Trinity 6

Romans 6:1-11 

+INJ+

Over the past week, we celebrated the 4th of July, the day the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Since this date, millions of people have immigrated to this country, and many, if not all, of us are descendants of these brave individuals.

But why did our ancestors make the long and challenging journey through the waters of the Atlantic Ocean to come to the United States?

The reasons probably vary, but just as the founders wrote, adopted, and signed the Declaration of Independence, I’m sure many of our ancestors were also seeking some form of independence and liberty.

They wanted to escape their past, seek religious and political freedom, and obtain land, jobs, and financial stability. Our ancestors wanted an inheritance of milk and honey, not just for themselves but also for the generations that would follow them.

So they left everything they knew and set sail across the ocean to come to the United States of America.

But first, before making landfall and pursuing the freedoms they so dearly desired, many of our ancestors went through a port of entry; they had to pass through an immigration station, much like Ellis Island in the harbor of New York City.

This small island became the main port of entry to the United States of America for some sixty years, bringing millions of individuals and families into this country in pursuit of liberty and freedom.

In a similar way, the Church on earth also has a small port of entry, a means by which the saints of God, His dear children, are brought into His Church, a heavenly land of milk and honey, and that is through the font of Holy Baptism.  

In fact, this morning's Epistle speaks of Baptism’s changing effect on you, the newness of life you receive in its waters, and the freedom from sin you receive.

However, one of the challenges is that we do not think of our baptism as often as we ought, nor do we live in it as we ought.

Part of this is that the font is not a constant fixture of our daily lives as Martin Luther instructs in the Small Catechism, let alone each time we come to this sanctuary.

Reflect on the immigrants entering the port of New York City at Ellis Island; once they traveled and settled in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, or wherever they were going to begin farming, did the joy and image of Ellis Island remain with them forever?

Maybe, but for many, the tasks of the day, the needs of the family, and the hard labor of working the soil filled their minds. In the process, Ellis Island became a fading and distant memory.

Do the tasks of your daily life fill your mind in a way that you forget the freedom and new life you not only received but continue to receive in the waters of Holy Baptism?

The threat remains that if Baptism is not an ongoing part of your life, you will forget the joys of redemption and forgiveness present for you in the font.

But what is the font anyway?

The font is the port of entry into the Church, and for this reason, not only historic churches but many still today have their baptismal fonts at the sanctuary’s entrance.

The font is where the Apostle Paul says we go to die with Christ and be raised to new life. Paul wrote, 
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

In other words, when we approach the font and are baptized with water and the Word of God, we are joined to the cross and grave of Jesus Christ. Yet, just as He arose from the dead, so are we raised with Him to new life.

This new life occurs each time we gather to confess our sins. In this way, we once again die with Jesus and enter His grave only to be raised by the absolution, the forgiveness of sin.

This is what Martin Luther means as he wrote in the Small Catechism,

What does such baptizing with water indicate?

It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

So we come to the font to drown the Old Adam within us, the sin we have inherited and have committed since, to put to death the evil desires of the heart that lead us to break the Commandments. The ways we do not fear, love, and trust in God above all things, but instead put our trust in princes and presidents. How we fail to honor mothers and fathers, no matter how eccentric they may be. Or the anger that burns within our hearts, leading us to murder our neighbors in thought, word, and deed.

Baptism drowns these sins and buries them with Christ forever so that a new man may arise within you, producing and extending love and charity to your neighbor.

In fact, the new man that should arise within you is none other than Jesus Himself.

Yet, part of your challenge is that you often forget and leave your Baptism behind as soon as you depart the doors of this sanctuary. The image of the font fades from your memory as the toil and daily needs of the world press upon you.

If we’re being honest with ourselves, this occurs for several reasons.

First, because we do not see the font as the port of entry that it is. However, when a church has the font at the sanctuary's entrance, it forces Christians to see it not only as they enter but also when they depart. In this way, the font would be the last thing a Christian sees and encounters as they leave the church and enter the world of daily life.

Secondly, in this way, the font also serves as a reminder of the new life you have received in Jesus Christ – the redemption and forgiveness won for you on the cross.

This is the true liberty and new life that should drive all of us to leave our old lives behind, to travel over land and sea to receive - the gift of being made free from sin, death, and the devil.

And yet, if you should find yourselves like so many, out in the midst of daily life, being oppressed by sin and your conscience, then I give you these words of Luther as he wrote,
So when our sins and conscience oppress us, we strengthen ourselves and take comfort and say, “Nevertheless, I am baptized. And if I am baptized, it is promised to me that I shall be saved and have eternal life, both in soul and body.”

What a wonderful gift you have in Holy Baptism—a gift that has been granted to you and your children and remains for future generations.

The gift of forgiveness and everlasting life.

The gift of entering the sanctuary, seeing the font, and saying with Luther, “I am baptized.”

Let these words be your comfort and assurance no matter what life throws at you in the days that are to come.

Are you lonely or depressed? Does grief and sadness fill your heart? Then, speak into this present darkness, “I am baptized.”

Have you become ill? Is life full of uncertainty? Then confess at this time of anxiety and despair, “I am baptized.”

Is death drawing near and the grave’s pit approaching? Then, approach it confidently, confessing the resurrected life you already have by saying, “I am baptized.”

What sweet and comforting words! Say them as you awake and as you lie down to sleep. Write them on your doorposts and always remember them. Because with them and the gift of God’s Word and Baptismal waters, you have already died to sin and have been raised to new life; you are already a child and citizen of paradise. +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

Trinity 5

Text: Luke 5:1-11

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Why do you work? Or, for some of you, why did you work so many days of your life?

 As we examine the grind of daily work, we see and feel its effects physically, mentally, and even spiritually. Our vocations throughout life are as God said to Adam as he was excommunicated from the Garden of Eden.

God said,
             Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
                        and have eaten of the tree
             of which I commanded you,
                        ‘You shall not eat of it,’
             cursed is the ground because of you;
                        in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
            thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
                        and you shall eat the plants of the field.
            By the sweat of your face
                        you shall eat bread,
             till you return to the ground,
                        for out of it you were taken;
             for you are dust,
                        and to dust you shall return. (Genesis 3:17-20)

With these words, God reveals our whole lives to be full of enduring labor and toil.

This is what Peter, James, and John were experiencing in the Gospel. They had been out fishing all night, pulling the third shift with no success. What was worse, they still had to tend their equipment and clean their nets.

In some ways, this seems unfair. But this was part of their vocation as fishermen, and they were doing this as Jesus approached.

Now, in the verses leading up to today's text, Jesus had been preaching in the synagogues. His Word was creating faith in those listening and hearing Him preach, so much so that they continued to follow Him all the way to the water, where Peter, James, and John were sitting exhausted from the night before.

 In many ways, these three men were just bystanders to the crowds pressing in upon Jesus.

But what does Jesus do when He arrives? He gets into one of their boats. The Gospel doesn’t say He asked for permission, either. He just came and sat among them, asking Simon to push out a little to continue teaching the people.

After Jesus finished teaching, it was now time for Simon Peter, James, and John to be taught, too.

So, how does this go?

Jesus told Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

But Simon responds, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!”

 At first, it seems like Simon Peter is arguing or rebuffing Jesus, but then he says, “But at your word, I will let down the nets.”

This is a critical part of the passage: “But at your word, I will let down the nets.”

How beautiful!

Simon Peter listens to Jesus's words and does as He instructs. He doesn’t argue or try to reason with Jesus; he just says, “But at your word I will let down the nets.”

And where is he letting down the nets?

Into the deep depths of the sea.

Not only is this not necessarily the best place for fish, but throughout the Old Testament, the depths of the sea were known as places of chaos, evil, and death.

This is revealed in how Pharoah and his army were drowned in the sea; the sea is where the great serpent Leviathan lived, causing chaos and destruction, and the sea is where Jonah found himself within the belly of the fish – in mental and spiritual anguish because he would not listen and submit to God’s Word and instruction.

But Simon Peter does listen to Jesus’ Word, and it changes everything for Him.

He drops the nets and brings in the motherload of fish, requiring the assistance and need of a second boat to come and help.

Simon Peter knew this wasn’t normal and now understood that the Man he had just heard preaching about the Kingdom of God, the Man who had just said to “Let down your nets for a catch,” was none other than God Himself.

And so, Peter does the only thing He can think of: he says, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

These words of Peter form a confession, not only of newfound faith but also of his sin. A sin that we often experience in our vocations.

Are you a mother or father, son or daughter caught up in the chaos of life? Are there Leviathans wreaking havoc in your relationships with one another and within your home? Causing the sea waters to batter and beat down your family’s faith?

Or do you lack faith and clarity in your callings? Is your heart and mind in mental anguish with Jonah as you sit in the belly of the great fish? Have you permitted God to lead you into the unknown callings of life? Or do you sit there begrudgingly in the darkness?

Here’s the thing: Like Peter, James, and John, we are subject to the sin of this world—the sin we inherit from Adam and Eve in the Garden. A deep, chaotic darkness surrounds us; our toil and work will always be arduous, but Jesus is with us like these three.

You see, the boat in today’s Gospel often depicts the Church. In fact, the sanctuary is known as the Nave, which means “Ship” or “Boat.” So, to be in this ship or church is to be in the presence of Jesus – to have Him with you.

Yet, when you sin, lack faith, or find yourself confused, Jesus uses His pastors to toss the net of His Word into the waters surrounding you to bring you back over the railings of the ship and into His safe care again.

For this reason, pastors are sent to hear you confess with Peter, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

But then Jesus speaks to Peter, saying, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

An interesting variance in the Greek here is that the literal translation is “From now on, you will be catching men alive.”

This is the pastor's vocation: to toss and lower the nets of God’s word into the dark world surrounding the church—you.

To hear your confession of sin, and then to announce the words of Jesus to you in the absolution.

The absolution is when you hear the pastor say, “In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

In this way, Jesus also tells you, “Do not be afraid.”

In fact, He’s giving you life – His life at the font and in the deep, dark waters of Holy Baptism or here at this altar in His flesh and blood for the forgiveness of sin.

He gives you of Himself so that as you toil throughout the days of this life, you might do so with His peace. So that your homes may become like the Church, a safe harbor of His presence for young and old alike.

In fact, the Psalmist writes,
            Unless the LORD builds the house,
                        those who build it labor in vain.
             Unless the LORD watches over the city,
                        the watchman stays awake in vain.
            It is in vain that you rise up early
                        and go late to rest,
             eating the bread of anxious toil;
                        for he gives to his beloved sleep. (Psalm 127:1-2)

 While it is difficult and challenging, remember these words as you depart today: Jesus is with you.

He is there building your home, as the need for changing diapers never seems to end. He is there watching over your home, keeping you safe from the threatening perils of evil. And He is there when the anxieties of anxious toil persist – giving you rest and sleep in His unending peace.

So depart today unafraid and forgiven, approaching the toils of this life by following Jesus.

Hear His Word, listen and obey it, and be led into His eternal presence. +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

Trinity 4

Text: Luke 6:36-42

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Jesus said to His disciples, “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37)

These words sound like a motto for a coffee mug or a sign to be placed on a shelf in your home. But they are, in fact, imperatives for life, meaning they are orders being given by Jesus.

But it’s hard to keep these words of Jesus, isn’t it?

Consider how you interact with your neighbors or families: Do you hear a child’s dreams and ideas and immediately think they’re ridiculous and nonsensical?

When someone takes over leading an event and prepares to do it differently, do you give them “advice” and then condemn them when they don’t follow it, and things don’t turn out as they had planned?

Do you say, “I told you this wouldn’t work?”

Then what’s most likely to follow? We go and tell itching ears that are ready and willing to hear our laments and condemnation of our neighbors – we find people who will share in our views and critique.

To put it bluntly, we break the Eighth Commandment, and we gossip, slander, and hurt reputations.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

In these ways, we are also attempting to make ourselves superior to our neighbors, and in the process, we’re sinning against them and God.

So, what is it that the Christian is genuinely called to?

Jesus says, “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:36) Jesus is instructing the disciples and you to be images of His heavenly Father, your Heavenly Father. You see, “God the Father has had mercy on you that His Son, Jesus Christ, died for you while you were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8)

A significant challenge with our lack of mercy and forgiveness is that we don't actually trust God. We don't believe the First Commandment with all our hearts. And when one does not “love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,” then you are not able to love “your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)

And when we judge others, we are not showing the same love we wish and sometimes demand to receive.

Justin Martyr, a Church Father, wrote, "We pray for you that you might experience the mercy of Christ. He instructed us to pray for our enemies when he said, "Be kind and merciful, even as your heavenly Father is merciful." We can observe that Almighty God is kind and merciful, causing His sun to shine on the ungrateful and on the just and sending rain to both the holy and the evil. All of them, he has told us, he will judge.”

The quote by Justin Martyr reminds us that we can see God's kindness even in a world that continues to groan from the bondage of sin in how the sun continues to rise, and the rain continues to fall upon the just and the unjust equally.

Ultimately, God will judge man - as we confess in the Creed - “And He will come again, to judge the living and the dead.”

When we attempt to render judgment upon neighbors, when we withhold forgiveness or fail to see the plank within our own eyes – we believe we have outgrown our teacher. Yet, Jesus says, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40)

There is a catechetical aspect to our text today; to learn the way of the Christian life is to know the will of God expressed and given through the commandments. While the commandments render judgment upon us and reveal our sin when we do not honor God, our parents, or our neighbors, the commandments also show and guide us into the way of life and how we are to love and trust in God above all things, how we are to speak well of neighbors and assist them in keeping their lives, their families, and possessions. In these ways, we are guided into the likeness of our teacher, Jesus Christ.

When you were baptized, it was in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In this way, you were given the likeness, image and name of God that gives life and salvation to you.

And yet, throughout this life, you still face the temptation to quarrel first with not only one another but, truthfully, the entire world that surrounds you and anything that is not as you would see it.

But we should remember these words Paul wrote to the Church in Philippi, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

In other words, our Heavenly Father has mercy on you, sending His Son to receive the judgment for your sin upon the cross.

When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He meant it. He completed the greatest work, securing your life and salvation in His death and resurrection on the third day.

For this reason, every time we gather here, we continue to receive a foretaste of the mercy won for us upon the cross in His very flesh and blood at this altar.

As Jesus now comes to you and lives within you, these words of His ring even louder, “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” (Luke 6:36)

My friends in Christ, the time is now for us to learn again how to speak and support our neighbors and how to be loving, kind, and merciful—explaining everything in the kindest way.

The time is now for us to confess the logs of our sins so that they might be removed by the blood of the cross.  

And if this isn’t motivation enough, the Apostle Paul wrote:

“Avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And as servants of our Lord, do not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those in opposition according to God's will. If God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, God be praised!” (Paraphrase of 2 Tim 2:23-26)

What a joy and relief it is when things don’t go as we would have them; we are not burdened with rendering judgment or condemnation upon our neighbors.

Rather, in times such as these, we should pray for the Holy Spirit to work within us, leading us to confess the grace and charity of Jesus Christ.

So, turn to the Word of Jesus, have it fill your lips with His mercy and forgiveness. Permit His Word to dwell in your heart richly, guiding you both now and eternally into the way of 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

Trinity 3

Text: Luke 15:1-10

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

My dear friends in Christ Jesus, we heard of the Great Banquet prepared for the people of God last week. The invitations had gone out, the feast was ready, but so were the excuses of those on the invite list. So, the master of the feast sent His servant to the highways and byways, to the poor, crippled, and lame – that the lost might be sought and saved.

But a key here is that these are the lost ones, which implies that they were once in the presence of the great banquet; they were once in God’s presence.

Some 30 years ago, President Wille, Good Shepherd’s first pastor, was sent to Tomah to call God’s sheep into His presence once again, bringing God’s Word unto the highways and byways, to the poor, crippled and lame – that you might be sought and given the saving Gospel, meaning the Good News of Jesus Christ.

For many of you who have been at Good Shepherd since its beginning, this week has been challenging and undoubtedly full of emotions as you mourn Pastor Wille’s death. Not just because he was the first servant God sent to Tomah but because he was the first undershepherd of Christ sent to be with you during the times and moments you felt poor, crippled, and lame. The times of life you experienced tribulation and hardships, the times you wandered from God’s flock.

For this, we thank God for sending faithful undershepherds to care for God’s little lambs and sheep—you.

But what is an undershepherd?

First, two words are working together here – “under” and “Shepherd.”

Let’s begin with the word “Shepherd.”

Shepherd is the Latin meaning of the word “pastor.” So, to be a shepherd is to be a pastor and vice versa.

A shepherd defends his flock and is also charged to lead the sheep to pasture where they may graze, eat, and live.

Now, the word “under” is used in the context of authority. So, to be an undershepherd is a shepherd of lower ranking who serves under a greater or chief shepherd.

The Chief Shepherd is none other than Jesus Christ, who said in the Gospel of John, “I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.” (John 10:14)

For Jesus, the Good Shepherd, to be known by His sheep, the undershepherds who have been sent must now speak the Words of Jesus into their ears. 

Because the undershepherd serves the Good Shepherd.

As John the Baptist said, “He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) This is also because it’s the voice and words of Jesus that reveal who He is, your Savior.

In fact, it’s in His Word you receive life and salvation.

This is why pastors and undershepherds are sent to you – to proclaim the Words of Jesus Christ to you, to feed you with His flesh and blood at this altar.

Reflecting on the last time I heard Pastor Wille preach, I was at the South Wisconsin Pastors Conference a few months ago. Interestingly, the sermon text was that of the Good Shepherd and the need for undershepherds (pastors) to go out and be among their flocks, no matter how dirty and stinky of a calling it may be.

But in light of today’s Gospel, what does this look like?

Hearing these words from Luke, it's easy to get caught up in the joyous image of Jesus carrying a sheep upon His shoulders that often enters our minds, and that’s beautiful.

But there’s more to the story, isn’t there?

Like what caused the sheep to be lost in the first place.

The answer to this question is at the beginning of Luke 15 as it read, “the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’”

The cause of lost sheep is sin, and the challenge for the Pharisees and scribes is that Jesus receives and eats with sinners.

He receives you.

How great is this?

But Jesus doesn’t just receive you; He seeks you. This is why He sends out His undershepherds to care for you, His flock.

This is revealed in the parable Jesus tells the Pharisees and scribes.

The sheep were all together—a flock and church—but one was lost, meaning the sheep was originally part of the flock. The undershepherd now had to go and search for the sheep.

But the shepherd who must search and find the lost sheep has a challenging endeavor before them. Often, when a sheep strays from the flock, they lie helplessly down and huddle into a ball. In doing so, they become immovable, refusing to budge.

This is why the shepherd has no other choice. When they locate the sheep, they must pick them up, lay them on their shoulders, and bring them back into the community and fellowship of the flock.

What Jesus describes here is an image of mankind, of you, those who have not only inherited Adam’s sin but continue in it, wandering and straying from Jesus’ Word and voice.

And what do you do when you become lost in your sin? You eventually lay down, becoming immovable, refusing to budge from your position.

Reflecting on today’s Gospel, I found the words of one writer beneficial here as he wrote,
In this parable, Jesus defends his welcome of sinners. This welcome involves restoration to a community. The wandering sheep must be brought back to the fold now gathered in the village. This, for any shepherd, has a price…In this theme of the burden of restoration there are [also] clear Christological implications which point in the direction of the passion. The shepherd must carry on his shoulders the burden of the lost sheep... Without the shouldering of this burden there is no restoration. [It’s] this task the shepherd accepts with joy.[1]

The concept of restoration mentioned here comes from Jesus’s words in the Gospel: “I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

Here is one of the laborious duties of an undershepherd: they must go out, sometimes calling sheep to repentance, the confession of sin, so that they might hear the sweet words of forgiveness and restoration. 

We call this Law and Gospel.

So, what things continually cause you to wander from the flock?

What has your brothers and sisters wandering from God’s Word and bodily presence at the altar?

What has you or them lying down, huddled into a ball, and refusing to budge?

Is it unresolved conflict with one another? Sheep that do not get along, the ramming of heads.

Or have you become more like the scribes and Pharisees, not seeing or understanding the need to humble yourselves? To be the first to say, “I’m sorry,” and reconcile with your neighbor.

If this is you, look again to the cross. Ponder it.

Because your heavenly Father sent His Son to be your Shepherd, to seek and rescue you from the wilderness of life. As you ponder the cross, you should see the shoulders that bore the burden of your sin, the ramming of heads, and your immovable stubbornness of life.  

It’s through this lens you can also hear Jesus saying, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

And the Good Shepherd who has given His life for you continues to care for you through His undershepherds who serve His Church on earth.

For this reason, Pastor Wille was sent to you and Tomah so many years ago so that you might hear and know the voice of the Chief Shepherd, the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

And it’s for this reason undershepherds continue to be sent among you still today. That by the voice of Jesus, you would learn again to confess the sin of wandering and be like sheep, being led to the green and everlasting pasture of eternal life.

In the end, this is the true calling of an undershepherd, to lead the sheep of the fold to where all the saints receive rest from their labors with their Savior both now and always.

May this be the peace that abides and surpasses all understanding, keeping your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI

[1] Arthur A. Just Jr., Luke 9:51–24:53, Concordia Commentary (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1997), 589.

Trinity 2

Text: Proverbs 9:1-10 & Luke 14:15-24

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The last verse of the Old Testament reading says,

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
                        and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (Proverbs 9:10)

But how do fear and wisdom relate to one another?

Well, let’s go back to the beginning of Proverbs chapter 1, where it is written,

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
                        fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)

The use of “Fear of the Lord” should bring your mind back to the First Commandment,

You shall have no other gods.

 What does this mean?

We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.

In the First Commandment and the Book of Proverbs, “fear” reflects a filial relationship—a relationship of a son or daughter built upon absolute love and trust in God the Father. Only with absolute fear, love, and trust is one able to begin receiving wisdom for this life and the wisdom of life.

So, who or what is the key to understanding and receiving this wisdom of life?

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” ( 1 Corinthians 1:24)

The Apostle Paul highlights that Jesus Christ is the Wisdom of God. He is the key to knowing your heavenly Father, the Wisdom needed for this life.

But again, hear that verse from Proverbs chapter 1 a second time,

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
                        fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)

“Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

So now, who are the fools who despise wisdom and instruction?

Well, let’s look at the Gospel today.

Jesus was invited to the home of a ruling Pharisee for a meal. While He was there, He began to teach, using the analogy of a great banquet. But before Jesus opened His lips, a man reclining with Him at dinner said, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

And this is true: Everyone who comes and eats the bread of heaven at this altar will be blessed; they will receive the food and medicine of immortality.

But Jesus's parable presents the story of life, in which the invitations for a grand banquet have gone out, but no one can find time to come.

An important point needs to be made here: the invitations had gone out, so those who were invited were not surprised; they knew when the banquet would happen.

Still, it didn’t keep the first person from responding to the servant, “I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.”

Or the second guest who said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.”

Or even the third who responded, “I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.”

What are these things that can be seen as keeping people from coming to the banquet?

They are the gifts God gives to man.

The field was a gift for the man to work and tend.

The oxen were a gift for a man to work the land or transport goods.

The wife is a gift to love and cherish just as Christ loves and cherishes the Church.

Think about this: the gifts God gave to these men have now become obstacles to entering His presence.

The Lutheran Study Bible has this note regarding today’s Gospel, “Too often God’s gifts are more important to us than He, the giver, is.” (Lutheran Study Bible)

Is this true of you?

Do you allow the gifts God gives you in ordinary and daily life to become more important than He, the giver?

Sure, maybe you haven’t bought a field or oxen, but the Gospel this morning should bring you pause to ask, what keeps you from gathering weekly with the saints on earth for the banquet prepared at this altar today?

What keeps your neighbors from the vacant seats to your left and right from being with us?

Here is an important reason for us to hear again the Third Commandment,

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

What does this mean?

We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.

The word “Sabbath” means rest, and the way we receive rest is to sit at Christ’s feet, to receive His sacred Word, His Wisdom.

This, in turn, makes us His holy people.

But we aren’t called to do this alone either; rather, hear these words from the letter to the Hebrews,

[Do not neglect] to meet together, as is the habit of some, but [encourage] one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:25)

This day is drawing near, the last day, the great day of God’s judgment. The day those who neglected Jesus’ invitation should tremble as Jesus says at the end of the Gospel, “For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.”

As this day approaches, we should have a holy fear of our Heavenly Father, one that not only dreads being with the rich man of last week’s Gospel in Hades but also sees God as our Father who wishes nothing more than to give to us His Wisdom, His Son Jesus Christ.

And that’s precisely what He did; He sent His Son Jesus into this world as the very Word made flesh to dwell and live among you, to go to the cross and die for you, and now to feed you at this altar with a foretaste of the heavenly banquet that awaits us all.

This is what your Father in heaven wants for you.

So enjoy the gifts your Father in heaven entrusts to you, but remember to return to Him and give thanks.

Be careful, my friends, not to disregard the invitation you’ve received to the great and mighty banquet of heaven. Instead, continue coming as often as possible to receive strength for all the days of this life—the days of joy and the days of sadness.

In this way, your heavenly Father gathers all of you who are poor, crippled, blind, and lame – He calls and gathers those who find themselves outside the Church today, and He gives to them and you the wisdom of life. His Son, Jesus Christ. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI 

Trinity 1

Text: Luke 16:19-31

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today, we begin the season of Trinity in earnest.

For children, this might be seen as the long season because of the seemingly never changing or ending of the green paraments, or maybe that’s how you view it, too. But like every season of the Church Year, there is a purpose.

As we heard in Bible Study a while back,
Maria Augusta von Trapp describes the second half of the Church Year, following Pentecost and Holy Trinity, as “the Green Meadow” because of the green paraments and vestments that are used for the Sundays throughout the Time of the Church. The image of a green meadow is especially appropriate to the character of this time, which is tranquil, peaceful, and gentle, yet living and life-giving. Here, the nations find a home in the lush green pastures of the Word of Christ and in the outstretched branches of His tree of life. (In Around the Year with the Trapp Family (1955))

This season of enduring green paraments encourages growth and produces life-giving faith. However, I do not believe it to be as “tranquil, peaceful, and gentle,” as Maria von Trapp implies. Instead, today's account of the Rich Man and Lazarus is really jolting and sets a foundation for the remainder of the Trinity season.

Here’s what I mean by this: it draws a line in the sand and reveals a competing faith that trusts in this world with the Rich Man and then a faith that trusts in God with Lazarus.

So, who are these men?

The rich man is who we often want to be or who children aspire to be. Not only does he wear the best clothing, but he also eats well; he’s everyone’s honored guest – sitting with the cool kids and enjoying the luxuries of life without a thought to how they even come to him. There’s no checkbook to be balanced, no financial planners to meet with, and no limit on the credit card. No, the “good life” is simply all he knows, and for this reason, there is little need to think of eternal life or those beggars like Lazarus whose voices and presence simply became part of the rich man’s daily life.

In fact, the rich man is as attentive to Lazarus as maybe we are to the floor mats in the entryway as we enter this building – they’ve become part of our path in and out of Good Shepherd.

Honestly, if you are like me, you just don’t want to look at them or deal with them, so you don’t.  

Lazarus is to the rich man what a beggar at a street corner is to us today: an inconvenience. So, we do our best to avoid making eye contact. Much like we treat a coworker who traps us in a verbal hostage situation or a neighbor, you avoid as you prepare to turn into your driveway and get out of your vehicle. They’re always there; you’ve just decided not to acknowledge them.

But Lazarus. Why is he treated in such a way? What makes him different?

One might say it’s his appearance. The lack of beautiful clothing. Or maybe the sores that covered his body. Perhaps it’s the dogs that can be seen licking and soothing the pain of the sores.

In reality, what makes Lazarus different is his heart.

What defines Lazarus is his faith in God, even as he sits and lies in the dust of the earth.

This is what makes today’s Gospel so jolting and foundational; it’s really about two religions, two faiths.

A faith that puts its trust in this world or in oneself and the faith that trusts in Christ Jesus as its Savior.

Now, none of us will escape an earthly death, but only one faith leads to eternal life, and that is a trust placed in Jesus.

What faith possesses and leads you and your family?

Where do you spend all your time? What do you obsess over? What keeps you consistently on the go?

Like the rich man and Lazarus, judgment will come at the end of this life, and there will be no second chances.

You see this as the rich man finds himself in the torments of Hades after he dies. One fascinating thing is that, through his words, the rich man reveals he actually did see and know Lazarus; he just didn’t do anything to help him. We learn this as he says, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame."

The request to "send Lazarus" is imperative; it's a command. But again, what the rich man misses is that in death, the power, prestige, and riches once possessed in this life are no longer for man.

What is given as confessed in the creed will be eternal damnation or eternal life.

This is the foundational understanding we must have as we enter this green meadow of Trinity – a season meant to encourage spiritual growth and produce life-giving faith in each of us.

There is an end to this life, and only faith in Jesus, the “one who has risen from the dead,” will save you.

Here is one of the reasons we present Bibles to the congregation's children today: we want them to have the faith, to know God’s Word, and to be with Jesus today and eternally.

Now we know they, like us, will face the temptations and allures of this world. A world that leads you to believe the rich man’s life is the life of a “rich man.”

However, one who truly receives the greatest reward not only looks but, most importantly, has the faith of Lazarus.

This isn’t a pretty or easy life; instead, it’s a faith that looks up from the dust, opens sores of life, and trusts in your heavenly Father to care for you.

So, we teach best by being countercultural and little Lazarus’ ourselves, learning to sit and lie in the dust and ashes of life at the gate of our master, begging for His mercy.

When you feel alone and abandoned in life, come and be in the midst of His church, amid fellow beggars.

When ailments of the body consume you and death draws near, hear the comfort of God’s Word – learn from Lazarus how the torments of this life are but a season; God will grant you eternal mercy.

When the open sores of sin consume your heart, like that of a rebellious child, confess your sin to Jesus. Take the form of a beggar and speak aloud the ailments of your heart (your sins), come on bended knee to this rail and gate, and with your lips be fed with the flesh and blood of your Savior – a foretaste of the heavenly banquet prepared for you, your children, and your children’s children.

Too often, we are led to believe this world offers us a life equal to or of greater value than the life granted in the waters of Holy Baptism. Our words and actions reveal this to be true as we pit the actions of daily life against the Church.

Yet, the power, prestige, and riches of this world fade away and cease in death.

But the gift of your baptism, the gift of eternal life with Jesus, remains for all who seek God’s Word while they still have life and breath.

So do not delay; live the life you were called to in the waters of Holy Baptism. Repent of your sin, and return to the meadow of God’s Word where He wishes to gather you along with all the poor Lazarus’ of this life into His eternal kingdom. A kingdom where all the children of God dwell forever – both young and old. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI

Pentecost

Text: John 14:23-31

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today, we continue the tradition and rite of Confirmation at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

Confirmation has long had a unique place in the Lutheran Church. We seldom see one congregation’s traditions align with another's practices. Nor do we see the traditions of one period of time continue into another.

Here is what I mean by this.

As we went through my wife’s grandmother’s old papers, we discovered that part of her Confirmation memorization was to commit to memory every district of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. She had to be able to verbally list each district’s name to her pastor.

As I grew up, my Confirmation process was three years. We received First Communion in year two on Maundy Thursday. Before being Confirmed in year three, I had to write a paper articulating a portion of the Small Catechism.

During my time at seminary, my fieldwork church lined up the confirmands in front of the sanctuary the week before Confirmation and publicly examined them. In other words, the students were asked questions from the Small Catechism, and they had to answer them with everyone’s eyes locked on them.

While on vicarage, the pastor would visit the home of every Confirmation student and examine them in front of their parents. This wasn’t a walk in the park either.

Every method of Confirmation had a reason and purpose. They were just all different, and that’s okay. Different eras and locations often require different approaches.

But what remains at the heart of Confirmation is confession.

Now, I don’t mean confession like we did at the beginning of the Divine Service, where we confessed our sins. I mean our confession before God and man, the world – what you believe to be true.

Soon, Brianna will stand up and be asked a series of questions. Her responses to these questions will form her confession.

Like, “Do you renounce the devil?”

Or, “Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty?”

“Do you believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, [your] Lord?”

“Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?”

Or, “Do you intend to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord’s Supper faithfully?

“Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?”

Your answer to these questions is, “I do, by the grace of God.”

No matter when you were Confirmed, it was “by the grace of God.”

This means that your faith and your ability to make a good confession all depend upon God, the Holy Spirit.

It’s the Holy Spirit who, through the Word and the Sacraments, creates, sustains, and nurtures the faith within you and points you to Jesus Christ.

Reflect on the Collect of the Day as we prayed,

Grant us in our day by the same Spirit to have a right understanding in all things and evermore to rejoice in His holy consolation.

This prayer is almost a paraphrase of Jesus’ words in the Gospel today as He said,

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Here this again,
Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Because the Holy Spirit is with you and, through the Word of God, brings you understanding and consolation.

Consolation, of course, means comfort.

Or, in this instance, peace.

But not just any peace, but rather, heavenly peace.

The peace of God’s forgiveness and eternal life.

The peace that will withstand the assaults of the devil.

The peace to confess before the world and remain steadfast in the faith, even suffering death rather than falling away from it.

And should the day come for any of you, when your life lacks any form of peace, then pray with the Psalmist,

God is [my] refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

He is your refuge, strength, and help in times of trouble. Because the Holy Spirit abides with you. To point you to your Savior, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for you.

This is what is at the heart of Confirmation. Knowing who Jesus is, that He did for you, and being able to confess this truth with your lips, even unto death.

And this only happens when we continually and regularly return to hear God’s Word and receive the foretaste of the heavenly feast in the Lord’s Supper.

So do not neglect the Holy Spirit, but pray for His guidance, for He comes to grant you understanding and heavenly peace, even amid life’s troubles.

May He, the Holy Spirit, by grace, grant you this faith, even until life everlasting. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI

Easter 7 + Exaudi

Text: John 15:26-16:4

Today's Gospel began with Jesus saying, “But when the Helper comes…."

What do you imagine when you hear the word “helper?”

An extra pair of hands around the yard? The way the children assist in picking up around the house. Maybe someone who can tutor you on homework.

Here is one of those situations where something is lost in translation from Greek to English.

Another translation Luther liked was “When the Comforter comes.”

I like this translation a lot, but it still misses the Greek.

Defining the word “Comfort” today is pretty subjective.

A more literal and fitting translation would be “when the Paraclete comes…."

Yet, none of you speak this way, do you?

I’m sure some of you are wondering just what a Paraclete is in the first place!

A Paraclete means that Jesus sends you an advocate to defend and protect you. He is to be “the legal advisor of the accused or defendant, who takes on, to defend the accused, [or] get things in order.” (Martin Luther)

So why would you or any other Christian require a Paraclete? Why do you need someone to defend you and get things in order?

Because Jesus says a little later in the Gospel today,

“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.

You require the Paraclete, an advocate, and helper because the hour of persecution is at hand.

When you look at things like this, the coming of the Holy Spirit is really good for you and the Church on earth.

Why?

Because it is your faith in Jesus that will lead the world around you to hate and scorn you.

But Jesus wants you to be defended from the world and He wants to keep you from falling away from the faith in Him as so many do.

Interestingly, here, the word in Greek for “falling away” is σκανδαλίζω, or in English, scandalize.

So, how does this world scandalize you and cause you to fall away from faith?

Well, in today’s Gospel, Jesus first says, “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.”

Jesus is going to send His disciples the “Helper” or “Paraclete” so they can continue to know Jesus, persevere in the faith, and keep things in order.

What is that order?

Hear the Word of God regularly, confess your sin, receive the Lord’s Supper, and be strengthened in the faith.

This order is also where the Holy Spirit comes to you and bears witness to Christ Jesus and your heavenly Father.

But you do not face the same persecution of the disciples who would be martyred for Christ, do you?

However, in what ways does this world and the people around you, the people you see day in and day out, scandalize or lead you to fall away from faith in Christ?

What about your family? Are you seen as a traditionalist who is out of touch with the world? Are family visits hard as your church attendance is pitted against their lack of it? Is it easier to stay home and away from God’s Word out of fear of making them uncomfortable?

Or your friends? Has your faith become the butt of their jokes? Creating an uneasy feeling that silences your faith not only in front of them but also as you depart the doors of this church.

Or what about your heritage, your children, and your grandchildren? Has the world of school and sports encroached on your family's attendance at Church and the Divine Service? Has faith in Christ been demoted? 

What actually kills any of you is not death itself because you who have been baptized into Christ have already died and been raised to new life. No, what actually kills you is a lack of faith in Jesus Christ.

For this reason, the devil and the world around you are too eager to lead you away from Jesus Christ. To turn your ears and silence the voice of the Holy Spirit.

But why does the world do this?

Jesus says, “Because they have not known the Father, nor me.”

But again, Jesus and His Father do not leave you or forsake you; instead, Jesus says,

“When the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.”

The Holy Spirit comes to do one thing: to make you holy as He points and brings you to Jesus and Jesus to you.

“But how does [the Holy Spirit] accomplish this?” (Large Catechism)

Luther wrote in the Large Catechism,

The Holy Spirit accomplishes this By the Christian Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.

But then Luther goes on with this wonderfully fitting answer and image on this Mother’s Day as he said,

For in the first place, the Spirit has His own congregation in the world, which is the mother that conceives and bears every Christian through God’s Word [Galatians 4:26]. Through the Word He reveals and preaches, He illumines and enkindles hearts, so that they understand, accept, cling to, and persevere in the Word. [1 Corinthians 2:12][1]

Isn’t this great?

Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the Church on earth is the mother that conceives and brings you to new life through God’s Word.

And who is this Word?

It’s Jesus!

Who said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

And no one knows the Father or the Son, nor receives the faith needed, unless the Holy Spirit abides with them, pointing them to their Savior.

This is why we all need the Paraclete, the Helper, the Holy Spirit—to have an advocate, one who puts our lives in order.

Among the many distractions and people who threaten to cause us to stumble, we need to be continually pointed to Jesus, who is not only the world’s redeemer but also our redeemer.

But a point needs to be made here: we also need to pray for those who have caused us to stumble in faith. We need to pray for those who once were with us but have now fallen away from the Christian faith. 

And it’s a prayer that neither those who were once in our presence nor us would put off the Holy Spirit eternally but return and be connected to our Mother. In this church, the Holy Spirit continues to grant all of us God’s Word to forgive, illuminate, and enkindle faith within our hearts so that we and all the faithful in Christ never fall away or become scandalized by the world of daily life eternally, but rather, receive the eternal peace and comfort the Holy Spirit wishes to give because He abides with you. +INJ+ 

Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI

[1] McCain, P. T. (Ed.). (2005). Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions (pp. 403–404). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.

Easter 6 + Rogate

Text: John 16:23-33 & James 1:22-27

Today’s Gospel occurs in the upper room before Jesus’s arrest and crucifixion. Jesus is now preparing His disciples for life without Him with His words. Not only is He instructing the disciples how to approach His Father in prayer, but Jesus is also preparing them for what will come in mere hours.

Jesus says,

Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone.

These words are directly related to the cross. Throughout the Gospel of John, “The Hour” refers to Christ’s crucifixion. It’s the reason they scatter from Jesus out of fear and then barricade themselves behind closed doors as Jesus’ body lay in the tomb.

The crucifixion and the cross of Jesus are the same reason you continue to scatter from Jesus, too.

In fact, the apostle Paul calls the cross a stumbling block for Jews and Greeks alike. (1 Corinthians 1:23) You might say, well, I’m not a Jew or a Greek, but you are a child of Adam, and the sin you inherited from your first parents leads you to look for earthly answers to all life’s challenges.

But Jesus went on to say to His disciples as He prepared for His death,

Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:32-33)

The Father is with Him, and He is with you.

But like the disciples, you treat this world and life as if it’s all there is, don’t you? This is one reason you have tribulation in the world.

Tribulation is trouble that inflicts distress, oppression, and affliction.

Tribulation comes in many forms and ways. Maybe you have watched the news and seen the protests and riots on college campuses over the past week, but look closer to home. Do you have a health issue? What about your rebellious children? Or maybe it’s your heart that is rioting and in distress, causing you to lash out at one another.

In these ways, we forget to take heart and remember that Jesus has overcome the world upon the cross.

But the truth is, as long as you are in this world, Jesus says, “You will have tribulation.”

You will have crosses to carry.

So, how do you proceed?

In today’s epistle, James calls us to “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.”

The statement “Be doers of the word” refers to the Ten Commandments. Be doers of God’s Law and not hearers only.

Too often, Lutherans are led into believing works are not necessary, partly out of a fear they might appear to be Roman Catholics or evangelicals who see their works as their worthiness before God. But works can also be seen as unnecessary out of pure laziness.

But here, it is crucial to remember how James goes on to say a little after this morning’s reading,

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. (James 2:26)

What does this mean? Good works must flow out of faith; they become part of who you are in Christ.

This gets to the core of the matter: true faith in the midst of your tribulations.

To have this faith, one must prepare now and not put it off.

What does true faith look like?

Hermann Sasse, a Lutheran Theologian, wrote;

“We know the hearer of whom our text speaks, the hearer, who one likens to a man ‘who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like’ [James 1:23-24]. And this man is not some neighbor of yours in the church or your opponent. No, ‘you are the man’ [2 Sam. 12:7]! When you leave your house you steal a quick look in the mirror, a fleeting glance, to see if your hat and tie are in the right place. And then you sit in the church and hear the Word of God, hear the Scripture readings, hear the sermon – and the impression remains as superficial, as transitory as the impression of the quick look in the mirror before. It is hardly remembered. It doesn’t bring any deep experience, at least not a serious, deep experience that shakes one’s being. It brings no joy for the Gospel, which is really the source and zenith of all true joy in the world.” (118)

Is Sasse speaking and describing you today?

Has your faith become superficial?

What has caused your lack of true faith?

Is it the same cross that rocked the Disciples?

Is it the crosses of your life that continue to weigh on you? Your health issues, family arguments, or hearts that riot and lash out at neighbors and fellow Christians?

Is this what brings you tribulation that inflicts distress, oppression, and affliction?

If so, turn and look to Jesus' cross and remember His Words, “Take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Aren’t these words a comfort to you?

Again, Jesus says, “Take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Alright, so what is often at the heart of your tribulations?

It is that you are not doers of the word, you do not remember who the Good Friday victor is, and you do not keep the commandments as you ought.

Has your tongue become the source of rioting and distress as you lash out at one another?

Confess your sin and relearn the Eighth Commandment.

Has your home become a harbor of rebellion and mistrust?  

Study the Fourth Commandment again and confess your sin.

Does your health have your heart in knots as you await the doctor’s report?

Meditate upon the First Commandment, confess your sin, and remember who your true God is.

But look, let’s not try to bite off the whole apple at once. Let’s be intentional in our approach to learning again to “Be doers of the word.”

Begin here with the First Commandment, “You shall have no other gods.”

What does this mean? “We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.”

How do we do this?

Well, when tribulations of life arrive, remember this Word of God from Psalm 50,

“Call upon me in the day of trouble;

                        I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (Psalm 50:15)

When you do this, when you call upon God, you remember God is with you too, and on the last day, He will deliver you from everything that causes distress, oppression, and affliction in your lives.

It’s this faith of calling out to God that glorifies Him and looks to Him and His cross He died upon to save you.

So begin here, my friends, by “[sitting] in church and hearing the Word of God, hearing the Scripture readings, hearing the sermon—and [permitting] the impression of this [Holy] Word to dwell in you so richly that it penetrates the depths of your heart, transforming and grafting you into the very life of Christ, who is not only “the source and zenith of all true joy,” but has “overcome the world” for you. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Tomah, WI

Easter 5 + Cantate

Text: Isaiah 12:1-6

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

I know, for some of you, singing “isn’t your thing.”

That makes me a little sad for a couple of reasons. First, music is such an important part of Scripture.

Think about this: In Genesis, God created the music of even the birds.

The people of Moses sang to proclaim God’s victory over Pharoah in the Red Sea.

The Psalms were written to be sung; they’re meant to be sung.

Jesus even sang the Psalms on the night of his betrayal and arrest. It says in the Gospel of Matthew, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” (Matthew 26:30)

But secondly, my sadness is because I love music. As a child, I remember how my mother would sing her heart out whether we were in the car traveling to see Grandma and Grandpa or in the church pew. One of the things about my mother was that she didn’t care what others thought of her singing either. She just sang.

In a way, she was an image of Will Ferrell, who played Buddy in the movie Elf, who said, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”

Just sing and sing loud.

I know, for some of you, “Singing isn’t your thing.”

But think about the tremendous gift my mother provided me as she sang not only the songs of this world but especially the Church’s song. Reflect on how the hymns of the Church taught me the faith she was taught and how they confessed the faith she possessed.

You see, whether we like it or not, we are images or icons of our parents. We take on their characteristics and traits. As children, we look up and love our parents, often wanting to be them.

This is one of the reasons I grew to love music: because my mom loved music.

But I know, for some of you, “Singing isn’t your thing.”

Well, you're in luck today, or maybe you aren’t. The Fifth Sunday of Easter is known as Cantate Sunday. This title, of course, comes from the introit, and it simply means to “Sing!”

For that reason, it seems incredibly appropriate that this be a Lutheran Sunday, as the Lutheran Church has long been known as the “Singing Church.”

One reason for this is Martin Luther’s love of music and how he employed music to teach and confess the faith to young and old alike.

Luther once said,

“Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of language combined with the gift of song was given to man that he should proclaim the Word of God through Music.” (Martin Luther)

In fact, Luther used hymnody to put the whole Divine Service to music; look at Divine Service Setting five sometime in the hymnal.

But why should we sing? Well, again, look to the words of the introit today, it read,
Sing to the Lord a new song,
            for he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

A “new song” must imply there was an “old song,” too.

So, what was that old song?

The old song was very real. It was known as the song of Moses, the song of God’s triumph over Pharoah and his army in the Exodus; it proclaimed Israel’s redemption from slavery.

However, the new song not only looked forward beyond the Old Testament but became your song in the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

You heard this great joy being proclaimed in the Old Testament reading today as Isaiah wrote,

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” (Is 12:2)

But what is the cause of this song for Isaiah? What is the force that propels Isaiah to tell God’s people to break forth in hymns and songs of praise?

He says, “[God] has become my salvation.”

Well, how does God become your salvation? Look to the first verse of the Old Testament reading, where Isaiah wrote,

You will say in that day:
             “I will give thanks to you, O LORD,
                        for though you were angry with me,
             your anger turned away,
                        that you might comfort me.

Salvation is the result of God turning away His anger from you.

While your sin, your lack of faith and trust in God alone, causes Him anger, your confession of these sins now causes Him to turn away His anger from you, and instead, He now grants you His forgiveness and comfort.

In this way, the “Lord God is [your] strength and [your] song, and he has become [your] salvation.”

Martin Luther puts it this way as he wrote regarding these passages he says “This is a description of the peace that comes after the forgiveness of sins has been received” (AE 16:129)

And so, the Church rejoices and sings in the glory of this great Easter news that continually finds us returning here to this sanctuary as Isaiah writes, “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Is 12:3)

This sanctuary becomes an oasis, a well for God’s people.

Just as Israel was rescued out of Egypt and the waters of the Red Sea drowned hardhearted Pharoah, the waters of baptism continue to drown your sin with every confession you make. And in the absolution of your sin, your baptism continues to spring forth the heavenly joy drawn from the well of salvation, drawn from the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

So, for this great gift of forgiveness, peace, and salvation, we join Isaiah as he wrote,
“Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name; make known his deeds among the nations, proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth.”

(Is 12:4–5)

This is what we do as we gather here each and every Sunday: we “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; [we] let this be known in all the earth.” (Is 12:5)

Why?

As we gather here around God’s Word and Sacraments, we are brought into the midst of the “Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 12:6b). We are brought into the midst of God where He feeds and nourishes us with His salvation. The forgiveness won for you upon the cross.

For this great joy, we can do nothing other than sing loudly for all to hear.

To make known in all the earth the glory and salvation of God here among your brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. Especially the littlest that look upon us with attentive ears and adoring eyes.

So sing, my friends, tell of God’s Salvation, tell of His resurrection and the resurrection He now gives you in word and song; sing the song of heaven now. +INJ+

Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Pastor
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Fourth Sunday of Easter + Jubilate

Text: John 16:16-22

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

A little while, a little while, a little while…. These are the words of our Lord to His disciples in today’s Gospel reading. He uses this phrase seven times. This theme emphasizes time; it looks forward in time, a duration of time.

What’s the significance?

The reality is that we only have a grasp of time once we are in the very midst of life (Like the disciples).

For a child, time is endless; for the aged, it is fleeting; and for those in crisis, it is a prison. The reality of our lives on earth is that our perspective of time is out of synch; the ebbs and flows of life distort.

Even as our time on this earth is utterly short, today's Gospel reading is one of preparation. It’s preparation for the Christian life, the disciple’s life, your life, and the trials and crosses you will have to bear. If you are to apply the teachings of Christ to your lives, if you are to use this Gospel reading in your lives, you cannot do so unless you first understand the original intent of the Words spoken today.

So, we ponder today these words spoken in the upper room—the words of preparation for the disciples on the night of Christ’s betrayal, the night of His arrest.

Jesus wished to prepare the disciples for the troubles before them. Soon, they would abandon Jesus, lose faith, and dwell in despair. The time had arrived for sadness. The time was at hand for the Son of God to be lifted up, for Him to be mocked, ridiculed, spit upon, tortured, and put to death. The time had arrived as Jesus told the disciples, “You will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.”

Their sorrow arrives, but it is not permanent, as their sorrow becomes joy at the resurrection of Jesus.

The resurrection, you see, changes everything.

Your own experiences tell you a different story, though—cancer diagnosis, troubled relationships, employment difficulties, barren wombs, aging bodies, cold tombs.

How does the resurrection help this? How does the resurrection change these things?

The Lord also says to you, “In a little while.”

And so He speaks a parable of a woman in labor. The parable seems out of place; what bearing does it have on His current situation? The fact it is Holy Thursday, and He will soon be arrested? What bearing would this parable have on you? Even the language appears to be out of place.

The parable goes like this,

“A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.”

This is not a common way of thinking, even when it comes to the birth of a precious baby boy or girl. No one buys balloons or teddy bears for newborns that exclaim, “It’s a human!” But, I do wonder, if we did, would it change the view this world has that a baby is a human being and worthy of life?

You see, when we hear of a human - being born, we don’t think MACRO, we think micro. We don’t think cosmic; we think personally. We say, “Look at this sweet child.”

A father looks on and says, “This is my baby girl,” or a mother says,  “This is my baby boy.”

But something bigger happens when Jesus says, “A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.”

He uses this illustration of the excruciating pain of a mother in labor and the uncertainty of childbirth to give way to the joy of the brief “Little while” of labor.

The deeper message goes back not just to Christmas; it goes back to Genesis when the Creator and giver of life promised a seed to Eve that would bruise and crush the head of the serpent. The promised seed is He whom we hear, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.”

Jesus is the long-awaited Son of Adam and Eve, not born exclusively for Mary and Joseph, but for every child descending from the lineage of your first parents in the Garden.

Jesus was born for one reason, for one purpose: to become man, to become human, to suffer and die for the sins of the world, to give His peace and mercy to those who confess their sins and call upon His name. But for this, He first must become sin; He must for a little while suffer trial and tribulation.

The disciples understand nothing of what Jesus says. Their great hope had been crushed; the Savior was buried, sealed in a tomb, and guarded by Soldiers.

He is gone, placed into the cold earth, out of sight. The time of sorrow, the time of fear, the prison of time had arrived. Thus, the disciples said in the Gospel of Luke, “We hoped the Christ would redeem Israel (Luke 24:21), as if to say, “Hope is lost.”

But Jesus also says today, “Again after a little while, and you will see me!” The disciples' despair and sorrow were not endless, as Jesus' words, “A little while,” also gave way to the end of this sorrowful time and season.

His words, unknowingly to the disciples, speak of His victory. They speak of how His faithful obedience to the Father leads Him to triumph over Satan, sin, and this world, a world that rejoiced in His death.

“A little while” is the hope the disciples have that their sadness will end, the shackles of doubt will be crushed, and their joy will return.

Trials and tribulations come to all of your lives. It may not be the persecution the disciples suffered; maybe it is the prisons of fear and anxiety experienced when death comes to those close to you, or perhaps it’s the sorrow of betrayal or the terrors of illness. 

But if Christ appears dead and buried to you, run to His Word, hold on to His peace, suffer the darkness of night, endure the storm, trusting in His resurrection. Trust that as He has brought you out of death and into life through the waters of baptism, so He continues to abide with you in these latter days.

As crosses approach, keep your eyes focused on the cross of Jesus. As the world cheers your sadness, your afflictions, and your periods of imprisonment, Jesus stands with the peace and comfort of His Word; He nourishes you with His flesh and blood. He does not forsake you, nor does He leave you. So run to Him, elevate your eyes to He who has risen from the dead, and sing of the Easter joy you possess as His dear child.

A mother loves her newborn baby, so He loves you as His own. Trust in His steadfast love, believe, and hear His promise to you this day, “I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”

Spring storms pass, and babies cry, so the sorrows of this life last only a little while.

But the joy of your resurrected Lord is endless. It’s the joy you sing with angels and archangels, the joy of all the company of heaven.

It’s the joy and comfort that your Heavenly Father will be gracious and merciful to you for the sake of His only begotten Son.

By His death and resurrection, He will bring you into everlasting life and a time of joy that has no end. +INJ+

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Pastor
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Easter 3 + Misericordias Domini

Text: John: 10:11-16

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Today is often called Good Shepherd Sunday, hence the Gospel reading. The first image that probably comes to your mind today is that of Jesus carrying a little lamb upon His shoulders or safely within His arms, as you can see on the bulletin cover.

Yet, I don’t care for this image of Jesus much.

These words of mine must be scandalous to your ears, aren’t they?

But it’s true, and here’s why.

The life of a shepherd is full of danger. A true shepherd goes into the wildernesses of life with their sheep.

He stays awake and on guard while the lambs sleep. He’s constantly preparing for the next battle, the next encounter with the wolf, who desires nothing more than a pound of flesh from the shepherd’s flock.

This is a tiring and challenging life. When the shepherd goes out for one of His sheep to bring it home, he, too, is returning from an engagement with the enemy.

So, no, I would prefer to see my shepherd a little more battle-tested, a little worse for the wear, because His actions and life must reveal His great love for me.

You see, one of the things we must also wrestle with is the reality that there would not have to be “good” shepherds if there were not also shepherds who are called “bad.”

For this reason, you must listen to the voice of the good and faithful shepherd so that you are not led into danger and distress.

You must listen to the voice of the good and faithful shepherd so that you do not become scattered and depart the good pasture He provides for you.

But this is the challenge. Today, there are many alluring voices, many wolves who wish to snatch you from the tender care of the Good Shepherd. But make no mistake, who the true enemy is…

One church father wrote regarding the great enemy of Christ this way,

There is another wolf that ceaselessly, every day, tears apart minds, not bodies. This is the evil spirit that goes about attacking the sheepfolds of believers, seeking the death of souls. Of this wolf it is said, “And the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep.” The wolf comes, and the hireling flees. The evil spirit tears apart the minds of believers in temptation, and the one holding the place of shepherd does not take responsibility. Souls are perishing, and he enjoys earthly advantages. The wolf snatches and scatters the sheep when he entices one to drunkenness, inflames another with greed, exalts another by pride, destroys another by anger, stirs one up by envy, trips up another by deceit. When the devil slays believers through temptations, he is like a wolf dispersing the flock. No zeal rouses the hireling against these temptations, no love excites him. He seeks only the outward advantages and carelessly allows the inward injury to his flock. (Gregory the Great)

So, who are the hirelings? Who are these terrible and selfish men?

Throughout history, they have been thought of as the bishops and pastors of the Church, those who have become shepherds in name only, those seeking outward rewards and accolades.

Another challenge for the hireling is that he is a hired hand; he needs to remain faithful and confident in the Good Shepherd. Instead, like so many, he looks to the money and mammon of this world.

Reflect on how the Scribes and Pharisees treated Jesus and how they put traditions and self-preservation above all, even to the point of killing Jesus. Or think how the priests of the Roman Catholic Church were not caring for their sheep, especially throughout the time of the Reformation, but instead, taking the money of their people through false words, false doctrine, and teachings to build their cathedrals. Or today, as so-called “pastors” fill the internet with catchy videos and share-worthy memes that never truly confess the voice of Jesus Himself. 

A grave concern here is that these hirelings, like the one in our Gospel this morning, have not been battle-tested; in fact, they have avoided and not been faithful to their training to guard and protect the sheep entrusted to them, and they have never been willing to risk entering the dark places of this life where the evil one, the wolf, resides for you, the sheep.

In other words, these hirelings have yet to be willing to follow the path of the Good Shepherd.

So, who is this Good Shepherd willing to lay down His life for you? It’s none other than Jesus Christ Himself.

The one who entered this world and traveled this valley of the shadow of death for you. While the sheep of His fold scattered from Him as He hung in the darkness of Good Friday’s cross, it’s here that His arms remained stretched forth to gather His Church into His tender care. With the words, “It is finished,” the voice of the Good Shepherd calls you unto Him—for in His death, He has defeated your death.

And by His rising, you now receive life and good pasture to graze upon.

What does this pasture look like? Well, you’re in it now.

Jesus said before our Gospel reading this morning, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10: 7)

So, to enter the good pasture, one must hear the voice of the Shepherd; one must listen to the voice of Jesus and know Him. This occurs as one enters the Church through the waters of Holy Baptism – this imagery can be seen historically as baptismal fonts were placed at the entrance of a church, serving as the gate through which the little lambs of Christ were brought into the flock.

In this way, the sheep continue to learn and know the familiar voice of their Shepherd as a child knows their parent so that they wouldn’t be allured away or scatter when difficulties, temptations, or challenges arise.

Why?

They know the voice of the Shepherd, the one who protects them, cares for them and comes after them.

So, how do you continue to know the voice of the Good Shepherd, who laid down His life for you? You continue to be among the sheep of His fold, you continue to come and hear the Word of God as often as it is read and proclaimed, and you come to receive the food of immortality here in the Lord’s Supper.

Why?

Because you have a Good Shepherd, one who left His home for you, one who in humility went and battled the wolf and defeated him by the laying down of His life for you upon the cross.

Think about that; that’s the kind of Shepherd you should want—one willing to go to battle for you, one willing to die for you. In fact, you cannot think or imagine the cross without seeing Jesus upon it; you cannot imagine your Savior without the battle scars of the nails upon His hands and feet, nor the place where His side was pierced.

Why?

Because Christ Jesus is a faithful Shepherd, He is, in fact, the Good Shepherd, your Shepherd.

This is the image of the Good Shepherd I wish to see. One where the battle-tested, tired, and worn body of Jesus now carries you His lamb into the heavenly pasture He has prepared for you.

So, my friends, listen to His voice, learn it, and know it as you read the Scriptures. Then look and see how His cross reveals His deep love for you, His sheep, and be led by it, as it is the rod and staff that not only leads but comforts you this day. +INJ+

Second Sunday of Easter + Quasimodo Geniti

Text: John 20:19-31

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In today's Gospel, it's the evening of the first day of the week, the evening of the first Easter, and the disciples are now assembled behind closed doors, except for Thomas. The locked doors provide security from the world, protecting them from the Jews who remain hostile towards followers of Jesus. Outwardly, this group appears safe and at peace, but inwardly, it’s a different story.

Their lives are in chaos; their souls are in deep distress. The death of Jesus sent the disciples into a tailspin; it rocked them, leaving them searching for peace in the world and their lives. None of this was how things were supposed to go…

You can sympathize with the disciples. You, too, have experienced moments like this, where externally, you look great – even strong, but internally, it’s a living hell.

I’ve often reflected on how this is also a reality for many who have served in the U.S. military as Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen. They are sent and placed in the most hellish places throughout the globe, fighting battles against our nation’s enemies. They are pillars of confidence and strength. But, upon returning home, many believe they are now safe; they are locked behind the safety of their front door.

Sadly, this couldn’t be further from the truth in some situations. Dive past the external appearance of strength and calmness of a military member to the inner confines of the heart, and the actual war rages due to the loss of battle buddies, broken relationships, or the simple reality that war is unnatural.

Like the disciples and often the military members, the actual war, the true battle for you, is within your heart.

However, the world desires to quiet these wars through governmental programs, law enforcement, or the very might of militaries. Economic growth, healthcare, and retirement plans are other ways we place our trust and desire for safety and peace. Even the Church falls into these types of traps. But, properly speaking, these are gifts from God and can also lead us to the delusional belief that we are safe and secure in this life.

For you today, just as He did for the disciples, Jesus comes and says the only thing that will ever truly matter, “Peace to you.” It is far more than a wishful greeting. Instead, it's a pronouncement of what Jesus gives to you. Jesus enters the room where His disciples have barricaded themselves. He comes to them with His Word, and when Jesus says, “Peace to you,” He gives it to them.

These words deliver the benefits of what Christ accomplished for you upon the cross. On Good Friday, the war was fought upon the battlefield of Calvary; Jesus suffered and endured the pangs of death, declaring with a cry, "It is finished." Yet, the angels announce on Easter morning, "He is risen!"

His rising on Easter now says death no longer wins, the grave no longer wins, and sin no longer prevails. In reality, you cannot have the cross without the rising of Easter morning. That first Easter evening, Jesus comes to where the Church on earth is gathered behind locked doors and announces to them the benefits of His victory, His peace.

If you are like me, you, too, would desire this lasting peace in your life. Your life is a mess; you miss your loved ones who you haven’t spoken to since that last fight. You miss the children who have moved away. You miss those who have been placed into the grave. For reasons you cannot honestly explain, your heart is in turmoil with fits of anger and outrage with the government or your neighbor. You experience the dark places of this life because of bouts of envy, depression, and despair. Thoughts of dying ravage your mind—thoughts of becoming ill distress you.

All these things imprison you.

Yet, Jesus does come to you behind the fortified walls of anger, the built-up hills of mistrust, the pits of depression, and through the pastor He has sent to care for you, He announces the glad tidings of forgiveness and peace.

Today, pastors continue to be sent as Christ's messengers to announce this forgiveness to you. Absolution is all about this at the beginning of the Divine Service. God the Son breaks down the walls you have erected, and through the pastor, He declares to you, “I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

This is God’s declaration of peace to you.

Today’s Gospel sets forth a pattern of worship for the Church. Jesus comes to the Church on earth that first Easter evening, on the first day of the week, on Sunday. He announces grace and forgiveness. The pattern continues today as we gather around His Word of resurrection and receive His presence through His flesh and blood.

But we struggle in another way, don’t we? We struggle as we depart the church with the sin of doubt and unbelief. For instance, in today's military, Soldiers are taught that success and the mission depend upon them. Even in my workouts at home, the virtual trainer says to me over and over and over again—only you can dig deep enough, only you can make the decision, only you…

We are in a heap of trouble if it all relies upon us. 

Thomas was in a bit of a situation; he wasn't there when Jesus first appeared to the disciples. Thomas said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” Some pious Christians may want to chastise Thomas for his lack of faith, but don't we also demonstrate similar unbelief by our doubts and sins?

The Scriptures attest to the eyewitness testimony so that you may believe. At the end of our reading today, John wrote, "These [things] are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in His name."

Your faith is objective, meaning the evidence you need to believe these things is written in the Scriptures by the eyewitnesses of Jesus' life and ministry, those who witnessed His death on Good Friday, and the multitudes who saw the risen Lord with their own eyes. Faith does not rely on the subjective nature of emotions or feelings but on God’s most holy Word.

What does this mean for you this day?

The world around us is at war with itself. We are at war within ourselves. But, just as Jesus not only appeared to the disciples, He also appeared to Thomas as well, and He appeared to many others in the days and weeks that would come.

Today, He appears and presents Himself to you and for you.

In the historical sequence hymn for the Gospel, “Christians to the Paschal Victim,” it says, “Christ is arisen; From the grave’s dark prison.”

But Martin Luther provides this translation, “Christ is risen from all His agony.” Christ is risen from all His torments.

As you prepare to depart this day and walk through the days of this week, remember this – Jesus entered the battlefield of this life, He suffered your internal agony, all the torments of Satan that assault you, and He defeated them, for you.

So, gather together this day, hear the Word of truth, receive with your mouth the true flesh and blood for the forgiveness of your sins, and as you depart - permit the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus this day and forevermore (Phil 4:7). Amen. +INJ+

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Rev. Noah J. Rogness
Pastor
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

The Resurrection of our Lord

Text: Mark 16:1-8

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The Gospel this morning says that as Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome were walking to the tomb, they asked a simple yet practical question, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?”

But are these the only questions and fears pulsating through them in the twilight of this new day?

You’d have to imagine as they walked this road to the grave, their bodies were grief-stricken, their breathing quickened and intensified, and their legs and feet weighed down to the point that each step they took was as if they were walking in quicksand. Would this be their final journey to the one whom they loved?

What about their hearts? Were they filled with the sorrow that floods one’s eyes with perpetual tears that never seem to end?

Or their minds, were their questions more profound than “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?”

Were they asking, “What’s next for us?”

“Where do we go from here?”

“Is this hole in the belly of the earth really the end of all our hopes?”

Surely, you can relate to these women; you, too, have had to make this journey and dirge from the hearse to the deepest pit of the earth for your father or mother, husband, wife, or even child.

Is this grave and tomb really the end?

Does death end in such a way?

These are the hard questions you wrestle with, but this morning’s Gospel begins magnificently as it says, “When the Sabbath was past...and when the sun had risen.”

Sure, this may not seem like much to you, but a deep joy is already beginning to arise with these words, “When the Sabbath was past...and when the sun had risen.”

You see, it’s in the darkness of night, the darkness of this world and this life, when God works His greatest acts of redemption. For this reason, when the sun rises, it reveals the great and mighty deed God has done for you.

Or as the Psalmist wrote, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)

This couldn’t be truer for the ladies traveling to the tomb in this morning’s Gospel.

They proceeded out of the twilight hours, their hearts and minds still living in the grief and darkness of Good Friday’s cross. In fact, as they approached the tomb, they found the stone rolled away and the young man sitting on the right side, and they became even more worked up.

But then something else happens. The young man, God's messenger, says, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen!

What beautiful words to hear, “You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.” You know, the one who died upon the cross, “He is risen!”

Where death and darkness persisted and dwelled, now life and salvation exist.

For this reason, the pastor’s final words as he stands at the entrance of your loved one’s grave deliver to you the same angelic greeting of hope and salvation as he says, Alleluia! Christ is risen!

What wonderful news to hear, what great words to keep!

He is risen!

So, dear friends, do not depart the grave, nor this day, in the same way you arrived.

Instead, remember the words of the Psalmist, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)

Or, as the prophet Malachi wrote,

But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. (Malachi 4:2)

Oh, what comfort for you who fear, trust, and believe in Christ Jesus – that in Him you have healing of body and soul. In Him, you have hope and salvation.

So, when the night of sadness and grief arrives, do not permit your hearts to become a grave of grief and despair. Instead, call out to Jesus and confess your sins and sorrows.

And then look to the cross and grave of Christ Jesus, the crucified, and say with all the faithful,

O Death, where is your sting?

O Hell, where is your victory?

Christ is risen, and you are overthrown.

Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen.

Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice.

Christ is risen, and life reigns.

Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave.

For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Amen.

***Note: The concluding portion of this sermon is from John Chrysostom's Easter sermon. ***

Easter Vigil

Text: John 20:1

***This is an adaption of an Easter Vigil sermon I preached previously***

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

We entered the sanctuary this evening in the silent darkness. It's uncomfortable and eerie. We do not like the darkness or the silence it contains. But we are not people of the darkness, nor were we created to be silent creatures.

Yet, “In the beginning…The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep.” (Genesis 1:1-2)

Out of this darkness, “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.” (Genesis 1:3-4)

The light of God’s creation was without impurity.

However, Adam and Eve, the image of God, created in human form, destroy the goodness of God's creation through their fall into sin and death, your fall into sin and death.

The Serpent who led your mother, Eve, and father, Adam, into this pit now strives to lead a history of mankind into a permeating darkness of death - a shadow that now creeps closer for each of you with each step you take throughout this life.

For this reason, it's easy to be led into believing with the disciples and followers of Jesus that the cross is the end, death is the final word, and the darkness now wins.

But as we heard at Christmas, 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)

Hear these words again, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

In the Gospel, Mary Magdalene proceeds to Jesus’ tomb and grave “while it was still dark.”

We see a beautiful pattern of Scripture here: Not only does God conduct His redemptive work while it is still dark, but the darkness of this world always gives way to the Light.

It’s been the pattern of life since the Lord of Life first spoke creation into existence, and now, as we meet the silent darkness of this night, we learn to say again with Mary Magdalene the great Easter news: “Alleluia! Christ is risen!”

“He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”

For this reason, “this is the night when all who believe in Christ are delivered from bondage to sin and are restored to life and immortality.”

“This is the night when Christ, the Life, arose from the dead. The seal of the grave is broken, and the morning of the new creation breaks forth out of night.” (Easter Proclamation)

So run into the darkness of the font’s grave and bring your anger, envy, and malice - drown these chains of sin and death in the life-giving flood of baptismal waters.

And then rejoice as God raises you in the Light of His reconciling act of redemption!

For tonight, your heavenly Father has kept His promise of old.

Tonight, His Son Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, has led you, His child, out of the darkness of death and the grave to the Light of His everlasting life.

Tonight, He forgives all your sins and opens heaven again.

So, shout for joy, for creation is restored, sing with the Mary Magdalene, sing with the saints and angels heaven's song - your Savior lives.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

AMEN!

Rev. Noah J. Rogness

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Tomah, WI

Good Friday Chief Service

Text: John 18-19

+INJ+

Last night's service ushered in the silence. However, silence this night is meant to provide an opportunity to be still before the Lord so that you may meditate upon the readings of Holy Scripture, your Lord’s Passion, and your status before the cross of Christ.

Silence is uncomfortable.

But there is a deep, dark silence that dwells within you. It’s the silence that avoids the confession of your sin. It’s the silence that retains forgiveness from a spouse or child, a friend or co-worker. It’s the sad state of man that lacks peace with God as man’s heart becomes hardened and cold.

The situation you often find yourself in is that you think and behave like children who don’t listen to the voice of your father or mother.

When a child breaks a family heirloom or a teenager totals a car, the parent calls the child to confess their sin. The weight of the law convicts you while the air becomes heavy, and anxiety fills your mind standing before the judgment.

But as a child, you begin to think, “If I don’t confess, they can’t blame me, the law cannot accuse me, and then they cannot convict me of my sin.”

This is the history of mankind. Your history.

Adam and Eve did not listen to and obey God’s command in the Garden of Eden. They hid from God, believing if they remained silent and hid from their Creator, they would not receive punishment.

David, the great king, tried to cover his sin of adultery with the sin of murder, yet God sent Nathan to call David to confess his sin, a sin that could not be hidden from the eyes of God.

If you remain silent, you would like to believe you can hide your faults, worries, heartaches, and trespasses from the Lord as you would a parent or friend. But Scripture clearly reveals that your lives are fully known to Him, who created you.

But for this reason, God is faithful, and his promise to send a Savior is fulfilled in His Son, Jesus Christ. The savior whom John the Baptist proceeds in calling all to repentance and announcing the arrival of “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)

This is why you are led to sit before the cross of Good Friday, meditate upon the nails that pierced Christ’s hands and feet, and hear of his betrayal, denial of his closest friends, and the scourging and beating He suffered.

The cross reveals the Lamb who is sacrificed for you and in your place.

The journey to the cross this night is the culmination of Lent. This journey forces you into quiet contemplation of how you have not confessed your sins to God or your neighbor, nor have you extended grace and forgiveness to those who have sinned against you.

Soon, the Reproaches will be sung. They leave no room for escape from sin as God calls you through His Word to task.  But the choir’s petition and the congregation’s prayer are your plea for mercy and forgiveness.

When you sing and pray, “O Lord, have mercy,” you confess your complete trust in Jesus and His salvific work upon the cross. Your pleas for mercy, confess your unwavering faith in the words of the epistle this night from Hebrews, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

How is this possible?

Because Jesus took upon Himself the flesh of man, Pilate’s exclamation to the crowd, “Behold the man!” confesses just this. Jesus was born in a manger to a virgin. He suffered the temptations of the devil, felt sadness over death, and was filled with joy over the repentant.

However, when your lips cease to confess your sins, when your pleas for mercy quiet, your faith begins to diminish, and by this silence, your voice joins those of the crowds of Good Friday, saying, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

Yet, as the prophet Isaiah writes, for you, “The LORD laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.”

For you, Christ Jesus opened not His mouth until the appointed time, crying out, “It is finished!”

With these words, He gives up His spirit, and “death has rattled life’s last breath within His throat,” but in that moment, death has been silenced.

“It is finished” pierces the isolation sin causes you; it penetrates your ears and your hearts this night so that your tongues may be loosened to confess the sins of your life, so that with your ears you hear the joyful words of forgiveness and peace.

Yet silence remains uncomfortable for you, at times even fearful. But you dear friends already know the end of this story. So, do not be afraid. Sit quietly and hear the word of the Lord—use your words to confess your sins boldly before one another as before God your Father in heaven, knowing and trusting that Jesus intercedes for you.

If you find yourself in the silent struggle of sin or temptation, broken relationships, or shame, look to the cross. Run to it!

From the cross flows to you Christ’s mercy. The sacrifice of the Lamb on the cross is now present for you in the flesh and blood of the altar for the forgiveness of all your sins. By this sacrament and Christ’s Word, you are nourished and given a hope that will sustain you all the days of this life.

So be still this night and ponder what Christ has done for you and how He has defeated sin, death, and the devil. Ponder how He has won for you the forgiveness of your sins by His crucifixion, and trust that when you submit your pleas for mercy to Him, you are forgiven. +INJ+

Maundy Thursday

Text: John 13:1-15, 34-35

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We live in extraordinary times, don't we? I mean, look at your feet, look at your shoes.

Sure, some of you are wearing well-loved shoes; you don’t care if they are coming unglued and worn down; they fit like a glove. They still protect your feet from the snow, salt, and dirt of the paths you journey on a daily basis.

When you get home, you’ll probably remove your shoes and socks, and your feet will be clean—maybe smelly, but clean.

Well, the feet of Jesus and His disciples were not clean. Their paths and terrain were rugged, with dust and the earth’s soil. In addition, they possessed no socks to add an extra layer of comfort or protection. As a result, their feet would be absolutely filthy and probably stink just as much.

Yet, in tonight's reading, Jesus does something odd: He assumes the position of a servant and begins to wash the tired feet of His disciples.

This is unexpected because this is not a task appropriate for a King.

Kings are to be served.

But contrary to the belief of many as Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He is not an image of earthly kings and princes, is He? No, He is a Savior who shows us an example of self-sacrificing love.

Jesus said in tonight’s reading:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you... By this, all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another."

The Maundy for Maundy Thursday is often translated from the Latin mandatum, or commandment, reflecting Jesus’ words, “I give you a new commandment.”

So, Maundy Thursday is about Jesus giving us a new law to love one another as He has loved us.

How did Jesus reveal His love for us?

He humbled Himself, taking the form of a servant, the form of you – a mere man.

Then, He didn’t just wash the feet of the disciples but washed away the world’s sin by humbly giving up His life and dying on the cross to grant you the forgiveness of sin and everlasting life.

This is an image of true sacrificial love.

But we struggle with humbling ourselves and expressing love to others, don’t we?

We have no desire or will to wash our neighbor’s feet any more than we desire to forgive one another.

That's a problem.

Because as Jesus says,
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you... By this, all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.”

If you are Jesus’ disciple, then you must learn to forgive your neighbor. You must realize that true love is found in these sweet words, “I forgive you.”

This understanding is inherent in the Fifth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer as you pray, “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

Stop and listen to these words on your lips, “And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14–15)

No, we cannot earn God’s forgiveness; that is a gift won upon the cross. But if we refuse to forgive others, we reject the gift of forgiveness from Christ Himself.

The forgiveness He so enjoys giving to you in the bread and wine, His flesh and blood, here in the Sacrament of this Altar.

The Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Colossians, “[Bear] with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, [forgive] each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (3:13)

But we are like Peter, aren’t we? We approach Jesus, asking, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.”

This means your forgiveness, like Christ’s, has no end, even among those whose sins have cut the deepest.

Look no further than the words of Christ as He speaks such comfort to the confessing criminal who hung beside Him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

There is no withholding of forgiveness, even among the worst of sinners.

For this reason, if you are Jesus’ disciple, you must learn to humble yourself, take the form of a servant, confess your sins, and forgive your neighbor’s trespasses.

You must realize that true love is found in these sweet words: “I forgive you.”

These are the words that remove the filth and stench of sin that clings not only to the feet you traverse this life with but also to your heart. These words make you disciples of Jesus Christ and demonstrate love for one another, as Jesus now reveals His love for you through His passion and from His cross. +INJ+

Palm Sunday

Text: John 12:12-19

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

When one reflects on life, some moments and events will forever remain imprinted upon you; in fact, they often form your future.

Maybe you can still remember the time when a friend uttered such hurtful words to you on a playground; you vowed never to be friends again. You still remember the conversation when your first love spoke the sad words, "I don't love you." Or you still remember the sadness when you arrived home or received the dreaded phone call informing you that your loved one is dead.

This all begs the question, what is the event that caused the crowds to gather and flock to Jesus today?

It was another death. It was the death of His friend Lazarus. This is the event that occurs just before the Triumphal Entry in John’s Gospel.

Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, are bound in tears and sadness. Surely, you can relate to this sadness. You become immovable and, in some instances, paralyzed in time. While your life calls you to continue, your mind remains at the grave with death. Through all of this grief, you begin to wonder if things will return to normal or whether someone will call you from this dirge and give you back your life.

If you recall, when Jesus learned of His friend Lazarus’ death, He waited, He waited to travel to console Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus.

Why did Jesus make Mary and Martha wait on Him?

He does this for a couple of reasons. He does this to reveal He weeps with them. He shares their sadness and their life, rather publicly, in fact.

But secondly, He also permits the corpse of Lazarus to lay in waiting – to begin rigor mortis and the decaying process to reveal His power over death. That in Him, the power of resurrection resides that He answers the pleas of God's children not at the time of your choosing but at the right time and according to His will. 

But what does the raising of Lazarus have to do with today?

Again, it’s the moment and event that causes a stir among the Jerusalem crowds, captures their hearts, and inspires their voices. By calling Lazarus out of the grave and calling him to life, it’s a tipping point that now led the people to line the streets and say with great joy,

“Hosanna!
            ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’”

The crowds are led to line the streets and follow He, who is the resurrection of the dead.

The end of the Gospel from John says, “The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, ‘You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!’”

What have you gone after this past year? What has led you in this life? What captures the attention of your heart and mind more than anything else? If it is not the Lord of life, then repent and return to the only Son of the Father. Join the crowds going after Jesus in saying,

“Hosanna!
            ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’”

Hosanna: Save us now! Come and help us.

If these words have been absent from your lips, then place them there now. Sing with all the saints in the Sanctus in preparation for the Supper, “Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.”

Life is full of instances where we misplace our trust, when our words mock the fears and concerns of neighbors, and when we begrudge the crosses God places upon us.

Yet, this week's focus is on the cross. It’s the moment when Christ Jesus lays down His life and saves you from your sins.

It’s the moment that fully reveals Jesus as “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)

This is why He came into this world and into Jerusalem, to help and to save you.

So, where do you go from here, and what do you do now?

Your lives are full of many moments when you will be left sad, full of rage, or quite honestly feeling the bands of death tightening within you.

During these periods and moments in time, remember the word "Hosanna."

Save us now! Come and help us, dear Jesus!

Then, as we will do this Palm Sunday, depart, joining the crowds as we heard at the end of the Gospel, going after Jesus - being led in the way of Him, who is the resurrection and the life. +INJ+

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

Lent Midweek – Part 5

***Our Lenten Midweek services are meditating upon the Passion of our Lord Drawn from the Four Gospels. Tonight, we meditated upon Calvary.***

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As we consider the Passion reading this evening, it’s important to remember and have the story of Creation in the back of your mind.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. (Genesis 1:3)

So, how did God create? He spoke His Word of Creation.

But what is that Word?

Let’s hear the Gospel of John again,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)

So, who is the Word but Jesus Christ Himself?

The darkness He has now entered is the world that fell into the corruption of sin at the hands of your first parents, eating from the forbidden tree of the Garden.

This sin of disobedience led Adam and Eve to usher into this world a perpetual darkness that often seems to abide with us wherever we go. 

Look around your lives and examine the words of your heart and lips. Do they continue to reveal a present darkness?

Do they call out to God in times of trouble and despair?

Do they confess the joy of heaven as Jesus Himself said to the criminal this evening, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Or do the words and meditation of our heart reflect an unending grief that has consumed you as many of Jesus’ followers shared as they looked upon His cross? 

Is this you?

If so, Jesus entered this darkness for you.

He entered this world taking on your lowly form – not only as a child in the manger on the night of His birth, but also we see his humanity, his human frame, hanging upon the cross of Good Friday.

The Gospel of Mathew recalls the period of Christ’s crucifixion, saying, “Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour, there was darkness over all the land.” (Matthew 27:45)

Our reading tonight says,
     When Jesus had received the wine, he cried with a loud voice, “It is finished!”

What a wonderful thing to hear, “It is finished!”

Or as the Greek renders it, “τετέλεσται!”

Honestly, there is no better word than this, “τετέλεσται!”

“It is finished!”

What is finished?

The God-Man, Jesus Christ, has paid the debt of your sin and redeemed you. He faced and entered the darkness of death brought upon the human race through the hands and heart of your first parents, only to defeat it and restore what was lost.

In fact, after saying, “τετέλεσται!” There was only one thing remaining for Jesus to do, and the Gospel records, “Then he said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

He gave up His spirit and died for you.

This is a transformational moment in time and salvation – for in it, the true light of the world shone upon the cross for all to see, and the darkness did not overcome Him.

Johann Gerhard, the great Lutheran theologian, wrote regarding these last words of Jesus,

The fact that Christ called out loudly caused one of the ancient teachers to express these thoughts: that death did not overcome Christ in the same way that it overcomes us humans. Death takes away our speech; it stops up our mouth so that no coherent word any longer proceeds from it. However, Christ here dies much differently. He calls loudly and coherently; and with [the cry] He gives us His spirit. Death, as it were, knew in advance that Christ was going to devour it and conquer it. That’s why death did not want to step up too close. Thus, Christ shouted out so loudly, and His clear voice causes Death to tremble, telling Death that it should step forth and carry out upon Him the right and power that it usually held over the human race.

Hear the great comfort in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians,

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
      “O death, where is your victory?
                  O death, where is your sting?”

Where is the victory? It’s in the very Word of God, the incarnate Son of the Father, as He said, “τετέλεσται!”

“It is finished!”

May this Word of God abide with you throughout this Passiontide and as we approach the cross of Good Friday. Remember how the Word became flesh and dwelt among us in our Savior Jesus Christ. He is the true Light of the World who has overcome the darkness of your life for you. And now He, the Word of God, forgives you, feeds you, and makes you His new creation. +INJ+

Lent 5 + Judica

Text: John 8:42-59

While much of the world sees March 17th on the calendar, they know it’s St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a day of green rivers, beer, and leprechauns.

However, we continue to travel through the season of Lent today. We observe the fifth Sunday of Lent, Judica Sunday.

The tone and character of the season take a hard turn from the rose-colored stole of last Sunday. This is highlighted by the black veils that now adorn the crosses and crucifixes of the church and sanctuary and the omitting of the Gloria throughout the service, such as at the end of the introit and Nunc Dimittis. As your vision is shielded from the cross and your voices are stripped of the praise you are so used to singing, you now have nothing to do but listen to the Word of God and meditate on what Jesus has done for you.

The attention of the Church is now solely on our journey to Good Friday and our Lord’s Passion.

Judica Sunday gets its name from the introit. In the King James translation of the introit, we hear, “Judge me, O God.” This is where the historic name for the Sunday comes from. However, this morning's ESV translation of Psalm 43 is, “Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against ungodly people.”

But what is it you need to be defended from? Who are these people you need defending from?

It’s interesting that if you look back at the Gospel readings over Lent, the Devil or a demon is mentioned in all of them. Still, last week, we saw a reprieve from the intensity of Lent and heard of the feast we enjoy at this altar. We looked forward to eternity with all the company of heaven.

But as we set out on this Lenten journey this year, we set out in the first week, hearing the story of Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness. Lent highlights this battle of temptation and spiritual warfare with the devil and his minions, his foot soldiers. Thus, today, we shouldn’t be surprised to hear again of this evil foe in the words of Jesus as He says to the Jews, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires.”

How do Jesus's words strike you today? “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.”

What a statement.

It cuts to the core of a person. You might think to yourself, “Well, I wouldn’t blame them for wanting to stone Jesus. Maybe you would have wanted to join them and pick up stones yourself.”

“You are of your father the devil.”

This is the kind of stuff that might get you hurt if you said it to someone. Not only that, today this would be seen as offensive and just plain hurtful speech.

But you are of your father, the devil. His lies and speech fill your mouth when you communicate with your brother or sister, your mother or father, your son or daughter. You rebel against God and do not love Him as you ought. Your relationships can be seen crumbling; they suffer from the strain of turmoil and discord. You trust in the ways and workings of the devil rather than in the ways and Words of God, the words of peace and reconciliation.

Why? Because the devil lies. He’s a liar.

Just as Jesus said, “He is a liar and the father of lies.” And the devil doesn’t just lie; he tells the lie that God is not good, that He will not care for you, your family, or your life – do not trust in the Lord your God.

The lie of the serpent is what drove our first parents to grasp what was not given to them in the Garden. It brought your first father to ignore God’s Word.

The devil is a liar and a murderer, and so are you.

But you say, “I haven’t murdered anyone.”

St. John writes, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” (1 John 3:15)

However, the opposite of the lie is the truth.

The whole creation narrative is one of love, care, and compassion. God created out of love; He desired to bestow His benefits on man. Even after the fall into sin and man’s embracing of the lie, God provides; God clothes and feeds Adam and Eve as they depart the Garden as He clothes and feeds you today. God doesn’t take the sacrifice of Isaac from Abraham, but instead, He sends His own son in a manger to live as you live, to breathe this poisoned air that you breathe, so that He, Jesus Christ, would be the sacrifice for you, to die in your place.

As Jesus said in the Gospel of John, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

It’s this blood of Jesus shed upon the cross that vindicates you and grants you forgiveness. It’s this blood shed upon the cross that brings peace among neighbors, peace among siblings, peace amid family, and peace into the darkness and turmoil of your lives. It’s the blood of Jesus that brings you into the Father’s eternal presence.

If you look at the baptism rite we use, it’s the rite developed by Luther. In many ways, the language seems out of place, kind of like the words of Jesus today, but it reveals how the battle of this life begins at the font. The battle to resist the devil and all his ways and live as a child of God. It’s for this reason the baptismal rite (and Confirmation Rite) has historically had what is known as renunciations; you’re familiar with the three that are present in our baptismal liturgy: “Do you renounce the devil, and all his works, and all his ways?”

The response to these questions is, “Yes, I renounce them.”

But how do you continue renouncing them today?

One of my seminary professors, Dr. David Scaer, wrote, “A secular age requires not only belief in God, but the awareness that the world remains under the sway of the prince of darkness. Certainly, we cannot renounce Satan by our own power (We are sinful), but only because Christ by His Word has forced him to flee.” (Scaer)

For this reason, when we prayed in the introit, “Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against ungodly people,” we are praying for Christ Jesus to take up this battle for us, to defend and protect us from the powers of darkness – it’s His Word and life that defend and keep us safely in His Church.

So, return to your Baptism where Christ promises to be for you. Take up the prayer of St. Patrick as he wrote in his great baptismal hymn,

I bind unto myself the name,
    The strong name of the Trinity
By invocation of the same,
    The Three in One and One in Three,
Of whom all nature has creation,
    Eternal Father, Spirit, Word.
Praise to the Lord of my salvation;
    Salvation is of Christ the Lord!

Keep these words upon your lips and in your ears as we journey to the cross, as our Lenten fast of the eyes and the quieting of our voices set in; allow yourself to meditate on Him who keeps you.

We cannot defeat Satan or this world, but in our Baptism, Jesus’ work and His victory claim you as His own. He now gives you His Word to assure you; cling to it, abide in it, and cherish it. For it is this Word that vindicates and forgives you; it brings you resurrection and life everlasting. +INJ+