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March 31, 2002, Easter, "Surprised by Joy," Matthew 28:8

How often are we genuinely surprised? Think of how hard it is to plan and pull off a surprise party. Everyone involved has to keep the party a secret and that's hard to do. Human nature loves to share secrets. Many times the secret is revealed and those who were supposed to keep the secret would reply, "But I only told one person!"

Easter was a surprise to the women who went to the tomb early on the morning of the resurrection. What they found really surprised them. They found the tomb empty. The angel announced that Jesus was not there. He was arisen!

"So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples." [Matthew 28:8]

They went to tell the disciples. Who could keep this wonderful news a secret? The disciples went to check out the report for themselves and found the same thing. The tomb was empty.

They were surprised by joy. Yet, why should they have been so very surprised? Jesus made no secret of the fact that He would suffer and die at the hands of His enemies. He told them all that more than once. He also told them that death could and would not hold Him. He told them He would arise again.

Of course, they didn't get it. They didn't understand. They thought Jesus was coming to establish a new political state. They thought He was coming to resurrect David and Solomon's grand kingdom. Their vision was on the things of this world. As the result of their mistaken thinking, they were caught off guard by the events of Friday. They were surprised and upset that Jesus was arrested, put on trial, condemned to death and actually crucified.

Easter morning found the disciples in mourning. They were sad, depressed and trying to cope with dashed dreams and lost hope. They were so distressed that they couldn't believe the news the women brought. They were so grief-stricken, they couldn't even enjoy the wonderful surprise of the resurrection.

What about you? You've heard the Easter story many times. Are you surprised by what you hear? Do you have a sense of wonder and joy as you hear the familiar Easter Gospel, "He is not here. He has risen, just as He said." What makes us think our experience is somehow different from the women who went to the tomb? The last thing they expected was the announcement of the resurrection. If we were with them that Easter morning, would we have expected anything different?

Our experience with death is the same as theirs. Our experience with the resurrection is the same as theirs. The difference is that they were much more amazed and surprised than we are this morning. The women were surprised by joy.

They were also afraid. They were afraid because this was something entirely new. They were afraid because they didn't know how to tell others without being thought of as nut cases. Perhaps they were afraid because they didn't trust their senses. Was this only a dream. We're told if something seems or sounds to good to be true, it is. Maybe they were afraid all of this was too good to be true.

In the end, the met the risen Lord. He helped them overcome their fear. We meet the risen Lord today. He helps us overcomes our doubts and fears. He meets us in the Word and in the sacrament. He fills us with joy.

What a blessing it is to be surprised by joy. We pray the Lord will give us the eyes and wonder of a child as we hear the Easter Gospel that we may continue to be surprised by joy as we hear the Good News. Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed. Go in peace and joy. Amen.

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March 28, 2002, Maundy Thursday, "The Never Ending Gift," Luke 23:44-46

The last word of Jesus from the cross is a word of hope, a word of faith. After enduring the punishment of hell itself, after being completely forsaken by the Father, after experiencing the bitter pain of sin for us, Jesus calls out once again to His loving Father. "Father, into your hands I commend My spirit."

In Luke 23:44-46, we read:

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Jesus prayed the Psalms. In the midst of His agony, He prayed Psalm 22, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?" Now He prays Psalm 31, "Father into your hands I commend my spirit." This is a bold prayer of hope and confidence. You are simply saying to God, "I trust You, Father. I know You will take good care of my spirit as it leaves my body. I know You take me to heaven to join the saints and angels who sing songs of praise around Your throne. I am confident on the last day You will resurrect my body and reunite my body and soul just as You did for Jesus."

We live in an evil world. We know we are weak people. We know that evil would completely overwhelm us. The devil wants to destroy our faith. The devil wants us to join him in the misery of hell. Left on our own, there is no way we can withstand the attacks of the devil. That's why we pray the seventh petition:

"But deliver us from evil." What does this mean? "We pray in this petition, in summary, that our Father in heaven would rescue us from every evil of body and soul, possessions and reputation, and finally when our last hour comes, give us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this valley of sorrow to Himself in heaven."

We learn from King David as we pray Psalm 22 that God would "deliver us from evil" whether this evil is of our own making or not. Either way, we cannot deliver ourselves. Jesus prays for this deliverance. After His prayer in Gethsemane, asking that the bitter cup of suffering might pass from Him, Jesus drinks the bitter dregs. On the cross His agony grows so intense that He cries out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?" And yet, in His dying prayer, Jesus boldly calls to the same Father who insisted He endure all of this pain. Like King David before, Jesus prayed, "Father into Your hands I commend my spirit."

His life is the perfect sacrifice. At 3 p.m. as the evening sacrifice is offered in the Temple, Jesus gives Himself to the Father. The curtain that separates the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies is torn in two from top to bottom. Jesus enters the Holy of Holies as the perfect sacrifice whose blood covers the sin of the world.

Today is Maundy Thursday. Tonight we remember the gift Jesus gave to us in His own Lord's Supper. He, who offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice to God, now offers Himself to us in the sacrament of the altar. Tonight, He comes to us in the sacrament. Jesus gave Himself as the perfect sacrifice. He died on the cross of deliver us from evil. He died on the cross to win for us the victory over sin, death and the power of the devil. His death on the cross delivers us from evil.

We come forward tonight to receive the blessings of faith and forgiveness, peace and hope, life now and forever. These are ours in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for us and for our salvation. Because He holds us in His undying love, we can pray with Him now and in the hour of our death, "Father into Your hands I commend my spirit."

The peace and hope of the Lord be with you always. Amen.

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March 24, 2002, Palm Sunday, “The Unending Parade,” Matthew 21:8-11

How many of you attended the Arden Hills parade last June? It was the first time we used the Trinity float.  What a hit it was!  Our float was a source of fun and pride for those of you who walked with the float and those of you who watched on the curb.  “Hey, we know you!”  “Hi!  It’s great to see you!”  For those who didn’t know us, the others told them that we were from Trinity, over on New Brighton Road.

Jesus was the only entry in the Palm Sunday parade.  Those who knew Him swelled with joy and pride.  “It’s Jesus!”  For those who didn’t know who He was and what the celebration was all about, those who did explained, “He’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.

In Matthew 21:8-11, we read:

Just about everyone likes a parade.  Oh, there are always a few grumps who don’t but they usually don’t show up to spoil everyone else’s fun anyway.  Sometimes people aren’t aware that there’s going to be a parade but when the come across it, they stay and watch.

The parade on Palm Sunday was spontaneous.  Jesus knew it would happen and instructed the disciples find a vehicle for him.  Today we think of open convertibles.  Back then, a celebrity would probably ride on horseback or in a chariot.  Jesus chose to ride on a colt of a donkey.  Even as He rode in so lowly a fashion, He was welcomed as King and Messiah by the crowds.

Most of the people waving the palm branches, quick and easily obtainable symbols of victory, were pilgrims from Galilee.  Many of the people living in Jerusalem and many other pilgrims from other places hadn’t a clue who Jesus was.  It’s Jesus from Galilee!

Who is Jesus?  You’d think after 2000 years, people would have the answer but there’s still a lot of confusion about who Jesus is.  Most of the world either hasn’t heard of Him or they have a mistaken idea about who He is.  If you don’t believe me go to the mall and ask people “who is Jesus?”  You’d probably be surprised at the many and varied responses you’ll get.

Today we’re remembering Palm Sunday.  It was a victory parade preceding the actual victory.  It was a time of hope and joy before the people understood what their hope and joy was all about.  It was a time to celebrate a king whose full glory is still yet to be revealed.  Looking back, we “get it.”  We know, as Paul Harvey says, the rest of the story.

The real victory celebration is next week.  The reason for the parade today was to show the people and the enemies of Jesus that He truly is a king.  He truly will answer the cry “hosanna” which means “Lord save us.”  This will all take place on Good Friday.  In the mean time, Jesus humbly receives the adoration of the crowds as He rides into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey.

The parade of Palm Sunday doesn’t really end at the Temple. It will continue in a smaller, much more mournful and subdued way Good Friday morning when Jesus is led out of the city to Golgatha, the place of execution.  In a small way, the parade will continue to the tomb as Joseph and Nicodemus take our Lord’s body for burial as the faithful women follow in the distance. 

On Easter an even small parade of women leave the city for the tomb to receive the Good News of the resurrection.  They will be followed by some of the disciples who can’t believe the news they’re hearing from the women.  But, that’s all yet to come.  In the mean time the disciples and crowds bask in the joy of the Palm Sunday moment.  The real hope and joy of the moment will be understood next week.  The Lord be with you as you prepare to join the parades of Holy Week leading us to our Easter celebration.  Go in His peace.  Amen.

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March 17, 2002 ,  “The Sting of Death,”  Numbers 21:4-9

Have you ever been stung by a bee or wasp?  Unless you’re terribly allergic, it’s not fatal.  The initial sting may be both surprising and painful but gradually the hurt subsides.  Have any of you been bitten by a poisonous snake?  A snakebite is more frightening and deadly than a bee sting.  After complaining against Moses and the Lord, the children of Israel were visited by deadly, poisonous vipers.

In Numbers 21:4-9, we read:

They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

The people of Israel were whining.  After being delivered from bondage in Egypt following ten miraculous signs from God, they were complaining about their living conditions.  The Lord who had supplied all their needs was now accused of not doing enough.  In response to this moaning and groaning, God gave them something to really moan about.  He sent deadly, poisonous vipers into the camp.

There was no cure or serum for this poison.  When a person was bitten, the venom spread through the body with burning pain.  Death was slow and painful.  If a person was bitten, they experienced the sting of death.

Once the snakes caught the attention of the people, they forgot about the things they’d been complaining about.  They forgot about Egypt.  All they could focus on was their fear and pain.

Instead of complaining to God, they were begging for mercy and mercy.

They confessed their sin of ingratitude.  They confessed their lack of faith.  The Lord heard and offered His solution.  He instructed Moses to fashion a bronze snake and set it up before the people.  When they looked in faith on the serpent of bronze, the poison burning through their veins subsided.  They experienced God’s healing, restorative power.

The sting of death is still with us.  We feel it every time some one we love dies.  We know the pain and sorrow caused by the separation of death.  In today’s Gospel the sisters Martha and Mary were dealing with the sting of death.  They were mourning the death of their brother Lazarus. 

As Jesus kindly consoles the bereaved Martha, she makes two wonderful confessions of faith.  She confessed her belief in the resurrection and she said of Jesus, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world.”  What powerful confessions from the mouth of the woman we often berate as being “too busy.”

Jesus in mercy and love does the most extraordinary thing, He calls Lazarus from the tomb.  Tears of sorrow become tears of joy, mourning turns into dancing, the sting of death is momentarily forgotten.  There is much rejoicing, except among the Sanhedrin who now plot with more determination than ever to kill Jesus.

This is part of God’s plan.  Just as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, so Jesus was to be lifted up on the cross to die for the sin of the world.  Jesus called Lazarus from the grave as a foreshadowing of His own glorious resurrection just a few days away.  Just as the people of Israel looked to the bronze snake and were healed of the viper’s burning venom, so all who look to the cross of Jesus in repentance and faith will be healed of the sting of death.

St. Paul explains this so beautifully, “Where O Death is your victory?  Where O Death is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”    

Yes, thanks be to God who gives us the victory.  Although death is still a part of this life, by God’s grace its sting is no longer forever.  The Holy Spirit helps us, with Martha, to witness our belief in the resurrection of the dead and life of the world to come with our Lord.  Praised is our Lord who calls, gathers, strengthens and keeps us in His undying love.  May that peace and assurance be yours now and always.  Amen

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March 10, 2002,  “Servant Leadership,” Matthew 20:20-23, 28

What’s your response when someone asks you, “do me a favor?”  Do you readily say, “sure, whatever!” or do you ask, “what do you want?”  The mother of Jesus’ disciples wanted a favor of Jesus.  Like you and me, He asks her to explain what it is she wants.

In Mathew 20:20-23, 28, we read:

Salome is being a good Jewish mother.  She’s seeking the best for her boys.  In this case, it’s not matchmaking but power seating.  She knows that James and John are in Jesus’ inner circle.  It would only be fitting that when He finally comes into His Kingdom that they should have the places of honor, the places of power, sitting on His right and left.

We certainly all would like to be able to afford or at least know someone well connected to get the “best seats in the house.”  This is what Salome and her boys were seeking.  There are times when Jesus chides the disciples for their lack of faith and understanding.  This is not one of them.  Our Lord seems to be taking a very calm, mentoring approach to their unrealistic request.  In essence He tells them, “you haven’t got a clue.”

We’re not much different.  We go to the Lord asking for all kinds of things.  Often, we really don’t have a clue about what it is we think we want from the Lord.  The TV preacher types are particularly guilty of this.  They tell their viewers to be bold and tell God what they want.  We can always ask God for any-thing.  We are never to tell God what to do or how to do it.

It’s all a matter of attitude.  Jesus explains that we are to have servant attitudes.  Our Lord came into this world not to be served but to serve.  Think about the things Jesus did.  He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, restored hearing to the deaf, fed the multitudes and stilled the storms.  He didn’t do any of this as a spectator.  He did these things to and for the people who sought Him out. On the night of His betrayal, it was He who acted the role of the servant and washed the feet of the disciples who had refused to so serve one another.  He came to fulfill the Law for us.  He lived the perfect life we cannot live.  He came to die on the cross as the perfect sacrifice for us and our sins.  In all of this He is the servant.

We best understand our life in Christ when we ask not for power, position and fame but how we might best use the talents, skills and abilities God has given us in service to others.  We serve the Lord best as we serve others in His name.  The problem is that this goes against the grain of human nature that much prefers to be catered to and given lots of attention.  Yes, we would so often rather be served  than serve others.

Salome and her boys didn’t quite get the big picture.  They were anticipating His glory.  In heaven we will live and reign with the Lord forever.  That’s yet to come.  Jesus was pre-paring Himself and them for His coming passion.  Before the glory would come the cross.  James and John would share in His glory but only before they, also, shared in His cup of suffering.

The TV preachers keep looking to the glory.  They forget that before the glory comes the cup of suffering.  The glory will, indeed, be ours but in the mean time, we live and serve our Lord as His people here. 

Jesus is always ready to listen to us.  He’s willing to hear us out no matter how outrageous the request.  Don’t be afraid to ask but do be ready to listen as Jesus instructs us be ready to share in His cup of suffering.  By God’s grace we will serve the Lord with gladness as He leads us on our pilgrimage through this life. 

Go in peace and serve the Lord.  Amen.

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March 7, 2002, “My God, My God, Why . . .?” Matt. 27:45-49

We all struggle with the question “why?”.  We search for answers but seldom do we find them.  As He hanged on the cross, Jesus asked the same question that haunts us, “why?”

He cried out in the midst of His suffering, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

In Matthew 27:45-49, we read:

When we feel alone and abandoned by God, when we begin to think that God not longer hears or cares, we are tempted to give up on praying, give up on living, give up on God.  Satan is there to pull us from the love of God.  When those moments come, don’t believe the lies of Satan.  Repeat the Sixth Petition of the Lord’s Prayer.

“And lead us not into temptation.”

What does this mean?  God tempts no one.  We pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us so that the devil, the world, and our sinful nature may not deceive us or mislead us into false belief, despair, and other great shame and vice.  Although we are attacked by these things, we pray that we may finally overcome them and win the victory.

The temptation Jesus faced and the temptation that attacks us also is the temptation to give up and stop praying.  When you are feeling like God has abandoned you, when you are frightened and lonely, when it feels like it won’t do any good to pray because God isn’t listening anyway, the temptation is very strong to quit praying. 

Watch out!  You are being deceived and led into false belief, despair and other great and shameful sins.  When you are tempted to give up hope, when you want to curl up and die, Jesus tells us to keep praying.  The question Jesus asks is the question we want to ask: “Why?”  It’s a universal question.  To ask “why?” is not a sign of weak faith.  The important thing is to ask the right Person: “My God, my God, why?”  God is the only One who can answer that question.

As we listen to God for an answer, it may be helpful to distinguish between getting an explanation and receiving comfort.  God does not owe us an explanation.  He seldom even provides explanations.  But, He is always ready and willing to comfort us.  His answer to the “why’s?” of life are often something like this: “Trust me, I have everything under control.  I still love you as I have always loved you and always will.”  We must learn to judge our circumstances according to His love, rather than judging His love according to our circumstances.

Did the Father actually forsake Jesus or did it just feel that way to Jesus?  Yes, Jesus was truly forsaken by God.  This was the price He had to pay for all our sins.  But it is impossible for us to grasp what this really means.  The Second Person of the Holy Trinity was forsaken by the First Person of the Holy Trinity, and yet the unity of the Trinity cannot be un-done.  It is a mystery. Why did the Word become flesh? Why does God love us so much to send His Son to die for us?  We can’t understand why, but we rejoice that He does love us so.  

Although He was begotten of the Father from eternity, Jesus voluntarily emptied Himself, becoming a servant for your sake.  He was obedient unto death—even death on a cross.  In the deepest depths of His humiliation, Jesus endured the God-forsakenness of hell for you.  God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us.

We are all plagued by the nagging question, “why?”  Even if there are no answers, don’t be deceived into giving up on God. He is here for you.  Because Jesus died on the cross, we are assured God will never leave us or forsake us.  That’s His promise.  We may ask “why?” but our hope is knowing in spite of the circumstances, our Lord is here with us, for us, and among us now and forever.  Go in peace.  Amen.

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March 3, 2002, “To believe, trust and see!” John 9:1-7

“Seeing is believing.”  These are words of the skeptic.  These are words that demand visible proof rather than accept promises by faith.  In the case of the blind man in today’s Gospel there was no seeing.  Without seeing, if he were a skeptic, how could he believe?

Read John 9:1-7

Back in the time of Jesus, there were no rehabilitation programs.  Blind people often had no other options than begging.  For those passing by, like the disciples or the Pharisees, these poor people were living proof of punishment for sin.  Obviously, either the blind man or his parents had sinned terribly.  Why else would God punish them as a warning to others?  Of course, this was a mistaken attitude. 

In fact, it was a smug, jerky attitude that Jesus was quick to dispel.

Jesus approached the blind man with the word of hope and promise.  He mixed His saliva with some dirt to make a sort of mudpack.  Then Jesus told the man to wash this out in the pool of Siloam.

The blind man now had a decision.  Would he take Jesus at His Word?  Would he believe?  Now, it’s one thing to believe but another to trust.  Let’s think about Naaman the Syrian general afflicted with leprosy.  He went to the prophet Elisha believing that the prophet could heal him.  When Elisha refused to “do” something other than tell him to wash seven time in the Jordan, Naaman became angry.  He didn’t really trust that the Jordan River was any better than the wider, cleaner rivers of Syria.

If faith is made of the components of believing and trust, believing is of the mind and heart but trust is the follow through.  It’s kind of like the old “trust me” game.  It’s when you stand in front of someone else and you’re told to fall back into the arms.  Will that person catch you or let you fall on your fanny.  We can believe the person is behind us.  We can also believe that they are a friend.  The question remains “do we trust them enough to fall backwards?”  Faith not only believes Jesus is there for us but allows us to lean backwards and fall into His arms.

Throughout our lives we learn the lessons of faith.  If we look at the blind man, we notice that Jesus never said what would happen if he washed in the pool of Siloam.  The man could have stayed rooted in his spot.  “Hey, this is a prime begging spot.  If I leave, I may lose some good business.  Who is this guy rubbing this stuff in my eyes?  How do I know He’s not playing some sort of practical joke on the blind guy?”  Although Jesus didn’t promise anything, he placed his trust in Jesus.  So, the blind man made his way to the pool and washed his the mud from his eyes.  He opened his eyes and he could see, perfect 20/20 vision! 

How often do we believe intellectually but remain slow to trust?  Jesus calls us to faith.  We believe and trust the promises he makes to us.  He calls us to follow.  We follow not always knowing where we’re going, like Abraham who left all thing home and familiar to get on an uncharted journey.  Abraham knew he had arrived when the Lord told him he had reached his destination.  We follow as the Lord leads.

The Lord supports us on this journey of faith with the consolation of His Word and His renewing strength in the supper.  Come, receive His forgiveness, comfort, strength, peace and hope He gives us now and remains ours forever.

Lord God, You have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown.  Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go, but only that Your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ out Lord.  Amen.

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