Simply stated, we fall in repentance. We are raised by forgiveness.  We must all fall so that we all can be raised. 

Regarding many people in ancient Israel and many people in our modern day and age? Jesus will be a sign only for their falling. The pride of religious big shots is insulted by the idea of falling to the status of poor miserable sinners.  Furthermore, Jesus does not meet their specifications.  From their perspective, they have no use for what they perceive as an unremarkable, weak, beggar-Savior. They want someone useful. Someone who will advance their social hope, their political agenda, and their religious endeavors.

On the other hand, Simeon, Mary, and you receive the baby-Savior that brings you death and salvation – your falling and rising. Regarding the falling of Simeon? Simeon knew that His salvation was not in himself.  Regarding the rising of Simeon? Simeon knew that salvation lies resting in his arms.  And Mary?  “[She] learned that she had a son, yet she did not have Him – He really had her.”[3]  And you my dear friends?  You too have fallen and been raised: you have been plunged into Jesus’ death in baptism, and you have been raised anew in the newness of life in baptism. 

As it goes with Simeon and Mary, it goes with you.  This Christmas Jesus collides with you, which is death to your self-esteem, your religious endeavors, and your spiritual resume.  It is death to your specifying who God must be to you.  Take comfort, though, the one that draws near to you and causes your falling is also the cause of your rising.

Baptized Saints, you are forgiven and raised anew in Christ.  He is with you in the falling and rising.  And as it goes with Jesus so, it goes with you.

All this we rejoice in as we join with Simeon’s rejoicing. 

We rejoice in this Savior in whom we have our falling and rising; our strength and preservation; our departure and our salvation. 

Merry Christmas to you in the name of the one who causes your falling and your rising, Christ Jesus the Lord: Amen.

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[1] Fred H. Lindemann: The Sermon and The Propers: Volume 1, (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1958), 99.

[2] Fred H. Lindemann: The Sermon and The Propers: Volume 1, 98.

[3] Norman Nagel, Selected Sermons of Norman Nagel (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2004), 33-34.

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