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)

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Holy Pentecost (Whitsunday) ’12 – Acts 2:1-13

27. May 2012
Holy Pentecost (Whitsunday)
Acts 2:1-13

Today is the festival of the Holy Spirit, celebrating the gift of the Word,  when He established the church, and revealed to Himself to the world for courage, boldness, and joy. Pentecost has two preachers—Moses & Holy Spirit: 1) Moses. Mt. Sinai. Dismay and Terror. People begged Moses to stop speaking with God. They could not bear it. Moses is their go-between. Thunder & Lightning. Mountain smoking. God gave law for state and law for moral (10 Commands). This same Law holds today and still results in dismay, despair, eternal death. We need it for we are hardheaded, crude, insolent. We need the rod, fire, sword, gallows.

Pentecost—HOLY SPIRIT CHURCH. This is a kingdom of joy, courage, and certainty. It is a totally different message and voice. It does not cause fear as Sinai. It does not kill. it gives joy and boldness. It gave the disciples not terror but courage. Every disciple, filled with the Spirit, boldly takes on the world. They are no longer timid, weak—hearts with joy, eager to speak.

There are two preachers and two words. The proclamation of Moses terrified a whole nation. The proclamation of the Spirit emboldens Peter. Peter who was scared of Caiphas’ servant and denied the Lord. Peter who huddled terrified for fear of the Jews. Now Peter preaches against high priests and whole council of Jerusalem, and even speaks against Roman emperor. And all the Apostles do the same, like Peter.

There are two messages: the law of God and the gracious favor of God. Pentecost brings about a huge change. They have no fear, neither in heaven nor hell. There is a miraclous, divine transformation. They are courageous, bold, defiant, speaking against secular and spiritual alike. So also the whole host of apostles and disciples, 120 brave soldiers of the cross.

All the Apostles and disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, began to preach. Not only that, they began speaking Greek to Greeks, Latin to Romans, Persian to Persians, Egyptian to Egyptians. Now the Gospel is given to all the earth in their native tongue.

The miracle is bigger than that. The content! Listen! New and wondrous message! Easter, Jesus of Nazareth, crucified as criminal, villain, traitor? mocked, spit upon, scorned, cursed, and killed? Who is He? The Lord of heaven and earth! The Son of God! WOW! Jesus of Nazareth, dragged out of the city seven weeks earlier, legally condemned, publicly executed, is now proclaimed Lord and God who rules the whole world.

This is the foundation of the church: poor and ignorant fisherman and offensive preaching of crucified Jesus. A horrible injustice was perpetrated against him. Those who crucified Him are enemies are enemies of God. Wrath and fury upon sinners. No previous precedent.

Imagine: defend person accused and condemned to death, left to rot in the grave seven weeks, and then condemn the whole government, spiritual and political, declare the man innocent, damn the judge rulers, and everyone else. the betrayers, criminals are not innocent before God and world, but are traitors against God, denied the Lord and God and crucified HIm! Daring and audacity!

“The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses” (Acts 3:13-15).

All the disciples preached with the strength of a great army, later spreading this offensive and foolish preaching to the world. The crucified Jesus of Nazareth is the Lord of heaven and of earth.

Why didn’t chief priest, Pontius Pilate kill them right then? The New Testament and Kingdom of God, while seeming to have little power, has in fact almighty power that no one can resist.

The message: Proclaim Jesus of Nazareth, condemned and executed, is the LORD, of whom the prophets foretold. Whoever wishes to be rid of sins and to have eternal life, let him repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. Insignificant, unimportant message and incompetent messengers.

So Christianity begins with nothing but powerless foolishness: For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:22-24).

What is the source of this great power and might? The Word and the Holy Spirit. Witness Peter and all the rest. Look at the words and tongues they were given, as if they had been with Jesus a lifetime. Simple fishermen used by God to prove and reveal great wisdom. God preserved them and the church to this day, despite the seeming foolishness and ignorance of proclaiming the lowly, despised Jesus of Nazareth as God and Lord. Tongues of fire and native tongues confirmed God’s power on Pentecost.

Pentecost should always be on our mind. It is of no less importance to you, dear Christian, than Christmas or Easter. We should always thank God that through the Apostles and the work of the Holy Spirit, we have know this sermon. We know what Peter preached. Holy Spirit preserved. Beautiful festival and comforting, joyful sermon preserved and given. Neither devil nor opponent can destroy it.

Why full of joy? Because by God’s grace it has been given to us, so that we too may know the distinction between the two preachers and the two messages. We must distinguish between the message of the Law and the message of grace, the Lord Christ’s proper message. So the old Jewish Pentecost, given by the Law, is overcome by the new Pentecost, when the Gospel is revealed by the Holy Spirit.

So we can now distinguish between sorrow and joy, death and life. Mt. Sinai is full of sorrow, terror, despair and death. Now, in Jesus Christ, we have a joyful and precious message which fills our heart with joy and courage.

This work of drawing you away from the message of the Law unto the New Testament begins today. HOLY SPIRIT carries out His office and work as paraclete (comforter) and Spirit of truth. He filled the apostles and disciples with a sure and certain comfort, joyful courage, bold attitude, and total confidence.

Witness: Stephen. We need the same. We need the Spirit to create in us this sort of faith to speak boldly and confidently in a world hostile to Jesus. We need the message of the Spirit to remain content and disregard their slander. We need a courageous heart, to disregard the slander, persevere in the midst of offense, to continue this proclamation of Christ crucified.

Make no mistake, the world hates this message. It is not a nice, sweet message, easy to proclaim. Nor does the public accept it. It offends both high and mighty, thus we need the Spirit. It accuses all as traitors and murderers. It also forgives in the death of the sinless one, without anyone deserving it one lick. Therein true joy is found, as freedom in forgiveness is given as a gift.  Thanks be to God.

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

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

Based on Luther’s sermon preached at the parish church in 1534.

Pentecost Vigil ’12 – John 14:15-21

26. May 2012
Pentecost Vigil
Joel 3:1-5; Romans 8:12-17; John 14:15-21

When it comes to the Christian church today, many have been led into and continue in error. Error can take many forms. Different errors lead to different churches and disunity in the body of Christ.

Error can twist of the truth into a falsehood, e.g. teaching that Christians have retained a perfect image of God after the fall. Error can add leaven to the truth, e.g. saying that Jesus died for you and you can merit salvation by your works. Error can leave out a portion of the truth and thus nullify the whole, e.g. “Jesus died for you” and then never getting to the Holy Spirit Church part. Error can run in the way of idle speculation and let our minds trump the mind of God, e.g. teaching that Jesus give us His body and blood physically because He is in heaven with the Father. And finally the worst error of our age is the idea that there is no truth and everything is relative.

No wonder there are so many Christian denominations. We’re split up into factions based on our error(s) of choice: the twisting of Scripture, the addition to the Word where it is silent, the ignoring of the clear testimony of Jesus in part or as a whole, distortions to the Holy Word based on the thoughts and intentions of our heart, and those who frankly don’t give a damn.

One mark is common to all: ignorant and malicious sinners. Every one of us has the capacity for error. Not only that, but apart from Christ, we walk in one or more of these errors each day. All error is a despising of God’s Word.

Consider how we treat our neighbors. Hatred? Check, I’ve got enough of that to last me an eternity. Coveting another’s spouse or stuff? Yeah, and not only that, I resort find ways to steal and have adulterous thoughts (and maybe actions) without anyone seeing or knowing. Honor my own father and mother, nonetheless my grand and great-grandparents? Not really. I don’t care what they thought was right and wrong, I’m more enlightened. Never mind our fathers and mothers in the faith, who handed over to us a faithful tradition of liturgy, rich hymns, and pointed and sincere prayers. We know better now how to “do church.” We can stomp on their honor with the bold rejection of our heritage.

Our attitude towards our Father is little different. Do we hold God’s Word sacred by gladly hearing and learning it? No, our prayers falter, attending to His Word in Bible study optional, and God’s own service to us with Sacrament disregarded for family vacation or the golf course. We mope about like Eeyore saying, “woe is me! There is no hope!” when we should call upon God’s own name for help. We don’t even give thanks to God for our everything we have, especially when others might be watching. And idolatry? We make our idols in spades. Gold cows are replaced by new idols we love and trust in more than our Father.

This is what St. Paul calls “to live according to the flesh.” To pursue the thoughts and intentions of your wicked heart is vanity. “For if you live according to the flesh you will die.” Any and every disregard for God’s own Word, for His precious things, [His] silver and [His] gold, results in death. Not just death to the body but death to God and eternal separation and damnation from Him.

Casting off truth for error is to reject the Holy Spirit. And nothing good comes of such retaliation against the Holy Trinity. Indeed, “swiftly and speedily I will return your retaliation upon your own head.” A life lived in error, in the truth mixed with error, or animosity to the truth will always result in God’s wrath and death. Error is not some plaything, to be toyed with, petted, and tolerated. Error is a beast, devouring truth and those who stand in its way.

The Father cannot abide by error. He does not want you twisting His Word to mean something different than He intended. He doesn’t want you making new laws and finding new hope apart from His own speech. He cannot abide by you ignoring his commands and gifts where they make you uncomfortable. He certainly will not tolerate you limiting Him and His work by your own reason or strength. Your Father wants you to know the truth and only the truth, so help you.

“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors.” The Father has given us a great gift in His Holy Spirit. For by the Spirit, we put to death the deeds of the body and live. Today, we recall again how the Spirit, promised by Jesus before and after His death and resurrection, now dwells in us. He has made our body His home. He has swept it clean of our idolatry. He has purged it of adultery and theft. The desires and intents of our heart are put to death again so that He who is holy once again has a holy habitation in us.

That is what is meant by “being led by the Spirit of God.” We are like the tabernacle in the wilderness, wherein God himself dwelt as the people of God made His home with him, a home that moved and journeyed unto it final mount of Jerusalem. We are being led by the Spirit out of death and into eternal dwellings not made with hands. And so, we are sons of God. Sons of truth and righteousness not error and iniquity.

Despite the filth of sin still clinging to our bones, despite our insistence on keeping and even believing in error, we have this adoption and this promise. We have received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” We are children of God, and if children then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. 

Now, as heirs, we know the truth. We know what is good and right and it has exposed what is evil and wrong. Therefore we cannot abide with error any longer. In our hearing, receiving, and meditation on God’s Word, our sin is exposed and our error brought to the life. There again the Spirit crucifies all falsehood and doubt with suffering. Yes, suffering is the consequence for sin but is claimed by the Spirit as a purging fire.

Burning hot is the Spirit operating by the Word. Burning the chaff away and granting new life to the ashes left. He is the Helper, the Paraclete, who keeps us in Christ. Christ, who is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Him. No one holding to error abides in Christ.

This is why the world cannot receive Jesus. This is why Christians go after falsehood and error. Our sinful nature cannot handle Jesus unless it is dead and buried and we are raised to be holy homes for the Spirit. Having  been buried with Christ by the Spirit and now raised to new life by Him, the Holy Spirit dwells with you and you know Him. He is the Spirit of life because He is the Spirit of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit does this great work of killing evil and raising us in the truth by the Word and blessed Sacraments. Baptism is the washing away of error and the new life of truth. Absolution is declaring that God has forgiven you and holds your sin against you no more. Despite what your heart and conscience may tell you, this is the truth. Preaching is the authoritative truth of God declared by the Spirit into your ears. The Holy Supper is truly Christ’s body and blood, given and shed for the forgiveness of your sins. By these great gifts the Holy Spirit takes up residence in you. He dwells in you and thus Jesus dwells in you. Not only that you know the Father and now call upon Him, “Abba.” Jesus loves you and has made Himself manifest to you by the Spirit. Receive and believe.

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

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

Exaudi ’12 – John 15:26-16:4

In the midst of the time between the celebration of the Ascension and the sending of the Spirit at Pentecost comes Exaudi, a Sunday of hopeful expectation. We need comfort in the midst of our sorrows and griefs, persecution and suffering. This is expected for all those who confess Christ’s name. What is unexpected is the gift of the Holy Spirit sent by the Father and bearing witness of Jesus. Indeed, Jesus given by the Spirit through the Word brings a comfort that the world cannot give.

(Apologies for the audio. The final few minutes were truncated where we considered the lack of comfort found in Moses and the Law, in good works and holy living. True comfort comes only by Jesus through His Spirit-given gifts of Word and Sacrament. He takes our eyes off our conscience and onto Jesus. He takes from us sin, death, and hell and grants us perfection, life, and eternity.)