Christmas Eve 2018- Luke 2:10

 As we worship together on Christmas Eve, let us pause to meditate on the meaning of our celebration by looking to Luke 2. To do that, let us focus on the announcement of the angel to the shepherds. St. Luke 2:10 says, “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people” (KJV).

The angel’s message “I bring you good tidings” translates two Greek words which could also be translated as “I announce good news to you” or “I proclaim the gospel to you.” So the announcement of Christ’s Birth is the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel. His Nativity is not an isolated event. It is an integral part of the whole story, the entire Christian message. This birth cannot be separated from all that Jesus Christ means.

This good news is “of great joy.” There are hardships in the story. Joseph and Mary are not rich and influential. They have to make a rough journey of several days at the whim of the Roman oppressor. They have to take shelter in a rock formation used as an animal barn. Mary’s labor is real, and there are evil forces that would destroy the child. But despite all the humility and suffering that are part of the story, it brings a deep and lasting happiness, an inner blessedness. And this joy is open to all people. The lowly shepherds are merely the first chosen to hear. They are humble representatives of all God’s people through the ages.

So regardless of our circumstances, let us focus on the source of true joy. The Gospel, the good tidings, is about God's gracious offer of redemption for sinners through the Birth, the Incarnation, of His only begotten Son who comes to save us. Glory to God in the highest!

Advent I (C)- Jeremiah 33:14-18- Longing for Redemption

Anticipating Christ’s coming is a great part of the life of the chosen people throughout history. And although we should consider our preparations, the real focus should be on what God does. Especially during Advent, we often hear this in our Old Testament lessons.

In Jeremiah 33:14-15 (ESV), we are reminded, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David….”

Jeremiah speaks about God’s promises of old and the continued longings of His people for redemption. A new leader, “a righteous Branch” (Jer. 33:15), would come from the house of the great king David. He would bring justice, righteousness, and security, and be called “The Lord our righteousness” (Jer. 33:16). Through Him, both royal rule and priestly worship would continue forever.

Over the centuries, the Israelites kept hoping for the fulfillment of these promises. Often they failed individually and communally. They faced many difficulties, but God’s promises to them and their hopes in Him lived on. Indeed, ever so slowly, their understandings were refined. Prophets such as Jeremiah pointed God's people to higher and deeper implications of redemption. For no mere earthly king or priest could really fulfill their hopes.

Only a unique leader of deep spiritual and moral power directly from God could satisfy the longings of Israel. Only a leader like Jesus Christ, Son of God could truly fulfill the prophecies. Only He could deliver people from bondage to sin and offer eternal life with God.

As we recall these ancient longings and their culmination in the Messiah Jesus, we should acknowledge that God’s people still have longings. Of course, Christ has fulfilled the greatest prophecies. He has accomplished the great acts of redemption through His Incarnation, Suffering, Death, and Resurrection. But in this life, we are still on a journey toward greater fulfillment. We have not arrived. We are not personally righteous. Jesus Christ is “the Lord our righteousness.” And the righteous rule of Christ needs to become stronger in all our lives. We must keep looking for new personal applications of His redeeming and sanctifying grace.

Jeremiah speaks to our situation in the world, especially as we begin Advent. Humanity in general and we in particular need true hope. And true hope can only be based on God’s promises. True hope is not found in human abilities, accomplishments, or righteousness. The hope for ancient Israel and for modern people of all nations can only be found in the Lord our righteousness, Jesus the Messiah. May that hope guide us through this season in our meditations and in our actions!

Christ the King (year B)- Mark 13:24-37

The idea of Christ as King is founded on many Scriptures, and the themes related to this feast can help sum up the Pentecost season and point us to Advent. In the Gospel from Mark 13:24-37, we see common seasonal themes about Christ returning as king and judge. Unlike our modern American separation of powers, ancient kings were both Chief Executive and Chief Justice. So in our gospel selection, there are subtle and quick shifts in imagery- from a cosmic ruler to a local administrator, to trial judge, to lord of an estate.

Christ’s disciples are admonished that the Son of Man’s coming will be preceded by unusual signs and wonders.  Although we must not be too focused on little details, He will come in cosmic glory. The old world will be shaken to its foundations. The things that human beings take as certainties will be disrupted. There is really just one great certainty: the Word of God in Christ. His eternal words of truth remain forever.

As a king or other lord coming to His land after a journey, Christ will send out messengers- angels- to gather His people. He expects His subjects to come to Him. They will be expected to give an account of their service while He has been away. Have they remained loyal to Him? Have they lived and worked with His wishes and expectations in mind? Or have they used His distance as an excuse for laziness, irresponsibility, and self-indulgence?

Unlike any fallible human ruler or judge, Christ knows the truth about His people. The heavenly King can look at each subject or servant and evaluate our spiritual and moral condition immediately. A human leader can easily misjudge or mistake motives. A mere human leader can have bad information or jump to the wrong conclusions. Christ does not have such human limitations. Christ our King and Judge is perfect. This fact is both warning and comfort: the warning is that we cannot mislead Him; the comfort is that He will be as gracious as He is accurate and just.

Since we know our King may come at any time, and since His judgments of our service will be perfect, we must be prepared for Him. Notice how our Lord tells us repeatedly in this passage, as well as in others, to stay awake. We tend to alternate between excitement and indifference, but we need steady commitment.

So mature Christians should heed Christ’s warnings. By God's grace, we must be ever-vigilant in spiritual and moral matters. Christ is always near, and we do not know when He may manifest Himself. He is the perfect ruler and judge, and we can never hide from Him.  

Therefore, we must avoid falling into bad habits. We mustn’t be slothful servants. We do not want to be found spiritually unprepared and asleep. So we need to think of Him, turn to Him, and depend upon His grace and guidance constantly. We must avoid spiritual forgetfulness, stay awake, and be prepared for Him always.

These points about Christ the King apply to us every day. We certainly believe in a future judgment day- “He will come again to judge the living and the dead.”

But every day is also a judgment day. In our faith, spiritual awareness, and general behavior, we stand before our King and Judge daily. In reading the Scriptures, in prayer for ourselves and others, in approaching the Sacrament, and in dealing with other people, we stand before our King. So today as we hear the Word, pray, and come to the Sacrament, let us come in humble faith, look to divine grace, and give thanks for Christ, our righteous and merciful King.

Pentecost 18 (year B)- Mark 9:30-37- The Way of the Cross

The Gospel for this Sunday (Mark 9:30-37) has two distinct but related themes: Jesus' upcoming death and true greatness among His followers. In Mark 9:31, we have the second of three predictions of His passion, death and resurrection within three chapters. Christ emphasizes that His ministry is the way of the Cross. This teaching is not one which His closest disciples understood or were ready to accept. They were still focusing on the external glories and triumphs that they expected. 

A similar misunderstanding is reflected in the second section of this Gospel. The Twelve wish to hold great positions in the Messianic kingdom. Again they focus on external glory. Our Lord, however, points to a different view of greatness- one based on humility and service. Receiving a child in Jesus' name is more important than great worldly titles and honors. 

Thus, the Gospel points us to Christ's way, the way of the Cross. Spiritual and moral greatness are not to be confused with worldly standards. Jesus Christ did not come as a worldly conqueror, and He did not encourage His followers to seek worldly glories. Instead, He came to accept the way of the cross. He resisted and rebuked those who would distract Him from His mission, and He encouraged His disciples to follow Him in the way of humility and service.

Pentecost 17B- Mark 9:14-29- Faith and Prayer

In Mark 9:14-29, Jesus and His three closest disciples come from the sublime experience of the Transfiguration into the confusion and doubts of ordinary life. This is the interesting account of Jesus healing a boy with a powerful evil spirit. There are several themes here. There are scribes, disciples and crowds. There is the concerned father seeking healing for his afflicted son. As usual, Jesus shows both compassion and divine power in dealing with the situation. Among all these issues, this time let us focus on two key points.

First, there is the attitude of the father. The man has brought his afflicted son because he hopes Jesus or His disciples can do something to help. The initial efforts of the disciples have not been very useful, and the man is hesitant when he talks to Jesus. Therefore, Jesus exhorts him to have a stronger faith. The man replies, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mk 9:24). Such struggling faith is enough for Jesus to work. It opens the way for Jesus to overcome evil. It is the power and mercy of God that delivers, not faith as a human accomplishment. Faith itself is a gift from God that opens us to God's work.

Secondly, there is the problem of the disciples. The disciples as a whole had not been able to deal with this case. Perhaps they were over-confident because of previous successes. Perhaps they were distracted by the crowds and opponents around them. Whatever the details, they were not as deep in faith and in prayer as they might have been. So their efforts to heal the boy were fruitless. Jesus rebukes them along with the faithless inconstant crowds. And in the end (9:29), He stresses the need for prayer in overcoming evil. Prayer must be more than saying certain formulae. True prayer is being attuned to God; it means depending upon His power rather than our frail human efforts. For in the end, only God can overcome spiritual evil.

Pentecost 16 B- Mark 7- "Be Opened"

The Gospel from Mark 7:31-37is the story of Jesus Curing a Deaf-Mute Man near the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.  "...Taking him aside from the multitude privately, he [Jesus]put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue; 34 and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, 'Eph′phatha,' that is, 'Be opened.' 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly" (Mk 7:33-35 RSV).

We can approach this miracle from several perspectives. Like every miracle, this one shows both the power and the compassion of Jesus. Like the crowd, we should be impressed. They did not fully understand Jesus' ministry, but they ended by alluding to a Messianic prophecy (Isaiah 35:5,6). Jesus was bringing the Messianic age. He was/is the Christ who manifested the power of God the Father in His miracles. Although Jesus enjoined quietness in order to continue and complete His mission on earth, the crowds found it impossible to ignore His mighty works. As Christians who supposedly have a deeper understanding of and faith in Christ, we should have a hard time keeping quiet about Him.

We can also reflect upon this miracle from the man's perspective. Like him, we are often deaf and mute- in spiritual and moral matters. We need Christ's healing power to work in our lives; we need to have our ears opened and our tongues loosed.  The power, grace, and mercy of Jesus can and should change us. May we be more sensitive and attentive to the Gospel. May we hear the good news of His saving work and be ready to share it.

The Holy Trinity and Holy Scripture

One can approach the mystery of the Holy Trinity from many perspectives. One important perspective is how the doctrine of the Trinity relates to understanding the Bible. God the Father, creator and ruler of the universe, transcends human understanding, but He has chosen to reveal Himself to His creatures.

Although our Creator has provided some hints about Himself in nature and in human consciousness and conscience, the essential points of God’s self-disclosure are in the Holy Scriptures. The Bible points out God’s power expressed in the creation of the universe and of human beings. The Bible points to the rebellion and fall of human beings and of some angels. The Bible also shows the Father’s loving desire and plan to redeem fallen humanity.

Although Holy Scripture is the Word of God in written form, God the Son, Jesus Christ, is the incarnate and eternal Word (John 1) in a more basic and essential way. In Genesis 1, it is the Word of God that is the means of creation. Through His living and spoken Word, God called the people of the Old Testament and spoke to and through patriarchs and prophets. In the New Testament, the obvious center of Gospels and Epistles is the living Word, Jesus. In all the messages of the apostles, the spoken and written words are meant to reveal Christ. We are to respect the written letters and words, but our basic faith is Christ the Eternal Word who is the living center of Scripture.

Finally, we can’t consider the Bible without the role of God the Holy Spirit. The moving of God’s Spirit led patriarchs, prophets, wise men, scribes and apostles of Israel and the Church to pass on the oral and written words that contain the divine Word. The Holy Spirit also worked among believers to distinguish the truly sacred writings from other religious documents. And the Spirit has worked over the centuries to preserve and spread the canon of Scripture. The Holy Spirit has helped us recognize the Bible as both Law and Gospel. The Spirit still works to help us to understand and apply the divine meaning of Scripture to our faith and to our lives.

Pentecost and the Gospel

One lesson often read on Pentecost is from Acts 2:1- 11. It concludes, "we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God." What are these Galilean Apostles proclaiming? Although inspired by the Holy Spirit, the core message is not about the Holy Spirit; the heart of the proclamation is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A few verses later, Peter makes this clear. In Acts 2: 22-24, he preaches, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." This is the heart of the Gospel, the Christ-centered core of the Christian proclamation.

The proclamation in Acts is consistent with John 15:26. Christ tells the Apostles, "When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." The whole point of Pentecost is not about the mechanics of inspiration. And although we honor the coming of the Holy Spirit in a new way, Pentecost is not about the Spirit alone. The point is that the Holy Spirit testifies about and for the crucified and risen Jesus Christ. The Spirit of Truth enables Christ's followers to be faithful witnesses to and proclaimers of the Gospel of salvation. How the Spirit came and the variety of gifts bestowed are of interest, but the main issue is that the presence of the Holy Spirit brings faith in and witness to the saving work of Jesus Christ, the divine Word, God the Son

Easter 5 (B)- I John 4:7-11- Love

 Many human beings over the millennia have talked and sung about love. Of course, Christians have always spoken of love, but there have been times when we have become confused. Much of the talk about love in recent decades, even in the church, is far from Christian ideals. In contrast to popular nonsense about love, this morning, let us spend a few minutes thinking about some New Testament views of love.

We begin by highlighting these verses from I John 4:7-11: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”

In this passage, the Greek term used for “love” is agape'. Although the use is not always consistent, in Christian Greek, this love is usually distinguished from, philos, “brotherly love” and eros, “desire.” This kind of love has its source in God; it is an attribute of the divine nature. “God is love.” Divine Love is creative and unselfish.

Such love is not some naive and syrupy sentiment. Love is not weak. It does not tolerate evil. It is powerful and holy or righteous. It is not selfish but it reaches out to care for the universe and created beings. According to divine wisdom, God's love may be applied in differing ways according to the circumstances. It may lift up the humble and bring down the proud. Love may strengthen the faint-hearted and punish the sinful. Divine love means that God is concerned about the true well-being of the one loved. He cares about our souls and works for our salvation, even in the worst worldly circumstances.

The clearest indications that human beings have about divine love cannot be separated from the life and saving work of Jesus Christ. As He Himself told us in the Gospel of John, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The ultimate goal of love is salvation and eternal fellowship with God. We see this in Jesus. He helped the poor and weak, and He rebuked the rich and proud. He chastised the self-righteous, and He forgave penitent sinners. He blessed those with even a trace of child-like faith in Him and His Father. And He gave Himself over to suffering and death on the cross for all who would turn to Him in faith.

Divine love is always there. It is divine grace at work, and God's creatures benefit from it before they are even aware. The only condition attached to love is to accept it in faith. And once accepted, divine love should have results in our human lives. “..If God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” Although our particular expressions of love need wisdom, guidance, and concrete expressions, true love does not start with us. It starts with God, especially in Christ, and asks us to respond. Because God first loves us and pours out His grace, we love Him in response, and like Him, we love His creation and His creatures.

Like His love, our love should be powerful, committed, and unselfish. Unlike God, we remain fallen and fallible. Sometimes, we do not love as we should. And even when we do love, we don't always do so with strength or wisdom. We may love naively or inappropriately. We may not be tolerant enough, or we may be too tolerant of the wrong things. St Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:15 that we should speak “the truth in love.” We have trouble keeping love and truth together in the best ways. When we speak the truth, we may not be very loving. So we need the insight to see the difference between being superficially polite and being loving. True love is more concerned about the long-term and eternal well-being of others than about their temporary and temporal comfort.

Therefore, let us heed Scriptural teachings about love. By God's grace, let us avoid straying to the right or to the left. We must not avoid the danger of true divine love, and we must not substitute some cheap popular sentimentality for love. If we must be foolish in loving, let it not be some artificial worldly propaganda from popular culture. Rather if we are foolish, let it be the foolishness of the cross of Christ, the perfect love of God.

Easter, April 2018

There is so much that can be said about the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the central event in human history. Along with the crucifixion, it is the foundation of all Christian theology. The Resurrection is the core of the Gospel proclamation which gives meaning to the rest of the story. It is also central in Christian liturgy and celebration. It is the basis of our hope. It is the great example of divine grace, love, and mercy. 
At Easter, all these things and more deserve our attention. Yet, a key point is the reaction of the young beloved disciple- "he saw and believed" (John 20:8). At that point, the disciple did not understand all the Scriptures or have a developed theology, but he did believe in the living Lord Jesus. That should be the focus for all believers. Our crucified Savior is also our risen and living Lord. Alleluia, Jesus Christ is risen!

Good Friday 2018

By thine Agony and Bloody Sweat; by thy Cross and Passion; by thy precious Death and Burial; by thy glorious Resurrection and Ascension, and by the Coming of the Holy Ghost,
Help us, good Lord.
In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment,
Help us, good Lord. (1917 Common Service Book, the Litany)


But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Galatians 6:14, KJV)

Palm Sunday and the Theology of the Cross

Over the years and in many places, I can remember many people being enthusiastic about Palm Sunday. Often the weather has been spring-like (at least in the South) and some flowers have bloomed. People like palm or other tree branches; they appreciate the Gospel account of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem; they like to sing hosannas and think of Christ as the King of glory. There is some value in these reactions.

Yet, closer reflection shows that this Sunday is not really about a theology of glory. In fact, it is a profoundly cross-centered day. For although Jesus Christ deserves to be glorified, this Sunday is pointing us to His Passion and Death. The Palm Gospel is only an introduction, and the crowds that praise Jesus do not really understand Him. The liturgical gospel of the day is one of the Passion accounts, and the tone of the week quickly shifts away from the festive entry. Christ's work for our redemption during this week culminates in the cross and the tomb. Even as we anticipate Christ's resurrection, sound Christian theology must always remain a theology of the cross.

January 1- The Holy Name of Jesus

The biblical, liturgical and theological significance of this day tends to be overlooked. Of course, the secular world and non-liturgical Christians only think of the new secular calendar year. Even among Lutherans and others who observe the church calendar, few think of it as the Feast of the Holy Name (or the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ). Yet, St. Luke 2:21 gives us the clear biblical reference: "And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb" (ESV).

This naming fulfilled the instructions of the angel to Mary and Joseph before Christ's Birth (St. Luke 1:31; St. Matthew 1:21). He was given the name Yeshua, the Aramaic version of the name "Joshua"- which means "the LORD will save." That name progressed through Greek and Latin into the modern form "Jesus." Although circumcision, naming, and the name itself were common in Jewish circles, these events had a special application in the case of this child. They prophesied His work of redemption. And by fulfilling the Law, they pointed to the saving truth of the Gospel.

The continuing days of Christmastide should be a time of reflection on the whole Gospel, not just the birth narratives. In particular, let us pause to think of our Lord's name. The origin of the name Jesus is no accident; it has great doctrinal significance. Jesus is the One who has come to save us. Through His Nativity, Life, Ministry, Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension, He has accomplished God's saving work and deserves our praise and thanksgiving.