Sermons

What is preaching? St. Paul writes in Romans: “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14-15)

Therefore our Lutheran Confessions state: “It is also taught among us that one holy Christian church will be and remain forever. This is the assembly of all believers among whom the Gospel is preached in its purity and the holy sacraments are administered according to the Gospel.” (Augsburg Confession VII:1-3)

There are 256 posts filed in Sermons (this is page 12 of 86).

Epiphany 2012 – Isaiah 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12

06. January 2013
Epiphany
Isaiah 60:1-6; Matthew  2:1-12

I had an epiphany. The light bulb went on. New evidence was brought to light. I was enlightened. I was no longer in the dark. I can see clearly now. The festival season of Epiphany is about God shining His heavenly light into the darkness of this life. He opens our eyes to His eternal reality. We are enlightened by His Word through the Holy Spirit. We are given an epiphany. The light bulb (of God’s sort) goes on. We are given new eyes to perceive [the] insight into the mystery of Christ.

The child born of Mary on Christmas is now on Epiphany revealed as God in the flesh. God is not only for the Jew but for the Gentile. This mystery was not known to the sons of men but has now been revealed to you through the mouth of the holy prophets and apostles by the Spirit. We have seen His star as it rose upon us. The glory of God is revealed in the flesh of the son of Mary.

The prophecy from Isaiah today reminds us how radical Jesus’ incarnation and salvation is. We’ve heard about Jesus incarnate, crucified, risen, and ascended for the salvation of the whole world. Now that that problem is taken care of what next? Two thousand years can breed complacency. We can easily become bored with the Jesus of the Scriptures.  Jesus still is not what anyone expects. It takes a prophecy to overcome our natural inclinations for godly expectations.

Just like our fathers of old, we like to think of Christianity as private social club with Jesus as our team captain. You’ve got to be in-the-know and have the secret passcode. Oh, and don’t forget the necessary birthright. Others need not apply. But Isaiah calls this a darkness covering the earth and thick darkness the peoples. No one is enlightened, in-the-know, or extra special. All require this light of the LORD to arise upon them, for His glory to be seen.

And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Magi for the east come to Jerusalem looking for this light, following His star. Two thousand years of Gentiles have received this gift of Christ for their salvation. Two thousand years of outsiders being enlightened. God shines His divine lightbulb into their hearts. The star of God’s Word still leads those who sit in darkness into His glorious light.

Necessary to enlightenment is the banishment of darkness. The Magi had expectations but they were confused, muddled, in the shadows. Their expertise in stargazing led them to recognize that a new king was born to the Jews. “We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Where did they go to find Him but to the obvious Jerusalem, with palace and temple. The Spirit of Jesus had guided them to the right land but not to the right home.

They needed further light. They receive this enlightenment from the same place we do—the Scriptures. Even Herod and all Jerusalem need this lightbulb to go on. After Herod assembles all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. Where is the answer? Where is the Christ to be found? In Bethlehem of Judea (of course), for so it is written by the prophet. The prophet Micah prophesied the unexpected. Not Jerusalem but Bethlehem, a little town of insignificance (apart from being the town of David.)

By God’s Holy Word, the magi’s eyes are opened and they learn the true location of Christ. A simple light in the sky only led to them Jerusalem but God’s Word leads them to Christ’s home. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. The light in the heavens was a reflection of the true light, the child born of woman and begotten of God. To follow the light isn’t merely to set your life on a trajectory more or less toward heaven but to gather around Jesus. Lift up your eyes all around and see. Just as promised, Christ has gathered unto Himself a holy people illuminated by His rising.

To be a merely magi—full of wisdom and knowledge—is not the same as being a Christian. Magi are like every noble and virtuous person of ages past and years to come. They look good to their neighbor. They fit our expectations for how God wants us to live. They may even speak with helpful lessons for family, work, or self-improvement. They’re good Christian people. But something is still missing.

Do you have that empty feeling? Does it seem like no matter how hard you try you can’t find fulfillment in this life? Does it seem something is missing? Is there no joy in your work, your parenting, or your marriage? Is life mundane and without thrill and happiness? Is your worship lacking?

Learn from the magi. Seek the Light where He has promised to be found. Do not go to Jerusalem, the place of earthly glory and wisdom. The wisdom of this world is foolishness and can bring no true joy. You can’t find God by trying harder to follow a set of practical rules. You can’t find God in nature, in hard work, or in practical religion.

The magi looked to the star and it wasn’t enough. They went to the earthly king and were unfulfilled. But when Micah spoke “O Bethlehem” their eyes were opened. Only when Herod sent them to find this King did they receive Him as He wanted to be found. Not until the knelt face down before the infant King of the Universe did they find what they were looking for.

You can only find Christ in His Word. Lift up your eyes all around and see. A heavenly host has gathered together in this place at the feet of Jesus. To listen to Him. To receive Him. There is not fulfillment in empty words of the world. But when Jesus says, “I forgive you!” it is done. Earthly washings cannot remove the soil of sin. But when He washes with water and Word, sins are washed away forever. The unquenchable hunger and thirst for righteousness is never met by all our efforts, works, and virtuous living. But our Lord feeds us with food that makes us righteous in His own body and blood.

Gathered together here, prophets, apostles, magi, and you witness the glory of the Lord. In the most Holy Supper, the glory of the God is revealed. He has brought to light for everyone the plan of the mystery hidden for ages. Christ Jesus is the epiphany of true wisdom. We are all children of God, fellow heirs in the body of Christ. Christ is our king, our priest, and our salvation.

And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. The answer to the darkness is to gather to the light. God has accepted you—not by birthright, nor by wisdom and knowledge, but by grace in Jesus Christ. He has called you by His Holy Spirit and reveals Himself to you in Holy Gospel.

Then you [with Christ] shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult. Your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. Like the magi of old let us cling to the holy child and receive forgiveness and eternal life in him. The answer to this life’s emptiness, joylessness, and boredom is Jesus. Simple as Him. Follow the star. God to His house. Receive Him. Worship Him. Rejoice!

In Name of the Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Rev. Christopher R. Gillespie
Grace Lutheran Church
Dyer, Indiana

Where, Oh Where, Has My Little Joy Gone? – Christmas 1 2012 – Luke 2:(22-32)33-40

30. December 2012
First Sunday After Christmas
Luke 2:(22-32)33-40

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.

Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving. Christmas gifts come in all shapes and sizes. No matter the gift our expectations can vary. One kind of gift is the surprise. You had no idea it was coming. Another kind is the suspicion. You have some vague idea based the shape, size, or sound of the box. Then there is the expected gift. You know its coming but you’re still surprised when it finally comes.

In today’s Gospel, the young Christ-child of six weeks old was presented to the Lord and redeemed by the coin and the pair of turtledoves. The most precious treasure the world has known comes into the temple. Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. This man was of the third sort of gift receiver. He knew his sin and He knew the promise of the redeemer. He is waiting with hopeful expectation. He longs to see his salvation in the flesh.

Simeon had been promised that he would not die before he would see the Lord’s Christ. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, Simeon took him up in his arms and blessed God and sang the Nunc Dimittis. Simeon recognized that the infant child in his arms was Christ the Lord. He is to be the savior and a light not dimly shining to the Jews but as a bright morning star for the whole world. His piercing light would reach unto the ends of the earth, illuminating the hearts of all.

And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. Despite having received each proclamation from the angel Gabriel and having already heard the message of the angels repeated to them by the shepherds, now Joseph and Mary hear the good news themselves. Simeon proclaims the angelic message again. This old and feeble man recognizes and praises the little child as Savior and Light of the World. All else are in darkness and this little child lights them up. All the world is dying and damned and in this baby is salvation.

How could this little man, wrapped in swaddling clothes, born to a poor mother, be the savior of the world? Yet, Simeon’s sermon makes this bold claim. While the angel before him told Mary the child was the Son of the Most High and shepherds repeated the message of the angels, now Simeon has even more to say. “He shall save His people from their sin,” said the angel. Simeon says this light is not just for “His people,” the Jew, but also for the Gentile. At this, the holy family marveled.

Were Joseph and Mary shocked? No, they saw this coming. Their astonishment is a sign of their great faith and profound understanding. You remember Abraham and Sarah who laughed at the gift of their son, Isaac? Both were advanced in age, far past childbearing age. When God announced that they would conceive, both laughed! We wonder if their laughter was doubting but no, this news was of great joy to the two. Abraham believed the Lord and he counted it to him for righteousness. (Gen 15:6; Romans 4:3). This is not laughter of doubt but of joy.

The person and work of Christ brings a similar response today. For some Jesus is an utter surprise. They had no idea they needed a savior. They are ignorant of their sin, happy with their guilt and shame, and content in their misery. The joyous blessing of God made man, born to redeem them is a unexpected wonder. It’s an utter shock and joy.

For others the Law has already done its work. They feel the weight of its burdens and want relief. They believe God is good and gracious and expect He must have provided some means of escape from the terror of the Law. They know they need saving and yet the wonderful way God chose to save them is still a surprise. God saves them by grace alone through faith alone by Scripture alone. Redemption is entirely the handiwork of Christ alone to His glory alone. What a joy!

And then for others, they not only know their sin but also know the promises of God. They live in the hope of redemption in Christ. They have received the Holy Scriptures, been given the faith, and trust that God will do all the redeeming by His own grace and favor. But just like those others, when Christ comes to redeem them they are still “surprised by joy.” They knew of this love of God and yet upon receiving the gift are surprised at the abundance of God’s grace and mercy in Jesus. Oh, what joy!

All three receive the same gift of Jesus Christ, unwrapped and revealed. The quality common to the three perspectives is “an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.” (CS Lewis) This quality is called joy. It is not the same as happiness or pleasure. Joy, happiness, and pleasure are all experiences we want to repeat but that is where their similarities end. Happiness is merely a positive feeling or emotional state due a circumstance. Pleasure is a physical or non-physical feeling that brings satisfaction. Joy is different altogether.

Joy cannot be gained by your own will. It’s not in your power to make yourself joyful. You can please yourself and you can probably even find ways to make yourself happy. But joy comes from a deep longing fulfilled. Joy is not dependent on the circumstances of your life. Joy is not simply being happy. Joy comes from hope received in the presence of Jesus.

This is the uniqueness of the Christian life. The firmer one receives and believes, the more one marvels and the happier one is. Too often those who are sad and lonely absent themselves from church. As their faith weakens, so do they lose the source of joy and its marvel and happiness. “If I were to believe with certainty that the child born to the Virgin Mary is my brother, flesh and blood, and that His righteousness is my righteousness,  His life, my life (as we have heard these last days about the birth of Christ), I say, if I were to believe this with all my heart, then I would so marvel and be so overjoyed that I could not think enough about this infant child.” (Luther)

The key to Christian joy is to recognize in the Holy Gospel all your hopes and dreams fulfilled. This good news should produce such amazement in you that you would cry out: I am baptized into Christ! There is no doubt that in my Lord Jesus I have overcome death and sin. No other possession of mine gives me makes me happy and amazed as my baptismal inheritance in Jesus! On the day of judgment, Jesus will say I am his dear brother and everything that is His is mine, and we all shall live with Him into eternity.

This is gift. If we were to try to believe this of ourselves, we would never fall for it. It would seem that death and sin have the upper hand, the devil is ruling, and our lives are in the toilet. We be frightened and sullen, with no amazement and no joy. This is because Christian joy comes from receiving faith, hope, and love in Jesus. We receive the gift of the Christ Child and by faith we respond with joy. We can’t help it! In Jesus, there is every grace and blessing of the Father! How could we be sad or dismayed when the child has defeated everything that gets us down?

Have no fear, little flock. For in Jesus Christ you have inherited the kingdom. Eternal life and heaven are yours, gained for you by the precious child’s death and resurrection and given to you as a gift. Marvel now, oh heaven and earth, that the Lord chose such a birth! Sing with joy for your hope is fulfilled in Jesus.

In Name of the Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Rev. Christopher R. Gillespie
Grace Lutheran Church
Dyer, Indiana

Blood Red Redemption – Holy Innocents 2012 – Matthew 2:13-18

28. December 2012
Holy Innocents
Matthew 2:13-18

Green and Red. The colors of Christmas. I think we can safely add white and gold, too. Have you ever wondered why these colors have come to represent this season? It turns out the inquiring world wants to know. A quick Google search yielded many repetitions of the same answers but never any discussion of their origin. Some say the origins are pagan and others uniquely Christian.

The truth is likely something of both. The most common explanation is that green represents the life of Christ and red represents His blood shed. This simplistic explanation is helpful. Certainly at Christmas time we rejoice at the birth of Christ, who brings life immortal to all who believe on His name. Jesus is the true evergreen, a shoot from Jesse’s stump, the rose e’er blooming. Jesus is the royal branch of David and His cross is the tree of life. All who are grafted into Jesus receive His life, just as a branch grafted onto a good tree.

Christmas is full of signs of life. The mistletoe is hung and a kiss is given among friends as a sign of good will and friendship. In England, the rhyme is said: “The mistletoe bough at our Christmas board Shall hang, to the honor of Christ the Lord: For He is the evergreen tree of Life.” Along with mistletoe is green ivy that perhaps suggests frail humanity clinging to the rock that is Christ.

Some of the oldest decorations for Christmas tide are the laurel (or bay) leaf, the ancient symbol of triumph. Early Christians in Rome decorated their homes with it to celebrate Christ’s nativity. From the laurel wreaths came the use of evergreen wreaths even to this day to proclaim Christ’s victory over sin and death. Another often forgotten Christmas plant is the rosemary. Legend has it that while the Holy Family fled to Egypt, Mary washed Jesus’ swaddling clothes and hung them to dry on a rosemary bush. Since that time the rosemary has delighted mankind with its delicate fragrance of Christ’s life.

Two traditional plants for Christmas are the poinsettia and the holly. The poinsettia is named for Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett (1851) who was our ambassador to Mexico. After a visit in 1829, he returned with this plant to his home in South Carolina, where it flourished. In Mexico it is called the “flower of Holy Night.” It’s brilliant red star resembles the star of Bethlehem.

Of all the various plants of Christmas, the holly has the strongest symbolism. One of the little delights of our parish is passing between two holly bushes on the way into our narthex. Early Christians throughout Northern Europe saw in it the burning bush of Moses, the flaming love of God that filled Mary’s heart. Even more so, it’s prickly points is a fitting reminder at Christmastide that the Divine Child was born to to wear a crown of thorns. From those temple points will appears little droplets of blood like the berries.

Green and red. Most of the season of Christmas is spent rejoicing in the life of the Christ-child as He was born into the world. We stand in awe of the sweet Child in the manger but we forget about how He was born not to live but to die. He came to set His people free from sin and Devil, to redeem them from the pits of hell and death. The Holy Spirit has given us clues to see this truth. His infant body is laid upon wood just as His crucified body is laid upon the cross. As Jesus lays in a manger for feeding animals so He comes to feed us with His own body and blood. Every happy Christmas celebration stands with the source of joy in Christ’s passion.

That’s why we’ve spend the last three days observing the feasts of the first martyr, of the evangelist, and now the holy innocents. Suffering and persecution accompany the arrival of Christ into this world. A short time after His birth and the wicked Herod is out for his blood, to slay the newborn King of the Jews. Simeon will say on Sunday that this child was appointed for a sign that is opposed. As we celebrated last year, Christ Jesus already begins to shed His blood for you just eight days as He fulfills the covenant of circumcision.

This theme of red, flowing blood will continue and even swell until it reaches a river of blood flowing from Christ’s hands, feet, and side on Good Friday. It’s bloody business as it has been since innocent Abel blood was shed. And now today, we remember a handful or more young boys, faithful believers in the promise of Christ, whose life is taken to spare Christ of death until His hour has come.

The sting of the death of a child is often to bitter to taste. We are still in shock from the slaughter at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Like those parents, family, and friends, Rachel is weeping for her children. The blood of the Holy Innocents cries out to us to listen to Jesus. He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Mt. 16:24-25).

Those little boys bore their little crosses already for the sake of Christ. We want noble martyrs and valiant Christian heroes. Our want is to mourn and grieve the death of those children. And then the Psalmist cries out: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints!” (Ps 116:15) We are horrified at the lives lost and yet thus says the LORD: “Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work… and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your future… and your children shall come back to their own country.” (Jeremiah 31:16-17).

The infant boys lost the life granted by their earthly mother but received the eternal blessed life of their mother, the Church. Their death is precious to the LORD because they have been received into his glory, the first fruits of the birth of Christ. What Herod meant for evil, the infant Christ meant for good. Herod intended to slaughter the King and instead became Christ’s devil to welcome home infant saints of God. The King will die under another Herod and His blood too will be shed. The holy innocents already enjoy the freedom of the Gospel through the future shed blood of Christ. His red blood will bring forth vibrant green life. We love the green of Christ’s life to grow amongst us the Christmastide. Let us not forget that the life springs forth from the red of Christ’s blood even as we today observe the blood of the innocents.

In Name of the Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Rev. Christopher R. Gillespie
Grace Lutheran Church
Dyer, Indiana