Septuagesima
Text: Matthew 20:1-16
Certainly, the words have flowed off your lips, “It’s not fair.”
What’s interesting about these words is that human nature seldom wants life to be fair. We want more than we’re entitled to and desire to win at all costs—just look at your last argument. We want the people we don’t like to lose.
Even the American idea of fairness implies we are born with the same walk of life, potential, and capabilities.
Yet, we know that this isn’t true. But it doesn’t keep us from wanting it…
There is a romanticism with the idea of fairness, isn’t there?
One may look to their neighbor and see their wealth as you scrounge for pennies and say, “It’s not fair.”
Maybe you see a child born with disabilities and say, “It’s just not fair.” Yet, their enduring childlike faith in Jesus often becomes a teacher and example to the rest of us.
Still, another sees a favorite teacher diagnosed with terminal cancer, and they respond, “It’s not fair.”
Or is it fair that a child loses a parent at a young age or that a parent must bury a child?
No, life is not fair.
And if it were, we’d all be in a great deal of trouble because it would end for all of us in the grave and the judgment of eternal death, not only for the sin of our first parents that ushered into this world all those ailments and calamities mentioned above but the sin we continue to commit today as we grumble among one another regarding the fairness of life.
So yes, as counterintuitive as it is, life is not fair.
But look to the cross. Does that look fair?
No, of course not. But do you know what you see on the cross? It’s love. Love for a fallen creation, love for mankind, love for you.
Upon the cross, Jesus took your place so that you might receive the forgiveness of sin and eternal life by grace.
And this gets to the heart of the Gospel reading today: grace.
Grace is a gift; it’s not earned; it’s given out of love, and that is the struggle for the laborers in the vineyard; because of how long they’ve toiled under the heat of the day, they now expect more than was promised to them as the Gospel says,
And on receiving [a denarius] they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. (Matthew 20:11-16)
It's not fair, is it?
But the love of the master is good, gracious, and kind.
And if you’re being honest, praise be to God that His love is not dependent upon how long you’ve been in the vineyard of His Church or walked in the way of the Baptismal life or even the works that you have done inside or out of the church.
No, instead, this parable gives us hope, not only for the times when our hearts have been hardened towards the Lord but also for our family and friends who have not yet entered the vineyard of God’s Church through the waters of Holy Baptism.
Truly, which of you would not desire a loved one to share in the confession of the thief upon the cross, the one who looks and says to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And [Jesus] said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43)
There is no greater image of grace than this: even as the thief is breathing his final breaths of life, he confesses Jesus and receives the same gift of eternal life as you and I look forward to.
So, what does this mean for us today? What does this mean for you, Max, as you are confirmed today?
If you are hearing the voice of your Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, do not harden your hearts toward Him for His generosity, love, and kindness to others. (Hebrews 7:7-8)
Instead, rejoice that He would choose to give the same wage and gift of forgiveness and eternal life to you as your neighbor. And He does this out of grace and love for you.
So, as you look around and see your place and lot in life, no matter how good or bad it may appear at this moment, realize that no, life is not fair; some of us are born with disabilities, and others will be diagnosed with ailments, while others still experience an untimely death and loss, but God gives all of us more than we could ever deserve, He gives us His life and salvation. And this is all by grace.
Think about that now, Max, as you will soon confess your faith.
Your salvation, the forgiveness of your sin, and eternal life are given to you, not because of your work in Confirmation class, but as you will say, “By the grace of God.”
It’s the gift all believers in Christ Jesus receive. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
The Transfiguration of Our Lord
February 9, 2025
Text: Matthew 17:1-9
If we were all honest with ourselves, we’d all like to be there with Peter, James, and John. Why? Because we want the mountaintop experience, they just had in the Gospel. After all, it’s experiences like these that bring clarity to life, right? Yet, from Peter's bumbling words in our Gospel today, I don’t believe they’re any closer to understanding who Jesus is now and why He has come into this world than they were a week prior.
However, the words of Jesus just six days before today and immediately before our Gospel reading are incredibly important in understanding today’s text and having a proper lens through which to view today’s events.
Jesus said to His disciples,
“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.” (Matthew 16:24b-28)
With this lens, one can see that the entire purpose of the transfiguration of Jesus is not only to confirm the identity of Jesus as the only begotten Son of God. But that He is the Christ, and His entire life leads to His glorification upon the cross.
Still, the disciples are a little slow on the uptick, and they do not comprehend Jesus’ words. One can see this in the Gospel today, too: Peter cannot keep silent. The great mountaintop experience is in full force; Moses and Elijah have appeared, and they are conversing with Jesus, and Peter breaks in (or interrupts like a child), “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” It’s a bold move, but not one I’d make, interrupting the God of heaven and earth, or insulting Him by offering to honor Moses and Elijah as an equal to Jesus with three tents.
It's as if Peter hasn’t been listening to Jesus’ teaching; He is the One who has come to fulfill all righteousness; He is the One who comes to fulfill the words of Moses and Elijah.
In an interesting turn, God the Father follows up these words of Peter by speaking from the heavens, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
It appears God has gotten their attention now as they are filled with fear and have dug their faces into the dirt and rock of the mountain.
But again, God said to everyone on top of the mountain, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
These words of the Father are in the imperative; they are an order. “Listen to Him.”
But that’s exactly what they haven’t done; they have not listened to His Words announcing His cross and death, they have not taken them to heart, nor permitted them to lead the way.
But isn’t this what it’s all about, our way versus God’s way?
Like the disciples, there is no desire in our hearts to pick up the cross and follow Jesus. Instead, we prefer that Jesus conform to us. We desire power and success. Put us in charge, and we’ll get things right; we’ll get things done. We do this in our homes, our cities, and, yes, even the church.
It’s good to have ambition, but ambition can also destroy unity in Christ if we’re not listening to His voice – just look at Peter; his ambition was silenced by the very voice of God.
Because our ways are not His…
As the prophet Isaiah wrote,
“Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:6-9)
The way of Jesus is humility, submission, and obedience to His Father. Jesus teaches this throughout His earthly life, beginning with His birth, as He was born of the Virgin Mary. Or as He was tempted by the Devil and remained obedient to God’s Word, or as He prayed on the night of His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)
But that is the hardest prayer to make, isn’t it? To pray with Jesus, the third petition of the prayer He taught us, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Why, you might ask… because it entrusts your entire life into His care; it places all of your dependence on Him. And this is difficult for us to comprehend as we live and dwell in a world consumed with itself and the idea that we are all little saviors unto ourselves.
Yet, what darkness have you ever led yourself out of?
And this is where the Gospel is leading us today, to journey with Jesus into the darkness; whether it be loneliness, the brokenness of a home, persistent grief, or even the nearness of the grave, today is a rallying cry to take up the crosses of life and follow Jesus into the darkness of His cross that first Good Friday.
And for this reason, the time is here for us to learn again to follow the words of our Heavenly Father and “Listen to His beloved Son.”
With the feast of Transfiguration, we now know the season of Lent is near. It’s a difficult season because it often brings us face to face with the deep darknesses of life. However, it also leads and teaches us to grow in our dependence on Jesus.
So, let it be time for us to learn the way of the cross.
Let it be time for us to follow Jesus with His disciples down this great mount of Transfiguration and to the mount of Calvary, where He is crowned in glory.
Let it be time, as our closing hymn will say, for the tears over sin and darkness to flow.
Let it be time for us to confess our need for Jesus to save us according to His Father's good and faithful will.
Because even as this journey to the cross is arduous and difficult, Jesus continues to come into these darknesses of your life with His Word and forgiveness.
He comes to this rail and says to you, “Rise, and have no fear.”
Meaning, rise and go in His peace, trusting that He will come again with His angels on the last day to bring you and all the faithful into the eternal glory of His presence. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
The Third Sunday After Epiphany
Text: Romans 12:16-21
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,
What do you desire in life? What do you desire within your home? Or what do you desire within this congregation?
These questions all appear innocent and honest, but they have one common flaw: they begin with you.
If we are honest, our desires throughout life often proceed out of personal distress, the need for control, or the unwavering belief we possess all the answers to the problems of life, the difficulties of our homes, or the issues of the church.
When we believe we have all the answers, we are led to become haughty and conceited, as the Epistle warns against. (Romans 12:16) We are led into arrogance and becoming excessively prideful.
Solomon wrote in the book of Proverbs, “Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” (Proverb 3:7) Still, the inborn sin of your first parents continues to tug at your heart, whispering into your ears - speak up, chart a bold path forward, you know the way to go… don’t give in to others.
This subjective and self-absorbed confidence you demonstrate is precisely what the Proverbs warn against – it is the turning away from the objective Word of God, your Creator, and Redeemer. It is the way of sin.
Sin separates man from God, resulting from Adam and Eve’s disobedience that ended with expulsion from the Garden. Sin also separates men from one another, which causes strife and division.
Sadly, none of us must look far for strife and division. For whom did you see as you approached or entered the church today and said, ugh, I see they’re here. Which family member do you silence the ringer for when they call, avoiding the conversation of reconciliation that must one day occur? Or what secret addiction drives you into isolation, pulling you away from earthly responsibility?
Yet, the Apostle Paul urges the reader in Romans to “Live in harmony with one another.” (Romans 12:16a) Or, as one translator renders this verse, “Have the same mindset toward one another.”
These words call us away from our own desires and the course or path we have plotted, orienting and uniting us toward a single goal—peace.
However, while not always possible, the Apostle Paul goes on to urge the Christian and the Church: “So far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” (Romans 12:18)
Walther, the first president of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, wrote, “A Christian must value peace and harmony so highly that he will suffer considerable harm if he can thereby purchase peace and harmony.” (Walther, 159)
But what is the cost of peace?
Truthfully, apart from Christ Jesus, there is no amount of labor, means, or intellect you could ever possess to attain peace for the church, your home, or your life. No, the cost of peace hangs upon the cross – it is the only begotten Son of the Father.
Still, those He came to redeem treated Him shamefully as He was whipped and spat upon, His own disciples denied Him, and the government arrayed Him with a crown of thorns. No one was innocent, not even you.
But the passion of our Lord not only shows us how to suffer in this brief life but also teaches us to “repay no one with evil.”
This is a challenge, is it not? Unfortunately, the accessibility of retribution is not far from us. It resides within our hearts. Our lips simply give voice to our anger, becoming the very gates of hell as we issue vain threats and warnings to one another, and our silent quest for vengeance becomes a reality.
My friends, this struggle is not unique to you; I, too, share in this struggle of the heart. My faith continues to require a regular trip to my Baptism. In fact, each day I walk past that font, I must again remember that I have been marked, redeemed, and made a child of God.
All this to say, I, like you, must constantly turn my heart and direct my faith to where forgiveness and peace reside – to Christ Jesus.
This is something our Gospel reveals today about the leper and the centurion; their faith was unwavering.
The leper approached Jesus and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” And what did Jesus do? He put out His hand and touched the unclean leper, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed,” which means to be forgiven.
The centurion comes running to Jesus, pleading with him to heal his servant. Jesus says to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion responds, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.”
What trust and faith this leper and centurion have in Jesus. Are you so bold?
Are you so bold to look solely to Jesus for the peace and forgiveness you need? Are you so willing to sacrifice yourself, setting aside your positions or ambitions in life for the good of your neighbor as the centurion?
None of this is easy, but we are called to set aside our desires and wills and look to the cross with unwavering faith.
It began for each of us at the font with water and the Word. It continued today as we joined our voices in confession and absolution. And soon the flesh and blood of Christ Jesus will again cleanse each of you with the forgiveness of sin, uniting us as the body of Christ Jesus, that we may “Live in harmony with one another.” (Romans 12:16a) That we would “Have the same mindset toward one another.”
Look, there will be days in our lives when our desires are not met. Beginning with ourselves as it is written, “For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Romans 7:15) But, we must realize this same struggle resides in all who dwell within our homes and within this congregation.
So, while it sounds more frightening than it is, we are all called to “heap burning coals on the heads of our neighbors.” (Romans 12:17)
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.”
In other words, be good to those who persecute you and extend your hand as Jesus has extended His to you with His forgiveness.
This is what it means to “heap burning coals on the heads of [your] neighbors.” (Romans 12:17)
Do this joyfully, turning and uniting your hearts in Christ Jesus - overwhelming your brothers and sisters with charity and the forgiveness of sin-loving your neighbors as Christ loves you and leads you into the way of harmony and peace. +INJ+
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
The Second Sunday After Epiphany
Text: John 2:1-11 & Ephesians 5:22-33
The entirety of Scripture is one big wedding. It began in the Garden of Eden as God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” (Genesis 2:18)
And so, God did; He formed Eve from the side of Adam
Then [Adam] said,
“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.” (Genesis 2:23)
Scripture goes on to say,
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)
These profound words of God reveal that husband and wife are no longer autonomous beings dwelling near one another but have their lives intimately interwoven.
For this reason, marriage is to be seen as a gift, just as Eve was to be a blessing unto Adam; every husband and wife is a gift unto one another.
However, marriage also gives many the gift of a community. God said, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth…” (Genesis 1:28a) In other words, have babies as God wills it.
Community comes from this relationship between a man and a woman instituted and established by God, their children, and their children’s children. For this reason, the wedding of a man and woman is seen throughout the Scriptures as a family and community event. It was and still is an image of God’s love for His people.
Marriage celebrates God’s love and faithfulness to man, even as man does not honor marriage.
And if you were to examine the Old Testament, you’d see how Israel is often depicted as a faithless bride who departs from the commands and will of God. Still, as a husband, God did not forsake them; instead, as the Epistle says, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
God the Father sends His only begotten Son to redeem His bride, the Church, by dying on the cross. For this reason, He says that all husbands today should demonstrate the same sacrificial love for their brides as Paul wrote,
In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. (Ephesians 5:28-30)
So, again, marriage is an image and icon of the Church and God’s sacrificial love for her.
But we don’t like to sacrifice in this life, partly out of fear. For this reason, the percentage of adults of any age getting married continues to decrease over time.
A statistical and researched reason for this decrease in marriage is the number of couples cohabiting and living together before or in place of marriage. In many ways, this places man’s objectives above God and rejects not only the gift of marriage as it was established in the Garden of Eden but also the Giver of the gift.
Naturally, many see cohabitation as a good test run, have financial interests at stake, fear commitment, or are concerned about other worldly matters. Yet, again, our Epistle says, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
To understand marriage is to look to the cross.
Marriage was never meant to be easy (or convenient). Instead, it’s a proving ground for a man and a woman, who sacrifice themselves in every worldly and spiritual way for one another and for their family—the community God has placed them into.
Now, sadly, this community is shattered all too often. The research conducted year after year reveals that cohabitation actually increases the rate of divorce over time. I believe there is something to this, and we can look to the marriage rite to understand it.
Near the end of the rite, the pastor says, “What God has joined together, let no one put asunder.” In other words, what God joins together, let man not separate. Or remember that passage from Genesis, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)
The community and fellowship of marriage always begin with God. Apart from Him, it’s not only our relationships but our faith that is in danger. Because when we sin, when we put our own desires before God’s will, we are separated from God and the community of believers He has placed us into.
For this reason, we as a community must also hold marriage as the great blessing it is with our words, our actions, and our faith so that those in our midst, especially the young, will desire it.
Because it is, after all, an image of God’s love for you, His bride, the Church.
As I said at the beginning of today’s sermon, Scripture is one big wedding: from the creation of Adam and Eve to their fall into sin, Israel’s rebellious nature, and the coming of Jesus.
It was and is always about Jesus, after all, the Bridegroom, coming to redeem His bride.
And this is where our Gospel points us today.
As Jesus attends the wedding at Cana, that festive family event, they run out of wine: an earthly problem, no doubt. But Mary knows who her Son is and that He can help with the situation; however, Jesus responds to her petition, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”
Jesus looked past the benefit of that moment and cast our gaze to another moment in time: the “hour” of His sacrificial death upon the cross, the consummation of the heavenly wedding banquet that unites heaven and earth in the forgiveness of sin.
A forgiveness that remains present for you today as we continue to participate in this ongoing wedding feast of the Lamb and His Kingdom.
For this reason, we need to examine ourselves and our lives to ensure we have not begun to cohabitate in the house of the Lord. Meaning that we have not started to come to the Lord’s house out of habit, for worldly gain, or an outward appearance of community and fellowship – a relationship with God.
Instead, we are to come here as a bride who draws near to receive her bridegroom who sacrificed even His life for her. We come to receive the forgiveness of sin and reconciliation won for us upon the cross that He gives, because this act of grace is now interwoven and flows into our lives, relationships, and homes – the community in which God has placed each of us.
In fact, this icon of grace is now the image of our marriages and relationships with one another.
It’s a sacrificial gift anchored in the love and cross of Jesus Christ.
So let us see the great blessing of marriage and look forward to the day the Bridegroom gathers us for the eternal wedding feast of His heavenly banquet. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
The Baptism of Our Lord
Text: Matthew 3:15-22
In light of having a baptism last week and our observance of the Baptism of our Lord today, it might be a good time for us to examine, review, and ask again “what is baptism?” Especially as we live not only in a time of confusion but a period when Christian ideals are rejected by the world and society around us.
To begin, the word “baptism” comes from the Greek βαπτίζω, meaning to wash. As mentioned last week, there is a shared understanding between the New Testament action of baptism and the Old Testament work of consecrating oneself.
Throughout the book of Leviticus, Moses records for us,
For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the LORD who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. (Leviticus 11:44-45)
A few chapters later, Moses writes again, “Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. Keep my statutes and do them; I am the LORD who sanctifies you.” (Leviticus 20:7-8)
This consecration is a ritual of washing and cleansing of the unholy so that one might be made holy. If a person were to touch or consume an unclean animal, there would be a need to cleanse oneself. This included the need for a mother to be cleansed seven days after giving birth or for the sins of sexual immorality.
Yet there is a more clearly stated foreshadowing of Baptism as we know it today in the book of Ezekiel as the prophet writes,
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. (Ezekiel 36:25-27)
Just as Ezekiel is pointing God’s people forward to Holy Baptism, you can begin to also hear the words of John the Baptist just prior to our Gospel this morning as John says,
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11)
So now there is a fork in the road: the one who rejects baptism or fails to live a life of repentance will experience the fire of eternal damnation. However, the one who lives a life of repentance receives the forgiveness of sin.
This is, after all, why we need baptism; we are sinners in need of Jesus. As Paul writes in Romans, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)
And here is that gift language. Baptism delivers the gift of God’s name and forgiveness.
As Peter preached in the Book of Acts,
Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. (Acts 2:38-39)
And this gift was revealed in this way, “[That] God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
This is why Jesus came to the Jordan River; He entered the filthy waters to be baptized by John the Baptist in order to take upon Himself the filth of your sin, to bear it upon the cross and become your substitute – that you might now receive His forgiveness and faith.
That’s a pretty good gift, isn’t it?
And Peter says, “For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts 2:39)
Isn’t this comforting? The gift of Holy Baptism is to be received by everyone, regardless of age, even nursing infants.
Still, some will ask why a baby needs to be baptized.
Well, the Psalmist wrote one of the clearest answers to this objection as he said, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5)
While babies are cute, from the moment of conception, their mother and father’s sin pumps through the veins of their bodies and the chambers of their hearts. We call this Original Sin.
Yet, the Holy Spirit is at work in that little heart within their chest to create faith as the Psalmist confesses, “Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother’s breasts.” (Psalm 22:9)
Not only does this passage confess the incredible faith of the youngest among us, but it also reveals who the real actor in creating and sustaining this faith is: God the Holy Spirit.
A glorious comfort for us is that baptism and the faith received are not dependent upon a person’s intellect, nor their age. It’s a gift given through the work of the Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus even says that to inherit the kingdom of heaven, we must all become like children.
He said in the Gospel of Matthew,
Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven…
Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:3-6)
How comforting are these words for us?
So, what does Baptism do?
Well, we’ve discussed this already, but in the words of Paul, Baptism leads us,
“To put off your old self, which…is corrupt.” (Ephesians 4:22) Your self-centeredness, your irritability and childish behaviors, your despair and sadness.
Instead, Paul says, “Put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
What is the “New self?”
It’s the fruit of the Spirit, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-24)
What a gift God has given you!
A gift present for you today because Jesus entered the waters of the Jordan River, took upon Himself the filth of your sin, and bore it upon the cross.
So be encouraged to remember the Lord’s Baptism as you remember yours, because in these waters you were “buried with him into [His] death, in order that, just as [He] was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, [you] too might walk in newness of life.
Walk in this newness of life today, and learn again to demonstrate “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control” among one another and a world that awaits you outside these doors.
Then rejoice even if this world rejects you as it rejected Jesus because the waters of Holy Baptism have made you God’s Own Child. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Sheperd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
Epiphany of our Lord (Observed)
Text: 2:1-12
When I was younger, I loved to hear all the stories of Christmas. The manger, the shepherds, the wise men, and the star that hung so brightly in the sky. I loved hearing and singing about the star so much that I would often look on my way to church on Christmas Eve for the Christmas star.
We’ve always bunched the wise men together with the Christmas story that we hear on Christmas Eve, but the truth is that the wise men would not have arrived so quickly. It would have taken them a year or two to travel to Bethlehem because they probably came from Persia, Babylon, or Arabia. The distance of their travels also means that the baby Jesus probably wasn’t a baby anymore; he was probably around the age of some of the children who roam our pews and fill our sanctuary with joy, around the age of two.
But who were the wise men?
Well, it might be better to call these men the Magi. Magi are “scientists, seers, wise and without a doubt learned men and scholars in the natural sciences, the movement of stars and planets.”
So, naturally, God speaks to them in a manner they will understand; God gives them a star to guide them on their way. And the star eventually guides the Magi to Bethlehem.
Now, think about this: what would you do if all you had was a star to guide you across the United States of America? Do you believe we could do this? Do you believe you could navigate the highways and byways by a star? I think it would be a challenge, don’t you?
Besides the challenge of staying on course, there are times when you might run into obstacles like lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!). Okay, maybe not lions, tigers, and bears, but a journey on foot of this magnitude without the technology we have today would be both challenging and dangerous.
But, something interesting happens during the journey of the Magi: they are led first to Jerusalem. Remember, this is where Jesus will die upon the cross for the sins of the world, for you.
But then the Magi also ask King Herod where the new king and Savior would be born, and Herod summons the Scribes and Chief Priests. These are the men seen as wise in the Scriptures, and they read to Herod and the Magi what the prophet Micah says: the new King would come to Bethlehem.
And so, the journey goes on, and the star reappears and leads the Magi to Jesus and His mother, Mary, and his earthly father, Joseph.
Now, here is what I want you to remember this evening: the star and all its glory led the Magi. There are many beliefs on how the star appeared and what the star was made of and so on (like it was the planets Jupiter and Saturn coming together), but what’s important is that we remember the star led the Magi to Jerusalem where they heard the Word of God read aloud.
What does this mean? The Word of God told them to go to Bethlehem, where they would find Jesus, the Word of God in the flesh!
There are many miraculous ways God spoke to His people throughout the Bible. But now, we are told that God speaks to us in His Word, through the Words written in Holy Scripture.
You may often feel like you are on a journey throughout life, lost and overwhelmed by the tasks and events of the day, but you no longer need to search for Jesus. He is right where He says He will be for you. So, pay attention when you gather in this sanctuary, listen to God’s Word as it is read and proclaimed, and read it with your families and within your homes because where the Word of God is read, that is where Jesus is for you!
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
Christmas 2
Matthew 2:13-23 & 1 Peter 4:12-19
One commentary I read in preparation for today titled our Gospel reading, “The Greatest Christmas Program Never.”
This Gospel reads more like an action movie or a thriller. But this part of the Christmas story is seldom told or heard.
It’s had me wondering, what if we included all of today’s Gospel in the Christmas pageants of old? Would it have prepared the children of the church more fully for life? Wouldn’t it be more authentic?
I’ll tell you one thing: the church's young men surely would have been more attentive, right? I mean, the angel is coming by night in the dream, the flight and escape into Egypt, and then there’s the horrible and tragic murdering of the young boys by a ruthless Herod before the safe return of the Christ child so the prophecy could be fulfilled, that the Savior of the World would come from Nazareth.
But this side of the story doesn’t warm the heart as much as the image of a sleeping child in a manger does. It’s way too earthy and realistic, and the children—oh, the children—certainly aren’t ready for it.
But this raises another question: How are children not only prepared to hear this side of the Christmas story but also prepared to live on this side of the Christmas story?
Our epistle reading said,
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:12-13)
What Peter is saying here is that the life of the Christian will be full of trials and difficulties. The term “Fiery trials” describes a time of severe testing of one’s faith.
But Peter also adds, “But rejoice insofar as you share [in] Christ’s sufferings.”
If you share in the suffering of Christ, where were you joined to His life and death? Where were you joined to this suffering?
At the font.
It’s at the font this life of trial and testing begins.
Martin Luther emphasized the seriousness of Holy Baptism when he said, “Remember, therefore, that it is no joke to take sides against the devil and not only to drive him away from the little child, but to burden the child with such a mighty and lifelong enemy.” (LW 53:102)
The devil only attacks what is not his. And when a child like Helen is brought to the font, it must be done with great care and seriousness because now the child is united with Christ.
Therefore, trials and testing shall come.
So, how can Helen or any child be led safely through this life? In other words, how can any of them or us remain safely in the Christian faith?
Think back again to the Gospel this morning, it said,
Now when [Joseph, Mary, and Jesus] had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” (Matthew 2:13)
Listen to that language: Herod wants to “Destroy” the newborn Jesus, the one in the Christmas pageant that was all snug in the manger; Herod wants to kill Him.
But a little later on in the Gospel, we learned,
But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” (Matthew 2:19-20)
Throughout all of this, God the Father protected His only begotten Son by using Jesus’ earthly adopted father, Joseph.
Joseph was responsible for guarding and protecting the child and mother from all the trials and assaults of evil in this world. God would use Joseph to guard the infant Jesus against the assaults and attacks of Satan.
In Joseph, we are reminded not only how vital fathers are but also how paramount parents are to their children’s faith. God provides for the young, parents to guard, protect, and lead them in the Christian faith.
This remains true today, as children are susceptible to many attacks from Satan, this world, and even the flesh that clothes them.
Reflect on how much time a family spends in the church each week or in the Scriptures and prayer at home. Then, ponder how much time a child spends at school, on television, or online.
It’s staggering, really.
The statistics say that a child spends approximately 6 hours per day at school and another 3 hours on some screen, whether television, tablets, or video games.
Sadly, this research results in children and parents spending an average of only 60-90 minutes a day together.
At the end of the day, how does a parent then know how to protect their child from the dangers of this life? Where is the time to discuss the matters of faith?
Now, school and education are good things. Historically, churches were some of the first and most prolific sources of education and schools.
But as Mary and Joseph were entrusted with the care and protection of the infant Jesus, so mothers and fathers today have been entrusted to protect and lead their children faithfully through a world just as dangerous as the one into which Jesus was born.
In some ways, the technology and lack of time we have today as families have made this world more dangerous because danger no longer needs to pursue a child, but we now invite many evils into our homes.
So then, let us ponder the well-known Proverb,
Train up a child in the way he should go;
even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
As we’ve discussed before, the words “Train up” here means to initiate, dedicate, set aside, or consecrate.
From this, one can see the font where Helen and all children of God are set aside in the waters of Holy Baptism.
“The way” a child is to go is the Christian faith so that even as they age, grow, and mature, they won’t depart from it but can be counted among the faithful on the last day.
Sadly, too many parents today have seen Confirmation as some form of graduation rather than the public confession of faith and affirmation of Baptism it is meant to be. And with this lens, the result is that our children become led not by faith, the Church, or their parents, but by this world.
We want children to grow, mature, and make wise decisions. However, for children to learn and continue to make wise decisions, we cannot be so eager to hand them over to the world while saying they aren’t ready for this side of the Christmas story.
As it is written in Genesis, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)
Not until marriage does a child see their priorities and the natural order of their families change.
This means that parents are completely and utterly responsible for their children’s lives and faith throughout all stages of adolescence.
I mean, according to God’s gracious will, your Father in heaven gave them to you. You begot them, bore them, and now provide them a home.
All of this leads us back to the font.
The faith a child is given at the font is nurtured in the home and sustained at this altar.
As parents and as a Church, we serve the young of this congregation first by praying for their faith, then by ensuring they are present and equipped with God’s Word so that they are ready to engage the world and this life, and finally, that when danger arises, they know the way they are to go, that they know how to return to their Baptism, where God’s comfort and protection remain for them.
So, let us embrace the work God has given us. Let us prepare the church’s children to live on this side of the Christmas story; let us prepare them for the darkness that surrounds them. Most of all, let us pray for them – that they, as we, would be led by their Savior who, as a child, followed the will of His Heavenly Father, even suffering the fiery trials and tribulations of the cross, to redeem you and them, that all of us might be led to the only thing that truly matters, eternal life. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
Christmas 1
Text: Luke 2:33-40
As a child, I would marvel at Christmas lights. The whole season was full of mystery, anticipation, and joy. Watching my own children, I also see how they are filled with wonder and amazement as Advent builds towards and culminates on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Just think back to the first time you held a candle on Christmas Eve and sang Silent Night with your family as the sanctuary became dark.
Where does this childlike sense of wonder go?
The gifts have been exchanged; sadly, some have already lost their amusement. Toys have been broken, and new sweaters have holes in them. The “what were you thinking gifts” have been returned. The new books have either been read or have become the latest paperweights for your desk.
But Christmas goes on.
As we’ve discussed over the past weeks, our Christmas joy does not entirely halt on December 25th; it is just beginning, and the Twelve Days of Christmas continue through Epiphany.
These days help us understand that the Church’s calendar differs from the world's. It does not proceed as the world does and is not arranged according to college football bowl games. This is evident by the feasts and festivals on the Church calendar this past week.
The first observance the Church has is the martyrdom of St. Stephen on December 26th, quickly followed by the feast of Holy Innocents when King Herod brutally murdered all male children under the age of two.
After the gift-giving, is this what you thought the Christmas season would be filled with? The birth of the Savior, immediately followed by martyrs and stories of death?
But Simeon is prepared for this in our Gospel reading – his own death - now that he has seen the Lord.
This Gospel reading cannot be heard without the echoes of Simeon’s song that immediately precedes it, the Nunc Dimittis. Simeon begins the familiar hymn we sing each Sunday, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace.” (Luke 2:29) The time has come; Simeon is recorded as waiting for the consolation of Israel and now his time of waiting for consolation is here, he can rest from this tiring world and meet his death in the peace of God. Simeon has such confidence in this truth because the consolation, that is, the world's salvation, is now seen with his eyes and lies within his arms in the baby Jesus.
In addition to these great words of Simeon, the earthly family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph have had some pretty amazing things occur already, too, like angels appearing and announcing the birth of Jesus to Mary, a virgin. Then, the shepherds arrived and traveled to Bethlehem to see this new family and child who would bring peace to earth. Mary and Joseph could have taken life at face value and said, this is simply a newborn child, no different from those that grow and roam these pews (What a blessing they are, too!). But these words of Simeon continue to bring Mary and Joseph to marvel and wonder.
Luther writes, “They disregarded what they see and cling to the words of Simeon with a firm faith, and therefore they marvel at what he says.” (AE 75, pg. 399) The words of Simeon are precious Gospel to the ears that will hear and believe in them because they announce redemption’s arrival on earth.
But Simeon also has another proclamation in today’s Gospel, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, for a sign that is opposed.” (Luke 2:34) Here, the shadows of the cross are already present as Simeon announces to Mary and Joseph, your child will fall, He will die. He will cause His own people, the people of Israel, to curse Him, to hate Him, to spit on Him. They will condemn his very words, his works, and his ways. His own people will do this. The people Jesus came to save. (Spangenberg, 43)
What is so hard is hearing these words today because those whom Jesus came to save continue to condemn his words, his works, and his death, even those who have been baptized into and bear the precious name of Jesus Christ.
I pray your Christmas was pleasant and without disturbance, but we all know that a family get-together can be challenging. Sometimes, we can say they even lack peace. Maybe it’s politics that arise, or maybe there is a sad divide over doctrine and faith in your family. Sadly, more and more families no longer see Christmas as a festival of Christ’s birth. Instead, the day is one for family reunions and the like.
Talk of the child in the manger is not conducted in the fear of offense to avoid disturbing our Christmas harmony. For many, our families have drifted apart so much that the only thing we marvel at is that we still get together. Christ has become a stumbling block for them and, in this way, for us. It’s not that I don’t desire family peace; I do, but peace on earth is only brought through the peace the angels and Simeon announce with Christ Jesus.
The prophet Isaiah wrote regarding the coming of Christ, “He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel.” (Isaiah 8:14) The sanctuary or temple was often seen as a place of safety. The entering of the infant Jesus into the temple in today’s Gospel also reveals that Jesus is the new temple. The presence of God dwells within Him. Therefore, those who reject Christ are those who stumble in this life; they are those outside the temple, outside the sanctuary of Christ’s protection from Satan and this world.
But for those who struggle and who return to Christ, they have sanctuary, forgiveness, and a hope that surpasses all human understanding. (Philippians 4:7)
While Simeon proclaimed and prophesied regarding the infant Jesus in the temple, the prophetess, Anna, also couldn’t help but hear his words. Anna was a virgin until marriage; she was a devout wife, and when her husband died, as a widow, she spent her days in the temple, praying and fasting. Anna, like Simeon, was waiting for this time to arrive when the Savior would come, and when it did, they rejoiced!
Anna reminds us that to be in the temple of God, to have His sanctuary, is to be in the Word of God. Throughout Anna’s life, she fulfilled her vocation at every stage, and now, as a widow, Anna’s one thing in life to be concerned with was to be in the courts of the Lord.
We all have many vocations in this life. For some of us, it is given to be a parent; to others, we remain sons and daughters, yet others are siblings or friends. Like Anna, our vocations begin with the Temple of God, with the Word incarnate, with Jesus who dwells on earth, our redeemer and Savior. Then, when we confess our faith throughout our vocations, it is exercised through forgiveness and the faith that Jesus alone is our Savior. This is the beginning of true wisdom.
The proverb states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...” (Proverbs 9:10). The fear of God begins with confession. Confession prepares the heart for forgiveness, like a farmer tending to the soil in the spring, preparing his fields for planting. Confession and faith are the actions of the heart that begin to reveal the true wisdom of God, realized and understood only in the crucifixion and resurrection of the Son.
This is what Simeon and Anna prophesied today, that this child was appointed for the rise and fall of many. Their faith gave them the patience to endure the tribulations of life and the patience to wait for the Advent of Jesus.
Now He’s here.
Let us cling to this mystery with Mary and Joseph; let us take up the Christ child in our ears and upon our lips, departing with a firm faith, singing for joy with Simeon and all the saints a song of thanksgiving. This song prepares your heart for eternal peace and sustains your faith throughout this life, “Lord, now you let your servant depart in peace, according to your word.” +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
Christmas Day
John 1:1-14
It was the night of Christmas 1776. George Washington was readying his soldiers for a daring nighttime attack amid great secrecy.
The British troops would not suspect this Christmas surprise; they wouldn’t see the approaching Continental Army in the shadows of the icy Delaware River.
While this attack was a small victory for the Continental Army in a greater war, it has been celebrated and remembered throughout history.
It makes you wonder how seemingly unnoticed events or minor battles in life affect human history, your story, and your life.
Reflect on last evening as the service ended; the Savior’s lullaby brought peace to your hearts.
Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Even the Nativity scene outside the church serves as a reminder of the blessed joy as these lyrics echoed in your hearts and accompanied your minds as you returned to your homes, calling out Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight as you lay down your heads all snug in your beds.
It was a good night, and I pray it was also a peaceful night amid the battles and strife of life.
However, while we get caught up in the joy and beauty of a birth, the birth and incarnation of your Savior was the beginning of God bringing peace to earth, and for this to happen, something unpleasant had to first occur: war.
And if you think more deeply regarding Christmas, this is one of the reasons that causes heaven and earth to resound.
The birth of the Christ child was a declaration of war upon the devil, the evil of this world, and the sin of man.
Even in the shadows of the nativity, the enemy lurks.
You see it as Herod will be filled with jealousy.
You see it as this jealousy fills Herod’s heart to murder all the male children under the age of two in that little town of Bethlehem.
As the Scriptures record,
A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more. (Matthew 2:18)
You see the enemy lurking as the world had drifted into a darkness of unbelief.
Yet in this darkness, John writes, The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.
The world did not want to know Him.
And dare I say, too often, you don’t want to know Him.
Why?
Because the light of His Word illuminates your sin, it reveals how you are very similar to Herod, how you are filled with jealousy, to even murder your brother, sister, or neighbor in your thoughts and words as you fight and war with one another.
His presence and Word create a battle within your heart.
But in some ways, Christmas has become a truce for the battles of life, a time when we fake it to make it. Make grandma and grandpa happy, right?
Yet, in these shadows, the battle does remain for you and one another.
I mean, why do you argue with one another? Why is there no lasting peace in your homes?
What’s really at the core of every battle you find yourselves in is the same as Herod: the desire for power, control, and lordship over one another.
And it all reveals how the darkness of this life has taken up residence within your heart.
However, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage.”
How are we to take part?
By exercising our faith this Christmas, by confessing our sins before God and one another.
The sin of hatred and jealousy over our neighbors.
Our closest neighbors, our family, and friends.
Just as the manger and nativity of the Christ child served as a fortress and refuge of protection, so His cross is your refuge and strength today.
Through His birth, He came to vanquish this evil of the heart, to scatter your darkness, and to defeat death.
As one theologian writes, “All of this serves as a reminder that Christ was born into a violent, godless world – a world in which kings clung to power with clenched fists.” (Whiteaker, 49)
But for you, He is the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
We don’t like to think of our lives being that dark and violent, but if they weren’t, would there have been a need for the Savior’s birth that first Christmas?
Would there have been a need for such a violent death as His upon the cross that first Good Friday?
This Child born of Mary does not grow weak; he is not intimidated by the enemy but faithfully follows His Father’s orders into the darkness, enters the fray, and goes uncomplaining forth from His manger to the cross for you.
And in this small way, His birth is the beginning attack in a greater war.
In fact, the battle was necessary to win the war.
And He did this for you.
So, are we to go on warring against one another?
Heavens no; instead, the battle cry of His Word calls us to gather here and to receive the tokens of His victory – the flesh and blood of His infant and crucified body for the forgiveness of our sins.
Because where there is forgiveness, there is no war, but only peace.
Ultimately, your whole lives lead to this: so that you might sleep in heavenly peace with the Savior who laid aside His throne and fought the darkness for you.
Merry Christmas!
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
Christmas Eve Lessons and Carols
What does it mean to “Hark?”
We just sang the wonderfully well-known hymn, “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”
The original name for the hymn was “Hark how all the Welkin rings.”
While it doesn’t roll or ring off the tongue, oh, how encompassing.
The “Welkin rings” means, oh, how the heavenly host sings.
A cosmic choir resounding, uniting, calling the men of Earth to come, listen, and see.
A newborn king for you and me.
+++
But outside of tonight, who will hearken or see, this middle English language has become foreign to thee?
+++
Yet, for a night, listen closely, you see, as the choirs of angels call unto thee.
+++
“Hark!”
+
Don’t tune out or discount.
+
“Hearken!,” my friends.
+
Give a listen! Give an ear! And attend!
+++
See how the world and cosmos surround you; see it call, petition, and want you.
The alarm in the morning arouses, to tasks and demands that await you.
Then, there’s the voices and pleas of family and children; they want nothing more than your admiration.
Just as the phone interrupts and alerts, it rings, and it calls for your attention.
Surely, you see how the world is hearkening and pulling at your heartstrings.
It’s tempting your faith and fidelity.
+++
It hearkens and weighs on your body and soul with dreadful feelings of distress and misery.
+++
But listen closely this night as we hearken to the tears of a newborn’s cry, come again to His manger nigh, join the heavenly chorus, and sing,
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
+
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Peace in the hearts where war once raged.
Mercy from the newborn King.
+++
For once, you were enemies, but now, as you look, this, the Christ child removes the divide, the guilt.
He goes to your cross; He dies for your life; he opens the heavens so the Welkin sings. (Romans 5:10)
+++
The cosmos rejoices as His Father looks on.
His gift for you is His forgiveness, His peace.
+
To put away your anger, hatred, and strife.
The anxiety and stress that has filled your life.
+++
But of course He came in the most unusual of ways,
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see,
As we sang,
Hail the incarnate Deity!
It’s incomprehensible, in reality, that God would take upon Himself the flesh of you and me.
+++
But listen closely to the manger this night as He came to redeem, He came for both you and me.
+++
So sing to…
The heav’n-born Prince of Peace!
Sing to…
The Sun of Righteousness!
For this, He was born,
Born that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
+++
So put away this world, and all its noise, let this be the news that hearkens this night; let it hearken you every day, every morning, noon, and night.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
+++
He came for you, he came for me, he comes to redeem our humanity.
So let us gather, let us sing, let us join the Welkin as it rings,
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King!”
Merry Christmas.
Advent 4 +Rorate Coeli
A recent article in the Minnesota Star Tribune was headlined, “Study claims that ‘Frosty the Snowman’ is the riskiest Christmas song of all for drivers.”
Naturally, I had to read it.
Why is “Frosty the Snowman” so dangerous?
The tempo of the music has a profound impact on an individual’s behavior. As the beats per minute of a song increase, there is a corresponding effect on a person’s cardiovascular and psychological response. Consequently, this escalation can lead to more aggressive and reckless driving habits, which in turn can result in accidents.
Under this study, the same principle applies when listening to heavy metal music or any music with a tempo exceeding 120 beats per minute.
The higher the beats per minute in a song, the more one becomes stirred up and likely to have an accident.
Throughout the Advent season, have you observed that the Collects of the Day frequently begin, albeit differently, with the phrase, “Stir up Your power, O Lord.”
These opening words derive from Psalm 80, where the people of Israel are petitioning God to awaken and restore them. You see, they had been overtaken; they had come to the belief that God was no longer with them or acting on their behalf, so they called out for Him to stir Himself up, awaken, and come to aid them.
Is this how you feel while the hustle and bustle lead you barreling towards Christmas Day? Have you concluded that God has left you?
There’s no love in your homes as children bicker and fight. Gift-giving has become more of a chore than an act of joy and love. The family Christmas traditions of old have become a checklist to be managed among the other things to do and places to be.
Might this all be due to the pace at which you approach Christmas? The increased strain on your schedules and the numerous events and festivities you attempt to attend.
The beat of this life is more than one can handle. The psychological stress is wearing down your heart, your cardiovascular health, but, more importantly, your faith.
It has you wondering, is this what Christmas is all about?
If you are experiencing such feelings, revisiting today’s collect and reflecting on how God remains present with you may be helpful.
Begin by saying, “Stir up Your power, O Lord and come and help [me] by Your might, that the sins which weigh [me and my family] down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy.”
Why do we ask God to come?
To forgive us, remove the weight of this world, and grant us His grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
Because we are not the Christ, and we cannot be trusted to save ourselves, let alone others, from the weight of this life or the wilderness of this world.
Instead, the words of John the Baptist are for us as well today as he says, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’”
The opposite of straight is crooked; if the path is crooked, it can be hazardous for you to traverse, especially at such a high pace of life.
The only thing that will help you at this moment in time is to slow down, examine your life, do what no one wants to do at this time of year, examine the sins that have made your life so crooked, or in other words, what’s been leading you away from your Savior, Jesus Christ, this Christmas?
If you depart from Him, then the beat of this world will lead you; it’s a fast beat, a beat that causes greed, anxiety, and depression, among other symptoms.
The rhythm and beat of this world will only leave you with a deep sense of longing, never fulfilling your desires or bringing the tranquility that your heart so desperately craves.
No, the peace you need only comes from “The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
Your sin.
So, learn again to call out to God in these waning days of Advent. Permit the season its place in your lives. Permit God’s word to slow you down, to quiet your hearts, and to guide you as you examine yourself and learn again to confess your sin.
That the way of this life might be made straight again through the forgiveness the Christ child won for you upon the cross.
This is why Jesus comes.
He comes to be led down the path to Calvary, to end the war between siblings, to grant you the greatest love, His grace, and mercy, and to be the focus and center of every family.
For this reason, as the world and your life appear to be ramping up in these final days before Christmas, the time has arrived for you to slow down, examine your hearts, and pray for the coming of your Savior.
And if you are unsure about how to proceed, please take your bulletin home today and use the Great “O” Antiphons, printed at the back, as a guide. Pray them every day, pray them multiple times, grow in them.
These wonderful prayers can accompany the singing of the hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”
A hymn that quiets the world around you, it slows the heart, gives your mind peace, and prepares you to welcome the newborn King.
So in these final days of Advent, let us pray, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”
That is, “Come, Lord Jesus,” come quickly, be with us, quiet us, and redeem us. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
Advent 3 + Gaudete
Matthew 11:2-11
The children are eager to answer the question, “What do you want for Christmas?”
It permits them to express their heart’s desire; it allows them to dream big.
Oh, what could be…
But have you ever noticed how these wishes and desires can also imprison a child’s mind and heart?
Reflect on your younger years. Did you ever get caught up wanting a Red Ryder BB gun, the newest Barbie doll, the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, or maybe an Easy Bake Oven?
What did it feel like if the gift your heart was set on never arrived under the tree or in a stocking?
If you are like me, your mind couldn’t stop thinking about it. It occupied your every waking minute and filled your dreams with dread.
It imprisoned you.
Why?
Because you couldn’t have it.
What do you want the most this Christmas? Think deeply about this. Or what is it you can no longer have?
For some, the eyes have grown dimmer, haven’t they? The Christmas lights no longer beam as brightly. For others whose mobility has decreased, the winter winds now mean a seasonal time of isolation has dawned as they hunker down at home to avoid further harm to their bodies. Still, others who grew up singing the carols of Christmas would wish upon a star to hear them with their ears once more as they grow deaf. Yet, for others, the ornaments upon the Christmas tree serve as a reminder of a loved one with whom they’ll no longer exchange gifts, one who resides with Jesus.
You might as well pull up Elvis Presley’s Blue Christmas and put it on repeat because when we put things like this, it seems like no one is doing anything or going anywhere this Christmas.
We’re just all so imprisoned within our hearts and minds.
When we are led into dark places in life, we often forget where to turn for help, comfort, and healing.
In the Gospel today it said,
“Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
For starters, John the Baptist was imprisoned; he knew his death was imminent. It makes one wonder what could have been going through his mind as he sent his disciples, his students, to Jesus.
Was he wavering in his faith?
St. Jerome, an early 4th-century priest who was the first to translate the bible into Latin, remarked, “John asks [his question] not because he is ignorant but to guide others who are [themselves unknowing] and to say to them, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
John didn’t waver in his faith. Instead, he used his situation—being locked up—to lead his disciples out of the imprisonment of their hearts and minds.
Where were they to go?
John points them to the Savior, Jesus Christ.
Today, these words of John the Baptist continue to point you to your Savior as well, to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. ( John 1:29)
So, what does Jesus tell these disciples of John the Baptist as they approach?
“Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.”
Like the disciples of John, these words of Jesus are also about you and for you.
They go below the surface of the physical aspects of your body and life. They speak to what imprisons your heart and your faith.
Do you see Jesus as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world? Has your faith become crippled this Advent season? Do you have ears that hear His Word of grace?
Because your Savior wants nothing more than to raise you from the prison cell of death to grant you, His life.
This is what Christmas is about: His incarnation, His coming into your flesh so that you might hear, see, and be raised from the death of sin through His very word.
Yet, it remains difficult to comprehend this faith from the bars of fear we find ourselves behind all too often.
For this reason, we have a Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday that means “Rejoice.”
When we observe Advent properly, the deeper we get into the season, the closer we get to Christmas. The more imprisoned we can become by not only the season's expectations but, quite simply, the changing seasons of this life, which reveals the more we need to be reminded why Jesus was born…
The question then becomes: Do you look to Jesus in these seasons or do you look for another?
As Jesus concludes His Words to the disciples of John, He says, “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Or, more accurately translated, “Blessed is the one who is not scandalized by me.”
One who is not led into the sin of unbelief.
Do not be misled this Advent season by unfilled expectations, a deteriorating body, or a broken heart.
Gaudete Sunday reminds you in these darkened days that even while you suffer, Jesus is near to you, the brokenhearted, in His Word and in His flesh and blood.
For this reason, John points His disciples and you from the prison cell of death to the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
And what does this forgiveness look like?
“The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.”
These words should cause you to want to say Gaudete, or in English, rejoice.
So look to your Savior and tell Him the needs of your life, trusting that He hears you and cares for you.
And then rejoice because your salvation is in Christ alone.
Rejoice because He knows your wants and needs.
Rejoice because your Savior comes. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
Repost - Requiescat in Pace +++ Faith Zion Rogness
***The below blog post is from a few years ago. I was recently notified that it hadn’t transferred over to here when I established this new blog. My hope of reposting this blog is that it can be of help to anyone else who suffers from miscarriage.***
The text came from my wife at 9:35 a.m. on October 1, 2021, who was at her second checkup appointment, “They’re struggling to find the heartbeat.” I asked her, “Do you need me to come?” She said no, not yet.
The next thirty minutes seemed like an eternity. I kept looking at my watch, pulling my phone out of my pocket, waiting for the message – “They found the heartbeat and everything looks great!”
The text never came.
My phone rang, and as I picked up, the tears of my wife could already be heard, “There’s no heartbeat and the baby is only measuring nine weeks.” The baby should have been measuring eleven weeks.
I wanted to break down and cry, but my two oldest children were preparing to announce to their classes their mother was having a baby. So after hanging up the phone, I raced down to our church's school to grab our children out of class before they could make their joyous announcements of a new Rogness baby – I made it, but barely.
One of the saddest things I could think of doing, telling my children they would never meet their little brother or sister in this world.
As the day progressed, the children had many questions. Unfortunately, my wife and I had few answers.
Our third child, who is three, struggled to comprehend that the baby had died. He asked if funeral homes have cribs for the babies that die. It broke our hearts to hear his questions; he was struggling with death (as any three-year-old does) and searching for answers.
Our three-year-old, however, did recognize something the world has not always seen – our child within the womb was just as human and alive as the rest of us. As the Psalmist wrote, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13)
Our earthly answers to this present darkness and tribulation are shallow. Our tears and hurt are deep.
What we know is that our child was alive in the womb of my wife. The child's name is Faith Zion Rogness. And we have placed the body of Faith into the earth just as the Church has done for every other Christian that dies in Christ Jesus. We do this because we believe our Lord is merciful, and on the last day, He will return to gather His children to Himself. (John 14:3)
Note: In naming our baby, our children selected the first and middle names.
Advent 2
Text: Luke 21: 25-36
Surely you’ve all heard the tune “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” written by Meredith Wilson in 1951; okay, maybe you didn’t know Meredith Wilson wrote it. It was actually made popular when the legendary singer Bing Crosby recorded a version of the song in the same year. Since then, it’s filled the radio airwaves, department stores, elevator speakers, and streaming services worldwide every December.
It’s a catchy song.
The plot isn’t thick; it’s about two young kids who have fallen for one another, and the decorations they see all around now mean that Christmas is soon coming.
It’s a Christmas love story.
For children of all ages, Christmas songs and songs about decorations such as this tell us that Christmas is near.
And this is why it’s so hard to reconcile the songs of the radio with the Gospel reading this morning. They are incompatible. They are at odds with one another.
But remember, just as the song alludes to, it’s not Christmas yet.
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…”
But it’s Advent, meaning it’s time for us to prepare for Christmas.
That’s why we have a Gospel reading like this today; it is meant to prepare us for the coming of Christmas.
So then, what is Christmas?
Well, to define this more narrowly, Christmas is a compound word; it’s a combination of Christ and Mass – Christmas.
Now, while the Roman use of the word Mass played a role here, think of Christmas as the Divine Service in honor of Christ or to celebrate the birth of Christ.
So, Christmas is the day we gather here in the Divine Service to sing the wonderful hymns that celebrate the birth and coming of Jesus Christ.
And this is what the Gospel reading is all about today.
Not only the coming of Jesus but also the preparation for His arrival.
So, how do we prepare for His arrival?
Well, in the Gospel reading, there are four admonitions to the hearer. An admonition could be seen as a warning or gentle reproof and encouragement to change your behavior.
The first admonition says, “Straighten up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near.”
Here, Jesus had just finished describing cosmic and earthly events, such as storms and enormous catastrophes, similar to those depicted in the Book of Revelation.
We discussed this briefly last Sunday in Bible Class: what do we usually do when a natural disaster or unexplained event occurs?
We call FEMA, we call the government and demand that they help us.
But when the world crumbles around us, it should invite us to rise from the ashes of life, fix our hearts on Jesus, and call out to Him for help.
Now, the second admonition comes as Jesus says,
“Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Yes, the Christmas music and the decorations remind us that the seasons are changing, much like the leaves falling to the ground each fall remind us that a cold winter chill will soon blow in.
The fig tree, in particular, was one of the only trees, from my understanding, in Israel where its leaves would drop each fall, providing a clear signal to a world without weathermen that winter was imminent.
So far, Jesus has instructed on events in the cosmos and told His disciples to prepare for what was to come.
It’s a theme of the now and not yet.
But did you notice what happens when the kingdom of God arrives?
Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
These are good words for us to remember as we travel through Advent, preparing for the coming of Jesus and Christmas.
Especially as our world finds itself engulfed in consumerism.
At the coming of the Son of Man, the material aspects of this life will be no more. The presents under the tree wrapped with love, tablets, video games, cookware, and yes, even your squishamellows will pass away.
Meaning ceases to exist.
There will be no more “candy canes and silver lanes that glow” as the stories and songs of Christmas go.
But Jesus doesn’t leave you or His disciples without hope. He says, “My words will not pass away.”
Meaning there is more to this life than tinsel and lights, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
This Word is none other than Jesus Christ, the babe born in the manger. Through His death and resurrection, you have everlasting and eternal life.
And you are going to need this Word of God because the following admonition comes and says,
But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
This is the only place in all Scripture we hear the word “dissipation.”
It means unbridled indulgence or drinking without regard. The challenge is that when one overconsumes, they lose the ability to control themselves.
In a sad and very real way, these words define our world and our lives.
Don’t fool yourself here either; there are addictions that weigh all of us down. So, use caution when pointing at others. Some struggle with alcohol, while others struggle with technology, and yet others cannot say “no” to a sale.
Our hearts and flesh are weak, and the Christmas this world knows provides cover for our weaknesses. It may be why this time of the year requires us to watch ourselves more than others.
But then there is this final admonition, and it’s essential.
Jesus says, “But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
This world’s Christmas is nothing more than window dressing upon your heart. It presents a fictional Christmas that will not aid your broken heart, pay off your debts, or give you sobriety from your addictions.
No, the Christmas you must know is the one that welcomes the Christ Child in the manger and prepares you for His coming on the final day.
For this reason, you are called today to stay awake and be alert.
So, how do you stay awake and alert? By exercising your faith, by using this time of year to give careful attention to a life of prayer and grow in God’s Word.
After all, Jesus says, “But my words will not pass away.”
It’s His Word that provides you with an escape from the calamities of this life and world. It’s His Word that leads your voice in prayer and grants you His eternal life.
My friends, it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas, just not the Christmas you might expect.
Look at the world around you, examine your heart, and see the brokenness.
So prepare for the coming of Christ and set aside time to seriously pray. Turn off the radio or the music momentarily, open your Bible, and read the Gospel of Luke. Begin at Chapter 1 to learn the true story of Christmas and the great love of your heavenly Father, who sent His only begotten Son into your flesh to be born for you, to die for you upon the cursed tree, and then to rise again for you.
This is what Christmas looks like. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
Advent 1
Matthew: 21:1-9
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
As we finish the remaining Thanksgiving leftovers of stuffing and turkey, we are reminded that the world has no sense of time as it plunges into the Christmas season.
From the parades to the music on the radio, the lights to the trees, and everything underneath.
However, this morning's blessing and dedication of the Advent Wreath remind us that it’s not Christmas yet. Advent is a season all its own, a season of preparation and expectant waiting, a period when time should slow and force us into spiritual contemplation.
The Advent wreath can help us with just this: slowing down and contemplating the spiritual darknesses of life.
In fact, the original Advent wreath is a German invention. In 1839, a pastor named Johann Wichern created it. It was meant to help children slow down, mark time, and keep the season of Advent.
What prompted all of this was that the children were too eager and kept asking, “Is it Christmas yet?”
Nothing changes, does it?
But as each candle was lit upon the wreath, the children grew more mesmerized and wide-eyed by its glow and how it began to illuminate their school room among the short, darkened days of winter. But more, it taught them to wait patiently for the arrival of Christmas, the arrival of Jesus.
If you pause now for a second, I want you to hear a passage from the Gospel reading for Christmas Day, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)
Christmas occurs at the deepest, darkest time of the year.
Yet, the Gospel of John says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)
For this reason, the season of Advent begins to bring illumination to your lives, too, as we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Christ child.
It reveals not only why Jesus comes but why we need Him.
So why do we need Him?
Because we struggle in this life.
We permit feuds to fill our homes and among one another; we are rich with greed and want, and we’ve fallen for the idea that the darkness of life can be our friend, that it will hide our internal struggles, challenges, and sins.
And this is why we need the Light of Christ to shine in our darkness, to reveal our heart condition, and to lead us to confession.
This is, after all, what Advent is truly about preparing our hearts for the arrival and coming of Jesus through the confession of our sins.
And this is precisely why we do not appreciate or want the Advent season.
It just isn’t that fun.
However, Advent has long been a penitential season. This means a season of repentance, a season of contemplation upon the child born of Mary.
Why would He take upon Himself our sinful, human flesh?
The answer to this question resides in the Gospel reading today.
It all seems so out of place, the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. But where is Jesus going? He is going to the cross.
He is going to the cross to bring to fulfillment the words of the angel Gabriel spoken to Joseph regarding the child born of Mary as he said, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
He goes to the cross to die for your sins, redeem you, and give you peace.
In a wonderful, mysterious way, think of how the world grew dark as Jesus hung upon the cursed tree that first Good Friday. But in this darkness, the light of His love for you is shown brightest in His death.
And this hasn’t changed.
When life's dark days and crosses engulf you, His word calls you unto Himself, that He might be your comfort, refuge, and redeemer.
None of this is what the world sees or wants in December. It wants to party, live it up, and be merry, which can be okay in moderation.
But before celebrating comes preparation, and this is why we have the season of Advent: to prepare for Jesus’ birth, to prepare to confess our sins, and to receive His forgiveness.
As we enter this season of Advent, we need to slow down and examine our lives. We need to use it as a season of reconciliation and forgiveness. We need to see the darkness around us so we will learn to permit the light of Christ to lead us and comfort us amid feuds, greed, sin, and, yes, even grief.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible.”
We need to take these words to heart. The lights on this Advent wreath will naturally grow brighter as we near Christmas Eve when we will gather by candlelight to await the birth of the Savior.
The greater the light, the more our need for redemption will be revealed.
And just as the meaning of Advent is to come, we are given the words and prayer of those lining the streets of Jerusalem today.
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
Hosanna in the highest!”
(Matthew 21:9b)
Hosanna means, “Save us now.”
And that’s what Jesus does: He comes in the manger to save you, both today and in eternity.
Soon, we will sing the word "hosanna" in the Sanctus, which will lead us to receive Jesus with our lips and mouths in the holy supper at this altar.
And this is a great comfort for you, dear Christian; your Savior continues to come to you, even today.
In fact, He is the very light of the world, the light no darkness can overcome. (John 8:12, 1:5)
Let this be your hope, refuge, and peace as you travel the dark road of Advent.
Whether you are struggling with your family, have befriended a particular darkness of life, or feel as if you’re walking through a valley of sorrow this Advent, cling to Jesus and pray, “Hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.”
Save me, Jesus. Save me now. +INJ+
The Last Sunday of the Church Year
Text: Matthew 25:1-13
+INJ+
Since the first production of the opera “Lohengrin,” a popular choice of music for brides to come down the aisle has been the well-known bridal chorus of “Here Comes the Bride.”
While this chorus is less popular today, Lutheran churches have typically avoided using it due to the pagan themes throughout the opera.
But more, the tune isn’t that happy.
It became famous due to its use by the British Queen Victoria in 1858 when her daughter proceeded down the aisle to marry the future German Emperor Frederick III.
But a strong reason not to use this tune also resides in the fact that the bride and groom in the opera die rather quickly after their nuptials as they go to the bridal chambers, the groom due to a sword fight with a rival and the bride due to grief.
The opera ends in tragedy.
Today, the Gospel also uses the image of a wedding. A wedding that is both joyful for some and ends in tragedy for others.
Today, we hear the parable of the Ten Virgins.
This alone is different from the weddings we experience today, where the bridegroom stands at the steps of the altar and awaits the bride’s arrival as the music plays. This practice originated from arranged marriages and the need for the father to give away his daughter into marriage.
No, in today’s Gospel, it’s the virgins waiting for the Bridegroom to arrive and bring these ladies into the marriage feast.
In contrast to today's weddings, the focus is not on the bride's arrival but on the bridegroom's arrival.
The question then for the bride or virgin maidens is, how are they or how will they be prepared for his arrival?
If you’ve been around a wedding, you know nothing ever goes exactly as planned. The music isn’t just right, someone doesn’t show, or another person is delayed.
That happens in the parable; the bridegroom is delayed. To make matters worse, there is also no communication as to when he will arrive.
The only thing to do is wait patiently for him.
And this is where the five wise and the five foolish virgins come into play today.
The reason for the five foolish virgins is that they did not possess the oil needed for the bridegroom’s delayed arrival. As the hours went on, the evening became darker, and they became sleepier.
However, the virgins deemed wise had the oil to burn their lamps when their bridegroom arrived.
So, let’s ask two questions now: what does the oil symbolize, and who is the Bridegroom?
The oil can be seen as man’s faith.
The foolish did not have faith for when the Bridegroom arrived, while the wise virgins did possess faith and readiness for the Bridegroom’s arrival, even in the dead of night.
But also, who is the Bridegroom?
It’s Jesus.
The question today then revolves around these words of the Creed, “And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.”
Are you prepared for this return of your judge on the last day?
This is challenging because we are not given a time for His arrival.
Rather, the Gospel said,
But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’
The cry at midnight reflects how Jesus’ return will not only be delayed, that is, not according to our time, but also without notice and warning. So, you must stay alert and prepared, not grow weary as the days go on, and the endurance of your faith will be tested.
The twentieth-century German theologian Hermann Sasse wrote, "Is the foolishness of the virgins not also our foolishness? Have we not become tired and sleepy in the light of the Christian faith? Have we not let the lamps of hope, with which we would escort the coming of Christ, go out?"
Hear these words of Sasse again, “Have we not become tired and sleepy in the light of the Christian faith?”
Do we take this faith seriously?
Sasse’s words imply that both the wise and foolish virgins are in the Church, but they are not equally prepared for the coming of the Bridegroom.
Likewise, as “the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out,” those Christians who have prepared for the coming of Christ rightly cannot share the oil of their faith with you.
This grieves us because we see how a husband’s faith cannot save a wife, nor can a mother’s faith save a child, or a child’s faith save a parent.
You must take this faith to heart and prepare for yourselves.
Otherwise, you’ll be as the foolish who have not enough oil, who come to the doors of the wedding feast desperate for acceptance, only to be told, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
There is no greater tragedy than to hear these words from your Savior, words of an eternal death.
So, how do you ensure you have the oil of faith needed to greet the Savior as shadows of this life lengthen? Or how can you support those closest to you in receiving this faith when it seems the Savior is never coming?
Come to where the Bridegroom meets you and where He has said He would be for you…
If you take a step back, the whole liturgy is an eternal bridal chorus preparing you to travel with lighted lamps and meet your Savior.
The song began as the angels rejoiced over you at your Baptism.
There, the pastor lit and hands you a candle, saying,
Receive this burning torch and keep your Baptism blameless, so that when the Lord comes to the wedding you may go forth to meet Him and enter with the saints into the heavenly mansion and receive eternal life.
The light of this burning torch (or candle) now means your entire life is one of preparation and waiting.
Each week, this liturgy leads and prepares you for the coming of Christ.
Think about this: You enter and walk past the font, remembering the day the precious name of Jesus was placed upon you. In doing so, you remember how you received the light of Christ, which now abides and leads you to Him.
That Light abides with you as you hear His Word today, sing with the angels and archangels, and faithfully approach this altar to receive a blessed foretaste of the wedding feast to come.
For this reason, every Divine Service is an exercise of keeping watch for Jesus, participating in the eternal wedding to come, and ensuring you have received the oil of faith needed for that faithful day.
But until then, come, keep watch, and sing the bridal song of heaven with the saints. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
Trinity 25
Text: Matthew 24:15-28
As we approach the Last Sunday of the Church Year next week, the Gospel readings begin to focus on the end times. For this reason, they can be uncomfortable to hear and even more challenging to process and make sense of; it’s as if Jesus is sometimes speaking in riddles or parables.
I found the following words from C.F. W. Walther, the first president of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, helpful regarding one aspect of our text today. He wrote,
There once was a time when Christ was almost completely silenced in Christendom. This was the time before the Reformation. Mary and the so-called saints had almost entirely displaced Christ from Christianity and occupied His place. There is no longer such a silence about Christ. Indeed, He preached everywhere. “Here is Christ! There is Christ!” many thousands of preachers exclaim.
There’s a lot to unpack here.
In the first place, Walther says that praying to Mary and the saints had become so ravaging that Christ was minimized, dethroned, and nonexistent in the Church before the Reformation.
And He was.
The elaborate system of praying to Mary and the saints, buying indulgences, and so on removed Jesus from the cross and the Church.
Think of it this way: the object of man’s prayers and faith was now being directed to faithful children of God whose bodies lay in the pits of the earth. Or in a forgiveness, they were led to believe could be earned and purchased with earthly wealth.
But then the Reformation occurred, and through God’s use of Martin Luther, we hear again these words written to the Ephesians, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
The Church can breathe again, right? God has used His faithful servants to steer it aright.
However, as a product of the Reformation, splinter churches rose and sprouted in every nook and cranny of the world. Like a tree, the teachings of the Church also branched off, some staying close to the base and trunk while other limbs spread far and wide.
As a bystander, you might ask, “How is this a bad thing?” More Jesus everywhere, right?
Well, the churches that stayed close to the trunk and base remained with the source of our faith: Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. However, those branches of the church that spread far and wide from its source became easily swayed by the winds of this world and life.
This is what happened to the Church after the Reformation.
The Church grew and splintered and then splintered some more.
But as each branch of the tree grew further from the trunk, its teachings also grew further away from their source and strength: Jesus Christ.
This remains the story of the Church today.
Many denominations possess many and various beliefs. They all cry out from their pulpits, “Here is the Christ! Or There is Christ!”
But Dr. Walther would say, “This is what makes our age so dangerous and abominable, and demonstrates that the final, evil days of this world are approaching.”
His words of caution and warning are because the Christ being preached from so many pulpits today is fictitious and false.
Even in the mid-nineteenth century, Walther cautioned his flock against falling for the false teachings that led the Church to see Jesus as simply a teacher above all teachers, a model citizen, and an example of virtuous and moral living we should strive to merely imitate and follow.
Now, imitating the virtuous and sacrificial love of Jesus is a good thing we should strive to do in our lives.
But this is precisely what isn’t being preached from the many pulpits that fill the limbs and branches of Christ’s Church even today.
The sacrificial love of Jesus - the cross.
And if the cross is not present, neither is a recognition of man’s sin.
Think about this: how many churches have you gone to where the readings, sermons, and hymns point you to the cross of Jesus?
If you listen carefully, probably only a few, if any.
A significant reason for this is that man does not want to consider himself a sinner in need of a Savior.
This was true for the Pharisees and religious leaders of Israel, the Roman Catholic Church before the Reformation, and the many churches sadly swaying with the winds of this world today.
As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.” (1 Corinthians 1:23)
Isn’t this something?
Whenever the Church on earth has been led astray, it is because the cross of Jesus is absent.
So, I ask you, in these gray and latter days of life, is the cross present in your life?
Or, to say this differently, do you see your need to confess the sins of life before Jesus, trusting Him to be “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?” (John 1:29)
You see, the trunk and base of the true Church of Jesus Christ is the tree of His cross.
And by clinging to it, you have forgiveness and salvation; you have the true Savior of the World, Jesus Christ.
As we approach these last Sundays of the Church, do not lose sight of this simple truth. Because where the cross is, Jesus will be present, too.
With His Word, His flesh and blood, and with His life for you.
So, look here (point to the cross next to the pulpit) and see your Savior. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
The Marriage of Brian Klinge and Rebecca Moseley
Dear Brian, Rebecca, George, Elizabeth, Marjorie, Andrew, Douglas, Christopher, Theodore, family and friends.
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
There’s a saying, “Life comes at you fast.”
Meaning you have to be prepared for the twists and turns of life when they arrive.
Still, sometimes, you cannot be ready for what lies ahead. Can you Brian and Rebecca?
Undoubtedly, the joys of the past few months have appeared to move at lightning speed as preparations for today’s wedding took place.
Yet, this life also possesses darker days, when grief and mourning follow in the shadows of death and the grave, causing everything to come to a standstill.
Why?
Because “Life comes at you fast.”
The pace of life is often the genesis for your unexpected sadness, but also the joy that might follow in the days yet to come.
For instance, what do you think was going through (the Biblical) Rebekah’s mind during the first reading this morning?
I mean, there she was, completing her daily tasks and chores, much like the two of you working on farms, when her whole life changed at the well.
She approached as a virgin maiden, only to depart with a “ring” and a plan for marriage. (but please ensure your ring goes on your finger, Rebecca).
If this was you, you might say, “Life comes at you fast.”
However, notice how Rebekah and her family respond to this abrupt change in life.
Isaac’s servant asks Rebekah if she will be steadfast in love and faithfulness to his master Isaac, while her father and brother respond by saying to the servant’s request of Rebekah,
“[This] thing has come from the LORD... Behold, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.”
Life is full of instances, reasons, and timing we cannot explain. These matters are simply in the hands of God. And when we entrust all our sadness and joys of this life to God, the result will be faith in Him.
In a way, a beautiful aspect of Isaac and Rebekah’s marriage is that courtship was not afforded to them at that time.
This is countercultural for us today.
We live in a time when most couples date for two to five years before getting married. They need time to figure things out, see if they are compatible, if their families mesh, or whether they can love this man or woman for the rest of their earthly lives, kind of like a trial run.
The thing with love for another man or woman is that it takes constant work.
I love this about Isaac and Rebekah in our reading: they would have to learn to love each other, but only after they became husband and wife.
Brian and Rebecca, in a moment, you won’t say, “I do.” Instead, you’ll echo the actions and words of Isaac and Rebekah by saying, “I will…”
This is an important nuance in the English language. The words “I do” reflect the present state of your emotions and feelings.
While the words “I will” look to the future.
These words look to tomorrow as you awake to a full house and the children’s excitement overflowing.
These words look to the days when the butterflies of love ebb and flow with life.
These words look to the instances when life moves too fast or as it slows, and the crosses of sadness and grief permeate.
It’s at this moment that the words “I will” are tested.
It’s at this time when the words from First John must ring in your ears,
By this we know love, that [Christ Jesus] laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers…let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:16,18b)
This is the true challenge of marriage: sacrificial love.
Sacrificial love is found in the words of Jesus as He tells His Mother in today’s Gospel, “My hour has not yet come.”
What is the meaning of this hour?
It’s the hour when the laying down of Jesus’ life would be necessary.
The hour of His crucifixion and death.
The hour of His mercy and love for you, His bride, the Church.
For this reason, the cross is now the image of marriage – your marriage.
I’m sure this isn’t the love story the world prefers to imagine on a day like today, but it’s the story you have already known and will know in the days, weeks, and years to come.
It is a story of sacrifice, confession, and forgiveness. You’ll depart the familiarity of home, Rebecca, and head for uncharted territory just a little north of here. You’ll bear one another’s grief and sadness. You’ll experience milestones of joy together, and eventually, you’ll reach your own life’s end as you’re brought into the nearer presence of your Savior.
This is love.
And it’s the love you must now learn to have for one another in this marriage.
In this way, your marriage becomes an icon and image of Christ and His cross to George, Elizabeth, Marjorie, Andrew, Douglas, Christopher, and Theodore.
As you depart today and enter this new life together as husband and wife, go with faith and be led by the love and the cross of Jesus Christ. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
Trinity 24
Matthew 9:18-26
Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
As a child, the prayer I was taught to pray before bed went like this,
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my Soul to keep[;]
But if I die before I 'wake,
I pray the Lord my Soul to take.
This prayer was created by the English theologian George Wheeler in the seventeenth century. It’s simple, short, and sweet, making it easy for a child to learn and take to heart.
But what does it mean to lie down to sleep?
This is a question we will wrestle with this morning.
In the Gospel today, it said,
While [Jesus] was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
But notice how Jesus responds to the ruler,
And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him.
As an aside, it was tradition to hire musicians and wailing women to be present in the home of a mourning family after a death. For one, the music and loud weeping made a family’s grief known to the community around.
But here, Jesus says, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.”
Not only is He instructing the professional mourners to hit the road, but His words raise the question, was the girl dead? Had she ceased to exist? Had the blood in her veins stopped pumping? Or was she simply sleeping?
The answer to these questions is yes.
Numerous times throughout Scripture, death is called a sleep.
In Deuteronomy it says,
And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, you are about to lie down with your fathers. Then this people will rise and whore after the foreign gods among them in the land that they are entering, and they will forsake me and break my covenant that I have made with them. (Deuteronomy 31:16)
It’s recorded in First Kings, “Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David.” (1 Kings 2:10)
In St. John, it’s written, “After saying these things, [Jesus] said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”
And again, as we heard today, “for the girl is not dead but sleeping.”
So, what does it mean for death to be a manner of sleeping?
Well, the Church Fathers wrote numerous things regarding this matter.
St. Hillary wrote, “For the death of God’s saints, death is but a sleep, and sleep is a picture of death, the bed an image of the tomb and grave.” (St. Hillary)
The Church Father, the Venerable Bede wrote, “It is common Christian custom to call the dead sleeping, for they will undoubtedly rise again.”
And this is the great evangelical news of the Church: those who die and sleep in Christian hope and faith will hear the voice of their Savior, be awakened from their deathly slumber, and rise again.
And this should bring comfort to your troubled hearts.
For this reason, every night you lay down for bed, you rehearse and prepare for the day that is to come, when each of you will, as the headstone used to read, “Requiescat in pace,” or as we translate it, “Rest in Peace.”
And what allows you to rest in peace?
The Psalmist wrote,
In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8 )
What a comforting Psalm to hear,
In peace I will both lie down and sleep;
for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:8 )
This is an important Psalm for anyone who has thought about the action of sleeping.
For one, when you sleep, you are as vulnerable as you could be.
There is nothing you can do to defend yourself, all tucked into your blankets while you snuggle up with your teddy bear or squishamellow. This is why soldiers take turns sleeping, so someone is always awake and on guard for the enemy.
However, this is not how you operate in your homes, is it?
No, the act of sleeping is the Christian exercise of complete dependence and faith in God to care for you, body and soul.
Reflect on this bedtime prayer from Martin Luther; he pinned,
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
This prayer is a petition for forgiveness and a right mind as you enter your beds. It commits body and soul to the Lord’s care and requests that the heavenly soldiers guard and protect you through the darkness of night.
Why?
Because as the sun rises, the body is aroused from its sleep and given life again.
Just as sleep is “The refresher of bodies, the restorer of powers, the improver of sickness, the soother of works, the healer of hardships.” (Tertullian)
The sleep of death now prepares the Christian for the joys of resurrection and new life in the world to come.
No more is the brokenness of the body; no more are the ailments of this life, and no more does sadness and grief cause your hearts to fear.
Why?
Because just as the crucified body of your Savior was laid in the tomb for you, He hallowed the graves of all who believe in Him to be a place of holy sleep so that just as He was raised from the dead, so you will also be raised to new life.
Take comfort in these words from the Apostle Paul as he wrote to the Thessalonians,
But 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. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
Today, Jesus does this for the ruler’s daughter: He sends away the mourners, teaches us not to grieve as others do, raises the sleeping girl, and then brings her to new life.
My friends, approach your life and death in like manner.
Do not embrace or run towards death, but also, do not grieve this life as others do; you have a Savior who is Christ the Lord, and He brings with Him all who have fallen asleep in Him.
For this reason, do not approach your beds each night carelessly.
But like the ruler who prays for his daughter's life, learn to pray again for your eternal life.
Whether you use the simple prayer I was taught as a child or commit yourself to learning Luther’s bedtime prayer, ask God to forgive you your sin, send His holy angels to watch over you, and ultimately care for you throughout the hours and darkness of this life.
Then go confidently to bed, knowing that just as the sun will rise again in the morning, the Son of Man will come again, and He will raise you, body and soul, to new life. +INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI
All Saints Day
November 3, 2024
Text: Revelation 7:9-17
+INJ+
What’s the story of your life?
Is it a happy story? Is it complicated? Is it sad? Has it been fought with trial and tribulation?
Is it a bit of all of this?
Or what if how you remember the story isn’t accurate? What if you’ve forgotten important details…
After all, you’re human.
I recently relived the story of my life as my family cleaned out my parent’s home: the stories, the memories, the photographic evidence.
You can’t outrun it!
The photos, though, tell a story, don’t they? It’s a sometimes happy, complicated, sad story fought with trial and tribulation.
But it’s a story.
It's a story about a first birthday cake with frosting smeared all over, the proud day of graduation, young love at a prom or wedding, the awkward family photo in front of the Christmas tree, or some silly moment captured in time.
However, in his book A Grief Observed, C.S. Lewis notes that “A really good photograph might become in the end a snare, a horror, and an obstacle.”
Because when you look back on photographs, you see images of friends, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, husbands, and wives who no longer walk, speak, laugh, cry, or share the trials and tribulations of this life with you.
And this causes sadness, grief, and mourning.
The question arises: is this the end of the story?
Is the image of the grave your lasting memory of the dead?
On All Saint’s Day, the Church remembers the faithful children of God who now rest from their labors and reside in His eternal presence. For us, the living, it’s also a time for us to wrestle not only with the image of death but also the image of life eternal.
To do this, we must also wrestle with the story of life.
So, look at our reading from the Book of Revelation this morning.
When the words were read, what image formed within your mind?
What did you see as we heard the words of St. John?
He wrote,
After this, I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Here is an image of the heavenly throne room, the Lamb upon His throne.
It’s the image of what transcends the grave.
But how have your friends, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, husbands, and wives been brought into this eternal presence of the Lamb?
John writes, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
Those who stand before the throne of God entered His presence through the great tribulation.
So what is this “tribulation” that John records?
There are numerous instances throughout Scripture that depict this as the moment in which Jesus returns on the last day, just as we confessed in the Creed,
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.
However, the words of the Elder from the reading, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” - Demonstrate a condition and ongoing reality.
This means that the saints who fill the heavenly throne room are those who have met trial and tribulation, those who experienced distress and oppression, and those of you who even remain troubled by grief and sadness still today.
And these are not only images of the cross but also the true crosses of life – your life.
So, where do you take these crosses of life? Where do you take what distresses and troubles you?
To the font.
In a way, I cannot think of a more traumatic and glorious experience of the Christian life than the font.
It’s there you die to this life and are raised again. (Romans 6:1-6)
And if you are to examine Scripture, water always has a purifying and traumatic effect.
Reflect on Noah and the flood and how God purified the world of sin.
Or as Pharoah and his army were drowned in the Red Sea.
Or even as the disciples were caught in a storm, fearful for their lives.
This water is not child’s play.
It’s where one takes the great tribulations to “have the robes of life washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.”
And this washing is not your own doing but a result of the Lamb’s blood. It’s Christ’s death and resurrection that cleanses and washes away the sins of this world.
As the Psalmist writes,
“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” (Psalm 51:2)
For this reason, the key to understanding our reading from Revelation is the Lamb of God, your Good Shepherd.
So look at the last verse from Revelation,
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
The Lamb and Shepherd are one; they are Jesus. And as the text says, He will guide you and all the faithful to “Springs of living water.”
I can’t help but to think of Psalm 23 here,
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23 is the story of your life, but it’s also the image of Revelation that comforts your conscience and brings peace to your heart.
All Saints Day observes and gives thanks for the many faithful Christians who have led and are now gathered around the throne of Christ. It’s also for us to follow their patterns of faith, follow and walk after them, and be led with them by the Good Shepherd until eternal life.
For this reason, we remember that this life's journey began in the waters of Holy Baptism. It’s there you were clothed with the multitudes of faithful saints in the blood of the Lamb, redeemed and forgiven.
But those purifying waters then flow and actively lead you to walk in the footsteps of the saints to this altar, and in this space and time, heaven now comes to earth.
Something that is often lost in the Church today is that historically, it was common for churches to have cemeteries, and these gardens of the dead in Christ would be placed right behind the wall of the altar. In this way, heaven and earth were united—that’s why the communion rail was often in the half-circle; it was only part of the story.
And here’s the thing: after we bury our loved ones, when we depart the grave, it’s only part of the story.
As we approach this altar with angels and archangels, we also join the whole company of heaven, those who rest from their labors.
Your mother or father, husband or wife, brother or sister, son or daughter.
Heaven and earth are united again.
How wonderful is this?
How comforting?
My friends, your journey to the grave is not over. Surely, you’ll make many more pilgrimages to bury your loved ones in the soil of this earth. But as you depart, through tears of sadness and grief, remember the picture and image St. John gives us today of all God’s saints gathered around His throne because that includes you.
+INJ+
Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI